Back to the job search
So, I'm back searching for employment again. My recent non-library job turned out to not be as long-term as I hoped. The split wasn't acrimonious so much as the result of them really needing something other than what was presented to me as my area of responsibility (Systems & Records Management) and seemingly us never really communicating in the same language. So I was wondering why whenever I tried to make headway on my responsibilities things got stalled out, and they were wondering why the hell I wasn't taking ownership of my job.
I'll be honest. I'm incredibly frustrated, and a bit hurt, since I never like finding out that I'm not performing well. I actually was in a position to have turned down several work opportunities while at this job, due not wanting to lose full time employment to part-time or temporary employment. At the exit interview all I could think was "Wait, I was a Quality Assurance Manager?" From what I've gathered now that it's all over, what they wanted is not a job I am qualified for. One that had I seen on a job board I wouldn't have applied to, and one that had it been offered to me with clearly stated duties and responsibilities, I would have probably had to have said I was not the right person for the job.
Interestingly, some things that they found fault in my behavior are the exact things that in other work environments have made me highly valued. I'm not going to lie, when within a week of my termination one of my side jobs told me that they were so "glad to have someone so capable on the team" due to the exact same thing, I was left with a feeling of "I just can't win."
But really the only thing to do in any life experience is to learn from it - and I definitely learned things from this position.
One thing that was reinforced here is when accepting a new job get things in writing. It might be an issue with benefits, with expected schedule, or in this case, exactly what they were looking for. If it's not in writing it's more mutable, or you're left with gleaning things and hoping you've got it right.
I've worked almost exclusively in environments of high distraction and high interaction. Where interacting with the distraction is a key part of the job. When I worked in environments were this wasn't the case, I've always been able to create some level of isolation, be it space or wearing headphones. Working in a very small office shared with two other people without being able to shut out the close proximity (no headphones allowed) makes for a very distracted me.
I have to say, I like working environments with high distraction and interaction. I like jobs with that variability and flex. One with responsive action as demanded, and to be honest, ones where I'm not likely to be sitting down the entire day. All of which applies to work within libraries.
Knowing that libraries are where my heart is was not something I learned, that I knew already.
Going forward, I held on to some of my side work, so I have a little bit of piece-work to help me get by and not completely rely on my savings. A few web development assignments, my monthly work at a book store, and I was able to get in on a last month of substitute teaching. Near the end of the summer I should be able to get about a month of work at the college book store I temp at for the start of the semester, and I've secured a 10 hour per week position at a fantastic private school library for the 2015-16 school year. I'm still waiting to hear back from BiblioTemps, applying to the few library jobs that are showing up on the job boards, and checking the local colleges for openings.
I'll be honest. I'm incredibly frustrated, and a bit hurt, since I never like finding out that I'm not performing well. I actually was in a position to have turned down several work opportunities while at this job, due not wanting to lose full time employment to part-time or temporary employment. At the exit interview all I could think was "Wait, I was a Quality Assurance Manager?" From what I've gathered now that it's all over, what they wanted is not a job I am qualified for. One that had I seen on a job board I wouldn't have applied to, and one that had it been offered to me with clearly stated duties and responsibilities, I would have probably had to have said I was not the right person for the job.
Interestingly, some things that they found fault in my behavior are the exact things that in other work environments have made me highly valued. I'm not going to lie, when within a week of my termination one of my side jobs told me that they were so "glad to have someone so capable on the team" due to the exact same thing, I was left with a feeling of "I just can't win."
But really the only thing to do in any life experience is to learn from it - and I definitely learned things from this position.
One thing that was reinforced here is when accepting a new job get things in writing. It might be an issue with benefits, with expected schedule, or in this case, exactly what they were looking for. If it's not in writing it's more mutable, or you're left with gleaning things and hoping you've got it right.
I've worked almost exclusively in environments of high distraction and high interaction. Where interacting with the distraction is a key part of the job. When I worked in environments were this wasn't the case, I've always been able to create some level of isolation, be it space or wearing headphones. Working in a very small office shared with two other people without being able to shut out the close proximity (no headphones allowed) makes for a very distracted me.
I have to say, I like working environments with high distraction and interaction. I like jobs with that variability and flex. One with responsive action as demanded, and to be honest, ones where I'm not likely to be sitting down the entire day. All of which applies to work within libraries.
Knowing that libraries are where my heart is was not something I learned, that I knew already.
Going forward, I held on to some of my side work, so I have a little bit of piece-work to help me get by and not completely rely on my savings. A few web development assignments, my monthly work at a book store, and I was able to get in on a last month of substitute teaching. Near the end of the summer I should be able to get about a month of work at the college book store I temp at for the start of the semester, and I've secured a 10 hour per week position at a fantastic private school library for the 2015-16 school year. I'm still waiting to hear back from BiblioTemps, applying to the few library jobs that are showing up on the job boards, and checking the local colleges for openings.
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