just when you thought it was over...

Sure, I have a new job that I enjoy. I'm away from the front desk and everyone at work says that I look happier and more relaxed. That's most likely because it's true! Still, the job search is not quite complete.

Now that I have a consistent schedule, I've decided to do something I've been thinking about for awhile. Last week I applied for a part time photography job. When I graduated and started searching for photo jobs there were slim pickings. I even applied at Kiddie Kandids, a portrait studio inside a Babies R Us. Now that I don't have the requirements of full time, benefits, and the ability to pay rent, I can be less picky on the locations I apply for a position.

So I found out that they were hiring at the portrait studio at Target in Roseville. This is super close to my current job and I figure I can go straight there after my shift and work a few hours. I had an interview this past Wednesday that went great. The woman I interviewed with is the manager at the Target Studio and said that she really wasn't looking for anyone on nights and weekends right now but that the JcPenny in Rosedale was. Basically she still interviewed me but for the job over there.

The two studios are owned by the same company and it would be great to work at either. I told the woman I interviewed with that I wasn't looking for a big paycheck, all I want is somewhere to continue learning and building my portfolio. I'm pretty sure that I got the job, so I'm really excited to continue with my photography!!!

finally over, somewhat...

An update on the job front. After a long time searching for a travel agent position, I was exhausted. The few openings that were around were looking for agents with 2-3 years experience, which I don't have. I also started looking for hotel sales positions. Along the way with travel classes and job searching I found myself interested in this area as a goal to reach once I gained some sales experience.

I was propelled by the thought of selling meeting spaces at hotels and organizing the weddings and corporate events that happen there. Sounds a bit boring when put that way, but basically is an event planning position. And who doesn't love event planning?! Anyway, this is also an area where open positions wanted 2-3 years experience, can't get away from that these days. So I applied at hotels for sales assistant positions where I wouldn't be doing any selling, but would be working with the sales department and gaining some much needed experience.

That still wasn't getting me anywhere. After months of job searches applying for dozens of jobs, I got nothing, not even an interview. I was sick of working at the front desk and starting to get bitter. Finally, three months after I gave my two month notice at the hotel, I decided to look within for an opportunity.

There seems to always be a sales position open at my hotel, and the one that had been around the longest was for a business travel sales manager. This job would require keeping track of the number of times a business stays using their negotiated rate, searching for new business, and a basic upkeep of the relationships that have already been built. Sounds easy enough, right?

I arranged a meeting with my general manager so that she could tell me more about the position and see if she thought I would be good for the job. I walked into that meeting confident that I would be successful, I walked away with a slightly different perspective. She told me that the position I was asking about wasn't as entry level as I thought, but that she might have another arrangement for me.

Now pay attention, this gets a little confusing. The other sales position that was open at the hotel was for a catering sales manager. The current catering assistant was being set up to move into that position, but would not be able to get that promotion until there was someone to take her position. However, the hotel could not post an open position until there was officially an opening. So the general manager suggested that I would be wonderful for this spot, and that she would set up a meeting for me to speak with the director of sales and catering so she could tell me what the catering assistant was responsible for. We talked, and I decided to take the position.

Nope, we're not done yet! Next a lot of talks had to happen between the general manager, the HR director, and who would be my new manager. Apparently everything had to happen according to corporate procedure. It took maybe another week or so and they offered the catering manager position to the current catering assistant. Whew! Well, now I had to wait 5 days, an open position must be posted internally for 5 days in order to give other interested candidates opportunity to apply themselves. I wasn't worried about anyone else, there was not one single applicant that could have beat me out of this position. Why? Because I'm PERFECT!!! That's why!

Ok, now we're done. I am the new catering assistant and officially start training tomorrow (Monday)! I am soooooooo excited to finally be away from the front desk. I am going to gain my sales experience and work with a great group of people. Officially I will be doing a lot of this and that around the hotel. If you spoke with anyone they would tell you that the previous catering assistant was the lifeline of that department, and they would not have run as smoothly without her there. I am happy to be this new lifeline and even happier to be able to learn from the master herself.

meet dennis

My latest craft craze has been making paper. More on that another day, for today I would like to introduce you to Dennis, my paper making buddy. I have a basin that my pulp and water sit in while I'm working on this project and on this particular day a grasshopper ended up in the water. He appeared to be fighting his way out, and I was on my way out to run some errands figuring he would be gone by the time I got back.



Lo and behold, I returned and there was the grasshopper, sitting in the corner of the water as still as can be. Being the good samaritan that I am, I helped the little fella out of the water, saving his life! He would have been sitting in there for quite some time; I believe I was gone for at least an hour. Immediately after releasing him from what would have been an early death he started to dry himself off. I love how you can see him actually doing this in some of the pictures.

I named him Dennis after Dennis Hopper, funny right? Dennis stuck around for at least half an hour, wringing out his antenna, walking along the water hose, and even letting me pick him up and hold him. I think the only reason I was allowed to handle him was that he was still too soaked to hop away. Eventually he was all well and jumped back home, but Dennis made my day a little brighter. :)