The next morning, after breakfast, I began the job hunt. A few positions caught my eye, but I wasn’t confident I could actually do them well or even enjoy them. A social media company wanted a content writer, and I thought about my brief blogging stint in high school as I read the job description. Writing about my feelings was supposed to help me sort them out. But as a young teenager, I didn’t know enough about life yet to even understand the problems which surrounded me. Long story short, it was a good exercise, but I don’t think writing is for me. I didn’t enjoy it enough to continue doing it, so I passed up that job.
Tech, science, and jobs in the law field were automatically out, too. Not only am I not skilled in those fields but also can you spell BORING? No, thank you. The military is a noble career with no experience necessary, but I feel like I would have to give up so much to do it well. I could be wrong, but I feel like careers like military, medicine, and law enforcement are more a calling than a job. I can’t put my whole life into anything right now. I need a paycheck and vacation days. That’s it.
An aerospace company had a posting for a technician, and I possessed many of the skills they desired. The pay was really nice too. Even if I wanted to try it just for the money, the hours sucked. I need something with regular business hours for when I have my kids.
After a half hour of scrolling and reading, I applied for a job called assistant to the manager. The pay wasn’t good, and an office environment would be completely new to me. But the schedule worked, and I knew I’d get training. And there would be advancement opportunities if I wanted to grow. Look at me thinking about leveling up already!
I filled out and submitted the application. Within a few minutes, I received an email saying I needed to complete an assignment. I clicked hesitantly on the link, which took me to a series of empty reports. My instructions were to fill out said reports. I stared blankly at the screen, trying to figure out what this was all about. Was I hired already without an interview? Did I want to work for a company that hired people without knowing if they would do the job? Speaking of, I couldn’t wrap my head around how they thought I could do this. I guess some candidates have had office jobs before, so it wasn’t a completely asinine ask. That prickly feeling returned, and my defense system engaged. Everything inside me wanted to shut down my computer and forget the whole thing. Maybe I was too ambitious. How did I think I could go for a proper job with zero experience? I should start small and go work part time in a store. Or I could be a barista! I hear they make decent money in tips. But before I ran away with thoughts of quitting, I took a deep breath. Things are rarely as hard as they seem. And I’m smart! I did well enough in school to figure this out. All I had to do was read the documents and fill in the appropriate fields on the report. No biggie. Besides, if I don’t figure it out, I won’t get the job, for surely this assignment is only test. They want a problem solver, and I need to figure out situations like this so I can be an asset to the company. But just in case I was on the wrong track, I turned to the internet to see how others filled in reports. Mine looked similar enough, so I submitted.
Within an hour, I received an offer letter!! A warmth so intense spread through my body I thought I would combust into rays of sunshine! I screamed and danced around the room with a huge smile on my face. After a heart-wrenching string of losses, I soooooo needed this win. I, Emerald Kierra Murillo, am now a contributing member of society! Mommy would be so proud of me right now. Moreover, I’m proud of myself.
