As Halloween ends and November begins and we begin the very quick rush into Christmas, I want to take a moment to reminisce because just about a year ago was very important moment in my life. I had a job of convenience from when I was in college until the pandemic happened, when I like many people, were was laid off due to the pandemic and collected unemployment benefits until they ran out. Once the benefits ended and the world was beginning to re-open, I was looking for a job. Throughout the pandemic and even before, I had been applying to every single film and television production jobs that I could find with every company I could find, but I never heard back until the application ran out and the form letter was sent. Clearly that wasn't working, and while filmmaking is my passion, that was a very disheartening experience, so I needed a change. And that change came in the form of an opportunity last year, to not do something in film production, but I think it's better in some ways.
Our story starts a year ago, and the backstory for this is that since I was in college, I had been sending out applications periodically to a particular corporate bookstore which had many stores in my area. I had gotten the idea, humorously enough, from an internet content creator, who had mentioned in a commentary on one of his videos that he'd worked at a branch of this store while in college, and hearing that, it felt like a natural fit for me. Unfortunately, I'd been summarily rejected every time I sent an application in over the course of five-ish years on and off. The one thing I never did though, was send in applications for seasonal holiday positions, mainly because if I was going to go through the rigamarole of applying and interviewing and training, I wanted something reliable and permanent, I didn't want to have to leave at the end of three months and be back where I started. Maybe I'd have a little more experience, but it never seemed worth it to me. But last year, I was at the end of my rope and I needed something, so I sent in an application. In fact I sent in three.
The first one received a response in the form of a phone call in which they asked what hours I wanted to work. Note for prospective job-seekers, that's a trick question. They want you to say “My availability is open.” They do not want you to say “Monday to Friday 9-5”, which I learned when the vibe in the call changed and they said “We'll let you know if we want to schedule an interview.” Spoilers, they did not.
The second application got a phone call, and having learned my lesson from the first one, I told them I had open availability and was called in for an interview. But it was a group interview, which was... strange. I was brought into a room with two of the managers from the store and two other applicants, one of whom I got to know later and is a lovely person who I am now friends with, and the other who had formerly worked for another well-known bookstore in the city. The questions were interesting and I had to sometimes follow someone else's answer and try to make mine sound unique, which I felt put two of us at a disadvantage every time a question was asked. Needless to say, I did not get the job, nor did the lovely person who I am now friends with, (because we both ended up working together at our current store) which can only mean that the person from the other famous bookstore got the job. But you know what? Good for her! I think things ultimately worked out for me and my new friend.
The third one, I sent in on Friday, November 5th, 2021 at around 10 or 11 p.m. It was on a lark, because the position had just opened and the last two went so well, I figured third time's the charm, right? Around twelve hours later, I got a call from the store manager of that store who asked me, “Are you still interested in the position?” And considering that I had just woken up and hadn't eaten breakfast yet, I had not yet had the opportunity to receive any better offers, so I took the interview! That interview already went better when it was a one-on-one with the store manager and not a group interview, and while I was extra nervous, because of my two previous bad experiences, I still got the sense that I had gotten the job. And lo and behold, I had!
Two days later I was filling out HR paperwork and the following Tuesday, I started training with two other seasonal employees, one of whom I now consider a close friend and one of whom who just vanished halfway through the holiday season, but that's a story for another day. While working at this store, I have met so many great people, my co-workers, the managers, and had my fair share of difficult customers, but through it all, I think I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be in life. I won't name names, but if you're reading this, you ought to know who you are! This past year has been better for me than my life has ever been before.
It sounds silly that a retail job could bring me that much joy, but it's not so much the job, it's the experiences. I'm very fulfilled by doing the work that I do and I enjoy going in every day. My life has changed for the better over the past year and I would certainly say that has everything to do with getting this job and I owe a lot to the store manager who took a chance on me despite the fact that I didn't have much in the way of experience, and another tip for prospective job-seekers, write a cover letter! My manager told me that's what got her call me in for an interview. I also owe a lot to my co-workers who have made working there so enjoyable, and the other managers for being very welcoming and patient, especially since I like to double and triple check everything I do.
I've made so many new friends with the people that I have worked with and I I think I am in a much healthier place than I ever have been and I wouldn't trade any of this for the world. It's been such a wonderful year. It's almost like when I got my dog because I know there was a point where I wasn't working at the store but I can't remember what that was like and it feels like I've somehow always been there even though it has only just now been a year. And hopefully there will be many more like it in the future.