Last time I had to job hunt, I had padding because I'd been laid off from an FTE position and got a package. This time, there's no padding at all (in large part because of huge medical expenses) and I'm far less optimistic about my prospects than I was when I started out last time.

I mean, I had suffered from the delusion that 7.5 years at a major company and a decent-sized network would help me get something decent and that particular delusion has long since vanished in the face of the realities of a niche skillset.

So I guess it's time to pull the trigger on Operation Sell the Car and then pay off as much of my remaining personal debt as I can with whatever proceeds I get. Pity. I love that car.

Job-hunting is terrible. It's like having a job you hate and not getting paid for it and also carrying around a giant ball of stress. Extreme sympathies, PMM.

Job hunting is like constantly inviting people to kick you in the crotch.

Shrift, ugh that's annoying.

Jesse, I can see why you would be annoyed.

Plei, I'm sorry. Job~ma for you.

Buffistas spicy brains really need to be better appreciated by employers.

Connie, I've never had an apartment with curtain rods already up. I've always had to put up my own.

And in terms of what's valued, that's...not your responsibility?

Apparently when you do something and nothing goes wrong, nobody notices. Blah blah branding and visibility blah blah.

Also, I'm told my strength is "communication." I don't know how to make a huge project out of "communication."

Job-hunting is such a demoralizing task.

Ugh. I'm so sorry. There may be sympathy crying.

Apparently when you do something and nothing goes wrong, nobody notices. Blah blah branding and visibility blah blah.

Ah, yes, my company's version of that is "perception".

Clearly you need to spend the bulk of your time communicating to everyone else that the reason things are not going wrong is you, shrift. HTH, I'll waive my consulting fee.

Apparently when you do something and nothing goes wrong, nobody notices. Blah blah branding and visibility blah blah.

Yep. Yep. Yep.

Also, I'm told my strength is "communication." I don't know how to make a huge project out of "communication."

Also, sadly, yep.

I am so sorry. Been there. It sucks.

Timelies all!

Sorry about all the job woes.

I ended up leaving work an hour later than usual because there were some samples that needed to be processed right away, and I'm not going to be in the lab tomorrow through Monday. (Yay! OVFF! Boo that Gary has yet another business meeting on Friday so I'll have to toddler wrangle solo- aside from any early birds who want time with Mr. S.)

I am once again reminded that I am blessed with my job, and that I meet the quality goals easily, and better yet we have a hard time holding on to qualified technicians and there's a hiring freeze so odds are I'm safe.

Can I just say that this is an annoying time of year to have to think about, well, anything other than getting my Black Friday orders supported, but specifically making changes to my W-2 or insurance elections or what not. But this is when it happens. Every year. So it's not like I can tell myself I will give myself time to really think about what I need next year.