Everything happens for a reason...

It is not a huge secret that I don't really love my job. I am lucky to have a job and I know that. If it paid the bills I would shrug it off and say "eh, it pays the bills" but frankly...it does not. It pays most of the bills. It could be better but I do recognize that it could also be way worse. I resigned myself to the fact that I am lucky for what I have but there is not reason that I can't seek out better at the same time. I have been applying for jobs for a while now. I rarely get called back. I reason that it is because I already have a job and my resume automatically goes into the selfishly-already-employed file.

Last week I had a minor hang-up with my boss about an aspect of my job that he assured me would not take up this much time and could be deligated to someone else in the event that I did not wish to do it. Unfortunately our conversation went south quickly and made me feel all out fear for my current position and it's future. That very same day I finally got a call back for an interview. It was a closer position with a title company. I didn't know much about the company so I inquired to a friend who was previously in the title business to find out what she knew. My friend informed me that she too had applied for the job. We both got called in for an interview and agreed that as long as one of us got the job we were cool with it. We are both currently employed so if we didn't get it it wasn't the end of the world.

I had a great interview and called my friend after. She also had a great interview. The next day the man called my friend and offered her the job. I was super excited for her and I honestly saw it as another in for me with the company. I was a bit bummed but I know how to count my blessings and at least I have a job. So yesterday my friend who got the job calls me. She got a call from the title company that just hired her last week informing her that they are on a hiring freeze and are no longer able to extend their offer of employment to her. She had already put in her notice at her job and because she felt bad for blindsiding them she had referred a friend to fill her position. Her boss let her keep her job but she had to tell her (unemployed) friend that she wasn't leaving so the job was no longer open. I felt so horrible for her. I am glad she got to keep her job. She is so appreciative of their willingness to take her back that I think it will be a while before she looks again. She got lucky though. We both did really. Had I gotten the job I would have put in notice and my boss would have been super upset. I don't think he would have let me stay on. Or what if he had said he didn't need 2 weeks and I just left, only to be laid off a week later? I feel like the universe was there for both my friend and I.

I had my review yesterday at my job. Numbers and performance are down with a down market (I work in finance) so I knew it wasn't looking good for more money. First the boss tried to up my bonus amount which is a classic move on behalf of those working on commission. You do all of the work and I will throw you a crumb IF you do amazing things to make me money. My bonus is nothing now so more of nothing is still....NOTHING! Instead I took a very small salary increase that amounted to $900 a year/$80 a month/.45 an hour!!!!! I was severely disappointed and discouraged...until my friend called to tell me about her day. I will take my 45 cents and be happy. I am going to hold off on looking for jobs for a while. With the end of the year and so many people out of work I will concentrate on being grateful for what I have. I am still looking for a 2nd job, someplace close to home and low stress. Hopefully with Christmas approaching that won't be hard to work out. For now I can rest easy knowing that everything does happen for a reason and all is well that ends well. I am not the most patient person (not even top 1,000,000) so I will keep reminding myself how lucky I am to have what I have and dream of more just like everyone else. What is that old saying?

"Count your blessings not your troubles." Brianna Keenan