Tuesday, August 21, 2012

In Which Amy gets Offered a Job...or two

So, this was supposed to be a post about my adventures with public transit. Then it was going to be about laundry. But I decided that those can wait because yesterday was Job Interview Day.

Before all of this I'm-going-to-move-to-Boston/Brighton-because-why-the-hell-not hooplah one of my jobs was at Barnes and Noble. I loved it there. Adored it even. It was awesome. Then the Boston thing came up. So, here I am. Well, there was word of a transfer to a different Barnes and Noble. It was a whole different mess of faxes and phone calls.



Well, I had an interview for a transfer scheduled yesterday morning. That was exciting. Huzzah. It was a Barnes and Noble almost an hour by transit (which only about 3 miles away...I call bullshit but that's for the transit post). It was a sort of bus to bus to walking deal. Anyway, this particular Barnes and Noble had seemed really interested in talking to me. They had a full and part time position open and I was pretty excited about it. I went into my interview excited and nervous and fairly optimistic. I required very little training, after all.

The store is way smaller than the old one I worked on. I like keeping busy at work so that had me a little nervous. I mean, I'm sure they have plenty to do, but I go restless if I stand still too long.

The woman was fairly nice and said she really needed people. She didn't seem to think much of my love for YA but that's not new, so whatever. Then she told me they would love to have me. I was pretty thrilled. Well, thrilled right up until she told me that I didn't have enough Nook experience for the Tech lead full-time job and that they had filled the other yesterday. I really didn't need to know that 'yesterday' bit, to be honest. I was a little disappointed but hey, part time is still a job. But they didn't want me part time, even. She was going to put me on seasonal for two days a week, more if I wanted to pick them up, and then think about putting me on part-time after Christmas.

I wasn't really all that excited at all, anymore. I loved working at Barnes and Noble but I was going to need a job that had a little more to offer, especially starting off. I knew I might not be able to find full time right off the bat but two days a week wasn't going to do much for me.

I think my lack enthusiasm showed. She gave me a packet and told me I could come in on Wednesday for orientation, to "watch all the videos [I've] already seen." Then she handed me her card and circled the number and told me to give her a call if I was interested or if I "changed my mind."

And that was sort of how we left things. I took the bus back, complete with another startling public transit story for that post, and as I was getting off the first bus to hop on the second I spotted something.

The Boston University Barnes and Noble bookstore.

I wandered in. It's huge. Four floors and sort of lush and pretty looking. The fiction section isn't huge but it's also predominately a university bookstore. I wandered over and asked if they were hiring. The girl behind the counter was really cool and gave me one and told me they usually got back to people pretty quick.

I took it back to the apartment and filled it out. I figured I'd return it and check out another Barnes and Noble I'd heard about in a section of the city I hadn't seen yet. But I ran in to return it and they pulled me right up for an interview.

I was a little startled by how quickly the whole thing happened. They weren't hiring in the trade store but they were looking for text books and cafe. The woman was awesome and told me that people got moved around quite a bit so even though I'd be starting in the cafe I would likely be able to move to trade. I mentioned the other interview and she double checked and told me that I could not work at both, as they're both Barnes and Nobles, but assured me that I would definitely be getting more hours than two days could offer.

She told me not to rush and left me her email. I called Mum and talked about it with her a little and then talked it over with Sam. It wasn't exactly what I had hoped, not being books but it was only twenty minutes via bus and only one bus at that. It was closer, more hours, and a little more money. I'll definitely still need a second job but it seemed a little easier, all around. And there's no way it could be worse than the chocolate shop hell of previous job.

So, I called the first and gratefully declined and then e-mailed the second and gratefully accepted. She e-mailed me back this morning and told me I could come in for orientation either Wednesday or Friday.

I had been a little suspicious by how easy the whole thing had been. Here's the issue, I, in my packing frenzy, forgot my social security card. It was being mailed by my wonderful mum, but it definitely wouldn't be here by tomorrow. After a chat with Mum I was e-mailed a copy and she over-nighted (she's a saint, did I mention?) the actual to me.

So, I e-mailed and told her if a copy was okay, I could be there tomorrow and bring the actual on a later date otherwise I would be all set on Friday.

I still haven't heard back. So, basically, I have no idea what's going on and probably look like a complete and utter disaster to this new job.

But maybe it will work out?

I'll get my lazy self up really early tomorrow in case they're okay with the copy? Either way, of course it wasn't that easy. Silly me.

But there's an update for you. This wasn't quite as humorous as I think some others will be.

On the bright side, the bank sent me mail today (I've never been so excited for bank mail) so I got to go and get this:


That's right, I finally got a Boston Public Library card! Yay!

Also, now you all know it's really me and not an imposter. Not that you were really doubting, I mean, who else uses 10,000 words to tell a story that could have been told in 100?

But there you have it. I might be employed and have a library card! That's what's happening out here in good old Brighton.

-Amy

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