so it is now day 45 of Tacoma. I have been actively looking for employment for the majority of that time. Things seem to move much slower here than I’m used too. I’m not sure if it’s Tacoma/western Washington itself, or just that things have changed that much in 13 years. last week I had interviews for applications/resumes I put in in early August. I understand being thorough, but it kind of seems like an after thought. “yeah, we really ought to get around to filling that front desk position. these phone really are not answering themselves”
One interview I sat waiting in the lobby wearing a suit. I was told that was the appropriate attire This already made me a bit uneasy about the job. Add too it that it was at a life insurance agency I had never heard of; and the woman I talked to didn’t know the url for the company website and I was a bit suspicious it was actually a sales job. While I waited, more perspective employees showed up, dressed much more casual than I. They were also young enough to be my children. As I looked around, I realized that I may very well be the oldest person in the office. I was certainly the largest. They really needed to have sandwiches at the door. I was also concerned with the amount of older furniture and the thickness of the paint layers in the age of the building downtown. With it being tied to all the other buildings on the block, it would just take one of the young women to cross her legs and accidentally set the place on fire. I will say this for the woman who interviewed me, we were able to both get right to the point and decide that it was not what either of us were looking for. The interview itself was less than five minutes.
I had another interview for a company very similar to the company I had just left in Anchorage. The interview went OK. I think that it just wasn’t going to be a good fit though. could be that they already had people for the various things I did at PRP and could not think of a place to put me. It may also have been that in the end it was personality conflicts. It may also have been that I just couldn’t stop looking at the guys faux-hawk. I don’t know it it’s just me, but it seems like anytime I see that hair cut (note the lack of the word style) on anyone over 20, they invariably are a douche. I’m pretty sure this is not the case, and most likely NOT the case with this guy, but the woman who was in the interview with us never said anything and just looked his way every once in a while like she was waiting for him to give permission to speak. Again, I doubt this was really the case, but it did leave that impression. I also got the impression that it was a place where management is always right no matter what. Evidence be damned. I still can’t shake the image of the faux-hawk though. It was really large. Like 80’s hair large.
Friday afternoon I interviewed for a job much different from what I did before, yet using much the same information. It would be varying data entry and invoicing for a contractor for the major utility in the western Washington area. I would be drowned in plat maps, utility markings, entry forms, no music blaring through the office, and no main phones. It would be heavenly! I think the interview went well. I picked up a lot of what they were showing me right off the bat. The office is close to the apartment and our mailbox. It also isn’t that far from the house we put an offer on. Both of the women that interviewed me seem intelligent and friendly. One was even from Anchorage, though she left in the early 90’s. I hope this one pans out, aside from getting tired of looking for a job, it sounds perfect for me.