9 to 5

After hours of job hunting, a well-deserved break.

I have been looking for job opportunities in Toronto while I was still in Scotland and even applied for several, but I haven't heard so much as a peep.  I didn't worry too much about it because I had provided my Scottish contact details so I probably wasn't selling myself as a candidate who was immediately available.  I became aware of this and applied for a couple of jobs with my sister's contact details before Christmas.  I took a little break and now I'm back on the job hunt full time.  As my sis said, looking for a job and working out are my jobs right now.

So I've been looking and searching and browsing, tweaking my CV here and there and writing completely new cover letters for the jobs I have applied for and I can't help but feel the familiar questioning: what kind of a job am I looking for?  I know what my strengths are and I know where my interests lie, but like many, many people, I don't have a passion for many things.  I love eating, cooking, exploring and learning new things such as designing and making new things, but nothing that really translates to what I would love to do between the hours of 9 and 5.

Right now, I'm trying to reconcile what I want out of life and I think it's safe to say that finding my OMG job is not the first or second thing on the list.  Maybe not even the third.  So with that in mind, I'm trying to get comfortable with pursuing jobs that I'd be really successful in, and unfortunately, they are not as glamourous as I'd like them to be. I guess deep down, I want people to be impressed with my job.  I know it's silly, and I've never admitted it to myself before, but I guess being a success, career-wise, is what many people aspire to, and that success usually entails doing something that makes people say "wow!".

One of my good friends posted a quote on FB yesterday: "All labor has dignity."  I didn't know it at the time, but it was said by the late, great MLK, whose birthday was yesterday.  I googled it and found the full quote:  "All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence." It's really true - if you're working to support yourself and your family, no matter how menial the job is, you should hold your head up with pride and be the best you can because you're doing something great.  I need to apply this to my job search.

I have a university degree and through my varied jobs, I've learned that I am at my best when I'm coordinating, planning and putting things together and the jobs that I'm drawn to combine all those aforementioned things.  They aren't the sexiest jobs in the world, but I shouldn't be ashamed of that.  If I could find a job that keeps me on my feet and keeps me energized, I think I would be happy, no matter what the job title or industry is.

I have until March 1st to find a suitable job.  Today I applied to two potentially interesting but not "awesome" jobs.  The jobs I applied for were for executive assistant positions.  I know I would do well in those jobs but I can't help but feel a wee bit embarrassed, but I really need to get over that.  I know what I want out of life now and they can't be found during those hours between 9 and 5.