To those who wait

Two months ago, I lost my job. This sucked. It was sudden and completely out of nowhere and it tore my life as I knew it apart. Most of my long term plans were no longer viable or would have to be put off by several years at best. We would have to cancel our trip to Argentina, thankfully we hadn't bought the tickets yet. Short term plans were hit too. With the loss of my income and no idea when it would return, we had to save. That meant not going to friends events like birthday parties and get togethers because they all cost money. 

Thats not to say that I couldn't do anything at all, or that my family and friends abandoned me to solitude. I was treated to a many a movie nights (gratefully so as the Avengers 2 had just come out) and people found cheaper or free things we could all do together. My friends and especially my family rose up to support me and I will be forever grateful! 

I needed a job though. The stress of not having a job had me breaking out in hives and weeks of sleepless nights. So I threw myself into finding another design job, I designed not one but two resumes. One would fit on a regular 8.5x11 sheet that I could print off quickly and hand out at the drop of a hat. The other was much more complicated, a folder that contained a flipbook of my portfolio. Armed with my amazing resume, I started an extremely aggressive application campaign. Every day I applied online to job listings. Afterwards I took to the streets, applying to design studios no matter if they were hiring or not. 

The evening after I lost my job, I decided that I was going to make this a good thing. I was really comfortable at my old job, and would have stayed there for years despite that it wasn't the type of design that I really wanted to get into. In school my favourite subject was packaging. I loved it! I did my internship at a packaging studio. So this time I was not going to forget that. I made sure that I hit every packaging design company in toronto, even if they weren't hiring. I figured no matter what job I ended up getting, I wouldn't stop until I got that packaging job I really wanted. This time, I wouldn't let myself get comfortable.

A month passes without a single bite, note even a nibble on the line. No one is hiring apparently. In fact I keep hearing about all these other people I know who are loosing their jobs as well. Its an epidemic! In June I get my first interview, its with a real estate design firm. I figure they have to hire me, who else could possibly be more qualified? As it would turn out, someone else was more qualified. I move on, keep applying. I do a few more interviews. Some are for jobs that I would turn down, they aren't design. Others I wait to hear back from. And wait, and wait. 

I've got my eye on the calendar, noting that my severance has ended and we only have so much in the savings and how long can we live in our apartment on Josh's income alone?

Then it is Christians birthday, in the morning I tell him 'I need you to focus your birthday power, I want to get a call today from one of the places I'm waiting to hear back from'. I don't even care if its for them to say no thank you, I just want to hear back! We go out for lunch in the distillery district, and after we decide to look around some of the shops. I realize I have to use the toilet so I go off to use the public washroom. (I gotta say, the public washrooms at the distillery district are gorgeous, I saw a pair of ladies taking photos of the architecture inside) 

It is when I'm actively on the toilet that my phone rings in my purse. I pull it out and realize that I don't know the number. There is no way I have time to get out of the bathroom before it goes to the answering machine. With a wince I press to answer and quietly say hello, praying that no one in the vicinity flushes.

I got the job.

Due to my location I kept the phone call short but I accepted the offer gleefully and got the details of the start date. When I got outside to tell my family they were all thrilled for me. Mom cried, although she finds it hilarious that I got the call while on the can. 

It's not a packaging company, I knew this going in. But what it is, is almost better. The company I now work for designs for huge companies like Pepsi, Kraft and at least a dozen beer labels. And they design events, swag, everything. It's packaging plus! Its more than I could have ever hoped for! I have a big beautiful desk, the team is super friendly and wonderful and now on my second week of work I find myself still pinching myself. This is the job I've always wanted, this is the work I really enjoy!  

Christian is taking full credit.