The Job Search

My frustration level is rising as my money is getting lower.  In the past two weeks, I've applied for over 20 jobs, with no results.  The temp agency who submitted my app to a couple companies has not heard from one of them.  The other said they are overwhelmed with the number of apps they have received and don't want to see anymore. I think the answer really is in who you know.  I spent this morning and part of the afternoon depressed.

So, I took the dogs for a brief walk (it is 95 degrees here), and then went for a short drive.  It was enough to shake my mood and get me sitting down again to work.  I called the manager of a temp agency I know in the Detroit area, and asked him to provide me with an introduction to the manager of the location here.  He did that, and I followed up with her right away.  I have an interview with them on Friday.  This was immediately followed by a phone call from the first temp agency, which has an opening for an apartment leasing agent.  She submitted my resume to them this afternoon.  I should hear on that by Thursday.

In the meantime, I am continuing to look for other jobs.  Penn State posts new jobs literally every day.  I am also looking at other colleges and universities in the mid-Atlantic area.  While I am on that subject, does any of my readers have a contact at Penn State?

I am also researching groups through meetup.com.  I will let you all know how that progresses.

Have a wonderful day!

Penn State

I have always loved to get in my car and just wander wherever the mood takes me.  Today, I hopped in the car and drove to Penn State University in State College, about 85 miles away. To get there, I followed the Susquehanna River north, then headed northwest along the Juniata River, both through the Allegheny Mountains.  At one point, I followed the Juniata River Valley with mountain peaks on both sides. It is stunning.  There are no words to explain how beautiful it is.  Unfortunately, there is also no place to stop and take pictures.  I tried pulling over several times without any success.  A separate trip is definitely in order.

When you come off the expressway in State College, the first thing you see is the football stadium on top of a mountain.  It dominates everything.  And it's the biggest stadium I have ever seen.  Of course, I had to go see it up close.

From there I went to the botanical gardens, which were in full bloom, despite the 95 degree heat.

Alexandra, I would still do anything for your camera!

Two more pictures:  First, Mt. Nittany, which is the inspiration for the Penn State Mascot, the Nittany Lions.  The PSU Alumni Association bought the land at the top of Mt. Nittany to prevent logging in 1945.  Later, the Mt. Nittany Conservancy was formed to maintain and expand the area.

And finally, a view of the campus from downtown State College.

I've applied for two jobs at Penn State, and now I am in love with the campus.  Time will tell.

Peace of Mind

Many people know that the past 11 years have been very hard for me.  There are many reasons; none of them need to be elaborated on anymore.  But my mind has been in a constant turmoil all that time.  Making decisions  has been hard because of my constant second-guessing.  And I always had so much on my mind, I was very easily distracted and restless.  That drove me (and my daughter) crazy. In the 3-1/2 weeks I have been in Pennsylvania, that is gone.  There is nothing churning inside.  I am focused on and moving forward with my goals.  I know my time frames, and am concerned with them, but they are not weighing me down.

It feels wonderful!  It is hard to communicate how truly great this is.   A new adventure literally waits around every corner, and I'm so excited about the possibilities!  I didn't think I would ever be so excited about life again, but here it is! 

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment:  that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

                                                              -Henry David Thoreau

Finding a Job after 50

This is unquestionably going to be a recurring topic.  Believe it or not, I have been discounting the role age plays in hiring decisions.  I just didn't want to believe it.  But here's the truth:  I have had many interviews where there was no apparent reason for me not to get the job, yet I still didn't get it.   I know when I have screwed up an interview, and I'm not including those times.  So, here's the question:  if I had all the qualifications, and I bonded with the interviewer, and everything went okay, why didn't I get the job?

So, I've been looking on the AARP website for inspiration the last few days.  There is a lot of information there.  Two books I am currently reading:  Great Jobs for Everyone 50+ by Kerry Hannon and The Encore Career Handbook, by Marci Alboher.  Both are about choosing to continue to work outside of the field you worked in earlier in your career.  Both address the issues involved with bias against those over 50.  They are good books.  And AARP also has an annual list of the best companies for those over 50 to work for.  I am researching them now.

The book covers:

Yesterday I took a webinar about how to create your own internet brand.  I found it through www.befoundjobs.com.  The webinars are free, with a big up-sell at the end.  It was excellent.  I have been working on the theory that I want to keep a low digital profile, and now I find that's not true.  In fact, 92% of employers use LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to fill their vacant positions.  So you have to create and control your digital profile.  There is also a concern among younger employers now that people over 50 are afraid of technology.  This seminar tells you how to help overcome that.  There are also a lot of tips about how to find jobs on these three media.  I found a lot of sources in the Harrisburg area that I didn't know exist!

I interviewed today at a temp service, including typing tests, etc.  I am glad I did:  She is sending my resume to two places for temp to hire positions.  And she told me I have a midwest accent.  I laughed and told her that people in the midwest don't think we have accents.

In the meantime, I am applying to at least one job a day, depending on how long the application process is.  I wander in the area for about an hour a day, to discover new places and keep my spirits up.  AND I walk every day now.

Have a wonderful day!

Weight Loss

I have finally realized that I CAN lose weight.  This has been such an issue for me, and I really need to do it.  I just never seemed to have the time, focus, or will to do it.  Today it occurred to me that if I can start and complete a master's degree in my 50's, and pick up my life and move it 500 miles away, I can lose weight.  So I took my before picture (which I won't post until there is an after picture), and started walking this morning.

I just have to keep taking my next steps to this new life!

Pennsylvanian

I am learning to speak Pennsylvanian!  A few examples:

The city of Lancaster (where the Amish live) is not pronounced Lan-cas-ter with the emphasis on the middle syllable.  It's pronounced Lan-ku-ster, with the emphasis on the first syllable. And Bethlehem, PA is actually pronounced, "Beth-lum," without the last syllable at all (unlike the city in Israel).   

Most importantly for Monopoly players, when you take a ride on the Reading Railroad,  it's actually pronounced "Redding", named after Reading, Pennsylvania.  What an education!

Yesterday, I followed the Susquehanna River through downtown Harrisburg and further north. The river runs through the middle of downtown and is about a mile wide at that point.  It is beautiful, with many many islands covered with trees, and in downtown Harrisburg, there are 5 long narrow islands parallel to each other.  The minor league baseball team's stadium is on an island in the middle of the river.  Here are pictures of the Susquehanna.  The first is taken north of downtown, facing south.  The second is taken from City Island, where the baseball stadium is located.

I would love to have Alexandra's camera to take these pictures! 

Happy Independence Day!

I hope all of you are enjoying your holiday!  We are watching fireworks from the balcony.

The first three days of July were the 150th anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg.  Because I live about 45 minutes from Gettysburg, it has been in the news constantly in the 2-1/2 weeks I've been here.  I am now completely fascinated with the battle, and reading everything I can get my hands on about it.  The current issue of National Geographic is about Gettysburg and the Civil War.   I can't wait to read it!    The third day I was here, I went to the Social Security office about 20 miles from Gettysburg.  The road (U.S. 30) was packed with RV's and out-of-state vehicles, heading to the park.  I learned something interesting:  U.S. 30 stretches from the Jersey Shore to Oregon.  What a fun trip that would be!  However, I am not going to Gettysburg until the kids go back to school.

Linda and I went shopping today.  She is truly a pro, and I have learned a lot from her (and have had a lot of fun).  She buys and I look!  Although I'm not buying, I am taking pictures of things I would like for my new home.  

Bad news on the job front today...there is a personnel crisis at the assisted living center, and the job I applied for has been delayed.   It was not a job I would have kept as a career, but it was a place to start.  Obviously, it was not meant to be.  I will spend the weekend looking for temporary help services, and make appointments on Monday.  There is something out there for me.

Linda has a few very valuable contacts, and is working to help me meet them.  In the meantime, I am working to develop new ways to market myself.  Here we go!