Moooooooooooooooooo!

I've just returned home from my first "cattle call." Quite an experience, one I've never had the pleasure of participating in before. Most of the jobs I've had in my past have pretty much resulted in a "there at the right time" type of experience. To stand in a winding line of other applicants of various ages, shapes, sizes, etc., was an experience I'm not sure I want to do again. My first inclination when I saw the sheer numbers, was to leave--do not pass go, do not collect $200. But I stuck it out. My chances are probably pretty slim given my age and the number of
applicants, etc. But you can't say I didn't try. There were young ones, old ones (older than me, even), handicapped ones, some who were dressed for manual labor and some who were dressed to apply for an executive position. I even saw and talked with a couple of people I knew.

This job is for a company which is relocating from California to Washington to save money on taxes and because the rents are cheaper here than there. They process and "clean up" medical insurance claims for doctors' offices, before submitting to the insurance company for payment. Open positions included Customer Service, Sales Reps, Appointment Setters, and Mail Clerks. The Customer Service positions had the longest line, and naturally that's the one I put an
app. in for. I probably should have also applied for appt. setter and mail clerk, but I didn't, and it would have entailed standing in two more lines besides this incredibly long One I spent two hours in, for a 2-minute "interview." They did put me down for a technical support position which hasn't been advertised yet, but I'm not holding my breath. Besides, the technical support I do (specific computer software titles) probably won't be what they will be dealing with. Is this how job interviews are conducted these days?

The last job I applied for was 31 years ago, and was kind of a fluke. I worked for a Travel School and we were sending our graduates for job interviews in Seattle, with Hughes Airwest (anyone remember the banana airplanes?). We had sent a girl from Centralia, which is about 60-70 miles south of Seattle. At lunch this particular day, the woman who was arranging the interviews said that the office manager of the Reservations office had mildly complained about the Centralia girl (who he hired anyway), and suggested in a joking manner that she should send some applicants from Portland. I flippantly said, "I'll go," never dreaming that she would take me up on it. Next thing I knew, I had plane reservations to and from Seattle, an interview appointment scheduled for the following day, and directions on how to get to the office from the airport. Of course I had to call my husband and get his approval, because if I got the job, it
would mean pulling up stakes and moving to Seattle. I never expected to get hired, but by the time I had gotten back to the office that afternoon, there was a job offer waiting for me. I started a month later, and would commute for the next several months as we decided to let our kids finish out the school year before moving north. I ended up rooming with the girl from Centralia for a while, until we were able to find a house to rent. Some of the best years of my life
were spent in Seattle, and many choice blessings came our way because of that move. But, it wasn't a cattle call like I went through today.

We'll see what happens!