GEICO told me to go to h e double hockey sticks...

You have us.

Send out more resumes. In the meantime, get over to the temp agencies again. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. It took me months before I found my first job, but when I did, I had 3 offers on my desk...

From years of working in the Human Resources field I have seen a lot resumes come my way and I have seen a lot of people get turned down (this is the worse part of the job, by the way) But usually these people didn't get turned down because they were unimpressive. It usually has been a case of their skills just not fitting with that particuliar job.

I'm temping right now and currently looking for a job myself (because the assignment is soon ending) and when I get those rejection letters I look at this way, that the job was not for me, possibly because the people who interviewed me saw that ultimately I wouldn't be happy with that job. And it helps to look at that way. Plus, being a religious person I lean on my faith and remind myself that there is a job out there for just me which will meet both the company's expectations as well as my own. I just have to continue to do the "leg work" and hunt it down.

Why are you wasting so much of your time and energy trying to get jobs that are not worthy of your talents?

You said that you want to have some kind of success but, simply wanting "some kind of success" is much too vague a goal to be achieved.

What do you want to do with your life Lantern Jack? ...

I ask myself that same question at least twice a month. The first time I asked myself that question, I was 17 and in college. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and I majored in everything from accounting to zoology trying to figure it out.

That is the truth. I've got more electives than I can shake a stick at because I did not know who I was or what I wanted to do with my life.

Now, I ask myself that question to make sure I am navigating my life in the direction I want it to go.

What do you want to do with your life? Do you know?

Sincerely,
Gehanna

I'm Sorry Jack

I was really hoping you'd get that job. Not that I thought it would be the one you'd stay in forever but because I wanted you to have some success, some $$, and some time.

There are things to be learned in customer service jobs. Dealing with the public - even an angry and obnoxious public -

Now, don't you laugh - but one of my very favorite jobs was as a cashier for Lowe's. This was after I got my degree. Years after in fact. At that time, I didn't want a career - I wanted the money and the social exchange. People thought I was nuts but I told them it was the easiest job I ever had! 'Smile, be polite, make correct change; how hard is that?' It isn't. Especially if they come to you pissed off and they leave the store un-pissed off. You seem melodramatic (just a bit) Are you a good actor? I think you could pull it off. Smiling in the face of a raging customer and 'politing' them to death is great fun.

Temp jobs are okay. I've worked for two temp agencies. Every assignment was different; some were better than others. It's just the uncertainty that I didn't care for (and the last minute, 'Can you....?'

It's disappointing. But I have faith in you. I hope you find something fun and that pays well while you decide what it is that you really want to do.

Jack,

As a former employee of insurance companies I wanted to say something earlier but felt that it wasn't my place - you wanted the job so I wanted you to have it. That said I hated working in insurance. It sapped the warmth of human kindness out of everyone. GEICO may be one of the better companies but insurance work sucks. EVERYONE is unhappy about something and as an claims rep (or adjuster) I usually got to bear the brunt of their dissatisfaction. I can't tell you how happy I was to finally get out of that industry.

Last thing -- there's a book that I think is really helpful, What Color is Your Parachute. There's a new version every year and most libraries carry a recent copy. I highly recommend you read it if you're still 'searching' for the right job.

Good luck.

Hi again,

I'm sorry this didn't work out for you, but I hope I can make you feel a little better.

It's really possible that GEICO, as a lot of companies do, is just trying to build up a pool of applicants.

It's very common for a company to place an ad in the newspaper when they don't really have any current openings, just to get a bunch of resumes and screen some applicants so when the time comes that they do have an opening, they can fill it more quickly.

So, their failure to hire you is probably not a reflection on you.

I agree with Gehanna in one way; a person should try to figure out what they really want to do with their life, and work toward that end.

On the other hand, when you're 25 and need $, I can see the logic in just getting some job for now and figuring the rest out later.

I also agree with Dawno; a customer service job in an insurance company can be really stressful, and she's right: EVERYONE is unhappy about something; no one calls an insurance company because something good is happening.

Having worked in insurance for almost as long as you've been alive, I was thinking this would be a good job for you as a starting point, because there are a lot of directions you can go in the insurance field, and you could still pursue writing until you were at the point that you could write full time.

Anyway,I would suggest if you feel that you really want a job at GEICO, write a nice thank you letter to whoever interviewed you, and check back with the company in a month or two.

If you're not really determined to become a GEICO employee, then hang in there, keep looking, and if you need any advice or pep talks or just an opportunity to commiserate, remember that you have your friends at AW.

For now, the X-mas season is upon us, so there should be an abundance of temp jobs if you just need some fast cash for now.

Good luck, and let us know how you're doing.

(I'll end this post sans the southern-accented little dancing banana!)

Lantern Jack said:

HEE, HEE, HEE, JACK VERY HAPPY NOW!!!

(and it's not just the meds)

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What is it then?

Lantern Jack said:

Let's just say God gives with both hands. With his one hand he gives noogies and purple nerples, with the other he gives hand jobs.

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Jack, here's to you, man, along w/ the hope that the latter certainly always outweighs the former for you.

Those of you who are asking me what I want to do with my life must be newbies. Everyone else knows what I want more than anything else, the only thing I've ever wanted.

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Newbies to what....your life? We care but don't expect that any of us are going to give your life more credence than our own.

The thing is, we've all had our share of sh*t where life is concerned and I expect that the majority (if not all) of us are working toward, striving for and hoping for something better.

Those of us who give a damn are here for you, newbies or otherwise, but either way...if you want life to improve then you're going to have to open up to the idea of living and you can start by telling the Newbs what it is you want to do with your life.

We aren't all mind readers you know.

Sincerely,
Gehanna

Lantern Jack said:

.... what I want more than anything else, the only thing I've ever wanted.

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To be Linus Van Pelt?

That's an admirable goal.

Gehanna said:

The thing is, we've all had our share of sh*t where life is concerned and

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Life is one big sh-t sandwich. I eat it for lunch every day.

Brady

A vicious attack such as I witnessed below does not deserve my consideration.

Do your research, newbie. And wash your potty mouth out.

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I'll spend the time and energy it would take to research you if you'll spend the time and energy it would take to write for me.

I endlessly prattle on about achieving my ambition, that everything in my life is polarized in that direction.

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Yes but what are you doing to achieve that goal. Talk is cheap.

A magnet is polarized but of itself it does nothing other than to attract crap. Stop being a magnet or crap is exactly what you'll continue to attract.

PS - No, I'm not going to research to find out what you've done, if anything, other than prattle and polarize UNLESS you'll write for me.

Sincerely,
Gehanna

LJ, methinks you owe Gehanna an apology.

She took the time to read your thread, and she responded to what she saw as a person who needed encouragement, support, and maybe advice. Whether Gehanna is familiar with you and your postings here or not is not the issue. Gehanna, in her daily life and in her writing, has chosen to help those she sees in need.

You may not have agreed with what she said you you, so what? Did you have to be so arrogant and rude about it?

And quit throwing out the term "newbie" as an insult. You, like all of us, were new, and that kind of attitude is not what this place is about.

I'm saddened that my first impression of you, LanternJack, was correct.

The very first post of yours I ever saw was the one where you were whining about needing a real job. I've been here nearly a year, and I read dozens of posts daily. Yet I had never seen anything you'd ever posted prior to that one. I'm not a "newbie" at this point, but I also didn't know, or care, about what your ambitions are as a writer because I basically operate on the assumption that everyone here has some interest in writing. It just goes with being here.

Your attacks on people who have offered suggestions based on what you choose to post in public forums are inexcusable. You're rude, self-absorbed, and not really deserving of the time of the people who have tried to assist you.

A new attitude will go a long way in getting a job.

It's at times like these that I find myself wondering, What would Linus do?

So I take it the writing deal is out then?