Jen is really jealous of how I find jobs. A few months before graduation, the technical VP at Epic called up Max, one of my professors, and asked if any of the people on the college ACM programming team were interested in a job. I was, and shortly after that, I was hired. After Epic, I just contacted the Fool because it looked like such a cool place to work, and after a day of interviews there, I was hired. It was the only place I interviewed, or really even seriously applied. After the Fool, I managed to work my way into the job at the Embassy in Mexico, I'm still not sure quite how it happened. One day there was no funding, then a call came to say there was funding and a job if I wanted it. These jobs just happen, and I'm never sure quite how.
It is looking like the same thing is happening yet again. A few weeks ago we had dinner with a British couple that has been here for 10 years or so. They know everybody. She does education work, he does a bunch of things in the NGO world, mainly helping start lefty nonprofit businesses. One of the guys he knows here runs a business called Yejj. They do IT consulting, support, etc, and use the profits to help train disadvantaged Cambodian people. They teach, among other things, workplace skills, IT basics, and English. It looks like a fantastic company, and the director has indicated to me that he thinks I could certainly get a job with them. We just need to sort out the details - how many hours, how much pay, specific responsibilities. So it certainly isn't a sure thing, but it is looking very promising. And I think that I'm ready to get some part-time work. We've got Ellie signed up for 3 mornings a week at a preschool starting on her birthday, and that will give me the time to do something like this, I expect. We'll have to see. In any event, it is nice to pursue to know that my options aren't limited to staying at home. If I decide to stay at home full time still, it will be truly that - my decision.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
"These jobs just happen, and I'm never quite sure how."
I can tell you how: Your Wife! (at least for a few of the jobs).
When I was in training before our departure for Mexico, I heard about the program that allowed the State Dept to hire spouses, got a list of the jobs available, and convinced Nathan to talk to the coordinator.
This Yejj possibility came about through a contact in the education world I met while coordinating the Peace Corps trip. She seemed nice, professional, about our age, and not even remotely connected to the embassy (which can be a bonus as embassy social life can get a bit claustrophobic). I started chatting with her, and learned that her husband worked in IT and thought, "BONUS! A woman I like, and her husband is a computer geek so my less-than-outgoing husband probably won't mind getting to know them." So I asked if Nathan could call him sometime. And then I asked them out to dinner, and we had a lovely meal and heard about Yejj for the first time.
So the next time you wonder where these great opportunities come from, reach across the dinner table and give your wife a big kiss!
Sounds like a great option Nathan! And kudos to Jen for arranging the introductions that allow jobs to mysteriously appear...Hey Jen, do you know anyone who will want to hire a developmental psych applied-type researcher in about 3 years? Or how about a Masters degree in theology not-really-picky-but-wants-to-do-something-cool type round about next summer? ;-)
way to go Jen and Nathan.
God works in mysterious ways.
Jim Pleuss
Post a Comment