One of the motivators of me going to Yemen was the prospect of getting out of the job I had. I was an assistant manager in a photo equipment store. Not to toot my own horn too much, but I was one of their better employees. I felt like I was stuck, the best I could hope for was to manage a store. It would be an OK living, but I don’t think I could ever be happy doing that.
The trouble with the job is that I always knew I could go back. I didn’t burn any bridges… On the one hand, it’s nice to have a safety net, but on the other I have to be careful not to do the easy thing and regress back to something I don’t want to do.
Sure enough, since the job market is a bit soft (ahem) right now, I inquired at my old job. I was hoping to create a position that would be a little more rewarding. Sure enough, they offered me a job. Not only that, they offered me a promotion. I haven’t been there in two years and they offered me a store of my own… It was flattering, but it wasn’t what I was looking for. I said no.
That hurt a bit, it always hurts to turn down money, but I’m trying to think long term. I think it’s working out for me even now. No, I don’t have a job, but by eliminating that, I’ve become much more open to other possibilities. I figure that’s half the battle if you want to change careers.
I have an application in with Apple. I have every belief that I will be hired once they lift their hiring freeze. I have the experience and skills they’re looking for. Plus, I have a solid recommendation on the inside… As it turns out, if I did take my old job, I wouldn’t be able to work for Apple. My old employer is an authorized Apple dealer (they sell iPods) and Apple won’t poach employees from authorized dealers.
While I’ve been waiting for that, I’ve been scanning some negatives for a woman my dad knows. That in itself isn’t a big deal, but it may turn into something else. She has recommended me to help the museum she (and my father) are very active in. They want to do a history project for the museum. I may end up getting back into film making with this. Nothing has been settled yet, but if this comes to anything, I’ll be shooting video, recording the audio, possibly lighting, and the editor of the project. We’ll see what happens…
And the oddest possibility is a job in Yemen. Yes, I found a job opening back in Yemen. It’s with a UN affiliated group that does work with children. I still think that the political situation in Yemen is a bit unstable, but I think I’d go back if I think I could actually help in some form. This group has very focused goals and I think they are a good example of what an aid organization is capable of doing. It’s not the kind of thing that you’ll get rich doing, but it pays well for a job in Yemen. More importantly, it would be incredible experience in a totally different career field. Honestly, getting this job is a bit of a long shot, but I’m going to apply and see what happens.
So even though I don’t have a job right now, and even though Christmas is coming (sorry guys, the gifts from me are going to be pretty lame), I’m optimistic about my job prospects. Don’t worry, I’ll let everyone know how all this turns out…