Politics of Getting a Job

Both of the secretary jobs I applied for got filled and I didn't even get an interview. I was a bit bummed about that, until I found out that I probably never had a shot to begin with. To tell you why, I have to go to what happened yesterday.

Yesterday morning I needed to take my son's pickup in to get fixed. I drove my car and stopped at the Urban Botanic office to pick up an order for a workshop I was going to do (was because the hostesses daughter ended up in the ER so we rescheduled) while Ben drove the pickup to the auto place. I picked Ben up on the way home. I said that I should stop in at the JR. High and talk to the pricipal about if I was coming back since he hadn't called me. Ben said that they were having a fire alarm problem that he needed to check out, so we swung by there. I talked to the principal in the front office and he said "Yes, you are coming back. But we are redoing the job description. Why don't you come back to the office and we will chat with the vice-principal." So we head on back to his office.

Come to find out, they are not sure if my job will even be in existence but they are thinking of rolling it into the tracker job along with a couple other things. And they also have 2 openings for ESL (English as a second language) teachers. Actually, that is what they are calling it, but it really is a guided study hall. Since both the ESL and whatever form my job is taking will be new positions, they have to open them up for interviews. I have to re-apply and re-interview in order to do one of the jobs. They already told me which job they want me in, but would I please re-apply online as soon as I got home so I can "interview" so that I can have that job? I re-sent my application as soon as I got home and was sent an e-mail from the vice-principal immediately asking for an interview. Silliness I think. We all already know that I have the job, and this is just a formality- a district policy. (well only sometimes. I also found out that in another place in the district, that they can change job titles and move employees around changing their job and not have to post them as open or re-interview. Very selective how it works. All politics I am sure).

Now, about the secretary job. I also found out that there was a part time secretary that was going to take over the lead secretary job. But because of the above policy, they had to post it as open. No wonder I got an e-mail saying the job was filled the very day the listing closed.

Now I just have to go "interview" for my new position. And I can take my pick of either one. The ESL would get me teaching again, and it pays more than I was making (not as much as the secretary, but still $3/hour more is still $18/more a day and $90 more a month.) I don't know how much the other position will pay, they were still figuring that out when I talked to them. So I will probably pick the higher paid job.

Now, if I could only get them to throw in benefits...