Job hunting is a funny thing.
I decided it was about time I updated the few of you who read these posts about how my life has been since I moved to Chicago.
First of all - job hunting is a funny thing.
You put in a hundred million applications to a hundred million stores, restaurants, hotels, even dog walking companies. You do it online, you do it in person, you do it....doggy style? That was way funnier in my head.
I was worried sick that I wouldn't find a job and that I would slowly become the poorest person on the planet and have to live on subway cars that smell like pee and eat rats that I caught with my bare hands. But when Jade and I got off the train on our first excursion into downtown Chicago, I saw a Bed Bath & Beyond literally right in front of me, and with my luck, they had a table full of applications and a sign that said "Join our team! Turn in an application and get an immediate interview." Well I did, and I was really hopeful for that job, but I never heard back from them. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.
I put in applications online at I don't know how many places. I decided that the internet is where job applications go to die. I have never once in my life gotten a job, let alone a response from a company after applying online. I get that "We have received your application and will contact you if your qualifications meet our requirements" email, but nothing after that. I guess my qualifications aren't qualificationy enough for anyone's requirements.
The way I found my job isn't rocket science, but it was definitely unexpected, and definitely wouldn't have happened had it not been for a waitress who told us how she got her job - Craigslist. It was the last place I had thought to look for a job. When I think Craigslist, I don't think employment, I think "Cheap couch!" or "Clean roommate wanted!" or "Topless Maids ($$$$$)". But I thought, nothing else has worked for me thus far, so why not? Craig, I'm coming for your list.
I applied to a couple million more jobs, and got a response the next day from a Greek restaurant, asking if I could come in for an interview the next day. So I did, and by the end of the interview, I had a job. Bing bang boom. Craigslist wins.
Then all the weird stuff started happening.
During my pre-Craigslist period, I applied to multiple Target stores in Chicago, and a dog walking company. The day I got a job, EVERYONE wanted me. Target called. "We'd like to ask you a few questions about your application. [Insert a hundred pointless questions about myself and my work ethic here.] Can you come in for an interview tonight?" It was already tonight. So I asked if I could come in another time. Long story short, after a struggle to find a time that worked for me to come in (which wound up forcing me to come back to Chicago from Green Bay after a short excursion home), I went in, they told me to watch a "This is what we'll expect from you if you work for us" video, and they said they'd be back in a few minutes to get me. The video ended, and I sat alone in a room for like 20 minutes. Finally I decided to go find the HR person who brought me back there, and when she saw me, she looked confused, and then her eyes popped out of her head and she said, "OH are you done watching the video? Oh my gosh we forgot about Molly. Sorry." So that was cool. Anyway, they told me they'd call me and two days later they rejected me in an email.
Then the dog walking company emailed me asking if they could call for a phone interview. I was excited about that one because, who wouldn't want to get paid to walk puppies? They called, we talked, it went really well, he seemed very interested in hiring me, but I needed to get back to him about my schedule at the Greek restaurant before we could set up an in-person interview. I got back to them a couple nights ago, and they haven't responded, so I fear I have lost my shot at being a pro-dog walker.
Also, Bed Bath & Beyond called me to offer me a job. Yesterday. Two weeks after they said "You'll hear from us by Friday."
So, I had to decide whether I wanted to juggle two jobs, or keep my schedule open enough to work at one job often enough to pay the bills.
Well friends, I decided to just work one job.
In a different string of events, I threw my name (and voice) into the ring to be the lead singer of a rock cover band. I was really excited about the potential of fronting a band that sings some really cool covers of Alanis Morisette, 4 Non Blondes, No Doubt, even Lady Gaga. They got back to me asking me for more examples of me singing rock music, but since I didn't have any, I made one in my living room and probably pissed off all my neighbors and passersby. After I sent that video off, they asked me to call them. I did, and they asked me a bunch of questions about the durability of my vocal chords, my age, and my comfortability working a crowd and not only singing but talking and being a generally interesting and awesome person in front of people.
Well, this is what got my gears turning. I'm an actor, but I'm not super confident when it comes to speaking to people on the fly as Molly LeCaptain. That's why I always made Brian and Shelbi do the talking in Rough Draft. I always just rambled and derailed until I would trail off into embarrassment and awkwardness.
Also, the repertoire included all those great tunes from the aforementioned artists, but it was predominantly male songs in their original keys. I have a pretty manly voice, but my lower register isn't where I shine. (I realize how pretentious all this sounds, but this is how I rationed everything out to myself. Let me have it.)
Plus with all the time I would put into weekend shows, I wouldn't be able to commit to any other projects, namely musicals or plays, which is what I moved to Chicago to do in the first place. Being in a musical has a set start and end date, but being in a band is an open ended engagement. If I auditioned and they chose me, I would basically be screwing myself over and would have to put my dream on hold for an unknown period of time.
I know you may be thinking, "Why wouldn't you just audition and see what happens? Couldn't hurt. You might not even get picked."
Well, I thought about that. I kept thinking about all the above things, and the more I thought about it, the more uneasy I got. And the more uneasy I got, the more I realized that my heart wasn't in being a "rockstar." I decided that it would be best for me to just not audition at all so as not to waste anyone's time. The guy I was corresponding with was very nice and said it wasn't a problem and that if I changed my mind, to let him know, that auditions would be going probably through July. He also added that they make a good deal of money, but I still feel I made the right decision. My sister said to me that it would be nice to be in a band that pays the bills, but that isn't why I moved to Chicago. I came here to audition for musicals, and sing musical theatre. I don't think I would be really happy singing "Enter Sandman" every weekend, even to a full crowd of people. Maybe someday I'll get a ragtag bunch of kids together, and I'll start my own band. It'll sound a lot like if Mumford & Sons and Ingrid Michaelson had a baby and then Mumford had an affair with Sara Bareilles and they had a baby, and then those two babies grew up and had babies.
I should be focusing on my own music, anyhow.
I know this was a lot of worry over something that wasn't definite, but it was still a worry.
So, that's about it. I didn't think I would go into such great detail with this blog, but, if you made it this far, I am eating an Oreo for you right now.
That'll bout do it.
Molly
Also my mom has Facebook now so she is probably reading this HI MOM
First of all - job hunting is a funny thing.
You put in a hundred million applications to a hundred million stores, restaurants, hotels, even dog walking companies. You do it online, you do it in person, you do it....doggy style? That was way funnier in my head.
I was worried sick that I wouldn't find a job and that I would slowly become the poorest person on the planet and have to live on subway cars that smell like pee and eat rats that I caught with my bare hands. But when Jade and I got off the train on our first excursion into downtown Chicago, I saw a Bed Bath & Beyond literally right in front of me, and with my luck, they had a table full of applications and a sign that said "Join our team! Turn in an application and get an immediate interview." Well I did, and I was really hopeful for that job, but I never heard back from them. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.
I put in applications online at I don't know how many places. I decided that the internet is where job applications go to die. I have never once in my life gotten a job, let alone a response from a company after applying online. I get that "We have received your application and will contact you if your qualifications meet our requirements" email, but nothing after that. I guess my qualifications aren't qualificationy enough for anyone's requirements.
The way I found my job isn't rocket science, but it was definitely unexpected, and definitely wouldn't have happened had it not been for a waitress who told us how she got her job - Craigslist. It was the last place I had thought to look for a job. When I think Craigslist, I don't think employment, I think "Cheap couch!" or "Clean roommate wanted!" or "Topless Maids ($$$$$)". But I thought, nothing else has worked for me thus far, so why not? Craig, I'm coming for your list.
I applied to a couple million more jobs, and got a response the next day from a Greek restaurant, asking if I could come in for an interview the next day. So I did, and by the end of the interview, I had a job. Bing bang boom. Craigslist wins.
Then all the weird stuff started happening.
During my pre-Craigslist period, I applied to multiple Target stores in Chicago, and a dog walking company. The day I got a job, EVERYONE wanted me. Target called. "We'd like to ask you a few questions about your application. [Insert a hundred pointless questions about myself and my work ethic here.] Can you come in for an interview tonight?" It was already tonight. So I asked if I could come in another time. Long story short, after a struggle to find a time that worked for me to come in (which wound up forcing me to come back to Chicago from Green Bay after a short excursion home), I went in, they told me to watch a "This is what we'll expect from you if you work for us" video, and they said they'd be back in a few minutes to get me. The video ended, and I sat alone in a room for like 20 minutes. Finally I decided to go find the HR person who brought me back there, and when she saw me, she looked confused, and then her eyes popped out of her head and she said, "OH are you done watching the video? Oh my gosh we forgot about Molly. Sorry." So that was cool. Anyway, they told me they'd call me and two days later they rejected me in an email.
Then the dog walking company emailed me asking if they could call for a phone interview. I was excited about that one because, who wouldn't want to get paid to walk puppies? They called, we talked, it went really well, he seemed very interested in hiring me, but I needed to get back to him about my schedule at the Greek restaurant before we could set up an in-person interview. I got back to them a couple nights ago, and they haven't responded, so I fear I have lost my shot at being a pro-dog walker.
Also, Bed Bath & Beyond called me to offer me a job. Yesterday. Two weeks after they said "You'll hear from us by Friday."
So, I had to decide whether I wanted to juggle two jobs, or keep my schedule open enough to work at one job often enough to pay the bills.
Well friends, I decided to just work one job.
In a different string of events, I threw my name (and voice) into the ring to be the lead singer of a rock cover band. I was really excited about the potential of fronting a band that sings some really cool covers of Alanis Morisette, 4 Non Blondes, No Doubt, even Lady Gaga. They got back to me asking me for more examples of me singing rock music, but since I didn't have any, I made one in my living room and probably pissed off all my neighbors and passersby. After I sent that video off, they asked me to call them. I did, and they asked me a bunch of questions about the durability of my vocal chords, my age, and my comfortability working a crowd and not only singing but talking and being a generally interesting and awesome person in front of people.
Well, this is what got my gears turning. I'm an actor, but I'm not super confident when it comes to speaking to people on the fly as Molly LeCaptain. That's why I always made Brian and Shelbi do the talking in Rough Draft. I always just rambled and derailed until I would trail off into embarrassment and awkwardness.
Also, the repertoire included all those great tunes from the aforementioned artists, but it was predominantly male songs in their original keys. I have a pretty manly voice, but my lower register isn't where I shine. (I realize how pretentious all this sounds, but this is how I rationed everything out to myself. Let me have it.)
Plus with all the time I would put into weekend shows, I wouldn't be able to commit to any other projects, namely musicals or plays, which is what I moved to Chicago to do in the first place. Being in a musical has a set start and end date, but being in a band is an open ended engagement. If I auditioned and they chose me, I would basically be screwing myself over and would have to put my dream on hold for an unknown period of time.
I know you may be thinking, "Why wouldn't you just audition and see what happens? Couldn't hurt. You might not even get picked."
Well, I thought about that. I kept thinking about all the above things, and the more I thought about it, the more uneasy I got. And the more uneasy I got, the more I realized that my heart wasn't in being a "rockstar." I decided that it would be best for me to just not audition at all so as not to waste anyone's time. The guy I was corresponding with was very nice and said it wasn't a problem and that if I changed my mind, to let him know, that auditions would be going probably through July. He also added that they make a good deal of money, but I still feel I made the right decision. My sister said to me that it would be nice to be in a band that pays the bills, but that isn't why I moved to Chicago. I came here to audition for musicals, and sing musical theatre. I don't think I would be really happy singing "Enter Sandman" every weekend, even to a full crowd of people. Maybe someday I'll get a ragtag bunch of kids together, and I'll start my own band. It'll sound a lot like if Mumford & Sons and Ingrid Michaelson had a baby and then Mumford had an affair with Sara Bareilles and they had a baby, and then those two babies grew up and had babies.
I should be focusing on my own music, anyhow.
I know this was a lot of worry over something that wasn't definite, but it was still a worry.
So, that's about it. I didn't think I would go into such great detail with this blog, but, if you made it this far, I am eating an Oreo for you right now.
That'll bout do it.
Molly
Also my mom has Facebook now so she is probably reading this HI MOM
Comments
Post a Comment