Days of Yore: The Epic Quest for a Job

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star

- Don Quixote de la Mancha
The Man of La Mancha, music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion

Image by New Africa on Adobe Stock

As a fan of both musical theatre and high adventure, "The Impossible Dream" seemed an appropriate start to this post. The job search has been the great quest that most adults encounter at some point in their lives and careers, in some cases multiple times. The means of the quest have changed over the years.

Continuing with the theme of musical theatre (since we all know how extremely accurate that is), the musicals Thoroughly Modern Millie and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying give us a glimpse into the methods of job search in the 1920s and 1960s, respectively. In Thoroughly Modern Millie, Millie Dillmount physically goes to different businesses to speak to them in person. I am guessing her aim in wanting to find a boss she could marry was likely not typical, but it does indicate the need to go physically and search that way. In How to Succeed, J. Pierrepont Finch ("Ponty") is also going to businesses on foot to find a job. But he has obtained a book with specific instructions, not only on finding a job, but also on getting to the top quickly (which he does within a few days). That show is satire, so again, much of it is not typical, but it also shows that the job search was more of a physical endeavor than it often is today. Of course, even today doing it that way doesn't hurt (at least i don't think it does), but things have changed considerably.

In 1935, the US government created unemployment insurance to help job searchers while they were searching for work, by temporarily providing a salary to help in paying bills. These days the requirements vary by state, but you generally have to be actively searching in order to get it. Washington State requires that you do at least three job search activities per week (which could include sending a resume, doing an interview, taking a course on work-related skills, and other things) and keep a log of it. Every week you have to file a claim and report what job search activities you did that week, in addition to certifying that you were "able and available" to go to work, and a few other requirements.

How did we search for jobs in the past? As mentioned above, people generally went to businesses and talked to the people there to find out if they were hiring. Newspapers had a "Help Wanted" section where businesses could advertise job openings, providing brief job descriptions (usually only a few words due to space restraints and per-word charges from the newspaper) and contact information. Many people searched the Yellow Pages in the back of their phone book and called businesses to find out if they had openings. When I was in college, our career center on campus had bulletin boards where they posted job openings sent to them by local businesses, as well as on-campus jobs. Colleges provided "work study" positions as well, so that students could have an income while attending classes. This was also nice because work could be scheduled around classes. I worked in the libraries both at Edmonds Community College and Seattle Pacific University when I attended. When I returned to Edmonds Community College, I took advantage of a "worker retraining" program related to unemployment, where I had an income from the state while attending school. This did not replace tuition, but it was a big help. This program is related to unemployment insurance, but differs in that you are learning a new skill to become more marketable, rather than searching for a job.

Image by New Africa on Adobe Stock

Even in the old days, there was a lot of calling potential employers. In the past, it was when responding to want ads. On the phone you could schedule a time to come in and bring your resume, possibly schedule an interview. While interviews were almost always in person in the past, it has become more common to do them over the phone in recent years. However, it is still common to do them in person. An interview would often consist of questions to assess a person's fit with the company and how well they might do the job in question. They may also include assessments either on computer or using a typewriter or other means to show how well the candidate can do the job. Most commonly, the phone interview these days is used in the initial screening process. If the company wants to proceed with the candidate, they may schedule a second interview in person.

Another option that worked for me in the past was going through staffing agencies. They contracted with companies looking for temporary workers, also called temps. Companies would need temps for various purposes, such as a limited project that will only last a short time, covering for a worker out on vacation or maternity leave or other kind of leave, or for any number of other reasons. Some temporary positions were considered "temp to hire," in which case the company would contract the person on a temporary basis to get a more practical idea of their fit. If they do well, they can be converted to a permanent employee. Most of my positions in the past have been with the help of staffing agencies. An agency placed me at Wireless Advocates in 2017 for a "3-4 week" position, which ended up getting extended multiple times, and finally became permanent at the beginning of 2018. It lasted until the beginning of 2023, when the company went down. My initial interview for Wireless Advocates was over the phone. I would have another interview, in person this time, a few months later when they were considering converting me to permanent employment.

While I was working at Wireless Advocates, COVID changed everything. We transitioned to working from home in March of 2020. This was a new experience for me, and I was impressed how well our team adapted. It was also great, as I have been taking care of my parents, and I was more available for them while still being able to devote much of my time to my job, often even doing overtime. I was thankful to have a steady and dependable job when so many people were unemployed due to the pandemic.

When Wireless Advocates folded, I once more filed for unemployment, and found a changed method. Many of the requirements were the same. However, in the past, we were required to go to our local WorkSource office for an orientation session. They didn't ask me to do that this time (though they did state there was a possibility they may require me to go at some point). Methods of hiring had changed. Staffing agencies post their openings on their websites, and I didn't have as much success as in the past at contacting them. For the first time, much of my job search was done on LinkedIn. In the past I had posted my resume there, but I hadn't done much job searching there. LinkedIn has also added some excellent courses that I have taken to help with job skills as well as blogging.

Years ago, I often used online job boards, such as Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, and others. This time, I used LinkedIn, indeed.com, and a few others, but didn't have as much success on the boards that worked in the past.

Image by New Africa on Adobe Stock

When doing interviews this time, more were over the phone than ever before. Rather than do it in person, some were done over Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other online video chat services. After an initial phone screen at USI Insurance in Seattle, I was invited to the only in-person interview I have done during this job search. I was truly excited with how well it went. This one seemed a perfect fit. My amazing previous manager was a tough act to follow, but this manager seems an excellent candidate. Following that in-person interview, I had another interview over the internet with a manager in another state.

All that to say...

Today I start my new job at USI Insurance! I am super excited for this new adventure, and I can't wait to get started!

Night Falls on Wireless Advocates

In his novel The Last Battle, CS Lewis concludes his Chronicles of Narnia with a dark ending and a glorious new beginning. It has a chapter called "Night Falls on Narnia," in which most of the humans from England that we have met throughout the series are gathered around a door looking through it to the dying land of Narnia. The great Lion Aslan has just called to the giant Father Time, way off in the distance, who blows his massive horn. Stars come shooting out of the sky, and walk through the door as living beings. The inhabitants of Narnia and the surrounding countries come racing up to the door, and with one look at Aslan, either flee in terror or come through to marvel at the wonders around them. Waters rise, and the sun devours the moon. Father Time then squeezes the sun out, and all is blackness and water and ice on the other side of the door. Aslan tells High King Peter to shut the door and lock it, which he does. Queen Lucy and King Tirian mourn the country they have loved and ruled at different times in Narnia's history.

While I don't want to carry the analogy too far, a major part of my life over the past 5+ years has come to an end, and night is falling on Wireless Advocates. While it's nowhere near the apocalyptic end that the old Narnia had in The Last Battle, it has been very tough to watch and experience. Over 1800 employees around the country found out at the beginning of last month that their jobs had abruptly ended. We at national headquarters were given 60 days notice, per the WARN Act, and we were to be employed through February 5. Yesterday, around 65 of us (I forget the exact number, but it was in the 60s) were summoned to a meeting called by the receiver assigned to help liquidate WA's assets. They informed us that they had determined that we were not protected by the WARN Act, and they had decided to let us go. (They are double checking with the King County courts to verify this is appropriate, and they have a contingency plan in the event the courts disagree. Seattle is the county seat of King County.) It caught everyone, including management, by surprise. Wireless Advocates' executives disagreed strongly with their decision and fought it, but the receiver had the final say.

Over the past day that I have had to process this shocking development, close down business affairs, sleep on it, consider where to go from here, I have gone through a lot of emotions. While I always like to remain optimistic, this was a severe blow. There have been tears. I have felt a gamut of emotions, including sadness, anger, fear, and as I continue to process, hope. I do not fault Wireless Advocates, or even Costco, for what has gone down. I appreciate how supportive our management and executive team has been through all of this, and I still could not have asked for a better employer over the past years. They have fought for us, and done everything in their power to make this as painless as possible (though, admittedly, there's only so much they can do). I continue to be amazed and eternally grateful for how helpful and supportive everyone has been, even after many of them lost their own jobs, to help.

To help dispel some rumors I have seen flying around the internet, one article I read stated that Costco was "blindsided" by Wireless Advocates when WA announced they were closing. It was actually Costco's decision not to renew their contract with us. I don't fault Costco for that, as I'm sure they had their reasons, but I definitely don't think WA deserves all the negative press they have been receiving. My theory is that individual Costcos had no warning, so were indeed just as shocked as everyone else to find the WA kiosks were closed. But this decision came from Costco, not WA. Due to declining demand due to COVID and less demand for 5G than expected, WA decided to end their relationship with military bases. There was blindsiding happening, but it was not Wireless Advocates blindsiding Costco. In the interest of remaining as positive as possible, I am not here to point the finger.

I'm not sure how many are left at the national headquarters, but there are a few people remaining who will continue to work on closing down the business.

Yesterday afternoon, I worked on closing things down on my side, filing for unemployment, and preparing for job searching in earnest. I have sent resumes over the past couple weeks, but that has been in addition to responsibilities at work and other things. Like Lucy and Tirian, I am mourning for the home I have known over the past few years.

Back to The Last Battle. The Friends of Narnia are in mourning. As Tirian eloquently puts it, "It were no virtue, but great discourtesy, if we did not mourn." But as they are joined by more friends, including the talking dogs, the Calormene Emeth (Calormen is a country south of Narnia), the eagle Farsight, the donkey Puzzle, the unicorn Jewel, and more, they are repeatedly encouraged to "Come further up and further in!" Flying high overhead, Farsight the Eagle discovers that, though they just witnessed the old Narnia's end, they are now in a much larger and grander version of Narnia. Everyone runs faster than they realized they could and marvels how they aren't tiring out, and at the wonders of the new world around them. A few years ago I painted one of my favorite scenes in the book, when they reach Caldron Pool and find themselves, much to everyone's shock, swimming up the waterfall!

Further Up and Further In!
Steven Sauke, 2012
Acrylic on canvas

They eventually find themselves in the garden where Polly and Digory flew with their friend Fledge the winged horse so many years ago (in The Magician's Nephew). There they are greeted by one of Narnia's greatest heroes, Reepicheep the Mouse. Tirian meets his late father once again, and they see everyone they once knew. Over a nearby lookout, Lucy and her old friend Tumnus the Faun see a new London on a cloud and her late parents waving to them. The final chapter is called "Farewell to Shadowlands." Though I'm not generally big on spoilers, the book ends thus:

“There was a real railway accident,” said Aslan softly. “Your father and mother and all of you are–as you used to call it in the Shadowlands–dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.”

And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

While I am thankfully not dead, Wireless Advocates will soon be. In many ways it already is. Now begins a new adventure. I choose to anticipate the future with wonder, looking forward to it with joy and run with all my might to discover what amazing adventure is about to start.

To all my amazing former colleagues, I say, FURTHER UP AND FURTHER IN! Let's do this thing! We haven't scratched the surface of the amazing adventure that is coming! How will Chapter One of your Great Story begin?

Five Years

This past Wednesday I posted about doing a word of the year rather than New Years resolutions. My words for 2023 are Beginnings and Sunrise. This was my word for 2018:

I posted that picture 5 years ago when my job, originally slated to last 3-4 weeks, changed from contract to permanent. The contract position began in April of 2017, and my first day of being an official employee of Wireless Advocates was January 8, 2018. It was an incredible experience, and there were tears of joy. One thing that meant a lot to me was when my manager informed me that it was a "no brainer" to convert me from contract to permanent. As a contractor, I set records in order processing, both personal and in our department. I continued that in my new permanent role.

The past five years have been amazing and challenging. I could not have asked for a more incredible, cohesive team, and my manager has led it masterfully. We are like family. I have grown professionally and as a person, and have shrunk in weight. (😀) I sometimes felt my manager believed in me more than I believed in myself, and she has never failed to be a massive encouragement any time I was second guessing myself (and other times). This job has taught me so much. We have been through a lot as a team. I found out I have ADHD, which was a big help in understanding and working with challenges that I've faced over the years. A coworker lost his mother to cancer. My manager has lost several relatives, and gained a grandson and a little sister. I have learned that our nation hasn't come anywhere near as far as I previously thought in ending racism, considering the horrifying discrimination and loss my manager and other coworkers have faced. I lost my dad shortly after my manager lost hers. My car was totaled in an accident. I love that I've been here long enough to be amazed how fast my manager's children are growing, and to cheer them on as well. I got to hang out with coworkers after work. The job has been challenging and incredibly rewarding. The tough times and the good times have brought us closer. One time, the TARDIS even landed on the roof of our building! (Well, technically, it was an Instagram filter, but close enough.) 😀

Working with managers and salespeople around the country, I have learned from more than just our immediate team. We supported them, and it was awesome talking to some of them when they visited our national headquarters. Over the past month, one former District Manager in particular has been an incredible encouragement and cheerleader to everyone in the company on LinkedIn, posting inspirational messages daily.

When COVID hit, we transitioned to working from home, and the transition was surprisingly smooth. Our management and team have met virtually on a regular basis, and we have remained as cohesive as ever. We have even to been able to meet in person on occasion. As difficult as COVID has been, I have been thankful to be working from home now, as my parents have been needing more assistance, and I've been more available for them, while still being able to do my job and even work overtime.

The news last month that our company is no more was difficult for everyone. It was tough enough for us at national headquarters, and we got 2 months notice. I feel for my colleagues around the country who had no warning, and kiosks closed suddenly. That has happened to me once before, and it was not fun. However, on the flip side, it has been exciting watching on LinkedIn and other social media as managers and associates around the country have rallied around each other, encouraging each other, supporting each other. I'm so glad to see when colleagues have posted that they are starting new jobs.

With just under a month to go for those of us at national headquarters, our job searches are continuing apace. I'm excited to see where everyone will end up.

I have been with Wireless Advocates officially for five years now (about 5¾ if you count my time as a contractor). I'm thankful that I was able to make it to 5 years, and I wouldn't trade this time for anything. I'm looking forward to the next phase.

Following are some of the most amazing people I've ever had the honor of working with:

My amazing manager with her
well-deserved Employee of the Year
Award in 2018

Possibly one of my favorite pictures
that I've ever taken!

2023 - Beginnings: Fountains and Sunrises

Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me,
    the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
    the people I formed for myself
    that they may proclaim my praise.

Isaiah 43:18-21

The lookout from the Wild Horse Monument,
overlooking the Columbia River and Vantage, WA

I was originally planning on going with a sunrise theme here, but the above verse has been on my mind, and it uses a different metaphor. Both work. Tomorrow will be one month since we got the life-changing news that Wireless Advocates is no more. I wrote about it at that time here. Next week will be 5 years since I was hired permanent. Our colleagues around the country suddenly lost their jobs, and those of us at the national headquarters continue to work on wrapping things up with the business before our jobs end next month.

This has been an interesting month. Between tasks related to closing the business, we have been working on job search, updating our resumes, updating LinkedIn, and more. I have been deeply impressed how some of the most helpful people on our team have been managers around the country who lost their job last month, but are rallying around the 1800+ employees who have lost, or will soon lose, their jobs, keeping us encouraged, motivated, positive, and even excited about new possibilities. As difficult as this period of loss has been, it has been a beautiful thing to watch. Our team at national headquarters is closer than ever, as we are all in the same boat.

Skykomish River
near Gold Bar, WA

I have mentioned my awesome friends Kim and Jason Kotecki in previous blogs. One thing they have encouraged in their motivational movement Escape Adulthood is a change from the traditional idea of New Years Resolutions. People often resolve to lose weight, get organized, any number of things. They might buy a gym membership, go once or twice, and give up. I actually cancelled my gym membership last month because I almost never went, and it ended up being a monthly bill I got nothing for. That is not to say I'm not working on losing weight; I have been working on it since 2020, and have lost just over 100 pounds since then. I still have a ways to go, but I'm more than halfway there! (I recommend Noom if that's an issue for you. You can tell them I sent you.)

Instead of resolutions we may or may not keep, Kim and Jason recommend coming up with a word for the year. The first year I did it, my word was Ooze. First of all, I love that word. It's fun to say. People generally think of oozing goo, but you can also ooze joy, ooze love, ooze any number of things. It doesn't have to be gooey or mushy. In 2020, my word was Vision. (Get it? 2020 Vision?) I don't do a word every year (I didn't have one last year), but in light of recent events, I have decided to go with "Beginnings" or "Sunrise" for this year. In the above verses, I normally only hear verse 19 (the part about doing a new thing). But just now looking at the passage, the verses around it are also important. Though we should learn from the past, it is in the past and there's nothing we can do about it...so it isn't a good idea to dwell on it. Jackals and owls are generally nocturnal, and jackals in particular are known for scavenging. Anubis, an ancient Egyptian god of the dead, was represented as a jackal. In CS Lewis' The Horse and His Boy, the graveyard outside Tashbaan has jackals prowling nearby. At one point Aslan protects Shasta from them (though at the time Shasta doesn't know the identity of the cat protecting him). In the sequel The Silver Chair (which has a fleeting reference to The Horse and His Boy), Jill and Eustace are helped by owls, but they are most helpful at night. In the Harry Potter books, owls deliver mail. I'm not sure exactly where I'm going with that, but those are my thoughts on jackals and owls.

In any case, even in the most desolate of deserts and circumstances, God provides water and other things needed, both to humans and to wild animals. Just as a spring of water bubbles and froths excitedly, we can look to the future with joy and eager anticipation, even if everything around us looks grim and hopeless. Sometimes it seems counterintuitive, but an optimistic outlook can work wonders.

Clark Fork River
near Superior, MT

With my goal of Beginnings this year, I am looking forward to seeing what wondrous thing God has for me. I started this blog in 2010, but have been fairly irregular in posting. The past couple weeks, starting with my reblogs of my All Things Broadway posts, I have been working on posting daily. I am hoping to keep that up and develop this into a more regular blog. I don't know exactly what direction that will take, but we will see. I am also exploring my options on the employment front. I'm excited to see what amazing new possibilities are bubbling "just around the riverbend," to quote Pocahontas. 

As my friends Kim and Jason like to say, "Now that this has happened, what does it make possible?" At the risk of mixing metaphors, what joyful spring of water will be bubbling and frothing as the sun rises on my next chapter? Is there an awesome proverbial geyser in my future? I can't wait to find out!

Here's to new beginnings joyfully springing up as a beautiful sunrise dawns over the horizon!

Sunrise over Lake Michigan
Sheboygan, WI

Sunrise over Lake Michigan
(and a raccoon if you look closely)
Sheboygan, WI

The Sun Sets on Wireless Advocates

Friday, March 31, 2017. I had finished a day of work, and was proud of my accomplishments of the day. I was in a long-term contract position at a medical supplies company, and my performance was better that week than it had ever been. So it was a bit of a shock when I got out to my car and listened to my voicemail. It was my agency alerting me that my contract had ended. No warning, just "Today was your last day." The agency was as surprised as I was, as the feedback from the company they had received had always been positive. There were tears.

Fast-forward a couple weeks. My agency found a temporary position at a company called Wireless Advocates, which managed wireless kiosks in Costco and on military bases. I had done a short-term job there back in 2011, so it was a return of sorts. It was set to last 3-4 weeks, as they needed some help processing orders. April 2017 became May, which became June, and so on... To make a long story short, after multiple extensions to the 3-4-week job, during which time I was trained on more responsibilities than what was originally included in my job description, my manager offered me a permanent position. It was my first permanent job after years of temping. In one previous job, I was told they would have hired me permanent, but that company had recently been acquired, and due to the uncertainty of the merger process, they couldn't promise that it would be long term. (In fact, I worked in three departments as departments relocated to other states.) In my position that I lost in 2017, they even considered me for a permanent position.

So it was that in January 2018, I began a permanent position at the national headquarters of Wireless Advocates in Seattle, working with the most amazing manager I have ever worked with. Our team has been like a family. Through ups and downs and challenges over the years, my manager and team have always been there. We have supported each other, and I have often wondered what I did to be on such an amazing team, where I could get help from anyone, and offer help back when they needed it. I have thrived in this position in ways that have surprised me. I have loved working with customers and associates around the country. In March of 2020, as we were realizing more and more the massive ramifications of the COVID pandemic, our office transitioned to working from home. The new arrangements provided new challenges, but our team maintained regular contact and remained as cohesive as ever. Working from home has also been a surprising blessing as I have been caring for my parents over the past few years. We lost my dad to a stroke last December, just over a year ago, and I have continued to care for my mom since then. It has been nice to be able to be able to assist when they need help during breaks and lunches. When I was done with my work day, I was already home, so didn't need to take time for the commute home. I have loved being able to give my all to my job, while also being available for family when they need help. During this time, I have also learned that I have ADHD, which has been a big help in managing challenges I have faced all my life, but only in the past few years have I started putting it together and gotten checked for it. (It also explains some challenges that I encountered in my previous job, and it would have been useful to know at that time.) My manager has done an amazing job of working with this knowledge, leveraging my strengths and working with my weaknesses. This has challenged me to work harder to be the best I can be.

Enter another shock. Yesterday we learned that the company is closing down. Wireless kiosks around the country are closed, and we at the national headquarters will be here for two more months. This is the second time I have been at a company that has shut down (the previous time was due to the company being acquired by a competitor). I truly feel for all my associates around the country who are now searching for a job. Despite the difficulty of the circumstances, particularly this time of the year, I have been deeply impressed with our management, and our team is becoming even more cohesive as our time at the company comes to an end. Though we at headquarters have a job for a couple months yet, we are starting to search now. During my spare time, I have been working on updating my resume.

I don't know what is on the horizon, but in my experience, shocking endings have led to new beginnings that I never would have predicted. In retrospect, as difficult as it was to lose my previous job, I realize that if I had not lost it right then, I would not have been available at just the right time for this "3-4 week" position that ended up turning into a permanent position working for and with the most amazing manager and team of my career thus far. If it were not for the horrible blow our nation and the world received at the beginning of 2020, we would not have started working from home, and I would not have been as available to help my parents as they have needed more assistance, while still being able to do as much as I have for a job that I love. Of course, that is not to minimize the heavy losses we have all sustained over the past few years. These have been difficult and devastating times for everyone.

My friend Jason Kotecki is an artist and motivational speaker. He had a syndicated cartoon in the newspapers a few years ago called Kim & Jason, with characters loosely based on his wife Kim and himself as children, in addition to other family members. Since 2000, they have waged a campaign to fight the menace of adultitis, that villain that robs people of their sense of child-like wonder and curiosity as they get older. I highly recommend checking them out at escapeadulthood.com. One thing Jason likes to ask is, "Now that this has happened, what does it make possible?" They have had their own set of challenges that at the time were horrifying (you can read about some of them here, here, here, here and here.) His challenge has been a massive help to me in this time of uncertainty and as I reflect back on difficult times that have ended up leading to surprising silver linings.

I don't know what the future holds, but I trust God to lead me, and I look forward to whatever is on the horizon.

I took this picture in 2019 from the roof of our building. At the time I didn't consider how much of an encouragement it would be, but a sunset is a beautiful thing. It symbolizes an end, but as the last rays of the sun paint a colorful canvas on the sky, we know that a new day is coming and the sun will rise again.

I took the following pictures last year of sunrise over Lake Michigan in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. (I call the first one Crouching Sunrise, Hidden Raccoon. Extra credit if you can find the raccoon!) Will the proverbial sunrise that follows the sunset of Wireless Advocates look something like this? Only time will tell, but I look forward to finding out!

To my colleagues around the country, it has truly been an honor and pleasure working with you. I wish you the best as you search for your sunrise. I know whatever companies you work for next will have acquired some amazing new talent that will help them thrive!