52nd Time's the Charm...

After 52 (more or less) applications/cover letters/times I tried to convince someone I was normal/hireable/awesome as a human and 11 actual interviews, ranging from brief phone conversations to pleasant in-person chats to discussion-based group interviews, I can finally (exhaustingly, happily, proudly) announce...I have a new job!

I'm sure if you've been reading recently you guessed this already, but I wanted to make sure I finished out my time as a nanny/house manager before I started talking about what's new in my life. Now that I'm on my summer break, the fact that I'm starting a new position next week feels more real.

The Who:
I was hired in late May by Citizen Schools to be a part of their National Teaching Fellowship Class of 2017. It's a two year program through AmeriCorps (which I was also a part of during MercyWorks) and my official title is Teaching Fellow. I'll also have a campus-specific role (TBA) and I'm sure a hashtag will follow.

The What:
For now, my job description is "Teach, Serve, Grow." I'll be working with middle school students both in the classroom and after school, but beyond that I haven't really imagined what a day will look like - I'd rather go in with open expectations and learn from there. I will say that the opportunity to work in the Education field after several years on the Residential side of things really excites me. I think we all know that I loved/love school.

The Where:
In late June, I found out that my school placement is in Logan Square, which means I'm already pretty familiar with the neighborhood (yay!).

The Why:
I've written about why a job change in general was needed and wanted. My ideal job (the hopes I had for my future from the beginning of my job search) involved a nonprofit, being able to help/serve others, having coworkers, and using my creative talents. Citizen Schools fits that bill and then some. I actually found the position after being turned down for a different job within their network. My initial contact suggested the Teaching Fellowship and introduced me to an area recruiter. After a challenging interview process, I was happy that what was at first another rejection turned into a new life direction. (And it made what I read in Rejection Proof ring all the more true.)

The When:
I start next Monday! I'm sure my first few weeks (of training) will leave me with lots to talk about, and then once school starts I'll have even more to say. New things bring lots of excitement around here. Thanks for being a part of it.