Working Woman

I’m working!

I haven’t worked full time since Nov of 2001!!  The last time I worked in an office all day was almost two decades ago...

 I did work part time for BYU Independent study for the last 15 years and I was defiantly done with that.  It was a great job for a mom of little kids but I was ready for something different.  

Even if I cleaned the house spotless and worked out every day and volunteered at the school once a week it didn’t come anywhere close to taking up the nearly 40 hours every week my kids are at school and after school sports. And my photo books and family videos are all up to date.  I wasn’t ready to take up knitting just yet. My brain needed a new challenge. 

When Blythe started kindergarten I updated my resume with some help from a neighbor and applied to a few jobs I thought I was qualified for. 

The Proposal Development Unit at NC State University replied and invited me for a phone interview for a full time project assistant job. (It's a nine person team in the office of Research and Innovation helping manage the proposal process for grants worth over a million dollars.)

The night before that first interview I asked Jason Cleverly for some interview help and that was amazing. Should I talk about being a mom?  Some people said yes and some people said no. Jason was very clear. They need to know that you have certain skills - hard working, self motivated, organized, can handle multiple projects etc and any story that you can tell them that proves the point is good.  Then we talked about my strengths - that was so nice-  and wrote down examples. 

That was a game changer for me. I was confident and sure on the phone interview and the following week for an in person interview with the whole team.  (I have skills - just not in the typical professional sense,  haha)

Examples... Are you comfortable talking with different kinds of people?   “We had an extra kid living with us for a few years and I was able to communicate clearly and kindly with his mother, the schools, probation officers, lawyers, police men, homeless shelters etc. (one time I wasn’t so kind to a lawyer, I threatened to report him if he didn’t respond ASAP. He responded :-)

How do I work on a big project?  Every year I make a killer family video - it takes about 20 hours. I never have more than 30 mins of continuous time to work on it. First I favorite all the photos and clips I want to use. Then I drag them in to the program. Then I edit down to time. Then add music and titles.  Over the course of a few months I get it done. And I’m consistent - I have followed this same routine every year for a decade. 

How did I deal with a challenge at my BYU job...when the state came out with a free online option?   Changed the types of schools I visited - more charter schools and private schools and less public schools and offered us a back up for scheduling emergencies, homeschool etc. 

That got me in the door!  They offered me the job. I filled out a ton of paperwork and here I am. 

I still get up in the morning with the kids and get everyone out the door. Scotia and Jaxon are 100% independent. I only need to wave goodbye. I work out, pack lunch for Blythe and me, help her get dressed, make beds, sweep the floor, wipe down the counter and take Blythe to the bus. Once she is gone I head to work. 

Tyrone is home in time to meet the bus and pick up older kids from sports. One day a week he has call and grandparents pick Blythe up and hang out until I get home. Tyrone makes supper most nights.  So far it’s really smooth.  (After dealing with five busy kids three kids feels like a walk in the park.)  (I anticipate summer will be crazy- we will just have to deal with it)

And I like working - I’m learning so many new things. Change is hard, and it’s good. I needed a new challenge and opportunity for growth and this is it. 

For so long our family operated under the Mormon belief that my job was to support my husband and kids while they developed their many talents. It feels nice to be on the other side and have kids and a husband helping me out. 

And I’m so lucky. If in a year I don’t love it then I can quit. That freedom is certainly worth all the effort I put into helping Tyrone with his career.