Anyone that has been keeping up with my blog or Facebook updates knows that I recently started working again. The big question that has been surrounding the news is: What the heck is the job?
It's funny how I've been talking about it and I haven't really described it at all. So if you've been on pins and needles: The time has finally come! If you haven't... well, I'll tell you anyway.
I basically work for a company that deals with doctors (more specifically in the radiology fields) continuing their education wanting to keep up with current technology and practices. What does that mean? I'll break it down for you now.
As some of you may or may not know, certain professions need to keep up to date on information regarding their fields. For example, doctors need to be able to know any new procedures that may take over outdated or dangerous ones. Another example may be new diagnosis or machine information. Either way, there are requirements doctors need to meet for keeping up with all of this information.
When it comes to confirming these doctors have kept up on their knowledge there are different ways to go about it. One of the most well known is in the form of conferences. Groups of people come together at a convention center and listen to their peers talk in front of projections with slides and take notes. It is a simplified example but you get the point. Another possibility for those that didn't or couldn't take the time to go on these conferences includes watching a recording of these conferences and then taking a test and submitting it for review. If they pass then the doctor is awarded a certificate verifying the time has been put in to update their knowledge.
If you're wondering what all this babble has to do with my job, it has everything to do with it. The company I work for coordinates both the conferences, the recordings and all of the materials like workbooks and DVDs. It's a medium sized group with about 25 people all together. Most of the jobs are very specific but a few have some flexibility, like mine.
So, finally, this is what I do. To put it in its basic form I work in the shipping department. What I do there is take in orders that have been placed on the desk and process them. I check the computer to verify all of the information, collect the workbooks and DVDs, box them up and print shipping labels for the boxes. But, like I said before, I flow between there and another department. I also work with the guy that makes the workbooks for the meetings and home studying.
It's an interesting process that basically uses a large printer to make the books by printing the pages and then we bind them using strips with adhesive that are melted on to the spines of the books. It sounds simple, and it is, but is also very affective.
So after all of that reading you know what I do. I'll try to keep it more interesting for the next post. Maybe talk a bit about training for the 15k run in March or even stuff out of my personal life.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
A New Year: A New Direction
Something I don't often talk about is my beliefs in religion and God. It's always a difficult subject to cover with such a wide spectrum of opinions and cultures. I feel that everyone has a right to make their own decisions. This is a post that helps me feel more comfortable saying that God is watching over me.
The world is a complicated place and at times can feel like there is no order. Other times things fall into place almost like they were meant to. For me, many of the big changes that happen feel like they were a part of a bigger plan. This time is no exception.
Since May this year I have not had a steady job outside of my freelance photography gigs. I relied on savings, friends offering work on shoots and even a one time blood donation that paid me $500 because it involved research for cancer patients.
Things were not bad for me but it came to a point where I had to stay home and save the little money that I had to pay the bills. I worked on editing photos for the few jobs I got as well as some personal photos. I lost touch with friends and it got boring. In November I began to realize that I was not going to be able to make enough money beyond the holidays to pay my bills so I had to find a steady job. Things did not go well. I went to retailers and applied but the time for seasonal hiring had just passed me by. I was too late. Through December I followed a few leads but had no responses. I wasn't discouraged but it wasn't looking good.
Right about the end of December I also got back in touch with a friend and she mentioned wanting to get serious about running, something I knew a good deal about. Since I wanted to get back into it we decided to start running together. We ran for two weeks and talked about getting more people involved. A few days later I receive a call from this friend mentioning a running group that meets every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at one of the local malls. They train runners for marathons and half-marathons for a fee but running with them is free on Thursdays.
I decide to join her and see what it's like. I'm optimistic because it is always easier to run with a group. After the first day I decide to go on Thursdays to take advantage of the free run. This was about two and a half weeks ago.
All the while this is happening I am still looking for work. After the new year I agreed with my mother to get help with a work agency to find something for me. After calling and emailing a few places my opportunities look slim because my photography experience is difficult to apply to office applications. My mother then tells me of a few places to go in person.
The morning I decide to go in person started badly with the first agency telling me they required at least three years of office experience for anyone they help. I walked out of there thinking this was going to be a waste of my time. The second office was a bit different. As soon as I walk through the door I see a person in the doorway to their office and I'm thinking..."Wait a second".
Standing there with the same look on her face as mine is one of the women from the group I just started running with. We both take a moment to laugh at the situation and she starts asking what I'm doing there. After a brief explanation we go to her desk and she begins to tell me about an opportunity that just opened up. It is a very relaxed environment and it has opportunity for a full-time position. She then takes a moment to look at the address on my resume and she says that the job is located on the same street. I later find out this place is just five minutes from where I live.
We start getting the paperwork ready and within twenty four hours I am hired. I am officially starting work tomorrow (January 11) at 8:30am. The guy who will be training me is supposedly getting ready to retire and it looks like I will end up taking over for him when he leaves.
There are so many things that fell into place that it just boggles my mind about the timing of it all.
On a side note, this new job will definitely slow down the progression of my photography career but it won't stop it from happening. It will actually help me gain the funds to buy equipment. I will only be able to do things on the weekends or evenings now but it will take care of the more important priorities of paying my bills.
I look forward to where this road may lead me. And I hope to say it may be something big.
The world is a complicated place and at times can feel like there is no order. Other times things fall into place almost like they were meant to. For me, many of the big changes that happen feel like they were a part of a bigger plan. This time is no exception.
Since May this year I have not had a steady job outside of my freelance photography gigs. I relied on savings, friends offering work on shoots and even a one time blood donation that paid me $500 because it involved research for cancer patients.
Things were not bad for me but it came to a point where I had to stay home and save the little money that I had to pay the bills. I worked on editing photos for the few jobs I got as well as some personal photos. I lost touch with friends and it got boring. In November I began to realize that I was not going to be able to make enough money beyond the holidays to pay my bills so I had to find a steady job. Things did not go well. I went to retailers and applied but the time for seasonal hiring had just passed me by. I was too late. Through December I followed a few leads but had no responses. I wasn't discouraged but it wasn't looking good.
Right about the end of December I also got back in touch with a friend and she mentioned wanting to get serious about running, something I knew a good deal about. Since I wanted to get back into it we decided to start running together. We ran for two weeks and talked about getting more people involved. A few days later I receive a call from this friend mentioning a running group that meets every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at one of the local malls. They train runners for marathons and half-marathons for a fee but running with them is free on Thursdays.
I decide to join her and see what it's like. I'm optimistic because it is always easier to run with a group. After the first day I decide to go on Thursdays to take advantage of the free run. This was about two and a half weeks ago.
All the while this is happening I am still looking for work. After the new year I agreed with my mother to get help with a work agency to find something for me. After calling and emailing a few places my opportunities look slim because my photography experience is difficult to apply to office applications. My mother then tells me of a few places to go in person.
The morning I decide to go in person started badly with the first agency telling me they required at least three years of office experience for anyone they help. I walked out of there thinking this was going to be a waste of my time. The second office was a bit different. As soon as I walk through the door I see a person in the doorway to their office and I'm thinking..."Wait a second".
Standing there with the same look on her face as mine is one of the women from the group I just started running with. We both take a moment to laugh at the situation and she starts asking what I'm doing there. After a brief explanation we go to her desk and she begins to tell me about an opportunity that just opened up. It is a very relaxed environment and it has opportunity for a full-time position. She then takes a moment to look at the address on my resume and she says that the job is located on the same street. I later find out this place is just five minutes from where I live.
We start getting the paperwork ready and within twenty four hours I am hired. I am officially starting work tomorrow (January 11) at 8:30am. The guy who will be training me is supposedly getting ready to retire and it looks like I will end up taking over for him when he leaves.
There are so many things that fell into place that it just boggles my mind about the timing of it all.
On a side note, this new job will definitely slow down the progression of my photography career but it won't stop it from happening. It will actually help me gain the funds to buy equipment. I will only be able to do things on the weekends or evenings now but it will take care of the more important priorities of paying my bills.
I look forward to where this road may lead me. And I hope to say it may be something big.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The New Year
Congratulations to everyone that survived the new year. It is that time again to set goals that probably won't be achieved. But on a more positive note, let's enjoy the time that we think they can be achieved.
It is not about avoiding something because you think you will fail but more about trying something despite the chance that you will.
The hardest part is keeping up with good habits trying to avoid the old bad ones. Just remember to stay positive and keep going. This blog is about looking back a month from now and trying to keep the energy going. I can say a lot of good positive things but sometimes you just have to find it in yourself. Whatever it is in you, find it and use it to reach your goals.
It is not about avoiding something because you think you will fail but more about trying something despite the chance that you will.
The hardest part is keeping up with good habits trying to avoid the old bad ones. Just remember to stay positive and keep going. This blog is about looking back a month from now and trying to keep the energy going. I can say a lot of good positive things but sometimes you just have to find it in yourself. Whatever it is in you, find it and use it to reach your goals.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
