$50 OBO

The call center job didn't pan out. By that, I mean that the only way it could have been worse would be if I had to pay them for the privilege of doing the job. I have made the risky decision that it would be better to really throw myself into applying for more jobs than filling my time with an occupation that left me feeling listless and miserable, and having less time to look for something better. I have two interviews lined up for the end of the week, both for retail sales (aka The Devil I Know).

I was filling out an application at a restaurant today. The manager asked if I had any experience with the restaurant industry. When I told her no, she responded, "Well, you'll really have to sell your personality then." What a distasteful phrase, "sell your personality." And I do realize marketing one's skills and achievements is a necessary part of finding a job, I just wish it was less reminiscent of prostitution.

I find the process of selling myself to be bewildering. Extracting a passable cover letter from the neurotic, second-guessing labyrinth that is my mind was incredibly difficult, and it is specifically for jobs in the non-profit field. I am at a loss when it comes to, say, applying for a receptionist job. I believe it's something I could do, but what do I say? "I'm very good at answering the phone, and my handwriting is legible, so you would have no problem reading the messages I would take." I'm being facetious, of course, but when I try to come up with something write to Employer X to separate myself from the pack, I consistently come up short.