It was one of those letters you never like getting: "...I regret to inform you..."
OK, so it wasn't a big, high-paying, permanent, super prestige job, but it would have been a summer job, very fulfilling personally, but I didn't get the job. I didn't even get an interview.
I returned to college this past January, at age fifty-four, and my near-term goal is an Associates degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences. My long-term goal is a Masters with a teaching credential.
I've done a few different things in life. I've been a logger, a forklift driver, a Navy man, an electronics technician, a technical design engineer drafting electronics schematics, and a truck driver, to name a few. Driving truck was my last job, but it came to a literal crashing halt two years ago. Recovery meant a new career, so I went back to school.
I love college. I do well at it. I took four classes this past semester, and I got three A's and a B+, for a GPA of 3.82. Just before school let out, the college offered a six-week job with their Upward Bound program. It was for a "Residential Assistant", helping high school students in their first immersion into college life, living in the dorms as an adult supervisor, doing tutoring and related duties. It offered room and board and an hourly wage. I immediately applied. It would have been a perfect summer job, and would have looked good on my resume. It would have been a great experience. I didn't make the cut.
Yesterday's mail brought me the news:
June 2, 2009
Dear Mr. _____:
On behalf of Feather River Community College District, I would like to thank you for your participation in the recruitment process for the Upward Bound positions.
The college was fortunate in having the opportunity to select from candidates with a wide range of qualifications and experience; this made selection decisions difficult. I regret to inform you that you were not selected to move forward in our process.
Again, I would like to thank you for the time you spent in our selection process and for considering Feather River College.
Sincerely,
So I've got the whole summer ahead of me with little prospect of income except my disability payments, which aren't much. Fortunately, I'm married, my wife works full time, we've got our own home, and it's not the end of the world. But it still smarts.
I really thought I had a good shot at this job. For one thing, I worked as a tutor (paid, though at a relative pittance) all semester at the college, helping other students in computer science, math, and english. The Director of the college tutoring center even gave me a personal reference, and I had several other quality references. My life experience is extensive, and I enjoy teaching. Apparently there were other applicants better qualified than me.
Feather River College is in Quincy, California, in Plumas County. It's flat out beautiful here. Mountains, trees, rivers, lakes, blue sky, moderate weather, small town, peaceful lifestyle. Nearly idyllic. But little work available. Our main industry is timber, and our remaining sawmill just cut its workforce in half, due to economic and political conditions. Job competition is fierce.
I do have a fall-back. I've got the equipment to cut firewood, but it's dangerous, dirty hard work, and very competitive. The good part is I'm my own boss, and so I set my own hours and work pace. The bad part is it's a good way to get hurt or killed.
I've also got one other gig locked in. It's just a four day job, cleaning bathrooms at the fairgrounds during the High Sierra Music Festival, but it pays well. So that's a bright spot in the clouds of my mind. The Festival is a hoot, and now I get to go and get paid for working there, with full admission in my off hours.
But I really wanted that job with Upward Bound. Not getting it was a bitter pill to swallow. My pride took a hit. I was qualified, doubtless, but it seems there were others more qualified. Such is life.
At the end of August school will resume. I'll be taking eighteen units over six classes: Introduction to Sociology, Child Growth and Development, Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Multiculturalism, Juvenile Justice, and Theatre. It's a full load, but that's good. My mind and my time will be fully occupied and engaged. I'm hoping I will be able to do tutoring again also, along with other work on the campus.
Here's hoping your summer goes well for you.