(the) Jebbica

“Why should we hire you?”

It sounds simple enough.  But when going into a job interview, it’s often one of the questions with which I really struggle.  I am someone who is really awkward around new people, especially people who could be in charge of me.  On one hand, I want to make a good impression, look nice, smile a lot, make eye contact, etc.  I want to show that I’ve done my homework on the company and know things that they wouldn’t expect me to already know. I want my resume to be shiny and full of things for which they are looking.  On the other hand, even after I’ve studied, researched, and practiced, something about my mind turns to Jell-O when it comes to talking about…me.

“Because, I…uh…uh…what was the question again?”

I got a call today for an interview next week. The job is receptionist at a place that, as far as I can tell, council people who are addicted to drugs or are mentally handicapped and work on getting people medicine and therapy that they couldn’t necessarily pay for otherwise.  It’s a government job, so the hours and pay are both nice.  So, what will I have to offer them?

In case you are in the same boat, here are a few of the right and wrong answers to this very unnerving question:

Wrong Answers:

“Because I need a job.” — This answer is about YOU — “they” want to know what you can do for “them.”

“I am a hard worker.” — This is a really trite answer — almost anyone can say he or she is a hard worker.

“I saw your ad and could do the job.” — This answers lacks passion and purpose.

Better Answers:

“Because I have three years experience working with customers in a very similar environment.”

“Because I have what it takes to fill the requirements of this job – solve customer problems using my excellent customer service skills.”

“Because I have the experience and expertise in the area of customer support that is required in this position.”

Check out more here so you hopefully won’t end up at the Jebbica School of Bombing Interviews!  If nothing else, you could take a cue from Kenny Powers and answer, “Because I’m the best motherf*cker in the world. I am better than all y’all. No one is better than me!”

If at first you don’t succeed, then maybe you just suck.

photo credit: sashafatcat

Once a month, The Boyfriend and I set a budget of around $180 and do our monthly grocery shopping.  We scour all the sales papers, clip coupons, and ad match our hearts out until our cupboards are stocked and our bellies are full.  Once you know what to do and where to go, eating for $3 a day is simple–and you usually have plenty left over for the next month!

Here is a look at the tips I have learned that will hopefully help you save money in a bad economy…and hopefully forever! (more…)

So, you’re snowed in, and work and school is canceled. Eventually, cabin fever starts to sink in, and you are stuck with the one person from whom you once wanted to never be away. And now, they’re starting to really get on your nerves.

What do you do?

Personally, I say be thankful that you have that person around to get on your nerves.  This is the yin to your yang.  Your other half.  How destroyed would you be without them?

In 2007, The Boyfriend was in the hospital for about 7 months.  About 5 of those months were spent at our local hospital.  We were put in a tiny room, with no internet, no closet space, a cubbyhole for a bathroom, and 9 channels.  I slept in a chair that was made out of vinyl that folded out, and to this day I swear they tried to invent the most uncomfortable thing imaginable. Every morning, my face had vinyl lines on it. Hot.  And The Boyfriend, cranky because he had tubes sticking out of him everywhere and couldn’t eat anything and would have killed for a Coca Cola, constantly was yelling at me and had me in tears every time it was meal time for me. Understandable; I would have been the same way if I couldn’t eat.

I wound up taking a lot of walks around the hospital to get away. It wasn’t close enough to go home and get back in case something happened, so I never went home.  I did decide one day that I was tired of people bringing me food and toiletries everyday, so I thought I would wait tables down the street to get away and make some extra money. My second day of work, The Boyfriend died. He came back, but I didn’t go back to work.

I guess the moral of this story is, we survived that (literally, thankfully!), so every moment spent together we are happy to be around each other.  Don’t get me wrong…we still get on each other’s nerves.  But that’s what headphones are for.