Gainful Employment

Upon losing the job at Paladin Cigars, I was at a loss for how to proceed with looking for work.  I consider myself largely unskilled and lacking in formal education.  In addition, I have a black mark on my record which makes passing a background check a crap-shoot.  With those three strikes against me, I nevertheless had to make some kind of strategy in looking for income.  About the only goal I had was to place three applications a day to some sort of retailer for whom I felt qualified to work.  In the end, I only spent about two weeks out-of-work as I began working for Johnston & Murphy (J&M).  After three interviews in rapid succession, my first day of work was on Sunday, February 10th.  Even though I was elated and extremely thankful for the gainful employment, I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.  This almost seemed too good to be true.  There was good reason to know I wasn't out of the woods just yet.  The manager wanted me to begin work before the remaining pre-employment paperwork cleared, particularly the background check.  Of course I desperately prayed concerning the situation and for keeping this newfound job.  A few days later, I did find out everything came back okay.  To God be the glory!  Now I can focus on learning and discharging the duties of my role within the company.  This is the second time to have worked for J&M.  The first time wasn't a very good experience as business was horrible, and I couldn't support myself on the subsequent income provided.  Hopefully this time will be different.  At this point, the sales position is part-time.  I took it primarily to get my foot in the door.  The assistant manager position is open, and I will strive to perform well enough to get that next rung on the ladder of success.  We shall see what the future holds.  Until then, need any shoes?

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