When it rains, it pours

All throughout this struggle, my mom has said: "John, when it finally happens- it's gonna happen all at once."

Maybe my mom should pick-up reading tarot cards or start predicting the future, because she was dead on.

My life started to come back when I received a phone call to come in for an interview for a 30 day temp. job making ten bucks an hour. I was desperate. I needed the money badly. My credit card had been maxed out and I knew that a car insurance payment was not too far away. I was offered the temp. job and during my very first week I started getting calls for interviews for real, full-time career-minded jobs.

In the past two weeks, I've had three first interviews, two second interviews, another second interview scheduled for next week and one official job offer. A few months ago I couldn't pay someone to give me an interview.

I will admit I changed my tactics a little bit. I started going after non-profits and smaller companies- organizations that NEEDED people. The Scottrade's and the Anheuser-Busch's of the world are doing more firing than hiring these days. I also started taking advantage of Twitter and LinkedIn to get my name out there. I started reaching out to complete strangers who are marketing and communications professionals asking them for advice and if I could add them to my professional network. On LinkedIn, you are ranked higher in keyword searches if you have more connections.

My profile actually started showing up in keyword searches because of how well I had my profile setup. That is exactly how Ungerboeck Systems International discovered me.

So as I mentioned before, I received an official job offer from a company called GroupCast, but I have a second interview with Ungerboeck on Tuesday. Cintas really wants me to work in their Fire Suppression Equipment division. I also have an application with the city of Jeffersonville, IN to be a full-time, professional firefighter. A family friend told me last week, his marketing manager wants to schedule a phone interview for next week. This is all crazy.

So I have some tough decisions to make of a different kind.

When it rains, it pours.

When all seems lost, there's hope

Right when you think all hope is lost.

Right when you think things couldn't get any worse.

Life has a way of giving you hope.

Yesterday I had a mental breakdown. I broke down and cried like the day I found out my grandfather died unexpectedly. I had been pushed to my emotional limits. The constant flow of job rejection emails was getting too much. I was tired of making follow up phone calls and never getting answers. I've looked into every industy I felt qualified for. Marketing, PR, non-profits, school districts, and any type of communications-related job- you name it, I've looked into it. I've attended just about every St. Louis networking event in the past two months. But the question remains: Why can't I get a job?

But later on that afternoon I received a message from a man on LinkedIn who owns a sports and event management software company here in the St. Louis area. He is looking for a sports-minded marketing coordinator. He reached out to ME. Not the other way around. I, of course, called him immediately and told him of my interest and why. He asked for my resume and said he'd in touch for an interview.

Earlier today, I was helping the Eureka Fire District, where I am a volunteer firefighter, set up for the Firefighter Combat Challenge when I received a phone call from a gentleman from ABC News. I recognized the NYC area code so I knew this wasn't a scam. He was writing a story on unemployment and wanted to hear my story because of a message I sent to Good Morning America telling them of everything I have done the past several months to find a job. The ABC reporter wanted to hear MY story, so I told him.

That being said, he said he hopes his story helps me out and will run tomorrow morning hopefully.

Thanks Scott, I appreciate your help.