I have been working since October at "winning" a job at the Apple retail store in Manhattan Beach. A friend-of-a-friend had ticked my name behind the scenes at Apple and after several phone interviews with SEVERAL managers I was offered a PART-TIME gig as a specialist (one of the "blue-shirt" people who greet you and sell you things as you walk around any store). But while Apple is indeed my one true love in this world, the fact that the job was retail (which I have no experience in), part-time, and located in one of the most expensive areas of L.A. was troublesome. Where would I live? Even if I could live off of the money I've saved these last six months, there was no way I could get a lease at an apartment complex with that kind of income.
Enter: My Brentwood Angel.
A DIFFERENT friend-of-a-friend (we'll refer to her as K.) lives in the (very exclusive) Brentwood neighborhood of L.A. with her husband and two small children. We've been emailing quite a bit as I try to navigate the cross-country move and she was keeping her eyes open for any and all job opportunities for me. After I told her about the Apple gig, K. mentioned they had a room above their garage... and that if I didn't mind the fact that it didn't have running water it was mine for as long as I needed to get settled and find full-time work. Seriously? Angel.
I jumped at the chance and immediately called Apple to tell them my decision. They told me to take my time moving west, and, once I was settled, to come in and meet everyone. So as of Monday, February 4th, that was my California "job" plan. Start at the Apple store, get to know some hopefully cool people and ask for help in re-starting my video and photography business (apparently there are several other professional photographers that work at the store).
By Wednesday that planned had changed entirely.
My old college roommate M. has worked in Higher Education for most of her career. First in Minnesota and now in California. She is currently at {Name of College} and working behind the scenes. M. knows I'm moving west and we had joked about me working with her at {Name of College}. Suddenly, M. texts me that there is a temp-to-hire position open in her department and since they've had bad luck with temps lately she told her boss about me specifically. She needed my resume. I sent it. M. and I spoke on the phone that night. It sounded promising. I had hoped for a phone interview with M's boss at the very least. But on Wednesday, as I'm teaching my final technology class in Waconia, M. texts me with the news that her boss would like to offer me the temp job based purely on M's recommendation... and that I start on February 20th! What...!?
Suddenly, there's a "real" job on the table...and located in Pasadena (almost exactly where I want to be in California). I can start looking for apartments! I can have my stuff shipped from Minnesota! Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Could I be any more lucky?
Umm... yes. It turns out I can.
Friday afternoon, K. emails me from her office (she works for SAG-AFTRA... the actor's union). The head of Communications for SAG is looking for a new assistant... and she got me an interview! A woman who, if you google her, shows up in thousands of pictures with her arm around any number of celebrities and who's-who in Hollywood. Are you kidding me?! I would LOVE that job. Organizing someone else's life?! Bossing people around (in a good/ necessary way?!). Yes, PLEASE.
So... I guess you could say I now have options? Amazing. Feeling so lucky and blessed.
To Be Continued...
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