One hundred.

I know I should have some kind of commemorative post, but I really do not have much to say, but feel compelled to post anyway.

I had a fingerprint session today for the Federal Agency Everyone Hates. It's just a preliminary step, it doesn't mean I'm going to be hired or anything. It's for seasonal positions which will basically be my insurance policy if I don't get a job by the time my unemployment runs out sometime next year.

If my group of hopefuls was any indication [and it may not be, our group was one of several that have been going through this over this past month] I may have a good shot at this. Most of the time, the only advice I would give to others is, "Don't do what I did." However, I do think I have one other tidbit of helpful information:

If you read and follow directions and are prepared for things, you generally will start out ahead of at least a third of your competition. Sometimes more.

We were sent an e-mail that told us what to bring and what to do before our fingerprint session [basically bring sufficient ID to fill out the I-9 form and have all the forms printed and completed.] I'd say very few of the people who were with me had done these things. Some only had their driver's license and ended up having to reschedule. Others had not completed the forms. Still others had not even brought the forms and had to fill them out from a booklet. I'm guessing they must really need employees, which hopefully will work in my favor. Guess we will see, although I'm still hoping I can find other employment.

I will say it is an easy self esteem boost for me since I feel more with-it and qualified for this. I guess another key to success is....lower your sights. Aim for something where you have more qualifications than most. Of course, most places disqualify the overqualified [heh heh, I like that phrase] but the government doesn't, so this might be an opportunity for me to shine. At any rate, it beats applying for things where I'm missing key qualities, which is the case when I apply for jobs that are more a fit for my educational level.

I'm just dreading it if I do end up having to take one of these seasonal jobs and have to reveal to people that I have a graduate degree and am a CPA, but am having to take a job that only requires a HS diploma. But I've had to do it before. And as I think I've mentioned before, the last time I did something like that, it ended up being a seven year career which to date has been my most successful work experience.

That may be a sticking point. Not that I worked for the Quasi-Federal Corporation Known for Workplace Violence, but because I ended up walking off the job on my last day in order to go see AMERICAN SPLENDOR. Will they report that? Is there even anyone left who could report that? Supervisors usually only spent a year in a work area before moving on, and I think my old job may not even be located in that facility anymore. Who knows? Oh well, if this doesn't work out, something else will.