The bad news: I just quit a job today.
Here's why: I am currently staying at the downtown YMCA residence hotel here in Phoenix. I have been here since mid-July. I was working a part-time call center job, which, as part of the recruitment process, was promised to eventually move to full-time. Full time never happened, and I have been at the job since the end of June. Well, I discovered that child support payments are JUST NOW being deducted, after almost three months of employment.
Which leaves me unable to pay my weekly rent.
I sent a resignation letter this morning. It makes little financial sense to keep this job. I need full-time hours, and the company cannot do so immediately.
Which leads me to the good news, or at least promising news...
I interviewed last Friday for a graphic production job, in the same part of town the call center job was located in, with a different company, at full-time hours and at higher pay with mandatory overtime during the Christmas holidays, which is their busy season. The company is doing a massive staff-up for the holidays. The position is seasonal, but I'm confident that when I get in there and do a superb job, they will keep me after the holidays, and if not, I'll earn enough to be able to hang in there while I look for something else - even if child support is deducted from these paychecks. (My son turns 18 in December.)
It's not a done deal yet, but I am 97% confident this firm will hire me. The interview went as smoothly and as positive as the best I have been on in the last five years - and it seems to be a matter of the company actually having a real demand and relatively immediate need for people with my skills.
I was headed for this anyway, as my food stamp benefits, which I have had for nearly a year (including extensions while I was homeless) expire after October. My income MUST increase NOW, and I was not able to wait for the call center to promote me to full-time status.
Bottom line: I was backed into a corner and I had to make a fast decision with little information, no advance notice, and only a promise of a better job - NOT an iron-clad offer. (Not the first time I have done this as readers of this blog know!) Now I have to work something out with the YMCA so I can remain in my room while I wait for my new job.
There may be light at the end of the tunnel. I will keep you posted. I could hear something on the new position as early as today.
