THE NEW DOOR

Take a look in and I'll explain how the new job came about!!

There was no looking for a new job. I haven't looked for a job in probably 19 years!!! As a regular reader will tell you, I was happily employed with Bloomingdales as a Visual Display artist for 19 years, and then that career ended like so many others when the pandemic hit, and the company laid off over 2,000 of the support staff from the creative director on down. I then took almost a year off, till the vaccines came out, then my good friend, The Dame scooped me up to assist in her flower shop running the day-to-day operations, helping with events and displaying and helping with the shop and windows. We always had the agreement he wouldn't hold me back if another job came along. Then one day....

I got a call from my ex -Bloomingdales general manager from a couple years back. She had been upset when I left that location to one closer to Philadelphia, where I was living in Bucks County. Well...she had heard I was moving back to Harrisburg and had a job for me I might want to pursue. Just so happens one of the stylists I used to work with, also called the day after she called, about the same job. And then yet one other. Within one week, someone from this company reached out, as the ex-manager I know works for them, and is already a VP of Customer Care for the region. She told the recruiter to be on the lookout for my resume submission, and they'd be a fool not to call. Within one week, was called, had a phone interview, then a in person in interview, and was then offered a Visual Showroom Coordinator, for a family owned, higher end home furnishings company that has stores in five eastern states here on the Right coast. The store manager of the Harrisburg store said she had to have me. The company is now opening 5 stores in the Central PA area, and I will be based out of the Harrisburg location, but will also oversee the visual people in the York and Mechanicsburg locations. The later to be opening in three weeks. It's been a whirl wind already...what with getting to know a new company, two store openings already, and managing my own showroom floor. I just couldn't pass up the salary they met that I stated, but even went beyond that....and a most lucrative benefits package with vacation time already.

So...out and off came all the work wardrobe again. The best part... again...no nights or weekends, and I basically can set my own schedule. While I love my new manager, and we do work hand in hand, she is not technically my boss, but the regional business manager is. So, I generally work my old shift at Bloomingdales again, and can have the rest of the day to myself. My job is basically keeping the showroom appealing, interesting, up to standards, staging the room vignettes, and I have control over the actually inventory of what we carry. If something isn't selling, I can floor sample it, and get it out to bring in a new collection. With my interior design background, the feel and layout and spacing planning comes easily. It's been very fun and rewarding already. Not to rub salt in, but I have a team of very hot men of color and hot papis in receiving who help get all the furniture ready for me and assist with floor moves. I basically walk around and say, "OK, take this sofa here and place like this, and take this console table over there along this wall." The company doesn't want us personally lifting and moving, so they hire big teams to help in receiving with such duties not to mention doing deliveries and other things. The one guy named Chris is like 6' 11". You know my inner Mae West wanted to ask how tall he was without his high tops. He replied, "Well Maddie, I'm 6' 11". To which I replied, Well, never mind the 6'. Let's go back here and discuss the 11". But I digress.

Of course, the only part that has had its challenge is the computer part. The programs we use are very dated and I'm not a tech savvy person, except for blogging and surfing porn!!!! But already that is starting to click and I'm grasping it. I told the manager one day I can't be at a screen all day like that, or I may send the whole thing through a plate glass window. But one day it just all clicked. She and I will get along just well, she likes her Hendricks as well. And the whole store staff couldn't be nicer. They all thought I seemed quiet. I told them, Oh just you wait till I'm comfortable. Wait till they get a load of me then!  So, I'm about four weeks in already, with exception to my P-town vacation. I also have the option to transfer to another store if there is an opening, like say, back in Bucks County or the Philadelphia market. Of course, the Dame is still stressing she hasn't found a replacement yet at the shop but might finally have a person in mind and told them they had big shoes to fill. My last visual boss at Bloomingdales was also a bit sad, has he had been hoping to bring me into the Center City Philadelphia Macy's as a visual stylist. He went there after getting laid off with all of us. While that store is legendary as the old John Wanamaker department store and is getting many remodels and updates, I told him I would have to have a list of demands met...like higher salary and a stiffen fund for houseboys' gin and transportation fees.  I mean if that would transpire, I would take an apartment in Center City Philly, or another place in Bucks County...like New Hope...and just take the train into the city. He said they could meet the salary and not sure about the benefits...and I despise Macy's. They are the reason we were laid off for in the first place. But that's another story.  I don't know I'd go back to department store environment again, as I sadly have to admit, it's a dying art and that form of business is just hurting too much. This new job feels more secure and will add yet another notch and more experience to my wheelhouse of my design background. Not to mention the company doesn't mind me doing my interior free-lance either. But I can't lie, it's a nice feeling when past people and co-workers at jobs still remember you and want or recommend you for a job. It's one reason I always tell anyone never, ever burn a bridge with anyone. Every job I ever had happened solely by word of mouth or a recommendation.

Of course, this mean that my Mondays will look once again, like above. 

How vivid Mondays have been. It's like they never left. I miss having the three-day weekends already.

Of course, I could always just go in later, take them off, and adjust my schedule to four longer days. So there's that.