Job Search Update

Yesterday I had an interview at Veria Wellness Center in Arlington. This company was started by a man from India who wanted to start wellness centers in the US that had an Ayervedic "flavor". (If you aren't familiar with Ayerveda, it is basically the Indian/Middle Eastern way of health and wellness. I have studied a bit of the Ayervedic eating habits a bit in my schooling.) The first store was opened in Plano, TX in the fall of 2007 and the second in Arlington a few months ago. There are plans for 500 more stores throughout the US. I think it is very exciting to have the opportunity to be at the start of something. They also have a station in Dish network called Veria TV and they have an online store at www.veria.com.

So, back to my interview. The manager and her assistant interviewed me for the spa specialist position. This position wears a lot of hats including stocking, ordering products, providing customer service, and so on. They asked me things like "what do you do when a customer asks you something you don't know?" Thank you mother!!! This is a question that I have always talked to my mom about. In the past, I have often felt embarrassed when someone asked me a question about natural health that I thought I should know but didn't. Thanks to Mom's advice, I have come to the point where I can now say confidently that I do not know, but I will surely look it up and let you know! They liked that answer. I had to answer things like "define customer service" and "what is the most difficult situation I had ever encountered at work?" It was all going so great until they unexpectedly asked me to tell them what salary I expected!!! Well, first of all, I didn't prepare myself for this question because my book on interviews explained that money was not talked about in the first interview. It caught me way off guard! Second of all, when you are used to making $50-75 an hour doing massage for the past few years, it is a lot different going back to the world of working for someone else and getting paid A LOT less. So unfortunately I blurted out a low ball number and am regretting it. Maybe I can negotiate in the end. I got a tour of the center after the interview was over. They have a spa with 5 massage therapists and 1 aethetician. They have a cafe that serves organic foods such as smoothies, hummus, wraps, salads.... They also have nutritional supplements, a makeup line, organic clothing, holistic home products, and tons more (you can see why this is right up my alley)! They also teach "movement classes" such as tai chi, yoga, pilates.....

In the process of talking to them I found out that 4 people I used to work with at Kokopelli's Wellness Spa and Yoga Center in Frisco work or have worked at their Plano location which I though was so wild! (Kokopelli's went out of business after I moved to FW).

So, I left thinking the interview went pretty well. I had what they are looking for and have the experience. I get home and about an hour later they called me. They had a couple of more questions which I answered on the phone. If I pass the background check I am in!!! YAY!!! I am excited, nervous, happy, and sad all at the same time. Part of me is sad to have to give up doing massage on a full time basis and I will miss my flexible schedule. I just can't keep it up like I used to and my body, though I am a lot stronger than I was three years ago, just cannot keep up with it anymore. After this last bought of infection that I caught from a client, I decided to put up my lotion and look into something else. I could cry just thinking about it. But, I will not be totally giving it up. If time and energy allow, I will keep about 4-5 regular clients a week.

My thinking process behind this is for Scott and I to be able to get ahead and eventually start a family sooner than later. These past couple of years being married have been a bit difficult as he was trying to find exactly what he wanted to do. Our several moves were a bit of a financial burden for us. Plus, we missed his enrollment period for benefits. I am now going on 4 years without health or dental and he for about 2 years. This job would provide all of that for us...as long as we don't miss the deadline again!!! ;)

I will keep you all posted, but as for now if all goes as planned, I start full time on June 23rd.