Dear Santa: Please Help Me Find Work

All I want for Christmas is a job interview.

No jewelry, stereos, DVD players or winning lottery tickets--just a job interview.

Simple, right? I certainly thought so seven months ago when I became a casualty of an Internet company downsizing. I had no reason to think I’d have a problem jumping right back into the game.

I mean here I am, a college-educated, smart, ambitious, hard-working gal with more than four years’ experience in the event promotions world and five phenomenal letters of recommendation.

I’ve helped promote Fortune 500 companies and played a key role in several top brand-building campaigns. I managed million-dollar budgets and planned and executed spectacular events.

I’m dedicated to my work and am a team player.

But, as I’ve learned, the rules of the employment game have changed and the economy isn’t a very nice player; there are thousands of other job applicants competing for the same prize: a chance to work.

OK, I thought, if that’s things are today, I’ll just accept it and try harder to find work than everyone else.

What does this involve?

Let me just recount the shopping days leading up to sitting down and writing this:

* Three freelance clients (one didn’t pay, one declared bankruptcy and the last was just flat out weird).

* Eight temp agencies.

* One pyramid scheme (disguised as a sports marketing firm).

* Fifteen online search agents (two of which charged me).

* Too-many-to-count networking lunches, brunches, dinners and drinks.

* Two resume-blasting services.

* Three professional resume review/critiques.

* Approximately 400 positions applied for (no calls or walk-ins, please).

* Five “creative resume deliveries” (singing telegram stunts).

* One catering job.

* Numerous waitress/bartending inquiries (apparently you need to be an actor/model to get hired).

* Considered various career changes, and even took (and passed) the CBEST to become a teacher. (Apparently there is not as big a demand as they say there is.)

* Finally applying for unemployment benefits. (I got over the stigma of being on unemployment when my savings ran out and I needed to pay my rent.)

* Two fabulous parents, three younger siblings and one diminishing money tree in their backyard.

The hardest part of this lesson in humility is that I know I’m a capable, hard worker.

Now, if Santa would just bring me a job interview.