And the best way to get a job is....

Get one offered to you without applying. Without even showing interest in the job for that matter.

That's what happened to me on Friday. I was standing in the back room of the neonatal intensive care unit where I am doing my final school practicum, when the manager looks at me and says "Who are you?"

I tell her I'm a student. She asks me when I'll finish school, and I tell her I'm done at the end of March.

"Don't you have any exams or anything though?"

"No, I'm already a registered nurse. I'm just finishing my degree, so when I've done my hours, that's it"

"Good, you can start at the beginning of April. Bring your resume by my office"

I must admit, I found it a little odd. She didn't ask if I was interested in working there when I was done, or seem concerned that maybe I had a job somewhere else. Well, Saturday, I did drop off a resume in her box, and by Monday there was a message on my answering machine telling me that she was filling in the paper work to "get [me] hired", and that I should call her because she had a few quick questions for me.

That was the easiest interview I ever had. Only two questions. "Who are you?" and "when can you start". Nice.

I guess in April I'll work causal between NICU and the oncology floor that I'm already working on. That's the beauty of nursing. You can just work casual (no set hours, but basically as many hours as you want because they need you). You more or less pick your own schedule and get all holidays off and as many weekends off as you want.

We'll see what I really end up doing though.

The funny thing is that I came back to school thinking I could get some different experiences, which would give me a better idea about where I want to settle down and work. Now that I have had this opportunity, I am more unsure than ever. I mean, I like oncology...but meh. I like NICU, but again...meh. Do I see myself working there for the rest of my life? Or working anywhere for the rest of my life for that matter? Maybe I'm an optimist, but I see myself living for a long time, so the rest of my life seems a little too long to commit to any one thing. I think I would like to try working in public health for a while, just to see if I like it. But then again...

-Tracie, hoping to win the lottery and quit work altogether