Another Interview

Sitting in the office of a staffing company.  I have a digital portfolio on a thumb drive. I don't bother carrying my old portfolio book most of the time unless someone requests it. Nearly all companies only want to know what software and systems I am familiar with and an online portfolio slide show or Acrobat file is sufficient. 

I am waiting for my interview when another person, obviously seeking the same job, walks in. She is a foot taller than I am, long blonde hair, in a new dress and high heels and a recent graduate. She has a large bound book with her in a plastic case. It looks like 16 x 20, with huge black letters on the front that say "Thanks for looking!" 

I realize I don't have a chance, even on my perkiest days, to compete with that. 

*sigh*

(Otherwise, my interview went quite well it before it was her turn, so at least I can still moderately impress people with what I can do.)

This might have been a big mistake... but what could I do?

My household relocated from Atlanta, Georgia in November 2015. I took one for the team and dropped out of my life - I was already underemployed but busy enough to fill in gaps in the budget - so MonsterMustDie could keep his job when his employer closed their Atlanta showroom and warehouse to consolidate things in High Point, North Carolina, where they opened their first production site in the USA.

Previously I worked as an art director and graphic designer in print, publishing, and advertising; also worked in numerous roles in the film industry as a graphic designer, background extra, production assistant, and makeup artist. Now, I am trying to find a place for myself where all my experience and professional relationships don't matter. The main industry is either banking and manufacturing or education.

High Point is a ghost town; a WASP retirement community wrapped around an Ivy-League university. I am too old to be attractive in the service industry and too young, bored, poor to retire. I told myself I would give this at least a year before any more changes were made in my life. I am thinking this move was not what I should have done. I think I should have found a cheap room with friends or family, making just enough in the film industry, until I could go back to living in the city. I long for my friends and all the great cultural events and activities I was part of. This place has been a series of doors slammed shut.