John got and accepted a job offer!
This isn't really news, he's gotten two different jobs since he left eBay last August, so what's different about this third job?
IT'S A REAL JOB!
This isn't an entry level job with potential for advancement, this isn't a job to get us by until he can find something better, this IS SOMETHING BETTER! This is the job he's been looking for. This is the job, out of the probably HUNDREDS of job's he's applied for in the last year, that he wanted the most. And he got it! His second interview went so well, they called him an hour after he left to offer him the position!
From the job description, it's no wonder why they hired him, he's a perfect fit. He'll be a team manager for a company that provides customer service for a leading video game manufacturer (I'm not sure if John wants me to write about the company and/products he works with, so, we'll leave it vague and let him spill the details if he chooses to). It's pretty much what he used to do at eBay (before the promotion to the position that he ended up hating during his last year there), and we're excited for him to go back to doing something he loves.
And of course, he'll make more money. Nowhere near what he made his last year at eBay, that salary will be hard to match, ever, but he's making much more than he's made at any job since he left and the best part is he'll be eligible to enroll in their health benefits by the end of the year and they're affordable! A THIRD what benefits through my company will cost with better coverage and lower deductible!
This is a game changer. We've gone from considering bankruptcy to making a plan to pay off our debt. From being uninsured for the forseeable future because we can't afford my company's benefits to looking forward to great coverage by December that not only we can afford, but he'll STILL bring home extra money after we pay for insurance. John's no longer working at a crappy part time job he hates, instead he'll be the boss. I'm still going to be working at my job, but I'm hopeful that down the line, after we pay off some debt, I can go to a part time schedule, maybe even start my work day AFTER the sun comes up. We've even talked a little bit about maybe buying a little place of our own here in a year or so. At the very least we'll move into something bigger before Alex starts Kindergarten next fall (I have this thing about not wanting our kids to change schools. Next summer we'll pick the schools we want them to go to and move within their bounderies and, barring any drastic changes to our future income, stay there until they graduate.)
It seems we're finally going to be able to get back on our feet. We have a lot of financial damage control to do. Pay off debts, fund our emergency account, start saving for college and retirement again... But we're definately headed in the right direction now.
Mostly I'm thrilled that John got the job he wanted. I really think he'll finally be happy at work again. He hasn't been happy in his career/job for at least two years now. Landing this job is step one in getting John's career back on track, doing what he loves and I know he'll be great at it!
