An older Watford City woman whose frustration trying to land a job finally led her to place a creative, self-deprecating ad in the town newspaper will start her new job Monday.

Helen Lane, 69, wife of a Baptist preacher, will go to work for the McKenzie County Farmer three days a week, helping with proofreading and other tasks involved with publishing and printing a paper every week.

Lane said her age worked against her and that employers where she'd dropped off applications and been interviewed didn't view her as compelled to work as they would a younger person.

She finally placed an ad in the Farmer, saying, "I am reasonably intelligent, reasonably educated, extremely experienced, professional in appearance, not ugly enough to cause you to lose customers, calm and unassuming even in difficult situations. I am physically fit for any office work other than standing for long periods of time. Please help me help my family."

That drew the attention of a few outfits of the telemarketing variety that promise "$90,000 a year working from your own home!"

Lane said "No, thanks," to those.

She was happy to take the job offered this week by Farmer publisher Neal Shipman for around $7.50 an hour. The newspaper office is a mainstay on Watford City's Main Street. She'd applied earlier at the paper for a writing position, but could understand why Shipman wanted someone younger for the "out and about" aspect of news coverage.

Shipman said he was glad to be able to hire Lane and that her ability to typeset, proofread and greet customers is what matters, not her age.

Shipman said it's hard to find employees in Watford City because not many new people are moving in.

"All we're doing is stealing each other's employees," he said.

Lane said the part-time office hours will be just right and while the pay isn't what she'd earned in her 30-year career in medical business, "This isn't the world I worked in, either."

She considers her new job to be a successful outcome of her quest.

Shipman is a fair man and she feels confident she'll get ample chance to prove herself, she said.

Lane said she was pleased he agreed to give her an hour off her normal hours so she can continue to play piano for community Rotary Club meetings.

Lane says she wants the job to get out and about and to supplement her husband's salary, which is based on the varying ability of his small congregation to pay.

(Reach reporter Lauren Donovan at 888-303-5511 or lauren@westriv.com.)