I'm not the same person I was when I started this new chapter in my life. I didn't realize it but now I feel I was quite arrogant and out of touch with how the work world works when I started. Without a doubt it was time for a change. I had maxed out on my job of almost 5 years and the one I thought was the silver bullet ended up being sooooo not what I expected. I was disappointed at first. The longer I wait - I don't have any other choice - I think I'm getting clearer.
The first thing I am getting clearer about was my arrogance. It wasn't the kind of arrogance that is a turn off, at least I hope not. Rather, it was thinking that your years in a particular field (twenty-two in mine) and that priming the same pump that got you hired before was going to work now. "I ain't worried, " I'd tell my friends who inquired about how my job hunting was going. "If something doesn't turn up, I'll just go back to working temp." Boy was I out of touch! The temp world isn't the same as it was just 5 years ago. It is true that you have to take various tests to prove your computer software knowledge and how fast you can type. That's typical. What took me for a loop though is registering on various personnel websites and applying for job after job posted on them and not getting a call back. That didn't happen to me before. In fact, that has NEVER happened to me.
I knew in my mind that leaving my job to pursue something more meaningful wouldn't be a cake walk. But when I got approached by a local nonprofit in Durham so quickly, I was bout ready to get my testimony ready and get my praise on with all the parishioners in awe of how God worked in my behalf. What I forgot is that God seldom if ever has worked things out the way I've envisioned so why would this be any different...lol.
After taking a more proactive posture and calling my top three personnel agencies in the city, I felt better. At least, I created a stir a thought. I was upbeat and told them I was ready to work. I could begin immediately. I thought they'd be impressed, but only one of the three was.
Using the same resume and the same approach to job hunting, I now have an experiential knowledge that job hunting has changed. Or maybe it's the reality that we are in tough economic times. Jobs are scarce. People are looking for work. Hence, you've got more folks to compete with. The old tools ways may need to be updated a bit. This was my second moment of clarity. I had to retool. Removing wordiness, making it more concise and making it more attractive were necessary else I'd keep peddling a 3-page resume. I was listening to some job advice that suggested adding color. I had not considered that. That tells you how antiquated my hiring skills are.
Even my cover letters had to get an overhaul. While doing online job searches, I caught a glimpse of a cover letter that I tried to reproduce. It highlighted your skills right off the bat. And it advised that you not point out what skills are related to the position. A hiring manager will get that from your resume or application. Rather, it suggests telling your prospective employer what you can do for the company. Aha! Aha! (talking like the Jewish man in the barber shop scenes of the Eddie Murphy movie, Coming to America). It gives the employer what he or she is looking for: what you got and how will it help us.
Well, it's been two months. I can hardly believe it. I do have good news though. I have an interview tomorrow!!!! You don't understand, after two months of filling out applications with the only people hollering at a sistah being folks trying to get me to sell something or other, I finally will have a bonafide interview. It's with Accountemps. I really wanted to avoid it but hey, you gotta go with the flow. This was the personnel agency that found me my last job so I am hopeful. It is true that I don't see anything in the Raleigh area - yet - I need this. It makes me feel that I'm progressing. Somebody wants to interview me, ya know? I tell you what, I'm not arrogant any more. Tonight really brought a rude awakening. You see, I had to complete some "prove it" exercises for bookkeeping, data entry, Excel and Quickbooks. I don't think I did very well on any of em. Dang! When you use accounting software, it's easy to become proficient in using the software and not understand the accounting principles behind it. I think that's what happened to me.
Oh well. One things for sure. I'm starting to eat a bit of humble pie. I'm no longer the queen bee who thinks her years of experience and her ability to write stellar cover letters is enough. Yes, I want to do fulfilling work. Yes I do. It's funny that I'm saying that when I'm actually doing fulfilling work. I was reminded just the other day that I am. One of my purpose-driven goals was to expand my readership. "I wanna have my articles and blogs all over the worldwide web," I told a friend of mine. "This way, I can reach out to more people than I could ever do with a hard copy book." This is true. Somebody in India could be reading one of my articles right now....wait a minute, what time is it in India? Okay, maybe they can't sleep and they are surfing the web. It could happen...lol.
Another one of my dreams was to use my life coaching skills in a more traditional way. Sure, I've had piano students which is a form of coaching, but it isn't the "coaching" that I've envisioned. Now that I'm a professional mentor coach on StudentMentor.org, I have the privilege of being a resource and a coach to college students. I'm not getting paid for it, but I am getting something that's just as meaningful - EXPERIENCE. I am getting the chance to use reflective listening, encouragement, creative problem solving, networking with old colleagues of mine to help these students. I have about 5 or 6 so far who have asked me to be their mentor or accepted my offer. I am doing purposeful work.
So, what I need now is income. As long as I have a job or work that will allow me to share my voice in writing and as a coach or simply as an encourager in my day-to-day when I give a smile, a listen or an encouraging word, there's purpose to it. I am doing what gives my life meaning.
Well, it's time to go to bed. Latta!
