This post will cover three really important concepts. 1.) Being open to non-traditional employment options, 2.) Commit, but don't get too dug in, and 3.) Money isn't anything if you can't get yourself some.
First I want to say that while helping others to conduct job searches; I've been conducting my own since December 2008. Seems like a lifetime ago and just yesterday all at once. Today I am happy to report that I have landed a fantastic position at a dynamic company with smart, funny and creative people. How did I get here? That is the question of the day...
I have to go way back for this little story...back to 2003 in fact. In mid-2003 I was downsized from a company where I had worked for 17 years. I had been fortunate to grow-up with the company and along the way completed my Bachelors Degree, got married a couple of times and survived a diagnosis of Breast Cancer at the age of 34 (TMI - maybe, but the context of our lives is important, so here it is). There were many other events that took place over those 17 years, but it's accurate to say that I worked hard, took risks, changed the lives of those I worked with and was changed by those same people too. It would be an understatement to say that I was "dug in"!
After many months of search I was asked by an acquaintance if I would be open to "contract or temp work". After about six months into a grueling search (grueling because I wasn't very well networked in my community so I was literally starting from scratch...and remember this is pre-LinkedIn), I contacted a good friend of mine who happens to work for one of the largest global staffing firms. She was kind enough to point me in the direction of two of their branch offices and make those important introductions. One thing led to another and about a month later I was offered a three month contract position at this same staffing firm's headquarters. The assignment, as I would learn to call it, lasted four months.
In those four months I learned their industry, their culture, and their customers and met as many people as possible everyday! This is important concept #1 - It's an advantage to look for a job from within the walls of an employer. After my assignment ended there wasn't a permanent position suited for me, but a couple months later the Director of the department I had worked in called to say that she had a new role opening up and thought of me - she felt I would be a great fit. This role wasn't an exact match to what I was looking for and I had a few other options in my pipeline by this time, but I felt that I'd be able to leverage my prior four months of experience and that would let me get a quick start at success.
I held a number of progressive positions at this firm and in late 2008 was part of the third wave of a reduction in force (RIF), on the heels of the economic downturn of 2008. There were many waves of RIFs to follow at this employer and many others in our community, across the country and the globe. If you're reading this you or someone you know understandings this all too well. While at this last firm I filled my drawers with things, put books and photos on my selves, I was even part of staring in a company branding video - yep, that's me "dug in again". It made leaving the place and the many friends I had made over those five years quite difficult. Ironically a month after my RIF I was contacted my one of their branch offices with an offer to return to another part of the firm's global team on a contract assignment for three months. While I made some efforts to parley that into another longer stint, the economy wasn't on my side this time. I was offered outplacement as part of my severance package and took full advantage of those services.
Just like at my prior employer, I worked hard, carried work home and made myself available nearly anytime for those that needed me. This is important concept #2 - In both cases, I don't regret my commitment, but what I wouldn't recommend to anyone is this. I became the place. Too much of me was invested. Too much of whom I was came from where I worked and what I did while I was there. There's a better way.
So I'll fast-forward a bit here...from the end of 2008 to present I took a contract role for three months, went through outplacement services, started my own consulting company, went through job/education services at the DWD, enrolled in a graduate certificate program with stimulus grant money, took two classes, got a 3.5 GPA, took a part-time job with a local non-profit, took small consulting gigs, networked, networked, networked, met and met with tons of people (all of whom were willing to help me if I could articulate what I needed and all of whom contributed in some way to my employment today), volunteered, did things I didn't think I could do and said "yes" to as much as possible, believing that all of this activity would pay off. It eventually did, just maybe in a side-ways sort of fashion. This is concept #3.
Concept #3 is possibly a little hard to swallow, but hear me out. During my roughly 19 months of under or un-employment I, like so many, had to do a little down-sizing of my own. I share this for the sole purpose of perspective. Others had it worse and still others had it better...no shame, no remorse, and no regrets. I eventually moved in with a friend rent-free. I sold my 2006 fancy-pants car and bought a reliable 1999 car for cash. I worked out payment plans with nearly all of my creditors; I went back to my cash-flow thinking of my early 20s. I asked my family for money. I let people buy me lunch or coffee. All of this was a lesson in humility!!! To say I'm grateful for those willing to help me and for what I have in my life just doesn't cover it! I also evaluated for the first time in a long time what I "NEEDED" to make in terms of a salary.
Now I want to be clear here - It's important to know and value one's self-worth. I certainly had moments when I doubted that. What allowed me to really see and understand, for possibly the first time in my life was this! Did I want to be right (right in that I have a real market value) or could I agree (with myself) that I wanted to be happy?? I chose happy. I am employed at a really small company so what I do means something everyday - lots of visibility and transparency! I get to be the best-version of myself (my whole self) everyday and feel valued. I feel a part of something and my efforts are palpable in our results. Oh yeah...I stated here as a contract employee before I was hired as a permanent employee (back to concept #1). I carry my purse in with me every day and I leave with it every night. I'm committed, I work hard, I get passionate about the work when I'm here and the only thing left on my desk at the end of the night is a phone and a laptop that belong to the company. It's a love affair when I'm here but when I'm not it's not. I'm happy, they're happy, there's mutual respect. The likelihood that my time here will be short is quite high - as start-ups go...we'll be acquired sometime in the next few years and anything could change. What won't change is how I view the concept of "work" for the rest of my years doing it!
People want to help you, but you have to tell them how! Like the Yellow Brick Road, job search is scary, uncertain and long, but there are people along the way who can help!
You can do this!
