The Mature Worker's Will of Rights (Throw Your Job to the Dogs)

I hereby declare the mature worker's Will of Rights:  I will have the right to be happy even if I still have to work for a living.

OPERATIONS MANAGER RE-CAREERS WORKING WITH DOGS

A few years ago, a good friend of mine was laid off due to a company merger and she, an Operations Manager, along with several other mature workers unexpectedly found themselves without a job.  She wondered who would fill in the time that her coworkers used to fill?  One trip to the animal shelter produced the answer:  a perky puppy. As her new companion matured, she spent a considerable amount of time on the computer revamping her resume and browsing the Internet.  Periodically, she would contact the animal shelter to let them know how much joy her new pet brought.  Then, the opportunity came for her to volunteer and she leaped at the chance to add some variety to her stay-at-home workday.  Eventually, she found herself renewed and made the transition to a new, never before thought of, career—working with dogs.

CREDIT CAREER BALANCES OUT WITH TIME FOR KIDS

As an experienced worker, chances are that you've probably had your share of jobs where you faithfully go to work without gaining any real fulfillment.   As for me, I thought that I would become a famous actress, write my own plays and perform them in repertory theaters across the country.  Instead, I found myself divorced with children and in search of a 'real job'.  My next door neighbor, Lil, had two dogs, one big and one small, which she simply adored.  Every Sunday, we could smell the aroma of roast beef floating through our window from her kitchen.  One day I was visiting and I said to her, “Lil, do you cook roast beef every Sunday for your husband?”  She replied, “My husband?  No, the roast is for the dogs!”  I told Lil about my job search and she arranged an interview for me at the small collections agency where she worked.  Soon, Lil and I worked together and it turned out that Lil had a plethora of job-related information for me to learn so she became my personal career coach.  She'd always tell me that balance is the key to a successful life; dog day afternoons transformed into warm, cuddly nights—with her dogs, that is.   I found that balance when I came home from an exhausting workday to spend quality time with my children.

In fact, today my daughter works in an office each day and volunteers at the animal shelter on the weekends.  She feels that she will be happier if she could do more volunteer work at the shelter in addition to her job.  I think she's doing the right thing, but we won't concentrate on her right now because—she likes cats!

Categories: Changing Jobs or Careers, Dream Careers, Work Life Balance, Career Management & Transition, Things You Need to Know