Last time I wrote about my good friend, Jan, and how she won a job by breaking her own rules and with relentless tenacity she finally heard the long awaited phrase, “Yes, you’ve got the job!” Unfortunately, her personal experience has mirrored the same unemployment statistics of late. One day, you hear of optimistic figures that show a decline in the newly unemployed and the next day you hear that the increase is due in part to temporary employment and many are still left without permanent employment. And so, it happened for Jan, too. Her new job was in fact labeled as “temporary to permanent” and she found herself only temporarily employed and back into the ranks of the unemployed way too soon. 

Having done all the right things and even breaking some well established rules in order to gain employment; Jan began to explore more drastic alternatives. Perhaps, a change of residency to another state might ease the pain. But, how accepting would her family be of such a dramatic change in venue? (Middle school-aged children must be strongly considered in this situation.) Jan also had thoughts of taking on a new career path, enrolling in the appropriate school, completing the prescribed courses and starting anew. But, this time, time was not her ally. As her friend, I pondered with her on what to do next.  

As for Jan, her resume is solid; she has plenty to boast about in her field of Human Resources. But, her desire to work in the field of social services is hidden from her list of work experience, on paper, that is. When prompted, Jan expresses her desires in lyrical fashion. And so it happened that someone heard her song and she was presented with an offer for a job working at a non-profit organization specializing in the field of her primary interest. Jan’s optimism is a trait that glows across her smiling face as she talks about her new experience of landing a job—again. She explains with expertise her observations on how to survive this job market and how to interpret the oft-times bleak statistics. You must always remain true to yourself and flaunt those characteristics that make your uniqueness an asset that cannot be denied. Jan did it! And she assures me that although we may not hear of stories like hers as much as we’d like to, you can be your own best success story when you work at becoming your own best career coach. So as I strive to fulfill my own dreams of becoming an acclaimed author, to that I say, “Write on!”