Looking for Work in all the Wrong Places

Did you ever look for a job while you were at work?  I once believed the job I had was my ticket to writing stardom.  Wrong.  “So, here we go again”, I thought, “I've got to look for work elsewhere.  Maybe, I need to stop working at a job and start working on my career.”  Hunting for a job while at work, and working to develop my career goals, proved to be frustrating and tedious. Finally, I convinced myself to apply for a part-time job I found advertised in a free newspaper.  That initial inquiry resulted in an offer that I couldn't refuse; the opportunity to fulfill my dream and begin my career as a contributing writer for a local publication. 

A phone interview worth stressing over

But first, before I could become a permanent hire and leave my job, there would be a test.  I was asked to conduct a telephone interview with a very public, high profile individual.  It was very likely that I wouldn't actually speak to this person, but the question was: Could I wind my way through the many levels of security and get an interview?  My lunch time plan included a telephone booth (like the red ones you see in London), a fine point pen, a legal pad, a trench coat and a fedora.

Persistence got me the job

 No, I didn't get the interview, but, because of my tenacity, I landed the job!     Whether I was working on a new article, interviewing another interesting character or developing a new chapter for a personal story, the 'hands on' training I received was invaluable. In those days, I was writing more than I could ever imagine and the feeling was great—until, due to circumstances way out of my control, my plan failed.  It was like eating ice cream with a hot fork; the plan bombed and it just didn't work out. 

Evolution of work

Go back to square one.  What better place to start than at the beginning?   I had to reinvent myself and reinvest myself into my career; for richer or for poorer.  It took two years of 'writing in the closet' while working at a modest job, before I got a call from a friend who wanted to know if I'd be interested in working for a non-profit organization that works to end homelessness.  I interviewed, got the job and the story goes on.  The philanthropic setting set the stage for me to 'come out of the closet' and share my writing with the world.  That year, I was privileged enough to be invited to perform one of my own compositions at a gala event held at a major theater center in San Francisco.  The inevitable death of my daytime job gave birth to a new phase of my writing career.  Life is circular and so it makes sense that the job cycle is similar, too.  “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”  Winston Churchill

Categories: Career Management & Transition, Changing Jobs or Careers, Dream Careers