Really quickly though, I thought I might add that I'm STILL, repeat STILL job searching. It still remains incredibly challenging, sometimes discouraging and more often than not exhausting. It's really hard to stay positive! But I know I cannot succumb to negativity or depression. I'm a firm believer in things happening because they're meant to happen...fate if you will. I've also decided to take a different approach to my job search. Meaning, I'm no longer going to apply to jobs that ask the world of you, but want to pay me low wages that are beneath my worth and offer zero growth. What I also mean, is that I'm not going to apply to places where I'm not genuinely excited about or places that don't match my own objectives in work and life.
Now, can I (or anyone) afford to be this choosy in this economy? In my opinion: yes. Why? Because life is too short to be putting 8+ hours a day of your life into something you aren't passionate about. I value my time and efforts -- it is worth a lot to me. Does this mean I'm going to stand in the welfare office because I refuse to do any sort of work that I feel isn't living up to my expectations? Of course not. I've just realized that I've been applying to the wrong places. I should be applying for work at places that are "temporary"; jobs that are just there to give you a paycheck (not the utter feeling of satisfaction) until I find something I actually want and feel I'm a great fit for. The truth is, finding a GOOD job is going to require a lot more time/work and I am just not finding anything lately that fits these objectives of mine, which are:
• working with creative, entrepreneurial people in an inspiring environment where they put out work that informs, inspires and impresses
• getting paid my worth (I'm willing to take a pay cut to get my foot in the door at the right place, but I'm sorry...I can't accept wages you'd pay an intern. I'm not an intern!)
• actually being excited for the position, the company and the work produced
I've realized that although I need a job, it would be doing myself and any other potential employers a complete disservice if I don't genuinely want the job or feel excited to be there. Because the truth is, if I ended up getting hired at a place where I accepted the position because I just needed the money...I would have left once I found something that was a better fit. These are places that considered me a strong candidate, so it started feeling very dishonest to go through the interviews somewhat "pretending" to want the job for the wrong reasons. So instead, I am going to find either a PT or temporary job somewhere that is either seasonal or where they're used to high turnover (retail, restaurants, etc) and make it known from the beginning I am looking to merely supplement my income because I have another job (which is looking for a better job).
It may sound ridiculous that it took me a little while to come to this conclusion, but when you're watching your bank account deplete and each day of being unemployed with no income coming in is zooming by -- you start to really freak out. You start applying anywhere and everywhere that you can easily see you're either qualified or over-qualified for. You become scared and as soon as you get a response back from any of these places, you practically run to the job interview because you need money to live. My survival instincts sort of took over my brain and I went into these interviews as a job beggar, which is NOT the way to conduct yourself. Just ask Dick Bolles of the international best selling book "What Color Is Your Parachute", my go-to job hunt guide, bible and invisible counselor.
I am a talented, capable and completely HIRE-ABLE professional who has spent the past 10+ years of my life working...HARD. I deserve a great job and anyone who has hired me in the past can attest to my talents, work ethic and knows how important it is to me to have pride in the work I do. I will find a great job, but in this economy...we all just have to put more time and work into finding it. In the meantime, I will just have to find a way to supplement my income and although it might be work I don't fully enjoy or am completely over-qualified for, at least I will be able to make it clear from the start it's just a paycheck because I am going to land something great!
This post will serve as a reminder to myself (and to anyone else out there who is feeling exhausted and discouraged in this challenging climate) that I've not given up and that continuing to believe in myself is KEY.
Now that I've gotten this off my chest...let's roll onto the good time posts! Thanks for reading and sticking with me in my life. It's going to continue to be such an adventure because if there's one thing I will not lose in my life, it's my ability to still be enchanted by the world.
Love,
Vilay
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