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| So long FUNemployment...it's been grand. |
It has finally happened, and I couldn't be more thrilled. After being unemployed since the middle of July, I am returning back to the working world on Monday. I will be working for the School District for their academic and enrichment program. I will be the coordinator for one of the middle schools and am super excited to get the ball rolling. I love working in my field of social services/non profit. I love having a purpose. And I love having such a full heart and soul after helping others.
Technically, I have been working since I was 15 (when I started teaching in my Temple's Sunday School). This recent period from July through the present has been the first prolonged period of time I haven't worked. Even while I lived abroad in Romania I ended up finding a job teaching students conversational English.
So this period of unemployment (which I dubbed FUNemployment instead) was rough for me. I definitely developed a thicker skin through the job-seeking process, and learned a lot about myself. The road to employment wasn't an easy one though. Everything "they" say about the difficulties in finding a job are true. Not very many jobs (or at least in the field I was looking) and lots of people applying. Looking for a job became a job. Endless hours were spent on-line searching job-seeker websites, rewriting and revamping resumes, filling out applications, returning phone calls, going to interviews, and waiting for callbacks or responses. All of this to either be declined or told "it was between you and another person" and ultimately getting rejected. The whole process was a bit frustrating and depressing. No one likes rejection. No one likes being told they're not good enough. It's hard not to take it all personally. I knew I had an awesome resume showing over a decade of work in the this community. I had great connections and fabulous references and recommendations. I had never had a problem finding a job before, and I kept wondering why I was striking out this time around.
But, I'm a strong believer in "everything happens for a reason" and "let go, let God". I learned to enjoy my FUNemployment (and had one of the best summers, with amazing friends, EVER). And when it came to the job hunt, everytime I was turned down, I tried to learn from the experience. As Jay-Z says, I had to "get that dirt off my shoulder" and kept on looking. And behold, the most perfect job came my way. I was told that I "blew everyone away" in the interview and that it was "refreshing" to call my references/former employers and hear such wonderful things. I'm a very humble person and prefer being the one giving the complement then receiving one (for those of you who have ever done a color-personality test, I'm a BLUE) so hearing these things made me blush a bit.
With my FUNemployment coming to an end, I have realized a few things.
- It's amazing what positivity can do!
- I am truly blessed.
- Things are never that bad, and could always be worse.
- I have an amazing, supportive family!
- I have the kindest, most wonderful friends who care for me dearly.
- Getting outside of your comfort zone from time to time is a GOOD thing.
- It's ok to be vulnerable and give up the feeling of control.
- Never give up.
- Believe in yourself and others will believe in you!
Ok, the last part is
a bit REALLY cheesy. I guess I'm just excited for this new chapter of my life. I'm excited to see what new partnerships and relationships will form from this new job. I look forward to seeing what other doors will open and how I will continue to grow and evolve. I can't wait to learn new things and meet new people.
So, farewell FUNemployment...it has been a fun, crazy ride. But all good things must come to an end because I am returning to the working world!
