Dreaded job interview question #1: So tell me about yourself?
I started working for a small firm in Charlotte, NC in 1996. I had grown up with this small company and I truly loved the people and my job. I was happy to be there and felt very grateful that I had job security with a company that I loved. I was 14 years into my career and pretty settled and comfortable in my job. I had gotten a two year degree in 2004 but that was about all I had done to grow my career. I was "back office" and my working career revolved around the ten or so people that I worked with on a daily basis. The managing partner came into my office at the end of November 2010 and informed me that we were over employed at my position and I was being made part-time due to the economy.
Over the months since, I have been blundering about trying to find the way through a very confusing economic time in the country and in my life. I have been blessed to find resources freely offered and astounded at the kindness of humans. I have been amazed at some of the hidden resources I am discovering and I am discovering more about myself. Several of my friends have started grilling me on what I am doing to find another full time job and I'm realizing that more of them are looking to me for assistance in their own job search. I recently attended a gathering of six people and we realized that four of us were on unemployment.
I have been blogging unofficially on Facebook for years but I thought it would be fun to start an official blog chronicling my job search activities. For the first time in my life I am conducting a real, targeted job search. I am learning how to network and exploring as many out of the box solutions as possible and three months into my job search, I am finally at a place to really find success. My resume says "resourceful problem-solver" and I am endeavoring to live that code every single day. This whole process has been one of learning and while I find it exciting it is also terrifying.
I will share what I learn as I blunder along. Perhaps you may identify and you may have some resources to share with me. One rule of networking is to pay it forward so I will give what little I know and maybe you can find something of value. Don't give up hope! We will all of us get through this and you are not alone. I say those words to myself every single day and some days that is easier to believe than on others. I am just a normal person with a mortgage and car payment. This is both an ending and a beginning and this blog is where I will begin to share it with you.
