Last year around this time, I was in serious wedding planning mode for our October 2012 wedding, so my time was consumed by that. I had started to get restless at my job around mid-summer, and voiced my concerns to my husband (“to-be”, at the time!) and my family – and the advice I received was to wait until after the wedding to jump into the job search since there was so much going on. Well, as soon as we got back from our honeymoon at the end of October – I dove right in, knowing that it would probably not be a quick search!
In retrospect, November and December are not the greatest times to start a serious job search, with holidays and traveling. I had a few interviews during that time frame, and one of them actually led to a job that I accepted in February…but more on that in a few!
I started the new year with a serious focus on finding a new job, as I really felt it was my time to move on and find a company that was a better fit for me. I ended up having more interviews than I ever expected, and a few led to real possibilities. I already knew that a few weren’t a good fit for me, but I still held out hope that something would come along. I had given myself (and my husband) an ultimatum that I was leaving my job by March regardless of the outcome of my search…which was scary, yet freeing at the same time. I needed a change so desperately that I was willing to give up my salary – although, only temporarily, of course! As luck would have it, the job that I had started interviewing for in December was offered to me. I had been waiting to hear from that job as well as another one that (at the time) I thought I really wanted – but it was in another city! I heard from both jobs pretty much around the same time – the one I really had my heart set on, I didn’t get…but the one that I viewed as a “back up”, I did get. So I did what any rational person would do – I took it. To me, it meant that I was able to get away from the oppressive environment that I was being exposed to every day.
So, with that decision made, I let my old company know I would be leaving, and got ready to take on a new opportunity, which I had alluded to here. For the job, I had to attend an intensive training in Maryland for three whole weeks, which was rather intimidating. But, I packed my bags and went, hoping that my uncertainty about the job would disappear as I learned more about what I’d be doing. As it turns out, it made me more uncertain. Long story short, I’m not a sales person…and it was a sales job. I’m a marketing and public relations person, and no amount of training is ever going to turn me into a sales person! After 2.5 weeks in Maryland, I knew that I needed to keep looking for the “right” job. I let my supervisor know, and drove home from Maryland, never looking back.
With that said, I showed up at home jobless, unsure of what the heck I was going to do with my life. I knew what I wanted to do, but I was having trouble finding the right job within commuting distance! I spent the month of April unemployed, but actively searching for a new job. I was pleasantly surprised at how 2 years of marketing experience can really make a difference in getting high-quality interviews! I found a job that I was extremely interested in and applied immediately – and I got an email back asking for me to send writing samples ASAP. I turned those articles in as soon as I could, and landed an interview the next day. I ended up going back for a few more interviews, each time realizing how much I loved the company and the job opportunity. Literally one week after sending in my application, I landed the job. It was a whirlwind of a week, but I’d never been more thrilled and grateful for a new opportunity!
I’ve been at my new job for just over a month now, and I continue to feel so blessed not only to HAVE a new job, but to have a job that I genuinely enjoy. You don’t realize how important it is to work in a positive environment until you’ve worked in a not-so-positive environment!
Needless to say, the past few months have been full of change, but good change! My entire attitude has improved, and I don’t hate waking up in the morning for work. Life is far too short and you spend far too much time at work to hate your job! 🙂
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