I know it’s debatable, but that’s the motto I’ve lived by for quite a long time now, and for me, it has proven to be pretty foolproof. I mean, no doubt that there are long bouts where I think to myself, “What is the lesson here? How can I get anything beneficial out of this process/experience/struggle?” But whenever I look back at these times, I always find the answer.
Just a couple months ago, I was on a mission of resurrection. I was ready to dive head-first into my future, without really knowing what that was actually going to entail. Specifically, I was desperately hunting for my ideal career path, one that would set off excitement and curiosity and dedication in every part of me. Well unsurprisingly, this goal was a lot easier said than done.
While I did end up finding a focus fairly quickly, the attainment of it proved to be full of too-close close-calls, and near-celebrations met with disappointments. I always thought I had a keen sixth-sense when it came to reading people, getting good vibes about situations, and feeling positive about an outcome considering the prior circumstances leading up to the result; but amid this process, I encountered successive unexpected letdowns, whether it was pure unresponsiveness or plain old rejection. Just when I thought my searching stresses were about to cease and I was on the path towards professional success, I would get smacked in the face with personal defeat.
Of course, with all of these micro-focused imperfections, negativity began leaking out and permeating other orifices of the hours, days, and weeks, infiltrating elements that were going completely well, but became tainted by my search-for-a-calling fixation.
And then, it happened.
On a typical job-seeking afternoon, I came across an ad for a position that consisted of everything I desired in a potential role, and more. After sending out my specifically thought-out application, I hoped for the best, expected the worst, and waited with bated breath (all at the same time) for a response. Fortuitously, I endured less than three days of this triple action discomfort before hearing back from the Vice President of my dream-job, and we scheduled an interview date for a day soon after. Following the long Labor Day weekend and an immediate additional meeting with the CEO, I was offered the position(!!!)
So now, I would like to formally introduce my(professional)self:
My name is Jenny Smith and I am the Marketing Coordinator for—
It’s a pleasure to meet you 🙂
Conclusion/lesson learned: Sometimes it takes a little bit of patience and a lot of perseverance, but in the end, it’s all worth it.
*Smile Tip #8:* Being relatable to a potential employer is essential, and you appear so much less desirable with a stoic, lackluster demeanor. By brightening up your appearance, the likelihood of scoring the position will increase tenfold, cause really, who wants to work with a Debbie downer (or Barry bummer)?
