Tag: career empowerment

2024 – A Delightful Disaster

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If I had to surmise this year in a movie quote, it would have to be the fun one from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: “You’re going to suffer, but you’re going to be happy about it.”

For one I started the year in hopes of no longer working in a toxic environment. What I didn’t really account for was that I would be taking steps to do so without having something lined up…for the second time in my career.  Thankfully this time I was much more prepared than I was 5 years ago, emotionally, mentally and most importantly, financially.

As someone who grew up working class, I’ve worked hard to get myself and my immediate family out of poverty. This included taking jobs that overworked and underpaid me, where I was afraid to speak up due to fear of being let go,  as well as having to work more than one at any given time. Even as I got to a full- time position that paid more than my own mother has ever been paid annually, I’ve still had to take on additional part-time and freelance jobs to not only make ends meet, but to ensure that there would be ample funds available to for any unforeseen circumstances than may arise. I set my sights on an ambitious financial goal that honestly made me blind to the accomplishments that already surrounded me.

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When the 5-Year Plan is No Where to Be Seen

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Since graduating from college there as been one question that I’ve been faced with, whether at  family events or networking receptions and of course job interviews. That question being,  “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?/What is your five year plan?”. In retrospect this is an absurd question as everyone’s  path meanders, sometimes even far away from what you initially studied in college and/or graduate school, especially in this day and age. It then should come as no surprise that one can easily begin to dread this question when you really have no answer.

My daily planners for the last 5 years, (the gold one on the far right is my current planner) each distinct and full of different projects and plans based on that period in my life.

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When You Are Laid-off Before the Holidays…

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I am unemployed. Those are three words I did not even think I would be saying at the start of the new year. (If anything I thought it would have been more along the lines of , “I got promoted.” ) The unfortunate reality is that the business world lacks humane decisions and when it comes to creating budgets for the upcoming new year they have no problem with making the staff “leaner” by vastly reducing its numbers regardless of the festive holiday season. I, like many others in the world, was a casualty of this practice, which brought on feelings and thoughts I was not anticipating. True, nothing lasts forever but when you have been working for approximately 2 years just get your foot in the door only to have it slam in your face, like I have, it makes you feel like you failed and stand no chance in actually starting a career. You blame yourself even though there was nothing you could do to change the decision, but through it all, here are some things you should remember: Continue reading →