Tag Archives: jobs

June 21, 2012

Overcoming Fears

By Canadian Bald Guy

It’s weird…I’m at a point in my life that I really thought I’d be bouncing off of the walls with excitement. I’m signing a lease to a new place with Sunshine on Saturday, I’m preparing to start a new career somewhere, and I’m inching closer to being 40 years old. There is just so much going on, it should be easy to fall prey to being overly excited and putting the cart before the horse.

My problem is that I’m not even hitching the cart up at the moment.

Y’see, I’m actually pulling back a bit leading up to everything because of fear and nervousness. It’s no secret that I’ve always had self-confidence issues, and I actually thought that I was past them as I entered my 40th year. I mean, I’m engaged to the most amazing girl in the world and life seems to be coming together for me.

The reality of the situation is that I’m afraid of failure. I’m afraid of rejection. I’m afraid of being told I’m simply not good enough. So when I found out that there were two voicemail messages for me yesterday from two job prospects, I actually got nervous instead of excited. I sat back and thought about (1) maybe these jobs weren’t good enough for me to take, (2) I actually have to interview for these and I’m not ready, and (3) I guess I should go for it because I can’t get anything better.

It’s silly. I should have been stoked to be contacted as it’s been a month without as much as a nibble. Instead, I got butterflies in my stomach about the realities of actually having to call these people back and move forward with the entire process.

Sunshine told me last night how much she believes in me, but if I don’t believe in myself that others will notice…which is NOT good for a job interview. She’s absolutely right (she usually is when giving me a pep talk).

The job search can be very depressing. I see a ton of jobs that I would love to have…jobs I think I could do well in if I only had a bit more experience in certain areas…and I get deflated thinking that somehow my professional life has passed me by because I don’t have required skills. But then the flipside of the search is that it appears most of the remaining jobs are just minimum wage positions or sales positions requiring cold calling “for competitive compensation”. That’s just not me and I can’t imagine anybody doing that.

What’s left are jobs that not only I want, but (seemingly) everybody else wants, too. Thus, there is always somebody more qualified out there for the jobs that are best for me.

Of course, this is just my lack of self confidence rising to the surface. My interpretation of the job search is probably not nearly the reality of the situation (heck…my ex-wife, who is an HR Generalist, has offered to hook me up with a contact or two via LinkedIn because she believes in me and my abilities), so why do I have this nagging fear of things?

So today I need to walk into the placement agency that wants me for a pretty decent-paying job (very similar to what I’m making now) that looks to be pretty challenging professionally and would pretty good on a resume. Once done there, I need to call back a potential employer about a position that may or may not be a simple call-centre position (sometimes it’s difficult to tell from the job descriptions online), but I need to set that concern aside and call them because it may be my dream job…I won’t know if I don’t call.

I need to kick my own ass and show the world that I’m ready for anything. Of course, what I want to do and what I will do are two different things. Fingers crossed, I’ll get this done.

17 comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in fears, Stream of Consciousness

May 16, 2012

The Job Search

By Canadian Bald Guy

When I made the decision to propose to Sunshine, I had already told myself that I would be moving to her city. I had a plan all worked out with my ex-wife and my son and they were both on board. Sure, a lot of things still need to be taken care of on my end of things (primarily the selling of the house), but all of that was going to wait until one thing was done first.

Finding a new job.

I’ve been gainfully employed for the past five years with the same company. It has never been the best-paying job, but the benefits are awesome and it is a very large global company, so the ability to continue working there until I wanted to retire was a very valid option. The decision to leave the job wasn’t an easy one, but it was one that absolutely needed to be made in order for me and Sunshine to be together.

I pretty much had to make my resume from scratch as I lost my saved one on my previous computer (which died a few years ago). I honestly never thought about keeping it updated, which is something I plan on doing as I go forward because you just never know what is going to happen.

Sunshine has a friend who is a Human Resources Director, and she was kind enough to offer to go over my resume and provide some constructive criticism. Let me tell you…she went through that resume with a fine tooth comb. When I first got it back, I thought she had tore it to shreds…and immediately I began wondering what in the world I was going to do. What the heck was I thinking? I’m not good enough to find a decent job in another city; I can’t even write a decent resume!

So after a day of feeling sorry for myself, I took a couple of days to really go over her suggestions and do my best to update things the way they should be. Sure enough, once it was finished and she went over it again, she was really happy with the results. And I have to admit…I’m pretty happy, too. I turned a morale killer into a confidence booster!

At this point I’ve only been actively looking online for jobs since last Friday, but so far I’m pretty happy with how it has gone. I have applied for ten jobs (even a couple that seem to be a bit out of my reach, just in case others feel I’m worth taking a chance on) and I have sent my information in to about a half dozen placement agencies, of which I’ve heard back from two already to let me know they were going to look a bit further into my resume and see what they can do.

I’m still scared to death right now, but it’s not at the prospect of moving or living with Sunshine or even finding a new job. My fear is that once I do start working in a new place, I’m going to fail. The fear of failure is a constant with me and I just don’t want to find myself in a position where I’m overwhelmed or simply mess up.

I spoke with my friend T from Life As A Classroom yesterday afternoon because she’s currently in a similar position of looking for another job while still gainfully employed (i.e. which means there’s no rush, but there’s still pressure to not mess up and take the first things available). She told me that she has the exact same fears of failure but believes that we can find what it is that we’re looking for. She firmly believes that we will both find better jobs that will make us happy. Her rationale is that we’ve each found true love at this stage in our lives, so why should it be out of the question to find a great job, as well?

How right she is.

I turn 40 in September. I never thought that I would be making such huge life changes at this stage in my life…but I am. And while I’m nervous and anxious and scared and excited, the bottom line is that this is simply another chapter in my life. I need to embrace it and make the most out of the experience.

I’ll be working someplace new soon enough. My life has earned this new opportunity to be happy.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in fears

April 25, 2012

Building The Resume

By Canadian Bald Guy

I’ve never been overly confident when it came to my experience in the work force. I was never the best student and even though I graduated from university, it seemed as though the work force simply passed me by and my studies meant next to nothing.  Everybody wanted experienced people but nobody was willing to hire new people in order to give them experience. Where I was one of those inexperienced people without much direction, I took whatever jobs I could find.

I always thought that I had abilities that were not able to appear on my resume; that there were a great many “intangibles” to me that a resume simply couldn’t exploit. All I wanted was a chance to show an employer what I could do and then I’d take the bull by the horns.

I was never content on any particular job. I was never happy. I always wanted to do better. Looking back, I felt that way because I was always trying to impress my dad…though no job I took was ever good enough.

I finally found a decent job with a good company just over five years ago. It was a company that was extremely large, profitable, and not going anywhere any time soon. The job I had with them wasn’t just a job, it was a chance to finally have a potential career. While the money wasn’t the greatest, it was a solid opportunity to work in a location that I could retire in years from now.

Then I decided to marry Sunshine and things changed just a bit.

I’ve made the decision to move to her city; a decision that does not come lightly and was made only after discussing it with my ex-wife and my son to ensure that we could work out a plan that doesn’t affect him very much. The plan is in motion now, as Sunshine has thankfully agreed to spend the rest of her life with me…but as such that means I need to move in order to be with her.

Because I’ve been out of the general work force for over five years, I didn’t have a resume any longer. I’m sure it was deleted during one of my two memory wipes on my old desktop, so starting a brand new resume from scratch seemed like a daunting task.

Thankfully, I was able to obtain my resume from five years ago through my HR department. As such, I began transferring the scanned information onto a new resume template. I had to alter some descriptions and cut down on the “wordiness” of it (I wasn’t as grammatically sound then as I am now), but overall I was pleased with what I ended up with.

Then I took a look at some online job resources and immediately became intimidated all over again.

I’m almost 40 years old and I’m starting life anew. This life is absolutely incredible and I regret NOTHING, but it’s scary to start all over again. I still feel like that 20-something kid who just wanted a chance but didn’t have much on his resume to show for it.

The jobs seem to all be minimum-wage positions or high-end management positions that require years of experience in specific fields. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed when looking at the sites.

But I need to realize that I’m a very smart man, I’m a hard worker, and I’m proficient in a lot of skills. And since nobody wants to pay me exorbitant amounts of money to blog professionally, I need to buck-up and find another job that’s as suitable to my talents as my current position is.

I won’t lie…I’m not only intimidated, but I’m scared. But I’m hoping it’s the fear that drives me to find the job I want so that I’m happy both professionally and financially.

Building a resume at 40…I never thought I’d be doing that. But you know what? It’s an extremely exciting time for me right now and I don’t think I’d have it any other way.

8 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in fears

June 29, 2010

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes…

By Canadian Bald Guy

Exactly two weeks ago today, I was on a business trip and walking through downtown Chicago when my phone rang. It was my supervisor from work asking if I had a moment to talk.

Y’see, every year at work we have annual evaluations on our work performance. We discuss what we’ve done and also where we want to go within the company. I had given a few different ideas of where I wanted to go and, as fate would have it, my supervisor was now on the phone asking if I wanted to discuss one of those ideas for real.

Of course, I jumped at the opportunity.

It’s not an upward move, though…it’s a lateral move in the corporate world…so no pay increase or anything insanely awesome will be coming my way any time soon. But here’s the thing…I’ve been doing the same job for just over three years now. And not to sound cocky, but I’m better than what I’m doing. I’ve got more to offer my company. I’ve got more to bring to the table…I just need a legit opportunity.

So upon my return to work last week, I had a “secret meeting” with my potential new supervisor. He told me, flat out, that if I did the job I was capable of doing in this new position then my next move WOULD be an upward move.

So I’ve been keeping this secret for two weeks now. I’ve been going day-to-day with my co-workers and have been unable to discuss this new position with anybody. It’s one of those “let’s keep it hush hush until all of the red tape is completed” kind of deals.

Today, however, is when the announcement is supposed to be made.

My work location will be different. My teammates will change. My entire job will be something new and exciting. As a result of this new job, my visitation with Ankle Biter will also change (the ex and I still haven’t come up with a permanent alternative plan, but she’s absolutely willing to work with me to not only accommodate my new hours, but ensure I still get quality time with my son).

How I work with these changes, not through them, is going to be the real test.

7 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in work

March 30, 2010

Working to Live or Living to Work…Where You At?

By Canadian Bald Guy

I’m a nerd.

Okay…maybe that’s a bit harsh.  Based on my  job, I think I’m a geek.

Hmmm…still a bit too over-the-top?  Well, I sit in a pod all day staring at numbers on my computer screen.  If somebody described the job to me as their own, that’s what I would call them.

It’s funny because I never thought I’d ever find myself sitting here.  I never thought I’d be the pod-person that was responsible for a multi-million-dollar portfolio of accounts.

No…I thought I’d be a DJ.

WKRP in Cincinnati

WHAT?  REALLY??  Yep yep.  From the time I was in seventh grade, I’d rush home to watch WKRP in Cincinnatti as it was showing in syndicated reruns after school.  I didn’t particularly want to be Dr. Johnny Fever, nor did I think I could be Venus Flytrap.  I really wanted to be Andy Travis…the program director.  I wanted to ensure that the RIGHT music was being played to the masses.

Once I hit tenth grade I joined the high school “music club” (C.H.A.R. is what it was called, I think…it’s been so bloody long).  The club was in charge of playing music at sporting events (ex: basketball games, volleyball, etc.) as well as for Friday night school dances (my speciality), King & Queen pageants, and any other event taking place that would require music be played.

Heck…during my senior prom when the hired band took a break, I popped in some music to keep the dance floor packed.  And no word of lie, this song is what really brought out the most people. A sign of the times, I suppose…

I wanted to start my “career” as a DJ.  I wanted to go into radio or broadcasting of some kind.  My father, though, had other ideas.  He told me flat out that if I wanted to go into broadcasting that I’d have to pay for it myself, but if I went to university to get a business degree he’d cover all of the costs.  To a scared 16 year-old, the choice was pretty clear.

Once in university, though, I actually joined the campus radio station CHMA.  I had a gimmick at the time…I was “the alternative to alternative radio”.  Y’see, campus radio needed to play a certain percentage of “alternative music” (i.e. non-commercial radio music by unknown artists) but I thought most of it sucked.  So my show…on an alternative radio station…was primarily well-known rock music.

At one point I even weaseled my way into being program director for six months.  Don’t ask me how I did it because I vaguely remember even having that job to begin with!

During this time I started DJ’ing in bars.  Mermaids & Legends were the two bars I played in the most.  I was never a “master-mixer” or anything like that…I was simply a small-town DJ who got people dancing every night I played.

Once Rugrat was born, though, I realized that I needed to find a “real” job because I wasn’t making enough money at the time DJ’ing to support a family.  So other than the occasional “one-off”, I gave up on my dream about ten years ago and here I sit…a geek in a pod staring at numbers all day.  It’s funny how life can throw a curve-ball at you.

What about you?  What was your dream job and how different has your life become since?  How many of you are living your dream job right now?

10 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in entertainment, fun, happiness, music, work

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,654 other followers