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A Funny thing Happened On The Way To My Career Transition

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Career obstacles, transition roadblocks, and employment detours

series object on white - road sign on white

A funny thing happened on the way to my career transition:  I was forced to look for a job.  Yeah, I know, you need a job in order to make the rest of life work, that is, if you need to work to sustain life…that’s what I’ve got to do, get a job…NOW!  The thought occurred to me while I was driving along the road of personal endeavors leading to success.  With my personal road map in hand, I knew exactly where I wanted to go.  I trusted the compass in my mind and stayed true to course.  But, they don’t call it a ‘blind curve’ for nothing.   Time waits for no one, nor does the utility company (*Note:  In California, PG&E customer shutoff’s jumped by 75% in 2009) , or anything else that arrives in your mailbox with a due date attached.  Unemployment bites and COBRA really is a snake. Every day, it seems, television news reports a new unemployment statistic that I can eerily connect myself with.  Negative press is like a pothole to be avoided.  I encountered many signs of caution, took heed and began to prepare myself to compete for a desirable job.

Preparations for being employed are underway

So, what’s a writer like me supposed to do?  Write.  I’ll start by revising my resume, there’s an opportunity to re-write my job history and bring it up to date.  I’ll do some self-analysis and ask myself if I’m truly ready for today’s job market.  Maybe I’ll find a free workshop or two online and develop my job search tools.  (OurExperienceCounts is a one stop destination to address all of these needs!)  Then I’ll chronicle my experience and write some more…that’s what’s I’ll do.  Worker attitude.

Remember, you’re not done until it’s over and no one’s reported that it’s over, yet.  You can’t win the war if you give up on the battle, so the fight goes on for now.  One day I will be victorious and punch a clock no more.  One day, I’ll write a novel while looking out of a window and gazing upon the churning sea.  But, for now I’ll be content with *two tens and a forty.  I’ll take the extra time it takes to tame my hair and powder my cheeks so I can look my best when I’m feeling at my worst.  Of course, I’ll stick to my diet and continue to exercise because my *W.I.F. suit only comes in one size.

Go ahead, jobseekers, and dream

A favorite poet of mine, Langston Hughes, said it best in his work entitled “Dreams.”  “Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is like a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.  Hold fast to dreams for when dreams go, life is a barren field covered with snow.” Fact is, I live in sunny California; I strive to hold on to my dreams ‘cuz the image of a snow covered barren field just doesn’t work for me anyway.

* Weddings, Interviews, Funerals

* Lunch and two ten minute breaks

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Looking for Work in all the Wrong Places

Friday, January 29th, 2010
The typical red telephone booth of London, UK

Did you ever look for a job while you were at work?  I once believed the job I had was my ticket to writing stardom.  Wrong.  “So, here we go again”, I thought, “I’ve got to look for work elsewhere.  Maybe, I need to stop working at a job and start working on my career.”  Hunting for a job while at work, and working to develop my career goals, proved to be frustrating and tedious. Finally, I convinced myself to apply for a part-time job I found advertised in a free newspaper.  That initial inquiry resulted in an offer that I couldn’t refuse; the opportunity to fulfill my dream and begin my career as a contributing writer for a local publication. 

A phone interview worth stressing over

 But first, before I could become a permanent hire and leave my job, there would be a test.  I was asked to conduct a telephone interview with a very public, high profile individual.  It was very likely that I wouldn’t actually speak to this person, but the question was: Could I wind my way through the many levels of security and get an interview?  My lunch time plan included a telephone booth (like the red ones you see in London), a fine point pen, a legal pad, a trench coat and a fedora.

Persistence got me the job

 No, I didn’t get the interview, but, because of my tenacity, I landed the job!     Whether I was working on a new article, interviewing another interesting character or developing a new chapter for a personal story, the ‘hands on’ training I received was invaluable. In those days, I was writing more than I could ever imagine and the feeling was great—until, due to circumstances way out of my control, my plan failed.  It was like eating ice cream with a hot fork; the plan bombed and it just didn’t work out. 

Evolution of work

Go back to square one.  What better place to start than at the beginning?   I had to reinvent myself and reinvest myself into my career; for richer or for poorer.  It took two years of ‘writing in the closet’ while working at a modest job, before I got a call from a friend who wanted to know if I’d be interested in working for a non-profit organization that works to end homelessness.  I interviewed, got the job and the story goes on.  The philanthropic setting set the stage for me to ‘come out of the closet’ and share my writing with the world.  That year, I was privileged enough to be invited to perform one of my own compositions at a gala event held at a major theater center in San Francisco.  The inevitable death of my daytime job gave birth to a new phase of my writing career.  Life is circular and so it makes sense that the job cycle is similar, too.  “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”  Winston Churchill

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Older Workers vs. Younger Workers… Part Two

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Businessman would Rather Work than Retire

Grilled hamburger on wheat bun.Let me introduce you to a businessman who boldly stated that he would much rather work than retire.   I know this is not a “foody blog”, but this little restaurant in San Francisco serves one of the best hamburgers I’ve ever tasted; it’s their specialty.  For the sake of this blog, I’ll refer to the owner as “Giuseppe”.   His menu features mouth-watering variations of this American favorite, all made with fresh chuck beef that he grinds daily. He could retire today, but why?  My companion and I visit this fine establishment sparingly because to go there more often would definitely damage my waistline. 

The young energetic greeter

During our last visit, a young energetic waitress greeted us at the door and scanned the small diner for a suitable table.  She looked as if she struck gold when she spotted a “two-top” (that’s food service lingo for a table for two) and with a jaunty step, walked us to our table. 

The still enthusiastic proprieter

Lo and behold, she sat us right next to “Giuseppe”.  Immediately, he looked up and greeted us with his trademark smile and we responded like so many of his guests do, as if we’ve been friends for years.  He sat at his small, cluttered table sifting through stacks and stacks of mail that he carefully sorted; separating bills from other stuff while he engaged in conversation with us. 

Providing fresh real food is a career forever satisfying

 “Giuseppe” is of retirement age but does not wish to retire.  He opened his eatery in 1965 and he can’t envision the thought of retirement.  He proceeded to tell us a story that I thought was perfect for this blog.  He cited that upon a recent visit to a pricey nouveau Italian restaurant in the heart of the City, he was astounded to find out that the young food server was not very knowledgeable about something as simple as the ingredients for classic Caesar’s salad dressing—in addition to that, it tasted like some generic form of supermarket salad dressing.  Unfortunately, he said, that was not an isolated incident.  People don’t come to his restaurant because they can’t cook, it’s because they love the pure goodness of the food.

But, why not retire, stay at home and relax?  He said that he and his wife have talked of retirement, vacations and the like.  But, whenever he stays at home for too many days, he and his wife will inevitably get into an argument because he’d rather be at the restaurant. 

Over 50 years serving burgers, work still more alluring than retirement

 “Giuseppe” is a master at multi-tasking but the obvious stress factors that accompany restaurant ownership  don’t affect his congenial demeanor.  While maturity and experience sustains the business, “Giuseppe” also recognizes the necessity for youthful food servers in this fast-paced environment. My Grandma had a phrase similar to this:  Older folks can still jump, just not as high as the younger ones.  For the sake of the next hamburger craving I’m bound to have, I hope that “Giuseppe’s” joint keeps on  jumpin’!

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A Very Private Career

Monday, December 7th, 2009
3d person puppet looking through field-glass. ...

Shhhh…I have a very private career that I’d like to share with you.  Few people know that in addition to all those office jobs I’ve held, I also have a job writing reports for a Private Investigator.  Because of my love for writing, I started by writing my first report as a favor for a friend.  He knew exactly what he was doing and I knew nothing except how to convert his dictation into legible sentences.    Now, almost 14yrs. later, that favor has turned into my “private career”.   My primary duty is to write accurate, detailed professional reports.  Writing ‘just the facts’, in this capacity, I have to make a complete about face from my usual form of creative writing.  Although the format may change with different investigative companies or with individual Investigators, the requirements are rigid; there is little room for error on the page.  These reports may wind up in legal proceedings and this makes my task especially challenging.  Confidentiality is key.  Human behavior is fascinating.  It’s my job to document the activities of those subjects under investigation. I must be able to tell each story exactly as it happened, without embellishment.  I’m not allowed to stray away from the facts that pertain to the case.

Assignment topics:  domestic surveillance to Workers Compensation

There is an assortment of assignments I write about that cover the spectrum from a simple Workers Compensation claim to a complex domestic surveillance case.  I could speak for days about the situations I’ve scribed for reports, but I can’t because then I’d have to kill you.  Just kidding.  Fact is, though, my report writing job keeps me sharp.   I’ve used this discipline as a job tool to enhance the all the various daytime positions I’ve held.  I consider this facet of my career as invaluable experience that will last as long as the world needs the services of Private Investigators.  And because people will be people, it should last a long, long time.  Documenting human nature gives me plenty of fodder for my fictional work and that makes report writing fun, too!  Maybe my “private career” could lead me to be the next famous African-American detective novelist.  You keep reading, I’ll keep writing!

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Food Service: A potential career at any age

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

 

One place where older workers can thrive is the food service industry.  As long as you have the physical stamina, you can enjoy a great career.  And when  Epsom salts fail to heal your tired feet, then you can become an office worker and sit for prescribed hours of time per day (just kidding, that’s hard work, too).  Seriously speaking, experienced employees know how to handle people, especially when it comes to the true culinary art of food service.

Younger Workers vs Older Workers

I remember age 21 like it was yesterday or was that day before yesterday? My career began at the famous Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.  It was opening night for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.  Still in its early years at that time, the event brought out a stellar array of legendary movie stars, TV personalities, and popular comedians.  So, there I was:  a bumbling busgirl, working in the darkened VIP section of the main floor restaurant, with no experience, clueless, clutching the apron strings of my micro-employer, Edith.  As her faithful employee, I followed Edith from booth to booth, amidst all of those luminaries traipsing around us, studying Edith,  an absolute professional, and I sought to mimic her every move.  I made a good case for young workers in those days because I was trainable, and young enough to endure the long, busy hours of the graveyard shift with springy feet.   Over a period of time, Edith taught me how to become an efficient food service worker.  My Dad was a Room Service Captain and from him I learned that my job could transition into a career; which in Las Vegas can be rewarding and exceptionally entertaining!

Experience Pays Off

Because of the experience gained from Vegas, I was hired as part of the inaugural food server’s staff at the Los Angeles Hilton Hotel and Towers.  After 15yrs, I ended my semi-illustrious career in that industry.  My food service resume ranges from working at a cozy neighborhood cafe’ to a job at one of those restaurants where I was in one of those groups of hand-clapping clans of food servers singing loud, annoying versions of the Happy Birthday song.  (You know  who you are.) But to be fair, there are some really good, young food servers out there.  If they’re really good and really young, then that probably means they started learning at an early age.  Maybe they’re like me; they had an experienced  worker as a mentor.  Their experience shows and by giving you excellent service, they show you that it matters.

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