I know I’m a little late to the blog party, but hey, I’m joining anyway!
I’ve written creatively at many moments in my life. Mostly for myself, but always with a thought that I could make a go of it as a career. Nevertheless, the stability from continued employment, combined with a risk-averse nature, kept me on the sidelines of the writing industry. Then, the game changed. Several months ago, I was laid off from a long-time position with a very well known market research company (rhymes with Beelson). Our company had just undergone one of its annual or biennial metamorphoses, and this time, I was caught up in the “net” of change.
Having survived several of these shakeups in the past, I knew that the day could come that I would not be as fortunate. And for the last year or so, the writing had been on the wall for me. Upper management types, who used to love my work, were suddenly not interested in many of my projects and pet ideas. The company reorganized. Boom! I was out of a job after 12 years.
So, I did what anyone would do. I dove into the job market, as I know it. Boy, it has changed since I was last job searching. LinkedIn and other social media sites have taken over. It’s a very different world. My resume hit all the right notes and I secured interview after interview. But, in each case, there was something that was not fitting. I’ll expound on this in future posts, but the point here is that it made me do some serious self-reflecting and to take stock of my values and interests.
If nothing else, this time of unemployment has provided me with an opportunity to broaden my vision of what my career should be. After attending a career change workshop at the University of Wisconsin, my desire to make this change was reinforced. Even as I continue to look for employment, I am writing. I have long known that I have the desire and talent to be a writer. I’m prepared for the rough road ahead – the many pitfalls and obstacles. I’m ready for the rejection, because each time I write, I get better, and closer to my goal.
This is where my story begins.
I am a writer.
