Saying 'Yes'
It’s autumn in New England, and for the first time, I’m excited about the change. Why? No, it has nothing to do with being done with school (though that has also been a weird divorce from the norm), but more with a change in demeanors and attitudes. See, in the summer, it was very difficult to find work. The economy was seemingly still sinking lower and lots of student interns filled spaces for companies in need. It was a lot more attractive to the average human resources manager to have an unpaid intern, thus leaving many would-be employees out in the cold.
One of my Salem State/Twitter (@SharonSimon) friends recently told me that she feels ‘sad not going back [to school]’ and ‘maybe it’s because I have no real after college job yet’. Again, I know I was not the only one with a tough story, but the one thing I tried to do more was just saying YES.
(Er... maybe not quite to this extent...)
By just saying yes, I got some part-time work that I would probably not have considered normally. I certainly like the work enough now that I will keep it as a supplement to my permanent income.
Another yes situation landed me as a volunteer funeral helper for the late great Senator Kennedy. I got to meet the entire Kennedy family, design press badges (see them here), sit in mourning as a civilian honor guard and even jump on to Airforce One (briefly) to help escort the family back to D.C. at Hanscom Airforce Base.
My point? The changing of the seasons will likely bring more opportunities to those who have been especially stressed this past season. Yet, I predict that a turn around is nigh and I hope that both my compatriots and myself find the work they are looking for. Life doesn’t always lead you to where you think it might, but if you say ‘yes’ to new opportunities more often, you’ll find more people going to you when in need.
What’s your take? Should people be picky when it a comes to a career? Or is a job supposed to be a ladder toward success? Chime in and leave a comment below!