Motivation Mondays: Thank God Even Crazy Dreams Come True

I apologize for the lack of posts last week. But, I promise I have a good reason! For the last week, I was in California working a program for my job. It was six days of awesomeness and I still can’t believe that I got to be a part of something so inspiring. The location was breath-taking and the sessions really made you think. Most importantly, I had the opportunity to work with an amazing group of people from different places and backgrounds. It really was one for the books.

In the month I’ve been working, I’ve gotten to participate in some great programs and work with some insanely talented people. The amount of experience and exposure I’ve gained in the last month is unbelievable. Everyone I’ve met has the patience of a saint and is so willing to help. To think, just a few short months ago, I thought all hope was lost and that a job would never be found. Lesson learned.

Two weeks ago, I attended the Carrie Underwood concert. She put on a fantastic show and reminded me how lucky I was. Her song, Crazy Dreams, really sums up the whirlwind last month of my life. Maybe having a satisfying job and being happy isn’t a crazy dream, but after 400 applications and a handful of rejection letters, it really feels like one. While in California for the week, I kept sharing my story of finding a job with many and received tons of congratulations and words of encouragement. My response was always how lucky I am to have such a great job with a supportive team.

While having a job is not the only aspect of life, it certainly plays a large role. I’d like to remind anyone looking for a job or struggling with their current employment to keep the faith. Everything truly does happen for a reason and I am a living example of that. Hard work and continued faith will ultimately lead you to your end goal, whatever that may be.

Below is Carrie Underwood’s song Crazy Dreams. Listen to the lyrics and remember all of your crazy dreams. You are the only one that can make them a reality.

The Right To Be Picky

Job searching is a full time job especially for someone like me. I have an color-coded spreadsheet broken down by location. I have five different cover letters tailored to specific positions. I must apply to at least two jobs everyday and update my spreadsheet weekly. I know it sounds a bit crazy but I need to do everything in my power to get a job, right?

When I look at a position, I envision myself working at that company in that role. Most positions include public relations, marketing, communications, social media or development somewhere in the title. However, after hundreds of applications, I started to apply to anything remotely comparable to my skill sets.

Fast forward to yesterday when I commuted into Manhattan for an interview with American Express Publishing. The position was for a Business Assistant, someone to complete administrative tasks and enter some data into spreadsheets. Certainly, I could manage that. The man I interviewed with, the Director of Finance, thought otherwise.

This man was the definition of honesty. He said my resume was impressive and that he could tell I was eager to learn. He appreciated me coming in on such a miserable day (hurricanes in Manhattan yesterday) but said I wasn’t right for the position. Mind you, I barely had spoken at this point. He offered to hold on to my resume in case a position opened in their PR department. We shook hands, I thanked him profusely and back I went to New Jersey pretty disappointed.

Yes, rejection isn’t fun nor is commuting in the rain. But, I was reminded that I do have the right to be picky when applying for jobs. I am allowed to pass up opportunities that aren’t right for me. I am allowed to wait for the right job to come along. It doesn’t have to be perfect but it can be close. I don’t have much patience so this is hard for me. I am going to try and remind myself of this experience every time I read a job description.

I was also reminded yesterday that being passionate is important. My interviewer saw how passionate I was when talking about the career I wanted. He praised me for it and said it was more important to be passionate then to be employed. That alone was worth the wet commute into Manhattan.

Do recent graduates have the right to be picky? Don’t be afraid to share your opinion!