I was raised with the idea that I could do anything I set my mind to. In school, teachers and guidance counselors always emphasised college tracks. That for every career there is a recognized track that WILL lead you to that career. The thing with me is that while I knew I wanted to go to college and I knew that I wanted to be wildly successful I of course had no clear idea of what exactly that meant.
Well I should take that back, there were the dreams of being a Doctor, architect, small business owner, etc. All careers with very clear tracks. However, very few guidance counselors guide people into nonprofit careers, into Youth workers, mentors, community developers. So while I bounced back and forth between the "predictable" I chose to learn about the world. Starting with a fortuitous trip to Israel/Palestine when I decided to find out why people are so driven by religion and why people are pulled into conflict.
So...after a BA and an MA, I know that conflict is fueled by so many things within a community. The biggest indicator of a coming and acting conflict is a community breaking down into sects, of social strains showing themselves by a breakdown in services, rights and laws. This is when I decided to work in Community development.
This concept of Community development is so vague though. How on earth do I begin to chose what to work on?
I guess part of my inability to chose is attached to my inability to realize that there will be no wrong choice. "That" as my aunt put it, "I'm not choosing my lifelong career."
Now that I read what I wrote, my life long career has been chosen,and that is To help people remember what it means to live in a positive fulfilling community. To guide through my practice and to listen and learn from all the great teachers around me.
So then, I guess, I am just looking for my next gig...
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Job Search Day One: My Aunt's Unsolicited Advice
I have just finished a year in a great program called AmeriCorps NCCC as a Team Leader. Like all the quotes promise "the hardest job you will ever love" had tortured my body. It has also strengthened my resolve to "settle down" into a great non-profit job where I could use the skills I have learned (and practiced) in the great city of San Francisco.
My new state of unemployment started on November 17, so for those of you near a calendar, that was only a week ago. This being Thanksgiving week I was settling into a much deserved week of relaxation visiting my beautiful, hardworking Aunt's house in Los Angeles. Thanksgiving morning flew by with trips to the market for last minute vegetables and spices without a notice to my new unemployed state. Then somehow through the course of, well through the Appetizer and partly into the main course, several guests had pointed to the fact that about Thanksgiving every year, for the last three years, I am "between" opportunities. This year however I assured everyone that the new state was one of resolve to settle into a new apartment and job for at least the next 5 years.
My Aunt being a recovering lawyer and now a mediator and business owner, began a conversation which I quickly decided meant my restful week would not end so restfully. Talking me up to her friends, suggestions began to pour out of people's mouths almost as quickly as Thanksgiving dinner went in. By the time the meal had ended, coffee and the last slice of Apple pie been served, it had been decided that I should try Linked in. A new business networking site.
The next afternoon, what I would have loved to have kept perfectly peaceful by reading a book and practicing guitar, was arranged around the request for employment assistance sent on my Aunt's Linkedin page. I gasped when she told me of the 1.8 million people that would be reading about my desire for a meaningful job. This was a great relief and really exciting, but my body had just finished with one roller coaster and wasn't quite prepared to board a new ride. However, with my Aunt envisioning the ride I began a quick uphill climb that afternoon.
By Sunday, I have had exactly 5 posts on Linkedin in response to the request for assistance, 3-4 personal emails sent to my aunt then dutifully forwarded and one phone call. I feel like I am in a tidal wave of goodwill and Advice. The "Advice" I have yet to decide is good or even helpful.
Don't get me wrong the advice is good advice, look at the numerous websites that list nonprofit jobs, look for a career in development(i.e. fundraising), talk to this person or that person. All very good and very needed. I just think that a person who has been working a 24 hour job for the past 10 months should be due at least a week without advice about what she should do and should only receive praise for what she has done.
Accomplishments:
1. 1800 hours of direct community service hours
2. ushering one team of 10 to successfully complete the program
3. over 100 needs assessment interviews completed and filed in Lake Charles, LA
4. nearly 12 houses completely built from foundation to roof in Baton Rouge
5. nearly 500 volunteers lead during that 12 house build.
6. One outdoor classroom enhanced with benches, tables, species cards, and recycled art.
7. 80 Denver Area High school youth lead in the first summer youth Corps
8. 500 Kalamazoo area 5-6Th graders mentored on 4 simple principle character's Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility.
9. 35+ Weekly reports (including time sheets for the team) filed
10. 3 Project briefing packets
11. 3 project completion packets
12. 6 coordinated travel plans between projects and base
13. 3 budgets successfully balanced
14. How many hours of sleep lost? Perhaps too many.
15. How many hours of "this is where I was meant to be" moments? Soo many.
What a great year, what a hard year, what an amazing classroom. Thank you.
Now, I am ready to find my NEXT meaningful job.
My new state of unemployment started on November 17, so for those of you near a calendar, that was only a week ago. This being Thanksgiving week I was settling into a much deserved week of relaxation visiting my beautiful, hardworking Aunt's house in Los Angeles. Thanksgiving morning flew by with trips to the market for last minute vegetables and spices without a notice to my new unemployed state. Then somehow through the course of, well through the Appetizer and partly into the main course, several guests had pointed to the fact that about Thanksgiving every year, for the last three years, I am "between" opportunities. This year however I assured everyone that the new state was one of resolve to settle into a new apartment and job for at least the next 5 years.
My Aunt being a recovering lawyer and now a mediator and business owner, began a conversation which I quickly decided meant my restful week would not end so restfully. Talking me up to her friends, suggestions began to pour out of people's mouths almost as quickly as Thanksgiving dinner went in. By the time the meal had ended, coffee and the last slice of Apple pie been served, it had been decided that I should try Linked in. A new business networking site.
The next afternoon, what I would have loved to have kept perfectly peaceful by reading a book and practicing guitar, was arranged around the request for employment assistance sent on my Aunt's Linkedin page. I gasped when she told me of the 1.8 million people that would be reading about my desire for a meaningful job. This was a great relief and really exciting, but my body had just finished with one roller coaster and wasn't quite prepared to board a new ride. However, with my Aunt envisioning the ride I began a quick uphill climb that afternoon.
By Sunday, I have had exactly 5 posts on Linkedin in response to the request for assistance, 3-4 personal emails sent to my aunt then dutifully forwarded and one phone call. I feel like I am in a tidal wave of goodwill and Advice. The "Advice" I have yet to decide is good or even helpful.
Don't get me wrong the advice is good advice, look at the numerous websites that list nonprofit jobs, look for a career in development(i.e. fundraising), talk to this person or that person. All very good and very needed. I just think that a person who has been working a 24 hour job for the past 10 months should be due at least a week without advice about what she should do and should only receive praise for what she has done.
Accomplishments:
1. 1800 hours of direct community service hours
2. ushering one team of 10 to successfully complete the program
3. over 100 needs assessment interviews completed and filed in Lake Charles, LA
4. nearly 12 houses completely built from foundation to roof in Baton Rouge
5. nearly 500 volunteers lead during that 12 house build.
6. One outdoor classroom enhanced with benches, tables, species cards, and recycled art.
7. 80 Denver Area High school youth lead in the first summer youth Corps
8. 500 Kalamazoo area 5-6Th graders mentored on 4 simple principle character's Honesty, Caring, Respect, and Responsibility.
9. 35+ Weekly reports (including time sheets for the team) filed
10. 3 Project briefing packets
11. 3 project completion packets
12. 6 coordinated travel plans between projects and base
13. 3 budgets successfully balanced
14. How many hours of sleep lost? Perhaps too many.
15. How many hours of "this is where I was meant to be" moments? Soo many.
What a great year, what a hard year, what an amazing classroom. Thank you.
Now, I am ready to find my NEXT meaningful job.
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