6 Months and Counting...

It's been 6 months, 25 weeks, 181 days, 4344 hours, 260,640 minutes, or 15,638,400 seconds and counting with no job offers. This is what I have learned thus far…

1.) Networking is hard! I know that everyone says that there is an art to networking, but in all actuality, its work! Especially in this economy where everyone is trying to help themselves, their cousin, and the lady down the street.
2.) I can live off of $25 dollars worth of groceries for two weeks. When you’re down to your last $50 and its split between food and gas, you learn how to make it work and coupons become your best friend. I’ve made a game out of scouting the weekly ads and seeing how cheap you can get an item for.
3.) It isn’t me, it’s the economy. Jobs are getting scarce and competition is fierce with more companies going bankrupt. So when I don’t get a job, I don’t get too upset.
4.) I’ve finally found a career field that has great stability, growth and combines all of the things that I love to do—public health! I read somewhere that in 2020 there will be a shortage of health educators due to the rapid growth of diseases. Now all I need is a Masters in Public Health.
5.) Be grateful for what you have. Sure, times are hard for me, but there are some people who have it less than I do. I am so grateful for friends that help me out by buying me lunch, paying for my tickets to a play or show, or just being there to listen when I’m upset about not getting a job. I am too blessed to have a family that helps me when I need it. There are sometimes when I don’t have enough money for gas or to buy groceries and without me even asking they come thru.
6.) Trust me, the Lord gives you what you need, not so much what you want. I can clearly distinguish what I need, from what I want. My days of buying Dooney wristlets may be on hiatus for now, but I know that it will not last forever. Better times are ahead, I just have to be patient.
7.) You can still give when you don’t have anything. I volunteered at a non-profit for 2 months and what I learned, a university most definitely could not teach me. It’s a good feeling, you should try it sometimes.
8.) No matter how many times you proofread your resume and cover letter, you can always find room for improvement. Honestly, it’s like a compulsion to consistently change something about my resumes format, setup, or a phrase. Don’t get me started on cover letters because I spend about an hour just doing one for a job. The hardest part is coming up with the attention-grabbing sentence that will make the employer read it, but not be so far out they think you’re a quack.
9.) Someone once said ‘All adversity does is reintroduces you to yourself’-it’s a true statement. Over these past 6 months I have gotten to know myself better, got in touch with my feelings, and build stronger relationships with people, found out my likes and dislikes, and became a better person because of it.

Allow me to reintroduce myself…my name is Kara and I now have a crystal-clear picture of what I want to do with my life and what I need to do to get there. I can now answer the question of where I want to be in 5 years (job-wise) without hesitation and using vague, general statements. The things that I used to stress the most just fall by the waist side and no longer matter to me. I am not trying to keep up with the Joneses’, nor do I care what they have. I buy almost everything on sale, shop with a coupon, and I’m about 4 months behind on my water bill. I found out that the some of the worst things that could happen to anyone else are the best things that could have happened to me.