Getting a job can be hard sometimes. You start out being too young, only to find yourself years later in the situation of being too old. You are under educated so study like crazy to find that you are over educated. You switch continents mid life to find out that your degrees don't easily fit into the new system. Sometimes it seems like no matter what your qualifications are, they aren't enough. There's always someone bigger, better, smarter, prettier, faster, or can spit further! Life experience counts "here", but not "there". I was recently passed over for (yet) another job (geography teacher) because I don't have any GIS (Geographic Information Systems) experience (whatever the hell that is ;-). What's a girl to do?
First off keep pluggin' away at whatever it is you do. Work hard. (Don't get discouraged and give up.) Keep learning. (Find something that you're interested in and learn, learn, learn.) And keep yourself out there - be active and let everyone know that you are searching for opportunities.
The other thing you can do to make yourself feel balanced is to focus on your accomplishments. For every thing you can't do, think of something you CAN do. For instance: I'm not good at Maths, but I am a good student. I'm not a great cook, but I am a great employee. I've never written a novel, but I've read a lot of them. I'm not an artist, but I can build you a website. I don't have a lot of classroom experience but I have lots of experience with educational blogs. I'm not rich but I'm flexible. I can't speak Portuguese, sail, swim, read a map (hence the GIS problem), rebuild a carborator, or play the piano but I can make you laugh, give a presentation, wait my turn, write well enough to teach someone to write, speak up when the situation dictates, and make my way in a foreign land. I can't sing . . .
BUT I can dance!
2 comments:
I couldn't agree more!
What you have is never enough or it is just a little bit too much!
When do we reach the balance? Never, I guess.
...and the thing is that sometimes it is not the diplomas you've got that are enough, but what you know and are willing to do to put yourself and your boss/company in a successful position.
However, character is usually under-evaluated and most times people end up hiring the wrong person because they only care for this piece of paper that we have learned to value so much and that is called a diploma. We should also get one for experience and character: a diploma of life and living skills.
Maybe people would then recall what excellence and professionalism are all about.
But hey...not all people are the same and sometimes there are some that are able to see beyond a certificate...these (few people) are able to see what you are and what you are worth.
Although there aren't that many able-to-see-beyond-a-diploma people, I know that you will end up meeting some more along the way, because you damn deserve it! :)
Just to say that I love your writing and the way you think... and just like you, dancing is a beautiful thing!
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