Category Archives: Hope & Encouragement

A Story You Should Know to Encourage You During Your Job Search

Hope & Encouragement, In Transition, , , , , , , ,

Image courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons
Image courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

As I’ve said before, times of career transition can be some of the most stressful and depressing. There’s a tendency to lose sight of the value you have to others and yourself. This parable I ran across a while back encouraged me and really made me think.

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, and just before putting him into the box said, “There are 5 things you need to know before I send you out into the world. Always remember them; never forget; and you will become the best pencil you can be.”

1. You will be able to do many great things but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.
2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.
3. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
4. The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.
5. On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood, promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replace the pencil with you. Always remember these things; never forget; and you will become the best person you can be.

1. You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand—and allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time by going through various problems in life, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.
3. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
4. The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
5. On every surface you walk across, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

Allow this parable of the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person, and only you can fulfill the purpose you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.

–Author Unknown

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GUEST POST: 3 Steps to Recovery From A Job Loss

Advice, Hope & Encouragement, , , , , , , ,
skills, layoff, encouragement
Photo by rami.halim

Have you ever lost a job? Perhaps you were downsized when your employer reorganized or was sold. Maybe you were fired.

My first lay-off involved a factory job. We showed up for our regular work shift and were given pink slips and directions to the nearest unemployment office. Years later I was downsized from a white collar job when corporate priorities changed. I’ve also left jobs amid strong hints that I’d be fired if I didn’t leave. I didn’t like those jobs and knew within months that I’d made a mistake letting myself get hired.

Even so, losing a job is absolutely devastating. It damages our sense of self-worth because we invest so much of ourselves in our jobs, even the bad ones. Inevitably we wonder what we did “wrong”. But it’s important to recover quickly and move on. After some trial and error, I hit on this sure-fire method to do that.

Step One – Buy a BIG bottle of champagne. Throw a champagne party to you salute yourself as a great person. It’s not your personal fault that the company had financial problems causing them to downsize. You’re not responsible for the screwed up life of a bad boss who took out her/his emotional problems on you (and your co-workers).

Step Two – Recognize the skills and experience you developed with your former employer. Every job I lost taught me at least one skill that helped me get the next job. So you’re in a better position in this job search than you were in the last one because you have new skills to sell!

Step Three – Acknowledge that sometimes losing a job is the best outcome. It forces us to move forward in our lives. If a job is truly awful, losing it can literally be a life saver. After one particularly rotten job ended, my mental and physical health improved so dramatically that I never again made the mistake of hanging on for the sake of a paycheck.

So if you’ve just lost a job or are still grieving the past loss of a job, reevaluate your situation. Buy that champagne, and salute yourself. Then start searching for the next job which may just be a lot better than that bum steer you lost.

About the Author:
Norma Shirk helps employers create human resources policies that are appropriate for the employer’s size and budget. The goal is to have structure without bureaucracy. Learn more here about Corporate Compliance Risk Advisor.
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Recently Laid Off? Getting the Chip Off Your Shoulder & Finding One to Lean On

Hope & Encouragement, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

unemployed, unemployment, layoff, anger, grudge, hurt, resentment, attitude, Stephen Minister, Stephen Ministry, negativity, support, listening ear, counseling, resources, pastor, confusion
Photo by kosnonand at flickr

Being laid off is one of the most challenging things that can happen in life. It may make you feel disposable, shafted, slighted, angry, and depressed. After my fifth layoff I remember the stages for me were shock, questioning, anger, and finally acceptance. Before you begin to look for your next position, if there’s any hint of negativity, resentment, anger, etc. about your situation, you’ll want to “get the chip off your shoulder.”

For most, employers/interviewers may pick up on the fact that you are negative, bitter, or holding a grudge against your former employer. Don’t come across like a wounded animal. HR professionals and hiring managers will most likely sense this. Don’t succumb to the thought that unemployment is going to be forever or that you’re blacklisted by all companies in your industry.

I think the weight of what we bear as a result of a layoff is too much of a burden for a friend to hear over and over. It’s also embarrassing–even to talk with your closest friends–about how you feel. You need to be honest about your feelings in order to work through them and come out the other side stronger and ready to pound the pavement. I recommend talking to a psychiatrist, your pastor, or a Stephen Minister (an unbiased confidential lay person who’s trained to listen and provide care and support at no cost to those in crisis or difficult life situations.)

Google “Stephen Ministers” + your city to find churches that can get you in touch with one. It was such a support and encouragement to have Wynn, my Stephen Minister, to listen and give advice. He was actually a supervisor at his job and had great perspective. Don’t be ashamed to seek out support or apprehensive to talk to someone new (Stephen Minister or other) about your feelings and situation. Having a shoulder to lean on and someone to listen will help you get back on your feet faster than going it alone.

If you know someone who has recently lost their job, please share this blog with them.