Is it Rejection or Redirection?

Sometimes rejection just means redirection. Although being denied an opportunity, for whatever reason, can leave you feeling defeated, it isn’t or shouldn’t be the end-all of what you are seeking to accomplish. Ask yourself - could it be that you are destined to go in a different direction? Could it be that it is in that new path where you will find what’s meant to be? If your immediate goal is about finding a new job, take the time to think about how you can use your past experiences and skills in a whole new way and perhaps even in an entirely new environment.

In the Fall of 2021, after a year and a half of unemployment, a young woman I know was more than ready to get herself back out into the world of work. Having been laid off from her hospitality job during the pandemic, the time in-between allowed her to reassess future goals as well as rediscover talents and abilities that lay dormant during the previous busyness of her life. She finally had the time to pursue her passion for digital art, and as they say, practice makes perfect. Within that window of opportunity, she was able to illustrate a former colleague’s passion project, which was a children’s book. She created all original characters for it and through that lengthy process of development and execution learned valuable project and time management skills. She was also able to create an Instagram account that allowed her to highlight her artwork and offer her services as a digital artist thereby strengthening her social media and promotional skills. Still, she understood that her art would not pay the bills, at least not in the short term, so she began to examine what other abilities she had and how she could put them to use. As I am a big believer in transferable or portable skills, we had long conversations about how she could take the many soft skills she used in her previous jobs such as customer service, communication, operations, and administration, and apply them to roles outside those sectors. I also encouraged her to seek opportunities to obtain hard skills like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator that would help strengthen her digital skills.

As a next step, she decided to look for and apply for roles in the nonprofit sector. I have spent over a decade in that space so I thought it would be a good fit for her experience. She applied to a variety of Operations/Admin positions. She understood that coming from a retail/hospitality background and with no college degree it wasn’t a given that her applications would be noticed and or considered, but fortunately, at least two of them were. She began a lengthy interview process with both and despite her lack of experience in the sector, she did well enough to move through and make it to the end as a finalist. From my own personal experience, I knew it was going to take her convincing and then demonstrating to the interviewers that she had more than enough capacity and experience to do the work. I also lacked a degree for most of my work life and for certain missed out on many seemingly perfect opportunities. I knew she could do well in these roles and excel in them if given the chance. She’s smart, capable, industrious, and highly personable. When all was said and done, both nonprofits decided to go with a different candidate citing a better fit for their organization. The disappointment for her was deep. It took a bit of time to convince her that the loss was ultimately theirs because they surely missed out on what could have been a fruitful and lasting partnership. It was time for her to pivot and assess what else was out there. It was time to go in a new direction.

I recently reread Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson. In this short, but insightful tome, he relates a simple parable about unexpected change and the different responses one can have to it. You can either adapt to change or resist it, in which case, you remain stagnant and potentially miss out on what awaits. As someone who began her work experience in the early 1980s when there was a great shift in the world of work, I learned that adaptability to changes and willingness to learn new things are key to successfully moving from one role to another. In general, these are also great life principles because nothing ever stays the same, personally or professionally. Growth is inevitable and for the most part, is what’s needed to succeed. Sometimes the moves in my life were expected and so I had time to process what was about to happen and prepare. Other times, I wasn’t given a heads up, but there was writing on the wall, so to speak and I knew something was coming. In either instance, decisions had to be made that affected me and my family immensely. In the aftermath, there were adjustments to be made, not all pleasant but ultimately, they were necessary to get me to where I am now.

This young woman I’ve mentioned in this story had to readjust and rethink her desired path. In the meantime, an opportunity came along to work for an afterschool program. The need was there. She took advantage of a word-of-mouth opportunity (those are good too!) and was hired. Guess what? She’s thriving there. She’s enjoying the experience and earning some money while thinking about her future steps. Maybe early education is in her future, or maybe it isn’t. Maybe her life, both professionally and personally, is meant to go in an entirely new direction. We don’t know yet, but whatever comes she's ready. I’m so glad things are happening for her in the short term, and as art is still her ultimate desired profession, time will tell. As for me, I’m also moving on to a great opportunity that came my way at a good juncture in my professional life. Did I have to think about moving on from a stable role in a wonderful organization where I spent over a decade of my life? Of course. I’ve never been one to make hasty decisions, but ultimately my past experiences inform my present and I knew it was time for me to move on. The lesson here is don’t limit your options and make the best of opportunities at the moment, whether you desired them or not. You never know where they will lead.