I spent this past week at a work conference. The best part (besides doing a little go kart racing as a team building event!) was I had the opportunity to get to know some of the people I interact with every day. One particular story really struck me.
My co-worker has a degree in research and got an opportunity to work for a company researching teaching methods in schools. She lived on the east coast, but the job required her to move cross country to Texas. She knew almost no one, but in need of a job and wanting to stay within
her field, she took a leap and went.
Just days after using most of her savings to make the move, she realized she had made a horrible mistake. She got off to a rough start with her new boss and as the weeks went by, it got worse. Less than two months after the move, she was let go.
She knew only two people in her new town. Her savings was pretty much depleted, so a move back was not a possibility. Out of work, with no support system and her confidence at an all time low, she fell into a deep depression.
One of her two new friends encouraged her to apply at his company. There were some training positions available, but she resisted. Her degree was in research, not training. Research was the path she had chosen and it was the path she was going to stay on. She was absolutely certain.
Weeks went by and her little savings got lower and lower. Jobs in the research field were not materializing, so she finally relented and applied for a job at her new friend’s company.
She did not get the initial position, but a second one opened up and she got it. The company was looking for someone who could assist the training department with statistics, produce reports, and basically research their training methods. In addition, she was responsible for creating training materials. Although not a “research” job per say, she found she loved doing something a little more creative that still allowed her to use what she had gotten her degree in.
“It was the best thing that could have ever happened to me!” she shared. “Had I stayed in research, I would have been so average. I would have gone through life on auto pilot, never really getting the
opportunity to shine and touch my creative side. I never would have known how strong I really am.”
I left the conference with new respect for a co-worker and gratitude for the unpredictable paths in life.
My co-worker has a degree in research and got an opportunity to work for a company researching teaching methods in schools. She lived on the east coast, but the job required her to move cross country to Texas. She knew almost no one, but in need of a job and wanting to stay within
her field, she took a leap and went.
Just days after using most of her savings to make the move, she realized she had made a horrible mistake. She got off to a rough start with her new boss and as the weeks went by, it got worse. Less than two months after the move, she was let go.
She knew only two people in her new town. Her savings was pretty much depleted, so a move back was not a possibility. Out of work, with no support system and her confidence at an all time low, she fell into a deep depression.
One of her two new friends encouraged her to apply at his company. There were some training positions available, but she resisted. Her degree was in research, not training. Research was the path she had chosen and it was the path she was going to stay on. She was absolutely certain.
Weeks went by and her little savings got lower and lower. Jobs in the research field were not materializing, so she finally relented and applied for a job at her new friend’s company.
She did not get the initial position, but a second one opened up and she got it. The company was looking for someone who could assist the training department with statistics, produce reports, and basically research their training methods. In addition, she was responsible for creating training materials. Although not a “research” job per say, she found she loved doing something a little more creative that still allowed her to use what she had gotten her degree in.
“It was the best thing that could have ever happened to me!” she shared. “Had I stayed in research, I would have been so average. I would have gone through life on auto pilot, never really getting the
opportunity to shine and touch my creative side. I never would have known how strong I really am.”
I left the conference with new respect for a co-worker and gratitude for the unpredictable paths in life.
RSS Feed
