Giving Thanks for a Great Job Seeking Experience (and a New Job)

As Thanksgiving approaches, I realize that despite months of underemployment, I have a lot to be thankful for this year. First and foremost: I have a new job. During my search for permanent, full-time employment, I got to know many generous people. I also had a chance to use my skills in ways I never thought possible, enriching my professional experiences and, ultimately, my value to employers. Sometimes, I even had great fun!

 

And with my unemployment ending, my story here on the Monster Blog is coming to a close as well. I leave you with this list of what I am thankful for this year -- not despite the ups and downs of the job search, but because of them.

 

Thankful for a New Job

 

I have accepted a business development position with a local engineering firm. This solid company manufactures high tech devices for a variety of industrial markets. Their biggest challenge -- and now mine, too -- will be to grow their small 5 percent market share. Part of my charter includes developing my staff and hiring a few new folks. I am glad to be on the hiring end for a change.

 

Mostly, though, I am excited by the prospect of working in a new professional environment. It's good to feel wanted by a firm for the skills I have to offer. Alas, the company needed someone in this capacity "yesterday," so there won't be much recuperation from the job search.

 

Thankful for a Return to Normalcy

 

Throughout this job search, I was never comfortable and I rarely got a solid night's sleep. Was my time management that bad? Not when you consider that as I was working the mini-jobs, I was also running the household singlehandedly, engaging with my 2 sons by day and job searching by night. Returning to a normal sleep pattern is just one of the things I am looking forward to when I start the new position.

 

With the job in hand, I can now focus on pulling all my miscellaneous paperwork into the done pile rather than the to-do pile. And with the return of a revenue stream, I'm also set to tackle those idle household fix-it projects.

 

Thankful for You, the Readers

 

I am grateful I could share my trials with you as I navigated this bumpy path to a new job. There was true solidarity in knowing many of you are experiencing similar situations. (For instance, all of us seem to rage at the job search black hole.) Your feedback was often a catalyst for another blog topic or deeper introspection on my part. In many ways, you helped me get where I am today.

 

Thank you all, and best wishes for your own career and job search.

 

How do you think you will feel once you land a position?

 

Share this post: Digg, StumbleUpon, del.icio.us, Facebook, Twitter, etc.