Searching for a Reason

It's now a full six (6) months since I was let go from a job I liked.

Let me back up a bit...in 2015 I was let go for a job I loved (long story) and spent 9 months out of work, finally landed a position with a company through a friend. We worked together at the company I was let go from, became friends and when I needed help she was there. February 2018 the company and I parted ways. I knew the position wasn't for me but I kept it because I have a family to support.

I found something else right away, loved it. It was a creative space but still used my customer service/account management skills. I was there 30 days and I was fired. Why you ask. Well turns out they didn't want to take the time to train me. I later found out that the person that quit and left the position open for me to take wanted it back - she hated her new job. That left me out in the cold again for the second time in three years.

I am about sick of the universe kicking my ass! It's been going on for a solid three years. It's about time for it to stop.

Which way to go? What to do?

"Be at a crossroads" is defined in the Cambridge English Dictionary as "to be at a stage in your life when you have to make a very important decision".

Coincidentally a friend and I were let go from our respective positions within a week of each other, we did not work at the same company. This was about two months ago. Since then we have gone to a couple of job fairs, a term I use very loosely. We live just outside a major city on the East Coast, job fairs should be large events with a ton of local companies showing up looking for talent, so not the case here. The first one we went to was just sad; there were 7 companies there - 5 were financial companies, 1 funeral home, and a staffing agency. Not exactly a great turn out.

The second one we went to was at the baseball stadium in that large city, better options when it came to companies, there was about 30 total. A couple of trade schools, the military, the state police, a few staffing agencies, retailers; you get the picture. The same over and over again. I talked to a couple of the agencies since they were ones I had never heard of in this area. Thought it would give me more options when it came to finding something that is right for me. I emailed them later the same day, it was nice talking to you today here is a copy of my resume for your records kind of email. Then, nothing - crickets could be heard for miles after that. I do realize the emails could have been flagged as SPAM but you would think that agencies that like check their SPAM to make sure that they don't lose a lead or a potential candidate because of it. I gave it a couple of weeks, thinking maybe they just haven't checked SPAM yet. I've totally given up now.

My friend scheduled an interview with one of the companies from the first job fair, a financial company. If he was offered anything he didn't take it since he is not working there at this point.

I believe we are both sitting at this crossroad trying to figure out what we each want to do next. There is always the option of starting a business, folding and taking a job just to have a job that brings in a salary or keep searching to find the right fit. I vote for searching for the right fit, I've spent too much time working somewhere just because I needed a job to support my family (single parent here). It's time for me to find work that at the very least doesn't give me anxiety going in every morning.

Right now, that leaves us sitting here...searching to determine what will be next.