I am ready to go back to work.
And boy has applying for work changed since I last had to look for a job. I have always just talked to folks and found work - almost but not quite over the backyard fence. Now, everything is online. Typos take precedence over character. Sentence structure obliterates experience. Neglecting to check a box will completely sink an application.
Over the last 25 years or so, I enjoyed a certain amount of professional success, I've maintained my network, and I did not foresee that it would be difficult to drop back in to the work world when I was ready. So, after Molly took her own life, and it seemed critical to my own healing to leave my job, I figured I'd find something new when I needed it. Perhaps a tad bit naive on my part.
Don't get me wrong. If anyone asks, I can account for the last four years. First and foremost, I have been mourning for Molly and Mom, but I have also been helping my dad rebuild his life after the car accident that killed my mother, earning a masters degree, serving on a county commission and working as a substitute teacher. I've also lost 50 pounds, finished a 5K in under 30 minutes and turned 50. That this has been the highest and best use of my time is unquestioned.
And by golly, as a result of these last four years, I am stronger, more confident and more clear-headed than I have ever been. I am ready. I am not broken. In fact, I bring with me a hard-earned sense of both confidence and compassion that will only be an asset in any workplace.
It's time.
If only I can figure out how to convey all of that through an electronic application form!
