So, to begin, I'm in a weird place mentally. I'm not down and I'm not depressed, which, theoretically I should be, all things considered. I'm not numb or indifferent, either. In fact, if anything, despite all evidence, I'm actually cautiously optimistic about the future. I still feel like things are not only going to fall into place, but are in the process of doing so. Despite the recent "hiccup" in my employment, I feel like things are still on track towards a pretty amazing future.
Speaking of employment, I am wiping the slate clean. I have my focus of Seattle startup companies and, thankfully, there's a plethora of them out there to apply to. I have an interview tomorrow morning with one of them and I really actually dig them. In fact, if anything, they may actually be a better fit for me than Porch was; and it's a non-sales position, which is even better. I'm trying to not "fall in love with them", but my fingers are crossed that I land it. The really nice thing about them is that they're a very dog friendly company, and I am a huge dog lover. Being surrounded by dogs all day (they encourage employees to bring their pooches in) has me really excited to work there. But, like Porch, they're not my only focus and I'm still very much plugging away at the job search.
I'm dreaming again, which is weird for me. I rarely dream and the fact that it's happened two nights in a row is bizarre to me. The previous night I dreamed that I had a two year old daughter that I shared custody with. The mother was unseen in the dream, but my daughter was blonde and I knew that she had gotten it from her mother. I also recall that I was on good terms with the unseen mother, but we were separated because being in a relationship with each other wasn't a good thing (for whatever reason). And then last night I dreamed of a barista I used to be really closed to. She and I were on really good terms and had worked out our differences. Which, for both dreams, caused me to wake up feeling greatly confused.
I'm holding fast to my goals this time. Adversity breeds growth, if you're willing to learn the hard lessons. I'm not letting go of what I honestly believe will be a fantastic future, just because I am going through a somewhat rocky present. I am nothing if not determined and perseverance is one of my strong suits. I know what industry I want to work in, the role I want to play in said industry, and even where I want to move to before the end of the year. I am open to the possibility of a relationship and there's even someone who I have been talking to as of late.
I know not what the future holds, but it's up to me to seize it. Onward and upward, my friends.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Stronger
Today has been a long day. A productive day, but also a long one as well. This was the first day that I truly buckled down on the job hunt and I lost track of how many applications I submitted. Even though there was a wide variety in different places, they all had one thing in common: I actually wanted to work there.
You see, as bad as the firing was (in the fact that I was just rejected from a company that I love), it was a massive wake up call. I am not (within reason, of course) limited to where I can work. The only one holding me back is me and the only one limiting my success is me. I am, as the saying goes, my own worst enemy. Porch showed me that, just because I do not have a college degree, I am not truly limited to where I can work. Sure, it most definitely helps. I'm not going to lie. But there were whole companies that I was avoiding applying to because I felt like I wouldn't even get hired on. I was shooting myself in the foot before I even gave myself a chance. Porch opened my eyes that, just because one position isn't available due to my lack of higher education, it doesn't mean that all the positions within that company are out of reach.
Speaking of which, I re-applied to Porch this afternoon. This time I went for an inside sales position; which is perfect considering that is what I have the most experience in. I also applied to a manager's position; and since I also have years of experience, I figured that I would give it a shot. But the real reason I re-applied was to show myself that I could. There was a lot of hesitation before hitting "send" on the application, but after I did, I felt a weight come off my shoulders. So I continued and found other positions within that company to apply to. There was even one position I accidentally applied twice to. Oops.
As promised, I'm definitely not keeping my eggs in one basket this time around. In fact, I didn't even re-apply to Porch until the end of the day. I am, however, looking at other start-ups in Seattle. I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere in which I worked in; and I'm definitely looking to replicate that in the next place that I work at-wherever that may be.
I am stronger. My adult life has been, for lack of a better term, rocky, and this was just one of the many blows that I have received. I have taken a proverbial beating, but I'm still on the mat and I'm still swinging. I don't give up easily and this is just one more storm that I am going through. As hard as this was, this was not the end of me. With each dawn comes another chance to rise above the ashes. With each daybreak comes another opportunity to rise above. the trials and tribulations of my past. I know not how many days are left in the invisible calendar of my life, but I'm going to make sure that I make each one matter.
As the saying goes: "This too, shall pass."
You see, as bad as the firing was (in the fact that I was just rejected from a company that I love), it was a massive wake up call. I am not (within reason, of course) limited to where I can work. The only one holding me back is me and the only one limiting my success is me. I am, as the saying goes, my own worst enemy. Porch showed me that, just because I do not have a college degree, I am not truly limited to where I can work. Sure, it most definitely helps. I'm not going to lie. But there were whole companies that I was avoiding applying to because I felt like I wouldn't even get hired on. I was shooting myself in the foot before I even gave myself a chance. Porch opened my eyes that, just because one position isn't available due to my lack of higher education, it doesn't mean that all the positions within that company are out of reach.
Speaking of which, I re-applied to Porch this afternoon. This time I went for an inside sales position; which is perfect considering that is what I have the most experience in. I also applied to a manager's position; and since I also have years of experience, I figured that I would give it a shot. But the real reason I re-applied was to show myself that I could. There was a lot of hesitation before hitting "send" on the application, but after I did, I felt a weight come off my shoulders. So I continued and found other positions within that company to apply to. There was even one position I accidentally applied twice to. Oops.
As promised, I'm definitely not keeping my eggs in one basket this time around. In fact, I didn't even re-apply to Porch until the end of the day. I am, however, looking at other start-ups in Seattle. I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere in which I worked in; and I'm definitely looking to replicate that in the next place that I work at-wherever that may be.
I am stronger. My adult life has been, for lack of a better term, rocky, and this was just one of the many blows that I have received. I have taken a proverbial beating, but I'm still on the mat and I'm still swinging. I don't give up easily and this is just one more storm that I am going through. As hard as this was, this was not the end of me. With each dawn comes another chance to rise above the ashes. With each daybreak comes another opportunity to rise above. the trials and tribulations of my past. I know not how many days are left in the invisible calendar of my life, but I'm going to make sure that I make each one matter.
As the saying goes: "This too, shall pass."
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Left Behind
Sometimes, the thing that you fear the most will happen, does. Monday, so two days ago, I was released from Porch due to the lack of sales on my part. The term that was used, which is probably the most humane way to phrase it, is that they decided it was "time to part ways". This will not be an easy post to write, so please bear with me as I'm still dealing with this.
First off, I'm not surprised. Remotely. This particular position was not a good fit for me and I fully acknowledge it. I struggled every day and they gave me far more chances than I would have given me if the roles had been reversed. From a manager's standpoint, they had no other option than to let me go. You can fully believe in something, pour your heart and soul into it, and still not be any good at it. The analogy I used in that meeting was that Michael Phelps (the gold medal winning swimmer) can't throw a three pointer. To be honest, I'm not sure if this is true or not, but it's the best analogy I could think of in that moment. I guess a more fitting one would be that you wouldn't expect Michael Jordan to climb a mountain. I can be incredibly amazing in sales, but (as is perfectly evident) completely terrible when it comes to cold calling. Regardless of how much I believe in the company that I work for and how much good it does to the companies that I'm reaching out to. In fact, one of the things that is admitted from all the sales managers is how brutal the job can be. I fully respect them for what they did and in the humane way that they let me go.
Second, this is the first company that I've left, for any reason, that I would consider coming back to. Period. The role I was in was not a good fit for me, but the company most definitely was. They truly are doing good things and treat their employees phenomenally. I stand by them one hundred percent and, if I were a homeowner, I would use Porch myself to find a home improvement contractor. To get what it's like to work there, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLpaT20to0 There is a solid reason why I fell in love with this company and why I wouldn't hesitate to work there again if the opportunity arises. Actually, the interesting thing is that when I first applied to Porch, I applied to the sales position that I would wind up getting offered, and an account management position. At the end of my first week at Porch, I met up with a couple account managers and asked them what exactly they did, and what was described to me sounded like a much better fit than the sales position that I had accepted. When I worked at the bank in Texas, the thing I enjoyed most about my job was actually sitting down with one of my customers and helping them with their account. On the personal side, I've helped friends build their LinkedIn profiles and have written resumes for them from the bits and pieces of information that they have given me. Friends actually come to me to have me go over their resumes so they can land the jobs that they are pursuing. I know I would do extremely well in that particular role, and, now that I'm an external candidate, I plan on pursuing it.
The third thing, and this was rather surprising as it's never happened before, is that in the brief time that I have been unemployed, I have been approached by two different recruiters. The opportunity, as it appears, to get back on the horse is there. But it also means that I would have to leave behind Porch. Because there aren't any open account manager positions available and one of the two recruiters is approaching me with an account executive position, it might be time to truly "part ways"' regardless of how much I care about them. Not sever ties, by any means, but to let go and move on.
My brief time at Porch taught me a lot. They showed me that there are still some ethical companies out there that are truly doing good work. They showed me that you actually can go to work and have a good time at the same time. They showed me that it was possible to sever ties with the corporate world and still land on your feet. They showed me that there are still some companies out there that truly value both their employees and their customers. They showed me that there are still some companies out there that have big dreams and aren't afraid to "get scrappy" to achieve them. They showed me that perseverance in the face of utmost adversity is still something that is respected in the workplace. They showed me that there are still places out there that you can work at and not feel yourself lose your humanity. They showed me that failure (to an extent) is still an acceptable thing in the workplace; so as long as it is used as a building block to success. They showed me that there are still companies out there that care. And they're being run by people that care.
What happened sucks. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't still feeling the sting of this. But that doesn't change the experiences I had while I was there; doesn't end the friendships that I built there; and doesn't change the fact that I truly loved working there. What it does change is the bar in which I have set for my future employers. No more will I settle for less because it brings in a pay check. No more will I settle for less because it's "safe". Not only have my standards been raised significantly, but I know now that there are companies out there that will meet and exceed them.
First off, I'm not surprised. Remotely. This particular position was not a good fit for me and I fully acknowledge it. I struggled every day and they gave me far more chances than I would have given me if the roles had been reversed. From a manager's standpoint, they had no other option than to let me go. You can fully believe in something, pour your heart and soul into it, and still not be any good at it. The analogy I used in that meeting was that Michael Phelps (the gold medal winning swimmer) can't throw a three pointer. To be honest, I'm not sure if this is true or not, but it's the best analogy I could think of in that moment. I guess a more fitting one would be that you wouldn't expect Michael Jordan to climb a mountain. I can be incredibly amazing in sales, but (as is perfectly evident) completely terrible when it comes to cold calling. Regardless of how much I believe in the company that I work for and how much good it does to the companies that I'm reaching out to. In fact, one of the things that is admitted from all the sales managers is how brutal the job can be. I fully respect them for what they did and in the humane way that they let me go.
Second, this is the first company that I've left, for any reason, that I would consider coming back to. Period. The role I was in was not a good fit for me, but the company most definitely was. They truly are doing good things and treat their employees phenomenally. I stand by them one hundred percent and, if I were a homeowner, I would use Porch myself to find a home improvement contractor. To get what it's like to work there, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHLpaT20to0 There is a solid reason why I fell in love with this company and why I wouldn't hesitate to work there again if the opportunity arises. Actually, the interesting thing is that when I first applied to Porch, I applied to the sales position that I would wind up getting offered, and an account management position. At the end of my first week at Porch, I met up with a couple account managers and asked them what exactly they did, and what was described to me sounded like a much better fit than the sales position that I had accepted. When I worked at the bank in Texas, the thing I enjoyed most about my job was actually sitting down with one of my customers and helping them with their account. On the personal side, I've helped friends build their LinkedIn profiles and have written resumes for them from the bits and pieces of information that they have given me. Friends actually come to me to have me go over their resumes so they can land the jobs that they are pursuing. I know I would do extremely well in that particular role, and, now that I'm an external candidate, I plan on pursuing it.
The third thing, and this was rather surprising as it's never happened before, is that in the brief time that I have been unemployed, I have been approached by two different recruiters. The opportunity, as it appears, to get back on the horse is there. But it also means that I would have to leave behind Porch. Because there aren't any open account manager positions available and one of the two recruiters is approaching me with an account executive position, it might be time to truly "part ways"' regardless of how much I care about them. Not sever ties, by any means, but to let go and move on.
My brief time at Porch taught me a lot. They showed me that there are still some ethical companies out there that are truly doing good work. They showed me that you actually can go to work and have a good time at the same time. They showed me that it was possible to sever ties with the corporate world and still land on your feet. They showed me that there are still some companies out there that truly value both their employees and their customers. They showed me that there are still some companies out there that have big dreams and aren't afraid to "get scrappy" to achieve them. They showed me that perseverance in the face of utmost adversity is still something that is respected in the workplace. They showed me that there are still places out there that you can work at and not feel yourself lose your humanity. They showed me that failure (to an extent) is still an acceptable thing in the workplace; so as long as it is used as a building block to success. They showed me that there are still companies out there that care. And they're being run by people that care.
What happened sucks. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't still feeling the sting of this. But that doesn't change the experiences I had while I was there; doesn't end the friendships that I built there; and doesn't change the fact that I truly loved working there. What it does change is the bar in which I have set for my future employers. No more will I settle for less because it brings in a pay check. No more will I settle for less because it's "safe". Not only have my standards been raised significantly, but I know now that there are companies out there that will meet and exceed them.
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