Success is Within Your Grasp

Finally at the age of 37 I am prepared to pass on the value of my life experience. No one can devalue education in the job market but that isn't the "Big Picture". The smart employer and employee knows the value of life experience in looking for and hiring successful employees.



I would like to share a short story with you. I went through most of my life not knowing what I wanted or where I was going. I worked many jobs and went through a lot of different training for different occupations but never felt at home in any of them. I didn't feel that I was educated enough to offer anything perspective employers.





The biggest obstacle that I had to overcome was my own self worth. I had to come to the realization that I had something to offer. In November of 2006 I went to work for the largest Outsource provider in the world. It was an entry level position but I had researched the company and knew it's strength. After 6 weeks in training I graduated the classroom and moved to a live call center environment and found that I was pretty good at what I was doing but I wanted more. Two weeks later I applied for a position in that company assisting trainers in the classroom, after being interviewed by a panel of Upper Management, and only 9 weeks employed I was promoted to a Mid level Management position as a Learning Specialist. Since then I have traveled as a representative to my companies second largest account. I am now being prepared for an overseas trip to support sites abroad. And all of this can be attributed to the one job I did for no pay at all.



At the age of 6 my Father had decided to run for a County political seat in the rural county I was raised in. This thrust my family into the public eye and provided the opportunity to learn some very valuable skills. Since my Father held the same office for 28 years I was able to grow up in that environment and learn the ropes of politics and public relations. Some of the skills I learned were public speaking, public relations, how to relate to diverse groups of people on a small and large scale and present a positive and confident persona. While working on my Fathers campaigns I learned to motivate people and get their buy-in on my ideas as well as be accountable for my decisions and actions. I learned to make decisions in stressful and difficult situations and provide constructive feedback to others showing them successes and opportunities in a way that helped them to perform better.



All of these things are what my employer saw and I have that experience to thank for where I am today. The value of your life experience can be tremendously important to perspective employers. I wouldn't trade my journey thus far for any amount of money but I do wish I had learned this valuable lesson earlier in life. First realize that you do have something to offer and then be bold in seeking employment. Don't be afraid to show employers that you have skills beyond what your job history reflects. Think of all the things you have been a part of in your lifetime. Civic clubs, political campaigns, visiting the elderly or sick, club memberships, whatever you have been involved in. Then use it to highlight and compliment your work history. Smart employers will take notice and you will reap the rewards.