It’s your Friday good news, with more accounts of success even in this weird time.
1. I’m pleased to be able to finally share some good news. I’ve had a really tough time during lockdown, struggling to concentrate and feeling like I’m only just keeping my head above water with home working. It was made even worse by so many people around me talking about how great they’re finding being at home, away from the distractions of the office, no commute, etc. All I wanted was to be back in the office with my routine, working with my team.
It got to a point where I was having panic attacks and taking weeks of sick leave from work. But during the whole time I was reading Ask A Manager religiously, including the comments section. I started to notice people talking about ADHD and I recognised my own struggles in what people were describing. Long story short, I was diagnosed with ADHD last month.
It feels like things have finally started to make sense, and even though I am still at home for the foreseeable future, at least I have a better understanding of myself and I’m learning to let go of the shame associated with having been unable to cope with “normal” things for most of my life. I also have access to many resources and support groups that are helping me get by.
But there’s more good news! During my research I learned that ADHD is highly genetic, and I told my sister. She has struggled to hold down jobs even though she is incredibly clever, and just before lockdown she quit another job because she just couldn’t cope. She has just been diagnosed with severe inattentive ADHD. She is over the moon that there is an explanation for her struggles, too. Plus, she has just received an offer for an incredible job, with more responsibility and more pay than she has had in the past, including managing a team for the first time. Now she is in a much better position to succeed. And of course I sent her to this site!
2. Big fan of your blog, and your enthusiasm about cover letters is contagious. Previously, I’d always gotten jobs through networking — in large part because I was terrified of cover letters. It seems so easy to let a typo slip by given the archaic formatting, or come off as a try-hard with too many buzzwords or not enough industry terms, etc. Every time I would start to write one, I’d imagine a pile of perfectly-crafted, inspired, yet professional and buttoned-up cover letters, and get intimidated.
But then I saw a job that would be a great fit where I don’t have any connection to the company, and I said, what the hell, I can do this! Your assurance in the blog that most cover letters are bad was actually really reassuring. I adopted a tone of “explaining to a skeptical sibling why this job is a great fit for my career,” and gave myself a midnight deadline.
I’m headed to a first-round phone screen next week, which isn’t much, but I feel like I’ve opened the door to a whole new world. Thanks as always for your blog!
3. I’m so excited to be able to contribute to the Friday good news! At the beginning of the lockdown I started a new job, as in I went into the office two days before moving permanently to work from home. I really loved the job and the team I left, but the new job, was the type of opportunity I was headhunted for and I thought I couldn’t pass up.
I had worked at a previous iteration of this company going in so I thought that I at least had those relationships going for me. Unfortunately, I came to be working under a person I didn’t expect, while never really getting a manager or knowing what my job is. I became afraid to ask anyone questions as I only received negative and aggressive responses. I also attempted to push back on some things I found racist and weird comments about bodies and was met with literal silence.
I had reached out to my manager at my previous role for advice since I viewed her as a mentor and had been in contact with her since I left. Two weeks ago she and the recruiter at that company reached out to me with an opening for my previous role and I jumped at the chance! In a week I’ll be (virtually) heading back there!
Giving my notice over a week ago really showed me I made the right choice. I’ve only been met with negativity and unprofessionalism. Meanwhile I’ve gotten texts from people at the old/new place who can’t wait to see me!
4. I lost my job in September 2019. It was a rough situation, with a toxic boss and she literally went down a list with HR trying to find a way to fire me. While job hunting, I returned to waiting tables so I could still make some money and have benefits. It was just temporary, or so I told myself. I applied for so many jobs. Made it to so many final interviews where they went with the other candidate because of one little thing or another
Then Covid hit, which made job hunting even harder. As a server, I actually made it through Covid pretty well. I was one of a handful at my location to not be furloughed, and to work curbside during restrictions. The company took pretty good care of everyone. But I still was looking. I expanded my parameters, was more willing to look at lower salary ranges or farther commutes. I wasn’t picky. I could compromise. Well-meaning friends and acquaintances would assure me my turn will come. But job hunting is not a board game. No one looks at my application and says, “Well, she has been unemployed long enough, it’s her turn to get an offer.” Every single job you are starting from scratch.
I had my one-year anniversary at my waiting tables job last week. But yesterday, after 5 rounds of interviews, I accepted an offer from a great company that has recently opened a site in my town. The company impressed me from the start, even being upfront about salary in the initial email. The salary was comfortably in my range, but when they offered me the job, it was at $3000 higher.
I ended up not having to compromise, It’s a good company, my salary is spot on, I have a minimal commute and my interactions with everyone so far have been fantastic. Plus the job itself is pretty much everything I would want in a job and draws on many of my previous experiences.
I had a hell of a year, and I am not just talking about Covid. I am a single parent (with one teenager still with me) and waitressing did not come close to my previous salary. We were evicted and even now are still in temporary housing. There were days I honestly didn’t think I could handle another rejection. I joked that I only needed to make it till my son turned 18 then I could give up. But I wasn’t really joking. I was living on rock bottom.
But I kept plugging. And the feedback when I was offered the position was they loved my energy and my positive attitude.
Thank you and all your readers for continuing to educate and share information to help all of us be in our own best job.
it’s your Friday good news was originally published by Alison Green on Ask a Manager.
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