Stepping Stones

It has been an interesting 2 weeks. My job has gotten very busy and we seem to be receiving more jobs in the near future that will keep us on our toes and thus it has come time to hire an assistant. First and foremost I am grateful to be employed and to truly enjoy what I do. Secondly, the fact that we have been blessed with new opportunities after weathering a harsh storm gives me an attitude of gratitude and a hope for a promising future. So, I placed an ad on Craigslist and awaiting the plethora of applicant’s resumes. Within 24 hours I received approximately 140! Just goes to show you that there are a lot of unemployed people out there. I took the weekend to review about 25 or so, since after my initial review there were many to eliminate as candidates immediately. For instance, I really don’t care that you like to work out, take long walks on the beach and walk your dogs. This is a resume for a job, not a singles dating application!! Also, please remember to change the objective on your resume to be applicable to the job in which you are applying.  I am running a professional office within the building industry, NOT a hair salon, doctor’s office, dental office or restaurant. Yup, I had some real winners that I could write about, but that would be unprofessional!!

I finally got it down to 4 applicants that I would call in for interviews.  I was pleasantly surprised that all of the candidates were mature women with plenty of life and professional experience.  Although interviewing is not one of my favorite things to do, I do enjoy meeting new people, have compassion for those looking for work & enjoy seeing how people respond to situational and random questions. After asking one of the applicants what she considered to be her greatest strength & weakness, I really appreciated her candidness referring to the fact that she did not have college degree.  First of all it is not a job requirement and I listened to her refer back to opportunities in which she was not even considered for not having this certificate. Now, please do not misunderstand me when I say this… But, when you have a master’s degree worth of life experience in a given field or several different fields for that matter, I find it extremely unfair to hold a college degree in higher regard then experience. As I said, this woman was mature, very professional and had years of pertaining experience in our field of work.  I am a firm believer in advanced education and furthering your options and value in any given field, however, something’s are not “rocket science” and there needs to be a value set for the “school of hard-knocks” education.  And YES, I do realize that there is a flip side to this with young adults getting out of college and not being able to get work in their field of education due to the fact that they have NO experience! There are many different types of discriminating factors to the job search and many of us have run into them whether it is ethnicity, beliefs, age, weight, lack of experience, etc… All I am simply saying is that everyone deserves a chance whether you have a 2 year or 4 year degree, a doctorate or a master’s in life experience. For me, I was looking for someone that had common sense, a willingness to learn and that I could sit next to for 10 hours a day and tolerate as well as them tolerate me!!! True story….LOL!

Which brings me to my point…I truly believe that there is a “plan” for each and every one of us. All of our experiences in life happen for a reason and prepare us for the next step. Life gives us a series of “stepping stones” with all of the lessons learned, trials and tribulations as well as the great experiences we have had. We bring the knowledge learned with us to each new endeavor that is set before us. It is all part of the “plan”. How many times have you been put in a situation, have had time to reflect and know that there was a previous experience or situation that you went through that prepared you for this exact moment in time? Beyond a shadow of a doubt, you KNOW that you could not have had the strength, coping skills or perseverance in this situation without having learned from something you went through yesterday, last year or 5 years ago. I know that I can think of many! This is exactly why we need to embrace each moment, whether you perceive it to be good or bad, it is a stepping-stone to what is coming next. Life is sometimes like a connect- the-dot page that you did when you were little. Start at 1, then 2, then 3, etc…; ultimately creating a beautiful picture. All of the dots are somehow connected in life too. Remember what we actually use stepping stones for. We use them as a means of creating a path. Whether they are made out of concrete or stone, we lay them to guide us and keep us on the path in which we are walking.

I was greatly reminded this week, as I sat across the desk interviewing these women and finding myself out of my “comfort zone”, that life is merely a series of stepping stones. Each step we take is an opportunity to expand our knowledge and stretch ourselves. Sometimes the direction of that path changes due to unforeseen circumstances, but part of the excitement and joy of living is awaiting  where the next stepping stone will leads us and what magnificent views we will experience along the way!

Just Sayin’,

Christina