Hi again 👋 Another month of 2023 down. Where to begin….
Still Jobless
Three months into this unplanned vacation from the corporate world, I have to say, I'm kind of impressed that I'm still here. Back in the beginning, I had this silly notion that if I didn't find a job by July 1st, I'd be in deep trouble financially. But surprise, surprise, I've surpassed that deadline, hello August, though now I can feel the self-doubt sneaking in and the money worries starting to nag at me.
But let's not make it all about the downbeat stuff. There have been some bright moments in the midst of this rollercoaster ride. I've had a few interviews, and even some offers on the table. Negotiations are underway, and I'm feeling pretty hopeful about landing something great.
But let me tell you about my one round of interviews – it was a real doozy! Three rounds of back-and-forth, it all started off mostly promising, but when it came to making an offer, they tried to lure me in with a less-than-stellar salary. When I tried to push back, they made it sound like I'd be walking a tightrope without a net. They also struggled to answer questions around what their office culture was like and said very little about why it was a good place to work, most places I’ve spoken to go out of their way to sell how great they are to work for. I’m feeling a few red flags and my gut is saying no.
But hey, it hasn't been all bad. I managed to snag a brief part-time contract for four weeks, which brought in some much-needed cash and gave me a break from the endless cover letter writing. Thank goodness for that mini vacation from "the search."
You know what's tricky? This whole mid-career limbo situation. I'm stuck in this strange place where I'm too experienced for some roles, yet not experienced enough for others. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack. So yeah… I’m hopeful and there are definitely things happening.
Not Job Stuff
On the family front, the flu decided to make an appearance in our household. We were all down for the count, and let me tell you, it was worse than any battle royale. I know a bunch of people who’ve been knocked down recently and I’m getting the impression that the flu is a mightier opponent than covid. Flu bugs, not cool!
I'm determined not to let unemployment be my entire identity. I'm gearing up for some serious running adventures – the Sri Chinmoy 100 (well, a 25km section of it, I’m no Courtney Dauwalter, yet) and Kosciuszko ultra trail 50km. With a little help from ChatGPT, I'm following a training plan, and it's been great to get out there and feel the wind on my face again, not to mention these clear warm days we’ve been having lately.
So here I am, embracing the uncertainty and staying hopeful that the perfect opportunity is just around the corner. Life's got its ups and downs, and I constantly have the Venga Boys tune, Up and Down playing in my head (possibly not the worst but yeah….)
Perhaps I need to listen more to Luke Million’s Arnold - DOWN UP - Come on - MORE ENERGY!
Awesome to hear Nick! :) Looking forward to your next update
You gotta throw Break My Stride by Matthew Wilder (only just learned a bloke sung that song) into the mix. That song is you and your unplanned sabbatical all over!