Getting Past the ‘No’s

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Prior to my health issues, I didn’t hear ‘No’ very often. If I got a job interview, generally I got the job. I never had to wait more than a month to get a new position. That all changed in 2021. I could blame it on the pandemic but I think it has more to do with the impacts of the health problems in 2019.

I’m not built to not work. Many people have suggested that I take time off. First off, the funding I have to live on doesn’t make it very comfortable to live. It’s not that I have expensive tastes, but I don’t think my income has been this low since I was in my 20s. Secondly a lot of my identity is tied into my work.

Unfortunately, in 2021, ‘No’ (or variable nice ways of saying it) has become the rule rather than the exception.

I call 2018/19 the year from Hades. Our family farm house burnt down (as well as several other buildings on the farm itself), my mother passed away, my immediate family (aside from my daughters) abandoned us because of my mother’s will and all my health issues (which ended up with me spending a month in the hospital).

The upside is – not only did I survive but my health is for the large part resolved. Except one little thing that feeds into the finding work issues.

I used to be a ‘silver tongued devil’ especially during an interview. I would come away from the meeting knowing I had the job.

Not so much now… Writing no problem, but you don’t write for an interview. Speaking is now a problem. Not as big an issue as it was when I got out of the hospital, but it’s still not 100% and when I get tense (as in a job interview) the speech gets worse.

So what do I do? My blog is one thing. Turning up my networking game is another. I’m still not 100% on that, but I am getting better at it. Next job interview (tomorrow) is thanks to my networking game. I’m hoping I’ll get the job as it’s also a writing gig.

Does anyone have some suggestions on how to up my chances to coming up with a new position?