Job searching, learning and Flamin' Hot Cheetos

This is the third post in my job search series.  The first two were on organizationlessness and rejection.  While those covered the more painful moments of my job search, this one describes my learning process. 

I am someone who likes learning and I use experiences, even unpleasant ones,  toward this end. While this period has been hard for me, it has afforded me opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise.

The first is that I have been able to spend time at my child's school. I now have a greater understanding of what goes on in an elementary school class room and the struggles kids are having either in their personal life or academic life. I have also learned about modern class room management issues.  I know you were wondering how the Flamin' Hot Cheetos figured into this story and are probably getting hungry about now.  While I was volunteering in the classroom, my son's teacher made a comment about how she was having issues with Cheetos in the classroom.  I looked at her quizzically. Sure enough, a little while later, a student was trying to eat  those Hot Cheetos when they weren't supposed to be.

I have also learned how supportive my network can be.  After I initially posted on Facebook that my political appointment was ending, several people reached out. People who I didn't know well have taken me out to coffee and helped me on my search.  Others who I have sometimes had conflict with spent hours with me. Former colleagues helped me remember all the work I have done. I have caught up with a lot of people and have been able to pay fuller attention to them.

My compassion has grown for people in similar circumstances. I have worked on diversity and equity work from a place of privilege. This is the first time in over 20 years that I have not been employed.  It is good for me to at least have some lived understanding of what other people are going through.

I have also learned a lot about how the workplace is changing. I  last worked at the State of Minnesota, which is a bit behind the times. The offices of some of the smaller organizations I visited look really really different. They have more flexible schedules.  Data is becoming a big part of  even nonprofit jobs (hopefully someone is thinking more about how we should use the data in a just way).


And last, I have signed up for formal education. I am on day one of a finance course at the University of St. Thomas and will become a qualified Intercultural Development Inventory administrator in April.

I do hopefully be able to find a meaningful  job or become a sought after consultant, but I know I will continue to learn in this uncomfortable period.