I'm All Wet

I clearly remember my first "informational meeting" after being home for 16 years with children.  I was a wreck that rainy afternoon.  I was getting together with a pr director at a local university, just to get my feet wet, so to speak.  Unfortunately, I was so nervous after I parked the car and was hustling into the building that I lost my balance and stepped into a huge puddle.  I spent the entire meeting with my left foot soaked through.  It was hard to concentrate.

I realized something that I'll pass along:  If you are a young, working woman and plan to leave your job to have children, get samples of your projects!  When I left the ad agency all those years ago, I didn't give a second thought to my future career.  At that point in my life, I was consumed with becoming a mom.  And for many years, that role - combined with lots of volunteer work - kept me satisfied.

It wasn't until last year that I dusted off my portfolio to find it in a sorry state.  I have very little that reflects my depth of experience.  When I start getting those interviews (I'm being optimistic here!), I'll have to talk a good game to make up for the lack of visuals.

Back to the meeting ... I was so timid that the pr director, in her kindness, basically walked me through my background.  She made me feel like I could actually work in my profession again, something I hadn't reconciled with myself yet.  Unless you've been a mom at home for several years, it's hard to describe how difficult it is to cross back over.

Luckily, I've made some great strides in the ego department.

Three Strikes

I need a job in my profession, which is public relations, writing/editing, media relations, communications, etc. However, I have a few strikes against me.


Strike one: I’m 53-years old. I don’t feel like I’m in my fifties, but I am and I have to face up to it. My lawyer (I’m going through a divorce) recently said to me she wished that I was in my forties because it “would be easier to find employment in your field.” And, she added, “there are many fifty-somethings out there looking to switch careers.” Not a lot of encouragement. But I do agree with her - I also wish I was ten years younger, for many reasons, which I won’t go into here.

Strike two: Other than a brief stint as a newspaper reporter in 2009, I have been out of the job market for 17 years. Yikes! I was home raising my three children, now ages 18, 16 and 12, volunteering away, but not doing much for my resume. The oldest is going off to college soon and … did I mention that I’m going through a divorce? Money is suddenly tighter than it has ever been.

Strike three: Social media has totally transformed the communications field since I’ve been away. Blogs, platforms and viral buzz have replaced printed newsletters, press packets and galleys. Cutting and pasting is a thing of the past. Are there even archives and galleys anymore? To get hired in this Internet age, I have to talk the talk, walk the walk and learn the ins and outs of social media.

I’m not totally out of the loop. I am on Facebook, although I often find it nauseating to read about other people’s minutia. I text as well, but my phone is the older style and it takes forever. Today, I joined Twitter to see what it was like. Other than my son, I don’t quite know who to follow yet.

But I’m willing to learn because I have to. I can’t picture my work life going on much longer the way it has been. I’m already on my second minimum-wage job in two months and it isn't going all that well. I’d go into more detail here but I’d like to save something for a future entry (or is it called posting?).

I just realized something … I’m a blogger now. I’ve taken a giant step into web-based communications and I’m proud of it! Wish me luck!!!