All tagged HR
This is probably the most trying week I’ve ever experienced. I’d say that’s true for many of us. However, due to a few chance things that fell into place for me over the last few months, I’m significantly less stressed than I could be.
For most of 2019 writing was a big part of my life. I spent several hours every day being creative, interacting on social media, thinking about how to convey my message to a larger audience. I was meeting new people, and reconnecting with old friends while learning about myself.
A few weeks ago I was rejected for a position I really wanted. I wrote about it at length here. Details are not important or interesting enough to go into here, but I felt the sting of this rejection again this evening. And since this happened while I’m watching the World Series, I’ll quote the great Yogi Berra to describe how this feels, “It’s deja vu all over again.”
I’m a Libra which according to every astrologist I’ve encountered means I should be concerned with balance. Good thing I don’t believe in woo-woo stuff like astrology or else I’d be worried that there is something wrong with me. Hell, there’s a lot wrong with me, but maybe it has very little to do with the scales.
It recently occurred to me that I will not ever be a mechanic. Or a viola player. Or an accountant. Or an engineer. Or a clown. I’m 100% okay with the clown thing, but the rest? I think it would be interesting to learn more about so many things. But unless I figure out how to live 500 lifetimes, I don’t foresee diesel mechanic happening any time soon.
I logged into LinkedIn this morning to check my messages and the top of my newsfeed was a former co-worker who had just updated her title to VP of Global Talent. I’m embarrassed to admit, my initial response was not positive—it was more of a punch in the gut.
When I was a kid, I loved the Fisher-Price Little People. I had the farm, house, Sesame Street, A-Frame and house boat, just to name a few. All of these sets were inherited from my brother, Jeremy, and were well-worn with more than a few missing parts.
So what’s my beef with SHRM19 and other HR conventions? Well, I’ll tell you. The ideas and concepts discussed there are the only things to happen in Vegas that actually stay in Vegas.
I’ve always considered myself to be a genuine person. I respect people from all walks of life and treat everyone I meet with respect. Growing up in a rural area taught me that I can learn something from an illiterate farmhand as readily as an ivy-league educated CEO.
Without really trying, I grew a career out of a job that I fell into haphazardly. I find people engaging, so it’s not like I've hated my work, but once you start down a path, it’s difficult to change course. Actually, it’s impossible to change without a strong desire or plan to try something different.
I assume midlife is a time to try new stuff, to experiment, to stretch beyond where you thought you could reach. This is what I’m doing; working on my writing skills.
