I remember when I first relocated to the US with my baby girl. I had a clear #vision of the life I wanted for us.
So, I casted a vision of me working in a university setting or government organization that would give me flexibility, stability and a set schedule to care for my daughter, as we settled.
👉 I wanted my new  opportunity to provide an environment for me to grow and develop &add value .
👉I wanted work life balance to have time to  take my daughter to the playground in the evenings &church on the weekends.
❌I didn’t want a job that required travel, or night/ weekends.
❌I didn’t want the hustle & bustle of city life.
Sounds like a clear& perfect vision  right?

🎯Well, prior to our big move,  I  researched the area I was moving to, roles that were a fit for my educational background & professional experience & started applying for #jobs. By the time I moved, I knew where the Arlington Employment Center was, their schedule and services & hit the ground running.

😔 I would love do tell you that I found a job that fit my vision quickly and things turned out as planned.But one month became two, three , four & eventually six…
I went to the center 5 days a week, applied up to 10 jobs a day, attended workshops on everything from #interviewskills, #resumewriting,  #networking, #jobfairs   etc. And still no job.
There were many interviews & second interviews and applications that sunk to the bottom of sinkholes of applicant tracking systems.
I grew anxious, worried,  doubtful of my vision and  whether I had made the right decision to move to the USA. I also struggled with the opinions & suggestions of friends and family about what I should be doing, jobs I should apply to and even suggestions to move again.

🙏But I held on to my vision and pushed on.  By month 6, the job offers came trickling in,  but none that matched my vision exactly. The job I eventually accepted landed me in a limited term role working as administrative assistant at Fairfax County Government . The role was not commensurate with my background and experience but it brought me closer to my vision. I reckoned a foot in the door was all I needed.

😀Now 9+ yrs later- the vision has been realized.

🎯So what am I saying here :
*Having a clear vision doesnt mean things will go as you hoped or planned.
*Preparedness does not equal automatic success .
*Detours dont equal failure.
*Acheiving your vision  will require perseverance.
* You can accept counsel but you have to ignore the noise
* And most importantly, your vision must be clear, simple and easy to communicate  to help you get the support you will need.

Over to you- do you have a vision for this stage or chapter for your life? How are you pushing past the obstacles to stay on track?

Until next time, Remember,ItsALearningLife !

#visioncasting  #careerdevelopment #careerstrategy #careerstory #opportunity #success  #personalgrowth #selfleadership #professionaldevelopment #experience #lifelessons  #itsalearninglife4real