Laura is considering a career move; we're encouraging her to stay with her current job for at least a year and go forward with her company's typical timetable for the end-of-year promotion. There's a "big test" involved but one she will master, hands down. How much better this will look on her resume than just turning her back on the opportunity no matter how frustrated you may be with the job as it is right now. This is strategy.
I've given her a couple of good analogies (I thought so anyway....).
1. Imagine yourself on a bridge. You won't be on it forever. You are moving forward and will get to the other side. Once you are there, you have so many options. Right now, don't jump off the bridge into air ; get on solid ground again where the pathways to what you want or where you want to go are endless.
2. Imagine what you're in right now is a class, an academic, for-credit class. You've paid the tuition, you've slaved away and have one more test to take; the final. Don't quit now. Take the exam and get credit for the course. Let your efforts find their rightful place on your transcript as a course COMPLETED (and done well at that).
I'm not sure this sunk in although past experience tells me it did or will. The number of times I've overheard her talking to her friends, quoting me in a favorable light as saying this, that, or the other reinforces the fact that she gets it, even if there is big push-back in the moment.
And her Dad? Well, he keeps his email responses flowing to the on line job listings she forwards to him for review. In his inimitable wisdom, he analyzes and translates the lingo....yesterday's post was his first salvo; here is his next....
"Leads = they give you a phone book and you're on your own.
Flexible hours means no guaranteed salary.
If they have to tell you what you can do with all the money you will earn, then you will not earn enough money to do those things.
Another loser - give up the idea of insurance sales. It's a real dud of a profession.
Can't wait to see you Wednesday!
Love ya,
DP"
We shall see. We shall see.
All three of our kids are in a state of transition right now as they look at what they want to do next. They don't ask for our advice or want to hear what we think, so we do a lot of listening and nodding.
ReplyDeleteThat's a hard age to be, if you're still exploring what you want to do. She's lucky to have you both in her corner.
ReplyDeleteVery smart analogies. I wish I'd had this advice back in my earlier years!
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