New Blog Initiative - Make a Difference

I am re-igniting this Blog to share things with family, friends, and others. Life continues at a dizzying pace and I like to share things with people!

Let me bring you up-to-date. In January 2010 I left the business world to join the non-profit world. This was a very deliberate decision not one that was "forced" on me by losing a job or anything of the sort. I joined a group that provided free heart surgeries to children in 3rd world countries. This made total sense because our 19-year-old daughter has had 10 heart surgeries....and we enjoy doing volunteer work in 3rd world countries.

I went in to this endeavor with perhaps too many stars in my eyes about helping others on a full-time basis. It lasted a year before we agreed to part ways. I am still wanting to believe that not all non-profits have the issues I encountered. I worked hard and raised funds....but not quickly enough for the Founder. I had hoped to stay there for many years but the environment turned out to be not suited to me. Bummer.

So now I am in the job hunt. At age 49. I read the papers and see that it is tough for people in this age group to find jobs. However, I don't "feel" 49. And, the new paradigm (a word which has been overused for too many years) indicates that I could have a good 15-20 years left to work....maybe more if I "want" to. What is your definition of retirement? Mine is not sitting on a rocking chair watching the world go by.

So, age should not be an issue when looking for a job. Income? I think everyone is fairly flexible to a certain degree. It's the new economy, right? Relocation? Okay....not flexible there to be sure. Work ethic? Strong, Experience? Plenty...those gray hairs bring a lot of knowledge and can turn a learning curve into a mere bump in the road. Ethics in general? Strong...we understand what's important and how to create long-term, long-lasting relationships.

So where does this lead? Perhaps in non-profit again. I am not ready to assume that all non-profits are the same. I think I just happened to latch on to one that didn't mesh with my business mentality and drive. Business --- sure. I was there for 26+ years. Being in Sales, Marketing, Finance creates a nice broad skillset that translates in to many industries.

Bottom line is that if you understand people you can succeed. Those skills that they teach in college and continuing ed classes are accurate --- listening is a critical skill. Create solutions that solve problems. Communicate regularly. Be real. Follow through. Dig, dig, dig --- got the extra mile. Make a difference.

I welcome your readership and your comments. Stay tuned for the next installment!