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Keep the Faith, Virginia

By David Pego

Yes, Virginia, there is a nice, meaningful job out there for you.

As surely as each day brings new sunshine and warmth, each new sunrise also brings you closer to the career that you want.

Life is bittersweet for many.  Some spend all too much time buried in self-made misery.  They run on a treadmill of career futility created by their own frustrations and inability to keep forging ahead toward new and better things.

Some wait and expect that perfect job to arrive like the annual gifting from generous St. Nicholas.  But they forget to take time to prepare the tray of milk and cookies.  Giving and receiving is a reciprocal process.  So is finding that special, meaningful career.

Be prepared, Miss Virginia

It requires preparation.  You must be able to present yourself with proper qualifications, Miss Virginia, when someone is looking to find someone to stand on the first step of success in their company. And, yes, I know you already have done this.

To get where you finally want to go will not be easy, but it will be worthwhile.

And just as you prepare for any journey in life, you must prepare a map for where you want to go, otherwise you will spend months, years, or decades traveling along fruitless pathways, in frustrating directions.

Just as you have written a letter to St. Nicholas asking exactly what you wanted over many Christmases past, sit down a write a note to yourself outlining what you want in a career.  And remember that the gift of a job you may find will surely be more than money and some enchanting office place.  It should also be an opportunity to do good for the world, even at somewhat of a cost of compensation given directly to you.  Real happiness in a job is sometimes seeing the same smiles you see when you watch the smiles of young children who still believe in St. Nicholas as they anxiously tear away gift wrappings on Christmas morning.

Look backward to get ahead

Think back, Virginia.  Yes, you have the same impatience you once had when you were struggling to go to sleep on many Christmas Eves as a girl.  The effort to find a new job is wearisome, but a noble process.  You must remember that there are many winners in this game.  Someone has to win.  Yes, there may be many Christmas gifts over the years that you will not like, but surely there will be many, many more that are perfect for you at that given moment, given day, given year.

Keep the faith, Virginia.  Just as you once believed in Santa Claus, believe in that perfect job.  Search harder.  Whisper tiny prayers.  Fill your heart with hope and optimism, not envy and contempt for those who seem to be where you think you would like to go.

Sometimes job hunting is like turning over spring leaves on Easter morning, looking for a prize-filled, colored egg.  You know a treasure is out there, but it takes patience and determination to find what you really want.

And spring is a wonderful time of year.  After a barren wintertime, hope and change and new life springs forth like wildflowers dotting bright green May pastures.

Keep the faith

Yes, Virginia, there really is a great job out there for you.

And every rejection from an employer who was hiring for the job you thought you really wanted only brings you one day closer to that amazing miracle – when you find a perfect match, a company that will respect you for what you will bring to it.

Believe in yourself and believe in your destiny, dear Virginia.

You have worked hard to get where you are and you are too good not to find your pathway very soon.