Starting Over...
My career journey after relocating to the UK. What I did to get my first job.
When we first moved to Cambridge, I felt extremely lost. Moving to a new country as a family with 3 young kids was intense. We had lost the comfort of home, having help and family within easy reach. There was a lot to figure out and for the first few months, I was extremely overwhelmed. I also had to deal with the difficult realization that in order to settle properly, I needed to get a JOB.
I had been self employed for years and going back to a formal job was a daunting option but it was the necessary option. How do you get a job when the last time you worked for a company was over 8 years ago? How do you start over? I knew I had no choice but to reinvent myself. I am going to share everything I did to get a job but please understand that these tips are not limited to just jobs, they can be applicable to many aspects of our lives
Clarity: I needed to be clear on what I wanted to do. A friend had initially suggested being a Scrum master but I had not heard about it before and immediately dismissed it. But it kept coming up in my mind, so I decided to do some research about it. I realised it was a role that allowed me to use my skills naturally and once I was clear on it, I decided to go for it.
Identified my skills: I had to assess what my natural skills and gifts were, to help determine what roles I wanted to apply for. My coaching, project management, communication and relationship skills helped me decide that being a scrum master was the ideal role for me but I didn’t box myself in a corner. I also chose to explore similar roles including Agile Delivery Manager and Project Manager roles.
Asked for help: I realized my sister in law was also a scrum master so I asked for her advice. She told me about her role, the pros and cons, the knowledge I needed and was so open with information. I also shared with as many people as I knew that I was looking for a job and my dear friend Oyinda of Career Ready helped me to put together my CV. I was not shy to ask for help
Put the work in: Once I was clear that I wanted to be a scrum master, I knew I had work to do. I started to study intensely in order to get the required certification so I could improve my chances with prospective employers. I took my exam at 4am in the morning on the day we moved to a new place. I studied with all my free time in between having 2 young kids at home. I had a clear routine and structure for the kids and worked around them. I knew it was a necessary sacrifice and there was a price to pay.
Be excited to learn: I also really loved learning about it all, so that helped, as learning was exciting for me as I felt more confident and in control with the knowledge I acquired. In my studying and research, I realised I had actually been applying scrum principles to projects I had done for my husband’s concerts or even in publishing my book. Understanding the framework was key. Acquire the knowledge you need.
Keyed into my previous experience: Every experience is valid even the bad ones. Although I was self employed, I made sure I emphasized my previous experiences on my CV. I didn’t dismiss anything. The work planning musical events and concerts, the community I built for pregnant women and mothers, the work I did planning events and awareness campaigns about baby loss, my work at the bank, self publishing my book, volunteer work etc. They were all relevant.
Confidence: I always approached my interviews with confidence. I didn’t go in feeling like someone was doing me a favor because I knew they were going to compensate me for the value I brought to the organization and it was not free money. So I approached interviews with the mindset of also interviewing them and assessing if the company was one I also wanted to work for. I talked to the interviewers with respect but was not intimated. I made sure I built a rapport and was warm as we spoke. This helped me relax a lot. After a couple of months of actively applying and many rejections, I secured 3 job offers
Dealing with Rejection: Rejection was a reality as I was applying to at least 10 jobs a day. I always had to edit my CV to reflect what the company was looking for and make sure I was mirroring the words in their job description so my cv could pass through the first stage with the software. I stopped taking rejections personal. Every time I got one, I deleted it and focused on applying for the next job. I didn’t let them distract me or get me down. Rejections do not define your value and worth.
God is your anchor: Even with all of this, I am aware that other people have applied all the same principles and still haven’t been successful. For me, God was my anchor even through the rejections, the exhaustion, interviews etc. I was clear from the beginning the type of role I wanted because God used a friend to plant a seed and my sister in law helped to water it. I believe God is still the one who holds the keys the to the heart of men and he wanted me to have the jobs I had and gave ease. If you have done everything, be still in his presence and ask him to show you what you need to do. And in his kindness, I went from one job to another in 11 months with double the previous income.
I hope this has helped someone on how to approach your season of transition.
I have now left that job as led by God to focus on coaching full time. I was aware that my getting the job was so supernatural that when God told me to leave, I knew I could trust him. He had a different assignment for me and I am focused on following this call.
I believe I have the gift to help people find clarity when things seem foggy. I believe that due to my personal experiences, I am aware we can actually transform and reinvent our lives. You can be and do anything God says you should do. Many of us are too afraid and insecure so we don’t reach our potential and I am here to hold your hand on this journey. This is what I know God has called me to do in this season. If you are ready to transform your life and go after the vision God has given you, then let me walk on this with you as your Coach.
You can book a one hour Clarity Session Here
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P.s I also share more of the story on my next podcast episode so make sure you listen in.
Lots of love,
Tito.