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Local Voices

ARE YOU LIVING YOUR FANTASY OR WORKING YOUR REALITY?


The slug line says it all “Are you living your fantasy dream job or are you working your present reality? I am a hopeful romantic, I am a sap for romantic comedies and I hated 50 Shades of Gray until they got married in the end. (Sorry if I gave that one away for some of you)

Some people believe that there is one person in the world that is meant for them while others feel there are different loves that come in to your life at different times and make you the person you are in the end when you do end up with “The One”. This theory holds true when it comes to jobs.

In my business I see those who are looking for a job to help them live their lives and pay their bills while others are holding out for the perfect job. Only you can decide what is right for you in your love life, but as a Recruiter I can tell you that I do believe there are different jobs that come in and out of your life for a reason. You may interview for a position and love it but don’t think its the “dream job” so you pass it up to continue searching.

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Here is my feeling on this. When it comes to jobs, you can NEVER predict how something is going to be when your fantasy turns in to your reality OR when your reality turns in to your fantasy. I have heard so many stories of people who thought something was there dream job only to be miserable each day when they went to work, and pleasantly surprised when others who took a job just because they had to fall in to a situation where they were so happy they wouldn’t ever leave. You never know. You have to go in and try it out to see if it is a match for you and sometimes you have to go through a few of those before you land in a place you are happy. Hey, you know the story about kissing all the frogs…this would be the professional equivalent to that.

I have my Masters Degree from Columbia University's Teachers College in Deaf Education and fast forward and 5 years in to my teaching I decided to move to San Francisco. I was young and grew up in New York and went to school in Boston but really wanted to live out West for a little while and there is no better time then when you are in your 20′s.  There was only one thing, I never really thought about how hard it would be to find a job as a teacher of the deaf in December. All teaching positions are in full swing by this time of the year and it was poor planning on my part not to wait until the spring to apply for jobs.

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Oh well, I moved anyway and I loved it. I loved the city, I made amazing friends and I met a girl who was a Recruiter who set me up with temporary Administrative Jobs. Every company I was sent out to called the Recruiter and said they wanted to hire me. Every one. Seriously, EVERY ONE. And I laughed and politely declined each offer. One day the recruiter asked me why I keep turning down these amazing opportunities and I told her I wasn’t an Admin Assistant and I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to hire me to be one. She said to me ” They all loved you, they loved your dark hair, your New York accent and your piss and vinegar personality”. I thought that was funny and flattering, but I was not an Admin. My response to her was “I can fool them for a week on a temp job, but in the end they will not think my accent and dark hair were so cute when I couldn’t do a powerpoint presentation or international travel arrangements. I was a teacher not an Admin.

Then the Recruiter looked me in the eye and said to me ” What do you want to do?”

My response to her question was this: “I want to work with people, I want to help them be the best version of themselves, I want to change lives, I want to make a difference, I want to use my creativity in my work and wanted to make money”.  She said to me, and I will never forget this as long as I live”, She said “You are a Recruiter”.  And she was right and that day I found my professional fantasy.

It happened instantly and romantically and fantastically and I fell head over heels. I went to work for her and had the pleasure, of working with the most amazing group of girls that I could ever imagine being so fortunate enough to meet. This was a dream come true for me. Every day I went in to an office that was full of life, full of excitement and full of positive energy and I learned so much about people, about careers, about approaching the job search about finding the perfect match so that my clients could welcome a new employee in to their company and candidates who came to me for help would walk away with help in their hands.

I became a student of nature and went beyond the scope of filling chairs and really learned about what makes someone want a job, leave a job, stay in a job or want to transition in to another area. I learned alot about myself over the years and I also learned that there isn’t always the perfect job but there is always perfect at the moment or perfect enough for now.  For those of us who have a professional destination you sometimes have to enjoy the turns in the road on your journey and see what path gets you to where you want to go.

Life is short, too short to sit around wait for anyone, or anything. Go out and live your life and if you put yourself out in the world and try different things you will be amazed at the surprises that are waiting for you along the way.

www.thejennifergroup.com

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