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A Story of (Re)Building Confidence
After 16 years as an Executive Sales Consultant for a software company, Teri had a clear five year plan to retirement. She was happy in her current job, and felt confident about her skills and future. One unsuspecting day, Teri was let go without warning and she reported feeling devastated. She had no idea where to turn next, and felt “discouraged, unwanted, old, and just plain un-special” as she thought about searching for a new job. She was having a hard time envisioning what her future would, and could, look like with what seemed like very minimal options.
One of Teri’s first steps was to sign up for an orientation at WorkSource Rogue Valley. During a visit she learned about Rethinking Job Search and she figured the workshop couldn’t hurt. She was certain that hundreds of individuals were applying to every job in the area, and she felt that she had minimal opportunities to impress employers with her skills. She was open to utilizing any resource that could help her get ahead, and she entered into the first cohort of Rethinking Job Search in southern Oregon.
As Teri completed each lesson, she began to build confidence in her abilities and her options began to grow. She was learning how to “rethink” the negative thoughts associated with the challenging situation that she had just experienced. In doing this, she naturally began to discover the strength in her transferable skills that she had acquired over her successful career. She began to explore new opportunities and ideas about what she wanted in the future.
As Teri continued to move forward, she met dynamic insurance agent, Brad Linnell, at his State Farm office and really enjoyed his team. Although she had never considered a career in insurance, she knew that she wanted to find the right work partner and environment that aligned with her values and interests. She used what she was learning in her Rethinking Job Search workshop lessons to identify her transferable skills, and maintain confidence in pursuing a completely new career path. With her rediscovered confidence, she knew she could do anything that she set her mind to.
After a month of hard work and studying, Teri passed all of her tests, earned her license, and started immediately working as an insurance producer in southern Oregon. Teri’s husband Neil says he is “very proud of his wife for having the confidence to start a whole new career and not giving up even when she comes home overwhelmed.” Teri says “a person with determination will find a way of doing something they want to do. They will ‘rethink’ the roadblocks and fear of failing.”
Rethinking Job Search made an impact on how Teri thought about her future, and ultimately helped her find her current career. She reports that “the Rethinking Job Search workshop taught me that the best fit for me is a job where I can achieve my life goal of balance between my ‘work life’ and my ‘home life.’ Risky thinking doesn’t stop after you start your job. Although, the thrill of signing the new hire paperwork is behind me, risky thinking still happens. Being able to rethink and create an action plan is: practice, practice, practice. It is really about being able to say, ‘who would I be if I let this go?’ I am confident that I can learn and perform the work necessary to succeed in the insurance field. I embrace what I have to offer. ”
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