When Life Kept Giving Me Nos, I Pivoted to What I Know

I found a ‘yes’ by taking the path of least resistance

When I first left my husband, I was unsure where I was going to land. I had no idea how I was going to support myself.

My job at that time only had enough work to fill 32 hours a week and offered no benefits. I started there 14 years prior because it was an easy job I could do on the side and still be the mom I needed to be for my kids.

The company was very small with only two year-round employees and a few college students hired during the busy summer season.

I knew I needed to find a new job, but I wasn’t sure what to do.

As I searched for a direction, I read an article about looking back at what I liked to do as a child. What sparked joy in me back then might be a key to a possible career path now. I knew I loved photography. I minored in it during college and at one point had tried to grow a portrait business.

Could this be a path?

I contacted a good friend who knew a well-established photographer. She connected us and he agreed to let me shadow him on a few jobs. He also invited me to his studio to show me photoshop and share a few tricks he’d learned.

As I looked at all the equipment, gear, and programs he used I became overwhelmed. There was a lot to learn and a boatload of expensive equipment to buy. I felt a resistance build inside me. This path didn’t seem like an easy one to slide into.

I was bumping into a wall of no.

So I decided to look into the design field I’d worked in for 9 years but had left when my youngest son was born. I always enjoyed the creative atmosphere of the companies I’d work for and was still in touch with a few contacts in the industry.

I made a few calls and set up lunch dates. A few people I met with knew of a business with an opening. They connected me to the hiring team or owner and we set up interviews.

But in each case, I fell flat in the interview. I flopped. I floundered. I’d been out of the industry for 20 years and a lot had changed. I was no longer hip to current trends. Even the way they referred to certain products had shifted. What I used to do seemed so foreign now. I felt another wave of resistance build — this time from both the hiring managers and from within myself.

This path was also a no.

At this point, I felt frustrated. Every avenue I tried resulted in a no. I decided to regroup and reassess. Options from my past didn’t seem to be the answer. So I pivoted and started focusing on my present skill set.

What do I know and do well at right now?

Although I have no formal training in accounting, I know the program we used at that small company well. I have a good understanding of its principles. I also know how to manage inventory and anticipate customer needs. I know that I’m resourceful. I know what it takes to run a small office.

Could I manage another one?

I pulled out my laptop and typed Office Manager into the search field on Indeed’s website. The description for the first job that popped up sounded like it was written about me. It was a direct match to what I already know. They even used the words curious, thoughtful, and perceptive to describe the ideal candidate.

I couldn’t help but smile. I’d used those same words to describe myself in a bio on a dating profile.

I tweaked my resume to highlight my strengths which best matched their requirements and sent it in. Within a few days, I received a call from the hiring manager.

We hit it off immediately.

She asked me to come in for an interview with the owner of the company and a few of their employees. It was another small business and they wanted to make sure my personality meshed with the vibe of the office.

I admired their thinking on this. To me, it showed they cared about their current employees and were mindful of who they brought into the fold.

The in-person interview went well. I felt comfortable. There were a few things I needed to learn, but they didn’t seem insurmountable. It felt like an easy fit.

I was overjoyed when I got a call a few days later with a job offer. I’d done it. I found a place to land.

And during my search for a new job, I learned a valuable lesson. When I’m bumping into walls of nos, it’s time to focus on the present and pivot in the direction of what I know. By taking the path of least resistance, my search began to flow.

In doing so, I found a yes.

kasey sparks, © 2022

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