When Jennifer M was laid off from her job in the publishing industry, she joined many of her peers in a competitive job market. Rather than look at her situation as negative, she instead used the time to assess her skills and figure out where she really wanted to do with her future.
“I was laid off from publishing two years ago,” says Jennifer. “There were so many other folks from publishing laid off at the time. I was inspired by the stories of folks who chose a different solution and career path.”
By working with GetFive, she analyzed her core competencies and explored other jobs that sparked her interest. She wanted something she could feel passionate about, something that made her feel excited to get up each day.
“I re-assessed my skill set and decided that I could be a writer as well as an editor. But instead of being a freelance writer, which would depend on being in the publishing world, I chose to focus on going directly to schools,” Jennifer says. “Now I am the Curriculum Director for a school.”
As she focused on making the transition, she learned patience is key. She tells others who are in a similar situation to never give up hope.
“The wait feels forever, but it’s not. It will happen. Really consider all the different options instead of trying for the same type of job that laid you off,” says Jennifer.
Today she writes curriculum, assessments and other materials for a chain of schools. What’s more, she works with many of the people who were involved in her mass industry layoff.
“I hire the folks who were laid off with me to do writing,” she says. “But while they are comfortable freelancing, I appreciate the full-time position.”
Jennifer is a great example of turning a negative into a positive. Just as the old saying goes, when one door closes, another opens. It’s up to you to walk through it.
“The layoff allowed me to explore new opportunities and I couldn’t be happier!” she says.
