A few weeks ago a friend encouraged me to apply for a job at her company. Motivated, I went right home and went to the Careers portion of the company’s website. Name. Check! Address. Check. Phone and email. Check Check. Upload Resumé. Uh oh. More like cross-check!
How long had it been since I’d updated my resumé? Yikes! I searched my laptop, which replaced my completely crashed laptop in November of 2014. The only files that came up were all resumés that belonged to my sons.
Well, isn’t that telling! So, in the past couple years I have edited resumés, formatted them, and cheered as my sons landed pretty incredible positions. But me? Not a draft of my achievements to be found.
So, I vowed to dig out a hard copy at some point and start over. And then I went on a walk. And made dinner. Watched a hockey game. And didn’t think of it again. Until today.
Linked In emailed me this morning to inform me of a freelance position at a lifestyle publication catering to mid-lifers. Well, that’ll get the attention of an empty-nested 53-year-old, won’t it? I made some coffee and followed the links in my jammies, feeling a little nervous.
Returning to the working world after writing freelance (with the emphasis on “free”) for various non-profits for which I’d been involved over the past 20-something years, is daunting to say the least. Such accountability! I’m not even sure I want to — but I probably need to. Not for the money, or the clout. But for the mind, body and spirit.
Being a “stay-home mom” (always a funny little description since none of the stay-home moms I knew ever stayed anywhere for very long) for the past 24 years, using my gifts of writing, speaking and organization to help out PTAs, churches, foundations, booster clubs and the like, was extremely gratifying and enriching. I was helping the very organizations that served my family, I was exercising my professional skills, and it was all voluntary and project-based (meaning, I didn’t have to punch a clock, could say no-thank-you when I wanted, and work from anywhere (like editing a newsletter while I sat in a ski lodge).)
Once the nest emptied, and those natural school-based volunteer opportunities dried up, it was much more difficult to find places to use those gifts and talents on a casual basis. And the lack of a “team” of folks to work with makes a huge difference. I will tell you, after the camaraderie of a vibrant magazine office back in the day, and the teamwork of a Board of Directors speaking into your projects, it is lonely and desolate looking at a blank Word file, determined to finally write that screenplay that’s been dancing in the back of the mind for a few years. So instead, you know, a person might close up and head to the gym.
But today, I did it. I created my resumé, from scratch, digging deep into my long-term memory to extract dates, projects, jobs and skills. I even put a few little funny nuggets in there, just in case someone reads all the way through (Bonus points if they respond to my “Roll Tide” reference!) I sent it to two companies. I guess I have resumed my professional life.
Now it’s up to my Resumé — go, resume and flourish!
McMusings 
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