The Road Ahead

The road ahead sometimes doesn’t appear as it may seem. You think you’re on the right path only to get derailed, whether you expected it or not. In my case, it was being let go from my project manager position with Metro Strategies.

Since this is my second stint with unemployment, I’ve learned a few things about how to navigate through turbulent waters and weird curves, as well as what I am looking for next. This time around, I am determined to do the following:

1. Embrace the things I have. I have a roof over my head and a family who loves me.
2. I refuse to be embarrassed – I stand by my work and my career.
3. Make sure to process through cycle of grief, acceptance and moving on in a productive way.
4. Reaching out to my network and friends in a proactive way.
5. Take a look at the road ahead. Use today as an opportunity to make changes.

Opportunity

Many people don’t view unemployment as an opportunity, even though it is. For me, it is the opportunity to take stock of my career and focus on my skills and where I want to go. There is a freedom in allowing for creativity. For example, I have solid technical expertise in geographic information systems, the tools in which allow decision making based on spatial relationships. I also have extensive experience in communications – the ability to break down concept ideas in transportation and infrastructure – and communicate this to the layperson, to elected officials, and to business and community organizations. It helps that I’ve also had experience as a stakeholder on the other side – as co-founder and president of a community organization, Jefferson Park Forward.

The opportunity is how I use these skills. And where. If I am being honest, I would say that consulting has not been good for me. I’ve had two consulting gigs end in layoffs. With young kids, I am looking for stability. I’ll sacrifice for it. This realization is big – it’s potentially career defining.

The Road Ahead

So what does the road ahead look like? I am still figuring it out. But based on my experiences and what I enjoy most, I think I am looking for the following:

1. A client-side position in the government or non-profit sector in which I’d have the ability to affect change. Whether that is executing or implementing a plan or program, or whether it is in transportation policy, that is where I am most comfortable and have found the most success.
2. Direct impact. I am interested in roles in which visibility is high. Not necessarily my visibility, but visibility where my work informs decisions that make a positive impact in people’s lives.

I’ll be in touch soon, for coffee, lunch or drinks. To share information and laughter. And sooner or later, I’ll be working again. In the mean time, I am always reachable here.