Stop shrinking to fit places you’ve outgrown

Stop shrinking to fit the places you’ve outgrown. That saying is more relevant today than ever. Have you ever seen a cat curl up in the bathroom sink? It’s such a cool and comfortable place for them. What if a giant Great Dane puppy was trying to fit in the bathroom sink? That suggestion doesn’t sound like a very comfortable fit. Could this be you in your preparation to return to work after confinement?

If you’ve been out of a job during the pandemic and dread going back to where you paid the bills but didn’t necessarily enjoy, now is the time to find a place that’s a natural fit. Ask yourself what you enjoy or have been doing during lockdown that could pay the bills because there is a shortage of workers right now in all professions.

I lived in a ski area for several years and due to the high cost of living, there was always a shortage of workers throughout the year. So, in addition to my usual profession (which I enjoyed by the way) I was able to learn to fly a hot air balloon, as well as work as a Disc Jockey on the local rock radio. Imagine being able to be the voice of your town on weekends while thousands of people skied and climbed the ski lifts with your voice broadcasting everywhere.

My regular job at the ski area was choreographing music for aerobics classes, which found a place on my resume that was relevant to playing rock music on the radio. It happened because there was a shortage of workers at the time. This hobby as the regular weekend jock lasted over fifteen years and paid for all the extras my son needed to ski.

Now is the perfect time to fit into a place you’d like to be instead of jumping into that job you no longer enjoy. It starts with taking a look at his current hobbies, his current resume, and his current mindset. If you can’t find relative experience on your resume, you may need to spice up your personality and convince the person hiring you that you’re passionate about the job you’re offering.

Also, due to lockdowns, many certifications are being offered online that require minimal effort. An expert certification can show that you are qualified to be self-employed. Now is the time to go for it.

If you love to exercise, a Personal Trainer certification can be rigorous if you’re new to the information, but it’s not rocket science. Becoming a document signer (usually available through your state) can allow you to go to people’s homes to obtain out-of-state real estate documents and get paid per page. Mobile notaries are quite popular, and a friend of mine has opened a business for seniors where she cooks meals in her own home (no kitchen or health department regulations) and leaves them a week’s worth of meals to defrost every day . She enjoys the benefits of kindness in helping someone.

The world is opening up and professions are changing like never before. I think most jobs will be reimagined as things open up and now is the time to get creative and give it a try. If you don’t have a resume, there are many software programs and companies online for less than $100.00 to design one for you. Better yet, maybe you could buy one of these programs and create a resume for someone else.

If I weren’t happily retired to sit by the window and listen to the birds while I write articles, I might try one of these ideas myself. Think about looking for that new company now because you may never see this opportunity again.