HAPPEN members are finding new employment every week. Here's an email we received today:
Fellow HAPPENites:
How unbelievable these words still sound, but they are true. I have
accepted a position.
This has been a drama with twists and turns and only the intervention of the
Good Lord has given it a successful outcome. The details are too many for
an e-mail, but you will know that on a number of occasions, it looked as if
I would not get the job. In fact, I was initially turned down for the job.
Suffice it to say that I received a call on Christmas Eve, at the last
possible moment, as Santa's gift. The rest has been the paper process of
getting me started as of Monday, January 26th.
There are many people to thank--in fact all of you, because you are all
stars in your own right. Every conversation that every one of you had with
me gave me encouragement and a reason to try harder.
Honourable mentions go to John Heckbert, Jim Geraghty, Robin Wright and to Greg Brown for his ridiculous ties--the comic relief to an otherwise serious business.
Some thoughts for you to consider:
1. Never, ever give up. To do so would be to dishonour all the other
HAPPEN members that are pulling for you everyday.
2. Show up. Woody Allen will tell you that it is 80% of life. Get in
front of people, not behind your computer. The more you talk to others, the
more buzz, the better you get at representing yourself. Social networking
tools will only take you so far.
3. Give without thinking. Pay it forward (as in the movie). It will come
back to you bigger and better.
4. Follow up every lead, no matter how unlikely. I got this job because I
went to a job fair (unlikely for a Director level job) and talked to the
right person. Your dance card number will come up.
5. Ping your network regularly. Even for no specific reason. These are
the people who will give you glowing references.
I will continue to be an active HAPPEN member.
