Success is Possible

In my earliest days as a job placement director I worked with what some would term the 'toughest to place'. these job seekers included individuals on welfare who were federally funded to get training and find jobs, young mothers left widowed with several children, and individuals with major background challenges such as felonies for selling weapons and mental hospitalization.

In many cases we faced the additional barriers of:

(1) not wanting to work; and
(2) not believing there was anything to offer.

While the effort to claim self-worth and belief in a different kind of future goes far beyond teaching someone how to find a job or how to write a powerful resume, the critical point is that 94-97% of my 'unemployables' found gainful employment in their field of training within 90 days. It was truly life changing for all of us!

Believe me, you will never forget it when you hear challenges such as:

• "How do I overcome that I have never held a real job before where I am paid over the table?"
• "How do I explain that I went to jail for selling the stolen guns my husband had left in the car when he took off and left me with the kids and I had to feed them?"
• "Laura, I'm 65 years old and took care of my husband while he suffered from stomach cancer for two years and I used up all our savings and now owe tens of thousands in medical bills. I can't make ends meet with social security and have to find a job or I am going to lose my house..."

What did this teach me, these job seekers with their challenges?

That anything is possible! If individuals with the greatest barriers possible can find satisfying employment with no experience, checkered pasts, and huge challenges, then anyone can be successful!

What it showed me was that when a job seeker came to me with fears, I knew that all of them could be overcome!

I helped my clients to laugh in the face of 'no degree', 'too old', and 'over-qualified'. I empowered them to realize that they just needed to capitalize on the tools and strategies to be successful. Together we utilized the approach of 'feel the fear and do it anyway' and 'act as if and the reality will come'!

Today, believe that YOU can be anything you want and begin believing in it!

Next time, we'll review some strategies to begin moving toward your goals!

Until then this is Laura DeCarlo, Career Superhero, www.careerdirectors.com