Workforce Adjustment, WFA, affected, surplus, lay-off, alternation, blah, blah, blah . . . let's face it, everyone working for the Government of Canada is just plain effected these days.
Now, the word-du-jour is affected but I like effected. Typically a noun, effected means something produced by a cause (in this case Budget 2012). But, as a verb, it means to bring to completion. Wow, that is so true.
Beyond the obvious (quite possibly my career with government being completely over), my career really has now come full circle - a completion.
I feel like I did in June 28, 1990, leaving high-school and not needing to go to school another day if I didn't want to (luckily I did want to). I feel like I did in June of 1996, when I flew home from Japan with all my University courses complete with no job and no grad school. I feel like I did in the early spring of 2000, when I was getting ready to complete my 2-year contract and return to Canada. All those times, the future was uncertain, the options were limitless, but the risks to my survival (food, shelter) were around every corner.
What lessons did I learn from those times . . .
1990 - Education is a doorway to opportunity. I met so many people, learned so much, and with the piece of paper I got, I have had a great career. Education was fun, challenging, and difficult. But looking back, one of the best decisions I ever made.
Bringing it forward to now - My education created my career and my income, and for that I am thankful. Like, really thankful. But if I want more out of my career and more income, I really need to take this opportunity to retool.
1996 - The economy was bad, and so the career prospects. I felt like I had no control, no chances at success. Now it was nowhere near the crap of 1982, which decimated my family. But it was hard to be so eager without anyone to woo me.
Bringing it forward to now - There are windows of prosperity in economies. Around the world, Canada is weathering the global recession fairly well. In Canada, there have been worse times. In some provinces, particularly the prairies, there haven't been much better times. I am changing careers in one of the good times and I should be thankful.
2000 - I was managing English teachers in Japan with an Arts degree and no real career in Canada. I was worried about what kind of job I would get. I was worried about what kind of career I would have with an Arts degree. So I sat down with a Career book and worked through the exercises (defining your values, examining your skills, looking at your personality). I have stayed remarkably true to what I discovered then.
Bringing it forward to now - My career since 2000 has not been an accident. I planned to raise a family in Edmonton and I have. It made the decision to consider relocating to Ottawa a simple NO. I knew that I wanted a defined career, so I chose HR and I still want to be in HR. All my education since 2000 has had an HR focus. I got my CHRP credentials. I have worked in HR now for 14 years. And, when I was told of my fate, I looked and found another HR job.
What lessons have you learned from your past that you can rely on now?
Are you investing in education?
Do you realize the relatively positive economy we live in? Are you thankful?
Have you really worked on YOU and made some decisions for your career?
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