Another week
passes by, and another month, and I do all I can to find a stable job in this
“new-old” country of mine (“new” for the way things are today, “old” for my
memories of past, before I left). Could the train have passed me by? No way! New
trains keep on rollin’ into the station all the time! I’ll get on the right
one, just in time.
In a marketing
workshop I once heard the following allegory: when you're driving across the
country, you see only as far as your eyes let you or as far as the head-lights
of the car reach. You don’t know what’s beyond the limited vision, but you
keep on driving. Most likely there are roads ahead and you know where
they lead.
Over the Last
few weeks, I've circulated dozens of resumes for a variety of writing day jobs.
A few people responded, but it’s a saturated market. Too many local
professionals offer the very same services as I do – writing, translating,
transcripting; most of them have local education and local portfolio.
Many get jobs through teachers and friends. As someone new in the market,
what’s the best way to break in without an end of a thread? Making new threads.
As a freelance
who starts from scratch in a new country, your first employer or first clients
could be a professional breakthrough. They may go by their gut feeling and hire
you without local experience, but that’s all you need on your resume. I made a few
good professional contacts and kept in good terms with them. But it’s
not enough. Creating a solid circle of clients can be a long process,
especially in a small market like Israel. Does everyone go through the same
process?
I had coffee
with a journalist friend last week. He told me I’m doing great just by making
ends meet for now. He gave me the example of a highly skilled professional he
knows, who came back to Israel after years of a great career in Germany. It
took the guy 18 months to find his first job here. I've spoken with budding
professionals in my field, and most of them told me they got their first job
through teachers and networking circles they made at school here.
I listen
carefully to what people tell me and to my varied thoughts. One day we see
things in a certain way, the other day we see them completely differently. The
road goes on for miles and we can only see so far. Keeping on rollin’ toward the
unknown makes us stronger. Does the train I’m on head toward any specific
destination? I don’t know. Perhaps I’m already there.
I am truly
grateful for going through this re-integration phase. Some may call it
challenging, I call it life. I don’t feel challenged, but infused with
persistence. The real challenge is to let go of the thought that what we go
through now is who we are in general. Remembering how limited is our view is
liberating. Just keep eyes on the road and look as far as you can see, and be
grateful that it’s a road you chose.
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