The last cover letter I will write...

The experts and counselors tell you to tailor a letter for every job.  So when a job looked interesting, I did.  I have applied for hundreds of jobs, all of which I could have done and a few that might actually have been a good fit. The vastness of the applications processed was due to the conditions of unemployment compensation.  I believe for all those in which I got processed beyond acknowledging resume receipt (and there were a dozen) the better candidate was chosen. I actually enjoyed learning about each prospective job and getting most of my interviewers to smile, laugh or get a good take-away. It showed me that while on sabbatical I got back some of the self I lost in the intensity of my last decade of work. 

I actually did get what I thought was my dream job...but within 3 weeks severely broke my ankle and could not do the requisite 1.3 mile walk to client meetings. Ironically, I did this same type of work thousands of miles away from clients previously; but, culture does matter. And this experience provided lots of insight into this fact and helped be clarify my own expectations of a work environment that is conducive to success.

Each serious pursuit provided me with a take-away; be it a new connection or interesting new resources found while preparing for the interview. Many enabled me to improve the results of my Sabbatical Project. For example: Applying for an HRIS position prepared me for writing job descriptions.  A Congregational Admin process jump started improvements in the Social Media Campaign I needed to manage. A BIA job interview reminded me of the true nature of my breadth of experience. Etc. Etc.  I also got to see some people I remember fondly creating work results with, in their new work locations. 

Correct, Sabbatical Project means I never stopped working I just stopped being compensated monetarily for work. I did modify my hours (maybe not enough for good health outcomes) and I did have more satisfying people & content outcomes much of the time; but not always.

I am once again seriously seeking a day job that comes with pay & benefits. What I am looking for as the interviewee is the opportunity for an authentic experience, in which I am accountable, can push some of my personal boundaries and make a difference with an idea, conversation or infectious sense of commitment.

And today I took inventory of the process I have been engaged in for two years and discovered how I want to present myself for the next job regardless of what it is that I am applying for. So today I wrote my final cover letter. It will be used for all future job applications. If it resonates with those on the other side of the prospective table; then it signifies a good start for a potentially successful work relationship. I am deleting all other versions from my files today.  This is the letter that will get me a job if that is what is suppose to happen next.

To Talent Acquisition Team:

Within my substantive career as an analyst at WellPoint I was often sought out for new product initiatives. I provided business and system solution support for operations; and within large scale mergers and cross-functional projects supported data integrity, cost containment, user training and vendor integration outcomes.  I often found solutions by becoming familiar with the data, its uses and connections. My breadth of knowledge enabled me to support enrollment, provider services, web, and print as a Subject Matter Expert. I have experience in all aspects of SDLC. 

With early assignments I could easily assess the bottom-line return on my solutions. As the nature of the work changed with the complexity of the organization I was a key contributor in the delivery of reliable compliant results on-time and within budget.  Most recent accomplishments are best reflected in how my teams have valued my contributions.

Serving side by side with many stakeholders from patients to doctors, cable customers to legislators, ex-offenders to police, enrollees to data administrators, operations experts to system developers with peers either sitting in the next cubicle, working the night shift or off-shore and more recently a telephone call or interactive chat away in a telecommute position spanning four plus years; new and improved processes have succeeded in meeting the primary mission – serving the end user.

Most recently I have explored new technology platforms including video storytelling which compliments my interests in developing satisfying end user engagement. Understanding content, both qualitative and quantitative, is at the core of what I do ~ achieve solutions with teams committed to sustainable, engaging and responsive outcomes.

My business analysis acumen is uniquely augmented by my community experience. From the beginning there has been an underlying passion for evoking solutions for data, or with data, within a team environment that fosters collaboration and is driven by creating reliable, sustainable and responsive outcomes.  I look forward to assessing with you how I can contribute to teams with opening for someone with my experience, skills and expectations.

Kind Regards ...

titles of words yet to be...among them reflect.connect.recover

The last time I thought to post, I was bubbling over with ideas yet to be evolved. I set aside a list of blog post titles of word things to come out of me someday. Today's energy is different, more complacent.  

As I await news other than "Unfortunately, we will not be able to consider you for this position at this time. Although your skills and qualifications are impressive, we have identified other candidates whose experience more closely fit the specifications of the position." from my best fit applications and all the hundreds, quite literally, of not quite so good prospects I do get other news that has impact.  

A community acquaintance with lots of shoulder-to-shoulder time shared; looses his wife unexpectedly. She was not old nor sick nor anything that would foreshadow. My mother-in-law has drawn her last breath. Relationships within the family have faltered and the symbols of same still loom with uncanny unease for week upon week. Resolution is now clearly seen as not the end; merely a step. Typically a big one.  Other family members are in pursuit of relocation but destinies remain unknown. Is house 25 the charm? All in all lots of waiting for the next shoe to drop with some bias wishes in the anticipated results and some pure: it will be what it will be. Very little of what I had years of experience with, influencing or designing for outcomes. 

Community stuff is percolating with a participant observer role morphing into lynch-pin contributor based on the request that "I do what I do".  The theme becomes reflect.connect.recover.  It is advise. It is method. It is bedrock for transformation.  It is a blip on my life's radar in which I try to infuse images with meaning or wrangle meaning out of words.

I am reminded today that we must learn how to persuade or evoke emotion because nearly everyone is creating.  Only a few are engaging others or changing what may need fixing.

Today I am asked if this work can join with others in a book of response writings. It will likely be under my legal name but it came from adele.  http://adelehouston.blogspot.com/2013/06/prompt-story-of-core-family-and.html

I have tasks calling out to me... so all for now.

Serendipity Effect

We're wired to want to share information with other people.  From Science News  How the Brain Creates the 'Buzz' That Helps Ideas Spread

At the first encounter with content I begin thinking about how this can be interesting to other people. The consideration of connections, whom else might find something helpful, amusing or interesting; may always be there but it seems that I had a hyper sensitivity to connecting during each of my 1st semesters at college and my current re-wirement time.  I thought for sure I had already posted about my fascination with the 1978 BBC TV Documentary Series narrated by James Burke Connections which is what I consider my 1st true non-linear experience. Google enables a connection in seconds to what once took years, consideration and serendipity.  Turning connections into value is still the human dilemma and calling. It is the glue of learning, great artistry, and innovation.

Social media is intended to be a connection enabler. Today I experimented. I shared a photo that I thought would elicit responses: civic, sarcastic, or noble in anticipation of a solution that would have some permanence. An initial response from a group of approximately 2,500 was in 8 seconds and a direct response to the question posed with the photo. A few more direct answers.  Then a detail comment on the existing civic process that should already be in play. Then with 30 minutes an individual with Google in her toolkit took action and posted a status photo. Kudos abounded.  She (not me) was serving the community. I continued to engage in the conversation Liking some comments and the action itself but still questioning what the community solution could/should be.

So what is the lessons learned.  Members of the community with the inclination and financial bandwidth can become graffiti-grime fighters. Public Services may not even be aware of the cost effective cleaning alternative unless a person in the know sees the thread.  The life of a post is short. Virility is required. 

Sometimes I feel like the new puppy...

you know the ones that wag their tails and pee all over the floor in a joyful chaos that may even involve face licking. Unfortunately, unlike the puppy I get to replay the outcomes over and over in my head and in my humanness I remember the pee more than the tail wags and sloppy kisses. 

I need to let go better of the after thoughts; allowing 'the pee' to be 'okay'. 

Recently I have had good fortune to be anonymous in the production of inspiring stories, told in conversation, by women in my community. In each show the host asks: What would you tell your 25 year old self, your 40 year old self?  Her guests are women in midLIFE. It is remarkable how these diversely different women seem to have similar messages for their earlier selves a.k.a any younger women watching. There is an intention to recap the segments of letters to a younger self, as life allows. So, what would my letters say?

I probably need to read those letters to self now so I need to write them. My self-talk of late seems to be rooted in the 25 year old psyche with some wisdom of experience but still too much awareness of the downsides of exuberant anxiety. This makes sense as now is a time of change and envisioning of the next phase of life. Unfortunately; the default voice reinforces worry too often with words that do not inspire "When the right things align and you do not need to fill your life with compliance tasks ... " is the default voice pattern worried about 'security' and deferring choices. The reflective voice says 'The right things will align; be open to new. Enjoy the moments. Be Here Now. Tap into that self that can focus, can connect, create. And if you are going to listen to voices listen to all of them." 

My life experiences are sources of good life lessons and uniquely me stories. The stories reveal that confidence, courage and generosity win over fear. Stories of a fast bicycle, a hyphenated name, a telephone book as a road to reading, being Patty Hearst for a day, saving 5 times my salary on the job and repeating this often in my career, a natural out-of-hospital childbirth, riding the bus with the non-exempt, the Edgerton Park shooting, serving up words with a diverse team of poets, decades wearing the title of president or chairman, home sharing, lynch-pin community building and eventually designing the system that replaced me ... getting me to my current state of reWIREment and the promise of a return of a sort (with some economic bells and whistles). 

The wires connected to my spirit have been singed some; however, they remain and can be restored with acceptance of sloppy kisses as an old dog.