My mother was an intelligent, funny and, quite honestly, gorgeous woman. She was a wonderful writer (from a long line of wonderful writers) and had the class and poise of royalty. Before she had children, she had great success working in various capacities. When I was about ten, my mom was faced with a failing marriage and the necessity to return to the workforce after spending years raising children. Pretty scary for a mother of four.
As daunting as it must have been, what do you suppose her biggest obstacle was? Finding job postings in the paper? Nah. Writing her resume? Nope. Then what? I truly believe that my mother’s most profound stumbling block when faced with going back to work is that she had spent so much time raising my siblings and me that she had no real friends. Not a single one. It certainly made her job hunt all the more difficult; and thinking back, it breaks my heart.
Friends are an important commodity when it comes to both life and work… and they can be worth their weight in gold. Friends are not only there to lean on during troubled times, but can also be an extra set of ears to the ground when you are embarking on a life change… like returning to the rat race or seeking a part-time job.
A friend doesn’t need to be the CEO of a multinational corporation to help you on your way to your next career (but that would be nice, wouldn’t it?) Even a small core group of pals can help you make your transition by volunteering to watch your kids during your job interviews, dropping you a job lead or introducing you to potential employers in your field.
Friendships are symbiotic; and the many ways that friends can aid in each others’ successes are truly limitless. So help a friend out… her daughter just might remember it many years from now.
This blog welcomes your comments on the power of friendships!
Your best posting yet! Love it Gina! Keep up the great work.