It has been almost four months since my last journal entry as a Dream Job contest winner. I thought I would share what has been happening in my life. In January, I made the decision to continue my education and pursue a bachelor's degree in management from Cornerstone University through an accelerated program for adults, Professional & Graduate Studies (PGS) with a tentative graduation date of July 2010.  I have completed two courses, "Principles of Self-Management" and "Writing for Business.  My current class is "Business and Professional Communication." I am enjoying the classes and the courses have already been beneficial in my personal life.

I am still seeking employment, but am only applying for interesting positions that I feel will utilize my paralegal education and skills. I have continued to network with former classmates and paralegals working in the field.  I also attend trainings and networking events to keep up with the profession.

I am nearing the end of an event filled year as an "AARP My Dream Job" winner in the 'New Worker' category.  I am grateful for all of the blessings I have received as one of the six winners.  I have posted my story in the form of journals both on my page and the Water Cooler and New Worker group pages.  I apologize both to AARP and  readers for the gaps between entries.  As much fun as winning this contest has been, the past year was filled with personal sorrow as people I loved faced illness and death. Life takes many turns and at times it feels like a roller coaster ride with more downs than ups. I am nearing the end of my "reign" and the requirement of journalling, but, I plan to continue as I find that putting things in writing is a great way to ascertain if I'm moving forward, just treading water or falling behind. I thank you for showing an interest in my journals and pray that all goes well for you in the coming year. It is supposed to be a year of "change" so let's all pray that it is change for the good.

As for my current situation with my 'dream job' search... 

When I received my fifth "Thank you for you interest in our firm/company/organization" letter, I became more than a little discouraged. I began looking (again) at what I could 'do' to make myself more marketable. As a result, I have decided to continue with my education with the goal of earning a bachelor's degree in business management. I am also in the process of registering for mediation training to earn certification as a Community Mediatior. When that initial training is completed, I have the option to receive more specialized training, which I plan on pursuing.  I have also decided that I will resume my job search when the mediation trainings are completed and added to my resume.  I will continue journaling, so if you check this site from time to time there will be updates. 

Have a blessed Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanzaa!     

My journey continues...........         Stef

     It’s been nearly a month since my last entry. I’ve had two interviews, one for which I still am awaiting a response.  I’ve started applying for positions other than my ’dream job’ as a paralegal. There don’t seem to be any entry level paralegal positions available in this area. So, I’ve responded to three advertisements for administrative assistant positions. I am hopeful that my training, previous employment experience and life experience will qualify me for one of these positions. Even though Michigan is number one in the nation for unemployment, I am confident that there is a job for me somewhere!

     On a more personal note, life is getting back to normal since the passing of my husband’s parents in April and July. I have resolved to keep healthy by eating right and exercising. I am blessed to be free of most of the ailments that plague most older people and hope to stay that way!

I’ve been reading the journals of my fellow ’dream job’ winners and pray that we all attain a measure of our dreams. There have been some very useful posts in the water cooler and new worker job groups. I;m thankful for any suggestions, hints and help given by other AARP folks. Until my next post...God’s blessings to all!  Stef

It's hard to believe it's been three weeks since I arrived back home from our fabulous trip to the AARP convention in Washington, D.C. So much happened that I can't begin to relate ALL of it in this journal, so I'll touch on the highlights. The dinner held in honor of the "Dream Job" winners at the Acadiana Restaurant was fabulous. The meal was excellent and it was great getting to meet everyone in person and put faces with the names and voices I'd been hearing from for the past nine months. My fellow 'Dream Job' winners were as impressed as I was with the excellent accomodations at the hotel and the shuttle bus service which delivered us from place to place so efficiently. The convention was beyond my expectations...hundreds of vendors and exhibitors and many helpful sessions on everything from health care to "What Not to Wear at 50+" with the TV personality from the show "What Not to Wear". My step-daughters were so impressed that I actually got photos of him!  We were treated to tickets to see Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, Chicago and Paul Simon. I felt like a teenager again going to rock concerts!

On Friday morning the six of us were on a panel in a session discussing work related issues at 50+. I really enjoyed being part of the panel and afterward I met so many well wishers and folks willing to share their advice and experience with me. Friday afternoon, Cat, Jenette and I gave short talks on networking at the Work@50+ stage on the vendor floor. Members of the audience also shared their networking stories which proved very interesting and helpful to all in attendance.

The rest of the time we were kept busy checking out all of the vendors and exhibits and by the end of the convention, I had two huge bags of givaway items to haul back home. It was so informative and FUN. My sister-in-law went with me as my guest and we've already decided that we want to go to the next convention next year...in VEGAS! It was hard to pack up and leave our posh hotel to return home to the REAL world...

Since I've been home, I've been continuing my job search. I had two interviews in late August before I left for the convention. When I returned home, I received a letter from one firm to come for a second interview. The offer was for a position that MAY become available the end of October. At first I accepted it, but after much consideration, I decided that I didn't want to suspend my job search for a maybe, so I'm back looking again. I had an interview last Wednesday for a part time position as an office assistant in a law firm. It's not my 'paralegal dream job', but I hope to be hired. I think it will provide valuable experience. I am sure that I will learn skills that will be beneficial in the future. I will be notified one way or the other this week. I'm hoping to report good news!  Until then...many blessings to you.  Stef 

The Big Day Has Finally Arrived, "We’re Heading to D.C."

Morris (husband) and I arrived in DC on the afternoon of Wednesday, September 3rd.  The AARP had taken care of everything for us.  We stayed in a beautiful hotel, the Renaissance Mayflower.  This was our first time in D.C. so we were pretty excited.  That evening we familiarized ourselves with the area and things took off from there.  We were approximately 4 blocks from the White House and conveniently located in downtown D.C.  The next day we toured the White House (thanks to our Congressman).  The tour was informative, rewarding and lasted for approximately 30-45 minutes.

There was a dinner party planned for the next evening to honor the "Dream Job" Winners at Acardiana Restaurant.  This was the first time all the winners had met in person.  There we had the opportunity to meet the COO of AARP, Director of AARP Workforce (Deborah) and J.C. (WUSA-TV anchor) who were co-moderators of the upcoming sessions.  We had the opportunity to meet so many other wonderful staff members of AARP.  It was truly an evening to remember.  I was very pleased and exicted to see Heather and Carmenza from my state office in attendance.

After the dinner, we visited the Convention Center to see where we would be speaking and to enjoy the many activities/vendors that were available.  There was so much to see and do.  There were buses stationed outside the convention center as well as our hotel to shuttle us to and from the convention.  I could have stayed there another week to be honest, there was so much information.  From healthcare to firm mattresses, you name it, the information was there.  That evening we took in a concert (compliments of the AARP).  We saw Chaka Khan and Natalie Cole, two outstanding performers.  

The next morning we would be speaking at the Convention.  All the winners would be on a panel at the University Session.  Marci had asked that we meet at the conference room for a quick briefing at l0:30.  Session was ll:00 - 12:00.  Lights, cameras, action - - J.C. the news reporter, Deborah, Marci and all the winners were now there and ready to go.  It was show time!  There were approximately 150-200 people in attendance.  We were in a half circle position on the stage.  Deborah introduced us individually and talked about our dream jobs; J.C. asked the questions regarding our experiences thus far.  The questions portion lasted approximately  l5-30 minutes, with each winner having a chance to speak.  The question/answer session from the audience lasted for approximately l5 minutes.  This was clearly the most exciting thing I had ever been part of in my lifetime.  Afterwards, people flocked up to shake our hands and congratulate us on our "win" and the information we had provided.  I must admit, I was a little "celebrity shy" starting out.  That lasted all but 2 seconds and when the ball started rolling, I rolled with it!!!!!  

Speaking engagement was not done yet.  Later that day we met at the "Water Cooler" where Kathryn, Stephany and I spoke to convention attendees about how important "networking" is in all aspect of our lives, but even more so when job hunting.  I shared a story in  particular, where the AARP office in my state had invited me to a ribbon cutting ceremony.  During the ceremony, I met the Alderman’s Director.  I have been in contact with her since regarding my win.  Networking is an extremely important tool.  Quite a few people in the audience shared how they had networked and found jobs.

The next night we went to see the group Chicago (yes another complimentary treat from the AARP, and while we are on the subject, yes on the third evening, we were treated with tickets to see Paul Simon, can’t ask for more).  First time I had ever seen the group Chicago live, and I must say they "Rocked the House." 

Next day, back to "convention land."  We picked up more materials, visited the "Water Cooler" booth to support the dream job winner speaking that day, and decided to take a tour of DC.  The tour lasted approximately 3 hours and we saw some of the monumental areas of D.C.  So much to see and do.  

The evening before we left, I contacted all the winners and Marci to let everyone know what a wonderful time we had.  I also told Marci how much I appreciated all she had done for us, in putting all this together. 

I personally wanted to thank the AARP for  giving me such a opportunity.  You never know in life, at what age, you are doing to do something you have never done before.  I am the first in my immediate family to go to D.C., and tour the White House.  This goes to show you are never too old to dream, or to do or learn something you have never done before.  This experience has truly revitalized my life such that I want to do and learn more and more and more.  I also met some wonderful people during the convention and University session whom I will be contacting here in Chicago. 

I could go on and on, but I want to save some room on the site for the other "Dream Job" winners  AARP thank you again for making our stay such a memorable one.  And to the other winners, it was a pleasure meeting each and everyone of you.  I look foward to our continued friendship as our journeys continue........

One week from tomorrow I will be travelling to D.C. to participate in the AARP Convention. I am so excited!  Marci, our AARP liason, has been keeping us abreast on all of the activities we will participate in while there.

Our first get-together as "Dream Job" winners will be a dinner in our honor on Thursday evening. Friday morning we will all present a Life@ 50+ University Session as a panel from 11 a.m. to noon. Friday afternoon, from 2-3 p.m. I will be at the Presentation Stage in the AARP Job fair area, booth 439 where we will be discussing tips for networking.

I really am looking foreward to exploring the Convention Center. There are so many presenters and sessions on such a wide variety of topics...it all sounds terrific! I hope many of you will be able to attend the Convention...I look forward to meeting as many people as possible.

In my last journal, I mentioned I had two interviews. Unfortunately, I was not selected for either position, however, there will be another opening in one of the offices in October and they asked to keep my materials on file. I take that as a good sign that I may have an opportunity with this firm after all. I’ll keep you posted!

In the interim, I am continuing to receive job postings from some of my networking contacts and have submitted a few more resumes. I remain confident that my "dream job" is attainable. I just need to persevere.

Until next time...blessings to you!  stef

In my last journal entry, which seems like years ago, I mentioned that I was going to attend another AARP Work@50+ Forum in Battle Creek on July 11th (which happened to be my husband’s and my 10th wedding anniversary).  I drove to Battle Creek on the 10th and received news that evening that my mother-in-law had been admitted to the hospital, but was in stable condition.

I remained in Battle Creek and took part in the morning session at Kellogg Community College. The keynote speaker was Jeri Sedlar, author and motivational speaker. Her books include Don’t Retire, Rewire and On Target: Enhance Your Life and Ensure Your Success. What an inspirational and motivating message! One of the activities included identifying our DRIVERS...why do we work beyond a paycheck? We were given a list of 30 to choose from and were encouraged to add our own. If you can’t think of any, here are a few that I checked...To be part of the action, to be creative, to have intellectual stimulation, to be constantly learning, to make a difference, to pursue a passion, to be connected, to use/develop skills and talent...and there were many more to choose from. After the initial checking off, we were challenged to narrow it down to the top four. The idea is to figure out if what you think you want to do fits what drives you. At the end of her presentation, she introduced Bernard Young (an entrepreneur )and me to the audience and had us tell our stories. As a result of telling my story, I was approached by the director of the paralegal program at Kellogg Community College and given a packet of resources to aid me in my job search. As I’ve stated before, I highly recommend attending any and all forums, seminars, etc. to establish your network of people who can help you in your search.

I then returned home Friday afternoon and awaited word on my mother-in-law’s condition. According to what the doctors told my sister-in-law, they felt that her condition could be improved with medications and they were going to run some more tests. We planned to go to see her (in Ohio) the next day, Saturday. Sadly, we received a call early Saturday morning from my sister-in-law that she passed away that morning. We contacted our children and made arrangements to travel to Ohio. We remained there for a couple of weeks...for the services and to grieve with family and friends. It seems surreal that we have lost two of the dearest people in our lives within a three month span. And yet, within that period of time we were blessed with the birth of twin boys to my brother and sister-in-law’s son and wife. Life has come full circle...God in his mercy gives us joy in the midst of grief.

Now I am back in Michigan and getting back to the business of life. I periodically receive notices of job openings from my former professor. I have responded to two thus far. I have an interview tomorrow with one of the firms. There are two positions...one part-time and one full-time...neither of which are paralegal positions, but both will give me valuable experience. I will keep you posted as to the outcome.

I am confident that I will find a position in my field eventually. Just like life, our work experiences take twists and turns to get to where we want to be. I will continue to network...there are some legal luncheon talks coming up and an alumni function at LCC this fall. I am convinced that more people find their ’dream jobs’ through networking than any other way.                         Until next time...God’s blessings to you!

Meeting With Mr. Wilson

Well, finally on July 1st I met with Mr. Wilson Chief of Staff, to my alderman, Ms. Austin.  I presented Mr. Wilson with a packet, that included my biography, a copy of the AARP dream job win, and the plan for the family social center.  Mr. Wilson was impressed with my packet, and said he would certainly share my information with Ms. Austin when she is back in the office.    Mr. Wilson shared the lay-out as it stands now of the new mega-center and highly recommended that I meet with Major Harvey, sooner rather than later.  As I mentioned earlier, Major Harvey is the gentleman spearheading the new and upcoming mega center.  Further, he informed me Major Harvey will have an office in the area soon.   

I received an e-mail from Major Harvey earlier in the week, and we are in the process of setting up a meeting.  Stay tuned.............

Since graduation I have had the opportunity to attend four entirely different, yet career related events. What a great way to meet others in the field and learn of opportunites. 

I am thankful to our state AARP office and staff for an invitation to participate in one of the events called "Work @ 50+ - A New Age of Possibility. What a terrific event. The morning session included a keynote speaker and two panels. The first panel consisted of representatives of corporations  and a community college in the Grand Rapids, MI area. The second panel, of which I was a panelist, discussed job seeking experiences. Questions followed each panel discussion. During lunch, attendees had the opportunity to visit booths set up by area businesses, colleges and organizations. After lunch there were several workshops offered. I suggest that you check with your state and local AARP groups for opportunities such as this one.

While there, I learned of a service that AARP offers called SCSEP: Senior Community Service Employment Program. This program provides skills training and job placement assistance to low income mature job seekers. To see if there is a SCSEP program in your state or city go to: http://www.aarp.org.scsep  AARP has many job search aides. Contact your local or state office.

During the past two weeks, I have submitted resumes and cover letters for both paying and volunteer positions in the legal and governmental fields. Although I really want to land a paying job, I am anxious to use the skills I learned while earning my associates degree as a legal assistant. I have volunteered to work for a local non-profit organization which offers legal aide for seniors. I have submitted resumes to five Michigan State Representatives to work unpaid as an assistant. I am hoping to at least have the opportunity to interview for these positions.

Bob, my career counselor, has made some contacts for me with local temporary work services such as Manpower and Kelly. I am willing to do whatever it takes to gain experience and secure full time work.

I have been reading the journals of my fellow winners and am impressed with the progress they appear to be making. The important thing that I've gleaned from all of their journals is - Don't Give Up! I am anxious to meet them all at the national event in Washington, D.C.

I know it's been a while since I've written and I apologize to anyone who has been waiting to hear what has been happening. Things are moving a bit slowly, but I feel that I have been making some vital contacts through the events I've written about. I will be participating in another AARP Work @ 50+ Forum on July 11th in Battlecreek, MI. If you live in the area, I encourage you to sign up and attend. It will be worth the effort to get there!  Until my next entry...God's blessings to all!

 Visit to Prospective Locations 

Obtained list from Board of Education regarding abanoned property.  Visited each location to assess size of building,  accessibility to transportation, other businesses in each area, other centers, if any, need for center in various areas, churches, etc.   Attended  council meeting in my area to see what new developments are in the works.  I understand there will be big shopping mall just across the expressway from where I live coming soon.  So far all of this space has not been leased, sold or rented.  Will be attending another meeting on Thursday of this week to see if there are any new developments.

YMCA provided me with in depth information about their centers in a 50 mile radius.  Put together a "rough" draft of the services I anticipate being available at the center.    Spoke with Bob of Retirementjobs.com who is working on the plan.