So I’m Mathy…

31 one years old Transitioner, this is me, 8 months inhabiting the worlds of unemployed and almost self-
employed. I have been searching for a real forum where I could communicate with like-minded professionals who have recently experienced some form of career-transition or job-loss. I can’t say it’s been an easy process but so far I’ve made a lot of connections and acquired a lot of transferable new skills. 

Next week I’ll be starting a weekly job-club in my area. I have a creative group who meets two tuesdays a months. I began running a storytelling event in July which focuses on the theme of career transition. This could include people with experience of – unemployment- job-loss through redundancy- quitters- and career-changers. 

The idea is –

• to inspire those who are running out of gas(motivation)
• help others build support networks
• build communities
• help those who want to learn and hear how to use techniques which other job-seekers are using successfully.
• allow people to play with their ideas
• Create new habits
• Keep levels of moral high

I’m looking for people to colaborate and partner-up with. As a new start-up I who’s still learning to raise finance, I can offer or exchange a service and make better use of resources.

Here’s my story….

“If there is no job out there for me, let me create one”. Those were the words I pronounced, when I found out, Iwas loosing my job and my dad to cancer 8 months ago. It all happened, at once, too quick, too soon.

Just because, you’re the “career-coach” or “job-coach”, giving the right advice to your clients, doesn’t mean
 you have the right advice for yourself. In fact, taking your own advice is slightly harder. Since there was nothing in my field of work till August, I decided to try something new as to keep myself occupied, allowing myself to grieve and finding new work opportunities. Plus, the idea of working in the same field for another 11 years was terrifying

First step-The Redundancy plan:-

•     A list of things I was capable of doing
•     A list of things I’ve always wanted to do but was too scared to try in the past.
•     A plan to help me deal with loss when it happens
•     Projects and ideas to play with

My plan consisted of:

•     Writing
•     storytelling
•     Having a forum where other transitioners can share their career-transition stories.

What happened next
I was introduced into the world of social media through my blog.  I told my first story at Spark
 London(storytelling event)- Now I host their Brixton event and help their social media and marketing. This inspired me to run a similar event focusing solely on career-transition. – I run an event called Tell it like it is in my local area.

Interesting Results
It didn’t just stop there. In September –  I was interviewed by Spectrum Radio a friend introduced me to the radio interviewer. A couple of bloggers noticed my work and I was nominated for a Versatile Bloggers Award. I also asked my readers advice to find sponsorship and one reader donated towards a new laptop. I noticed a lot of people asking me if I could help them with their social media. Couldn’t understand why (when I am just a novice). Then I realised I knew a little more then they did. Which is a lot!

I learned that

• What started as an experiment helped me identify new transferable skills,
• I can use them for my career-change
•  Action =Results
• I can make this unemployment work for me
• If I do this a consistently, longer, I could double and triple the results.
• I want to work for myself

Hard times–

I think about my dad a lot, I feel I’m just a number, can I really make a difference? I run out of  fuel and
 desperately need others to lift me up. I find it’s important to find a network of people, or build one yourself and create new habits. It’s no good just spending your days job-searching without ever adding balance. You need inspiration, stories that will stick longer and better than any job-search theory.

Cheers for reading,

Mathy Lisika-Minsende

Mathy is a great inspiration to TheEmployable and please lets support her on her continued journey. If you wish to find out more about Mathy or want to contact her direct, check out her own blog http://whathejobisthis.com/ and we hope to have Mathy back again soon to update us all on what she does next…Cheers Mathy…

If you wish to read another guest blog, why not check out blogger Ruth who talks about the Walk 4 Work day that she took part in.