I Didn’t Get the Job…

I didn’t get the job that everyone said I would get once I graduated with my Master’s degree in Social Work.

The one that pays $45,000 or more.

The one that will come as soon as I walk out of the building on graduation day.

The one that will meet all my needs.

The one I felt like I deserved after busting my butt and let’s not forget about the countless experience I have.

Nope, I didn’t get that job.

What I did get is the job that I need. The job that I actually wanted once I let go of my long expectation list that was filled with the desires of others and my worries.

Graduation is supposed to be a joyful time and it is, but it is also a stressful time that can overpower the joy if we allow it to. Many times, we don’t even allow ourselves the opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments because we are constantly focused on what will happen next. We start to focus on finding the “perfect” job, the bills that are due, the desires to travel, finding/buying a home, special occasions that are happening that we want to be a part of, making up to our friends all the events we missed because we had to sacrifice social time for studying, or continuing to further our education. Let’s not forget we have countless people giving unwarranted advice instead of support and that question that comes the immediately after graduation “how’s life now that you graduated”. In your head you want to scream, “I JUST GRADUATED THIRTY MINUTES AGO”!

Trust me new graduate or soon-to-be graduate, I know where you are and I know exactly how you feel. One thing I had to do was STOP WORRYING. Most people know that I moved back home my final year of graduate school and for some odd reason they assumed I moved back home to save money. Now where that assumption came from I do not know because that’s not why I moved home. I moved home to focus, to quit my full-time job that really wasn’t satisfying, and to fulfill my duties at my internship to the best of my ability. Although I wish saving money was the motive, Lord knows I could use a few extra coins. Shortly after moving back home, I found a part-time gig that I have been at a year this month. Let me tell you it is by the grace of God that all my bills are paid and I haven’t been without any needs.

When graduation started to approach excitement came but so did worry. I constantly told myself, “I can’t keep surviving from this little to nothing income”.  Sooooo, what did I do? I took matters into my own hand, I started searching and searching for a new job and while I had job opportunities and rejections as well, the job that was for me I just felt like I could no longer wait on it. I needed something full-time, GREAT pay, and I needed it NOW! Little did I know that the job God had for me was the least expected one and the one I had to wait on. Let’s just be honest, it’s the one I almost walked out on countless times this past year. With a few job opportunities, I found my anxiety increasing. Constant questions of which job will I take, am I going to be a good fit, is the pay good, will I even find a job? Listen we can and will cause our own stress and anxiety to increase when we try to do God’s job.

I finally decided to let go. I finally decided to enjoy the space that I am in. I finally decided that what God has planned for me is bigger than any plan that I have for myself. Out of the job offers that I had, I accepted the job with the least amount of pay after that being my whole focus because all I could think about was survival.

[Side note: You can take the girl from food stamps to another domain, but sometimes the girl forgets that surviving is no longer the goal but thriving is. I’m glad I remembered that where I came is just that. I have favor on my life, I don’t have to focus on surviving anymore because I already survived. #ShoutOutToTheStruggle #FirstGenerationCollegeGrad]

Here’s why I accepted the job that I will be starting soon…I found a note I wrote to myself with my job desires. On that list was:

• Stability
• Sufficient income
• Benefits
• A job that I enjoy
• A job I can learn from
• Flexibility

The job I have accepted provides stability as I have been there for a year and I don’t have to start all over again, I just have to learn a new position. The salary is not what I desire but the income is enough because God provides for me and His provision is more than sufficient. Plus, God has blessed me with creativity to create more income and I must tap into my gifts to do just that. The benefit package is pretty lit. I LOVE what I do, working with children, their parents, and helping them collectively overcome difficult situations. The job and the position is a great learning opportunity and when I look at my long-term goals, this is the perfect starting point. The flexibility of this job is perfect, the work environment is small, and I don’t have to sit in Nashville’s traffic (if you live in Middle, TN then you know how perfect that is). After finding this note I also decided to write ten things that will make this experience a positive one outside of undesired salary.

Long story short, I have been promoted and will begin my new duties in the beginning of July. I know that this journey will be challenging but it’s perfect for me.

I hope that whatever situation that you are in, that you make the decision to relinquish control and allow God to do what is best for you. We recite Jeremiah 29:11 over and over but our walk displays that we don’t truly trust in God’s word. Jeremiah 29:11 states: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. When we get ahead of God, start making plans that we feel is best, and we let worry overwhelm us we forget that our future is already worked out. Take the job, even if it’s not what you want, it may be what you need. Also remember, you are not just limited to a job, God has blessed you with dreams that you still must chase. Use your gifts to create income or to be a simple tool to bring you continuous joy. Lastly, drown out the voices of everyone around you so that you can hear God and that you can do what is best for you. Focus on what matters most, life is more than money and surviving. Don’t miss out on what makes life great by giving all your time to what you feel makes life easy or normal. Everything that you desire will come in due season.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

With love,

Courtney Arlesia.