Day 13: An Emotional Rollercoaster

Posted by: Alison Chisnell on: December 13, 2011

• In: Advent | Blogs | ConnectingHR | HR | Recruitment | Social Media
• 7 Comments

This post is a bit extra-special for me, written as it is by the lovely Mervyn Dinnen. Encouraging, supportive, sociable and kind; until very recently Mervyn’s blog was the largest referer of web traffic to my blog, second only to Twitter and related applications. That perhaps provides some measure of the unstinting and vocal support he has always provided to me and others and for that I remain hugely appreciative.

 

I wholeheartedly recommend that you connect with Mervyn on Twitter (@MervynDinnen) and via his TRecs blog.

 

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I entered 2011 with a mix of trepidation, concern and optimism. The business in which I had been working closed down at the end 2010, leaving me to job hunt at a time when jobs seemed in short supply.

Over the Xmas and New Year period I took the decision to embark on a social job hunt. It made sense to combine my growing interest (nay, obsession!) and belief in social media as the way to communicate with my years of recruiting experience…but the question would be, was anyone in the recruitment industry ready to take on someone to do a social media role?

I’m sure that most readers know that the quest was successful. The third party recruitment industry seemed uninterested in the possibilities offered by a social media person who knew about recruiting and could talk to clients and jobseekers…but Jobsite UK were!

And so my highlight of the year wasn’t just a new job, but a career change and an opportunity to create my own future in a developing area that opens many possibilities.

And it showed me that if you want to make a change then you really do need to have faith in your abilities.

I was very lucky and hope that the various friends of mine who are entering 2012 looking for new roles are as lucky too.

I also feel extremely lucky to have health, family and friends…something I had time to reflect on during my lowest point(s) of 2011.

Unfortunately these came when I attended not one but two funerals of friends. Both were women, both had sudden illnesses and were gone far too soon at ages when they should still be here to see their families grow into full adults. It wasn’t only these friends…I wrote a blog earlier this year – The Precariousness of Life – in which I told if the tragic passing of a young colleague and my sadness

If there’s one thing these events have taught me it is to cherish the time you spend with family and friends…it’s precious.

Many thanks to Alison for letting me post on her blog – a Merry and Joyous Christmas and a Healthy and Happy 2012 to all readers 🙂

Tags: Employment, Online Communities, Social media