In working with many individuals from the Caribbean over the past few months, I noticed a recurring theme: many of you are believing yourself to be able to produce an outcome that is not in your control.
Here is what I mean:
You can’t apply for what does not exist. There are so many factors that determine whether there are roles - economy, how the business is going, along with the Company’s own belief about employee and succession planning. None of this is in your control. It is very frustrating and is a source of great angst but it’s important to recognize and grant yourself grace in reframing the expectation on you.
An interview is not a guarantee. The purpose of the resume is to peak the interest to receive an interview. In the interview you do your best but it’s still a competition. You may have done your very best and another candidate gets the role and it’s not in your control. Recognize that the decisions on who to hire can vary in many ways and once you put forth your best effort, grant yourself grace to grieve the hopes you had, recharge and try again.
Education does not automatically equal opportunity. If you did a degree and the environment or context in which you live, there is not a market or a sector, consider transferable skills and adapt. It is natural to wish you had more guidance and support because maybe you would not have chosen the degree, but you did and skills are not restricted to degree, so consider what your story needs to be in order to transition.
Grace, grace and more grace. Grace is more than just a comforting word; it’s a practice of allowing yourself to be human in a world that demands constant productivity. When the economy is tough and opportunities are limited, practicing grace means reminding yourself that your worth isn’t tied to the number of job offers you receive or the frequency of interviews. It’s about being kind to yourself through the uncertainty and recognizing that you’re doing your best in challenging circumstances.
I am here whenever you feel ready to try again on either the academic or professional side.
Until then, I wish you much grace.
Truly,