Trusting the Trapeze
Madeline Yeats, Princeton, NJ
In 1991, I found myself between trapezes - no job, just finishing my
undergraduate degree at night school, a shrinking economy, the end of
unemployment checks and notification the professional job I had been
interviewing for (8 interviews) had just been given to the male candidate.
A friend said try temping - gets you in the door and lets you find out if you
like the company and if they have any openings. I signed up with three temp
agencies in my area, made sure who the house accounts were and said I would only
take assignments from a select group of firms. I turned down the first 11
assignments and took the 12th assignment at a major financial services firm.
The assignment was to answer the phone in the executive area for key staff,
light typing (I had failed typing in high school) and dress well - needless to
say, I had never operated a switchboard telephone system before but hoped I
could fake my thru it.
Friday was the first day - I arrived, the head assistant said, "You know this
telephone system, right?" I said, "No, but if you show me one time, I can
handle it, I'm just not familiar with this one." She was annoyed, but showed me
how it worked. The day progessed - I was quite proud that I only sent one call
into oblivion until the manager asked me if I was dyslexic!
Early in the afternoon it began to snow: I was dismissed and asked to return
on Monday. I headed home, only to be pulled over at a major intersection for an
improper left turn. The officer did not think that the snow covering the left
turn arrows or the fact I had never been there before were good reasons for my
error and gave me a ticket requiring a court appearance.
At the end of the day, I could hardly hold my head up - I had never been
treated like such an idiot in the workplace and I really felt discouraged.
On Monday, I returned and kept working for the next couple of weeks. The
senior manager came by one day and asked me if I would like to work for the firm
- I assured him that I would but as a professional in my area of expertise - he
helped me get an interview, I was hired, and rest as they say, is history.
After 13 years, I am a Director with responsibility for key initiatives and
programs. I have had many promotions, choice assignments and have not only
completed my undergraduate, but also my MBA.
If my story can help someone, its the following perspective. Sometimes, when
you grab or land on the new trapeze, it may not feel right, but don't let go too
soon!
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