Guaranteed Job in all Markets

By Clifford Fruithandler DC

Thomas Edison set out to make an electric light. He knew he could do it, he didn't know how. His experiments had thousands of 'failures' by many of our standards. He didn't look at them as failures, but as one more items that didn't do what he intended it to do. By learning from what didn't work, he found what did, the rest is history.

I have an abundance of patients who are out of work. Some because they don't want to take work below them, some do not know what they want to do, others because work isn't available in what they have trained for, and most because they aren't willing to do what it takes to get a job.

I had a patient who was a roofer. He injured his back and I treated him with Chiropractic. I told him he could go back to work in a week but he needed to change his job, and get off the roof. His back wouldn't take it anymore. He agreed and confided that he was in the process of going blind, and would eventually need to change. You need sight to work on roofs. He had no idea of what to do. I suggested the top job of the blind in the past was a massage therapist. The royalty didn't want anyone seeing their body, and they were the only ones who could afford a massage therapist. Besides, as his sight dwindled, his other senses would be enhanced, perfect for therapist. He had the personality, the passion, ability and drive. All he needed was an education. He learned Braille, how to walk with a guide dog and became a massage therapist. Instead of wallowing in the self pity of losing sight, he moved forward into an occupation that he would never have conceived for himself. 30 years later, he is married, happy and productive, still working as a LMT.

Another patient was a carpet installer. He treated for a Disc problem, responded and went back to work. Each year he seemed to have more reinjures to the point I told him he needed to change professions. He said carpets are all he knows to do. I replied, take the other end, become the estimator or the overseer. He did. Four years later he moved a large carpet and reinjured. His Disc ruptured and he was off for surgery. During rehab, I told him with no rebuttal, its time to change professions. I asked him what would be his passion, what did he always want to do? He didn't know and my suggestions were futile. He had no training, he was 30 years old. I suggested he go to Broward community college and take an interest test. See what his likes were. He did.

A few days later I heard laughing at the front desk. Hysterical laughing. I walked up and there was JM with a smile on his face. He had a printout of his interest fields from the school. I read it, #1 Mortician, #2 Funeral Director, #4 Retail # 5 Taxidermist. I laughed, he smiled. He was OK with all of them, he was a hunter. His preference was funeral director but it would take too long and cost too much. He chose taxidermy and went to school for it. He graduated, moved to North Caroline and opened a shop. Soon after he opened a gun store next door. For years to come he would stop by on vacation and show me his new trucks. Each year they became bigger and more expensive.

My favorite occupation change occurred with a early retiree, forced into early retirement by a fractured knee and ankle. She came in complaining of back pain with Sciatica. She responded well to care, and as she had a lower extremity gait problem it took a while to resolve. Every time she came in she was upbeat as she felt better. She always had a copy of an equestrian (horse) magazine that she was reading. One day she looked visibly upset. I asked what was wrong. She said she had a wonderful life, worked for the post office for 30 years delivering mail and had two wonderful children. She owned her own trailer and was financially comfortable with her pension and social security. Her children were having problems and asked her for money. She wanted to help them but didn't really have any extra to give. She was just getting bye. My answer was simple, tell them to get a job, or get a job and give them some of the extra. She said she would love to work again, but who's going to hire 'an old lady with a bad leg'.

I told her this is Florida, anyone with a 30 year at one job history is considered stable and reliable and the first to be hired. She said all I know how to do is deliver the mail. I asked her what her passion was, what would she like to do?? She didn't know. I then said, everyday your reading about horses. How about a job with horses? She perked up, her eyes lit up, she then said: I love horses, all I think about and read about is horses. Too be honest, I have never even petted a horse, let alone rode one or work with them. No one would hire me.

I said, Nel, if I told you how to get a job with horses would you do it. She said absolutely. I gave her specific directions in how to get the job.

First go down to Atlantic and Power line roads. You will see two barns that are about a quarter mile long. Each has many 'barns' of Race Horses. Start at one end and go to the other. Ask for a job.

She replied, no one will hire me, I agreed but it wouldn't hurt to ask. Go to at least 4 and ask. If you get hired, your on. If not, change your approach. What do you mean? When you get to a barn and if feels like home, you sense like the people and the horses, change your line. BE 100% honest. Tell them what you told me. "I love horses, I dream about them, read about them, and think about them all the time. I want to be around and work with them but have no training. I will work for free if you will teach me.

She did that. She was hired for pay the next week. Not only did she get a job, she got a new family and new friends. She traveled the country with them and lived and breathed horses. It was her passion and love. I didn't see her for about 10 years. She came in for her lower back and told me the storey's of her journeys. The highlight was when she was at an auction in Pennsylvania. While there she saw her 'baby'. A foul that she helped deliver and latter trained. The barn sold her as she wasn't fast enough in their opinion to race. She bought the horse and was training him. I heard she won some seconds, and that visit was the last I saw her. She was about 70 years old, still riding the carts, working with the horses and loving her life.

How to get the job of your life.

1. NETWORK AND ADD JOB WEBSITES. TAKE ANY JOB YOU CAN AND YOU WILL FEEL BETTER WHEN SEEKING OTHER JOBS.

2. Find your passion. What is it you really want to do? If you don't know talk with your family first, friends, teachers etc. Often they will see it before you do. If not, take an interest test. They are free at most colleges and high schools. There is no failing the test. You fill out a hundred question, it goes into the computer and later it spills out results. Usually a guidance counselor is there to review it and suggest where you can find training. Then use your own intuition and go forward.

3. You know your passion, and you have the abilities but not the job. Create it. Do it yourself or bring together others to do it with you. Create your own business. Mentors and organizations are available to help, but it up to you to take on the challenge. Stay focused, be willing to fail, learn from it, and continue on as Thomas Edison did. Where there is a will, there is a way. "bUILD IT AND THEY SHALL COME".

4. Go to the employer that you want to work for, tell them your passion, your desire to learn, go 100% to be successful with them. If need be, offer to work for free to get the training. If you do, be the best employee you can (on time, respectful, honest, energized, multitasked, success oriented, and team player) and your work will become your reality and your dream come true.

5. Take the risk and go out and meet people. For business go to the local chamber of commerce meetings. You will be surprised at how welcomed you will be. Go to civic clubs, mine is Premier Networking Alliance www.pnanetwork.com , or Rotary, JC's, Lions, or Kiwanis. Find where you are comfortable. Volunteer to work for a charity or to support a politician you would vote for. Both are always looking for volunteers. Get the experience of helping run events, and before you know it you are in charge. Once in charge and successful it becomes that much easier to go out and do whatever you choose on your own. Networking is socializing, meeting others. Meet and befriend the people who are what you want to be. Ask one to mentor you. What's the worst that would happen, they will say no? In reality they all will say Yes and openly give advice.

6. Be thankful for what you have, rather than regretful for what you don't have or lost.

Life is a journey, one with ups, downs and in-betweens. It can be an exhilarating ride, or scary. Look at the obstacles, like a runner looks at the hurdles. With practice the runner can go over all the hurdles, but even in the Olympics, they sometimes fall down. You can choose to be the person in the stands watching the game, or on the field playing it. There is no right or wrong. Just make your choice and enjoy it. Get up from the last hurdle, and take on the next with vigor.

There is no failure, as we learn and grow from each experience