Following Passion During a Pandemic

The Struggle Bus: I don’t want to survive; I want to THRIVE!

Graduating during a worldwide pandemic sounds like something that would only happen in a movie. Life has a way of creating unexpected twists and turns, and I had a front-row seat to those twists and turns during my last year of college. I am sure for those of you who graduated in the spring of 2020, you felt just as shocked and freaked out as I felt.

Graduating from college WITHOUT a world crisis is scary enough! Leaving college two months earlier than expected and being thrust into the “real world” during a major economic recession left me facing many hard decisions with extreme uncertainty.

So, I did as a recent college graduate does and started applying to any job that seemed remotely interesting. At this point, the amount I was getting paid didn’t matter as long as I was getting paid. Fear was leading my job search much more than passion. Screw passion; I just needed to survive! Not to mention, I really had no idea what I wanted for my career in the long-term.

During those long summer months of 2020, I did everything I could to ensure I would land on my feet post-graduation. I applied to graduate school and got in! I even landed a part-time gig at a local gym so I could pay my rent.

Everyone at the time seemed to be preaching that COVID-19 created the perfect opportunity to do the things we never felt we had the time to do pre-pandemic. Since my job was part-time and my master’s program hadn’t started yet, I felt like all of my downtime was going to waste.

@RefinedResumesLLC via Instagram

I had been writing resumes for fun for my friends and family for over a year, so I figured I could post on Facebook and sell my services to make some extra income. If I was going to have downtime, I might as well try to make it profitable, right?

What started out as a simple Facebook post began to blossom, and I decided to create a website and social media pages. At this time, the job market was really rough, and people desperately needed a resume revamp.

Before long, I had a full-fledged business before my eyes; and it wasn’t just another job anymore. What I used to do “for fun” became my passion in a matter of months.

@RefinedResumesLLC via Instagram

Every time my clients land amazing interviews, it gives me an immense feeling of joy and pride. I realized from then on that my passion and mission are to guide and empower others as they navigate the job-hunting process.

Finally, knowing what I wanted led me to continue my education in new ways. I joined the Professional Association of Résumé Writer and Career Coaches, which opened up a huge network of resume writers/entrepreneurs just like me and gave me access to becoming certified in what I do. Now, as a Certified Digital Career Strategist and Certified Professional Resume Writer candidate, I feel clarity in my goals and ready for the “real world.” The crazy thing is that none of this would have happened if it weren’t for the pandemic.

There is still so much that I envision for the future of my business. I am still a graduate student, and I still need a steady part-time gig to make sure I can pay rent, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. The days of fear-based job hunting are over for me. I don’t want to find a job that is “remotely interesting”; I want to thrive and do work that ignites my passion. By taking the risk of starting something new while juggling other obligations, I opened the door to living a life with a sense of purpose and excitement for the future instead of continuing my life in survival mode. I urge you to think about the things you do “for fun” and make it a lifestyle. You would be surprised at what you can create.