Wrongfully Employed

I started a brand new job “in my field.” The most under-talked about profession in America, it seems. Editing. Even in college, I went for a few years before even being able to find a major that was close to what I actually wanted to do with my life, my passion. I found the Writing degree when it was first being established at Buffalo State College, and thank god I did. I was able to study abroad in Australia through that and finally, actually take my first ever Editing and Proofreading class.

I had arrived. I learned a lot and felt accomplished and ready to dive into my profession.

Then I came back to America to complete my silly degree that was a whole lot of writing, which did not help me in my profession in the least, except maybe to meet one professor who had actually been in the industry.

To try to find proofreaders in Buffalo is like trying to find ghosts in your apartment buildings parking lot. You might hear about them, and think you see them, but they are nowhere to be found.

You’d think with that much of an open market, I’d be able to find jobs, just like that. Not so. I was going through a hard time in my personal life (my mom was passing away), so I took a hiatus from the job search to care for her and grieve. When I was finally somewhat ready to go back to work, a perfect part-time position found me and I began coordinating an after school program. There was a lot of stress and mind-boggling amounts of work to be done, but I completed the year, very close to not being able to. What kept me going, crisis after dramatic employee-induced crisis, was the children. They adored me, and I them.

Still, I wanted to continue to pursue my passion of editing. I did not believe there was one solid, open job for an editor in Buffalo. Everyone I spoke with said, “Go to New York (city),” or, “Chicago is where it’s at for the publishing industry,” and finally, “L.A. is where you need to be to find jobs.”

I had just lost my mother and had come back from Australia purely for family. I was not about to leave Buffalo now.

I determined to find a proofreading/editing job in Buffalo, and now.

I found the closest match instead – a media sales company.

This is a job editing obituaries, that is how it was marketed (Proofread/Notice Specialist to be sure). In actuality, we were called Sales Representatives. We sold and placed advertisements. This is not my forte. This is not even something I ever thought of doing. But so goes the search for your dream job, with bumps along the way, right?

Well, I figured I would give it my best shot. I was “working” for a great paper, Canada’s largest, and at least was doing some proofreading, right?

Wrong. I once read a book called “Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot” by Max Lucado. It established something that really resonated with me, and I believe it to this day after reading this many years ago.

The premise was that the universe (God) gave us tools when we were born; special talents and skills no one else quite has. Once we figure out what these are, and use them properly, we will be in the sweet spot of life, where nothing can touch you or harm you (career wise) because you have found where you are supposed to be and are doing what you are supposed to be doing.

I knew this to be true, but I figured this job would be a good stepping stone to getting there. It would give me the experience, tools and know-how to help me in my future career. I intuitively knew this. And three months after being hired, I was fired.

You’d think I would be upset. You’d think I would be boo-hoo-ing and woe-is-me-ing. I did none of those things (after I cried profusely in the HR’s office.) No, (pretty much) immediately, I knew there was a greater purpose for me. I knew I was trying to fit a square peg into a round hole in that position. They knew it too. God knew it before I even started there.

Boy, am I grateful for my time there. It did give me experience, it did give me confidence, it did give me the tools I needed to see how a business operates.

So that I can start my own business!

I introduce to you: Rebecca’s Proofreading!

I am now my own boss and have total creative freedom, and otherwise, in my dream job. I will help you look like a rock star in writing! I specialize in e-books, but can handle and will take on any manuscript, blog post, poem, novel, novella, or love letter you have!

Please contact me for timetables and rates at Rebecca.D.Words@gmail.com.

Peace, love and lights,
Rebecca