At the time I recognized I urgently needed a career adjustment, I was also grieving the death of my younger brother of 34 years; I thought I’d never stop crying. To attempt a job search was beyond my capacity. I needed help.

Using the services of a temp agency in Cleveland, OH, I worked with a young woman who was attentive, qualified, and took ownership in guiding me to the right opportunity. Within two weeks, I started a temp position at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) that turned into a 21-year career.

Now, as a career coach and counselor, I use this life experience to inform and inspire my clients in their quest to connect their personalities to their passions and to their professions.

The Benefits of Asking for Help

Fast forward 21 years from my first day on the job as a “temp” employee, and a few realizations surface:

• Being stretched outside of my comfort zone with responsibility for work tasks I both enjoyed and didn’t enjoy initiated a journey that culminated with an in-depth understanding of my personality.
• Passion is realized once it emerges from hours and years of hard work and determination in pursuing an interest or talent.
• Reaching out for help lead me to an organization and a position that suited my personality. Had I not reached out for help, I never ever would have considered looking for a job at CWRU. Over time, and with hard work, I realized that I was living my passion—sharing my talent for helping students grow in awareness of their personalities and passions so they can align them with their careers.

Finding the Work You Are Meant to Do

Life happens, and most often, not in a well-defined order that makes sense to our linear minds and recipes for success. Keep an open mind in your current work and keep pursuing your interests and talents. Your passion will emerge.

And ask for help! You’ll meet some great people, learn a lot about yourself, and ultimately find the work you are meant to do. And there is no recipe for the order in which this will happen.