I’ve talked before about my love for playing basketball when I was in middle school. Because I really sucked at it, I didn’t get much time on the court. But I kept going back, year after year, to play.
The coach was pretty cool about it all. For even the bad players like me, we did get to see some action (and not just at the end of a game when the outcome was a foregone conclusion). By the time I hit eighth grade, I think my coach felt sorry for me and he actually let me start some games.
One weekend during my last season was a particularly busy one — we were participating in a tournament, plus we had a regular season game to play. The first game was part of the tournament. I went out with the other starters, and the game began. The other team got the ball, and as I was running up the court, I landed wrong on my foot and felt my ankle give way. I stumbled and recovered, but was noticeably limping after that.
When a time-out was called, the coach asked me, “Do you need to come out?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m OK.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
So I kept playing. Our team won that game, so there would be another one coming up for this tournament in addition to regular season game that was next. And I would play some more.
That’s what it’s like for active job seekers — playing hurt. Being let go from a position for whatever reason is a blow. You may just stumble, or you may fall flat on your face when it happens. Regardless, you have to get up and keep going.
Yes, having to go to interviews when your confidence is shaken is tough and attending networking events may be the last thing you want to do. You’d much rather stay in and nurse your wounds. And some of that at the onset of it all is to be expected. But, even though you are hurting, you have to get back in there and play the game well.
So what happened the next game? During the game, there was a shot that I was going up for, and I was fouled by the other team as the ball left my hands. I still made the basket. And then — I hit the extra point afterward.
Those three points were the only points I ever scored in real play. My best game in my entire middle school basketball career.
Playing hurt — never any fun, but when you really put your effort into it, some amazing things can happen.
How about you? What stories (job search-related or otherwise) do you have of when something great developed even though you were not at 100%?
Image courtesy of Warren Long
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Twitter: JulieWalraven
says:
Excellent, as usual, Melissa! And so critical for job seekers. You seem to intuitively hit the crux of the matter to bring just the right words to help everyone you meet. Blessings, my friend!
Julie Walraven | Resume Services´s last [type] ..Are you suffering from lack of sleep
Twitter: TheEdibleHR
says:
Fantastic article. As an active job seeker, it’s really hard at times not to just give up. When you’re unemployed, you tend to feel alienated from the working world. It really seems to help if job seekers find a way to stay connected – through contacts, networking, improving their skills, writing an article, etc. Worked for me!
Anna/The Edible HR´s last [type] ..Outsourcing Exit Interviews
Twitter: jakelacaze
says:
Melissa, you and I have much in common when it comes to our love of playing roundball. I was on the team (they let me warm a spot on the bench) in 8th grade, took a two-year hiatus, and then got on the team again my junior and senior years in high school.
During the first scrimmage of my junior year, I went up for a rebound and came down wrong on my ankle; it took me forever to recover. I sprained it much worse than I had initially thought.
Sometimes you just have to slap on the ankle brace and go. It might not be the easiest, and you might not be the most graceful, but all that anyone remembers is that you scored the basket.
Jake LaCaze´s last [type] ..Is There Really No Such Thing As A Stupid Question
Twitter: TheJobQuest
says:
@Julie: Thank you
I appreciate your kind words! The feeling is definitely mutual.
@Anna: Thanks so much for stopping by and for your comments! You’re right — that alienation is such a strong feeling. To stay in the game after experiencing a layoff takes a lot of strength and courage. But hanging in there can make all the difference in the world.
@Jake: Heh
But see, you got to play in high school! You must have been somewhat good. I pretty much called it quits after eighth grade. The girls high school hoops program would have had no tolerance for a slow, chubby chick with no athletic ability. I became a band geek instead 
Still got my basketball fix as a member of the pep band!