Employed Again!

My Dad encouraged me always to be my best in any situation.

My Dad always said......“You need to have a job to get a job!”

Stephens College threw me a curve ball in Summer 2011 when they laid me off from my professional position at the college. I became a part of one of the most feared national statistics--the unemployed. 

Though many experiences over the 14 months felt like vignettes out of a B-movie plot, I learned so much about myself, values, faith, and determination while experiencing joys and opportunities that I might never had otherwise. Unemployment benefits, freelance writing, babysitting, and book selling kept me from borrowing money or losing my home. Still, unemployment is hard, hard stuff. It can get to one’s head and it certainly did mine. Certain X factors made it difficult for me to find employment: my stubborn desire to stay in Columbia; a professional background of many years in director-level jobs in a specialized field; and a resume that made me appear unaffordable and “overqualified” for jobs that I would have given my all to if hired. I was the bargain that no one would hire.

I realized after a year that it was time to take up my brother’s offer to work at the Dairy Queen franchise he owns. Starting my fast food career at the age of 46 was humbling to say the least but I soon learned life lessons that I will treasure forever. 

David Baskett Rogers and Ann Louise Rogers
Our Last Dance

Today, I want to share with you that I have accepted an offer as Manager, Research and Development Services at ChildFund International (http://www.childfund.org/). Some opportunities are worth the wait. Beginning September 4th, I will work in my specialized field (prospect research) from my home, with regular visits to the ChildFund headquarters in Richmond, Virginia, and receive the best pay and benefits package I’ve ever been offered. 

And I very well may be the only ChildFund professional that has the coveted DQ “curl” skill in their arsenal. A word to my friends--never underestimate the difficulty of that curl that tops the ice cream cone or the intelligent and hardworking staff at Dairy Queen--or any fast food restaurant. It is difficult, fast paced, and under appreciated work. I’ll forever remember Dairy Queen as the place I was reminded once again of my Dad’s great wisdom. 

“You need to have a job to get a job.”