Aaron Crowe

Someday, there will be a party. Someday, there will be plenty of people to thank, and possibly one or two more than anyone else. That will all happen when I find full-time work. But for now, more than seven months after being laid off and still searching for a job in a new career, it’s time to reflect a bit on who has helped me get through this most difficult time in my life.

Other job seekers should also take a look around and thank the many people who have helped them. Without them, we’d be in the dumps emotionally, without at least part-time jobs, and probably lost.

Without naming names (which I’ll happily do when I have a party to celebrate finding a full-time job, when everyone will be thanked, alcohol will flow, pigs will roast, balloons will fill the air, and the person responsible for leading me there will be rewarded), I offer my short list of thanks to:

My wife. I can’t spend enough time thanking her for her support, emotionally and financially, during this time. Without her, I’m nowhere. She’s gone back to work fulltime, and hates this forced job hunt as much as I do.

The friend who, upon hearing within days that I was out of work and needed a desk to help get my job hunt going, gave me one for free. He even delivered it.

The newspaper union worker who, even though I wasn’t a union member because I worked in management, gave me great advice, ideas and encouragement throughout it all. He did much more than my former employer did when I was laid off.

Colleagues, new and old, who have offered to teach me new job skills, such as for this blog and other things, so I could get off my feet and try to learn things to make myself more marketable. Their help is invaluable.

The networking group that helped me brainstorm ideas early on. Some of it worked, some didn’t, but there was always inspiration. Unfortunately, I have left the group to concentrate on various part-time jobs to help pay the bills.

The many, many people who have led me to part-time jobs, most of it freelance writing, that keep me writing and thinking during every waking hour of the day. One who I must name, Julie Tilsner, I first found on Facebook while looking up college friends, and she led me to WalletPop.com. I now have more part-time gigs than I can handle, and today had to decline something because I don’t have the time for it. Amazing.

The friends and family members who have offered encouragement throughout it all.

When the party happens, I’ll let you all know. It will be something to celebrate.