8 Weeks

So, I am writing this post while drinking a 24oz coffee at a new local spot I found, so this post might be longer than it should given the caffeine. HA! The next post might follow at 2am when I am still awake from the coffee, maybe I need to find a local wine bar.

In 2006, I needed a new start, a clean slate, to go where I didn't know anyone and build somewhat of a new identity. I wanted more for myself and my daughter than to "just get by" I wanted to create a life for myself that I didn't have to financially depend on another person or my family. At the time I was dating someone that had moved to Austin after meeting him in Waco but while that helped my decision it did not drive it. I knew I would not find a corporate recruiting position in Waco.

I started working at Express Personnel as a Receptionist in 1996 and after a year and a few days moved into a Recruiter role, I found my calling. I had no idea that 15+ years later I would be where I am at, in fact if you told me the Lord came to you in a dream and told you where I would be, it is highly possible I would think you were crazy, not a prophet.

So one day I was sitting in my apartment and I thought ok, what the heck I will just apply for a few jobs in Austin, nothing will probably happen. Well, it did happen and quickly. I applied for a Recruiter role, made a few trips for the interview and the next thing I knew they were making me an offer.  Makenzie still had 3 months of school left and I needed to let her finish before moving. So, I commuted from Waco to Austin for 3 months BEFORE toll roads. My life consisted of getting up at 4am and getting home at 8pm, sleep and repeat!!

I held a few recruiting positions within the agency world in Austin and in 2010 I got the huge break I was looking for. I was working at Adecco and LegalZoom was my client and worked on their account several months before getting laid off from Adecco.

The news of being laid off from Adecco had come at the worst time (so I thought.) I had just moved in with a friend and separated from my husband. I literally had been there one night when they called to let me know. I was devastated. The next day I logged online to apply for unemployment and start looking for a job. What do I see? A posting for a position at LegalZoom? I immediately applied for the role and emailed my contact at LegalZoom to let her know that I had applied.

She emailed me back to let me know that she was not the hiring manager for the  "HR Manager" role I had applied for. She then went on to say that the same day I emailed her she was thinking she needed to hire an additional recruiter. She told me that it would need to go through the approval process and it could be a few weeks.

I am a person of faith and I always try to lean on faith that things will work out and God will take care of me and that his plan is always, always bigger and better. He has never left me behind and he wasn't going to start now. During this period is probably one of the times my faith has been the strongest. From the moment she told me that she wanted to hire someone I knew that it was going to work out. I didn't even apply for another job that I was so sure that it was written in the stars for me to work for LegalZoom.

I don't consider myself to be someone that worries, I consider myself to be a person with 0 patience, I mean not even an ounce and in certain situations this can drive me crazy and the people around me. In this situation I didn't worry, I believed it would work. I honestly wish I could have that kind of faith in every situation of my life and it is something I am really trying to work on.

Two weeks later... the phone rings and she is calling to let me know she got the approval to hire someone and she would like bring me on board BUT she was only able to get it approved for 8 weeks, I'll take it, without a doubt I will take it. When God opens a door you don't close it, you don't question, you don't think about it, you don't say are you sure God? Is this what you want for me?  You walk through the DAMN DOOR!!!

So began my journey at LegalZoom, it has been the best professional journey. All the crazy people I worked for prior that were stepping stones to this opportunity were worth it. I have met some amazing people and developed some great friendships. I get to work with people that believe in me, that have mentored me. I have grown in so many ways and after a lot of hard work I started on that 8 week journey that has now been 4 years. I started as a Recruiter, promoted to a Sr. Recruiter and was recently promoted to Manager, Talent Management. I am not even close to being done in growing professionally. I am building skill sets in new areas and learning new things everyday.

I had the end goal of getting into Corporate recruiting when I moved to Austin, God said No, I have better things in store for you. Step out in faith and I will take you there. He has in so many ways and I am humbly thankful for the opportunities that LegalZoom provides everyday, for the awesome people I work with. It is my saving grace on days that I need to take my mind to another place away from my personal life and failures that shine like a neon light some days.

I am beyond honored to be the person that gets to call candidates and change their life, give them an opportunity to grow and develop with such an awesome company. To let an internal candidate know that they got the promotion. What I do is life changing and I am so grateful God trusted me with the talent of helping people further careers and give them the job that gets them to their next stepping stone in life.

I have created that life where I can financially care for my daughter and myself. When I enter my next relationship the one that is going to work and last, I am bringing something to the table. I want to be an equal partner in a relationship and not make someone feel that I am dependent on their paycheck but instead that together we provide for our family as one.


I am no longer getting by..........



Blessings,
Jen