In April 2023, my director-level job in real estate management got eliminated. I allowed myself a small window to mourn, and then decided to view the layoff as an opportunity instead of a loss. I’d been longing for a career change, and here was my chance to pursue a path that gave me a greater sense of purpose.
But I never expected to still be unemployed as the holidays approached. I had applied to hundreds of jobs but landed only two interviews and received zero job offers.
In early December, I applied online for a seasonal position with Target completely on a whim — half expecting to be ghosted again. But the very next day, I got an offer to be a guest advocate for the holidays at $15 an hour.
It was a huge pay cut from what I made as a director, but I was excited to get out of the house and interact with living things other than my pets and family!
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Initially, I was as nervous as a 16-year-old showing up to their first job, but after some training, I found my stride. And it didn’t take long for me to realize that my “little seasonal job,” as I liked to call it, was one of the best things I could have done for myself.
Going from senior roles to retail was humbling
If I’m being honest, I secretly felt like I was too good to work in a retail role again more than 20 years after my last day at The Disney Store, where I’d once picked up a part-time job on the side for fun. I assumed I’d dread every shift and be annoyed by customers who treated me like gum on their shoes.
But almost every guest was incredibly kind and engaging. I bonded quickly with my co-workers and looked forward to seeing them every day. And I didn’t dread a single shift.
I gained so much respect for workers who are on their feet (and game) all day
Retail and other customer-facing employees are some of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met.
In those first weeks, my feet and knees hurt so badly that I developed a close…
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