Member-only story
Alignment Activator Career Series
From Adversity to Achievement
How I turned a series of setbacks into career success
2016–2017 was a year of transformative change for me.
It was an emotional rollercoaster that tested my resolve like never before.
I wanted a fresh start away from the memories of my divorce and the only place I’d ever lived. With my sights set on Northern Virginia, particularly the DC area, I began to plan my move. With a car, a new graduate degree, and a viable career path — I had all the necessary elements to start over.
I accepted a job with the Department of Transportation in Arlington. I realized on the first day that I couldn’t afford the daily parking fees. I had limited funds due to months of unemployment. Four days into the role, I spent the last few dollars I had to go to work. To my surprise, day four was a holiday.
The agency representative was there, too. We both talked about how we overlooked the holiday. I shared my financial constraints with her. I wouldn’t be able to return to work because I didn’t have the gas or cash to pay for parking. In an attempt to help, the agency representative wrote me a check. Given that it was a holiday, it didn’t solve the problem until the banks reopened. This caused complications when I had to inform my employer that I couldn’t make it to a mandatory team meeting at 8 am since the banks didn’t open until 9 am.
The agency manager, angered by the email that explained my absence, called me. He criticized my commitment, accusing me of not making enough effort to get to work. I decided to educate him on the sacrifices I made for the job, including pawning items for gas money. I passed up other job offers because they were “almost” done with my clearance which ended up lasting three months. Not to mention, I had to deal with my son’s four-day hospitalization due to an asthma attack my first week in a new city. He continued to make dismissive and disrespectful comments, which were the last straw for me.
For the first time ever, I stood up for myself, refusing to be belittled.
