Bradley Richardson - Career Comeback: 8 Steps to Getting Back on Your Feet When Youre Fired, Laid Off, or Your Business Ventures Has Failed--and Finding More Job Satisfaction than Ever Before

Whatever you dream, or dare to dream, begin it.

Goethe

The universe rewards action.

Anonymous

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

While the writing of a book is often a solitary task, there are many other people involved and touched by the process long before the book ever hits the shelves.

There are many people to thank, but at the top of the list the greatest thanks go to my wife and children whom I love so much. Meredith, my true companion, who has always supported and loved me, who showed strength (and patience) throughout my career comeback and throughout the writing of this book, thank you for sharing your life with me. And a huge thanks to my daughter, Samantha, and sons, Skylar and Tyler, who waited patiently as I toted around a computer or carried printed sheets around with me for months, and were always there with a smile and hug. (Yes, we can go get some ice cream now.)

This book (and my personal career comeback) would not have been possible without my agent, Patty Moosbrugger. Im a big fan of the movie Jerry Maguire, and my relationship with Patty has many similarities. She is my Ambassador of Kwan. She is a great supporter, advocate, coach, and partner. Thanks!

This is my fourth book, and each experience has been different. For the most part you work on it by yourself for months and then turn it in, but this time was different, thanks to my editor Kris Puopolo of Broadway Books. I hit the publishing lotto with Kris, who provided incredible direction and insight, and made writing Career Comeback a wonderful collaborative experience. She is not only a great editor who can cut through the clutter (believe me, you would have a twelve-pound book if it werent for her), but she also sees the business side and is willing to look at all of the possibilities. Thank you so much. I also want to thank her assistant, Beth Haymaker, for patiently staying on top of the details and being so polite.

So many thanks go to my family, who have always been supportive and helped me reach my dreams: my mom, Judy Richardson, Jack and Jan Introligator, Paige and Tate Smith, Craig and Jimmy Introligator. Thanks to our close friends Steve and Shana Javery and Drs. Brad and Rebecca Weprin. Many thanks to my network of contacts, mentors, cohorts, and friends, who include Andrew Vitale; Michael Goldberg; Denis Simon of Challenger Gray & Christmas; Bob Gordon, the man who launched my writing career; Ginger Shelhimer of ACS, who coached me during my career comeback and has been a partner in our Life After Layoff events; Jodi Solomon of Solomon Speakers Bureau; and Cindy Colangelo of Coldwell Banker, who has always been a supporter and friend. Id also like to thank Jerry Dickenson of the University of North Texas, who is a great supporter and has used JobSmarts for TwentySomethings as a text for his classes for years. Another enormous thank-you goes to Bette Scott, director of the University of Oklahoma Career Center, who, whether she knows it or not, has been an inspiration to me going all the way back to the beginning when I was a clueless student who needed career direction. Thanks to my friends and colleagues at the Wall Street Journal, including Debbie Knoll, Jim Graf, Marti Gallardo, and most of all Tony Lee, editor-in-chief of CareerJournal, who was instrumental in my own career comeback by saying, You know, I have an idea, have you ever thought about...

Id like to thank the great folks at Jewish Family Service in Dallas, Texas, for putting the word out about my book and introducing me to job seekers from around the nation who shared their stories with me. Thanks to my extended network of friends, colleges, authors, and speakers who have been so helpful in offering direction, guidance, and contacts, and finally thank you to the many colleges and the university career center directors and activities professionals who have graciously invited me to speak on their campuses over the years.

Bradley G. Richardson
Dallas, Texas

Introduction

I magine that you are driving home on a beautiful sunny day. You dont have a care in the world. Youre familiar with the road. In fact you have driven it so many times it is as if you are on autopilot. You roll the windows down. As the wind starts to blow through your hair, you pop in one of your favorite CDs, turn up the volume, and let your mind begin to wander. Id like to try that new restaurant I read about... maybe we should take a cruise this summer... I need a haircut... I think the kids need BANG! Another car violently smashes into you. You are thrown forward with incredible force, only to be whipped backward from the impact of your head hitting the air bag. Glass shatters and hundreds of small shards fill the car, covering your hair and clothes. The car spins around, causing you to become disoriented. When it finally comes to a standstill all you notice is the smoke and the silence.

You have no clue what happened. You never saw the other vehicle. It came out of nowhere only to leave a path of destruction in its wake. You check yourself and although not seriously injured, you are confused, stunned, and shocked. As you climb from the car, your mind races as you quickly begin to assess the situation. How bad is it? How will I get home? Was it my fault? I cant afford for my insurance rates to go up. That jerk should have been paying attention. Was anyone else hurt? Im lucky that the kids werent in the car. How much is this going to cost me?

At a minimum you are facing a financial and material loss. Not to mention your lost time and your shaken mental and emotional state. One moment you are cruising along and the next your peaceful existence is suddenly shattered. Without warning your plans have changed and your future is irrevocably altered.

If you are wondering why I would start a career and self-help book by describing a car wreck, the answer is simple. Thats because a career setback or knockdown is a lot like the scenario I just described. When you lose your job or suffer a business failure, regardless of the cause, it feels like a wreck that catches you off guard, violently shakes you, and leaves you disoriented, angry, hurt, and asking questions of yourself and others.

But a career setback isnt always a crash that results in losing your job. Sometimes getting knocked down professionally is like a breakdown along a busy highway at rush hour. You find yourself stalled at the side of the road, unable to go any farther or move ahead. Meanwhile traffic is passing you by and there is no tow truck in sight. Your career has become the lemon that is constantly in the shop. Frustrated, you want to abandon it but you cant.

Or maybe your career setback has you feeling lost and isolated. You set out toward a particular destination, but somewhere you missed the exit or took a wrong turn. The next thing you know, you are miles from your destination without a map and you have no idea how to get back.

So when you think about it, a career setback can be like either a car wreck or a breakdown. Except it doesnt matter if the wreck was your fault or not, or who got the ticket. It doesnt matter if you were blindsided or if you saw the other car coming but were unable to get out of the way. It doesnt matter if you looked at the map or if you forgot to check the tires and change the oil. All that matters is that you have experienced a life-changing setback, disappointment, or loss, and right now the most important thing is getting your career and life repaired, on the road, and running smoothly again.