My New Resume Objective

Making and selling pretzels. That’s where I started. And not just any pretzel, one that intoxicatingly sets off your saliva glands like Pavlov’s dog. The place: Auntie Anne’s. The benefits: learning the ropes of steady work and bringing home buttery, delicious pretzels at the end of the shift.

Since then I’ve collected W-2’s from some of the coolest workplaces, from restaurants to airlines to nonprofits and to science directorates.

I’ve attended prestigious universities and collected school debt with enough zeros to make someone crazy.

And through it all I’ve valued myself – as I was conditioned – to perceive my worth through measurable accomplishments. Things that I can “add to my resume.” Utilizing metrics that look good on paper, such as grades and pay scales. I’ve shook hands with people and forced myself to sit through meetings in order to advance my career.

None of it has been for naught. Each and every experience has led me to where I am now. And I’m super grateful for the aptitude, ability and privilege that helped open doors. The biggest and least controllable experience, of course, having nothing to do with my accomplishments: losing my son and almost my life. The vulnerability of not being able to recover by studying harder, or negotiating, or getting praise from my supervisor led me into uncharted territory.

Some things cannot be achieved away. Vulnerability and pain are random. And untimely.

My point is not to say that the traditional idea of achievement is meaningless. In fact, I have friends and family doing amazing things in their jobs and education. And I plan to do more with mine.

However, it is time to reevaluate what achievement means to me. It is time to write a new objective.

                                                  My New Resume Objective

To listen with both mind and heart. To embody compassion, insight, creativity, honesty, openness, empathy and kindness. To allow, and the rest will fall into place.

I know for certain that I will have more jobs in this career called life. No matter what they are, I will strive to develop this objective. I will embrace every learning opportunity, regardless of whether they fit into my “expertise” or not. And I will strive to create a safe place for myself and others, so that everyone may write their own objectives.