Occupation Oscillation – Tales of Our Time

By Joyce Paschall, CAE, CMP-HC, CMM | Associate Executive Director, Education and Engagement, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

We’ve all seen the statistics and recognise the laser-like hit on the Tourism & Hospitality industry. Whether it came as instantly as a bolt of lightning or in slow motion like water circling a drain, the grief and loss are real, along with the resolve, resilience and outright requirement to Find. A. Job.

Lately, there are signs of recovery. Three long-time “friendfessionals” (started as a professional contact, became a friend, as so many of us do) of mine recently started similar positions in growing companies, and the number of postings on job boards is increasing.

What about those who, by some combination of their own ingenuity, intense effort, chutzpa or outright luck, found employment similar to what they left behind, or in a different part of the industry, or a different industry while leveraging familiar skills? What about those who branched out further to create their own new gig or went off in a whole new arena? Where have they landed? While those who remained employed learned how to perfect the pivot, others mastered the situation swivel.*

Same Song, Second Verse

• An experienced corporate planner parlayed her participation in online training to become a digital event producer.
• A hiatus allowed for self-reflection and, after being rejected once again by the automated application system for a job for which she was ideally qualified, one go-getter stepped into her power, reached out directly to the recruiter and four Zoom interviews later is back to work as an event manager. 
• An independent planner whose niche was onsite logistics execution blazed a new trail consulting clients through the process of evaluating and selecting virtual platforms.

Those Transferable Skills

• A variety of roles in all facets of our industry combined into a new career as a virtual/hybrid event emcee for a person who decided to jump on the moving train.
• A role representing a senior and assisted living facility has brought an experienced destination account manager more than a job. It’s become a deeply meaningful opportunity to support and enrich the lives of elders and their families.
• A short-term marketing gig taken out of necessity added just the right experience to a resume that landed one planner in a director-level meeting job.
• Some are pursuing project management certification, anticipating this allows them to cast a wider net.
• Another twist is the sales event manager who became a teacher’s aide to assist with virtual learning.

Gig Economy and Entrepreneurs

• Several displaced folks are getting out and picking up cash while also picking up people, packages and produce as ride-share providers, delivery drivers and grocery shoppers.
• Virtual assistants didn’t begin with the pandemic, but a new approach did begin for a sales assistant who decided that even if the prior position did call her back, she needed to continue to work remotely to accommodate family circumstances.
• An event photographer whose bookings evaporated overnight built a new business using drones to capture aerial tours of destinations and venues, then acquired a recreational vehicle, initially to transport guy and gear more safely. When not in use for that purpose, he rented it out to travelers, and that swivel turned into a weekend getaway concept where he would drive, with customers enjoying the sights, but then the RV got its own gig through a long-term lease by an insurance company to use as temporary housing for a client. While he may be dizzy from all the swiveling, he’s also solvent.

And Now for Something Completely Different

• A planner who previously flew all over the world from her lifelong home in the Midwest pulled up stakes, moved several states away and bought a retail business with her spouse.
• Combining a desire for flexibility and finely honed people skills, more than one person has left our industry to become a real estate agent.
• Inspired by the efforts of frontline medical caregivers, a coordinator went back to school to complete her nursing credentials, re-embarking on her childhood dream.

It sounds a bit like our version of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” with more stories yet to come.

*Swivel may be my new favorite word. It reminds me of swizzle sticks, which reminds me of cocktails, which reminds me of receptions, which reminds me of meetings. It’s more imaginative than pivot!

About Joyce

Joyce Paschall, CAE, CMP-HC, CMM, is responsible for content strategy, development and execution for educational events for the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) based in Rosemont, IL, USA.

A CMP since 1990, Joyce has over 30 years of experience as an association executive and meeting director. She’s a long-time, active member of many industry organizations and served as president of the Chicago Area Chapter of MPI in 2007-2008. She currently serves on the CAE Commission for ASAE and on the EIC Knowledge Committee. She loves what she does for pay, but her true joy comes from volunteering as a foster home for senior dogs, particularly beagles.