By Cheryl Jamall, chief experience officer, ACJ Meetings & Events

and MPI Potomac Chapter DE&I Committee member

 

As with most people, 2020 has been a trying year on so many levels. For me, it began on Jan. 10, 2020, even before the pandemic hit. On that day, despite being an award-winning executive with a national trade association of 20 years, I lost my job. Oh yeah, it happened, and you just hope it never happens to you.

All kinds of people have lost their jobs without notice, and I can say I didn’t see it coming. You are never prepared for the unexpected, but you should be. Honestly, my first reaction was anger, tears, the fear of how I would survive, how I would take care of my family, who would hire me at over 50 years old, then more anger. Let’s just keep it real.

 

After a week, I said to myself, "Hold on, you are a child of God. You are a meeting, event and hospitality professional with more than 35 years of experience. You can do this, and besides, you have to show your daughter, who is also in the hospitality industry, how to survive."

Within two weeks, I started ACJ Meetings & Events. I designed my website, had business cards delivered (mind you two versions as I didn’t like the first). I had to go through my Linkedln, other social media platforms and my cell phone to reach out to potential clients and contacts.

 

I hit the streets letting the world know that ACJ Meetings & Events was open for business and, more importantly, that I was alive and kicking. By Feb. 10, I had two clients, and I thought — I am going to make it.

 

Of course, March rolled in, and I was ready to sign contracts for my clients, and then COVID-19 hit. Are you kidding me? A pandemic!

Oh, did I mention my daughter was then let go from the hotel where she was working? So now the college graduate and new hospitality professional is asking me, "Mom, what do we do?" I prayed, "Lord, help show me how to move forward through this."  

I said, “Wait, the pandemic is an event; not a happy event, but an event nonetheless.” I got a contract as an emergency COVID-19 coordinator working with government agencies for quarantine. Everyone I worked with asked me, “Where did you come from? It’s obvious you are not a government employee; you function differently!” I proudly said I am a meeting professional representing the hospitality industry. I then had to give a lesson on how encompassing the hospitality industry really is. The most rewarding result: My daughter tells me, “Mom, nothing can stop you.” I tell her, “You have to move forward no matter what."

 

All this is to say, your skills are transferrable in more ways than you know. Here are 12 tips I used to move forward:

1.    Start each day with a positive thought, a prayer or meditation.

2.    Revamp your résumé, then keep it updated and on a computer that is not a company computer.

3.    Update your LinkedIn profile routinely; don’t wait until you are job hunting.

4.    Get references.

5.    Be honest with your family and friends.

6.    Clean up your social media accounts.

7.    Google yourself to see what potential employers will see about you.

8.    Check into your health insurance options.

9.    Figure out what do with your retirement plan.

10.  Apply for at least five jobs a week, one job a day. Use Saturday and Sunday to relax and refresh.😊

11.  Put yourself on a budget.

12.  At the end of each day, let go of what you can’t control. Lay your head in peace and get some rest so that you can start the next day refreshed and rejuvenated, and know you are not alone.