Tana worked for the GRDA in Vinita, Oklahoma, which is a state-owned public power producer. They operate 2 coal-fired generating plants, and three hydro plants which produced electricity for about 15 cities and towns in Oklahoma, as well as rural electric cooperatives. She worked for 20+ years in the Media/Marketing Department producing corporate videos, annual reports, company brochures/media and corporate photography. Tana also worked with many cities and civic organizations on their marketing efforts and although she enjoyed her job she never called it her career passion.

The draw of the rodeo always beckoned for Tana to participate more regularly than the weekend competitions that she continued to pursue in her spare time. The ultimate goal on the rodeo circuit for a Barrel Racer is to find that special horse that could compete at the top professional level. In 1999, Tana thought found him, a bay 4-yr-old gelding, whose official name was Perrymans Star, but she called him Amigo.

Competing with the Big Girls

Tana took her time training and seasoning him for three years, and Amigo continued to prove himself a winner. In 2003, Tana took the big step and entered the winter pro rodeos, sanctioned by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, to see how she would do against the “big girls”. Although their first run wasn’t good, Tana and Amigo came back and won the second round at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. For the next three years, she continued to work her marketing job and tried to rodeo on the side using accumulated leave, comp time, and unpaid leave.

Each year, Tana and Amigo would finish in the top 30, and only the top 15 qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. In June of 2006, she was ranked in the top 15, but she had run out of leave and had to make a decision, either quit her job, or quit rodeo-ing. But dreaming and reality are two different things. Tana didn’t want to look back and wonder what if? But she didn’t want to put her family in a financial bind either. After much prayer and reflection, Tana took the leap and left her job to pursue life on the road as a professional rodeo Barrel Racer. Her husband of 26 years, Marty, and son, Brodie encouraged her to go for it.

On the Road Again

After a month on the road, Tana had only won a couple of thousand dollars and after expenses, she was broke. She told her husband that she would finish out the next week at the rodeos and then she’d go find a real job again.

“I also had a long conversation with God about the whole situation, and He gave me a whole new insight. Although I didn’t win a lot that week, things started clicking, and I went another week. We found our “zone” and started winning, and climbed back into the standings, winning enough to qualify for our first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in third place!”

While the earning picked up with additional wins, Tana says her new career is more about passion than finances. It can be feast or famine, but she won $100,000 at Calgary in 2007 which has carried her through the past two years while Amigo had to have surgery in 2008. Tana also broke her ankle in 2009 so the unexpected expenses really did add up.  To an outside observer, it might look like Tana is rolling in the dough of her winnings but they don’t see the expenses of travel, veterinary care, and human health care. Tana admits, she has not “made it” yet but she is still going strong.

At the Top of Your Game

While the critical element is having a great horse for a partner Tana also learned that it takes perseverance and really knowing your horse to help him stay at the top of his game. In addition to the now 16-yr-old Amigo, Tana also has 9-yr-old Goose with whom she is partnering. It is definitely a partnership—she takes care of her guys and they take care of her.

Tana has learned the importance of financial planning since she cannot count on regular winnings. She advises others interested in pursuing a high risk career transition to never look back and never give up.

Family also plays a very important role in Tana’s success and she could not continue on this path without their strong support. Tana’s son Brodie kept telling her in the first few years when she wanted to quit and go home, “No Mom, you’ve got to keep going so we can go to the NFR!”

Marty, her husband, works hard to help keep her on the road. He is the reason she can live her dream. Tana’s parents hauled her to Little Britches and High School rodeos while she was growing up, and her parents still go with her on the road when they can. Marty’s parents also lend a hand helping to feed the horses and assist with housework while Tana is on the road.

Road Report

Tana loves to encourage others to follow their dreams, so she speaks at church services, at barrel races, rodeos, and other organizations. She has put on clinics for 4Hers, Girl Scouts and church groups and supports an equine-assisted therapeutic riding center. Tana also serves as the director of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.

Her goal is to make the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo again this year. Tana would like to give both her horses a chance to compete there.  “Amigo deserves the chance to run there when he is healthy. — A gold (World Champion) buckle would be nice some time, too!” according to Tana.

Friends and fans can follow Tana by reading her web road report at: www.tanapoppino.com and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s site at: www.wpra.com.

Tana’s Advice and Action Steps

• Take a risk and pursue your passion.
• Plan well financially.
• Seek the support of friends, family and your resource team.
• Do what you love and it will never seem like work.

Quote:

“Discover your God-given talents, follow your dream, work hard, and never, never, give up!”

Tana Poppino

Resources

Tana Poppino  www.tanapoppino.com

Rodeo Promotions www.rodeopromotions.com

But the struggle for PhDs who want to go in a different career direction is as old as the ivy on the hallowed university buildings where they minted their degrees. While the basics of selling your skills in research, writing, advanced analysis, and teaching are a given – don’t ignore the personality trait that empowered you to earn the highest degree in the land in the first place. Resilience and your tremendous work ethic can be the special sauce that you use to distinguish yourself in the job market.

Think about it – you have spent 7+ years of your life becoming an expert in a very particular, often esoteric, slice of an academic discipline that may not play into your future career goals at all now. According to an article in Selloutyoursoul “a work-horse, a smart work horse, a curious person willing to put in the time to become an expert in a new industry…that is something worth a second interview.” Help prospective employers understand that you are eager to put this incredible work ethic to use in their company.

Think about your ability to break down a massive project into small steps, an excellent exercise in creativity and high-level thinking according to Selloutyoursoul. Be ready to convince the hiring manager that you are approachable and a team player. The fear for many HR managers is that with a PhD comes a big ego which will upset the existing team dynamic.  While you want to highlight your passion, drive, and ambition – it’s also important to show them that you are a good colleague and able to play in the sandbox with others.

“So don’t be a genius. Have a single purpose: to attack the study of a new industry just as you attacked your study of literature. And then actually do it.”  - says Selloutyoursoul. But remember, you also need to figure out what makes you tick, what you value, and how you can play to your strengths in a career field that makes you excited to go to work each day.

PhD holders that do not want a career in academia must focus on selling themselves and not their degree when searching for work. Don’t lead with your PhD – lead with the fact that you can be indispensable. Show your employer what you can do, not what skills you theoretically honed in academia.

Resilience is a sought after competency by employers since change is everywhere in the career world and set-backs happen. I’m a big fan of the Marcus Buckingham strengths based career development philosophy and I recently read an online article on his TMBC website about building resilience, especially after a set-back. Here is a quick glance at Marcus’ resilience strategies.

1. Know that everything you are feeling is absolutely valid.
2. Give yourself time to feel your emotions deeply. Seek out friends or mentors who will listen to you objectively and help you work through these authentic feelings.
3. When you are ready to move forward and focus on something new, focus on life experiences that created positive emotions. Write them down – hold onto them and understand that these are the platform from which you will move forward.
4. Make an effort to do one activity each week that will provide an opportunity to create and celebrate your strengths.
5. Surround yourself with supportive companions and appreciate them.
6. Never let a crisis go to waste. Lock the valuable lessons and insights into your strengths as they will continue to serve you in your life. Ask yourself questions that will create positive emotional outcomes for you.

While set-backs and unexpected change can be difficult, the reality is that life will be full of these detours and we have choice about how we handle them. Honor your emotions, surround yourself with supportive people, and take away the best lessons you can from each experience to grow and move forward on your journey. If you can master resilience you can add that to your list of sought after strengths.

As Rachel indicated in her piece, the economy is rebounding but that does not mean automatic work for job seekers and managing expectations is very important. I encourage those questing for work to be cautiously optimistic and not let it get the emotional best of you.

Jenny Foss, of Ladder Recruiting Group was also featured in the article and shared that there are many emotions that go along with long term unemployment including inadequacy, anger, terror, and shame but they key is to manage these emotions and tap into your resiliency skills.

With the reality of the hidden job market it’s impossible to conduct an effective job search just by applying to posted positions. Jenny Foss and I offered up these tips in the article to get you jumpstarted.

• Consider your job search a full-time job.
• Catch your breath. Calm down before you scramble to find a new plan.
• Know what your strengths are. Develop your special sauce story so you can illustrate why you are a value-add to an organization.
• Focus on your competencies not just job titles.
• Polish your interview and storytelling abilities. A great interview is a fluid conversation — not stock answers.
• Explore social media techniques for job search like Facebook, Twitter, a personal blog and LinkedIn.
• Craft a formal game plan. Don’t flail your way through every day. Have a plan and a schedule for each day.
• Stop playing the blame game. At the end of the day figure out what is not working and then craft a strategy around it. If you can’t find your way in through the front door, find the side door. It’s all about being creative and strategic in order to be successful.

Loss is ageless but the issues young widows deal with are unique. Five years after her husband’s death, Carole had begun to recover financially; massive medical bills depleted her bank account, even with a steady income. After the long journey of emotional healing she was ready to share her widow’s wisdom with others who had experienced a loss. She wanted to utilize her experiences to educate women who needed a resource, and thus her writing career began. It has since become her passion and life mission to bring the message of hope, promise and abundance to those who have been touched by the pain and challenge of widowhood, regardless of age.

The Things People Don’t Tell You

Carole scoured the available grief and bereavement books to help her through the difficult times after her husband’s death. What frustrated her most was the lack of information about what to do next, after the grief. She needed help getting her benefits from the government, battling with insurance companies and dealing with the nitty-gritty details of widowhood that nobody was willing to discuss out loud.

She needed help with practical and financial transitioning back into the world of the living. Carole was a young and attractive woman but she struggled with the widow stigma and often felt guilty if she put on makeup or her signature high heels. And what about dating again? Could she ever consider romance again or was she doomed to be a lifelong widow wearing black?

The Black Widow

Carole remembers a lucid moment at her husband’s funeral when she realized she was technically a widow but did not want to succumb to the stereotypical image of a widow – she wore stilettos after all!

Current research tells us that 40% of single mothers in the US are widows. Carole was more determined than ever to build a support network for other women and she began a series of public speaking engagements and became known as the “inspiration lady.” Appreciative widows came out of the woodwork to begin their healing journey with Carole and her audience grew from local presentations to national appearances like ABC’s Good Morning America and a feature article in Women’s World magazine.

In order to focus her new calling and tap into her long time joy of writing, Carole penned the book Widows Wear Stilettos: A Practical and Emotional Guide for the Young Widow. She also authored and served as executive producer for her CD: Widows Wear Stilettos: What Now? Carole’s goal is to effect positive change and help women deal with the realities of widowhood with answers to the tough questions nobody else was willing to address.

Widow on a Mission

In addition to her many national multi media appearances on radio, TV and as a motivational speaker, Carole’s Widows Wear Stiletto’s website is widely recognized as a leading resource in bereavement recovery. She receives between 800-1000 new messages from widows each week and takes pride in reading each one.

The plight of the young widow is unique and Carole’s niche market approach deals with issues such as:

• Taking ownership of your personal healing journey.
• Coping with the comments, opinions, and insights that you may encounter from others.
• Fashion, beauty, diet and exercise tips including quick and easy recipes.
• Advice on how and when to re-enter the world of dating and what to do once you get there.
• Financial and practical transitioning with how-to’s, check lists, and guidelines.
• Helping children of all ages adapt and transition after the loss of a parent.

In addition, Carole also provides personal coaching to help widows move forward in their healing. Fully aware that some clients need the care of medical or psychiatric professionals, Carole’s coaching intent is to serve as a complementary resource as a widow who has walked in those shoes.

You’ll Never Walk Alone

The journey of authoring books has indeed been a challenge as the publishing industry is inundated with new authors. For every 25 million writers, only 5% get publishing contracts. But Carole was determined to help others and developed a thick skin and with her resilience and tenacity she landed a contract with New Horizon Press. Her newest publication Widows Wear Stilettos: The Answer Book – The Ultimate Question, Answer and Reference Guide for Widows is forthcoming.

The most important message Carole provides is that widows have resources and a large network of fellow widows for support and encouragement. The empowerment of widows is what drives Carole on a daily basis, and above all the message is that these women are not alone.

Life Support for Widows

Widowhood is a frightening prospect for any woman, but the reality of becoming a widow in your forties, thirties or twenties can be terrifying.  Not only must one face normal grief, but also the additional painful issues that arise with the death of a young person. Because of catastrophic events such as the World Trade Center tragedy, the Gulf and Iraqi Wars, the demographic of young widows has grown suddenly and dramatically.

Carole’s books, website, and motivational speeches have proven to be a form of life support for many young widows. She has been featured in many magazines, newspapers and websites, including: Psychology Today, The Houston Chronicle, More, Cosmopolitan, Military Officer, Philadelphia Daily News and Orange County Register.  She was a featured contributor in the Hartford Courant and Boston Metro News and continues to write articles in national publications.

Today Carole resides in Lake Forest, California with her daughter, three cats and over 100 pairs of shoes. Yes, this widow has begun a new life and is dedicated to helping others who have experienced a devastating loss do the same.

Quote: “Focusing on ‘Why me?’ for too long does nothing to change your situation or further healing. Choosing instead to focus on ‘What now?’…will!” Carole Brody Fleet

Carole’s Advice and Action Steps:

• Not everyone is going to love what you do or the choices you make – let it roll.
• Develop a thick skin and believe in yourself.
• The motivation for me to do good things for others is stronger than seeking a job that just pays the bills.

Resources:

Widows Wear Stilettos www.widowswearstilettos.com

Resilience is a key competency that employers value because it transfers well into the workplace. One constant in every career field is change. If you can show an employer that you can deal with change you can be seen as a valuable commodity to that organization. Attitude is just as important as skill set in a competitive marketplace.

If you were downsized out of your last job, pick yourself up and get back on that proverbial career horse. Showcase this adaptive skill to illustrate that you are scrappy, flexible, and able to recover from a set back with a positive attitude and a game plan. There is no room in this job market for a negative attitude and badmouthing your former employer is the kiss of death. Put your game face on and forge ahead with confidence.

I have seen negative attitudes get the best of amazing job candidates because they are still grieving the loss of a former position and have not let go emotionally. Take the time you need to vent, rant, and rave in the privacy of your own home – this is therapeutic and essential to establish a new and positive mindset. But when you are ready (sooner is better than later!) focus and concentrate on your goals. Put your best professional foot forward and show the job world that you are scrappy, flexible, and ready for a new opportunity.