Resumes and Samaritan opportunities

flickr/by Caitlinator

Between finishing up graduate school and looking for my first professional position and my current situation of looking for a more interesting, better paying job, I feel like I have been writing resumes and cover letters for the past two years straight. And actually, that's pretty accurate. In the midst of the great job search, I often get discouraged and frustrated, thinking that much of my effort is just wasted time. Lately, I have had to consciously convince myself that I must use cover letter writing and my job application efforts as an offering to God, as an opportunity to grow in holiness. Because if I don't put this spin on it, it does look pretty discouraging to me.

I have a very sweet story relating to resume writing from the other day though. A lesson in the fact that you just never know how God is going to use your efforts.

On Monday, I decided to check out a coffee house in my area that I had never been to before. I pass it frequently, and have been curious what it's like, so I thought that if I was going to work on a job application, I might as well go somewhere interesting.

I did enjoy it - the place had a nice, homemade ambiance, with eclectic furniture, made-to-order sandwiches and wraps, and work-conducive mellow music. I was there for about an hour working on a particular application, and was glad to be able to finish the application and send it in on the spot. Because it was a weekday (Sundays and Mondays are my days off), there weren't many other folks there in the middle of the day, besides a young couple, and a thirty-something African American woman sitting on the couch a little ways behind me.

As I stood up to start packing up my computer, the woman behind me said, "Excuse me, Miss? Do you know much about computers? I am having trouble with this program." I answered that I did know a little about computers and I walked over so I could see what her question was.

As I began to try and adjust the settings for her in Microsoft Vista (which is so frustrating and confusing), she asked me, "Are you an artist?" I smiled and shook my head. "No, I'm not an artist." "Oh," she said. I could tell she was a little disappointed. "I am looking for a writer." I perked up a bit. "Oh," I said. "Well I do write." The smile came back to her face. "You do? I've been looking for a writer who could help me with this resume!" I told her I would be happy to look over her resume for her, and she was thrilled.

She proceeded to tell me her story. She and her husband were artists, and made African textile art for a living. Her husband was originally from Mexico, and she was from Mali, Africa. When the two of them fell in love, she taught him about Bogolan, a beautiful patterned textile art that originated in Mali. She has lived in the United States for 7 years. They want to begin renting a studio in the area to teach classes about this art, but they were required to submit a resume for review before they were accepted for the studio.

The woman was a native French speaker, and although she spoke very good English, the information on the resume was written in very broken English. She explained that she really wants to go to college so she can learn how to write in English better, and use the computer better.

As I went through and proofread the resume and suggested changes, the she told me, "I have never done a resume in English before. Someone told me that I should come to this cafe and maybe I would meet a writer who could help me. I am so glad I found you! I have been coming here for a week waiting to meet a writer. I was shy to ask you, but thank you, thank you!"

I was so touched in the moment but God's Providence and the way He brings people together. I was just thrilled to be able to help this woman, and use my two years of resume writing experience to help her. It made all my efforts seem so much more worth it, that I could bring so much joy to her.

When I was leaving she thanked me many times. I gave her my e-mail address and told her to keep me posted and let me know how it all turned out. "Oh, God will bless you!" she said, "God will save you!" "Do you see the smile you brought to my face?" She said.

I has made a new friend. God is good. And my heart was full.