Just in time for Christmas, I've been given a verbal offer for the job that I have been trying to get for six months now. I am excited.

Having been unemployed since July, it has been a challenge to keep from being depressed. Growing up and for most of my adult life, I have been recognized as being very good at what I do, and fairly decent at most things I try (singing is one major exception). Success has usually been more about spending enough time working at something than anything else.

Being laid-off is different. It does not matter that my employer laid off more than 1200 other employees at the same time as I lost my job. It did not matter that they had announced a massive quarterly loss or projections for more. It hurt; more because it made me question my own abilities than because it upset my life.

The many months of job searching and rejections helped erode my confidence too. Despite realizing that success being elusive was not a reflection on my worth as a person, it was very hard to stay confident.  I was beginning to think about a career change or applying for more general, but lesser paying jobs that are more common.

I managed to publicly keep a good face out and find ways to privately get through it. The job offer - at a significant raise too - has dispelled the gloom I was feeling privately.

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