I’ve heard that people have around five different careers in their lifetimes. I, for instance, was an executive for Columbia Pictures Television, founded my own talent agency, received a master’s in clinical psychology, penned two books, wrote columns for Huffington Post and Psychology Today, taught duplicate bridge, launched a small catering company, and started a doggie daycare service. But as I clock in to begin my shift, I can’t help but wonder why I am now working for minimum wage. What went wrong? Or did it go right?
After being my own boss the majority of my career, I suddenly found myself hovering around the 60-plus age group and feeling bored. Finding a job at this age in a small town like Santa Barbara is about as easy as a good-looking, smart, single woman finding a worthwhile companion. But I wanted to give it a try anyway.
I homed in on what I enjoyed and which company might see past my age to appreciate my experience. That’s how I found Petco, which was hiring a grooming salon apprentice. It took me longer to fill out the online application than it should take to complete the SATs, but I forged ahead, sent the form into HR, and then took my résumé down to meet the manager at the Milpas store in person.