Where is the Next Chapter of My Career?
Hello, my name is Bond Wang. My career path is like many of yours, marked by highs and lows, achievements and setbacks. Today I want to focus on a new chapter that has brought me to a crossroad in my career path.
Let me go back to six years ago. My life took a significant turn. Early the year, the company I worked for, a major solar material factory based in South Korea, went bankrupt. A few months later, my wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Helped by our friends, we flew to the U.S. to seek advanced cancer treatment. Two years later, we settled here in South California and were granted permanent residence status.
Now my career. It would not be fair to say that my new career was hindered by my role as a family caregiver. My wife had got good insurance support from her employer. But I must admit the challenges and stress along the way took a big toll on my pursuit of a new career.
Nevertheless, I started job hunting as soon as I got the work permit. To be honest, the initial search was both brief and disheartening. The U.S. has long shifted away from a manufacturing-based economy, let alone the material production, which had mostly moved overseas decades ago. Sticking to my previous industry would appear highly unrealistic. I tried to set up some consultant business within my network back to Asia. It did not work out. I took on gig jobs, an Uber driver, and an associate position at an Amazon warehouse. Then COVID hit, then my wife’s condition got more complicated. Finally, I stopped the job search altogether.
Now in 2023, my life took another significant turn. In July, my wife passed away. Sept, our son Jack went to college. Almost overnight, I find myself totally alone and standing in front of a new chapter of my life.
This chapter is all but clear.
At the age of 53, I bring with me a set of skills and experiences acquired over the years in my role as an International Business Development Director. My communication skills and business insights were once a reliable asset for both the factory and the marketing team. Now I find myself facing the uncertainty of how these experiences are perceived in the job market, especially here in the U.S. In some interviews that I have got, they made it clear, my experiences are useless.
Especially when it comes to the industrial experience. A six-year hiatus is long enough to erase all the advantages obtained over the years. As the saying goes, “One year away from the industry, you are no different from an undergraduate student.”
In the meantime, my passion for digital marketing has led me to explore new possibilities. I have a Master’s degree in Computing Science from my postgraduate study. But like many job seekers in the early years, I dropped the programming career in favor of the management position. But I always kept interest in online technology and content creation as a personal hobby.
Since I joined Toastmasters in 2019, my public speaking skills have largely improved. Meanwhile, I delved into the world of digital marketing, taking on some digital projects to help the clubs and the district. In addition, I found fulfillment in taking volunteer roles where my leadership skills are recognized and appreciated by the organization.
Now, as I sit here trying to make a picture of the new career, I found myself having a hard time making connections between the broken industrial experiences, my personal interests in digital marketing, and this new chapter ahead of me.
So my question today is this: “Where is the next chapter of my career?”
For all the reasons, early retirement is never an option for me. I just can’t afford it. This new chapter will come no matter what. Embrace it or be ruined by it, as simple as that. Over the past weeks, I have opened an Airbnb hosting business and planned to spend more time on the stock market — by all means, this is not a safe signal. Until the picture is all clear, this question will stay with me. I think I am ready to pivot, to embrace new challenges. But first and foremost, I must figure out,
Where is the next chapter of my career?
Thank you!
