re-evaluating my career path and positive changes

I was recently contacted by a local head-hunter for a bilingual Japanese executive assistant position for a microchip technology company, and I have been doing alot of evaluation in terms of *the ideal career path* to help me not only grow as a person, but being able to serve others.

When I think about what I seek in career, the most important aspect when making a career decision which is to serve people remains the same even after many years of different career experience.

And lately, I realized how it is very important for me to help my family before serving the people in the society. Sure, the balance is the key, but I feel I have been too self centered, being interested in my personal progression (well, that was the stage of life that I was going thru), and not thinking too much of what I could have done to help my own people.

I became interested in the catering/event manager position in the restaurant business, because I thought that it would hep me cultivate the path to opening a restaurant here in North America.

As you may already know, my family has a family restaurant business that has been running over 80 years in Japan, and because of that, I was able to come overseas at the age of 15 to study English. Unfortunately at the moment, no one is to continue the business over there (all of their daughters are here in N. America), so I have been hoping to establish a new root but in the same industry to continue our family tradition. And in my mind, I was picturing myself to open the business in the next 3-5 years.

But recently, I got a wake up call.

If I do not get to help my parents now, I am not even sure if what I am doing right now will lead me to get where I need to be in 3-5 years.

So what is it that I need or want to do right now?

I want my parents to give some of their responsibilities to me. They still look after my youngest sister who goes to high school in Vancouver, BC.

Because of that they continue to work, although they would (I think) like to retire and try something new and exciting (they are very eager and mentally young adults who started snowboarding after turning 50! And my dad is training to become a snowboarding instructor! Yes, I got my humble personality from my dad ;) ), and I know that they deserve to explore their life more while they are physically healthy and young!

So I have been thinking: if I get the bilingual executive assistant position, I will not only get to see my family during international business trips (which I know bring them some good happy times), but help my dad by supporting my youngest sister financially even a little bit...

And if I do get to start helping my family now, I may get a better understanding of my own self and the purposes of my life better, which will definitely help me in terms of turning my own dreams come true, you know?

And guess what!

I heard from the head-hunter yesterday and I am now offered the position by beating up another candidate with much stronger career background!!

How did I do it?

Well, there was a pdf file that summarized the company profile (and their products) in their website.

I used the given information and made a presentation of it, but in the language of Japanese to show my translation skill (as well as my presentation skill).

I knew that I had to make a great impact during the second job interview, and although I was busy with my current job responsibility, I stayed up until 4am to complete the presentation file and brought the file burned onto a cd-rom to the job interview this past Wednesday!

Needless to say, the president and the executive were impressed with my initiative and my eager attitude.

And I was told that they really like my diverse career background (have worked for manufacturing, educational and hospitality industry) and my humble, determined and responsible personality! :) And so they decided to hire me as their team member! YES!!! YES!!! YES!! I did it! :)

So yes, it is official that I am going to work as a bilingual Japanese executive assistant starting next Friday! And this is very exciting to me, because I feel that I have finally obtained a career that I can be very proud of and have the potential to grow (as a career woman) and at the same time allow me to help my own people!! (yes! Finally!!)

So although the idea of leaving my current company suddens me a little (people were very nice and generous), I feel that this will cause a good change for my family and myself.

You know, things have been kinda difficult for me since last fall losing my personal identity.

I literally had to learn how to live from the scratch.

But because of that, I can appreciate the each given day as a gift,

And it makes me super happy to know that I really mean things that I speak right now, being truly truthful to my own life philosophy and appreciating all that is given to me from the bottom of my heart. I feel that because I learned how to appreciate the life in an ultimate way, all these lucky things are arriving in my life.

So I just wanted to give my people my wonderful news and share my immense positive energy that is fuelled in my body and soul!

Thank you so much, guys (you know whom I referring to!) for being there for me and being such a great support and inspiration.

I promise that I will continue trying to inspire you guys in everything that I do in my life :)

Peace and love! thanks so much for reading!