Two years ago, I left a stable, secure job to pursue an opportunity of a life time. I was going to be able to work full time with my favorite e-commerce application Miva Merchant along with one of the top developers in the Miva Merchant Community. I would work as a Web Production Manager “managing all phases of eCommerce and Content Management web development projects with extreme attention to detail.” The starting salary of $70K wasn’t too bad either. As with any start up company, it had it’s ups and downs. A few months in to the job, a “temporary” reduction in salary was needed to keep the ship afloat. Not a problem, I would do what was needed to help out.
Projects started thinning out just as I was getting ready to go on vacation in September 2008. Then, my ultimate opportunity of a lifetime presented itself, I was offered the opportunity to work WITH Miva Merchant (the company). It was a wonderful three month experience which I was always cherish, but moving to San Diego was just not something we could afford to do. Fortunately for me, I was needed back at the company I had just left.
2009 started off like gang busters, but as the year progressed things slowed down again. Once again, this time WHILE on vacation, I was cut to part time. It was an understandable measure to help keep things going. So we continued our fabulous vacation riding a Gold Wing through Smoky Mountains with a gray cloud over our heads.
Things picked back up a bit and I came back to full time for a brief period. But just before Christmas, the call came that I had been fearing, I was being let go. Even though I could sense it was coming, I really didn’t prepare for it. I was desperately trying to help keep things going so I wouldn’t get that call.
So now, I am unemployed like millions of others in this country. I am trying to find work within the Miva Merchant Community, either working with other developers or directly with store owners helping them with their web sites. I have also been trying to educate e-commerce business owners on the successes of using Social Media to grow their businesses.
I realize though, I am also going to have to work on my resume. My sister sent me a link to job listings at Keurig, knowing that I’m a huge fan of their single cup coffee brewers. Unfortunately for me, the eCommerce Web Developer requires strong Microsoft Visual Basic and .NET skills. My skill set leans towards MySQL, PHP and Mivascript.
I have good friends and wonderful family trying to help me out. My husband believes in me and reminds me to believe in myself. Friends at Miva Merchant are making sure I’m attending the 2010 Miva Merchant Conference in San Diego because “it just wouldn’t be the same with you”. I will be forever grateful for it.
So with business card in hand and a sense of re-purposing, I will continue my quest.
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