Remaining positive after so many knock backs.

[Liz W]

Hi ,
I have been searching for a job relevant to my qualifications for awhile now. At some point, I was advised by a recruitment consultant that it would be worthwhile to change my surname to a 'white sounding one' given that I am of African descent.
I have an advanced certificate in Hospitality with extensive experience overseas in various positions. I also hold a BA in Management with human resources and marketing as two majors. This was from an Australian uni completed in 2004. The best I could find was a admissions coordinator at an aged care facility. I took a break to have a child and for the past year I have been trying to fing a job in HR.
I would appreciate any advice that can help my predicament. Thanks.

[Midaz Coaching & Consulting]

I'm horrified that you were told to change your name to a "white" sounding name! (And yet, a part of me is not surprised). There are so many people looking for work in HR at the moment and even those with supposed "anglo" names are also finding it difficult. There comes a point in time when one has to say "why do I want to work in HR" and look at how you can leverage off your skills and experience and maybe change your focus to another area/profession/industry. Having a career goal is a positive thing but sometimes we need to look beyond the ideal and consider options around the ideal.
Have you thought about engaging a career coach to assist you with your search. They can provide you with great feedback on your skills, experience, resume, search techniques, networking and other strategies that you can try to gain employment in related industries. While this is not a cheap option, you may find a coach that will only charge you once you have secured a role or one that offers some level of pro-bono work.
Best of luck
Mary-Leigh

[Liz W]

Dear Mary-Leigh,
Thank you for responding and offering me valuable insight to a way forward in my quest. I will definately look into finding a career coach. Cheers.
Regards,
Liz W