Overcoming Obstacles Even Personal Ones

Graduating college was always a goal for me but never did I realize how hard that obstacle was going to be. After leaving the Army with an injury, I started noticing things about myself things that well just did not make sense.  After carefully research and a lot of self-evaluation, I decided to see my pediatrician, (Yeah I was over 21 seeing a kid’s doctor ROFL let us not judge). It was rather interesting to find out I had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder better known as ADHD.  Yes, it can go undiagnosed as well as it is very common in adults some famous as well as well-established people in history have had it.  My family just thought I was a busy body never did they realize it was not that it was something within me that kept me in this state of hyperactivity. The reason it was not found out in the Army was because I had a structured life and that structure life is what helped me stay focus. I write this particular blog today to help people realize that no matter what your circumstances are goals are attainable.

Here I was a single mom with ADHD and a new baby who had a whole set of special needs of his own while I knew medical school was out the question I still wanted my degree in something to show myself that I still had a chance.  For me that opportunity came with online college the day Jonathan came home from the hospital had I began my research and within 2 days I was enrolled in Kaplan University as a Business undergraduate and I was starting completely over not transferring any credits.  I set goals throughout the whole process I was determined not to allow this program to take more than two years. I’m proud to say I missed my deadline by only six months and that’s because let’s just say I don’t know how to simply let things go. So I failed a class because I couldn’t see eye to eye with an instructor. 

After achieving that I wanted more I was a thriving entrepreneur with a company that was doing well and I was itching to get more in tune with the business side of life so I changed things up in graduate school and I decided to get my MBA but to challenge myself and get a Project Management Degree. This time I gave myself another 3 years to complete the courses.  I am happy to say I started my MBA in 2008.  I did take a year off to take care of Jonathan who had to have some major surgeries during 2009. However when I restarted in 2010 at Strayer University not only did, I finish in 2 years but I also graduated with honors and within the top 20% of my class.  

I was competing against myself and no one else I had goals and I wanted to achieve those goals. Therefore, before you let someone tell you what you cannot do tell yourself what you can do. You just have to want to and you have to know yourself well enough to know how to achieve it.  My way was online school with structure that may not be the case for others. My redeeming quality was a PDA, a schedule, and simple the energy to just do it.

Let me blow your mind here is a few famous people who had or have ADHD: 

Jim Carrey       Prince Charles (yes that Prince Charles of England)     Bill Cosby        
  Tom Cruise            Walt Disney    Dwight D Eisenhower           Danny Glover        
Whoopi Goldberg                       Magic Johnson                        Michael Jordan                   
  Anna Eleanor Roosevelt                     Will Smith                         Steven Spielberg

  

                    “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.”

                                                                      - Confucius  

~Truly Blessed,

Misherald "Missy" & Jonathan "JB" Brown

Overqualified, Underqualified: Where Do You Fit At?

Growing up I always remember being told that education was important and that it was imperative for one to go to school and get a college degree.  During the years, a Bachelor degree was a common thing so by the time I got to 9^th grade everyone was singing it was imperative to get a Master’s degree.  Of course, for me I was going to get whatever degrees it was necessary to get a good job to take care of my family. Now it seems that even with a Associates, Bachelors, Masters as well as a few certificates in various program does make a difference because now your either overqualified, under qualified, or qualified but not experienced enough.

After six years of educating myself I have now find myself at a job that pays okay but still doesn’t pay enough to cover the student loan bills that are now needing to be paid nor do I feel like I’m being challenged enough. Often times I apply for a position and I am told I am overqualified when I ask the hiring manager (yes it is okay to ask for feedback) what makes me overqualified?  I’m amaze to hear that with my combination of years in the fields that I've worked in which of course are little jobs customer service jobs mostly and my education they are basically telling me they don’t think they can pay me what I’m truly worth. To them they feel as if they will hire someone who will be looking for something else sooner than later and they do not want to be looked at as a stepping-stone. When I’m not being told I’m overqualified then I’m being told I’m under qualified which simply means either they are preferring someone with a PhD or something or that matter plus some sort of experience and since I don’t have that they don’t feel the need to even look at me as a candidate. Then there is the famous your qualified but don’t have enough experience. I don’t know what drives me most this or the under qualified comment because honestly I feel as if I was given the opportunity to get experience I could honestly have my picks of jobs.

 

However, with the economy today big corporations are not willing to bring a fresh college graduate on board to train them. They rather pay someone a little more who has the experience that the hiring manager is looking for but may lack the education that the other has but that person has the experience to perform the job and therefore they are the preferred hire because it costs less to bring them onboard.

Now if you’re like me your thinking then what in the world did I get my degree for because if it’s all about experience I can just get some internships at the company I want to work for and do a good job and get hire just like that. I have been looking at various articles about what degrees are the preferred by what companies.  It is surprising to see that Associates degrees in various fields are making some nice cash and I am sitting here kind of feeling a little out of place because I am paying student loans that amount to a nice house or car and not making what I need to make to pay back these funds.

What is really going on?

~Truly Blessed,

Misherald "Missy" & Jonathan "JB" Brown