Elevating Your Narrative for Career Success

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What if your past didn't define your future, but rather empowered it? Join me as I share my journey from overcoming the stigma of a criminal history to achieving success after clearing my record. In this heartfelt episode, I open up about the challenges of addressing employment gaps and how backward planning helped me turn obstacles into stepping stones. Discover how owning your story with purpose and crafting a compelling narrative can transform your chances with potential employers. Whether you're confronting similar challenges or simply seeking personal growth, this episode offers valuable insights into harnessing your strengths and skills through reflection and resilience.

We'll explore the art of honesty and transparency in job applications, and the significance of presentation when explaining employment gaps. I'll share practical strategies for approaching companies where you might lack certain skills, emphasizing the importance of researching their training opportunities. This episode is more than just a guide; it's an invitation to join a community dedicated to growth, learning, and embracing new beginnings. Whether you're starting afresh or aiming for the next level in your career, this discussion is filled with the knowledge and encouragement to propel you forward.

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This episode was hosted by Sterling Brown

Episode Transcript

Sterling D. Brown (00:00):
Welcome back, wonderful listeners.
Before we jump into today'senlightening episode, I want to
take a moment to express mygratitude for your continued
support.
Your presence here means theworld to me as we navigate the
path toward redemption andpersonal growth together.
If you believe in the missionof Struggle to Success podcast
and want to see it flourish, Iinvite you to subscribe.

(00:23):
Your subscription not onlyhelps us grow our community, but
it also brings us closer to thedream of producing video
content and hosting our showsfrom a downtown studio right
here in Lancaster, pa.
The more you engage andsubscribe, the quicker we can
make this vision a reality.
Plus, your support allows us tocontinue providing valuable
insight and fostering asupportive environment for those

(00:46):
seeking to overcome pastchallenges.
So hit that subscribe button,share this podcast with your
friends who might benefit, andlet's build a community where
everyone can grow, learn andthrive together.
Thank you for being part ofthis journey with me.
All right, let's dive intotoday's episode finding new job
opportunities.
Specifically, we'll touch onexplaining any gaps or points in

(01:09):
your timeline.
When you're filling out anapplication or submitting your
resume, you often come acrosssections asking about your
skills and strengths.
For most resumes, you'realready listing them out for
potential employers.
I'll use myself as an example.
Once I received the news that myrecord had been expunged, I
took one step further andverified it through the

(01:29):
Pennsylvania State Policewebsite, where I pulled a
personal report of myself.
It was an instant and showed norecords.
As I stared at my screen, Ithought deeply about where my
future was headed.
At that time I was alreadyworking in a school district and
, with my record cleared, I hadthe options of pursuing greater
accomplishments.
But there was a few challenges.
First, because of my stints ofincarceration, I had gaps in my

(01:53):
work history.
Second, should I be upfront andtransparent about my past?
And third, if I chose toexplain it, how would I script
it?
Yes, I said script it.
To my credit, I had alreadyearned a degree in education, so
I used a technique calledbackward planning, where you
start with a goal and plan yoursteps in reverse.
This method helps you doublecheck yourself as you move

(02:16):
backward but ultimately forward.
Identifying your strengths andskills is a crucial step at this
stage.
Think about tasks you've had tolearn or challenges you've had
to overcome.
That's your skill set.
If you've adopted and figuredout things from the jump, that's
your strength.
One of my strengths comes fromdealing with the stigma of a
criminal history and beingqualified and being told no time

(02:39):
and time again.
Thinking back, while in college,when I bombed a few exams, I
refused to accept it.
I would go back and askquestions, work the process and
ask more questions,collaborating with groups and
learning how to solve biggerproblems.
In doing so, I developed peopleskills and communication skills
that helped me get the job done.

(02:59):
This relentless drive kept megoing, pushing through the tough
times and even harder duringthe easier ones.
It taught me how to stay calmand articulate even in the most
uncomfortable situations.
As the saying goes, a closedmouth doesn't get fed, and
that's real.
As for my second decision,being fully transparent was a
no-brainer.

(03:20):
Being honest not only feltright, but it also spoke volumes
about my journey and where Iwas headed.
Now the third question is aboutscripting my story, and this is
for my young homies and maybe afew grown men like myself.
Presentation is everything fromhow you dressed to the first
and last words that come out ofyour mouth.
Think back to when I spokeabout the day I went to the

(03:41):
hearing for my pardon and theother candidates were fumbling
with their words.
That's why I stated earlier,you have to have a mental script
ready.
For example, if an employerasks you to explain a gap in
your employment, you can respondwith yes.
During that time, I wasreflecting on and learning from
the consequences of my pastactions.
That experience shaped who I amtoday and I'm now ready to

(04:04):
contribute and grow in apositive direction.
That's a response that hasenergy, meaning and reflection,
not oh, I was locked up.
Own your story with purpose.
On the other hand, if you'retrying to land a career with a
particular company and you don'thave the necessary skill set,
do your homework.
Make sure they offer trainingin that area.

(04:24):
That way, you're prepared tosay I apply for this position
because I believe this careeraligns with my goals.
I'm confident that the trainingyou offer will allow me to
learn and excel.
Notice I said career, not job.
A career carries more weightand implies growth.
Now let's talk about the resumeand cover letter.

(04:45):
Resumes stand out, but someemployers have different views.
Keep it to a one-paragraphaction statement on your resume.
You can convey everything youneed in one paragraph.
No need for a letter to changethat.
Lastly, references this can bechallenging, but write down 10
people whom you are in dailycontact with and just ask if

(05:05):
they would be willing to speakpositively on your behalf.
Key is you want your employerto see that you're communicating
with people who are respectedin the community.
Well, that's all for now.
Wonderful people, stay positiveand remember that finding a job
can take time, but persistencewill pay off.
Life is full of trials.
Stay focused, keep pushing andtrust that the struggle is part

(05:29):
of your success.
Until next time, remember lifeis trials.
Stay focused.

(05:35):
Thanks for checking out this episode of Struggle to Success.
To connect with the show, youcan email us at
struggletosuccessp at gmailcom.
Make sure you like andsubscribe so that you never miss
an episode.
And remember life is trials,Stay focused.