COVID-19 Caused an Intermission in My Career

{A story about grieving the loss of a job during a pandemic.} 

Stories of resilience have been part of the hospitality and tourism industry long before the 2020 pandemic hit it like a category five hurricane.  I'm rooting for the events industry to make a full-recovery from COVID-19 but crowded venues and large events are on life support right now. This reality made mass layoffs unavoidable across the board. My job was a casualty but my spirit remains strong.  

 

Over the last 13 years of my career in marketing, public relations and communications, I have spent it working in the hospitality industry. In April, my career began an unscripted intermission following a lay-off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

After applying to countless jobs and having a handful of video interviews via Zoom and Microsoft Teams, my job search continues. I’m not alone in this journey of unemployment during the pandemic and everyone’s story is one-of-a-kind. I’m sharing my story to remind those going through a similar situation that they are not alone. It is also comforting to reflect on the unforgettable memories I made over the years working in hospitality. 

I was working at Spectra, a live events and hospitality company, as the communications manager whose primary responsibility was internal and external communications, as well as the company’s social media strategist. Since the beginning of March, when WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, I was working from home, on crisis communication management. While I was self-isolating, I spent many hours on the CDC website gathering accurate information to share with the thousands of Spectra employees across North America. 

 

In the midst of a global pandemic, on April 8, 2020, the day before my 36th birthday, I was told that my position at Spectra was being eliminated. I worked two additional days, tying up loose ends and transitioning my projects to my supervisor, with my last day being April 10th (Good Friday).  The job I held for six years was over in a flash and I now had to update my resume to reflect this change. 

The date of my final day was symbolic because I love celebrating Easter and my birthday. The Easter season represents a new beginning and the start of spring, my favorite season. Instead, it was the end of an important chapter of my life. It was a bittersweet week full of warm birthday wishes in quarantine and the beginning of my unexpected job search. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't an emotional roller coaster. In fact, I'm still buckled in for the ride but after taking time to reflect, I can share some of the clarity I have gained that has made me grateful for these experiences. 

Being laid off during a pandemic was an abrupt end to working a job I loved, in an industry that is so passionate and full of magic. During my six years at Spectra, so much has evolved. I began just weeks before my 30th birthday as the marketing and communications manager for Brûlée Catering by Chef Jean-Marie Lacroix (which was later purchased by Spectra). A couple years into the job, I was promoted to the new corporate parent, Spectra, as corporate communications manager. Every step was full of milestones! I'm proud of the work I accomplished spotlighting countless stories of food and people who make it all happen. The stories were based locally in the Greater Philadelphia region as well as throughout North America. 

Projects I led focused on talented people, chefs and leaders from diverse backgrounds. From the #SpectraEats recipe video series to plant-based and sustainable initiatives I pitched, there were passionate people alongside me. Chefs share a piece of themselves in each dish they create and it was my job to capture it and share it with the media or package it in a 60-second clip. Launching two Bravo Top Chef Quickfire eateries was a highlight for me, not just because of the popularity of the brand but because the concept married two things I care deeply about; storytelling and food. Culinary is something that connects us all. Far too many people face food insecurities and during the current crisis it has become an even more wide-spread issue. In March I was proud to help share stories of venues donating surpluses of pantries after cancelled events, coast to coast. 

Photo credit: Wise Owl Multimedia

Working PR for events means that you can't let clients or the press see you sweating it when things don't go as planned. Grin and bear it with a smile on your face and a clipboard in your hand dealing with high-pressure, public issues. However, I usually had a genuine smile because I love a challenge! 

During the past few months I have been spending my time applying to jobs and taking professional development courses. I attended several webinars, virtual networking and completed several online certifications through HubSpot and LinkedIn Learning. This week I completed a graduate program at Cabrini University for Integrated Social Media!  Although my job search is continuing, I am fortunate enough to have an extensive network of people that I have met throughout my career.   

 

“In these uncertain times” or “Out of an abundance of caution” are two phrases I began to hear frequently at the beginning of the pandemic. Each time I heard them I was so grateful for my health and my job. I never took what I had for granted and even now after claiming unemployment, I count my blessings.  

Continue to follow this blog to learn more about my journey of being one of the millions of people laid off during the time of COVID-19. The show must go on! Connect with me on Twitter at @NinaScim.