11 Powerful Lessons Learned Being a Recruiter and Cancer Survivor

It’s your life, live it powerfully and be inspiring!

By Cathy Trinh 11/22/2018

Cancer isn't the life adventure I would have chosen from a list of possibilities or put on my bucket list, but it is the card that was dealt on March 2018. And as it turned out, cancer had a lot to teach me about life being a recruiter and cancer survivor.

No one wants to be told they have the big “C.” It’s a scary thing to find out. In early 2018, I heard the words, “You have cancer”. This year was a very big year for me. I was in the middle of writing my inaugural self-help book, was getting ready to launch a life-style brand, my son started the 4th grade, and my career as Partner with an executive search firm was flourishing. I was really enjoying my life as a happy, single mom in her 40’s and an unwelcome guest whose appearance derailed some dream goals. 

The diagnosis was in the form of thyroid cancer discovered early in it's 2nd stage, metastisized outside from the primary location into lymph nodes in my neck and throat region. Although cancer is scary, I was blessed with a positive and resilient mindset from a 21-year recruiting career, and this mindset poured over to help tackle my cancer prognosis and difficult journey. After two rounds of major neck surgeries, a full thyroidectomy, scheduled radiation therapy, and recovery from vocal nerve damage, this Recruiter is still thriving and living my best life. Best of all I'm still living the life I love. I successfully navigated through the physical and emotional roller coaster with flying colors with only some minor setbacks and downtime from work. 

Being a recruiter, coach, mentor, mom, the possibility of having permanent vocal damage was terrifying to me. But the experience changed me in ways I could never have imagined. I learned a lot on my journey working professionally as a recruiter and now a cancer survivor here are the powerful lessons I learned:

· Lesson #1: Surround Yourself with Positive and Encouraging People. Many more people genuinely care about you than you can possibly know - and they are ready to do everything in their power to help you through your treatment and job-search. People close to us want to help when they see us going through difficult life events and even it is to share advice or open their pocket books to lend a hand. Asking for what you need is a powerful means to make things easier for yourself physically, promoting healing and well-being. Reaching out to others also facilitates connection and support with friends, family and colleagues that you haven’t connected with for a long time. 

Old candidates and clients, old friends and former colleagues reached out to lend a helping hand, give positive, uplifting support and prayers. Old friends show up out of no where with baskets of fresh fruit because of a post about my cancer.  

I’ve been in recruiting for over 20 years and I’ve seen the most successful job-seekers are the ones that reach out for help. Just remember to surround themselves with positive, like-minded people that want to see you succeed. Even if they’re there to be a shoulder to cry on. They just want to see you happy. Figure out who in your life is supportive and positive and let them into your world. The support system you have makes all the difference in the world. Find your tribe, your purpose and guiding light. 

· Lesson #2: Understand What Is and Is Not in Your Control – Being in the recruitment business, there is a lot even a great recruiter can’t control. Sometimes bad things just happen to good people. No one asked to have cancer, but it’s something that happened. It happened and it was something I made a top priority. My cancer metastasized outside of my thyroid and into 4 lymph nodes on my neck. The final surgery concluded the removal a total of 24 lymph nodes and my whole thyroid. I will now take a small grey pill for the rest of my life. Every dawn comes a new day. I am extremely present to the fact that can transform my life with the words I use and the choices I make create my life. I pay attention to the present moments, which I choose to call H.O.L.Y. Moments. Holistic moments. Organic moments. Little or less Important moments. Yearned for moments. The moments that breathe life into our journey. Choose to focus on happy positive things in life. Things that bring you the greatest joy. Just realize that you are not in control of everything. 

Sometimes you lose a job you love, sometimes you make decisions for career growth, or sometimes the position is just not the right fit – in either case job hunting, interviewing to not land your dream job is not entirely fun. In either case, take the opportunity to decide what you want, take massive action and do the best you can do. There is always a lesson in every experience. Life will pass you by if you aren’t careful by of wasting time in controlling things you aren’t able to. Don’t waste your time on insignificant things Identify what your priorities are, focus your energy on them and then “Let go and let God”. Remember to have integrity along each part of the way.

· Lesson #3: Document Your Progress and Wins. A lot of big words have simple definitions - you just have to keep asking the right questions. Find time to journal until you get a clear picture of what your job search and medical treatment plan looks like. Read all medical labels and study job descriptions to have a good understanding of the journey you’re about to venture into. 

My journals were filled with timelines and “Feel Good” moments to represent my wins from my career and successes on my cancer journey. Having a reminder of my hard work and accomplishments to make me feel good about myself on a daily basis when life gets a little hard. 

· Lesson #4: Align Yourself with a Great Team. Searching for a top doctor and or new job take the same effort and energy. Take the time to find and collaborate with a good search partner on your job search or doctor that specialized and trained in the medical worry you have to help you through each stage of the process. It helps to have some who has experience and training in the areas of their expertise. 

Transitioning into and working hard at being successful in a new key position with a top Fortune 100 or going through cancer treatment is scary. Don’t do it by yourself. Reach out to find resources if you get stuck with a spreadsheet due tomorrow or follow up with your doctor because your medication isn’t making you feel well. Don’t be afraid of asking the hard questions. It was really nerve racking to not know how life will be like on the other side of surgery, after the anesthesia wears off or being within your first 3-month probation period.

· Lesson #5: It's OK to Have a Bad Day. You’re human. You're sick, uninspired or need to re-prioritize; you don't have to be happy about your progress that day, but it’s okay – today was just not a good day. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start over tomorrow. Surround yourself with like-minded people who make you feel good about yourself and bring you up. Happy people make those around them happy. 

If you get stuck or is in a funk make sure you entrench yourself with optimistic people, videos, and good reading material. The smallest story or saying could be the needed motivational tool to get you through a tough day. Whether it be emotionally, spiritually, or physically, we’ve all been through it, so again – It’s okay to have a bad day! 

· Lesson #6: You're a LOT Tougher Than You Think You Are - You CAN DO This. When I was first diagnosed, I spent a lot of time on the internet reading stories of people who beat cancer that offered good happy endings. I sought out positive articles and outcomes of people who went through a similar diagnosis and treatment plan. 

As a recruiter, being a positive minded person supporting others into new jobs and having cancer only made me stronger. Empower yourself to make exercise a top priority. Mental fitness and physical fitness go hand in hand, so allow yourself an outlet to release stress to stay sane. Make time for this every day and you’ll have the fresh energy you need to be successful. 

· Lesson #7: Continue to Celebrate Your Life. Anyone who has walked “through the valley of the shadow of death’ can attest to the way to celebrate life once the storm has passed. With every sunrise and sunset, take the time to breathe in the fresh air. Laugh, play, and spend time with loved ones. 

My life will never be the same after my experience. The fears I faced, the growth I gained and the gratitude I learned from my experience is something I never want to forget. The important things in life become crystal clear when you hear the “C” word. When you’re forced to look into the eyes of your children and tell them you’ve been diagnosed with cancer. Life gets pretty real. But with this realness comes a deep sense of clarity that I hope will travel with me throughout the rest of my life.

· Lesson #8: My Body is My Greatest Teacher. I ignored months of shoulder and neck pain and labeled them as stress knots from work and my daily life. After a five hour visit an emergency room during the middle of work hours, an ultrasound, a biopsy, and thyroid cancer diagnosis, did I begin to listen to my body. Only until then I started to search for answers concerning my current health and well-being. In the midst and the flurry of decisions and physical changes, I remembered that within myself, I have my own compass and guidebook.

When navigating a traumatic experience like cancer or major job changes, there are timely decisions to be made and external input offered. Develop diverse ways to create the quiet you need in order to listen to your own inner knowing. Meditate. Take walks by yourself. Clean your house and organize. Do whatever you need to establish a peaceful environment to listen to your own voice. 

No doubt there are times when you need to defer guidance from your recruiter, doctor or other professionals to lead the way. But listen to your own wisdom. Your body will tell you what it needs. Don’t ignore the symptoms. Listen to your body.

· Lesson #9: Asking for Help is A Sign of Strength, Not Weakness. I learned over the years refusing to ask for help when you’re stuck in your job-search or when I was sick and physically weak often led to greater physical exhaustion. When I refused to step into the vulnerability and humility needed to ask for help, I experienced physical setbacks when recovering from various surgeries.

Lesson #10: Life is Unpredictable, Embrace the Uncertainty and BE in the moment. My larger than life recruiter personality, and life story’s plot twists and turns became clearer to me. The product I’m selling is people, and people are unpredictable. Having cancer was unpredictable. I developed the mental strength that was proven successful during times of crisis and uncertainty. 

Life is uncertain. We don’t know what’s going to happen today, tomorrow, or the next day. But we can enjoy our present moment and make the most of our lives. While there are a lot of things we can’t control, we can actively adjust our attitude and how we react to any given situation. 

· Lesson #11: Trust Yourself, Trust Your Inner Guidance. The shifts I’ve made in my life after believing in myself and trusting my path, I’ve decided to focus on my writing to finish my book, launch my inspirational blog and coaching website (www.cathytrinh.com), came out with a bag line called “Cathy’s Dreamcatchers”, to support cancer awareness, found more meaning each day, and took time to connect with the people I love. 

My heart feels full every time I hear from a reader on my social media pages about how my writing has changed their personal and professional outlook. You don’t have to be a brain or thyroid surgeon to know that it’s about making positive shifts.

The bottom line: I’ll never understand why I got Thyroid cancer. All that matters is that it happened and “Where do I go from here?”. Make sure you live each day of your life with gratitude and appreciation. Live fully and with purpose and intention. None of us knows what will happen tomorrow, but what we can do is live well. Each and every day.

I’m blessed to be on this side of the operating table today, 8 months since my diagnosis, I’m grateful for every day. 

I have learned how to tackle my challenges with grace because of the abundance of wins, losses, setbacks and lessons in each experience as a recruiter and cancer survivor. Life has been a long and hard journey into deeper self-exploration. My profession has not been easy too. Being a recruiter takes an emotional toll on you. But today, before helping others that day, I need to make sure I practice self-love and take care of my own health first and pay attention to my emotional, spiritual and physical needs. 

I hope you never hear the words, “You have cancer,” but if you do, it isn’t a death sentence. You can get through it. Believe you can and you’re more likely to have the positive outcome you desire. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s worth fighting for, even when it gets hard. 

To read more from Cathy, check out her blog at www.CathyTrinh.com.

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