Michael Duran
After several phone interviews, 3 personal interview visits with a total of 6 different members of Management, I was gaining confidence each day that I would be awarded the job I wanted more than any other in my entire career.
In April of 2004, I was fortunate enough to be hired by the Proctor & Gamble, Professional Hair Care Organization as an Initiative Project Manager. It was the job of my dreams. Astounded by this opportunity I made every effort to perform beyond expectations. This was to be my last job, the last company I will ever work for, and the plans of buying a home for me and my daughter were in reach, because we just lost our home in a divorce settlement.
My starting salary was higher than any other starting salary I had ever received. Off I went to launch project after project for 4 straight years. Leading several projects to on time delivery, I was on my way to moving into an area of business that was in desperate need of initiative support. My leadership decided that I may be the resource capable of reclaiming the broken Promotional Events department, and building that organization up to the appropriate business criteria that was expected and required. From the start it wasn't easy, however, with knowledge and desire I led the execution team to establishing a base level process that assisted the Promotional business to realize a positive revenue making sector of our business in 6 short months.
One week prior to this past Christmas, I was told that the Promotional organization was consolidating to the new Distribution Center in Joppa, Maryland. Our Ontario, CA facility was shutting down the Promotional Hair Care facility. As a result, several jobs were lost including mine. What was once my dream job and the last job I would ever have was gone. P&G kept me on payroll until the end of January.
I have been rigorously applying for opportunities with several organizations every day for 2 months. It seems as though I'm caught in a tough situation. My education consists of only an Associate's Degree, but my experience is plentiful with over 23 years of Management. In order for me to make the salary that I desire I find myself competing with people with MBA's and higher education levels. If I step down a notch in salary, I have found through recent interviews that I'm over-qualified.
There in lies my dilemma. I have the knowledge and more experience than most applicants applying for the same jobs to make the salary I feel relevant, however companies are passing on my résumé credentials based on the lack of education. I can step down and make less, but that just isn't me. I need to pursue what big business is looking for and obtain a level of education that makes my credentials appealing to hiring Managers. However, I have financial limitations keeping me from perusing what I feel is in reach for me and my career. In these tough times where unemployment is at another record high, I need to enhance my competitiveness and advance my education so I can compete with others in the same salary range.
I'm a single father of a 10-year-old girl that lives with me 100 percent of the time. While using both the Father and Mother philosophy with my Daughter, we live moderately in a townhome in Santa Clarita, California where jobs are scarce.
I am reaching out to this scholarship opportunity for support to further my education so that I may have a fair chance at a career that meets my desire for success. Being unemployed and not having the means to afford obtaining even a Trade Certificate is a difficult position to be in, particularly when I know I have what it takes to be prominent with my occupation. I have worked too hard to settle for less than what I know I'm capable of achieving.
During this downtime I'm making a point to teach my Daughter that with hard work and persistence, anyone can achieve what their heart desires. We will get through this together one way or another because my Daughter knows her Dad will never quit. What was once a promising career and future is now bleak based on the educational challenge that my résumé lacks as a credential.
I believe that successfully completing a Project Management Professional (PMP/PMI) Certificate I will break the barrier to demonstrate a willingness to continue my education and become superior within a Project Management role. I also strive to mentor and coach what I have learned through my experiences directly through to co-workers in order to become more successful as a team.
I believe the door is always open and great things come to those who believe in themselves and never put aside hard work to achieve desired personal success. Thanks you for the opportunity to apply for this generous offer in scholarship. Your organization is doing something positive for people in pursuit to better their lives, careers, and futures. I admire the efforts of this project and hope that you can vision a Dad looking for support to build something more than average for his family.