I’m at a point in my life where I am actively looking for a role that matches my skills, education, and certifications—but the struggle is real. Transitioning out of emergency medical services (EMS) hasn’t been easy, but it’s not because I lack the qualifications. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree, I’m working on my Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and I’ve earned both a Black Belt in Six Sigma and Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification. Yet, I keep running into walls trying to secure the opportunities I know I’m qualified for.
I even qualify for case management positions based on my background, but I’ve been told “no” more times than I care to count—usually with excuses like “you’re not an RN”, just like QA positions declining me with “you’re not an engineer”. It’s frustrating, especially since I’ve seen people with fewer certifications, such as Green Belts in Six Sigma, earning six-figure salaries. I know my worth, and I’m ready for a job where I can make a meaningful impact using the skills I’ve built over years.
My Last Job: When Reasonable Wasn’t Reasonable
The last non-EMS full-time job I had ended on a frustrating note. I had to quit because the company made it impossible for me to stay by denying a reasonable accommodation request. As someone living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, walking excessive distances every day was a major strain. My request wasn’t complicated—just to be able to use Microsoft Teams or a phone for communication instead of having to physically walk to every person I needed to talk to.
But the workplace culture insisted that everyone walk to each other for face-to-face communication, leading me to log 20,000 steps a day on hard concrete floors. That might not sound like much to some, but for someone like me, it was unbearable. Any Lean engineer or process improvement specialist would have recognized that my accommodation was not just reasonable but also made sense from a productivity standpoint. But they didn’t care, and instead of making it easier for me to contribute, they chose to push me out.
Why I Won’t Give Up
Despite these challenges, I’m not giving up. I know my skills are valuable. I bring a rare combination of experience in healthcare, case management, and process improvement—along with expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, and Scrum methodologies. I want to use these skills in roles like management, quality assurance, case management, or process improvement. I’m determined to find a job where I’m valued for what I bring to the table.
It’s disheartening to feel boxed in because of other people’s narrow definitions of what a qualified candidate looks like. But I believe that companies out there are looking for someone like me—someone with both practical experience and the certifications to back it up. I know my worth, and I’m ready to make a difference in the right role.
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