Payton 'follows bliss' to new career at SSCC

Southern State Community College welcomes Tom Payton as the new coordinator of Career Services.

Payton ‘follows bliss’ to new career at SSCC

By KRIS CROSS

Southern State Community College

 

Tom Payton knows what it’s like to be unemployed. Last November, he lost his job as a human resources manager when his plant closed down and relocated out of country. That experience gives him some added credibility in his new role as Coordinator of Career Services at Southern State Community College.

“I went through the entire process, watching my co-workers leave and wondering where my next job will be,” said Payton, who had already been planning to switch careers even before the plant’s closure became imminent.

In December, he completed his M.Ed. in counseling from the University of Dayton, and recently completed training at Wright State University to be certified as a career counselor.

“I have seen a lot of dislocated workers, people in transition, people trying to sort out their journey,” he said. “For years, I’ve known I wanted to help, I just didn’t know what that would look like. And now I do.”

Payton was hired March 8 to assume his current role in the college’s Department of Career Services. Borrowing the language of author/philosopher Joseph Campbell, Payton encourages people to “follow your bliss.”

“The big crux of my mission is to get people to be more mindful and deliberate in choosing a career,” he said. “Second to family, a career is a person’s most important relationship and expression of their lives. We spend more hours in this country working than any other in the Western nations. “If you’re going to have a career, it should mean something. People don’t always work for money, there’s usually some deeper, more noble motivation,” said Payton.

Workshops are scheduled throughout the year on all Southern State campuses. “Choosing a Major/Career” will be offered fall quarter; “Job Search Tools” will be offered winter quarter; and “On the Job” will be offered spring quarter.

Each spring, SSCC and the One Stop centers in the college’s service area collaborate on a job fair to bring together employer representatives and job seekers, who are invited to complete applications, interview for open positions and research career possibilities.

Appointments in the Career Services office are open to Southern State students and alumni. Workshops are open to the community. To learn more, call Payton at 1-800-628-7722, ext. 2713, email tpayton@sscc.edu or visit www.sscc.edu/Students/Career_Svcs/.

 

By KRIS CROSS

Southern State Community College

 

Tom Payton knows what it’s like to be unemployed. Last November, he lost his job as a human resources manager when his plant closed down and relocated out of country. That experience gives him some added credibility in his new role as coordinator of Career Services at Southern State Community College.

“I went through the entire process, watching my co-workers leave and wondering where my next job will be,” said Payton, who had already been planning to switch careers even before the plant’s closure became imminent.

In December, he completed his M.Ed. in counseling from the University of Dayton, and recently completed training at Wright State University to be certified as a career counselor.

“I have seen a lot of dislocated workers, people in transition, people trying to sort out their journey,” he said. “For years, I’ve known I wanted to help, I just didn’t know what that would look like. And now I do.”

Payton was hired March 8 to assume his current role in the college’s Department of Career Services. Borrowing the language of author/philosopher Joseph Campbell, Payton encourages people to “follow your bliss.”

“The big crux of my mission is to get people to be more mindful and deliberate in choosing a career,” he said. “Second to family, a career is a person’s most important relationship and expression of their lives. We spend more hours in this country working than any other in the Western nations. “If you’re going to have a career, it should mean something. People don’t always work for money, there’s usually some deeper, more noble motivation,” said Payton.

Workshops are scheduled throughout the year on all Southern State campuses. “Choosing a Major/Career” will be offered fall quarter; “Job Search Tools” will be offered winter quarter; and “On the Job” will be offered spring quarter.

Each spring, SSCC and the One Stop centers in the college’s service area collaborate on a job fair to bring together employer representatives and job seekers, who are invited to complete applications, interview for open positions and research career possibilities.

Appointments in the Career Services office are open to Southern State students and alumni. Workshops are open to the community. To learn more, call Payton at 1-800-628-7722, ext. 2713, email tpayton@sscc.edu or visit www.sscc.edu/Students/Career_Svcs/.