Hitting Refresh on Life: Alex Arding’s Job Search Success Story

After a decade working in the corporate supply chain, Alex Arding knew he was ready for a change. By staying open to unexpected opportunities and leaning on his Portland network, he landed a role in guest services and security at Revolution Hall that aligns with his values and, along the way, reignited his love of community. Here is his story.

What do you do for a career? Who do you work for?

While my job history has consistently varied in job descriptions, job security, and professional placement, my career path has always been focused on my clear intention to use my logic and organizational skills to represent myself and, more importantly, the brand I work for, to the best of my ability. At the broadest level possible, I plan, execute, and deliver. Whether it’s a product launch, a craft beverage, or an experience, I ensure the proper steps are taken to ensure the consumer receives the product and experience they are seeking. 

I’ve spent the last decade of my career in planning and analyst roles in the apparel and footwear supply chain, for corporate giants and niche lifestyle brands alike. It is an industry where the highs feel like the pinnacle of success, and lows can leave you laid off and questioning the why, and culture is less important than the bottom line. After experiencing the weight of lows and layoffs in an unstable world of pandemics, presidents, and tariff wars, I found myself once again on the job hunt, questioning my career, the companies in my field, and what had brought me to the industry in the first place. 

Finding a Way Back to What Matters

Prior to my work as a supply chain planner and analyst, I worked in customer-facing hospitality roles to make ends meet while I pursued rock ‘ n ‘ roll dreams in the music industry. It wasn’t glamorous, and the hours were rough, but what stood out was the joy I found in the connections made with my community, where consumers were more than just points in a data set. 

Since the pandemic, I, like many Americans, have been on a journey of self-reflection and growth, seeking meaning and joy in my work beyond the salary. I’ve found that success in a role doesn’t always translate to fulfillment in a career. I found I was living what felt like a double life: corporate business Alex and the Alex I am off the clock. Such a divide was negatively affecting my values and mental health. My network was shrinking, and getting further from the pillars of what I believe in. I could see, in my personal journey and the opportunities at hand, that things weren’t adding up. It was time for a change. 

A Career Built on Connection

Six months ago,  I found an opportunity to hit refresh on my life and find myself in a role that aligns with my interests, values, and excitement more so than anything I’ve done previously in my career. By chance or fate, and more importantly, the network I’ve fostered in my life in Portland, I was able to secure a role with the local Portland music and live event venue, Revolution Hall, in a Guest Services & Security role. 

Though not traditionally offered as a “career” opportunity, my current position at Revolution Hall, which I took on as a gig job, has organically grown into a passionate pursuit to be and grow further with this establishment and all that it stands for.

What do you like best about your career?

Working for Revolution Hall has been such a positive force in my life. My favorite part of the job is championing the arts and ensuring a positive and memorable experience for those in our community. I love providing a respite from an increasingly tumultuous world, where people from all walks of life can enjoy art together for the sake of art. 

We’ve got a truly amazing and dedicated team, and recently won Billboard’s 2026 Best Music Venues award for Top West Coast Club or Theatre. More than anything, I love that I am providing a positive experience I can share with a diverse community of individuals I might never otherwise have a chance to connect with.

What resources ​have helped you in your career and your job searches? Are there specific tools or tactics that have contributed to your success? 

Network is Just a Fancy Word for Friends

I know I’ve heard and read it more times than I can count, but maintaining a solid network is critical to success. I’ve certainly groaned more than a few times when seeing that advice. Not because it’s a bad idea, but because the word “Network” comes off to me as sterile, colorless business-speak, and I find myself needing to remember that it really means your friends and acquaintances. The kind of people that you yourself would vouch for and be happy to see find success. 

It is too easy to feel isolated when job searching, and networking can make you feel like you’re begging for a job. In reality, it’s about fostering and maintaining relationships with open communication, and putting the feelers out with positive intent. It’s about building connections through shared interests and opening yourself up to share ideas and receive advice. My favorite jobs in my life have come through my network connections. My least favorite and worst culture fits have come from LinkedIn.

The Tools that Help

I’ve been on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed more this past year than I’ve ever been and considerably more than I’ve ever wanted. I find the social media aspect of these sites incredibly performative and disingenuous, but also a necessary part of job searching in 2026. At the most basic level, it is a point of contact where one can make their resume and accomplishments more readily available to potential employers. At the surface level, it feels like Facebook for jobs and can only give a glimpse into a person’s nature, and must still be taken with a grain of salt. 

That’s why things like Mac’s List stand out to me as truly helpful resources. Having a resource of blogs, podcasts, and a job board with individuals within your local community is so important in understanding the job market and the mindset of where you’re applying. The Find Your Dream Job podcast was immensely helpful in understanding the local job market and was packed with practical tips and real-life experiences.

Throughout your career, what obstacles have you encountered when doing a job search, and how did you overcome them? 

The biggest obstacle I’ve faced in my job search is the mental aspect. The pressure of necessity can be overwhelming very quickly, and I’ve found myself panic applying to hundreds of jobs in a week for any job I’d be even remotely qualified for, leaving me feeling frantic and unorganized. Even worse are the subsequent rejection emails that further depreciate my feelings of self-worth and increase my anxiety even for jobs I didn’t think I’d get in the first place. 

Slowing Down to Find A Way Forward

It is when I slow myself down and really think about what I want that callbacks and interviews start to happen. With so much of a job search being online or through networks, it is imperative to convey as much of what makes you who you are in your cover letter and to highlight your accomplishments in your resume. The ability to show your thought process, how you achieve the goals you set, and who you are will set you apart. 

A personalized cover letter that is honest and true to you will help a hiring manager understand your cultural fit within the team and organization. The best employee on paper can be the worst fit in a team if there is a culture clash.  I find my biggest success when I stay true to myself and am open to opportunity.

I’ve experienced it myself and seen it happen with others close to me in their job searches when the options aren’t there, interviews lead to rejection, and unemployment benefits are running dry, that anxiety, panic, and depression really sink in, and the search turns from “my career” to “I’ll take anything.” It is critical to remember your career doesn’t define who you are. 

When Expectations Need to Shift

It’s incredibly important to be open to opportunity even when a job feels like a step back. It’s a humbling experience to go from being responsible for millions of dollars each month to receiving a rejection email from a fast-food application. I know it’s a cliché, but there is truth to the adage of “it wasn’t meant to be.” This is where remaining true to oneself and being open to opportunity is so important.

Remember that no job is permanent, and your value as a person is not based on your salary. It is tough to feel like you’re starting over. A major challenge I faced was adjusting my expectations to align with the current market and economy. It became evident that I would need to choose between staying in the same salary range with companies I wasn’t thrilled to work for and taking a pay cut to work for an organization I believe in. 

This quandary took a lot of deep planning, consideration, and communication with my partner to align on what is important to me, to my family, and what I will contribute and provide for my family. I think it’s a positive and crucial necessity to reevaluate the goals and needs of yourself and your family. It may require reassessing spending habits, working hours, and routine, but in doing so, you allow yourself more options that might otherwise never have been seen. 

Most importantly, it is essential to put in the work, try opportunities, and keep your options open in whatever role you find yourself in. I think it’s crucial to check in with yourself regarding your career and feelings on a regular basis, whether you’re unemployed or in the thick of your career. 

What piece of advice would you give to job seekers or professionals trying to advance in their careers? 

I think there is a cultural shift in America since the pandemic when it comes to careers. Being in the thick of a job search, I could see that, more than ever, people want to look back on their lives and not regret having wasted them in a job or company they hate. Complacency is a career killer. 

I think today’s generations are more attuned to their feelings, and the “just doing it for the money” mentality isn’t going to lead to a successful career, let alone to happiness and fulfillment in life. 

The Questions Worth Asking Yourself

I believe it’s crucial to routinely take a step back and evaluate your life, and ask yourself, “What am I doing in my career? Am I happy in what I’m doing? Do the positives outweigh the negatives? And most importantly, what does success look like for me, and how can I achieve success without compromising my values and identity?” 

I don’t think this part of a career is taught or discussed as much as it should be, and can easily be overlooked in one’s own career, and requires a conscious effort to follow up with yourself regularly, even if you feel you’re in a good place in your career. I don’t think it is possible to achieve any career advancement without clear answers to those questions. To me, that should be the baseline evaluation and will allow you to plan for the future you want.