Easter is much more than chocolate eggs and bunnies

Posted on 14 April 2025 • Career planning

Lydia and Sue are two Christian colleagues who work in the Careers and Employability Services at the OU. Here are their personal reflections on Lent and Easter, a time to look back and start to navigate your future.

Sue, what does Lent and Easter mean to you?

Easter is a time of extraordinary joy and celebration as it follows the darkness of Good Friday. I have been getting ready for Easter during Lent – a reflective time which prepares me for what is to come. Being part of a church means I do not journey alone but travel with others. Friends from Ukraine, Nigeria, Kenya, and China as well as friends who are self-employed, run international businesses, are unemployed, disabled, or are struggling with ill-health. Lent is slightly different this year as my temporary contract has come to an end and so I will also be looking for a job. I have found the job hunting resources invaluable. This Lent has taught me two things:

Reflect and learn
Lent gives me an opportunity to reflect and look at who I really am. Reflection can really help align your plans with your values and also build your future with confidence. It gives me a realistic understanding of my skills, abilities and my values which I can then use in the church. It gives me a realistic understanding of my skills, abilities and my values which I can then use in the church. Career moves need the same honest scrutiny.

Practice self-discipline
In Lent I practice self-discipline and searching for a job requires time, patience and learning. Each job application must be tailored to show how you meet the requirements and competencies of the job, and this takes time. Each interview needs careful planning and preparation and the OU’s AI-powered tools really help with that. If I am not successful, the learning and the feedback from the interviewing panel helps me plan for the next interview.

However hard Lent (and looking for work) may be for me, the message of Easter shows that “for God no defeat is final” (Rowan Williams). That gives me the resilience and strength to keep hoping and keep trying.

Lydia, what difference does the resurrection make in your life?
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God is the most stupendous event in history and the cornerstone of my faith. It is the triumph of life over death and that brings a sense of hope, and belief that with God all things are possible.

Resurrecting and realising your career dreams
Edgar Schein’s Career Anchor Theory (1975) identifies the career anchors or drivers of individuals. This is a core set of your talents, motives, and values that guide your career choices and leads to satisfaction. Choosing a career that suits you puts this theory into practice to help you figure out what could be a fulfilling future for you. In understanding what drives you, you can become a better self-career manager, find a pathway that keeps you motivated and achieve career confidence throughout your OU journey and beyond.

The message of hope and revival for careers and life
Schein’s theory really resonates with my belief in resurrection and hope for the future. It is the belief that career dreams are never too old to reawaken, that lifelong learning is possible and that career roadblocks are often opportunities in disguise. Whether you are a person of faith or not, your past does not have to define your future.

So, as you break into your chocolate egg or bunny, may the Easter story give you the sense of hope, rekindled ambitions and the promise of better things in career and life.

Don’t forget your Careers and Employability Services will always be here to give you advice and guidance at anytime during your studies and for up to three years afterwards.