Creative Job Search – Metro West “People” – May 27, 2012

by Cindy Cantrell

“CREATIVE JOB SEARCH: After graduating from Lexington High School in 2002, Christina Mercado went through a series of career changes and job interviews before landing her current position in marketing and project management.

Hoping to inspire other recent grads struggling to find a job, she wrote and illustrated a picture book for grown-ups, “You Can Do It, Bunny! Tales of a Young Animal’s Job-Hunting Adventures.”

In the story, Bunny is passed over in favor of Mr. Dog for a job fetching foul balls during baseball games, Ms. Elephant for watering plants in the community garden, and Mr. Giraffe for harvesting apples at the orchard. Throughout the process, however, Bunny’s family and friends remain upbeat.

Mercado, who holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s in business administration, said she lost track of the number of her job interviews over a six-month period of “purgatory.” However, she credits the “unconditional and unshakable” faith of her support network with her own happy ending.

Another silver lining was the time it gave her to learn about book creation, website design, and the self-publishing industry.

“My advice is don’t give up,” she said. “It’s easy to feel that the negative things that happen are a reflection of you as a person, but hold onto your confidence, stay hopeful, and pursue activities that excite and inspire you. You might not have a job right now, but you’re still awesome.”

Mercado’s book is available in paperback at Back Pages Books in Waltham, the Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, and online at www.gobunnybooks.com. She is working to raise up to $6,500 through June 15 on Kickstarter.com for a hardcover printing, with pre-orders accepted for $20.

A “light” version is also available on iTunes.”