Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Another Job Rejection - Good Thing I Can Handle Rejection...
I had a job interview on the 15th of October... I got the rejection email today... Hey, at least I got an email! That is better than most companies... Of course I sent the email first thanking the person for the job interview... Now, I will be honest; I probably would not have liked the job... I wasn't planning on staying at this particular job... Onward and upward!
An Interesting Correlation - The Great Depression and Now...
I was researching the Great Depression. I figure maybe I could find some hidden Job Search Techniques This is what I found so far. I found a high school class assignment.
http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/rmhs/library/gleason/greatdepression/greatdepression.html#Introduction
The class intro stated:
"In 1929 the foundation of the seemingly prosperous economy was so unstable that the stock market crash in October led to a severe depression whose effects spread worldwide. Most people were not immediately affected by the 1920 stock market crash, but by the early 1930s, wage cuts and growing unemployment brought widespread suffering. Effects of the depression were felt everywhere, in the U.S. and in Europe, and in urban locations as well as rural...."
Hmm... Interesting... Then with a tweak here and a tweak there....
"In 2008 the foundation of the seemingly prosperous economy was so unstable that the stock market crash in October led to a severe depression whose effects spread worldwide. Most people were not immediately affected by the 2008 stock market crash, but by the early 2010s, wage cuts and growing unemployment brought widespread suffering. Effects of the depression were felt everywhere, in the U.S. and in Europe, and in urban locations as well as rural...."
Just an observation... Anyway... This blog is supposed to be about my Adventures in Finding A Job.... More to come...
http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/rmhs/library/gleason/greatdepression/greatdepression.html#Introduction
The class intro stated:
"In 1929 the foundation of the seemingly prosperous economy was so unstable that the stock market crash in October led to a severe depression whose effects spread worldwide. Most people were not immediately affected by the 1920 stock market crash, but by the early 1930s, wage cuts and growing unemployment brought widespread suffering. Effects of the depression were felt everywhere, in the U.S. and in Europe, and in urban locations as well as rural...."
Hmm... Interesting... Then with a tweak here and a tweak there....
"In 2008 the foundation of the seemingly prosperous economy was so unstable that the stock market crash in October led to a severe depression whose effects spread worldwide. Most people were not immediately affected by the 2008 stock market crash, but by the early 2010s, wage cuts and growing unemployment brought widespread suffering. Effects of the depression were felt everywhere, in the U.S. and in Europe, and in urban locations as well as rural...."
Just an observation... Anyway... This blog is supposed to be about my Adventures in Finding A Job.... More to come...
Monday, October 20, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The New Work World - Lessons to Heed
This is the New Work Force. The days of a steady, work-to-retirement job is OVERWITH!!! Never, ever, ever take a job for granted! Even if They tell you that you have a job "for 20 years" It is a LIE!!
This is what I learned, the hard way:
#1) KEEP YOUR RESUME UP TO DATE. If an employer, especially in a small company tells you that your job will always be there and that you are well thought of and SECURE, get 5 copies ready to go just in case. Same goes for a cover letter.
#2) CLEAN/CLEAR YOUR COMPUTER. Often. Get a gmail account send funny emails there.
#3) PROFESSIONAL/PERSONAL CONTACTS. Have a list and talk with these people on a regular basis. I heard on the radio that NETWORKING helps you to find the primo jobs.
#4) ALWAYS GET TO KNOW CLIENTS. Smile, chit chat. Let them know who you are. Find a reason to speak to a client, especially if you are placed in a corner and only expected to work.
#5) ALWAYS BETTER YOURSELF. Read industry journals, visit websites, take a class, go to networking meetings, keep abreast of State Statutes that may pertain to your industry.
#6) CLEAN/CLEAR UP YOUR DESK WORK AREA REGULARLY. Keep only stuff you can grab quickly, easily and throw in a box that is always ready.
#7) WORK YOU ARE PROUD OF - MAKE COPIES. Have a paper copy and on a disk, maybe even send to your gmail account.
On a more personal note:
#8) TAKE A 'FUN COURSE'. Especially when you have money coming in. Do you want to learn to bartend? Take a fun class. Education can never hurt you. Bartending may come in handy later.
#9) HAVE A PART TIME JOB. This is self explanatory. Have a list of part time cash jobs, something to 'fall back on'. This list may come in handy when you are upset and confused and desperate to find a way to make fast money.
#10) PAY CASH ONLY! Pay off all credit card bills. My God! Listen to Dave Ramsey! Set aside 3 to 6 months of cash for rent/mortgage, utilities, and food!
This is what I learned, the hard way:
#1) KEEP YOUR RESUME UP TO DATE. If an employer, especially in a small company tells you that your job will always be there and that you are well thought of and SECURE, get 5 copies ready to go just in case. Same goes for a cover letter.
#2) CLEAN/CLEAR YOUR COMPUTER. Often. Get a gmail account send funny emails there.
#3) PROFESSIONAL/PERSONAL CONTACTS. Have a list and talk with these people on a regular basis. I heard on the radio that NETWORKING helps you to find the primo jobs.
#4) ALWAYS GET TO KNOW CLIENTS. Smile, chit chat. Let them know who you are. Find a reason to speak to a client, especially if you are placed in a corner and only expected to work.
#5) ALWAYS BETTER YOURSELF. Read industry journals, visit websites, take a class, go to networking meetings, keep abreast of State Statutes that may pertain to your industry.
#6) CLEAN/CLEAR UP YOUR DESK WORK AREA REGULARLY. Keep only stuff you can grab quickly, easily and throw in a box that is always ready.
#7) WORK YOU ARE PROUD OF - MAKE COPIES. Have a paper copy and on a disk, maybe even send to your gmail account.
On a more personal note:
#8) TAKE A 'FUN COURSE'. Especially when you have money coming in. Do you want to learn to bartend? Take a fun class. Education can never hurt you. Bartending may come in handy later.
#9) HAVE A PART TIME JOB. This is self explanatory. Have a list of part time cash jobs, something to 'fall back on'. This list may come in handy when you are upset and confused and desperate to find a way to make fast money.
#10) PAY CASH ONLY! Pay off all credit card bills. My God! Listen to Dave Ramsey! Set aside 3 to 6 months of cash for rent/mortgage, utilities, and food!
DAY 4 - Without a Job - Various Notes
Home from the Bisbee Yoga Convention. I think that there may be a message on my phone from a company for a CADD Technician... No.... I was amazed at how calm I am.... Mary and Susan are there to help me.... Thank God!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
F'd Without Being Kissed - Laid off on Valentine's Day 2008
It was 9am, 02/14/08 - I was talking with my immediate boss, best friend, co-worker, Mary, when our Big Boss came in and indicated to me to come into his office. Now, many times I have been called into his office... My heart sunk everytime. Silently my mind screamed, "Oh, no, what did I DO NOW???!!" (Yes, he had a way of bringing out my paranoia). This time however, it was for a very good reason. Big Boss told me in a nutshell that I was being laid off!!! I was in shock. He told me not to freak out... I wanted to .... I won't complete the sentence. Why bother? I immediately felt alone, confused, reamed without the benefit of lubricant. I was so stunned that I just sat in The Chair for a few moments... "What do I do?" I asked him... He asked if there was anything he could do for me.... I had worked at the engineering firm 2 months short of 11 years, and had not had a raise in the last 2 years... The past few months I actually worked from home, so, I did not have a desk to "clean out"... "Pay for me to go to bartending school?" "I'm digging into the firms credit line right now to make payroll...." blah, blah, blah...
Big Boss told me that Other's will also be laid off... I did not care... I did not have a job anymore.
I felt like a leper as I crawled out of his office. A person with no country. An Illegal. I felt dirty, used. I felt like everyone was whispering and snickering... Were they?
Mary suggested that we go have coffee and talk... I felt a tiny bit of the numbness wearing off... Perhaps by 1 percent. She confided that Big Boss told her the plan just the night before. She wondered if she should have warned me... Good question. I still don't know how to answer it...
Still numb, I get into my car and head home. As I get on to the 101 from Shea Blvd, I ask my Guides, Angels, "Is this a Blessing or a Curse?" I just drive South to the 60... As I approached the 101/202 merger I see an Arizona personalized license plate in front of me, and I am trying to decipher it: ABLESING Huh? Is the person a Singer? Able to sing? No... Wait there isn't a 2 in it... A Blessing!!! The Lay Off was A BLESSING!!!! Oh, really.... HOW???!!!!
This Blog is dedicated to the adventures of finding a new job in a horrible economy. I am writing this to help anyone who may find this - what to do if you are laid off. What are some of the steps...
Big Boss told me that Other's will also be laid off... I did not care... I did not have a job anymore.
I felt like a leper as I crawled out of his office. A person with no country. An Illegal. I felt dirty, used. I felt like everyone was whispering and snickering... Were they?
Mary suggested that we go have coffee and talk... I felt a tiny bit of the numbness wearing off... Perhaps by 1 percent. She confided that Big Boss told her the plan just the night before. She wondered if she should have warned me... Good question. I still don't know how to answer it...
Still numb, I get into my car and head home. As I get on to the 101 from Shea Blvd, I ask my Guides, Angels, "Is this a Blessing or a Curse?" I just drive South to the 60... As I approached the 101/202 merger I see an Arizona personalized license plate in front of me, and I am trying to decipher it: ABLESING Huh? Is the person a Singer? Able to sing? No... Wait there isn't a 2 in it... A Blessing!!! The Lay Off was A BLESSING!!!! Oh, really.... HOW???!!!!
This Blog is dedicated to the adventures of finding a new job in a horrible economy. I am writing this to help anyone who may find this - what to do if you are laid off. What are some of the steps...
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