Will Work For Food

Check Your Resume Verbs

2006-11-26T11:43:00.000-08:00

Liven up your resume by making it as active as possible. Instead of such phrases as "responsible for . . ." or "performed the duties of . . ." use active verbs: wrote, sold, answered, operated, filled, cut, folded, styled, assembled, organized - whatever actually describes what you did. If you have trouble finding the right verbs, use a thesaurus (there is one on all word processing programs). Instead of trying to write a stiff, overly formal document, describe your duties as you might if a new acquaintance asked about your job.

Would you really tell a friend "As the manager of the department, I'm responsible for budgeting, supervision, and productivity"? You'd be much more likely to say "I have my fingers in everything. I balance the books, run the machines when we get behind, keep the boss happy, and review the work my staff does to make sure that it's accurate and mistake-proof."

You know your industry and the work you performed so list out the active verbs that describe that work and make sure that you strew them liberally throughout your resume - and then see how much livelier and human you appear.

Is the Internet a viable alternative to a job?

2006-09-01T06:01:00.000-07:00

We have all heard about those who quit their jobs and are now making a fortune working at home on their computers. After reading the seemingly endless marketing messages, one reaches the conclusion that millions can be made with only a few hours of effort a week.

If you have nothing to sell, become an affiliate, we're told, and market someone else's product for a percentage of the profit. But do you realize that more than 90% of affiliates never make a single sale?

While there are undoubtedly some individuals doing very well, they tend to be either talented and experienced salesmen, have invented something unique and in demand, or have a large social circle to involve in their sales campaigns.

Before you invest any money in "get rich" schemes, or get excited about how much you can earn from home, get yourself a "throw-away" address on Yahoo or Hot Mail and join a few groups and safelists. Your bulk inbox (tabbed as spam by your Internet host) will soon be bursting with thousands of emails all promising that this opportunity is the one that can't fail.

As you empty the bulk mail without bothering to read it, remember that everyone else is doing the same thing! Millions of enthusiastic email writers disappear into the electronic ether without even a poof of smoke.

If you're convinced that you're different and have what it takes - go for it, as an adjunct to looking for real work. And watch the expenses that can devastate an already restricted budget.

Ask For Feedback

2006-08-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Often, after an interview is over, we spend days mulling over what the interviewer may have liked or disliked about our background and how well our skills stacked up against the competition. We remember all the details we forgot to bring up and wonder if that was the decisive factor in our not getting an offer (if we got the job, who cares about the interview?)

At the end of any interview, you are likely to be asked if you have any further questions. So go ahead and ask how you did!

You might try something along the lines of: "I believe that my skills and experience fit the position you have open but I would really appreciate some feedback from you regarding how you see my strengths and weaknesses and if there is some skill or specialized knowledge I need to acquire to be really competitive in this field."

After the initial surprise (applicants rarely ask such a question), the interview will tell you what they liked and also any concerns they may have about some deficiencies. This gives you the opportunity to add some information to overcome those concerns, if you can. Then, if you are not offered the position, you have the chance to figure out how to address those perceived deficiencies before your next interview.

Follow Instructions

2006-08-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

No employer wants to hire someone who can't take the time to read directions. Even if a position requires management or leadership qualities, duties are still performed within set company procedures and a defined corporate culture. Show your abilities throughout the application process by reading the fine print before jumping in.

If you are applying on line, study exactly how the company would like your information submitted. Some prefer that you cut and paste your resume into their form. Others prefer that you enter basic demographic information and then use your resume as an attachment. If the instructions request plain text, be sure to remove any bolding or bullets before your resume is attached.

If you are filling out an application, read over each section before you start to enter information. Too often, we wade right in and then realize we have put the wrong information in the little boxes and end up with a messy-looking document with words crossed out and arrows drawn from line to line.

If follow up directions are given ("You'll hear from us within 5 business days"), abide by them. If no specific information is given ("Mr. Smith will review your application and will call you if you fit our needs"), try to establish a guideline: "May I call you in 3 days to find out if I'm going to be considered?" Then follow the timeframe given by the company.

Stay Physically Active

2006-07-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

We all know that unemployment and job search are depressing and energy-devouring. With all that worry about the future and the intense mental activity centered on finding work, we tend to neglect physical activity.

It has been proven, in several different studies, that exercise is every bit as effective as medication in alleviating depression and related mood problems. Maintain regular physical activity to ward off that depression before it has time to descend on you to smother your enthusiasm and optimistic outlook.

If you don't play games or workout, make sure you walk, walk, walk - everyday. It will keep you more alert and focused than coffee or cigarettes or however else you self-medicate (and it's free!)

Initial Voice Impressions

2006-06-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Often the first contact you have with a potential employer is by telephone. How you project yourself in those first few minutes can be critical in creating a receptive mind set in the employer.

If you are initiating the call, try to watch a short television comedy first or quickly read some funny comics or cartoons. After a burst of good laughter, your voice is upbeat and relaxed. When you talk on the telephone, always stand and move around as much as possible, even if only in small circles. Your voice will be clearer and the energy level projected will increase, vital in demonstrating that you are the positive, enthusiastic worker that every employer seeks.

If you receive a call from an employer, make sure that your organizer* is close at hand so you can quickly find which job is being discussed and any details about it that can make your responses pertinent to the specific skills and experience sought.

* See "The Job Search Organizer" at http://www.virginiabola.com/freetips.php

Defusing The Anger

2006-04-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

Along with the fear and internal humiliation of losing your job, there is always a degree of anger: anger at fate for dealing you a lousy hand; anger at a company that took your long hours and hard work and threw them away without a second thought; anger at coworkers who played the political game more deftly and kept their positions while yours was eliminated.

Some of us are so angry that we get stuck in our emotions and become almost paralyzed, unable to move on with any degree of enthusiasm or energy.

Recognize that anger is a natural reaction to being marginalized and devalued. Give yourself some alone time to lick your wounds. Pound a punching bag, cry for hours, run for miles, or clean the house from top to bottom - whatever best works for you to burn off that adrenaline pouring through your system.

Take at least a few days to wallow in the injustice of it all. Let your jumbled emotions wear themselves out until you feel drained and empty. It is only when the fires of anger have died down that you can start to think rationally about the future and the opportunities that may arise out of being forced to change your life's direction.

Learn from interview questions

2006-04-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

Review the debriefing notes you should ideally be making
immediately after every interview. Try to identify questions
that caused you trouble and practice new responses with a
friend or a tape recorder.

Were there specific skills that employers are seeking which
you don't currently possess? Can you beef up such skills by
reading or online research? Can you sign up for a course at
an adult school that will show you are making an effort to
round out your knowledge?

Were there particular areas of probing that made you feel
uncomfortable? Consult friends, family, or a former coworker
who may help you develop new responses that strengthen your
presentation.

Call-backs To Employers

2006-03-21T02:37:00.000-08:00

There is a very fine line between being enthusiastic and being intrusive. You want to call an employer after an interview to show how interested you really are, but you definitely don't want to become a pest.

Unless the interviewer was very specific about when the hiring decision was to be made, send your immediate "Thank you" letter and then allow a few days. When you do call, you will find that either someone else has been selected or the decision is still pending.

If someone else did get the job, remind the employer that you are still interested in the company and that you would welcome a call if a new opening should occur. Like plane crashes, staff turnover seems to occur in clusters. If you are cordial and unceasingly enthusiastic, even in your disappointment, you may get called about a new opening to save the employer the time and expense of another round of interviews.

If the decision has not yet been made, ask if you can call back in a couple of weeks. Frequently you will be told that it shouldn't take that long, so you are asked to call back in a week and can schedule yourself accordingly.

Time For Me

2006-03-12T06:27:00.000-08:00

So much to do, so little time, is a constant refrain heard from those seeking work. Everyone gives lots of advice (including me): send out resumes, apply on the Internet, read the Classified, go to job fairs, and network, network, network. Some of us become so overwhelmed with all that we need to do that we can't figure out where to start so end up doing nothing at all.

Assuming that you have established some kind of a schedule that allows you to prioritize your activities on any given day, you are probably humming along, carefully pursuing the actions that are likely to lead to a job offer.

Because you are the one in the family who isn't working, additional demands are placed on the limited time you have available. It is you who starts the dinner, goes to the store, takes the kids to their games, and handles chores around the house. What little time you have left is spent in worrying over your situation and catastrophizing in your mind over what will happen when your benefits expire or obsessing about the possibility of your spouse also experiencing a lay off.

Make time for yourself: positive, valuable, self-affirming time. Even if only for a half hour a day, banish the gloom and speculation from your aching head. Take a break to concentrate on the positives in your life and in yourself.

If you have been keeping a job search journal, read over it and congratulate yourself on what actions you have taken. Read over your resume and any list of personal attributes and characteristics you have developed. Think about your significant other and your family and identify some small way you might show your gratitude for their loyalty and support.

Check out some self-help books from the library, or surf the Internet to find some inspiring ideas or simply words of comfort. Read some poetry or study your Bible to comprehend the big picture of life and history that relegates your present problems to a small hiccough in the vastness of the human universe.

Stroke yourself mentally for the good humor and fortitude with which you are facing enormous obstacles, and remind yourself that "This too, shall pass."

Loss of Power, Loss of Meaning

2006-02-19T06:53:00.000-08:00

General Motors just announced a plan to close plants throughout the country and to lay off 30,000 workers. Alcoa is going to lay off most of their workforce, and probably close its plant in Maryland. GM blames the high cost of union wages and the expense of health and retirement benefits; Alcoa cites the cost of electricity and intends to offshore its new plants where energy costs are lower.

Heartened by corporate decisions to improve their bottom line, the stock market responded with an increase in share prices. Big business just loves lay-offs and the increased profitability they promise.

And the business of America is, make no mistake about it, business. And the rest of the world seems to be heading in that direction. With a token nod to human rights, the administration lauds the emergence of China's economy as a miracle, ignoring how it is bleeding the western world in the most unbalanced trade exchange ever witnessed.

Who puts the face on the victims of lay off? Who recognizes the anguish of those who feel useless in a world that worships the useful? The army of the unemployed, still some 7 million of us even at the trumpeted recent 5% unemployment rate, need to find a means of empowerment.

The Unions of the 1930 poured workers into the streets to demand accountability and relief. But the Union movement is only a shell of its former self, relegated to the sidelines of petty negotiations.

We need to seek leaders who are willing to face reality and stand up for the people in the face of overwhelming corporate control, power, and unrelenting greed. We need our man on horseback. Does anyone know if he's out there?

Reframe your interview approach

2006-02-03T07:49:00.000-08:00

The emotional stress of a job interview is widely recognized. No matter how much self-confidence you try to project, the reality is that it is an occasion where you have little power and where you are being personally scrutinized and judged. It is awkward, uncomfortable, and anxiety-provoking.

Approach an interview bearing a mental tape that keeps repeating "I have to get this job . . . I have to present myself perfectly . . ." and the stress level rises to the point of immobility. You can't think clearly or creatively because of the panic gnawing at the back of your brain. You mumble, fall over your words, and forget what you intended to say because your nerves have overwhelmed your carefully prepared presentation.

If at all possible, approach your next interview as just one more opportunity for practice. Try to convince yourself that this is not the job of your dreams but an expenditure of time to allow you to watch yourself to learn for future interviews when you really want to receive an offer.

Look back at your own history and see how often you were offered positions you didn't really want and, conversely, failed to make the grade for jobs you found exciting and tempting. You may have assumed, as most of us do, that you weren't quite good enough for a prime job and were simply offered positions that no one else wanted.

Then consider whether the difference might have been how you presented yourself, often most effectively when your internal pressure to perform is less intense.

No Show Apology

2006-02-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry, everyone. I have not been to my blog in a month,
courtesy of the IRS who pulled a field audit on me and
caused me to lose all sense of focus for a while.

I'll be back shortly.

"We'll be making our decision in the next two weeks . . ."

2006-01-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

That's hard to hear at an interview because you know you will not sleep well until you know, one way or another, whether you are going to be offered the position. Until the decision is made, you feel at loose ends, unable to concentrate on other tasks and activities. It seems like a waste of time to spend a lot of energy on continued job search when this might be the last week or two of spare time you'll have for months, time to get all those long-ignored chores done.

This is a real danger zone. If you don't receive an offer, you'll not only be terribly disappointed, you'll come down really hard on yourself emotionally for wasting precious job search time.

The secret is to continue your efforts with the same fervor as before. There are several possible outcomes. You may receive the offer and all you have lost is the time and effort expended on the additional job search. You may not get the job and will at least have the satisfaction of knowing that your efforts are continuing and may bear fruit in the near future. Or, you may find another position. It is not unusual, even after a long and failing job search, to suddenly have two opportunities available, as if everything has finally come together for you and is starting to pay off.

Save your catch-up tasks for after you receive the offer -you will be so excited then that you'll get everything done in half the time it would take you now.

Job Layoffs: Are We The Problem?

2005-12-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

Good morning job seekers. How's it going? Getting hired in December is pretty tough, so use the holidays to relax, renew your energy and drive, and try to have a happy Christmas even under the present circumstances.

Here's some food for thought as you prepare for the New Year.

Are We The Problem?

You know, we all talk a good game about keeping job positions in America and stemming the tide of illegal immigrants who pour through our borders at an alarming rate. But are we really willing to change our lifestyle, to put our money where our mouth is?

We love bargains so we buy the lowest priced goods from clothes, to electronics, to household furnishings. We have tags on everything we own: "Made in China," or "Assembled in Mexico." We could insist on only purchasing items manufactured in the United States but then we would have to pay more, a lot more.

For Americans to be willing to take the jobs that go to illegal immigrants, pay rates would need to be substantially increased. If a living, above-the-poverty-line, wage was paid for such work as restaurant helper, motel maid, farmhand, day laborer, swamper, furniture assembler, airplane ramp crew, custodian, and fast food worker, all of our goods and services would cost more, meaning that we'd have to give up many of the things we take for granted.

Companies have to maintain a robust bottom line to stay in business. They adjust their prices according to the cost of the goods produced. It may not be very philanthropic or humane, but it is plain, basic economics.

When decent jobs are hard to come by, it is very tempting to blame employers for sending their jobs overseas. It is much more difficult to look at ourselves and admit that our own consumption habits and needs are the driving force.

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Need more organization and preparation help? Try my free monthly newsletter, The Worker's Edge, or get the book that helps you put it all together: http://www.unemploymentblues.com

The Little Catastrophes That Hit Us All

2005-12-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

Unemployment can be devastating to our nerves, our families, and any sense of personal worth. Here's an article from my newsletter - let me know if you find it helpful.

Life Changing Events.

If we are unlucky enough to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, we experience a personal tsunami - a misfortune of devastating proportions that sweeps away our routine lifestyle and forever changes the world we know.

Yet despite the frequency of such events - the tidal waves of Asia, the hurricanes of the Gulf Coast, the loss of life in the Middle East, the wildfires and mudslides of California - most of us are only indirectly affected. We bleed for those who have lost everything, give what we can out of our pocketbooks and our hearts, but our world is essentially unchanged and we move along in our personal life journey relatively unscathed.

The vast majority of us will never undergo the wrenching jolt of a major disaster, natural or man-made. The sheer size of the human race insulates millions of us from the floods, the bombs, and the mayhem. For us, the life-changing events we experience never hit the front page. Personal, quiet disasters - divorce, death, bankruptcy, or unemployment - change our lives forever but remain unnoticed by all but our closest friends and family. We pick up the pieces and try to get it together without government or private succor and support.

It is the isolation of personal loss that is so emotional destructive. We struggle alone to try to make sense of what went wrong and how we can recover our equilibrium.

Others are sympathetic and wish us well but there is an abyss between those who have a job and those who cannot find one. The longer we are out of work, the more alienated we become. Even those who love us start to worry that there's something wrong with us. They start to suspect that we're not as motivated as we say we are. Everyone has plenty of glib advice: "Have you tried . . . ?" Of course we have -many times and always without success. We become more disheartened as we analyze everything we've done and realize we have tried every trick in the book and still cannot find anything suitable.

Some of us get stuck in depression, anger, or paralyzing anxiety. Our energy drains away and even the smallest action becomes more and more difficult. As frustration and financial pressures mount, we wallow in the unfairness of it all and reminisce about how perfect everything was when we had a job and a future and hope, wondering why all this had to happen.

As with hurricanes and tsunamis and terrorism, the victims are not responsible for the catastrophe they face. Life-changing events do just that - change our lives, sometimes forever. Change can be negative, fear-provoking, and desperately uncomfortable. But, if we look closer, we'll see it also has a positive face. Without change, our modern world wouldn't exist. We would be living the way our ancestors did. And while olden times may sound attractive in their pristine simplicity, such times were filled with disease, inequality and a raw brutality we could not stomach today. We need to embrace change and, despite the turmoil it brings, look for the silver lining hidden within the storm clouds.

Although you now remember your job with nostalgic affection, there were undoubtedly times that you wished you could quit. Even if you loved what you were doing, any single job position only taps into a small part of your potential. Being forced to make a change allows you to develop other domains of your personal character.

Try to analyze your interests and preferences and identify things you would like to do which have not been utilized by your prior jobs. Can you think of an industry or a particular job title that might allow you to move in a new direction? Think about, and complete some preliminary research on, jobs in new industries that you might be able to do. You may not have directly related experience but there are common themes that permeate every kind of work: the ability to communicate, to work as part of a team, to learn rapidly, to be aware of details, to organize and prioritize. If you pick an area of genuine personal interest, you enthusiasm will clearly and naturally emerge and that is something all employers seek.

The job hunting you have been doing may, without your realizing it, have become routine and uninspired. The experience of failure and the frustration of never receiving positive feedback may have led to your merely "going through the motions," already convinced, in your own mind, of the futility of your efforts.

Taking a new direction can open up your job search tunnel. Instead of beating your head against the wall and revisiting every technique and lead you've tried before, moving into a different environment may give you a new sense of purpose and appreciation of your own potential. That is when the positive effects of forced change can become a new source of pleasure and satisfaction.

P. S. If you liked this, you can sign up for my free e-zine, The Worker's Edge, at mailto:jobsearchezine@aweber.com or go whole hog on turning your life and attitude around at http://www.unemploymentblues.com

Prepare questions for the interview.

2005-12-01T06:03:00.000-08:00

An interview almost invariably closes with the potential employer asking if you have any questions. Often an applicant will ask for clarification on benefits -insurance, vacation time, etc. While these are obviously important for you to know, they plant a seed in the interviewer's mind that maybe you are more interested in what the job can do for you than in how you can help the employer.

Try to have three or four questions ready to ask that demonstrate your interest in the company and your desire to be a problem-solver. If you have been able to do some research, trot out a question or two that came to mind. If you have been able to identify some trends or problems in the industry, ask how that is going to affect the company and what they are doing to deal with it. If some current challenges have been brought up earlier in the interview, ask for clarification and more detail.

The more the interviewer interacts with you as if your concerns are mutual, the more you will be seen as a valuable future member of his team.

Make Yourself An Application Cheat Sheet

2005-11-26T06:48:00.000-08:00

It is so easy to sit down to complete an application and suddenly your mind blanks. You can't remember dates or names or telephone numbers. If you have a varied work history, you can't recall which job came first. If you have worked for the same employer for years, you forget when your duties changed or when you received a promotion.

Do your research on work-related paperwork at home and make up a list of everything you might need. List every job for the past 10 years including the company name, address, telephone number and the contact person to call, usually your immediate supervisor. Have a list of education, both formal college and any special courses, seminars, or in-house trainings you completed, with dates. Have a list of five personal references with names, addresses and telephone numbers.

Carry the sheet with you so you are prepared at all times. Not only will it make completing applications a breeze but it will ensure that the information you provide is accurate and consistent. That will avoid the embarrassment and negative reaction in an interview when you realize there are errors on the application the interviewer is using as a guide and you have to make quick verbal corrections.

Talk To Yourself.

2005-11-16T06:39:00.000-08:00

There is always a debate about whether daily affirmations work - the kind of uplifting statements you repeat to yourself in the mirror each morning.

I find a more effective way to improve your mood and self-esteem is to create your own positive scripts for regular re-reading and study. On those days when you're really down on yourself and think that you're a failure, immersing yourself in a book crammed with notes about your qualities and accomplishments can restore your balance, brighten your spirits, and re-energize you for the rigors of the job hunt.

Keep a notebook close by and jot down every little success you've ever had. List your personal characteristics, work and non-work successes, little things you've done that made you feel proud. Record what other people have said to you as compliments or in gratitude. Note any awards or trophies you've ever won.

Describe your accomplishments, big and small: completing a difficult class, learning how to bowl or play a decent round of golf, teaching your teenager how to drive a stick shift, losing that last 10 pounds. No one reaches adulthood without a long string of successes along the way but we tend to discount them because our emotions are engaged by our failures, the "ones who got away."

Keep adding to your book of positives as you think of more and more accomplishments (the list will grow, the more you think about it). On the days when you think your value to the world is zero, take out your book to remind yourself of your own worth. The world is a better place due to all of our collective efforts so give yourself an emotional pat on the back.

Job Interview Stage Fright.

2005-11-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

Job interviews are frequently emotionally taxing, especially if you've been out of work for a prolonged period and the pressure to find a position is weighing heavily on your nerves.

Relieve the tension by being as prepared as possible. Practice interview questions with family, friends, or a tape recorder. Learn as much about the company as you can so you can focus on the employer's needs and problems and how you might address them. Focus on the employer takes the focus off you and will help you to relax.

Use the old tricks of professional speakers to put yourself at ease: move when you can, slow down your speech patterns, and, if you can, write something down occasionally. Avoid taking something to calm you down before going into the interview - it will make you sluggish and flat.

The natural anxiety that such a formal and judgmental atmosphere triggers is what will keep you alert, in focus, and able to project enthusiasm, the quality employers desperately seek.

Providing A Service or Exploitation?

2005-10-30T07:05:00.000-08:00

I had a recent exchange of e-mails with someone who wrote: "39 dollars for a book that proclaims itself to be a way out of depression and feelings of worthlessness for unemployed people?

Tell me: what does a PsyD know about unemployment and low-self-worth?

This price tag is atrocious.

You are victimizing the unemployed, the societal outsider, and I do not appreciate it."

After my initial response, he wrote back: "I can't say I expected any less than what you've given... a total dismissal of my opinion. Do you see no injustice in the "Catch 22" of expensive "ways out" of financial difficulty?"

The gentleman raises a very interesting question. Is there something inherently exploitative about selling a product or a service to individuals who are in a place of great need and few resources?

There is a common expression in marketing: "Don't try selling boxes to the homeless." Why? Because they obviously have no money, that's why they are homeless. Sales need to be geared to a more lucrative market and demographic distribution charts are developed that pinpoint geographic locations, professions, age levels, and ethnic distributions where household incomes are higher and purchasing is more likely.

Where does that leave the homeless, or anyone else who is in a difficult situation where help is needed but money to pay for it is unavailable or severely limited?

There is the government for starters. At all levels, our public agencies exist to provide the help and services citizens need, that is the purpose of paying taxes. In fact, they do provide those services to a greater or lesser extent, depending upon how well developed is that particular sector.

When the services fall short of what is needed, the private sector steps in. Apart from true charity organizations or companies contracted with some level of government, private services require regular income or will shortly vanish from the scene.

If public colleges don't provide the classes you need, on a schedule convenient to you, you pay to attend a private vocational school that costs thousands of dollars more than a community college but gives you what you need, when you need it.

If the State Consumer Credit office can't help you with your bills and creditors are driving you crazy, you pay a private credit company to work out some sort of financial survival plan.

If the unemployment office has not been able to help you find work, you may pay a private job coaching service to redo your resume, give you interviewing skills practice, and perform research in your field.

Are these agencies exploiting your predicament or meeting your needs?

If they give you what you paid for, they are providing a service. Obtaining solid vocational skills that lead to a good job, working out a manageable repayment schedule that allows you to live without the hounding of collectors, or transforming your self-presentation to allow successful competition for a good position, are all examples of worthwhile pay-for-results exchanges.

It becomes exploitative when a school takes thousands of dollars, provides training of questionable quality, and leaves you unemployed with huge student loans to repay. It is exploitative when a company takes money to reestablish your credit and fails to follow through, leaving you still battling collectors with even more depleted assets. It is exploitative when an employment-assistance agency charges you hundred (or thousands) of dollars and fails to produce the results they promised.

In the end, it comes down to what we need and whether we are willing to pay for a service we see as better than those publicly funded. It also means that we have a responsibility to ourselves to thoroughly research any company, or group, or author, before we hand over our money, to make sure that the services offered will be useful, that the source will deliver what has been promised, and what recourse we have if premature withdrawal is necessary.

P.S. I cut the price of the book in half, anyway.
You can find it at: http://www.UnemploymentBlues.com

Stepping Back to Entry Level Work.

2005-10-24T06:22:00.000-07:00

One of my newsletter readers wrote:

"I've been out of work for more than a year and I'm getting desperate. I tried to get one of your "survival" jobs but even got turned down by McDonald's and Walmart. Help!"

My response:

You would think that an employer would jump at the chance to hire you compared with typical applicants for entry-level jobs who often have no work experience, questionable customer service skills, a minimal work ethic, and limited communication abilities.

However, look at it from an employer's point of view.

Are you going to fit in with the rest of the team? Do you speak the primary language of your coworkers? Do you anticipate quitting the job as soon as you find something better? Do you feel demeaned (and let it show) by work you consider beneath you? Do you put all of your experience and salary history on your applications? Are you much older than the other workers?

A potential employer can probably see your worth to the organization but regardless of your experience, you are going to need some basic training, and he is weighing whether it's worth the time (and cost) to train you when you might leave in a week or two.

Some suggestions: recognize what is going on in the employer's mind and confront it head on - but be truthful so you don't blow the opportunity for someone coming behind you. If you can see your way clear to committing for a certain period of time, it might be helpful in eliminating his fear that you won't be around long enough to make hiring you worthwhile.

Leave prior salary information off your application or write in "will discuss at interview." You then have a chance to talk to the employer on a personal level about your previous salary levels and why you are now willing to accept entry level wages. Be honest about your predicament and sell how even a few months of your knowledge and skills could help his business, increase sales or the level of customer service, and help build a smooth-functioning team.

Sell your ability to work with a wide variety of people and explain your interest in learning his business without any sense of the work being something less than you have done before. Sell him on your desire to work, to be productive, to practice and maintain your customer service skills. Explain that you are miserable being unemployed because you have always worked and you feel more pride in yourself when you are part of a successful organization, regardless of the type of industry it is in or the actual pay.

Reprinted from The Worker's Edge, available at:
http://www.UnemploymentBlues.com/NewsletterSignup.html

Job Interviews Require Shotgun Courtesy.

2005-10-14T09:18:00.000-07:00

You are undoubtedly extremely polite and amiable with any interviewer you encounter. You are on your "best behavior" knowing that your self-presentation and demeanor are keys to your being considered for a position. But how do you treat the "little people" on your way to the interview?

The front desk receptionist, the office staff who take your telephone calls, the secretary who greets you, the security guard who walks you through the plant, the potential co-worker who offers you coffee: all of these people, while not making the final hiring decision, have varying degrees of influence over your fate.

You may make a masterful presentation in the interview but if remarks are heard from staff about your curtness, lack of respect, or pushiness, your presentation may have been for naught. Exude courtesy and respect to everyone you encounter at a potential employer's business and the remarks made ("What a nice man he seemed" or "She was so pleasant and friendly") may dramatically increase your stock relative to competing applicants.

Beating The Union Stigma

2005-10-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

M. L. wrote to me recently:

"For years I worked in production as a loyal union member. There are no local jobs so I am trying to change to service work. When an employer sees that I worked for (Employer name deleted) for 15 years, they seem to tune me out. I can't lie about my work history so what should I do?"

You are encountering what is too common a situation, I'm afraid, M.L. Try to sit in the interviewer's chair for a moment and think of some assumptions you might make. Long-term union workers are often considered demanding, rigid, and entitled. In a large union shop, there are very defined work rules which an employer flouts at his peril. This was designed, of course, to protect employees: to avoid exploitation, to guarantee overtime pay, to ensure that older, higher-paid, workers are not discarded to make way for cheaper, entry-level youngsters. The system of shop stewards and grievance hearings allows for all employees to be fully heard and enjoy representation by their peers.

The fear of non-union employers is that your history will make it difficult for you to be flexible and cooperate with supervision and management rather than the union "Us versus Them" environment.

My motto is always to identify negative ideas the interviewer may be harboring and confront them directly. Tell the interviewer that you know that sometimes former union workers cause headaches for new employers. Now distance yourself from the stereotype. You performed union work because it was well-paid and readily available. But your key goal was to work, to be productive, to feel good about yourself, to provide for your family. Point out how worthless you feel when you are not productive. Stress your flexibility -- that you are open to what hours you will work, that you enjoy being part of a team, that you like to work closely with supervisors and management so that together you can achieve departmental and company goals.

Focus on your liking to work with people and your choice to treat everyone with courtesy and respect, whether they be customers, coworkers, or someone calling with a complaint. If there have been times in the past when you have been able to mediate between opposing parties, or times when you could have filed a grievance but elected not to because it was less important than doing your job, cite it now. Turn the interviewer's biases upside down and you will at least get a fair hearing and honest consideration.

Let Yourself Dream!

2005-10-04T06:36:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone -- I have been so busy pursuing other directions that I have been neglecting my blogs -- next week I'll be back on track.

To cheer you up, here is the link to an article on dream jobs -- no one can stop our daydreams, can they?

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/departments/elearning/default.aspx?article

Interviewing Techniques: Be A Problem Solver

2005-09-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

One very uncomfortable aspect of looking for work is the need to "sell yourself" in an interview. Most of us are raised to be modest, or at least to present ourselves that way. "Blowing our own horn" makes us self-conscious, awkward, and a little tongue-tied.

It may reduce your stress level to take a slightly different approach: rather than feeling that you have to sell your personal effectiveness, focus on your problem-solving ability which is really the heart of the interviewer's interest.

If company problems are discussed, take the opportunity to outline similar problems you have encountered in previous positions and the steps you took to resolve them. If the employer does not mention current problems or challenges, don't assume that they don't exist. Any employment situation has obstacles: not enough business, too much business in too short a time, procedural difficulties, processing hold-ups.

Ask the employer what is his biggest headache and use his answer to demonstrate your skills. By concentrating on the interventions you might make, you forget about yourself and become more comfortable with the entire situation.

An additional benefit is that the interviewer has the opportunity to "see you at work" rather than having to probe for specifics behind a front of self-hype.

For more articles: http://www.UnemploymentBlues.com; http://www.Virginia Bola.com

A Resume Is Only A Thumbnail Sketch

2005-09-17T08:35:00.000-07:00

There is a constant debate about the "correct" length of a resume. For years, the golden rule was one page only.

Personally, I still find this an excellent rule of thumb. So many resumes I review contain extraneous material. If a job or a skill is no longer relevant, leave it out. In a world where information has exploded over the past decade, the ability to write concisely and logically, with a focus on core concepts, becomes ever more valuable.

If you have very extensive experience, all applicable to the focus of your job search, then perhaps you will need to go to two pages. (Although I admit that with a great deal of reluctance --are you SURE it's all relevant?) If you are a professional with publications and awards that need to be listed, try this: a one page succinct precis of your skills with an attached full Curriculum Vitae which may run several pages.

For most of us, one or two pages is more than enough: the goal is simply to open the door, not to sell yourself (that happens in the interview).

Looking at transferable skills.

2005-09-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

Expand your employment options by looking at your skills and experience from a fresh perspective. Skills you have acquired in any job can be transferred to seemingly unrelated positions.

Horizontal transfer consists of moving your general skills and personal qualities to a somewhat similar position in a new industry. This is most valuable when the industry in which you worked is dying: steel manufacturing, aerospace, textiles.

Vertical transferable skills means using your knowledge of a particular industry by looking for a totally different position within it. This applies, for example, when the position you have held has been eliminated due to regulatory changes, cost concerns, or automation.

In either case, it is your task to show a potential employer the link between what you have done before, and what you are applying for, and why, despite your lack of specific experience, you are the person for the job and will rapidly adapt to your new environment.

More information available at: http://www.Unemployment Blues.com

Psyching out interviews.

2005-08-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Interviews are difficult because we never know what to expect. Some employers will go out of their way to make you feel as comfortable as possible and will ask low key questions that seem easy to answer. Others believe in magnifying the stress of an already pressure-laden situation because they want to see how you handle it. In either case, if you can detach yourself from your nervousness, try to see if there is a pattern emerging. Do many of the questions concern attendance and reliability? Help yourself by emphasizing your track record in those areas. If the interviewer repeatedly asks about teamwork and any prior conflicts with co-workers, you can see what is considered important in this position -- sell yourself to it. If the primary concern is multi-tasking, focus on your ability to do many things at once -- work, family, volunteering, school, a history of working two jobs -- and how you are able to organize multiple demands to stay on top of many activities at once.

The key is to increase the chances of a successful interview by catering to the needs of the interviewer, not reciting a stale litany of overly-rehearsed responses.

More tips: http://www.unemploymentblues.com

Rewarding your network.

2005-08-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

You have followed the advice of the job search experts, contacting everyone you know to solicit job leads and names to contact who might be able to help you find employment. Some leads may have been very positive; others led nowhere. Regardless of the outcome, a vital part of successful networking is giving feedback to those who tried to help.

Call everyone who gave you names or leads and thank them for going out of their way. It will remind them of your continuing problem and will leave them feeling positive so that they will help others in the future. If the lead turned out to be worthless, they may put out extra effort to find something more promising.

People help you because they want an inner sense of satisfaction and often start assuming some sense of responsibility for you. They may take extraordinary steps to increase those feelings of self-satisfaction by ensuring that their assistance was instrumental in your success.

"Illegal" Interview Questions.

2005-08-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

After multiple court cases and legislative actions, there are all kinds of questions interviewers may no longer ask: your age, marital status, children, physical impairments, sexual preferences, or medical history. Large and medium sized companies will avoid such questions like the plague, ever fearful of potential lawsuits. Small shops may be ignorant of the law or may choose to break it because the owner doesn't accept the right of anyone to tell him or her what to do.

Preparing how you would answer such questions is helpful before an interview. If the questions are asked, you have a ready response. If they are not asked, but you believe that one or more is pertinent, feel free to volunteer information as there is no law prohibiting employers listening to anything you say of your own volition. A statement such as "I do have two small children but not only do I have childcare arrangements in place, I also have a solid backup plan if an emergency arises," just might settle those lingering concerns when an interviewer thinks "I really liked him but I'm still not sure about . . ."

Plan For The Interview Day

2005-08-07T05:51:00.000-07:00

The fastest and easiest way to kill your chances of a job offer is to arrive late for your interview with lame excuses about getting lost. When you set up the interview, ask for specific directions. Better yet (if it's not too far away) take a test drive to the company's office the day before, preferably at the same time as your scheduled interview so you get an idea of traffic flows and the amount of time you will need to allow.

If it's a free standing building, park outside for a while and observe people walking in and out. Watching them will give you a good idea of their typical employees - the way they dress, if they seem free and casual or formal and conservative. If the company is a suite inside a large office building, walk through the public hallways and again observe the employees, the décor, the pace at which the office seems to move. Your goal is not only to appear on time for your interview but to make sure that you seem to fit the company's chosen image and to feel a little familiar with the surroundings that can somewhat allay your natural nervousness in any interview.

During the interview, don't be afraid to mention that you made a "dry run" the day before. Companies appreciate employees who take extra time to plan - it demonstrates initiative, attention to detail, and real interest in the position far more graphically than a few canned phrases on a resume.

Getting A Foot In The Door

2005-07-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

A gentleman named J.B. wrote:

"I just completed a vocational training course, at the top of my class. I learned all I could and have been diligently doing everything the placement counselor suggested. But everybody wants on-the-job experience! What should I do?"

Here's my response:

You are absolutely right, J.B. Getting your foot in the door right out of school is difficult. No matter how good the training, employers worry that you won't be able to handle yourself without additional training and time-consuming supervision. Try acknowledging their concerns up front: "I know that you are hoping to hire someone who can hit the ground running from day one but may I explain how my lack of actual on-the-job experience can work FOR you?

This straightforward and unusual approach is likely to get their attention. Follow up with a list of positives the employer probably has not consciously considered, such as:

1. I learn very rapidly and because I'm new, I'm willing to put in extra time to make sure I understand everything I am taught.

2. I have no bad habits. I'll learn to do the job your way and never complain that "In my last job, we always did it this way . . ." (Believe me, employers hear that all the time and don't like it.)

3. I know what I don't know. That means I'll never cause problems for you by thinking I know it all and jumping in when I should let someone-in-charge know what is happening.

4. Having experience is one thing; having good work habits is another. As I learn the job, I will become more valuable to you than other applicants because of my work ethic: I am always on time, have an exemplary attendance record, always put my work as top priority during working hours and leave my personal life or problems at home.

5. Since I am new in the field, I am very willing to start out at entry-level pay, knowing that within a very short time I'll prove myself to be a strong asset to your company.

While some employers will always keep on their blinders and narrowly focus on actual work experience, many more are open-minded and just need a nudge to enforce their dream of finding a super worker who does things the way they want.

Try it and let me know how you do.

Get out there!

2005-07-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

"Pounding the pavement" conjures up a picture of a down-and-out vagabond dragging down the street, knocking on closed doors and getting nothing but rejection after rejection. These days, there are multiple ways to find work. However, it is still important to stay in circulation, to see what is going on around you, to stay tuned to occupational vibrations.

Many job seekers spend day after day on the internet, or on the telephone, or reading the classified ads. These are important aspects of your search for work but are emotionally isolative, increasing your sense of being out of step with the 8 to 5 crowd, busily on their way to who knows what.

Schedule your week to include days of getting dressed up and going out and about: visit employment agencies, friends at work, register for temporary work, attend a job fair. Even visiting the library, a cyber cafe, or sitting in a restaurant organizing your job hunting paperwork will make you feel like your old self, that you do still fit in, that your present "lost in space" state is only temporary.

A Job On Whose Terms?

2005-07-15T06:57:00.000-07:00

During a radio interview last year, a caller asked me regarding his particular unemployed situation. Legally blind, Jerry was a professional sound technician for radio and music studios. He lived just outside Denver, Colorado and lamented that work was almost impossible to find.

What a triple whammy!

We commiserated briefly about the tight labor market and the shortage of good jobs. The caller's blindness, of course, added a huge extra barrier to securing employment. When asked if he had sought help from his local Agency for the Blind (who are usually well-funded with excellent employer contacts), Jerry responded that they had been "no help at all - they're just a bunch of big talkers."

He became less forthright when I asked him why he had chosen the music business, probably one of the most competitive industries on earth. Doug reported that he loved music and was very good at his job if just given the opportunity to prove it.

I pointed out, as gently as I could, that such opportunities are few and far between. Stuck in Colorado where broadcast positions are limited was a problem. However, should he relocate to Los Angeles, the capital of the music industry, the openings would still be almost non-existent. Every teenager in America wants to get into the music business. They will start at the bottom, at minimum wage (or more commonly, for free), just to feel that they are a part of it. How is a middle-aged family man, without powerful contacts, going to compete, no matter how good his skills?

The bottom line is that we all have dreams of what we want to do but then there is the reality. At some point in our lives we make a choice - to pursue the dream no matter the cost, or to take a more practical approach that may not be so satisfying, nor as much fun, but which allows us to live a fruitful life, enjoy our family and friends, and keep a roof over our head.

Jerry, like so many of us, wanted it all. He wanted his life's dream but on his own terms. As we all recognize, it seldom works out that way. And you know, his being physiologically blind had nothing to do with it.

Revealing Your Weaknesses In An Interview

2005-07-07T17:43:00.000-07:00

To continue where we left off last time, another typical interview question is "Tell me about your weaknesses".

This is the tricky question which causes many job seekers to squirm in their chairs. The usual advice is to select a weakness that masquerades as a strength: "I'm a little too driven. I just hate not completing a project early and tend to work long hours until it's done." "I'm afraid I'm a bit of a perfectionist but doing something right, the first time, has always been a big priority with me." "I have a problem handling being late. Sometimes it bugs people that I tend to be the first person at a meeting or always come to work a little early. I just find it more comfortable not to have to rush at the last minute."

If these work well for you, continue to use them whenever you wish. Another approach you might want to consider is an attempt to humanize the conversation. We are well aware that interviews tend to be formal, overly polite, and downright stiff. The atmosphere can warm up with your genuine disclosure of a real weakness (which we all have, including interviewers and employers). This can be most effective when illustrated with a scene from the past where you learned something.

Examples:

"The first time I was put in charge of a project, I was so determined to do a good job that I was a bit overbearing. After a couple of days, one of the older workers took me aside and read me the riot act about being wet behind the ears and not paying attention to his knowledge and experience. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I apologized on the spot, thanked him for his honesty, and then called the whole team together to apologize to them all. Since then, I've really tried to watch myself and now I make myself listen before any decisions are made."

"On my last job, I blew an assignment because I really didn't know what was wanted. My boss chewed me out and I felt this small. Ever since, I've made sure that I understand exactly what is expected so I can perform successfully." "I like to really take care of my customers. One time I went really overboard to take care of a guy who was always complaining about something. My boss called me into her office and pointed out, in no uncertain terms, that three other customers had been upset that I had ignored them because I was so tied up with this one guy. After that, I took the blinkers off and tried to look at the big picture -to balance the needs of different customers so everybody receives service."

Identify something you did in the past that got you into trouble, or embarrassed you, and find the lesson you learned. None of us emerge from adolescence with perfect competence. Demonstrating that you have exhibited personal weaknesses, and outlining how you have tried to correct them, makes you more human to an interviewer and moves beyond the canned phrases he has been hearing all day.

No More 5 O'Clock Troops.

2005-07-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

In the process of musing about our perennially awake world for my Social Psych blog http://drvirginiabola.blogspot.com), I started to think about our present work world and how its operations have changed the lives of millions of workers.

I manage a 24/7 emergency crew (mental health). We handle callers from early evening until 7 AM, plus weekends and holidays. During the course of the night, we talk to hundreds of people from all walks of life. Until a few years ago (except for intermittent wartime production requirements), the people who worked through the night were limited to emergency services (police, fire, hospitals), the telephone company, a few booming manufacturing plants, and the military. Now we expect to order items, day or night, by telephone. We demand that support services for all our transactions be available 24/7.

How do night workers cope? For some, night work is a blessing, freeing up daytime hours for childcare or school. For those with limited skills and reduced income potential, moonlighting at night is a chance to earn a decent income. But night workers also pay a price: they never get quite as much sleep as their daytime compatriots. There is always so much more to get done during the business day and they receive constant interruptions from a world operating on an opposite schedule. After a period of time, they either adapt or quit.

Studies have shown that night workers suffer more injuries, make more errors, and experience more medical problems than do first shift employees. Those figures suggest that we function more efficiently in the historical tradition of sunup to sundown. We are not, by nature, nocturnal creatures.

The most difficult schedule to absorb, though, is one that undergoes frequent change. In some companies, shifts change monthly. I worked with a large manufacturing company years ago (a lot of their employees suffered injuries and needed my services), that held weekly seniority bids on all frontline positions. This meant that relatively new employees might work days one week, swing the following week, and graveyard the next. When I pointed out a possible connection between these horrible work schedules and the company's accident rate, I was told that the Union refused to allow any changes in the system.

Now unions are supposed to represent the needs of the workers, aren't they? How could they possibly justify the stress they were causing their own members?

I finally figured out (sometimes I'm a little slow!) that their members with seniority liked the system because they could easily change their work hours for a week if something came up or they wanted to avoid working for a particular foreman.

Those who had the luck to get in early had a terrific advantage over the newbies. Like the initial members of pyramid schemes or Multi-Level-Marketing scams, they were on the gravy train. And the newcomers - the recently unemployed, minorities, women, the disabled - were left the dregs to fight over while mired in their constant vulnerability to layoff.

Tips For When And If You Land An Interview

2005-07-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

Despite the positive job growth for the past couple of months, there are still way too many of us unable to find suitable work and now General Motors and Ford Motor Car are planning gigantic layoffs. That old 8-ball keeps on popping up in front of us. Just in case you do manage to land an interview, here's a tip for you:

What Is Your Main Strength?

Such a trite interview question but it arises so often. Sometimes you are asked to give only your number one choice, others may ask for a list of three or more.

Listing your strengths is seldom difficult. Regardless of our work background and history, we can usually reel off such time-honored characteristics as reliable, dependable, honest, on time, flexible, respectful, friendly, etc. etc. etc. An even more effective presentation is to quantify and illustrate those qualities, if you can. See if you can recall such specifics as:

Being called in to work on your day off to fill in for an absent coworker. ("My foreman used to call me Old Faithful").

Working long hours to ensure that you could deliver a rush job on time. ("The team called it a miracle but it was just hard work").

A history of consistently showing up early, or right on time, for work. ("My boss joked that the company set its clocks by my schedule").

Any detail you can add supports the notion that you are not just mouthing words you think the interviewer wants to hear but that you actually live those values, something any employer is actively seeking.

The Difficulty Of Leaving Your Work History Behind

2005-06-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

One of my newsletter reader wrote: “For years I worked in production as a loyal union member. There are no local jobs so I am trying to change to service work. When an employer sees that I worked for (Employer name deleted) for 15 years, they seem to tune me out. I can’t lie about my work history so what should I do?”

My response:

You are encountering what is too common a situation, I’m afraid. Try to sit in the interviewer’s chair for a moment and think of some assumptions you might make. Long-term union workers are often considered demanding, rigid, and entitled. In a large union shop, there are highly defined work rules which an employer flouts at his peril. This was designed, of course, to protect employees: to avoid exploitation, to guarantee overtime pay, to ensure that older, higher-paid, workers are not discarded to make way for cheaper, entry-level youngsters. The system of shop stewards and grievance hearings allows for all employees to be fully heard and enjoy representation by their peers.

The fear of non-union employers is that your history will make it difficult for you to be flexible and cooperate with supervision and management rather than the union “Us versus Them” environment.

My motto is always to identify negative ideas the interviewer may be harboring and confront them directly. Tell the interviewer that you know that sometimes former union workers cause headaches for new employers. Now distance yourself from the stereotype. You performed union work because it was well-paid and readily available. But your key goal was to work, to be productive, to feel good about yourself, to provide for your family. Point out how worthless you feel when you are not productive. Stress your flexibility—that you are open to what hours you will work, that you enjoy being part of a team, that you like to work closely with supervisors and management so that together you can achieve departmental and company goals.

Focus on your liking to work with people and your choice to treat everyone with courtesy and respect, whether they be customers, coworkers, or someone calling with a complaint. If there have been times in the past when you have been able to mediate between opposing parties, or times when you could have filed a grievance but elected not to because it was less important than doing your job, cite it now. Turn the interviewer’s biases upside down and you will at least get a fair hearing and honest consideration.

Job Search For New Graduates

2005-06-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

Getting your foot in the door right out of school is difficult. No matter how good the education, employers worry that you won't be able to handle yourself without additional training and time-consuming supervision. Try acknowledging their concerns up front: "I know that you are hoping to hire someone who can hit the ground running from day one but may I explain how my lack of actual on-the-job experience can work FOR you?

This straightforward and unusual approach is likely to get their attention. Follow up with a list of positives the employer probably has not consciously considered, such as:

1. I learn very rapidly and because I'm new, I'm willing to put in extra time to make sure I understand everything I am taught.

2. I have no bad habits. I'll learn to do the job your way and never complain that "In my last job, we always did it this way . . ." Believe me, employers hear that all the time and don't like it.

3. I know what I don't know. That means I'll never cause problems for you by thinking I know it all and jumping in when I should let someone-in-charge know what is happening.

4. Having experience is one thing; having good work habits is another. As I learn the job, I will become more valuable to you than many other applicants because of my work ethic: I am always on time, have an exemplary attendance record, always put my work as top priority during working hours, and leave my personal life or problems at home.

5. Since I am new in the field, I am very willing to start out at entry-level pay, knowing that within a very short time I'll prove myself to be a strong asset to your company.

While some employers will always keep on their blinders and narrowly focus on actual work experience, many more are open-minded and just need a nudge to enforce their dream of finding a super worker who does things the way they want.

Don't Take It Personally

2005-06-13T06:55:00.000-07:00

The size of the employer you worked for makes little difference: no company wants to downsize. Cutting back staff is an acknowledgement of failure in that every business wants to expand and hire. Contraction is always painful.

The most pain, of course, is yours: you are the one without an income, without a routine, without the comfort of knowing what you'll be doing tomorrow or next week.

Try to look at your layoff as a logical business decision that had little to do with you as an individual.

If you take it personally, you may paint yourself into a corner bubbling with resentment and anger ("How dare they do that ... I was a much better worker than a lot of people who are still there!") Alternatively, you'll consume the energy you desperately need for a job search campaign in endlessly rehashing your performance and trying to identify what you did wrong.

It's not you, it's the economy, it's the world, it's life -- so lick your wounds and move on.

Eventually, you will learn to see the whole process as a growth spurt that brought you wonderful opportunities you might never had encountered without going through the pain.

Statistics Can Lie

2005-06-05T06:09:00.000-07:00

The May unemployment figures are out -- what a disappointment! After the outlook seemed to be really on the upswing in April, May exhibited a total job growth of 78,000. Considering that there are about 150,000 new entrants into the labor market each month, that's a "growth" of minus 72,000. Along with the release of these figures, the government crowed that the unemployment rate actually declined a tenth of a percentage point.

Leaping layoffs, Batman, how can that be?

Well, Robin, it merely proves that the method of tracking the unemployment rate has little connection to the true jobs picture!

For years, those of us working in the field of unemployment have been nagging that government statistics consistently under-state the real situation.

The unemployment rate is based on workers standing in line for benefits. It fails to account for those who have no benefits (new entrants, workers whose benefits have been exhausted, the formerly self-employed who do not qualify, and the disabled on medical leave). What about the thousands who have simply given up? What about the millions who are underemployed in lower skilled and temporary positions which were the only openings they could find?

The effort to put a positive spin on employment figures is motivated by politics, public relations concerns, and a desire to look positive and confident to inspire the citizenry. Where is there any genuine concern for the destruction this causes to the psyches of the unemployed who become ever more convinced that they are failures -- surely only a loser can't find work in an expanding economy!

We need honesty, tax incentives to hire long term displaced workers, and increased funding for vocational education, retraining, and re-entry support.

Jumping jobless, Batman. What are we going to do?

Hiring Pre-Sell: Voice Mail Etiquette

2005-06-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

While you are out job searching, you may use a telephone answering machine to record calls received.

If an employer calls you, what will he hear? I have had clients with fake famous voices on their machines, weird messages, loud music, or the sound of partying. This may be great for your friends but don't use the fun stuff during job search. If a company calls and hears something like: "If this is the IRS, I'm in the Bahamas," or "This is Bill and Sue. Sorry, we're partying or having sex right now, we'll call you back," your resume just went in the round file.

Record a message that is short, businesslike, and gives your full name in a clear, confident manner. That message will pre-sell you in the employer's eyes and should result in a message being left and your resume retained close at hand.

If someone at your home is going to be answering the calls, now is not the time to let the little tyke answer -- you want reliability expressed, not cuteness. The same for your hard-of-hearing Aunt Mabel. Make sure that your family understands that this is crucial and try to make one individual the responsible party for taking calls and messages.

If you call an employer or a networking contact, also be businesslike. Leave your full, well-articulated name and give your telephone number slowly and distinctly. Nothing is more frustrating than having to play back a message three times to get the name and telephone number correct. Making someone frustrated is not part of a good pre-selling package.

Closing The Interview.

2005-05-29T05:27:00.000-07:00

At the end of a job interview, it is usual to be told that "We'll be making our decision within the next two weeks and will be in touch with you." Don't just say thank you and leave: you'll spend two weeks fretting about your chances and if you hear nothing on the fourteenth day, will assume the worst. You'll be tempted to put off looking for work because you want to be home "just in case" they call. You feel completely helpless because you have no control over the situation.

Far better to respond along the lines of "I'm very actively searching for work and seldom home. May I call you in two weeks to touch base?" This allows you to put your energy into looking for work elsewhere (absolutely mandatory, no matter how hopeful this interview looked), knowing that in two weeks you can follow up and see what is happening. It creates the feeling of a semblance of control in a usually out-of-control situation.

If they call you earlier with an offer (they were afraid that you might get something elsewhere while they were dallying over their decision), so much the better. If they don't call, you can call in two weeks and tell the receptionist, in all honesty, that you were asked to call "Mr. Smith" on this date regarding the status of the position.

When "Mr. Smith" is notified, he will remember your words and will usually either get on the telephone (most interviewers really aren't ogres and feel a degree of responsibility to their applicants) or tell his assistant that no decision has yet been made and you should call back in 3 days.

Again, you have some measure of control over the situation.

All Who Want To Work, Will. Huh?

2005-05-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

I received an email from C.J. who wrote:

"I keep reading that the labor market is getting better but I still can't find a job. What's wrong with me? I actually feel worse now than last year when there seemed to be no hope of finding work at all."

You're not alone, C.J. When the job market is really bad, such as last year, the early 1990s, or the Great Depression, there is little expectation of finding work and the world is sympathetic to your plight because the causes are obviously social and economic, not personal.

However, when times are better and there are jobs out there, your inability to find work starts to reflect on you personally. That somehow you are not good enough, not skilled enough, not looking hard enough, or, worst, don't really want to work. Even in the greatest economic boom, there are still several million Americans unemployed. To suggest that all of them don't want to work is absurd. It may be geographic challenges, industry structural changes, or skill sets.

What is most destructive about the present climate is that jobs are being created in fewer numbers than needed for those entering the labor market, never mind about those who have been out of work for a period of time. Politicians' statements that "All who want to work will find work" is just that, a political statement. Don't internalize it as the truth or you will erode your self-esteem and endanger whatever self-confidence you have left. Stick with the job search and be the source of your own support and empathy.

Unemployment: the Iraqi View

2005-05-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

Let's put it all into perspective: the U.S. has an unemployment rate hovering at just above the 5% level (although much higher in ethnic populations). Iraq has an unemployment rate in the 75% range.

How on earth do they live?

We are all aware of the difficulties of being out of work - the financial pressures, the emotional trauma, the ruin of so many marriages and families, and the overall cost to society. The effects of unemployment on personal dreams of success wreak havoc with the self-esteem and self-confidence of those without work. In a society that glorifies money, power, and celebrity above all else, the have-nots carry the taint of failure and view themselves as losers. They can no longer compete with their peers, keep up with the Joneses, or live the lifestyle to which they have aspired for so long.

But if 3 out of 4 of your neighbors, family, and friends are jobless, the equation changes. You may live in poverty, unsure of when the next meal will materialize, but just about everyone else is in the same boat. Begging, bartering, and haggling over the exchange of meager basics becomes the standard lifestyle. Aspirations of success are tossed aside for the more immediate goal of survival. It is the few individuals who actually have work and a regular income who are the aliens in the crowd.

In an economy devastated by war, magnified by an ongoing insurgency, what does the much-touted western world's democracy mean: the freedom to starve?

A culture in disarray yearns for "the man on horseback." The inequities and internal struggles of the Roman Republic gave birth to a long line of debauched, despotic Emperors. The mass poverty of Russian serfs opened the door to Lenin and his monstrous descendant, Stalin. The ruined economy of the Weimar Republic brought us the order and security, as well as the total evil, of Adolf Hitler. The hedonistic excesses and widespread corruption of Havana produced Fidel Castro. The war-ravaged landscape of Cambodia hatched the Khmer Rouge.

Consider the average Iraqi. Three years ago, there may have been a muzzled press and sinister whispers of secret executions and atrocities against minorities, but the electricity and water systems worked, there was order in the streets, there were uplifting parades or uniformed troops, a leader standing up to the might of the western world, and a deep pride in being a citizen of the arguably strongest Muslin country in the world.

Three years later, men stand in line for the few paltry jobs available with the security forces, well aware of the possibility of being blown to bits for the only sin of standing in that line.

President Bush is on a crusade (that was his word) to rid the world of terrorism and convert the entire planet to Western Democracy and his version of freedom (his favorite word).

America will save the world. And if there is nothing left when the saving is over, can we wring some sense of self-satisfaction from the fact that no despots are left standing on the windswept, barren plateau that remains?

More considerations: http://www.UnemploymentBlues.com

Working Under A Microscope

2005-05-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

A certain amount of oversight is involved in almost any job. The more important, the more highly skilled, the more successful the position, the lower the degree of oversight. At the bottom rung of the economic and social ladder - the laborers, the maids, the easily replaceable positions - the more watchful are the powers that be, the less secure are the workers, the more personally vulnerable are they to any mistakes made.

When money or similar valuables are intermixed with poorly paid employees, the level of oversight reaches outsized and intrusive proportions. Diamond workers in South Africa submit to body cavity searches after every shift, a humiliation society normally limits to convicted felons or known drug traffickers.

In the United States, low level workers in finance and banking are closely observed for cash or figure discrepancies. Too many errors lead inevitably to termination. The larger the amounts of money involved, the more significant the mistakes become. A fast food register a few cents out of balance differs markedly from a bank cashier imbalance of several hundred dollars.

The more pure cash is involved, the more difficulty there is in tracing a paper trail of transactions to establish where a discrepancy occurred. I just returned from three days in Las Vegas, the American capital of cash. Surely nowhere else in the country handles the thousands of hundred dollar bills that change hands in that town, to the tune of several billion dollars annually.

For years, in the counting rooms it was one pile for the house, one pile for the government, and one pile for "the boys." Untold millions were siphoned off for the East Coast crime czars. The government hated being cheated of their fair share. The gamblers could care less where the money went as long as they had a fair chance of winning and their play rendered them free rooms, free shows, and free food. It was symbiotic - a mutually advantageous relationship. Any worker foolish enough to try to cheat the uniquely expert cheaters at the top, found their final reward in the unforgiving desert where flesh melts quickly and bone fragments blow quickly away in the beds of long-dry rivers.

Then the corporations moved in and "the boys" faded away into their old street rackets and the burgeoning drug trade. The corporate-owned casinos are no longer in the business of skimming: they can make legitimate returns for their shareholders through the huge returns guaranteed by the house advantage in every transaction. To add to the gaming cash, they moved to ensure a profit in related areas: rooms, food, and shows.

Even the owners and managers, with their accounting-oriented perspective on the world, recognize their vulnerability to greed, cheating, and theft in the huge cash side of their business.

Casino worker oversight, while not yet approaching the body-cavity-search level, is perhaps the most organized and intrusive in the western world. It ranges from dealers clapping and showing open, empty hands, to two or more floor walkers (depending on the size of the jackpot) co-signing on every hand-pay slot win. It involves floor men watching every table bet, box men watching every roll of the dice and its payoff stacks of chips. It requires supervisors to watch the floor men, managers to watch the supervisors, undercover security men to watch both workers and guests, and eye-in-the-sky overhead cameras that can observe and detect every one of a million transactions per day.

Does all this monitoring and second-guessing have an effect on employees? Personal trust is something we rate highly. Talk with someone whose spouse has cheated on them and you will find that the emotional pain has little to do with sex but everything to do with the loss of trust and the doubt that a relationship can ever really survive such a loss. Although secondary to intimate relationships, we would like our coworkers and supervisors to trust us also, as a mark of respect if nothing else.

On the other hand, we are aware that the world is full of cheaters, those who would break any moral, legal, or ethical code if it gave them an advantage in the race for success and financial independence. We want to be trusted to act responsibly and do the right thing but we are just a little reluctant to trust others to quite the same degree.

Close oversight of everyone gives us a certain sense of security - it levels the playing field for us all by rooting out those who would bend the rules to get what they want. We tell ourselves that we have nothing to fear because we are innocent and that will protect us.

Then we read about long-convicted prisoners whose innocence has been belatedly proved by newly developed scientific forensics. We miss a familiar face at our favorite casino and finally learn that the individual left town after an error-inspired accusation of misconduct resulted in termination and blacklisting from the industry.

Where there is cash floating around in generous amounts, there will always be temptations, overzealous suspiciousness, justice and injustice on all sides because the truth is not amenable to scientific analysis and every event has multiple explanations and perspectives.

So we keep on watching ourselves and each other. Those of us who loathe the concept of big brother and snitching on friends, draw back in disgust as we see the need for security invade our lives. We can stay out of the gaming world with its cameras and minutely regulated transactions but how do we avoid the monitoring threatened with every call for customer service or the cookies embedded in our computers to track our wanderings through the Internet?

The cheaters, the scam artists, the swindlers and the frauds have won. It is we, the innocent, who must dwell in prison cells of continuous third degree scrutiny.

Get Yourself A Support Group

2005-05-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

If you have been out of work for more than a few weeks, you've already realized that you no longer fit into the fabric of mainstream modern life that rewards and recognizes only hard work and, above all, success. You feel alienated, alone, and dejected like the fired candidates on "The Apprentice." Unfortunately, you don't get invited onto the Today show to tell your side of the story nor do you get the lucrative job offers that even the most obnoxious losers receive after their television appearances.

You need to generate some source of support. You may have a strong family behind you but you don't want to burn them out. Try to connect with outside sources to give your family a break.

Other job seekers can be very helpful even if only sharing your pain. Some local unemployment offices have groups or classes you may attend. Non profit agencies often run groups for minimal or no cost - see if any are suitable. Organizations like 40+ have been successful in giving older unemployed workers support and structure, If you are a Veteran, the VA runs many groups that might be helpful. Check with the United Way, Community College, or County Mental Health Department to see what is locally available.

If your search comes up empty, consider starting your own group or asking a Church or agency to start such a group and then see how many other people you find in a situation very much like yours.

And you thought you were alone!

It's What You Do, Not What You Say

2005-04-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Non-verbal interview behavior can drown out your verbal self-presentation.

Practice interviewing in front of a full-length mirror or, better yet, videotape yourself if you have access to such equipment. Turn the sound down and watch yourself carefully.

How do you sit in your chair? Upright with an aura of energy and enthusisam or slumped as if you no longer care? Do you maintain good eye contact or look down at your hands when a question is difficult to answer? Do you lean forward to make a connection with the interviewer or appear distant and disconnected? Do you use your hands for an occasional gesture, to emphasize a point, or are they always in motion, as distractible as those ex-jocks on TV who constantly flail away regardless of what they are saying?

Can you cross your legs at the ankle and stay still or do you constantly shift in your chair and irritate everyone in the room? Do you have unconscious habits or mannerisms that distract from your professional demeanor such as twisting your hair, rubbing your nose, licking your lips, or cracking your knuckles? How is your voice? Is it monotonous, clear, nasal, or shrill? Do you smile - at appropriate moments not constantly like a beauty contestant on the runway?

Being aware of all that you are presenting to a potential employer can make your verbal presentation more effective and increase your chances for a successful outcome.

Further information: http://www.UnemploymentBlues.com

Career Fields of Opportunity?

2005-04-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

MSNBC news featured government statistics this week identifying 11 occupations where demand for workers far outstrips supply. There were recommendations for upcoming graduates to consider these fields. Three positions were in information technology, requiring advanced education and relatively well paid. The other eight positions were in the healthcare field, widely touted as an industry of great opportunity. Now look at the salary levels for these various assistants and technicians: $23,000 per year or a little over $11 per hour - and this after completing specialized training and obtaining (often) required certification.

Our business leaders spend two million dollars on a birthday party for the CEO's wife, the President wants to permanently ban any taxes on multimillion dollar estates, and our healthcare workers live at the poverty level. Is that the kind of society we want?

What is even scarier is that this wage level is more than TWICE the minimum wage that the really poor laborers receive. Perhaps we should change the name to 'poverty" wage - except it doesn't even reach that designated level.

We can't raise it because those fast food franchise owners would lose part of their quarter million dollar annual profits (and they are such reliable political contributors)!

Keeping Tabs on Job Search Costs

2005-04-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

Looking for work costs money. While we usually remember major items like employment agency fees or flying out of state for an interview, we overlook the little expenses which add up, especially over 4 to 6 months which is the average time out of work.

Keep everything arranged in a large folder or envelope and when tax time comes, you will have a record that establishes your right to deduct job search costs from your income. Include such items as newspaper purchases, books you buy (resume primers, job search help, company informational research), cab fare, bus fare, postage, parking, mileage, motel room charges, resume printing and copying, job fairs.

Interview Thank You Letters

2005-04-18T06:42:00.000-07:00

It is often reported that in a world of email, instant messaging, and hand-held blackberries, letter writing is a dying art. The good news is that writing a brief, personal letter is unusual enough that it stands out and frequently produces a very favorable response.

Plan on writing a short thank you note after every interview. Obtain a business card to be sure that you have the correct name spelling and title. Thank the interviewer for their time and the opportunity to meet with them. If you feel capable of highlighting the areas discussed and how that meshes with your skills and experience, go ahead. The important thing is: don't let your fear of not sending the "perfect" letter stop you from sending it! An immediate, personal "thank you" is far more effective than a late-arriving, over-written, template-based recitation of skills.

And while you're jotting off that letter to the employer, write another one to any of your contacts who were nice enough to steer you in the right direction.

Pre-Interview Web Research Tips

2005-04-16T02:22:00.000-07:00

You have obtained an interview -- congratulations! You feel prepared to discuss your strengths, your accomplishments, your willingness to work hard and learn quickly, and your ability to fit seamlessly into the employer's needs. But... you don't know anything about the employer. You may not even be sure what kind of industry they are in. Do some quick homework before your interview and you may glean a basic understanding of their business that can set you apart from other candidates.

In the "old days" you would have needed to visit a library to try to find the employer in a Business Directory or Manufacturers' Guide. Now you can use the Internet to investigate. If you are lucky, and find that they have their own website, explore it completely, like a search engine spider, page by page and link by link. It will provide you with genuine insight into their organization, their accomplishments, and their values. Try to identify what kind of problems and challenges they may be facing which you could address in an interview. If the company does not have a website, Google them and see if they show up on another site.

If you know their product or service (if you don't, anonymously call the receptionist and just ask what the company does) search for their name within similar sites. If you cannot find the company anywhere, or can't find any helpful details, look at the industry they are in and see what is currently a hot topic and what predictions for future change are being discussed.

All such information will be immensely valuable in your interview either to demonstrate your ability to solve problems or, at the very least, allow you to ask intelligent, pertinent questions.

Which Direction Is Up Anway?

2005-04-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

Keeping up with inflation was the challenge of the 1970s. As prices rose, wages increased and the middle class trod water to keep their heads dry.

When we entered our recent recession, inflation was the least of our worries - we needed jobs, increased demand for goods to spur manufacturing, a sense of security, and faith that our hard work would be eventually rewarded. As corporate downsizing and the offshore job exodus continued, we learned to work harder and longer to keep our hard won status.

The economists and political pundits trumpeted the end of the tight economy and the expansion of manufacturing, housing, tourism. Sure, the jobs never came back on the scale predicted, but there was a degree of comfort in the slowdown of layoffs and restructuring. Beneath the rhetoric of tax cuts to jump start consumer spending and a housing market running amok on historically low interest rates, the quiet increase in personal bankruptcy filings and the working class slide into poverty was dismissed as a political "sour grapes" issue that had little bearing in a country intent on reorganizing the entire world as a mirror of itself.

But if we look into our own mirror, what do we see? The income of the middle class is declining in proportion to the rise of prices. The working poor fall below the poverty line even when working two minimum wage jobs. Large corporations like Walmart hire illegal immigrants so they can work without benefits nor regulatory protections. Franchise owners of fast food chains hire non-English speaking staff because paying a living wage would cut into their quarter of a million annual profits. Unscrupulous executives manipulate the supply and price of basic power and laugh at the little guy: "Burn, baby, burn."

And yet we are amazed that the rest of the world doesn't want to be totally like us. What's wrong with these people? (Might they have a better idea?)

The Unemployment Numbers Don't Tell The Whole Story

2005-04-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

Do you know how they calculate the unemployment rate? With some adjustments for seasonal changes, survey responses, and similar ancillary information, it basically reflects the number of individuals who are collecting unemployment benefits as a ratio of the population at large. Does it accurately represent the number of workers who are out of work?

Consider that if your benefits are exhausted, you no longer count as unemployed. If you just graduated from school, or recently entered the United States to look for work, you are not counted as unemployed. If you were fired, or quit, and are ineligible for weekly benefits, you are not counted as unemployed. If you were injured on the job, or have been out fighting a serious illness, you are not counted as unemployed. If you have never worked before, or if you previously retired and now want to work again, you are not counted as unemployed.

What does this mean for the average job seeker? It means that despite the government rhetoric about a healthy economy in a recovery mode, the competition for available positions is far more fierce than the published numbers suggest.

And you thought there were only 7 or 8 million other people also looking for that perfect job? Cheer up, your competition just doubled!

(Hint: redouble your efforts if you don't want to lose ground: http://www.unemploymentblues.com).

P-U-N-C-H-E-S: Kick-butt Job Search Secrets

2005-04-04T20:07:00.000-07:00

Most of the time, competition stimulates us, gets our juices flowing, generates creativity, a sense of excitement, and motivates us to perform at our best. Looking for work is another matter! When it comes to financial survival, to regaining independence and self-worth, competition can be crippling.

We apply for a job in the fervent hope that hundreds of others are not also applying. Finding work is too serious an issue to be considered a game or a sport. We need to find that position that will make everything all right, make us believe in ourselves again, and help rebuild the self-esteem and self-confidence shattered by unemployment.

Unless we are very lucky, there will be competition for every position we identify. Our remaining option is to set ourselves apart from other hungry applicants.

How?

Take a global view and emerge from the dank and slimy job search swamp by utilizing a number of techniques I call knock-out P-U-N-C-H-E-S, guaranteed to leave your competitors crying "Uncle" and throwing in the towel.

1. P is for Persistence.

We all hate failure. We don't like being rejected, judged, or found inadequate in any way. Trudging on, day after disappointing day, requires all of our reserves of energy, reserves that are rapidly becoming depleted. From having to constantly present ourselves as enthusiastic and creative, we become blue, bummed, and bone-deep exhausted. We wonder how much longer we can keep up the façade of self-confidence that we secretly admit has long ago evaporated. How can we present ourselves as competent, successful, and eager when in our heart-of-hearts we have accepted that we are a despised failure in a success-oriented culture?

The secret is to keep plugging away. No matter the number of disappointments we have experienced; no matter the number of rejections we have encountered; no matter the times when our age, our experience, our skills have been found wanting - we have to KEEP GOING. We never know if "this time" is "the one." We have to continue to act, no matter how difficult or painful it may be, as if this were the one position we have been seeking.

Ask any newly hired worker and they will tell you that just as they were about to give up, along came the gold at the end of the rainbow. Not giving up, no matter how discouraged you internally feel, is the secret weapon in finding a position, no matter how long it takes for the right opportunity to appear.

2. U means Unswerving Focus.

There is so much going on in your life: family stresses, financial pressures, multiple demands on your time and your energy. The search for work, although prioritized for a long time, has moved down the "to do" list somewhere below Timmy's first tee-ball game and the in-laws' anniversary party.

If you have mastered the art of multi-tasking (juggling activities around as changing deadlines demand), you will have realized that finding work is your overwhelming priority and that nothing can, or will, interrupt your focus on that, no matter what else may be happening in your life. Ignoring peripherals and always keeping your eye on the immediate objective, obtaining a job, ensures that opportunities are not missed and that every possible avenue is explored. While there may be time for other things to maintain your balance, the time allotted for job search must remain intact and sacred, no interruptions allowed.

3. N stands for Networking.

The often-touted "hidden job market" is merely a term to cover the multiple job openings that always exist but are never publicized. Literally, millions of positions are filled without classified advertising, internet postings, or agency listings. Such positions are identified, and obtained, through personal referral: a job seeker knows someone who knows someone else who has a need for the job seeker's skills and abilities. Networking is merely a fancy term for using friends and acquaintances to help locate employment. The process requires that when you are in need of work, you make sure that everyone you know is aware of your situation and that you ask them for information and assistance. Beyond exploring job leads with your contacts, it requires the harvesting of names and additional contacts through personal referrals from your first line friends. Like the ripples of a pebble cast into a lake, your access to unadvertised positions multiples exponentially as your network of contacts, and their contacts, expand your chances of being in the right place at the right time when that long-sought employer connection occurs.

Many workers draw back from the process after a few attempts, fearful of exploiting family and friends. At its best, this is a mutually beneficial relationship as their self-esteem is increased by having the opportunity to help you. At some future juncture, you may be able to return the favor.

4. C for Communication.

A job seeker doesn't necessarily have to possess the spiel of a professional salesman nor the creative presentation of a marketing specialist but clear, unambiguous communication is critical throughout the hunt for work.

Your resume, cover letter, and completed application need to be clear in at least three areas.

a) What position are you applying for? Even if you have become so desperate that you'll take just about anything, an employer is looking for an applicant who specifically wants the job he has available. If your resume is purposefully hazy (because you are looking for several different types of work), make sure that your cover letter is focused on the specific position for which you are applying.
b) What have you done in the past that is relevant to the position you are currently seeking? Again, if your resume shows a smattering of skills in seemingly unrelated areas, tie it all together in your cover letter so that it makes sense in the employer's mind.
c) What can you do, better than anyone else, to make the employer believe that he has to hire YOU? If you have operational skills that the company needs, highlight them and what they could do to help the employer's business. If your skills are limited or you're applying for unskilled or semi-skilled work, stress personal qualities that stand out: reliability, courtesy, an ability to work with a variety of coworkers and supervisors, flexibility, the desire to work hard to prove yourself, and a willingness to learn as much as possible to show your value.

Networking contacts are helpful only if you can quickly and succinctly explain your predicament, what kind of work you are seeking, and ask directly for help whether for possible positions, information, advice, or merely additional names to contact.

The need for clarity continues in the interview. Answer questions clearly and directly. Express your hopes and positive outlook without bashfulness or mumbling. Before you leave, get a clear agreement on what the next step will be and if you can call the employer at the end of the week to see if there are any lingering questions. After the interview, send a short, personal thank you note for the interviewer's time and attention.

5. H represents Humility.

This is a two-edged sword. Many of us are so humble that we find saying anything positive about ourselves almost excruciating. We start to mumble when expressing our qualities and achievements. Employers and interviewers are well aware of this. They know that an interview is an uncomfortable and unnatural interaction that makes both sides of the desk anxious and overly formal. Unless the position is in sales, which often demands a somewhat pushy self-presentation, you may make a more favorable impression if you are somewhat hesitant in rolling out your skills and abilities. The applicant who reports strength in all areas, knows everything, and answers every question with "I've done that before," may be looked upon with some suspicion. The job seeker who keeps asking the office manager how much longer he will have to wait or taps his fingers impatiently on the desk, is not making points with the support staff who may have a significant effect on the eventual hiring decision. An employer may seek an applicant with initiative but he also fears a loose cannon who ignores direction and caution. While we admire the "take chances" attitude that propels a Donald Trump or Richard Branson to the self-made billionaire's club, we don't necessarily want that arrogant risk-taking at our company, especially when it is our company taking the risk!

6. E equates to Enthusiasm.

This is what will wear you out more than anything else. It is one thing to be enthusiastic about our passions, our interests, even our jobs. It is something else to show enthusiasm over and over, rejection after rejection, and not crash and burn at some point. The sanest approach seems to be balance. While your search for work is top priority, make sure that you make time for rest and rejuvenation. Since enthusiasm is an absolute requirement in most job interviews, you would be better served to limit your actual job hunting personal and telephone contacts to 20 or 25 hours per week. Take time to relax: quiet time, exercise, watch a movie, and replenish your energy levels. You will be healthier, less stressed, and more effective, when you do make contacts than trying to spend 40 hours a week "pounding the pavement" and ending up presenting as tired, flat, and desperate when you reach the interview that could have been "the one."

7. S reflects Self-Belief.

Call it faith, call it self-confidence, call it a sense of trust, call it cock-eyed optimism, it is really, in psychological terms, self-efficacy. It does not directly concern what you think about yourself, positive or negative. It involves your belief in whether you are able to affect what happens to you. Do you believe that your actions and words can bring about the outcomes you seek? If I don't believe that my efforts will have any effect on results, then the world is based on illogic, luck-of-the-draw, random chance.

If you look back over your own life, you will be able to identify actions or decisions you took that had certain consequences, good or bad. Analyze and study your own history and you will start to clearly see that consequences follow every action. Move that into the present and future, and it will revitalize your belief in the eventual consequences of your actions now. If you follow the myriad job seeking strategies and techniques identified by experts, and repetitively supported by successful outcomes, you will reach your goal.

It is that strong belief that you are "on the way" to success that will carry you through the long nights of worry, the wasted time of disappointing leads, and the pain of recurrent rejection. It will bring you back to the other six areas mentioned by allowing you to focus, reach out for support, communicate with humility and clarity, and maintain your job search campaign with unflaggingly enthusiastic persistence.

Job Hunting Tips: Containing Anxiety

2005-04-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

It hangs from the ceiling above your bed while you toss through the night hours. It waits inside the door of every employment office you enter. It dogs your footsteps as you pound the job search pavement. It lounges in an empty chair as you crawl through another desultory interview. It sits on your shoulder while you balance your checkbook's alarmingly diminishing balance.

Its name is anxiety. Composed of fear, self-doubt, guilt, dread, and self-reproach, it ties your stomach in knots, makes sweat ooze from your pores, makes your head hurt, your memory blur, and your concentration dissipate. You can't wash it away, will it away, or beat it away. The only way to contain it is to embrace it, to make it your ally and your friend.

How?

1. Although anxiety can unnerve you and make you feel paralyzed, consider its ability to energize you. Watch it carefully, without emotion or judgment distorting your vision, and you will see it raise the hairs on your neck, excite your thought processes, heighten your senses, stir your imagination and make you keenly aware of being alive. Trace its pathway through your body, coursing through your veins and touching every pore, every organ, every extremity. Instead of fighting it, hold it close it as if it were a natural amphetamine, a pill that makes you feel a little strange but also exhilarated.

2. Learn to recognize when it will come and anticipate its arrival with excitement. Without it, you are flat, beaten, dejected. Wait for it to come, welcome it, and view it as your body's ally to focus yourself on the job search situation. Have your anxiety stay close to you, forcing you to be aware of your surroundings and ready to express your thoughts and feelings to a potential employer with enthusiasm and energy.

3. Talk to your anxiety as with an old friend. Look at it as your best personal source of camaraderie, loyalty, and friendly support. Let it work for you, not against you and you have not only tamed the beast but have created a more enjoyable and positive environment for yourself. Your self-doubts will always linger but they are at a manageable level where you can calmly push them into the background while you concentrate on making a great self-presentation.

After a short amount of practice, you will find yourself almost in a panic before the anxiety arrives because you need that charge of energy to get you going and move you forward. Try it and see if it works for you.

It hangs from the ceiling above your bed while you toss through the night hours. It waits inside the door of every employment office you enter. It dogs your footsteps as you pound the job search pavement. It lounges in an empty chair as you crawl through another desultory interview. It sits on your shoulder while you balance your checkbook's alarmingly diminishing balance.
Its name is anxiety. Composed of fear, self-doubt, guilt, dread, and self-reproach, it ties your stomach in knots, makes sweat ooze from your pores, makes your head hurt, your memory blur, and your concentration dissipate. You can't wash it away, will it away, or beat it away. The only way to contain it is to embrace it, to make it your ally and your friend.
How?
1. Although anxiety can unnerve you and make you feel paralyzed, consider its ability to energize you. Watch it carefully, without emotion or judgment distorting your vision, and you will see it raise the hairs on your neck, excite your thought processes, heighten your senses, stir your imagination and make you keenly aware of being alive. Trace its pathway through your body, coursing through your veins and touching every pore, every organ, every extremity. Instead of fighting it, hold it close it as if it were a natural amphetamine, a pill that makes you feel a little strange but also exhilarated.
2. Learn to recognize when it will come and anticipate its arrival with excitement. Without it, you are flat, beaten, dejected. Wait for it to come, welcome it, and view it as your body's ally to focus yourself on the job search situation. Have your anxiety stay close to you, forcing you to be aware of your surroundings and ready to express your thoughts and feelings to a potential employer with enthusiasm and energy.
3. Talk to your anxiety as with an old friend. Look at it as your best personal source of camaraderie, loyalty, and friendly support. Let it work for you, not against you and you have not only tamed the beast but have created a more enjoyable and positive environment for yourself. Your self-doubts will always linger but they are at a manageable level where you can calmly push them into the background while you concentrate on making a great self-presentation.
After a short amount of practice, you will find yourself almost in a panic before the anxiety arrives because you need that charge of energy to get you going and move you forward. Try it and see if it works for you.

Unemployment Blues: Confronting Why Me?

2005-03-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

Perhaps you saw it coming. The fall in company stock prices. The news articles about company troubles. Maybe it was just rumors on the production floor, or a creeping suspicion that orders had slowed down and there was no longer the backlog of work which had been a security blanket. Maybe it was the way management started to avoid you and private meetings were held without any communication issued afterwards.

Finally, it happened. The company, regretfully they assured you, no longer needed your services. The last paycheck was handed over, a checklist of Cobra benefits and unemployment insurance details were reviewed, time to gather your personal items allowed. You walked out in an unreal haze, barely noticing that the remaining staff concentrated on their work as if to avoid the possible contamination of being associated with someone they now saw as a loser. A few of your closer friends shook your hand, with averted eyes, and promised to stay in touch although you both knew that it would never happen.

You drove home, wondering how to tell your family and asking yourself over and over, "Why me?"

Welcome to the gray, anxious, claustrophobic world of unemployment.

Was it fair that you were selected to go?

Of course not.

Is life fair?

Of course not.

The key to maintaining your sense of self-worth through the pressures of unemployment and the rigors of job search, an often demeaning process, is to reframe your outlook and look at yourself both objectively and kindly. You are in an uncomfortable position that was not caused by anything you did, or anything you didn't do. It happened, as bad things often happen to good people.

Treasure yourself, your skills, and your personal value and learn to see what has happened to you as what it can be: an opportunity to take a "time out," to re-assess yourself, practice self-exploration and self-appreciation, and a chance to refocus your life in new and positive directions.