A year ago, I still felt pretty much like myself. I expected that an opportunity would come my way and my life would stay pretty much the way it was before. My lay-off was just a glitch to the plan. Right?
It was this time last year ( after my spate of press) that I started to face the music about what was coming in my career and also for my husband in his niche. My life was changing, my state ( CA) was changing, the world was changing. Uh-oh. I have three kids and it is holiday time. Crap.
I come from a retail background and I enjoyed the mall in my day, it is true. I do miss consumption sometimes. Finding myself without an income in the middle of a ginormous economic crisis was not what I had in mind for my life. At the holidays last year, I wanted so desperately to retain my normal. I felt in shock about how the heck I was going to keep going for my three kids and get this figured out.
In the year since then, I've realized a few things and I'm gonna share those now:
1. Presence, not presents, make the holidays. While having less income means less presents, it means my husband and I are available more often for our children. My kids want my attention and focus more than they really want that toy they'll play with five times and then discard.
2. Family togetherness is fun. I've noticed this year that we do more chores together as a family now and sing often while we do them. We all make up silly songs as part of our daily lives and we love to sing. So now that we are home more and at the mall/movies/activity less, we sing more. We also drum, play games, create shows, watch Youtube, etc. as a family. It's more enjoyable than I knew coming into this. Sometimes I feel stressed about the not-working thing and feel like an irresponsible parent. Then I go cook something with my kids and I feel better.
3. Traditions are what makes a family. My kids are coming up with all sorts of things we do "every year" now. It is awesome and fun. We like to spread cheer and joy as a family and I'm noticing that the kids are picking up on some of my habits like going to malls this time of year and just being cheery to stressed out shoppers. My daughters have favorite recipes now and various ideas about what happens when. These little traditions we make will be what they remember more than the absence of the latest toy.
4. Giving Back gives back to you, too. Last year we were getting food from a food bank and my kids, husband and I had to work through that for ourselves. We appreciated the joy in a can we got every time we got food there. The help we received gave us great joy when we needed it most. This year, my girls have been involved with making sure we donate toys and food when we can and we've enjoyed spreading joy in this way. Since we've had some funds this year, we make sure to buy an extra here and there. The girls feel strongly about these donations and so do I. It feels good to help others the way we have been helped. I have hold fast to the idea with my kids that there's always someone who needs our help in this world. This perspective has helped us all weather this crazy year of change.
5. Count your blessings. My family has a lot of resources that other families don't have. We are very fortunate in so many ways. I try to remember that when I want to feel whiny. But more than just realizing that it could be worse, I also have been trying to honor the many people in our lives that help us in ways large and small. This journey of not having an income has been rough, and I wouldn't have made it through without the support in my life that we do have. I've also had to learn to open my mouth and ask for help too. Blessings don't read minds.
I'm looking forward to a week of joy with my family and friends. We have a dear friend who found a new place and is moving this week and we'll be spending some time in the karmic moving continuum. We'll also be playing with our kids, spending time with extended family, working on our own writing careers and looking for ways to earn income so we can live to tell the tale.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Just saying no
During my own year without a regular job, I've have to learn a lot about holding my boundaries.
While feeling the punch of a financial crisis, it is easy to feel like you ought to take any job available.
After a while of hitting brick walls with my career plan this year, I started to feel very confused. Along with the changing economy, I'm not sure where to put my eggs. The "basket" is hard to understand right now. Will the basket in question hold water? You don't know till you pour your heart, soul and energy into the basket. And then the little sucker breaks onto your shoes.
My career path confuses other people too. I've stopped trying to define it and I'm trying to be open minded. But I still should have a better answer to the question than "something with a line item and a budget" as my career choice. I have had to learn to fake it till I make it and keep an open mind about opportunities.
Here's the thing about opportunities tho- not all of them are the right one. How the heck do you sort out where to put the eggs? If any job is a good job, where do you draw the line?
Here are some tools I've used this year to evaluate my options
Cost:benefit analysis- Is this worth my time right now? Can it lead to something else? Will this project help me with my network of allies? Are there actual costs associated with this role ( like childcare, wardrobe, transportation costs?) Is the benefit of the role worth it?
My own mission- Even in sucky economic times, I try to be true to myself and my goals for my career. In fact, it is probably more important now than ever. I don't want to let the economic winds force me too far off track. But I can't eat my values. Yay for balance!
Impact on my family- Another type of cost of work is how a role will impact my family. Taking a role that changes our lifestyle does impact them too. I brainstorm about how a role is going to fit into our lives and then use that evidence to help me evaluate.
Emotions versus logic- Sometimes my reasons for wanting to say no to an opportunity are logical and sometimes they are emotional. Both are valid, but it helps to understand which one is driving the bus. I trust my intuition and I trust evidence I can evaluate about a role.
Viability of an organization or business- I've been connecting with a lot of start ups and young organizations as a result of the work I do. I've had to take hard looks at these businesses and evaluate the long term impact for my career. It is hard to predict what will be economically viable these days, but I have to give it my best shot with the information I have available.
Making promises I can keep- Saying "yes" is easy to do. I want to help people. I want to work with motivated people and make rain happen. But I can't do it all, even if I was getting paid. I've had to learn my boundaries about what is reasonable on my end too.
Faith in the process- I took a leap of faith with my career that I could be balanced and healthy and happy and wise. I have to trust the process now and that is hard to do some days.
Learning to say "no" to offers has been hard for me this year. I don't want to make stupid choices and that includes not wanting to turn my back on opportunities. But I also have to look at what a position offers. Lots of people want me to work for free with the option of maybe possibly one day getting paid to do what I do. I've been calling it "pro bono" work lately rather than volunteerism. This makes me feel a little better and it may be how I have to carve my career path out now. I may not get a job as a programs person in non profits again until I write a grant and make it happen. But I still want my choices to be good ones.
While feeling the punch of a financial crisis, it is easy to feel like you ought to take any job available.
After a while of hitting brick walls with my career plan this year, I started to feel very confused. Along with the changing economy, I'm not sure where to put my eggs. The "basket" is hard to understand right now. Will the basket in question hold water? You don't know till you pour your heart, soul and energy into the basket. And then the little sucker breaks onto your shoes.
My career path confuses other people too. I've stopped trying to define it and I'm trying to be open minded. But I still should have a better answer to the question than "something with a line item and a budget" as my career choice. I have had to learn to fake it till I make it and keep an open mind about opportunities.
Here's the thing about opportunities tho- not all of them are the right one. How the heck do you sort out where to put the eggs? If any job is a good job, where do you draw the line?
Here are some tools I've used this year to evaluate my options
Cost:benefit analysis- Is this worth my time right now? Can it lead to something else? Will this project help me with my network of allies? Are there actual costs associated with this role ( like childcare, wardrobe, transportation costs?) Is the benefit of the role worth it?
My own mission- Even in sucky economic times, I try to be true to myself and my goals for my career. In fact, it is probably more important now than ever. I don't want to let the economic winds force me too far off track. But I can't eat my values. Yay for balance!
Impact on my family- Another type of cost of work is how a role will impact my family. Taking a role that changes our lifestyle does impact them too. I brainstorm about how a role is going to fit into our lives and then use that evidence to help me evaluate.
Emotions versus logic- Sometimes my reasons for wanting to say no to an opportunity are logical and sometimes they are emotional. Both are valid, but it helps to understand which one is driving the bus. I trust my intuition and I trust evidence I can evaluate about a role.
Viability of an organization or business- I've been connecting with a lot of start ups and young organizations as a result of the work I do. I've had to take hard looks at these businesses and evaluate the long term impact for my career. It is hard to predict what will be economically viable these days, but I have to give it my best shot with the information I have available.
Making promises I can keep- Saying "yes" is easy to do. I want to help people. I want to work with motivated people and make rain happen. But I can't do it all, even if I was getting paid. I've had to learn my boundaries about what is reasonable on my end too.
Faith in the process- I took a leap of faith with my career that I could be balanced and healthy and happy and wise. I have to trust the process now and that is hard to do some days.
Learning to say "no" to offers has been hard for me this year. I don't want to make stupid choices and that includes not wanting to turn my back on opportunities. But I also have to look at what a position offers. Lots of people want me to work for free with the option of maybe possibly one day getting paid to do what I do. I've been calling it "pro bono" work lately rather than volunteerism. This makes me feel a little better and it may be how I have to carve my career path out now. I may not get a job as a programs person in non profits again until I write a grant and make it happen. But I still want my choices to be good ones.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
My year without a job
I was officially let off contract/laid-off in fall of 2008. Since then, my life has been a series of questions and not a lot of answers. Every time I think I move forward, something has happened that messes with the latest plan. The good news is that I see signs of hope now that I didn't a year ago and now people are talking about it. When I was first in the free fall suck fest of no job and no clue what to do, most people in my life still had income. The scary part is how many people have joined me in this boat over the past year. People I didn't expect to see in the boat. While that made me feel better as an individual, it scared me for the implications to our future as a species. It has been a scary year to go through this process, but I'm still kickin a year later. I'm sure the day will come when I look back on these times and laugh. Right? "Remember the 2000's- that decade was a hoot, wasn't it?"
Here are some of my thoughts about not having a job this year:
1. Not having a title is scary. I've had a title (and a door and assistants) in my career. Now i don't even have a title. Who am I? Do I have worth anymore?
2. Not have an industry is scarier. When I was let go, I had to take a hard look at my chosen niche and my strategy for my career. My industry (grant writing for Charter schools in CA) has been in turmoil this year. I am pretty sure the education system will realize they need grant writers and program planners again, but it may take a few years to regain foresight. Meanwhile, my plan took a nose dive. My safe, logical plan. So sad.
3. Living my program with volunteering has been awesome. I've been a person who is paid to coordinate volunteers for a long time now. I counseled a lot of students to volunteer and get involved. Now I am doing it myself, I really see the value. I've learned a great deal about who I am in the present separate from the titles and plans. What I will do for free tells me a lot about who I am now, in 2009/2010. I have also been able to learn skills and modernize my resume.
4. Beyond the crystal ball. I've always been able to predict outcomes pretty well and spot trends in funding. But my crystal ball got messed up in the last couple of years. I get a lot of static when I try to evaluate the best plan for moving forward and what the future will hold. I've had to let go of the plan and accept the present and just be who I am. I'm not really sure where I'll find a paying role again and I'm not sure how to help others know where to put their eggs either. The new normal is an evolving beast now. I've had to accept that the plan needs to be really fluid.
5. I need less than I used to think I needed. I've learned to live cheaper and this part is cool. I plan to keep some lessons I've learned in scaling back spending.
6. Community is important. I've been more involved with community stuff this year and it has helped me in many ways. Help has come from surprising places for us this year and we've also been able to help others too. I feel fortunate to have great people in my life.
7. Politics are important. Ironically, I've had a lot of time this year to be involved with politics that are important to me. It has been gratifying to be involved with projects that mean something to me. I may not have a regular job, but I am involved in a lot of projects that need people like me with energy to get them done.
8. I am not my job. This is perhaps the most important lesson I've gotten this year. So much energy is spent figuring out out professional roles and we spend so much time at work and stressing about work. While I can feel like a strange duck sometimes since I don't have a career path and title right now, I also have a sense of freedom and connected-ness to who I am rather than the role I was in. I see work/life/family balance differently than I did a year ago and I take the lessons I've learned this year seriously.
Here are some of my thoughts about not having a job this year:
1. Not having a title is scary. I've had a title (and a door and assistants) in my career. Now i don't even have a title. Who am I? Do I have worth anymore?
2. Not have an industry is scarier. When I was let go, I had to take a hard look at my chosen niche and my strategy for my career. My industry (grant writing for Charter schools in CA) has been in turmoil this year. I am pretty sure the education system will realize they need grant writers and program planners again, but it may take a few years to regain foresight. Meanwhile, my plan took a nose dive. My safe, logical plan. So sad.
3. Living my program with volunteering has been awesome. I've been a person who is paid to coordinate volunteers for a long time now. I counseled a lot of students to volunteer and get involved. Now I am doing it myself, I really see the value. I've learned a great deal about who I am in the present separate from the titles and plans. What I will do for free tells me a lot about who I am now, in 2009/2010. I have also been able to learn skills and modernize my resume.
4. Beyond the crystal ball. I've always been able to predict outcomes pretty well and spot trends in funding. But my crystal ball got messed up in the last couple of years. I get a lot of static when I try to evaluate the best plan for moving forward and what the future will hold. I've had to let go of the plan and accept the present and just be who I am. I'm not really sure where I'll find a paying role again and I'm not sure how to help others know where to put their eggs either. The new normal is an evolving beast now. I've had to accept that the plan needs to be really fluid.
5. I need less than I used to think I needed. I've learned to live cheaper and this part is cool. I plan to keep some lessons I've learned in scaling back spending.
6. Community is important. I've been more involved with community stuff this year and it has helped me in many ways. Help has come from surprising places for us this year and we've also been able to help others too. I feel fortunate to have great people in my life.
7. Politics are important. Ironically, I've had a lot of time this year to be involved with politics that are important to me. It has been gratifying to be involved with projects that mean something to me. I may not have a regular job, but I am involved in a lot of projects that need people like me with energy to get them done.
8. I am not my job. This is perhaps the most important lesson I've gotten this year. So much energy is spent figuring out out professional roles and we spend so much time at work and stressing about work. While I can feel like a strange duck sometimes since I don't have a career path and title right now, I also have a sense of freedom and connected-ness to who I am rather than the role I was in. I see work/life/family balance differently than I did a year ago and I take the lessons I've learned this year seriously.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
It's all about who you know
I wrote a humorous post a couple days back about how some people can be annoying when you have no job. Well, other people can also be wonderful and I wanted to share that perspective as well.
I used to take a pretty safe approach to my job. It was a fairly clear path with one skill set neatly tucked into another. By all accounts, I've had a great career so far. I win awards, people write me and tell me I changed their lives. But I ended up trying to innovate my career during a really hard time in history to be brave and bold. As a result, what I expected to work has not worked and now I need to find some new options.
Last year when my contracts dried up, I started using www.helpareporter.com as a tool to learn a different type of writing, modernize my tool kit and deal with my depression over my life and career. I started answering queries from reporters all over on assorted subject related to the economy and being a modern mom. The process of writing these queries up and talking to reporters was validating. It was exciting that anyone was interested given that I felt sucky most of the time. Then I started getting quoted in all sorts of random places- New York Times.com, Wall Street Journal ( with a drawing!), Parents magazine, Good Housekeeping, So Cal Connected.com LA Times, Cnn.com, Good Morning America.
Here's the thing with being quoted about things like having a sucky life- it stirs up things for people in your life. I got random job offers and job leads from strangers and friends alike. People sent money and presents at the holidays. One long time friend took a collection at work for us.
Friends who live far away worked together and sent an anonymous gift of a check and a tricked out Trader Joe's basket and fresh eggnog from a farm. That was awesome and we were touched by the random acts of kindness we experienced as a result of our press junket talking about "boo hoo for us."
I learned through my press that you never know who you know and you can't talk enough about what you are going through. It gets hard to keep saying "our lives suck right now" over and over again, but sometimes saying it out loud is the first step in changing the circumstances.
I hope that this year you can reach out to someone in need in your life. I know we are in a variety of ways. My kids are all too aware what a stressful holiday season looks like and they are motivating us to give to toy and foods drives because they know what it means to the recipients.
It feels good to help people and there's always someone a little needier than us.
Last year when we did the KCET web piece, my daughter said she wanted pants for a gift. A year later and she still needs pants. Things have changed in our world and it is process to face that change daily. As a family, we are focused less on what we want and more on what we need.
But we're also focusing on the many blessings we have which includes all the great people who have helped us in small and large ways this year.
I used to take a pretty safe approach to my job. It was a fairly clear path with one skill set neatly tucked into another. By all accounts, I've had a great career so far. I win awards, people write me and tell me I changed their lives. But I ended up trying to innovate my career during a really hard time in history to be brave and bold. As a result, what I expected to work has not worked and now I need to find some new options.
Last year when my contracts dried up, I started using www.helpareporter.com as a tool to learn a different type of writing, modernize my tool kit and deal with my depression over my life and career. I started answering queries from reporters all over on assorted subject related to the economy and being a modern mom. The process of writing these queries up and talking to reporters was validating. It was exciting that anyone was interested given that I felt sucky most of the time. Then I started getting quoted in all sorts of random places- New York Times.com, Wall Street Journal ( with a drawing!), Parents magazine, Good Housekeeping, So Cal Connected.com LA Times, Cnn.com, Good Morning America.
Here's the thing with being quoted about things like having a sucky life- it stirs up things for people in your life. I got random job offers and job leads from strangers and friends alike. People sent money and presents at the holidays. One long time friend took a collection at work for us.
Friends who live far away worked together and sent an anonymous gift of a check and a tricked out Trader Joe's basket and fresh eggnog from a farm. That was awesome and we were touched by the random acts of kindness we experienced as a result of our press junket talking about "boo hoo for us."
I learned through my press that you never know who you know and you can't talk enough about what you are going through. It gets hard to keep saying "our lives suck right now" over and over again, but sometimes saying it out loud is the first step in changing the circumstances.
I hope that this year you can reach out to someone in need in your life. I know we are in a variety of ways. My kids are all too aware what a stressful holiday season looks like and they are motivating us to give to toy and foods drives because they know what it means to the recipients.
It feels good to help people and there's always someone a little needier than us.
Last year when we did the KCET web piece, my daughter said she wanted pants for a gift. A year later and she still needs pants. Things have changed in our world and it is process to face that change daily. As a family, we are focused less on what we want and more on what we need.
But we're also focusing on the many blessings we have which includes all the great people who have helped us in small and large ways this year.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
My own ham
Obviously I'm on my own journey towards figuring out how to support my family in Los Angeles in 2009 and now into the teen years of our new millennium. That's how I came to my hammy conclusions and now find myself doing things I really didn't expect to be doing.
In 2006, I left my stable job at CSU Northridge coordinating students in volunteerism. While I loved many aspects of my job and role, I felt like I needed more time with my family after the birth of our third child in 2005.
I also had opportunity. I had two contracts lined up to replace my position. I would work from home and consult and start a great new life. My husband's career was looking bright at this point. Then all sorts of crazy stuff happened and my remaining original contract ended in late 2008.
That was a hard fall and winter, if you don't recall it directly. I remember after being laid-off and seeing that other people were not understanding my stress and concern. After my year without a job, I've now watched a lot more friends and family go through stress. In some ways I enjoy being ahead of the curve now. At least I got over the shock part. Time to develop the new normal and the only time I can live in is the present, right?
I did a lot of soul searching and Oprah watching to distill a few truths for my experience now and what I want from my career now. Things changed in my life and in the world since my career was my priority. Lots to consider.
My three most important factors for finding my own ham during some lean times:
1. I need to work from home
2. I need to feel my skills and experience will go to good use
3. I need a career path that helps to justify my lifestyle here in Los Angeles
These are the three values I've put down as the most important for me right now and they've helped to guide my through a series of hard choices this year. Ours values are most tested in times like these, but it is our values that will help steer us through confusing choices. When you are true to yourself, your chances of finding happiness increase.
Last year, I got a press ( including 30 seconds of me crying on Good Morning America about a job interview) for being laid-off. It was hard to be honest about what we were facing at that time.
We grew up expecting a certain lifestyle and my husband and I thought we had made good career choices. A changing world calls for a changing personal plan and that's what I've had to do this year. I've had to think about my values and think about what is really important in my life.
I wish I could tie all this up with a great "happily ever after" bow and I sure wish I could leverage my press contacts into being a good news story now. But I still feel like a work in progress. My crystal ball got really fuzzy in the last couple of years and now here I am trying to predict a future for myself and my family. I just keep pushing forward and knowing that if I stick to what I know is right, that things will keep happening for me. It may be something big or a series of small things, it is hard to tell at this time. I'm trying to stay patient, open minded and positive. I hope you are trying to do the same!
In 2006, I left my stable job at CSU Northridge coordinating students in volunteerism. While I loved many aspects of my job and role, I felt like I needed more time with my family after the birth of our third child in 2005.
I also had opportunity. I had two contracts lined up to replace my position. I would work from home and consult and start a great new life. My husband's career was looking bright at this point. Then all sorts of crazy stuff happened and my remaining original contract ended in late 2008.
That was a hard fall and winter, if you don't recall it directly. I remember after being laid-off and seeing that other people were not understanding my stress and concern. After my year without a job, I've now watched a lot more friends and family go through stress. In some ways I enjoy being ahead of the curve now. At least I got over the shock part. Time to develop the new normal and the only time I can live in is the present, right?
I did a lot of soul searching and Oprah watching to distill a few truths for my experience now and what I want from my career now. Things changed in my life and in the world since my career was my priority. Lots to consider.
My three most important factors for finding my own ham during some lean times:
1. I need to work from home
2. I need to feel my skills and experience will go to good use
3. I need a career path that helps to justify my lifestyle here in Los Angeles
These are the three values I've put down as the most important for me right now and they've helped to guide my through a series of hard choices this year. Ours values are most tested in times like these, but it is our values that will help steer us through confusing choices. When you are true to yourself, your chances of finding happiness increase.
Last year, I got a press ( including 30 seconds of me crying on Good Morning America about a job interview) for being laid-off. It was hard to be honest about what we were facing at that time.
We grew up expecting a certain lifestyle and my husband and I thought we had made good career choices. A changing world calls for a changing personal plan and that's what I've had to do this year. I've had to think about my values and think about what is really important in my life.
I wish I could tie all this up with a great "happily ever after" bow and I sure wish I could leverage my press contacts into being a good news story now. But I still feel like a work in progress. My crystal ball got really fuzzy in the last couple of years and now here I am trying to predict a future for myself and my family. I just keep pushing forward and knowing that if I stick to what I know is right, that things will keep happening for me. It may be something big or a series of small things, it is hard to tell at this time. I'm trying to stay patient, open minded and positive. I hope you are trying to do the same!
Focus, grasshopper
At the Job Fair, one thing I noticed with young job seekers was a tendency to be too open minded and broad. Here's the problem right now with the market- there are plenty of applicants for most roles. You have to stand out. How do you do that? What is your "it" factor?
The biggest thing you can do to separate yourself from others is to paint the picture that you want this job SO badly and to illustrate how you are the best match. Any ambivalence to the position ( sending form resumes out in mass) can be spotted by most HR professionals. They are looking for the most qualified and enthusiastic candidates.
You can show how you are qualified by reading their job description and requirements very carefully and tailoring your resume to them. Sometimes the skill they are looking for is buried on your resume. Make sure you put a spotlight on those skills you have that are a match for their needs. This might mean having a few versions of your resume ready to send to different types of jobs you are willing to do. But the resume that they get should seem focused and like you are destined to do X in your next job. You don't want a resume that seems so broad and open minded that you seem to not care what you do. They want to know that your heart's desire is to do the job you are applying to do and that you have a tool kit to back it up. Because they have so many options in this marketplace, you need to stand out as the most enthusiastic and best fit for the position.
You can also use your cover letter to help draw attention to relevant experience in your resume and to tell the story of why you want this position and what you bring to the role. At a job fair, you probably don't have time to write personal letters, but you could plan ahead for companies on the web site and write up those letters with the information provided. If you are coming to a job fair to speak to a specific company, you should tailor your resume ( with an objective that matches the position) and consider writing a cover letter as well. Generic resumes reflect generic candidates. You don't want to attract the wrong type of attention ( scented paper), but you also need to stand out from the pack.
At the Fair, my number one reflection was that people who knew what they wanted and had a clear picture painted about where they want to go and what they want to do are more successful.
Those people that came with a game plan about which companies would be there and had clean, easy to read resumes and a nice appearance seemed happier with their results. Of course, you never know what interesting opportunities will occur at a job fair and so it is a good idea to be open minded, but you want to present a demeanor that you know just where you want to go.
To me, focus and determination are two key factors in surviving a job search right now. The employers want the best, most qualified and hard working employees. You have to sell yourself like never before now.
The biggest thing you can do to separate yourself from others is to paint the picture that you want this job SO badly and to illustrate how you are the best match. Any ambivalence to the position ( sending form resumes out in mass) can be spotted by most HR professionals. They are looking for the most qualified and enthusiastic candidates.
You can show how you are qualified by reading their job description and requirements very carefully and tailoring your resume to them. Sometimes the skill they are looking for is buried on your resume. Make sure you put a spotlight on those skills you have that are a match for their needs. This might mean having a few versions of your resume ready to send to different types of jobs you are willing to do. But the resume that they get should seem focused and like you are destined to do X in your next job. You don't want a resume that seems so broad and open minded that you seem to not care what you do. They want to know that your heart's desire is to do the job you are applying to do and that you have a tool kit to back it up. Because they have so many options in this marketplace, you need to stand out as the most enthusiastic and best fit for the position.
You can also use your cover letter to help draw attention to relevant experience in your resume and to tell the story of why you want this position and what you bring to the role. At a job fair, you probably don't have time to write personal letters, but you could plan ahead for companies on the web site and write up those letters with the information provided. If you are coming to a job fair to speak to a specific company, you should tailor your resume ( with an objective that matches the position) and consider writing a cover letter as well. Generic resumes reflect generic candidates. You don't want to attract the wrong type of attention ( scented paper), but you also need to stand out from the pack.
At the Fair, my number one reflection was that people who knew what they wanted and had a clear picture painted about where they want to go and what they want to do are more successful.
Those people that came with a game plan about which companies would be there and had clean, easy to read resumes and a nice appearance seemed happier with their results. Of course, you never know what interesting opportunities will occur at a job fair and so it is a good idea to be open minded, but you want to present a demeanor that you know just where you want to go.
To me, focus and determination are two key factors in surviving a job search right now. The employers want the best, most qualified and hard working employees. You have to sell yourself like never before now.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Cover Letter- friend or foe?
I think a well written, personalized cover letter is still a nice touch. There are schools of thought on this issue that say yay or ney to the cover letter. My encouragement to you is to read the application process carefully for each company. Some will indicate the need for a cover letter or writing sample or portfolio and some will say not to send any attachments other than the resume. The best rule of thumb here is to know your audience.
I write cover letters when I really want a job and when the position posting seems to indicate that one would be well received. I do think that showing your enthusiasm and energy for a position is a way to stand out from the pack right now. But they can smell a template a mile away and they won't love a form letter. If you are going to write a letter, make it a good one.
For me, my cover letter illustrates my interest in the project or position and helps to draw attention to parts of my resume that might get missed. I use my cover letter most often to paint the picture of how my skills and experience match the needs of the position. Since I have a long career history now, key experiences to the position I am seeking can be lost in my two page resume. My cover letter helps to draw attention to my resume and to flesh out my story for the reader. I try to be specific and enthusiastic.
I keep my cover letter short and to the point and easy to read. Nobody wants to read a book.
You can create templates for your own use, but you need to add personalized touches each and every time. Show them that you read and understood the job description and why you think you are a match. Pay attention to details you think they will value.
Feel free to post opinions about cover letters, what worked and what doesn't work for you.
I write cover letters when I really want a job and when the position posting seems to indicate that one would be well received. I do think that showing your enthusiasm and energy for a position is a way to stand out from the pack right now. But they can smell a template a mile away and they won't love a form letter. If you are going to write a letter, make it a good one.
For me, my cover letter illustrates my interest in the project or position and helps to draw attention to parts of my resume that might get missed. I use my cover letter most often to paint the picture of how my skills and experience match the needs of the position. Since I have a long career history now, key experiences to the position I am seeking can be lost in my two page resume. My cover letter helps to draw attention to my resume and to flesh out my story for the reader. I try to be specific and enthusiastic.
I keep my cover letter short and to the point and easy to read. Nobody wants to read a book.
You can create templates for your own use, but you need to add personalized touches each and every time. Show them that you read and understood the job description and why you think you are a match. Pay attention to details you think they will value.
Feel free to post opinions about cover letters, what worked and what doesn't work for you.
What I learned collecting resumes at a recent Job Fair
I'm helping my friend Angie with her Valley Job Fairs and I recently collected resumes at the front door for the database and research purposes. I collected those for Angie and Valerie to use in their quest to improve the Fairs and help get people around here back to work. I also was able to talk to a lot of job seekers and help people with their plans for their resumes.
I'll be collecting resumes at the next job fair too and talking with people about their career search. I learned a lot from this exercise and I want to share my thoughts on the matter.
Random Resume Commentary
Obviously there are a gazillion websites out there that will help you make and bake your resume.
There are counselors, coaches, therapists and recruiters who will tell you how to craft a resume for optimum success. That's all great, but my experience is that if you take your resume to 10 people, you'll get ten different "right ways" to do it. What you need to find is the right way for you to tell your story in the context that will make sense to whoever is going to read this thing on the other side. What matters most is what that person or company wants from you. But a good foundation of a resume that tells your story is a fine place to start.
When I was collecting resumes at the recent Valley Job Fair, I saw a few blunders:
Anyone who attended a job fair and handed me a resume- I would love to hear your thoughts on how your resume worked for you.
I'll be collecting resumes at the next job fair too and talking with people about their career search. I learned a lot from this exercise and I want to share my thoughts on the matter.
Random Resume Commentary
Obviously there are a gazillion websites out there that will help you make and bake your resume.
There are counselors, coaches, therapists and recruiters who will tell you how to craft a resume for optimum success. That's all great, but my experience is that if you take your resume to 10 people, you'll get ten different "right ways" to do it. What you need to find is the right way for you to tell your story in the context that will make sense to whoever is going to read this thing on the other side. What matters most is what that person or company wants from you. But a good foundation of a resume that tells your story is a fine place to start.
When I was collecting resumes at the recent Valley Job Fair, I saw a few blunders:
- Sloppy papers- never a good plan. Make some nice copies and keep them in a folder
- Sloppy wardrobe- equally a problem at the fair, but I wasn't collecting Job Fair fashion shots
- Too much information- some of the resumes were so dense, nobody is going to want to read it. Always think of the reader on the other end
- Format/page look- easy to look at and read resumes will get looked at and read more
- Remember the reader- your goal is resume writing should be the reader on the other side. All of this information should make sense to them
- Consistency in format- either all sentences or all fractures, but don't mix the two
- Highlight what is most interesting about you on the top- that be all they read
- To staple or not? I say bring both. A stapled resume at a Job Fair might be a better bet for keeping it together. Anyone collecting resumes gets a big stack of resumes. It is true that some companies prefer not to have staples in them. If you do want a two page resume and you want to keep them un-stapled, make sure you put your name on both pages.
- Avoid gimmicks- some resumes were on super fancy colored paper with odors and stuff. While this might be nice, it may not work FOR you in your job search process. The rule of thumb is not to try and be too flashy with resume attention-getters. Many recruiters say it doesn't change when they look at your resume and it doesn't help them remember you in a good way necessarily. Keep it simple- quality paper that looks professional. Things like folders and matching fancy envelopes may only serve to get you mocked.
- Young people with legible resumes and nice clothes- I was impressed by some of the younger job seekers
- Lots of people came prepared this time for the companies represented at the Fair- good job!
- We have a great labor pool in our area with diverse people who reflect a lot of skills and experiences. That was neat to observe. I met people with experience and degrees from all over the world.
Feedback- I would love to get some Resume chatter going. What's working, what's not working with resumes right now?
Anyone who attended a job fair and handed me a resume- I would love to hear your thoughts on how your resume worked for you.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
How to annoy people without a job right now
Here are some things sure to get you into trouble with your out of work friends and family:
1. Complain about your job- overtime, undertime, co-workers, whatever. We don't have any of that. Stop yer whining.
2. Brag about your vacations, new purchases, home remodels. Maybe it doesn't feel like bragging to you, but we're just gonna get agitated listening to all your new, new, new talk. We're busy trying to figure out if we have seasonally appropriate clothes to wear to job interviews that also don't have stains.
3. Give us lots of ideas and tips about how to find work and what we "should" we doing. Out of work people are like Forest Gump- you don't know what you'll get with us when you open that box. So trying to give thoughtful advice will usually lead to pain and suffering. We know you mean well, but we're exhausted. We are still working through the advice we got last week.
4. Minimize our pain. Again, I wouldn't have a clue how stressful this all is except that now I'm living it. Being out of work is really hard. It is confusing and it is complicated. Add in extra stressors like a suck ass economy and three kids and then see what kind of stress cocktail that stirs up. Not tasty. We know we whine a lot, but it still sucks. In fact, it sucks more six months or a year after the lay-offs or change in career. It sucks worse and worse as you move away from the safe harbor of a paying job.
5. Pick on our spending and act judgemental. We know there's stuff we could be doing differently. But we're not. Wah. Bravo Channel is all I have some days. it sucks to be me sometimes. Be gentle with us. We may bite back here.
Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you give an extra hug to your out of work friends this year. We all could be worse off and that's a fact. I'm lucky to have people in my life who care enough to annoy me.
1. Complain about your job- overtime, undertime, co-workers, whatever. We don't have any of that. Stop yer whining.
2. Brag about your vacations, new purchases, home remodels. Maybe it doesn't feel like bragging to you, but we're just gonna get agitated listening to all your new, new, new talk. We're busy trying to figure out if we have seasonally appropriate clothes to wear to job interviews that also don't have stains.
3. Give us lots of ideas and tips about how to find work and what we "should" we doing. Out of work people are like Forest Gump- you don't know what you'll get with us when you open that box. So trying to give thoughtful advice will usually lead to pain and suffering. We know you mean well, but we're exhausted. We are still working through the advice we got last week.
4. Minimize our pain. Again, I wouldn't have a clue how stressful this all is except that now I'm living it. Being out of work is really hard. It is confusing and it is complicated. Add in extra stressors like a suck ass economy and three kids and then see what kind of stress cocktail that stirs up. Not tasty. We know we whine a lot, but it still sucks. In fact, it sucks more six months or a year after the lay-offs or change in career. It sucks worse and worse as you move away from the safe harbor of a paying job.
5. Pick on our spending and act judgemental. We know there's stuff we could be doing differently. But we're not. Wah. Bravo Channel is all I have some days. it sucks to be me sometimes. Be gentle with us. We may bite back here.
Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you give an extra hug to your out of work friends this year. We all could be worse off and that's a fact. I'm lucky to have people in my life who care enough to annoy me.
Job Fairs- the good, bad, ugly
I have been working for my friend Angie with Valley Jobs Fairs this fall. Back in the day when I worked at CSUN in the Career Center, we did a lot of Job Fairs. They were never my speed and usually did not have the jobs I was looking for. But it seemed like some people really got a lot out of them. The employers seemed to appreciate them as an easy way to get a lot done in a day.
Angie decided to start Valley Jobs Fairs as a way to solve a local problem that used her background and connections very well. She's clear on what she wants to accomplish and she's assembling a great team to help. I like to call my role "career ministry" because mostly I like to listen to stories and help people with particulars like resumes and how to navigate Fairs. I enjoy helping other people with their job searches and I find my own career quest bothersome sometimes. Other people's problems are so much more interesting than my own!
Because of my "Year Without A Job" and my background at CSUN, people will ask my opinions about whether Job Fairs are a good idea or not. Here are my thoughts on the matter:
I would love to hear your thoughts and stories about Job Fairs! Please share!
Here's the link for my local Job Fair. You can also find Fairs via Career Builder.com, Idealist.org ( non-profit) and many other places.
http://www.valleyjobfairs.com/
Angie decided to start Valley Jobs Fairs as a way to solve a local problem that used her background and connections very well. She's clear on what she wants to accomplish and she's assembling a great team to help. I like to call my role "career ministry" because mostly I like to listen to stories and help people with particulars like resumes and how to navigate Fairs. I enjoy helping other people with their job searches and I find my own career quest bothersome sometimes. Other people's problems are so much more interesting than my own!
Because of my "Year Without A Job" and my background at CSUN, people will ask my opinions about whether Job Fairs are a good idea or not. Here are my thoughts on the matter:
- Not all job fairs are created equal- do your research
- Networking and practicing selling yourself via a Job Fair is a good way to grow
- You never know who you will meet and see at events like Job Fairs- friends old and new
- Pay attention to trends - Job Fairs are a good place to see what's happening with jobs nearby
- Learning what you don't want in a job is as important and that can become clear at a Fair
- Being open minded is part of how you get hired in this economy, so you never know!
- It is never a bad idea to get dressed up, polish up the resume and hit the streets
- Attending Job Fairs can help warm you up in your job search process and with your quick responses to seemingly simple questions that feel hard at the time
Sure, there are lots of reasons Job Fairs are hard. I don't like polishing up my resume and putting myself out there for rejection. It is not easy. I find that I get very snotty about what I see at Fairs, but one of these days I may want a different experience and because I saw a company at the Fair, I may think of them. Also, usually when a company is at a Fair, that means they have jobs and where there's one job there may be more. It pays to talk to these outreach people and get on radars. It's also important to see the options out there and take a reality check. Many people are making hard choices in this economy. It's not a good idea to turn up our noses at any opportunities. You just never know.
I would love to hear your thoughts and stories about Job Fairs! Please share!
Here's the link for my local Job Fair. You can also find Fairs via Career Builder.com, Idealist.org ( non-profit) and many other places.
http://www.valleyjobfairs.com/
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
What's in a hammy name?
In my year without a job, I've had to come to terms with who I am in the current context of my skills, my family needs and this economy. Sometimes it is easy to pay attention to the chatter of the world and all the things I should be doing in my job search. Sometimes it is easy to get myself crazy with thinking about all the "what ifs."
The simple truth is that you need to do what makes you happy and then the money will follow. My experience has been that while I understand this idea, I don't really know how to get from point A to point B. I was doing something that made me happy ( working in non profits) and then realized that I couldn't support my family doing this anymore. In my case, the job leads dried up.
After I started analyzing my career, I realized that in my current life with three kids, I could not support my family on my salary alone, even after two decades of work improving myself as a professional. Uh-oh.
Now what? At first, I did a lot of soul searching and reading and wallowing in self pity. That last part was really fun.
After trying to understand who I am now versus any fantasies I had about it, I had to center back on the one truth I know in my gut- do what makes you happy and the money will follow.
But I still wasn't sure how to get there from here. Given the current economy, doing anything risky seems, well, risky. I needed a job that paid and I thought I wasn't picky about what it was. I learned that I'm pickier than I knew and that I do have criterion and boundaries, even in these times. Compromises are just that- a change in what I will accept in my life and for my family.
I had to get clear about where I stood and not let all the voices out there influence my course.
I needed to get connected to my own passion.
Somewhere in all of this navel gazing I was doing, I watched Paula Deen on Oprah. She was discussing her own process as a wife and mother trying to support her family and all the barriers and fears she had to conquer. She centered on the idea that she had to do something she loved and was good at doing. She was determined and persistent and centered on who she was and what she was willing to sell of herself in order to make a living. Paula Deen got a lot of attention early on for her work selling ham for Smithfield by creating recipes, talking with people and being who she was. She found her ham- something she was comfortable selling that was a match for her.
http://www.smithfield.com/paula/
After I saw Paula on Oprah, I though, heck, I can find my own ham too. That inspiration led to the name Find Your Ham. I'm working on baking my ham and I hope you are too!
The simple truth is that you need to do what makes you happy and then the money will follow. My experience has been that while I understand this idea, I don't really know how to get from point A to point B. I was doing something that made me happy ( working in non profits) and then realized that I couldn't support my family doing this anymore. In my case, the job leads dried up.
After I started analyzing my career, I realized that in my current life with three kids, I could not support my family on my salary alone, even after two decades of work improving myself as a professional. Uh-oh.
Now what? At first, I did a lot of soul searching and reading and wallowing in self pity. That last part was really fun.
After trying to understand who I am now versus any fantasies I had about it, I had to center back on the one truth I know in my gut- do what makes you happy and the money will follow.
But I still wasn't sure how to get there from here. Given the current economy, doing anything risky seems, well, risky. I needed a job that paid and I thought I wasn't picky about what it was. I learned that I'm pickier than I knew and that I do have criterion and boundaries, even in these times. Compromises are just that- a change in what I will accept in my life and for my family.
I had to get clear about where I stood and not let all the voices out there influence my course.
I needed to get connected to my own passion.
Somewhere in all of this navel gazing I was doing, I watched Paula Deen on Oprah. She was discussing her own process as a wife and mother trying to support her family and all the barriers and fears she had to conquer. She centered on the idea that she had to do something she loved and was good at doing. She was determined and persistent and centered on who she was and what she was willing to sell of herself in order to make a living. Paula Deen got a lot of attention early on for her work selling ham for Smithfield by creating recipes, talking with people and being who she was. She found her ham- something she was comfortable selling that was a match for her.
http://www.smithfield.com/paula/
After I saw Paula on Oprah, I though, heck, I can find my own ham too. That inspiration led to the name Find Your Ham. I'm working on baking my ham and I hope you are too!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Getting there from here - Find your ham
When I was growing up, back in the blissfully self-indulgent '80s, I got the message that I could be anything I wanted to be and in doing so I would happy, have enough money and life would be good. What I did not comprehend at that time was what some choices would mean in my life.
I chose the non- profit sector as my career path because I wanted a mission centered career. In the early years of my husband's "leap of faith" into full time writing, my salary in the sector was enough. Three kids later and I need more money and less stress in my career. And my career should be fulfilling. And I should be able to balance a million other factors at the same time. And survive in Los Angeles without a Los Angeles' sized salary. And did I mention the economy tanked somewhere in the midst of all of this? Egads.
In the last year since I officially lost my job title in this world, I've had to learn a lot. While I still believe that the best way to success is to follow your passion and dreams, I've also become aware that there's not a road map for this process that works given the current economy. The world is a changing place. With each month I've been off work, I've had to explore new strategies and reconfigure my plan. Sometimes I think I'm going to lose my mind over the stress of it all.
Platitudes of career search
This year we tried a couple different tactics which seem to be working.
Bill actually stopped the treadmill of trying to get gigs (since it was pretty clear there were none) and started writing original content again (scripts and novels). He is now shopping those around and using them as samples to get work. His first novel is in the hands of his publisher now and should be going out into the world anytime now.
I’m living life more one day at a time these days. I had to become open minded and patient to figure out what to do with my career at this time. That is tough to do. I pretty much shook out the tool kit and started playing with each tool to see where else it might fit in the economy puzzle. I spent a lot of time this year on self improvement and research which will hopefully set me up for more success now as I proceed.
I chose the non- profit sector as my career path because I wanted a mission centered career. In the early years of my husband's "leap of faith" into full time writing, my salary in the sector was enough. Three kids later and I need more money and less stress in my career. And my career should be fulfilling. And I should be able to balance a million other factors at the same time. And survive in Los Angeles without a Los Angeles' sized salary. And did I mention the economy tanked somewhere in the midst of all of this? Egads.
In the last year since I officially lost my job title in this world, I've had to learn a lot. While I still believe that the best way to success is to follow your passion and dreams, I've also become aware that there's not a road map for this process that works given the current economy. The world is a changing place. With each month I've been off work, I've had to explore new strategies and reconfigure my plan. Sometimes I think I'm going to lose my mind over the stress of it all.
Platitudes of career search
- Do what you love and the money will follow
- Follow your dreams
- Focus on your true passion
- You can be anything you want to be
This year we tried a couple different tactics which seem to be working.
Bill actually stopped the treadmill of trying to get gigs (since it was pretty clear there were none) and started writing original content again (scripts and novels). He is now shopping those around and using them as samples to get work. His first novel is in the hands of his publisher now and should be going out into the world anytime now.
I’m living life more one day at a time these days. I had to become open minded and patient to figure out what to do with my career at this time. That is tough to do. I pretty much shook out the tool kit and started playing with each tool to see where else it might fit in the economy puzzle. I spent a lot of time this year on self improvement and research which will hopefully set me up for more success now as I proceed.
What I put out to the universe about what I need from my next job:
Work from home ( the most important factor for me)
Leverage my skills
Justify staying in LA
For me, learning to state what I wanted and needed from my career was really rough. It is easy to say "I'll take anything," but I've learned that is not true for me. Unless we're talking about a lot of money, just earning a paycheck is not enough for me. Never has been and never will be. But money is one of those necessary evils in life. Feeling dejected and unwanted after being laid-off, it was easy for me to lose sight of who I am now professionally, what I want next for my career and how to get there from here. Intuitively, I know what I need to do, but the chatter of the world and all the pressures on me at this time make it hard to listen to what I know is true- patience and determination will prevail in the end.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Welcome to my hammy world
When I left my job at California State University, Northridge in 2006, I left behind the safe choices I had made earlier in my career. I made a bold choice to branch out and become a consultant in the non-profit world, specifically education. It was a seemingly natural transition at the time. I had contracts lined up and the path seemed clear. Then things started changing and each year since then, bad has gone to worse in terms of my timing. But when I left CSUN, it was in part to find myself again and to forge my path in this world a little more effectively. I've certainly had time to do that this year which is what brings me to finally getting the Blog going.
My year without a j-o-b has taught me a lot about myself. I've learned what I will and won't do for free. I've learned what money really means to me. I've learned my boundaries about what is a good and bad career choice considering the needs of my whole family. I've learned all sorts of things this year and now I feel like sharing. Yay for Blogs!
This blog will chronicle pieces and parts of my journey this past year. My hope is that by sharing my process with others, I can help people speed up their own progress. Change is not fun. It is not easy and it is confusing, especially in the squishy middle parts.
My year without a j-o-b has taught me a lot about myself. I've learned what I will and won't do for free. I've learned what money really means to me. I've learned my boundaries about what is a good and bad career choice considering the needs of my whole family. I've learned all sorts of things this year and now I feel like sharing. Yay for Blogs!
This blog will chronicle pieces and parts of my journey this past year. My hope is that by sharing my process with others, I can help people speed up their own progress. Change is not fun. It is not easy and it is confusing, especially in the squishy middle parts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
