No Job Joy #65 Ready for Christmas

Being unemployed at the holidays for most people means less under the tree. While we all want to open lots of new stuff on Christmas day there are up sides to a minimal Christmas.

First their is the love/hate relationship with shopping.  We love to share with others but hate all the going and looking for a better price and the wrapping and shipping. With a minimal Christmas there are no malls, no all night wrapping sessions or the stress of finding just the right gift or running all over to find a specific item.

It also gets you off the hook for buying presents for nieces and nephews who already have too much stuff and you never know what to get for them.

Next is Christmas day.  You can open your gifts and clean the place up before Noon.  In our case that means we can be at Grandma's in time for Dinner.Unfortunately, there isn't any football on Christmas day so having free time just means hanging out with the in-laws. 

The down side of having fewer things to wrap my wife feels the need to revive a practice they have in her family of wrapping everything.  That includes candy canes, chap stick and even AA batteries just to fill up the stockings on Christmas morning. Have you ever tried wrapping or opening a gift wrapped AA battery. It is basically all tape.

So now that we are ready for Christmas my wife also has more time to bake,. If I can keep her from giving it all to the teacher, neighbors and co-workers I might actually get to try some of her treats.

Merry Christmas

Why send Christmas cards?

They start coming the week of Thanksgiving. Cards arriving from people we see everyday and some we haven't seen in years.  The competition begins.  Who gets a card and who doesn't.  Especially if we want to stay on their list.  

As November moves into December, the days pass and the list gets longer.  You haven't started your list, picked out a photo or started writing the Christmas news letter.   You start to panic.  Along with Christmas shopping, decorating, school, work and church Christmas parties  you think, when am I going to have time to write Christmas cards?  Some how most of us manage to get them done although some delay long enough to make it a "NewYear's" Card.  It is usually either automated by printing address labels and simply signing the card or having your kids get in on the act.

As crunch time gets closer, there is "the decision".  Do you have to send a card to someone you don't really know/ like/remember and if so do you have to personalize it or can you just sign it and send it.   This is a bigger and bigger decision every year.  After all we are all busier than ever and of course jt costs almost 50 cents to mail the darn thing. Is this person really worth it? 

The other questions is do you really have to send a card to someone you see every day/week?  They know what is going on in your life. They were sitting next to you at the band concert/football game/PTA meeting.  you are unlikely to tell them anything they didn't already know. So why waste a stamp on them just because they were crazy enough to mail something when they live three blocks away? Will you lose face if you don't reciprocate when they send you a card?  Will you feel like you have to make an excuse like you are boycotting the mail service for raising the price of stamps so you aren't sending cards on principle?

Here is where the Grinch's heart grows three sizes one day.  Step back and think what a difference taking the time to hand write a note to that person you don't really know or care about?  Maybe they have been laid off or lost a loved one and maybe you don't even know about it. If you do know that they have had a hard year, what would a word of encouragement do for their spirits? What would it do for yours knowing you made a difference?  After all if you are going to spend 44 cents to mail the card you may as well get your money's worth.

Will I hand write all my cards this year?  Probably not, especially if I want the recipient to be able to read it. Any of you who have gotten cards from me before know what I mean. What I will do is make sure the person I am sending it to knows that I was thinking about them for the few minutes that I scribble a few thoughts to them that someone, somewhere cares for them.

If you don't get a card from me either one of two things happened. Either we keep in touch enough that you don't need to know what I am doing or what I am up to or post man couldn't read my writing.

No Job Joy #64 Christmas shopping

I admit that spending money while you are unemployed is something you should take very seriously but at Christmas there still has to be something under the tree.  So with my very brief list I headed out.

As I arrived at my designated stores,  I realized that one bonus of not having a job is that you can go shopping while everyone else is working. No sneaking a trip to the Mall between conference calls or getting up early on Saturday to beat the mobs.  Instead, the unemployed are greeted by happy  clerks who are at the start of their shifts and are still happy to be there.

So for the unemployed while we may not have as much money to spend, we can at least take joy in getting a decent parking spot, avoiding long check out lines, and smiling clerks who haven't been working since 3 AM. While our employed friends are exhausting themselves at the mall, we can be at home watching "Its a wonderful Life" with our family. Although depending how long you have been looking you might be wanting to spend some time away from your family. 

Today's No Job Joy is for empty parking lots and happy store clerks.

What your Christmas card says to your friends

In the spirit of Christmas I am going to do some posts on the time honored traditions of Christmas.  Today I will start with Christmas cards.

We all get them. Love some, hate others.  As you start making your list and writing out your Christmas Cards think about your card says about you.

Vacation Photo Card
This is the I took a cooler vacation than you card.

Close friends read:  That's nice. They went some where nice.  I really have to get on my spouse to get us somewhere nice next year so we can have a cool photo. Also I need to get matching outfits so we look nice.
Acquaintances read: Anything from "you show offs" to "that's nothing,  wait till you see where I went this year".
Unemployed friends read: Sucks to be me.
Do gooder friends read:  Just think what good you could have done with the money you spent or You just doubled your carbon footprint with the airplane flight.

The Generic Christmas card with just a signature
This is the "I'm busier than you so I can't write anything" card.  That or the "I had a really crappy year and didn't want to bring every one down"card.

Close Friends read : You must be really busy not to write something more personal to ME.
Acquaintences read:  I'd better send them one or else I'm off the list next year.

The year in review letter
The card of choice for the creative type.  Typically sent by empty nesters, busy bodies or Moms who have kids who are in music sports, drama, drill team so I have to tell the world that I am in carpools so much I have time write this letter while I am waiting in line to pick them up.

Close friends read: We all know your kids are wonderful. Why did you waste the stamp, I knew all this because I was sitting in the carpool line behind you at all these events.
Acquaintances read: Wow my life must really suck if I can't think up enough stuff to fill a page and send people I barely know.  That or my friends have way too much time on their hands.
Single Friends read:  Having kids can't be that hard. They still had time to get out this silly letter.

So before you start writing your cards this year. Think of your audience.

Merry Christmas

Gilligan's Campout

This weekend my oldest son had a scout camp out. To commemorate the trip I thought I would channel some Gilligan's Island.  My apologies in advance to the original lyrics.

Just sit right back and you hear a tale,
a tale of a fateful trip,
that started from a parking lot,
with boys and men and kit.

The scout master was a mighty scouting man,
The quartermaster brave and sure.
Twenty boys went to camp that day,
for a weekend of fun,  a weekend of fun.

The weather started out quite rough,
the troop they bundled up.
If not for the leaders of the fearless troop,
the troop would be lost, the troop would be lost.

They came to camp to learn some skills to get them through the wild,
Like campfire building,
and lashings too.
Orienteering and cooking food.
They ate some cobbler with their Dads,
and spent time in the woods.

So this is the tale of the first year trip,
They stared with a five mile hike,
then  learned some knots and how to lash.
And how to read a map.

They learned,
they grew
and played some ball
despite the wind and cold
you'd never know that it froze, except we got a bead

They made the dinner and pitched their tents
with out the help of Dads.
They even did a skit or two,
and gave us all a laugh.

So next time they go camping,
we know they're sure to smile
with all the skills they learned in camp
they can do it them selves.

Thanks to our first year leader and all the other adults who made Troop 890's first year camp out a success and learning experience for all the boys.

How being Unemployed is like having a disease part 4

Being sick is never fun and one of the ardest things to do is have patience. When you are sick you want to lie around for a while hoping you feel better.  As time passes you get tired of feeling sick and laying around watching TV. 

Looking for a job can be the same way.  You may need to take some time off to get over the idea of having to look for a job.  Eventually you decide it is time to get out there and get your next job. Here is where things get interesting.  When you are sick and you get up too early you are worthless to yourself and those around you.  When you start looking for a job too soon, your attitude may not be "well" or you may not have decided on the right "cure" for joblessness. In this case you can make things worse because you can "infect" others with your sick attitude or you can relapse by getting a job that is a bad fit in which case you be "sick" again soon. 

I am not saying wait around until everything is perfect. What I mean is that you have to have your attitude and your goals set before you start looking or you will waste time looking at things that are not good for you or you will turn off good contacts with a bad attitude that could have been the help you needed.

So the doctor's orders are to get your attitude in a positive place and know what you want from your next job so that you can get it.

Top 10 things I am thankful for this year

Since I didn't post on Thanksgiving I will give you my post holiday view of things that make my life wonderful David Letterman style. Sorry this is going to be a long one. I hope you have a long list as well.

10. A healthy family - This year I know of many friends who have been through tough illnesses or the loss of loved ones.

9. People watching - Not only can it be entertaining and put your life back in perspective but it is free.  Especially entertaining at a Renaissance Fair.

8. My Mother in laws pecan pie -  While she didn't actually make it herself this year, the fact that I am the only one who really likes it and every year she makes sure there is pecan pie at Thanksgiving is something I am thankful for.  Bonus - the pie was home made as part of a fundraiser so at least the profit went to a good cause.

7. Not having to go shopping on Black Friday -  I got to sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast and spend the day with my family.  No digging through messed up displays, waiting in long lines, standing outside a store while it is still dark for something I can pay 5%  more for with out battling other sleep deprived crazy people.

6. Texas weather - Even though I grew up knowing the brisk chill of late November and seeing the empty corn fields of Iowa I still like Thanksgiving in Texas.  The first time I had Thanksgiving with my wife's family and cutting the Christmas tree in shorts, fighting off mosquitoes seemed a little strange. Growing up we had to dig the snow away from the trunk of the tree to be able to get the saw where we could cut it. I got over it when I didn't have to put up Christmas lights with out gloves and heavy boots.

5. Football - This time of year college football is really getting exciting.  The conference championship games, the rivalies ( Go Mizzou beat KU!) and the annual BCS debate. It is also important to me in that it brings back memories of working out side in the fall cutting firewood with the Iowa or Iowa State football games on the tractor radio and wondering where my little brother was hiding so he wouldn't have to do as much work. We usually found him in the house drinking hot chocolate and reading, especially if it was cold.  (Sorry Andy I just had to go there.)

4. Bicycles - Not only do they help keep me in shape so I can enjoy my favorite brew from Shiner,TX,  they also give me something to share with my kids.  We get to go on rides together, watch the Tour de France, and share a classic sense of freedom.

3. Good tools - While I typically don't have as much time to use them as I would like, my tools help me maintain the house, fix kids toys and make new things.  Having good tools makes the job get done faster and easier. Fixing and building new things helps me stay in touch with that side of men that enjoy knowing we can make things.  Too many of us just generate reports, or manage people who do and forget the spiritual satisfaction of taking raw materials, investing time and creativity to create something that doesn't evaporate when we turn off our computer.

2. The Internet - Yes, kind of a big generic thing to be thankful for but it has helped me this year with a lot of specific things. Facebook has helped me connect with family across the country and keep up to date on people down the street.  LinkedIn helps me as I stay connected with my work network and make getting a job easier for a lot of people. Blogger for giving me a place to express my self and Twitter to have a new gadget to play with and keep us informed on breaking news like Michael Jackson's death and what color underwear Ashton Kusher is wearing today.

1. Not having a job - Yes that is a bit over the top even for this blog but the truth is not having a job has given me a lot of things to be thankful for. De-compressing from the rat race,  spending time with my kids and wife, meeting new people, getting things done around the house that I wouldn't have done if I were working, learning new things and all the other No Job Joys that I have written about.

No Job Joy #63 Camping in the rain update

As you may have read in my last post I was headed for a wet camping experience so I wanted to update you on our adventure.  A job search is very similar to camping in the rain.  Your attitude can make or break your search and interviews. Try new things you might surprise yourself.  Finally while being unemployed is not a great place to be, it is worse in your mind than reality.

While it was raining as the boys hiked in and the adults set up, the rain did end before lights out.  Unfortunately we did get another shower around 2AM.  We woke up to wet grass and some soggy trails.  Regardless the boys and the adults went about the activities of the day with enthusiasm. After lunch the sun even came out to help dry things out. 

A few things to take from this experience.  First is that attitude is everything.  As we were driving up none of the boys cared that they would be hiking and setting up tents in the dark and in the rain.The boys could have been complaining about getting wet.  When they came into camp they were laughing and joking. When you are interviewing the same thing applies.  You can't worry about how long the search may be or what if I don't have enough experience. Your attitude will carry the day.

Second you may be surprised what you can accomplish if you try.  Setting up in the dark can be hard add rain and things can get challenging because you want to hurry to keep things dry. Despite the challenge, all the boys were dry and happy on Saturday showing they could get the job done.  Working a job search will have many challenges and give you plenty of chances to give up. If you do you will be wet longer.  If you try your best odds are you will get dry faster.

Finally things are never as bad as you think they might be. As you might have gathered from my last post I felt there was a good chance we would be wet and cold on Saturday morning. Even though it rained during the night, things dried out and everyone had a great day.  Despite all my concerns about getting wet and cold, proper planning and execution kept us warm and dry.   In your job search  you may go through some rough times but if you have done your preparation and have a good attitude things will likely be worse in your mind than they are in reality.

Today's No Job Joy is for camping in the rain and staying dry.

No Job Joy #62 Camping in the rain

Tonight my oldest son and I are headed out for a Boy Scout Campout.  Our troop goes rain or shine so the fact that it is raining and  is forecast to rain all night is not great news. Setting up tents and sleeping in the rain is not an ideal way to camp.

The thing is camping in the rain is a lot like getting laid off. Do you want to do it? No. Do you have a choice? No.  Is it going to be fun? No.Will you remember it? Yes.  Can you grow from it? Yes!

The this camp out will mean struggling to keep dry while doing the activities, cooking, sleeping and hanging out. While not typically seen as fun it will be a bonding experience. The boys will learn what they need to do to stay dry and may fail in their efforts.  They will learn can do more than they thought they could and in the end will have memories to share for years to come.

Being unemployed has the same opportunities for adults. I am not trying to say being out of work is a fun experience but it can be a real bonding experience and can teach us more about ourselves then we may think.  Odds are we will try new things and fail in our first attempt. We will think we are doing everything right and then realize we have wet socks until someone else shows us a better way to do things. We will also make new friends that we can have a shared experience and in the end be stronger for having been through it. 

So think of us tonight as we hope our tents don't leak and we try to avoid puddles.  My No Job Joy is that my socks get wet and I dry them out in new ways with new friends.

No Job Joy #61 Free webinars

A lot of people get caught in a rut when in their job search. You have looked at your resume for the one millionth time trying to find that silver bullet to make sure you get a call back.  You have emailed your network so many times they start filtering your messages to their spam folder and you have bruises on your ego from every network connection that has lead to a dead end. 

This is the time to look for new ideas. New ways to connect, new people to talk to, new things to learn.  Here one thing I have used to get connected with a new company.

Have a target company?  Find out if they are doing any webinars.  Almost all do and they are almost all free.  During the webinar ask a question.  Make sure it is relevant and try to make sure you are identified in the question. 

As you are in the webinar get the contact information of the presenter.   Many times the presenter will put their contact information in the presentation. Otherwise you will have to call the company.

After the webinar contact the presenter with a follow up. Once you have asked the second question you have established a relationship that can let you open up about your interest in their company and ask to set up some time to talk with them about their industry and opportunities in general in their company. As with any other kind of networking interview you are not asking them for a job. Just information. They are doing you a favor so respect their time.  Only if THEY think you may have something to offer their company can you ask if there is a referral bonus at their company and ask how to best make this a win win.

Yes this takes some time and may be out of your comfort zone but it can be a great way to learn something new about a new company and get a connection.

Today's No Job Joy is about connecting out of the box.
Share your out of the box ways of connecting to new people or networks by commenting below.

No Job Joy #60 Other skills

This weekend I was remind twice that my value as a person is not defined by what I do to make a living.  The first was at a get together for my oldest son's football team.  Over the years my love of photography and the fact that I have some of the best equipment has made me the unofficial team photographer. Most parents have stopped taking their cameras relying on me to take and post photos.

As I thought our gathering might be the last time we would all be together I made my usual team video of still shots that I had taken during the season. Each parent was amazed at the shots of the boys.  The fact that I can make them happy with something I love to do reinforces that I am not just a job.

The second time I was reminded of this was as I was working on another home improvement project. Having the right tools and the ability to use them the right way to get the job done really helps boost ones confidence and drive home the fact that I am not just a job.There is something about making sawdust that makes you feel good.

Today's No Job Joy is the satisfaction of completing a project and using talents other than those that people pay you  for.

Wrestling with Grandma Hayes

This week end our 91 year old neighbor was in the alley with her walker sweeping the leaves from three oak trees off her driveway. Seeing that she had a huge chore in front of her, my wife, brother in-law and youngest son went out and helped her bag up the leaves. 

Then my son who couldn't be stopped, started raking the yard, even though they have a lawn service.  All told we bagged up 8 very large bags of leaves. My neighbor an her husband we very grateful and that was all the thanks we needed. We know they wanted to pay  us but since they weren't expecting us they didn't have any money out so we quickly said you are welcome and left before they could go get any.

Today as I was in the alley, she found me and tried to pay me again.  I politely said thank you but no several times. From there our verbal struggle of wills became physical as she stuffed the bills in my pocket. Now I knew I was in trouble. I tried to hand her the money back but she wouldn't take it.  You would be surprised how strong a 91 year old can be. 

As we were in the alley and she had a walker so I knew this wouldn't end well. If I try to out run her I look like I am running from a little old lady. If I stand and fight I risk getting beat up by an old lady.  A no win situation. So I took the money on the understanding that it would go into my son's camping gear fund.   A compromise that lets her feel good about paying us for our good deed and I still get to feel good about doing it.

I think she really wants a throw down with me as she wants me to take a look at fixing some cracking cinder blocks in her alley as she noticed I was going to fix some of mine. I don't know how I will get out of this one.

How being unemployed is like having a disease - part 4 - Better than a cassarole

When people have a serious illness their friends really want to help. They bring meals, they pray, they help run kids to activities and help reduce the stress of day to day activities. Friends and loved ones do this because they care and want to help the family focus on getting better and because they want to be able to do something.

When people are unemployed their friends often want to help them but often don't know how. Meals,  money and babysitting are helpful but they seem to much like charity to be helpful.  Since most people don't have a spare job lying around that they can give a friend, they often feel helpless.  This often makes people frustrated as they want to help but are afraid to ask how, because they are worried about hurting the person who is unemployed and confuse friendly assistance with charity.

So what can friends do to help.  As I mentioned in the last post i this series,  just be a friend and care.  Ask how we are doing and not just on the job front.  Ask about our kids and spouses just like we had a job. This is a temporary situation. We are not contagious.

Second help your friends network.  This is hard for a lot of people especially those who haven't looked for a job in many years.  The rules have changed and learning them on the fly can be a challenge.  While you can't do their work for them, be willing to offer connections and honest feedback when asked for help. We know our employed friends are feeling stress from the economy and are afraid they may join us in the job search.Reaching out to your network for someone else is a great, no pressure way for you  to reconnect with people you many need help from if you do get laid off.

Finally, connect with and keep current your social networking profiles and connections. This is big tool for most job searchers and the better connected you are the more you can help your friends. Sharing a personal connection is probably the best thing you can do for someone who is looking. Tools like LinkedIn help your friends know who you know that could be of assistance or may even be the person they are interviewing with.

While none of these taste as good as a casserole, this is what you can do to help your friends and help you feel like you have some control in your own life which may be crazy with job stress. Just like helping a sick friend, helping a friend get a job will make you feel good too.

No Job Joy #59 New Ideas

Today I went to see T. Boone Pickens do a town hall meeting at UTDallas.  While I had heard some of the story it was interesting to hear it first hand.  Not many 81 year olds can talk for an hour with out notes.

The thing I appreciate about Mr. Pickens is that he has gotten behind an idea, stuck with it, spend his own money and is using consensus to make something bigger than himself happen. The cynic in my says wait and see he will make money on the deal but as would rebut that he's 81.  This is for the future.

I can't say whether or not I agree with his plan as I haven't looked at it closely, yet I am intrigued that he is  promoting a solution that has significant impact and that he apparently would get minimal personal gain.

So my No job joy for today is new ideas and people with the courage to stand up and make sure something happens

No Job Joy #58 Not Fall yet

Today's No Job Joy is an easy one. A sunny 75 degree day with no wind.  Guess I jumped the gun on getting out the long sleeve jerseys.

Perfect  day for a bike ride around the lake. So I put on a sleeveless jersey, flew around the lake twice in 57 minutes averaging 20.5 MPH.  Even if I was working I would have played hooky today.  Not having a job just means I could do it with out feeling guilty about all the work I was missing.

No Job Joy #57 The fantasy of job descriptions or why all resumes are works of fiction

Those of us in Texas, few will forget Lena Guerrero who lied on her resume saying she was a University of Texas Grad.  Whoops.  The sad thing is when someone lies on their resume they can be blackballed, fired or even prosecuted. Yet when the employers write job descriptions often they are as much fantasy as Harry Potter or StarWars.

Some times the fiction is intentional.  By over stating requirements companies hope to reduce the number of applicants to a manageable level.  For others it is about trying to get Jesus to come work at their company because not only must the candidate walk on water they must make coffee. Finally there are those requirements that are listed just to take up space.

Some of my favorites include:

"10 plus years working with social media" - Unless you were a founder of MySpace or Facebook no one meets that requirement.

"Must have a history of exceeding quota". - Okay, unless its an entry level position isn't this one assumed? The problem is that really good sales people have found a comfortable home and have no intention of leaving unless the comp plan changes.

"Excellent PC Skills" -  Hey, I sent you my resume on a computer doesn't that count? Besides, unless you are applying for Executive Assistant job, who is going to ask? 

"Integrity and Professionalism". -  Since there is no such thing as a perfect match isn't every job candidate lying when they say they meet every requirement for the job? 

"Ability to multi-task" - Means we can overwork you and you know you can't say anything or we will give you more work

"Exceptional communication skills".-  Note to men, never list you your wife as a reference.

"Self Motivated and Proactive" - What? You mean I can't just show up and collect a check?

Just like writing a good resume,  writing a good job description is more of an art than a science.Today's no job joy is for the creativity required to hire and get hired.

How being unemployed is like having a disease - part 3

I remember more than once when I was growing up and not feeling well my Mom saying "go out and clean the hog house. The fresh air will make you feel better."  Any one who has ever been in a hog house knows the air in there is anything but fresh but who is going to argue with their mother. I think she was trying to make sure I wasn't faking it.

When people are sick they often and for good reason try to keep away from other people.  This is to help keep others from getting sick and often to help recover. Staying home, watching TV and not getting with friends is usually a good idea. And if you are a man you will avoid going to the doctor at almost any cost.

The thing is sometimes people who are unemployed get the same way.  They want to stay at home, watch TV and not reach out to people who might help them.  Just like with a disease, some time alone can be good if it is used to help you "recover"  from being unemployed such as self assessment, organization or learning new things. But when we get to the point where we are staying at home because you don't want to bother people or are afraid to let people know you are sick (unemployed) for fear of pity that is a bad thing.  Just like not going to see the doctor you aren't going to get any better if you don't get help.  

At the end of the day, after cleaning the hog house,  I usually did feel better, not necessarily cured but better.  Whether it was from the sense of accomplishment or just getting off the couch and moving around like I was well it usually helped. Being unemployed is the same way. Getting up and doing something will not only make you feel better but it will get you closer to recovery than just laying around.

No Job Joy # 56 What's possible

When you first are unemployed most people go through some kind of self evaluation. Most of us go into some "What If?"  questioning but usually apply a bit of reality and come back to something somewhere close to where we came from. 

This isn't necessarily bad depending on your goals.  If you need to have cash flow or really loved your job its okay. But if you didn't have either of those conditions what would you do?  How crazy would your ideas get?  What would happen if we didn't apply the dose of reality and just asked "What would it take?" and did it?

Would we end up in the Peace Corp?  Start a Non-Profit?  My guess is what ever we did, we would end up doing something we love and doing it better than anyone else doing it, because we would be passionate about it.  It's been said "do something you love and you will never work another day in your life". The more I look at job descriptions the more I think this is true.  While I haven't found my perfect job yet I am still looking for what I want to be when I grow up.

Will you have to make sacrifices? Probably but if you really love it you will make the change.Do these changes get more complicated with a spouse and kids and college tuition? Absolutely.  But they will never get any easier and there will never be a "right" time.  In five years will you be in a better place or just five years older.  That is the difference in looking at whats possible.

Today's No Job Joy is looking at what's possible.

Don't be the safe choice. Be the best choice.

Those of us looking for our next job understand that employers are looking for the "best" candidate.  This usually means someone who has the exact experience in the exact industry. The safe choice.  It often doesn't mean the one that is going to give the best effort, have the best ideas but the one that is the safest. They have experience doing things the way they have always been done and get safe results.

The challenge for job hunters is that we have to choose to either be the safe choice or the right choice. This can be hard when changing industries or roles and are up against safer choices. The comfortable thing to do is try to be what they want, not what they need.  Given the option most companies will take the comfortable way out. This means lower risk but also typically lowers the reward as well. 

The thing is if you are changing jobs or positions you won't win head to head with someone who has been in the industry or done the same role. Right now there is typically at least one safe choice interviewing for every job. You have to be different to stand out and to help yourself become not the safe choice but the right choice and there is a wide difference in the two.

The good thing is that as a free agent you have the time and perspective to come up with new and different ideas of how to do things.  You are not constrained by the status quo.  You have the opportunity to see things from a different perspective and translate them in to new ways of doing things. These ideas can come from webinars, different industries,  cultures or just your own creativity. Now I am not saying you need to suggest something crazy that will get you laughed out of the interview.  I am saying you have the chance to be anything you want.  You have the opportunity to show how a little risk now can deliver bigger results by doing things in a new way. 

Yes it takes a lot of work and some skill to take over an interview show your ideas. A few things you have to do. Use your unique experience and ideas to show that you have the right ideas for the position you are interviewing with.  This will require some research and a lot of preparation.  You have to show that you know how things are done now, then formulate a plan that is different than what they are doing today that can add value to their business and make them successful.  If you can make some one be more successful than the other guy you have just become the right choice.  That doesn't mean that you will always get the job.  Some people are just too comfortable to risk the right choice over the safe choice but if you do it right you will end up with a better company doing something unique and likely be more successful than being the safe choice.

How being unemployed is like having a disease part 2 - the elephant in the room

Have you ever been around your friends and you feel like they are ignoring you or being very careful about what they say around you? If you are currently looking for a job, that is the elephant in the room.

While I am not or doctor nor do I play one on TV, I just want to clarify something or those of you with jobs. Losing your job is not contagious.  That doesn't mean it can't happen to you, it just means that you can't get it from talking with a jobless person. Treat us like we are your friend.

Just like with a disease, some people are afraid to ask how things are going?  Have you found a job yet?  So the elephant appears. While it is nice of them to be concerned about our feelings most of us know that our current condition is temporary.

One example of the elephant in the room is when  friends don't talk about work around you.  They don't want you to feel bad that you can't contribute or they feel guiilty complaining about something at their work knowing it really could be worse. Hey we all realize if it was all fun they wouldn't call it work so having a beef about your boss or a customer is not a big deal.

Most of us looking for a job are not going to bring up our situation to avoid seeming needy or to avoid bringing down the conversation in a social setting.  This is how the elephant in the room gets bigger. If we as job seekers don't work it into our conversation we miss an opportunity. No I don't mean another chance to complain about the economy or that jerk of a hiring manager who couldn't see you were the best person for the job. What I mean is that the person you are talking with might be able to help you and doesn't know you are still looking and may need their help. I am not saying make the whole conversation about you but try to add in the fact that you are looking at new opportunities.

To help make things easier, here are a few things both sides can do.

When talking with someone you know is looking just ask  "So how is the job search going?"  or "I know you were looking, is there anything I can do to help?"   These are non judgmental and supportive ways to get the elephant out of the room.

The job seeker can help by not forcing the conversation to being all about them and their search. Just talk to your friends like they are friends.  You don't want to sound desperate, or obsessed.  This will make the elephant grow even larger the next time you run into that friend. One way to bring up the topic is mentioning a recent success or new opportunity you are working on. This keeps things positive and you can still ask for help if you need it.

While there is a time and a place for venting about the ups and downs of job searching, make sure you do it with the right friends and at the right time because cleaning up after an elephant is a messy job.

Great teachers vs fun teachers

On Facebook, my high school fan page had poll asking who was your favorite teacher which usually means which on was the most fun.  It was interesting to see how the responses varied.  I wonder if the results would change if the question was which teacher had the most impact on you as a person or which teacher did you learn the most from. 

At the risk of offending teachers who were important to me in different way I want to talk about a couple that really stood out,  Mr. Tam and Max Whitlock.

Mr. Tam taught advanced math and computer science back in the day of the Apple II. He made learning interesting but was also a tough teacher. He challenged us and made us earn his respect and our grades.  You might think that because he taught advanced math that we didn't have  fun. Mr. Tam had the amazing ability to be writing on the chalk board (yes I am dating myself) and if you were talking when you weren't supposed to he could break the chalk, throw one piece at you (and hit you 9 times out of ten) catch the other piece of chalk and keep writing with out turning around to look at you. He also invited his Sr. Advanced Math Class to his house every year for dinner. For the reason mentioned above I think most of my classmates enjoyed these classes because these teachers lead us into adult hood where respect was earned and given in both directions.

Another teacher that I think a lot of my classmates underrate is Max Whitloch.  While I'm sure that being a legally blind band teacher had many challenges but knowing music and kids weren't among them for Max. He knew all the pieces we played to the note for every instrument. One of the things I don't think we appreciated about Max was how much he loved music and wanted to share that love with his students. It was a big part of his life and teaching a love of music to high school kids was what he did and did very well.  Max could sit down at the piano and play just about any song you could name by ear.  We played tough music especially when you consider we were a small school and almost everyone in the school was in band so Max had a wide range of talent to work with.  Despite the talent mix, Max often had more musicians in the All State bands than most schools several times our size. One things I am glad I had the opportunity to do was after graduating coming back for a concert and introducing a march that was commissioned in Max's name so that his commitment to music and teaching high school kids would be remembered.  

There were other teachers who were just as dedicated and maybe more fun. All the teachers I had in school were important in one way or another.  Thanks to them and every teacher like them who make an impact on kids.

No Job Joy #55 Yes it is all about me! Or maybe not.

Job searching is a very personal ordeal.  You are constantly putting your self out there to be judged by complete strangers as to your worthiness for a job. Because of the rejection we are always judging ourselves and are very focused on what we are doing right or wrong as we look for that next job.

This can make one anything from paranoid to narcissistic.  I don't know about anyone else but when I get excited about an opportunity I tend to ramble on, bounce ideas off of, second guess and other wise verbally gush any random thought to my wife. 

What we as job searchers forget is that there are often others who are helping us along the way.  No I don't mean headhunters or network contacts. I mean our family.

I am lucky that my wife is willing to listen to my ramblings and my schizophrenic ups and downs as I go through this process.  I am even more fortunate that she understands my non verbal signals as well.  She can tell when I am stressed and really need to go for a ride and helps me to work that in our schedule. She also helps keep the kids off me when I need some extra space. She does all this with out judging me and still accepts who I am and know that she loves me not my job. Her words not mine.

So today I am thankful for the people who listen, support, encourage and give hope to those of us looking for our next job.

How being unemployed is like having disease part 1- Everyone wants to help

Being unemployed shares a lot of characteristics of a serious disease. I am in no way making fun of people who are truly sick or those who help them. I am just trying to show a lighter way for people to relate to their friends who are looking for work.

With the disclaimer out of the way on to part one.

One good thing about being unemployed is that just like when you are sick most people want to help you.    What ever their motivation everyone wants to be there for you.  The bad thing is just like being sick, unless your friends are doctors or have a job for you, there us usually little they can actually do for you.

First, there are those who want to help and don't know you or how to cure you.  They are a lot like a quack doctor with a miracle cure.  They have a friend who is making $3000 a week at home stuffing envelopes and they can hook you up.  Or they think that just because you helped them plug in their computer once you are a computer genius.  To them you are qualified for any job that is vaguely related to computers from a programmer to a Best Buy sales person. These people have their heart in the right place but they are not going to help you solve your problem

Next is the support system. Just like with a disease you need a strong support system. Those who want to help but can't really do anything tangible for you but are there for you anyway.  Its not that they don't want to help they just don't have the resources/connections so they do what they can. These are accountability groups, family, friends, and others.  They offer you moral support and encouragement. They can relate to you because they know you well and have been or are in the same place you are now.   These are important people for you as they can give you good advice, let you vent when you are frustrated and help pick you up on those days when you got rejected for the 10,000th time and are about ready to start delivering pizza.
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Finally there are the doctors and nurses.  These are the people who can really help you.  They come in many forms.  Friends, family, former co-workers, friends of friends and sometimes complete strangers.  These are the people with jobs or connections that can get you closer to employment and being cured. There are generalist - people with a lot of connections that can help you narrow down what you want to do and how to get the job you want.  There are also specialists - headhunters, executives and others with connections to the right people to get you hired.

No one wants to be sick or unemployed and we are all thankful for the help we get. Keep on helping even if you don't think you are doing any good. 

Am I really this old?

Twelve years ago today I became a father.  It is pretty cool that my oldest son is playing football, loves to read and is starting to have a sixth grade interest in girls. But am I really old enough to have a 12 year old? 

I will spare you the it seems like just yesterday line.  I am looking at the reality part.  The good news is that in 10 years he should be done with college and off my pay roll.  Then I just have to worry about his younger brother.

Catching up with people from high school and college I have found friends who have kids getting married and having kids.  Which seems really weird for me to imagine some of those people as parents let alone grandparents. Maybe I suffer from the "forever young" syndrome or maybe its because I haven't been back to any of my high school reunions and have really only been back to my home town once in the last 15 years but somethings won't change in my mind.

I guess this is a good thing if you subscribe to the "you are only as old as you feel" philosophy.  That means I will always be about 35 in my mind with the benefit of experience.  Though every time one of my kids has a birthday,  I will get a subtle reminder that yes I really am that old.

No Job Joy #54 Teaching our kids

Kids learn more from their parents than we ever imagine.  It always amazes me when my kids are in the next room and I am talking with my wife about something then a week later they will ask a question about a conversation we were having, assuming they weren't listening.  

There are two lessons to learn from this.  First is your kids are always listening even if they don't respond. (yes this applies to when you ask them to pick up their socks and you get no response)  The second is they learn a lot from us even when we aren't teaching.

As anyone who has read this blog before knows I am all about having a positive attitude. This is one of the things I am trying to pass on to my kids. Being unemployed has given me a great way to teach my kids some tough life lessons. Things like saving for a rainy day is more than an expression,  money isn't everything and family is, personal responsibility and faith. . This isn't the way I wanted to teach some of these lessons but I have the chance to show my kids through my actions how to handle life when the unexpected happens. Chances are I will learn a few things in the process, I just hope I am setting a good example for them.

Today's joy is the chance to teach my kids real life values.

No Job Joy #53 Staying home

At this time last year I was on a plane almost every week. Being exposed to all the people who had who knows what kind of crud, yet some how I mananged to dodge the flu bullet.  This year I am on a new form of involuntary quarantine. Unemployment.

The good news is you can't get swine flu from a phone interview which I have been doing a lot of lately.  I just hope that I don't develop some kind of paranoia about the flu that turn into Monk where I have to sanitize everything.  

The bad news is that I am with my kids more so if they get exposed my odds of staying healthy go down.  The same is true for my new unemployed friends and that means we will get to be the nurse for our kids, something the working world does little to prepare us for.

I am taking additional precautions in that I am working out regularly so I stay fit and at my peak ability to fight off any nasty stuff that comes my way. Another benefit of not working. My heart goes out to those who have the flu or are caring for someone who has it.  My guess is they wouldn't trade positions with me so I will just enjoy my seclusion.

No job Joy # 52 Finding one that fits or why interviews don't suck part 2

No I haven't found a job yet, but I have been interviewing. When job hunters read a job description their mind does a funny thing. It makes them a perfect fit for almost any job.

We all know that isn't true but as job hunters write cover letters and customize our resume trying to match our experience with the description and requirements, we start telling ourselves what a great job this will be and that they are crazy if they don't hire me. While yes we want a job, getting one that is a bad fit can create as many problems as it solves. The last thing you want is to end up out of a job again in six months because you accepted a job that didn't fit. You put at risk your credibility, add an awkward entry on your resume which can make things harder later.

On those few that we actually get an interview, we have the opportunity to get a real feel for what the job is. Sometimes a realization starts to come over us. There is no way we are going to get this job and that isn't a bad thing. Taking a job that doesn't fit is like buying shoes that don't fit. Eventually you are going to have to take it off and that is going to hurt.

Today's joy is having interviews to make sure this one fits.


Today's joy is that the interview process help us find good fit as much as it does the employer.

No Job Joy #51 Walking to school

Yes, No job joys are back. Not every day but I keep writing them.

We are lucky that we live close enough to school that we can walk our kids to school in the morning. Being home now I get to walk with them at least a couple times a week.

This is time that I had occasionally while I was working but now I get to do more regularly. I get to spend more time with my kids and learn more about what makes them tick as they enter the years where I will quickly know absolutely nothing and will not be allowed to be seen with them.

A few other observations.

Over the last few years I have noticed each year a few more people walking their kids to school. This is cool on several fronts. Fewer people driving their kids 5 blocks to school. Kids getting a little more exercise. I would say fresh air but we have so many ozone days I am not sure about that. This also means more people are talking with their kids in the morning.

Lately I have noticed the same little girl walking to school eating her pop tart or breakfast bar or what ever Dad grabbed for her as they walked out the door. At least she is getting breakfast and some quality time with Dad. When she is older she will pass these memories on to her kids.

We also seem to have more community as we see the same people and actually stop and talk about what is going on in our neighborhood.

Finally I had someone who drives their kids to school tell me that they used us a measurement as to whether they were early or late to school based on where they passed us. Glad we could help.

Today's long No Job Joy is taking the time to get out and walk to school.

Fixing the mower - for life.

Sunday afternoon was spent working in the yard. I am fortunate enough that at least one of my sons likes to help. So while he was mowing, the drive wheels on the mower just stopped working. It was getting warm and I had a lot of other things I wanted to get finished.

After turning over the mower I see that the belt that drives the wheels has come off the pulley. Of course the pulley is behind a guard and tucked in the back end of the mower. I get the tools and my son helps with a few of the bolts and the blade so we can get the guard off.

When we get the guard off I explain to him how the drive works and what we have to do to get it working again. Then he says "You're a good Dad. You know how to fix lots of things." I tell him I learned a lot of things on the farm that help me know how things work and Grandpa Larry showed me a lot of things just like I am showing him.

It took us more than 30 minutes to do a ten minute job. But, it's moments like these where you understand how important it is to take the extra time to show your kids what you are doing instead of just getting it done as fast as you can. Between my Father and Grandpa Chester I had two good teachers who showed me what to do and let me try so I could understand. I only hope that when my son has kids he can show them how to fix things not just for the moment but for life.

Why interviews don't suck

Interviews. Job seekers beg and plead for them yet they cause more stress than just about any human experience. Don't get me wrong, any time you have an interview there is a lot to stress about. Getting dressed up. Thinking about what questions you will get asked and how you will respond? What if I screw up my dream job? And on and on. If you aren't careful you can work yourself into a real tizzy and that solves nothing.

In the spirit of giving a speech and picturing the audience naked, did you ever stop to thing about the person on the other side? Interviewing may be no walk in the park for them either. They may have had to fly in for the interview so they are away from their family and worrying about their real job while they are talking with you. They have to dress up too which for some companies means trading jeans for ties. You may be their ideal candidate and even though it is a buyers market, they have to sell you on why you should work there. Having to think up good interview questions can cause them a lot of stress too. They don't want to ask something stupid or illegal and get sued.

So far I have talked about why they do suck. So now why they don't. An interview is a chance to meet with someone who actually has a job. A chance to do something that while stressful is better than completing yet another online application that will be sucked into resume hell.

Next, you need a job and they have one. Go get it! This is the firewalk you have to do to get it so be prepared. They need to hire someone because otherwise someone is doing two people's jobs and likely doing neither of them effectively.

Finally, prepping for an interview is a great chance for you to improve your attitude. As you focus on the interview you get to think about how great you are and how well you can do that job. Will you screw up? Maybe but if you don't put yourself out there you can't win either. And don't forget they other guy isn't Jesus so he isn't perfect either.

I'm not saying don't get excited or put a lot of energy and effort getting and preparing for interviews. I am saying take that energy and focus it in the right direction. Good luck and go get that job!

Stand up straight!

"If every one else jumped off a bridge would you?" and "Stand up straight", are just a few of the standard things every parent has to tell their kids, right up there with "don't pick your nose" and "don't eat off the floor".

As we grow up we usually see the wisdom in their words and often find ourselves repeating them to our kids. While my parents passed on these and many other gems, one conversation I had with my Mother stands out. No, this wasn't THE talk but I remember she passed on several of the classics that still apply to me today and I hope those who are looking for work right now can use.

First, is "Stand up straight". Yes, very cliche but standing up straight is a something to remember when looking for a job. You need to be proud of who you are and who you want to become. If you are hunched over and negative why would someone want to hire you? As a side note, it has been proven that taller people get paid more.

Second, " only compare yourself to the person looking back at you in the mirror". No one else has your talents, priorities and value. Others may have more money or seem more successful but at the end of the day we all made trade offs to be who we are. You are unique and it is something to be proud of. So stand up straight.

Finally, "there will always be someone better than you". Maybe not today or tomorrow but someday there will be. She didn't mean don't try to be great. What she meant was we all have our day in the sun and those days are numbered. Brett Farve are you listening? So you always need to be learning new things to be prepared for the day when you are no longer the best. This builds humility and a realization that no one is successful on their own and that needing help is not a weakness.

Now that I have boys of my own and see them moving toward that peer driven world of middle school and high school, I hope I can pass on these gems in a way that will help them be better people. I do this with the hope that every generation has that my children will learn from my mistakes.

Walking Beans

Unless you grew up in Iowa or somewhere in the Midwest, you have no idea what I mean when I say we walked beans. Some where between the invention of the combine and genetic engineering Iowa farmers decide they needed to make sure that their bean fields were free of weeds so they invented bean walking.

For those of you who didn't grow up on a farm in Iowa, walking beans consists of each person taking responsibility for 6 to 8 rows of beans and using a hoe to cut out any weeds you saw with out taking out too many bean plants. This is usually done in the mornings to avoid the heat of the day or to be available for baling hay after the dew had burned off. (See my last post for how much fun that is.)

The fields we walked were anywhere from 5 to 80 acres with rows ranging from 200 yards to over half a mile in length. So we certainly got our exercise. Fortunately most of the fields we walked were owned by my Grandpa so we got paid pretty well for walking beans. Plus, we always had the chance to eat Grandma's cooking and raid the cookie jar.

Now I have heard multiple explanations for why we walked beans. They range from the weeds clog the combine to farmers wanted to make sure their fields looked better than their neighbors. Now the amazing thing is I have found out that walking beans is a very regional ritual. Which really makes me wonder was it really necessary at all. On recent trips home I have seen fields with plenty of weeds visible from the road. Yet kids don't walk beans any more.

There are various reason why they don't which anyone who isn't a farmer really won't care about. Which leads me to believe that I spend a lot of time walking up and down rows of beans carrying a hoe for no reason other than to make the field look pretty. I always wondered why when we were behind we only walked what you could see from the road.

But maybe there were other reasons. It was a good way to keep kids occupied, teach them the value of doing a job right and what full days work was. Possibly it was a way to motivate us to go to college so we wouldn't be walking beans after high school. Maybe it was a way for my Grandpa to spend time with his Grand kids, passing on stories and even sharing a little wealth, not all of it being monetary.

Walking beans may have been a superficial thing to do but sometimes things we do show their value in their own way and in their own time.

Baling Hay

A friend of mine on Facebook posted a simple request this weekend. "Anyone bored? Come help me bale some hay." Unfortunately for him the only help he got were some smart aleck responses mostly focused around showing up after he was done.

His post reminded me of growing up. We baled a lot of hay on the farm. Either for our animals or for others. One thing you have to do is bale the hay while it is dry. Otherwise it rots in the barn and the bales are darn heavy. So you make hay while the sun shines as the old expression goes. This is much like a job search. When you see opportunities you have to take advantage of them and you can't do it half way. You have to commit to finishing it while the sun is up or you may miss your chance.

Another thing it made me think of is storing up for when things aren't so plentiful. Farmers store hay to get through the winter or times when grass won't grow. Kind of a safety net. This is a lot like a rainy day fund. I don't know how much hay to store up but I know if I don't have 6 months of hay in my barn it is time to get baling.

The last thing was the hay loft. There are few smells that are better on earth. The dry hay stacked tall to the roof of the barn. Stacking in the barn was often the hardest part. No wind to cool you off on a hot summer afternoon and often having to throw bales over your head to get them stacked right. But I remember the feeling at the end of the day when the last rack was unloaded to sit in the door of the barn and smell the hay as you are hit by the first breath of cooler air and the satisfaction of having completed the task.

Much like our professional lives, we do a lot of hard work but often don't take the time to smell the hay or put some away for a rainy day. Not to call bosses cows but it is kind of ironic that farmers often call cows "Boss" or "Bossy". Another bit of irony is that neither of them often appreciate the hard work we do for them but at the end of the day we have to keep both happy or we don't eat.

Possessed

Before I get into today's post I want to pass on a hearty congratulations to Mark, one of the friends I have made while in my job search. This week he accepted a position that he had been working for several month and will start in a few weeks. Great to hear that things are starting to move ahead on the job front. Any way onto today's post.

I have always had a way with computers. Ever since I was a kid and I learned wordstar on an old green screen PC.

Its not that I could make them do anything special its just that they either did what I wanted them to or they quickly learned that I would beat them into submission. After going head to head with a computer they tended to learn that they couldn't win so they did what I wanted.

My wife seems to think that I perform some kind of voodoo on computers. At least once a week, usually when she is doing PTA stuff she will ask me to take a look at something. It is usually something like a formatting or searching for something.

To give her credit she is pretty good with computers and knows how most applications are supposed to work. If she calls me I know that she has tried to figure it out on her own multiple times and is getting frustrated. The funny thing is that many times I don't even have to touch the computer for it to do what she thought she wanted it to do. It is as if I have some kind of aura and the computer knows that Master Yoda is in the room and it had better comply. Needless to say this drives my wife crazy.

As I said in my last post, we bought her a computer so she wouldn't have to come back into "the hole". Within a week she was convinced that I had taught her computer to respond only to me. It could be that I have her running a beta of Window 7 or it could just be my aura. Either way at least I will know that I will always be needed around our house to keep the PC gremlins at bay.

Old habits die hard

Not having a job one would think that I would have a spotless, totally organized office space. After all I have the time to keep it clean. Cleaning my office would make a great procrastination idea instead of sending one more resume to the dark hole of some web site.

No instead my office looks a lot like it did when I was working. But instead of whitepapers, presentations or emails I have print outs of job descriptions, articles on job searching, social networking white papers and the like.

The first habit to die hard is that of me having a messy office. I still have it. I don't see it going away any day soon. The hardest part of this habit was that the main home computer was also in my office. Susan HATES using the computer in my office.First because of the stacks of papers and stuff but also because she things I have trained the computer to only work properly for me.

Yes I do periodically clear off the top of the desk and get well deserved brownie points for making the office a place where Susan doesn't go into junk overload and just start tossing things out and occasionally I will come home and Susan will have organized things for me. But eventually, despite my best intentions, it does end up a mess within a few days.

Now for the second habit that dies hard. My wife not accepting that I will always have a messy office and that it doesn't bother me. Try as she might she just can't make me keep my office clean for more than a few days. She keeps trying and having hope that someday I will learn the ways of the force of clean. Just like Darth Vader I may not come around until its too late.

The final habit that won't die is that of my wanting to make my wife happy. The way we have come to get around our conflicting habits is that we broke down and bought Susan a laptop. This way she doesn't have to come back into the pit and get frustrated with me and I can have the office computer to my self. She still thinks that I have corrupted her laptop to only obey me but that is another topic.

So today I am glad for old habits and not all of them dying.

Mr. Mom must die

Like I said in my last post I really have enjoyed my summer, but part of being home more means taking more of the domestic duties. I have no problem cleaning the bathrooms every week (sorry guys don't let your wives see that part) or even dusting and vacuuming. Its part of being in a income household and I am cool with that. Today I realized several things that showed me that Mr. Mom must die.

First the grocery store. When you recognize all the stock clerks, know who the store manager is and know which checkers is the fastest you need to get a job.

Next when you are the only "room mom" who can make it on the teachers birthday, you have new incentive to get a job.

When you are the only parent in the lunch room with your kid, you know you need to get a job.

On the other hand doing these things shows my kids that I can do anything their mother can, though maybe not as well.

After I finished at the store and school I went home and reclaimed my manliness by fixing the toilet, replacing a sprinkler head and putting up two new fence boards. Nothing like a little physical labor to purge the homemaker in me at least till it is time for dinner.

Yes I really am in a good place

I have to say thanks to those who responded with their good wishes after my last post. It seems that some saw that I was not in a good place despite the fact that I have written 50 No Job Joys.

The fact is I really enjoyed my summer. Even though American Airlines isn't happy with me, my kids, my wife and my bike are all glad I am around more. I am happy because I got a chance to slow down, get a few things done see what good kids I have and become part of my families normal routine. In fact I am now more part of the routine that my wife is a lot of times but that is because she is taking advantage of having me around to have more flexibility with work, PTA, church and friends.

As they say all good things must come to an end. Despite the fact that we are still okay financially it is time for me to re-engage in the work place. Overall I see some very positive trends both for my self and many of my new and old friends who are looking for work. More interviews, better responses from contacts and good news in the paper are all great things.

Check out my next post to see where the blog goes from here. Thanks for reading.

No Job Joy #50 - I can't believe I am still writing

Hard to believe that I have written 50 of these. I get surprised at least once a week by someone I had no idea of how they would have found out about the blog and say they enjoy it.

I have been writing about some of the things I have seen as positive impacts of being laid off and how to keep ones spirits up while going through one of the most stressful times most adults go through. I hope you have enjoyed my musing. They have been of great help to me and I hope to some of you as well.

The focus of the blog is going remain focused on staying positive but I will start having more open ideas not just related to being out of work. No I haven't gotten a job yet. That is still a work in progress. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Today's joy is the joy of writing.

No Job Joy #49 Fight or Flight or ?

Animals have a simple decision to make when things are going bad- fight or flight. This isn't to say that animals aren't intelligent it only says they tend to work in black and white decisions. As humans we often respond the same way as animals but we do have an option. We can go against genetic programming and do something different.

Just like in our job searches we can fight and fight to where we think that there is no other option but to look somewhere else. It could be geographically or industry or function. This is still a fight or flight option.

What makes us different from animals is that we can look at how we are doing things and try to improve how we do them, We can look at our strengths and use them to our advantages to stay focused on our goals. We can work on our weaknesses and get stronger in that area through training or experience.

Today's joy is about the possibilities of doing things different or better to change the outcome. Instead of fight or flight we have better, faster, stronger, or smarter.

No Job Joy # 48 Run get a hammer

Growing up on a farm I remember doing a lot of projects with my Dad and older brothers. Putting a new porch on the house, fixing up the hog house, building fence and many others.

Being the tall skinny kid with long legs, when ever we were working on something and forgot a tool from the workshop guess who got to run get it? So many times I remember running like my life or that of my Dad or brothers depended on it because someone was always holding something heavy or that if they let go would cause a bigger problem. It seemed that half the time I would get back with the tool or board or what ever they asked for, gapsing for breath just to hear "Never mind we fixed it." That used to drive me crazy. I used to thing they did it on purpose just to watch me run. But on that rare occasion I would get there just in the nick of time to save the day.

I see a lot of parallels between fetching tools and the job search. Every time we have a job lead we run as fast as we can as if our lives depend on it only to find out later that they found another candidate or the position was eliminated. Funny thing is no matter how many times we hear "never mind" we still run, expecting to be useful or save the day.

We run because we care. We run because we have to for our families. We run because some day we want to be the one who tells someone else to run. We run because we don't want to have the regret of not running when it could have made a difference.

The thing about running is that in the big picture it is good for you. It makes it easier to run the next time as you get more practice. It makes you think about different ways to prevent running as much or take different paths to make things easier.

In the end, it only takes one time getting the tool there on time to make a difference. So as we run to our next jobs we need to keep joy in the potential to make a difference and the chance to learn how to run in new ways.

No Job Joy # 47 School starting again

It has been a great summer. Spending time with my family, riding and relaxing as much as you can with out a job. It has also been a time of taking care of the kids. While we have had fun it gets hard to focus and get a rhythm going when you may or may not have to manage the kids.

So although they are not wanting to go back to school and lets face it looking for a job is not exactly fun either I am glad that they will be back in school so I can focus and do what is necessary to move forward.

No Job Joy #46 Doing something new

Our parents told us we could be anything we wanted to if we work hard enough. That is partly true, it will take a lot of work to do what ever you want to do well.

It also takes the willingness to make trade offs. In some cases what we want to do doesn't enable us to have the kind of lifestyle we have or want. That is a trade off that has to be made. Not having a job right now may be the best thing if you want to do something you love.

Many people who are unemployed are looking at what is really important to them, To me being home and able to spend more time with family and friends is more important to me that it used to be. Others may see the opportunity to take a risk and live some where new.

What ever is important to you I would say follow it. If you say I will do that in 5 years, that is 5 years of not being as happy as you could be and you will be 5 years older when you get there.

Today's joy is the opportunity to do something new and make yourself happy.

No Job Joy # 45 Thank God its not Friday

The message today isn't about wishing your life away. I will let your parents or grand parents take that on. I am focused what farmers refer to as making hay while the sun shines.

For those of us not working we see all our working friends on Facebook or twitter posting "Is it Friday yet?" hoping to get to the weekend so they can relax. I'm not saying that people who are working and job hunters don't deserve a break and time to recharge.

What I am saying is Friday is a bad thing for those of us not working especially in the summer. Friday starts the weekend slow down. A time when people aren't posting new jobs, don't do networking meetings and don't get back to you on whether you have made the next round of interviews. So Friday just means three more days unitl you can move your search forward.

So my joy today is that it isn't Friday so that I have the opportunity to move closer to my next job.

No Job Joy # 44 Climbing the hill

Today I made my son get off the couch and go for a bike ride with me. Yes he would have preferred to stay inside reading or playing video games but I made him go anyway. On our ride we managed to find the few things we have that resemble hills around Dallas. It was a struggle for him. Personally I love climbing hills/mountains on my bike. When we go to Colorado my favorite parts are climbing Lookout Mtn or Loveland Pass (11,990 ft).

Life is a lot like climbing mountains on bike. It is tough going up but the ride down is so much sweeter when you have earned it. The job search can be the same way. Every day we struggle to get our resume to the top of the pile, then overcome the tough interviews and finally the stressful struggle of negotiating an offer. If it is a job we really want the challenges we face can add to the thrill of starting a new job. The satisfaction that you came out on top, that you got what you have been striving for can make the climb so much sweeter.

It is the thrill of the down hill that we need to focus on when the climb seems too steep or too long. If we want it bad enough we will get up the hill no matter what. Even if like my son you have to get off the bike and walk up the really big ones.

No Job Joy #43 Open to the possibilities

One challenge for job seekers is that we are often so focused on the goal we don't realize when the goal has moved. With all the stress of finances, social stigma, and just our own self esteem we often just keep pounding away at the same goal - GET A JOB!

This can create two problems. First is we get so obsessed with getting ANY job that we take the first thing that comes along without regard to the long term consequences. A lot of companies are concerned about this which is why they are stretching out the hiring process for candidates that are not a perfect fit to make sure they are going to be satisfied. Taking just any job can have a long term impact on your career which also has to be taken into consideration. Just because you are unemployed doesn't mean your next job can't add to your career path. The trick is to make sure you aren't too locked into a specific job. This leads into the second problem.

While I will be the first person to advocate patience in the job search, when we get focused on one or two requirements in a job we can limit the opportunities available to us. A friend of mine recently took a job with a major retailer in Arkansas. While he was initially skeptical, as he stepped back and looked at the possibilities for him self and his family, the opportunity he wouldn't have considered four months ago has great potential to increase his quality of life in ways he hadn't thought of before.

Today's No Job Joy is keeping our selves open to the possibilities that what we are looking for is not always what we thing it is.

No Job Joy # 42 More than our work.

While I know a lot of people who get their entire self worth/identity from what their job is, the reality is all of us are a lot more than our job.

I recently saw a business card for someone which truly listed what he was as a person. It included such things as father, husband , musician, but also some of his personal and technical skills and beliefs. All these things and more make up what we are as a person and what we can bring not only to a new company but also to the world.

The next time you are thinking that you are lost with out a job, step back and look at what you love to do, who you influence, how you spend your time and I think you will see that you are more than just your work.

No Job Joy #41 Routine

We all have our routines and schedules that we follow. For most of us it is that comfortable routine we call western civilization where we all get up 5 days a week and do what it is we do to pay the bills, play with our kids, look forward to the weekend. Repeat.

When you don't have a job there is a routine although it is different. It usually consists of getting up like the "normal" routine (although probably later) but it has many different directions. For some they have to shower, shave and put on "the uniform" to get focused on their job search. Other grab some coffee and wait till after lunch to get out of their jammies. Everyone is different so I am not here to judge. (BTW I am have heard more than once "Are you planning on showering today?" just so you know where I fit.)

From the coffee stage there is usually an online or phone component to the rest of the day. On good days there are group meetings to stay connected to your new network or if you are really lucky interviews. Those of you working I bet would never find your self wishing for another conference call or staff meeting. The unemployed crave them and seek them out. It they give us a sense of comfort and routine which is how we all function. The other difference for the unemployed is we don't get paid to go to our meetings.

There are all kinds of list of "habits" or "steps" the unemployed should follow to be effective in their job search. My take on this is as long as you are comfortable with your routine go with it. If it isn't actually helping you get a new job then don't complain when you are still in the same place when all your friends have landed and you haven't.

So today's Joy is the joy of routine and the hope that those of us have found a grove get to create a new one reall soon.

No job Joy #40 Time alone

I know it has been a while since my last post. Been taking some family time. Speaking of being with family, between networking, interviewing, catching up on honeydo's and just having a life we are always around people. Thankfully most are supportive and helpful. Once people know you are looking for a new job they all have advice, sympathy, and want to know how things are going. This is great for staying more than half full.

One thing though that we often need as we are faced with difficulties is a chance to reflect and let our mind see the possibilities. I am not saying pack your things and go on a quest or hitchhike across country. I am saying that we need time and space to breathe and understand that when we are under pressure sometimes we don't see all the options that are in front of us.

One time during the day I try to focus is when I ride. It is great as it is usually in the morning so my mind is fresh and I can get my arms around my day as well as see the bigger picture before sending resumes, following up on resumes and networking take over.

My no job joy today is for my time alone.

No job Joy #39 a break from the routine

When we are working the years and the quarters seem to go in a certain pattern. Q1 is always kick offs and recovering from Christmas and year end close. Q2 is the big first half push before summer starts. Q3 is summer break, catching up from vacation and getting the funnel full for Q4. Finally Q4 is the big push to close out the year.

Not working gives you a different schedule. You know the last 2 weeks of a quarter if you are looking for a sales job there will be a slow down in the hiring process as most sales managers are heads down closing business. There is still a summer lull but you can still use the time to connect with people as they are feeling less pressure and are relaxed from vacations.

Those of us looking right now are struggling through the slow summer season and getting ready for a big push once school starts. We need to be focuses on laying the ground work for our push and also recharging our batteries so we have a positive outlook when we get new opportunities in the fall.

So the joy for today is the chance to get ready both with contacts and rest as we break from the routine.

No Job Joy # 38 Good HR People

Getting hired can be a frustrating process as we all know. It isn't just the searching and interviews it is the waiting and not knowing. This is where good HR teams can make the difference.

We all hear the horror stories of job postings getting 400 resumes in an hour. While we get that it is a lot to sort through for the HR team who gets the first pass I think we forget that while a lot of it is computerized, there are still people on the other end. Those people probably don't have as many openings to manage as they used or as we would hope but the volume of resumes and compliance issues makes their jobs not fun. That excuses them for the automated acceptance/flush letters.

Where the good ones separate them selves is how they work with the potential hires. Being the first person a potential employee talks to, they can make or break the process from the searchers side. The good ones are well informed on the position and have anticipated the questions that the job searcher needs answered. Sometimes this is a simple as next steps but other times it can be more complex.

The most important thing the good ones do is follow up. Even if they don't know anything. They at least recognize that there is a person on the other end who has hopes of getting the job they have open. They realize that for job hunters, having voicemail or email go into a dark hole makes things worse.

Todays joy recognizes that the people who manage the hiring process are people too and like any other profession there are superstars and also rans. Thanks to all the good ones. You know who you are.

No Job Joy #37 LinkedIn

Today more than ever staying connected to people is important. For job seekers it is part of what we do day in and day out. One of the best things to help those of us who are looking is being able to see not only who we know but who our friends know.

While this is not a big secret it is something to be joyful about. For those of us who are looking we are setting up and reconnecting to networks that we may have thought were long gone. This helps us have more opportunities and get back in touch with old friends easier.

It is also a joy that people are using their skills not to just create the latest i-phone app but to help other people have better connections. The power of LinkedIn is also helping people who were afraid of computers and the internet to get their online skills more current.

Today we say thanks to LinkedIn and services like it for helping us get back in touch.

No Job Joy # 36 Needing to work

Many of the people I have met who are not working are using the time as a welcome break from the day to day routine of having a job. It is recharging and in some cases helpful as we will come in to a new job with new energy, new perspective and a drive to succeed.

Some of my new friends have reached the peak of their rejuvenation period. All their closets are organized, they have read all the books they wanted to catch up on and the Tour de France is almost over. They don't just want to go back to work they NEED to go back to work. In some cases they are willing to take almost anything to get back into a routine and contribute.

Everyone has a need to feel that they are making a contribution. The joy of it is being able to step back and rest a bit and be ready to work with a new energy.

No Job Joy # 35 The success of friends

Late on Friday I heard from a woman in my networking group that she had landed a new job. It was with her former company and done via her network. The other members of my group are also seeing more positive momentum on their search with a few waiting to hear about offers.

The joy is that if you keep at it and stay focused you can have success. This is also positive news that maybe things are starting to turn around a bit especially since this uptick of activity is in probably the worst time of year to get hired.

The joy for today is be happy for your friends, they will show you that doing the right things will pay off and can encourage you to keep moving when things seem to be slow.

No Job Joy #34 Keeping a sense of humor

This weekend I rode the Peach Pedal charity bicycle ride in Weatherford TX. On this ride the rest stops are themed. The women in charge of rest stop #3 are a great example of not taking things too seriously.

The theme of their rest area was "Hire Me!" The women were out of work and looking for jobs. To stay with their theme, their t-shirts said "hire me" and had a large trash can labeled "Resumes Here!". It was great to see people getting creative with their job search, having a sense of humor and giving back to their community all at the same time.

While I didn't stay long, I appreciated the Gatorade and the the encouragement from others who are going through the same thing I am.

No Job Joy # 33 Losing Status

When I started out this year I told my kids that one of my goals was not to make Platinum on American this year. Getting laid off wasn't the way I planned on reaching that goal but it did certainly help me achieve one of my goals. Check that one off the list.

Why this is a joy is that my kids don't have to ask "Will you be there for my game?". I get to put my kids to bed and get them up and take them to practice.

This has also been an adjustment for my wife. She is cooking again, so no more cereal nights. She also cooks better than most of the places I ate on the road so I get better food and with leftovers I get it more than once.

I'm sure that American is missing me. They have actually tried to call me a few times to make sure I'm okay. They can rest assured that I am even though I now have to get on the plane at the back of the line, I will be there with a smile.

No Job Joy #32 Mowing the lawn and playing to your strengths

The good news I got this done early today as it is forecast to reach 103 today. The funny thing is it taught me something.

Mowing the yard is one of those things that is met with mixed emotions at our house. The older son hates having to help sweep up and the younger one loves to mow. Like with anything else in life if you hate it you are unlikely to do it well. My oldest son hates sweeping. So instead of making him do something he hates and doesn't do well, I let the older one take full responsibility for another chore that he will have to do more often in exchange for having to sweep. I told him the main thing I wanted from him is for him to make a contribution to our family and our household.

Some might say I let him off easy by not making him get better at what may seem like a simple task. I know he can do it but he hates it. Just like in my job search, there are a lot of jobs out there I know I can do. If I hate them what good does that do me or the company that hires me? This may make my search for employment take longer but it will make me more successful and I will contribute more to my new company.

This is something we should all keep in mind whether we are looking for a job or figuring out who does the dishes. The closer we are to doing what we like the better we will do it and the happier we will be.

So today I am joyful about mowing the lawn and showing me to play to my strengths.

No Job Joy #31Getting Laid off

So getting laid off is not a fun thing to go through. The stress of managing finances, worrying about how it will impact your kids, making sure your wife knows what is going on, the awkwardness of talking with friends and networking contact who will assume that you are only going to hit them up for a job they would love to give you but don't have. All these thing make being unemployed a challenge.

The thing is people go through bigger challenges everyday. Illness, divorce, depression, homelessness, and a whole lot of other things that are much worse than losing a job. In other words there are worse things in life that can happen to you. Don't get me wrong, I definitely prefer getting a pay check, but in a year from now odds are I will have a new job, new friends, re-connected with old ones and have other life lessons to take with me.

I know there are some people who are unemployed and having to deal with some of the issues above as well. I don't wish them on anyone. I also won't pretend to know what they are going through because I don't. I will however say that having a longer term, positive outlook will make any of those problems easier to deal with. In a year from now you will have had the chance to learn from these trying times and likely find yourself in a better place than you can imaging right now.

Being laid off is a joy to me because it could always be worse and if you think you have it bad there is always someone who has it worse than you. So don't feel sorry for yourself. Take action, any action that moves you closer to where you want to be and you will be in a better place.

No Job Joy # 30 Anticipation

One of the stressful things of looking for a job is the waiting. Waiting for some one to return your call, to make a decision or even to have an opening. This is the part where being more than half full becomes an advantage.

Usually while waiting our minds ponder what is going to happen, what happens if I don't get this job, did I do everything right, and on and on. What I have started doing with the wait time is looking at it another way.

First, the time waiting can be used in a more productive way. Instead of wondering did I do everything right, work on what you will improve. Look at the delays that come in this process as both sides making sure it is a good fit. While I appreciate a paycheck as much as the next guy I would hate to start a job and find out that one of us made a bad decision. That just adds confusion to your resume. So this time is well spent.

Second don't worry about things you can't control. Yes do your follow ups and reviews but let go of what is done. If you really want to spend your time wondering about something that is out of your control think about what your new co-workers will be like or what your office/cube will look like or if they have good cafeteria food.

Finally don't stop looking. You don't have the job till you have it and you may miss a better gig if you sit around waiting. Your dream job may be right around the corner.

Like the old Heinz ketchup ad anticipation makes the hot dog taste better. Yes I realize I just dated myself. Have joy in you anticipation.

No Job Joy #29 The Tour

Today's joy is all about staying cool and doing something I enjoy. At the risk of sounding like one of those guys who sits in front of the TV all day instead of networking, July is a great month to have an "open" schedule.

With the Tour de France going having started on Saturday during the week I can watch the stages live, read the blogs and of course ride my own stages. July is a slow time for getting a job so it is a good time to be online networking while watching your favorite sport. If you need another reason to rationalize watching TV, you can look at it as staying up on current events and getting background to develop a rapport if your next interview is with a cycling fan.

So if you aren't in to cycling, I hope you got to watch an historic Wimbeldon or there is always baseball.

No Job Joy # 28 Patience

Patience is one of those things that those of us in transition are often short on. There never seems to be enough opportunities, people don't respond in a timely manner, jobs get put on hold or what ever.

So today I am thankful for patience not just because it makes the process easier to tolerate. I am thankful for patience because it lets us step back and see the big picture which eventually helps us get a better job than if we rush around and act with out thinking.

I know some of us need the money more than other so I understand that time is not something you can afford to waste. That is all the more reason if you can take a deep breath and put things into an even larger view patience will help you be calmer and make better decisions.

No Job Joy #27 Do something crazy

There has never been a worse time to be looking for a job. Sounds like a strange statement from someone who is supposed to be positive. "Looking for a job" sounds more like you have misplaced something not the activity that you will spend more time doing than any thing else in your life.

While unemployment may be almost 10% and people becoming more and more cautious, this may be the best time to be a free agent. This is great chance to do something new. Something crazy. Taking a risk right now is probably the safest thing you can do right now. It could be starting your own business, changing industries, going back to school or chasing a dream.

With expectations of the world around us so low if you fail you at least get credit for trying.

Personally I am still looking for my crazy option. My joy today is the option to do something crazy.

No Job Joy #26 The more things change...

I have mentioned some of the new technology that has entered the world of work and networking, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and how they have helped make things easier for those of us looking for work. These are wonderful tools but in the end all they are is tools. They can only help you reach out to those you have helped in your past.

As I was going through my email this morning I found myself being followed on Twitter by Tom Ziglar, son of Zig Ziglar, someone I have gotten a lot of wisdom from. When I followed his page it led to one of my favorite quotes from his Dad - " You can have anything in life you want if you help enough other people get what they want." This is so true if you think about it. While I won't go down the deep discussion of how and who you help. The fact is that if you are some one who has helped a lot of other people, they will be willing to help you, especially when you need it.

This has never been more true than now. As I am going through my job search and networking it occurs to me that people from my past must think that have helped some people along the way. I never thought of it that way. I always thought I was just doing the right thing. It now seems more than that. The ability to pick up the phone and have people answer and be willing to offer any kind of help they can is priceless. It is one more reason to help anyone you can.

Regardless of how much technology we use to find our next job, the thing that never changes is that people are the most important asset we have and that when you help someone you are really helping yourself. So my joy today is the graciousness of those who feel I have helped them either personally or professionally.

No Job Joy #25 Playing to my strengths

Some people know what they want to do with their lives from early on in their career. I am not one of those people. It is also the first thing people ask you as you are networking.


I just started reading the book Strength Finder 2.0. The main theme is to focus on what you do well and enjoy to be successful. This kind of makes sense that if you hate doing something you are going to suck at it. This falls right in line with being more than half full. It is a better place to start instead of just looking for a paycheck. I'm not saying you don't have to be able to pay the bills, which is why I am not going to start a new career as a sports photographer just because I love taking photos.

My focus is on what I do well because not only will it make me happy, but because I will do that job better. There are more than enough studies about people who do what they enjoy are better at what they do and typically make more money than if they were doing something they hate. The key thing for me right now is to focus in on the things I love to do like presenting, being involved with technology and making a difference in the world and I be successful.

So today's joy isn't that I have figured out what I want to do when I grow up but that I will make sure that I do something that plays to my strengths and that I enjoy doing.