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. 

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.