The Wait Cafe

Job Seekers: How to Reach the Hiring Manager

2011-02-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

Hello Faithful Readers, today I have a guest blogger, Michael Kane. I worked for Michael during my short time at Move. I was fortunate to work for Michael, who is authentic, honest, transparent and thoughtful. Michael reflects here on the challenges of sorting through and selecting good resumes.

One minute? Two minutes? Forty-five seconds? The numbers quoted differ, but the message is the same. Your resume has only a brief time window to capture the hiring manager’s attention. While screening resumes for the 5 positions I have open currently, I measured my own “resume attention deficit disorder.” I give each resume an average of 90 seconds to determine whether it meets my needs. Those that do are examined more completely. Those that don’t are never seen again.

What happens in those 90 seconds? First, I look for the more obvious things commonly advocated for resumes. For example, demonstrate that you’ve achieved results instead of merely listing the activities that occupied your day. Use strong, active verbs and ruthlessly clear writing. The way you communicate on your resume is what I can expect when I work with you. If it’s shoddy and unclear, that predicts the quality of my relationship with you.

But those things are technique, in the same way that a command of good grammar is necessary to write a novel. Yet even the best writing technique cannot redeem a novel that has no story. And that’s what I look for in those 90 seconds: what is your story?

As I read your resume, I’m looking for the answers to three mental questions. The first question is “who are you?” What story does your resume tell about the person you are, the work you have chosen, and how the positions combine to create a valuable employee for me? As counter-example, I once reviewed a candidate’s resume and discovered that he had a technical undergraduate degree, an MBA, and had even graduated law school. He had held positions ranging from sales to leading a customer service organization. I gave him this candid feedback: I have no idea what you want to do in your life, let alone at my company.

The stories can take many forms. The most obvious is working in the same discipline with gradually increasing responsibility. Your resume may not look like that. If that’s the case, acknowledge that fact and craft your resume to tell the story you want it to tell. Perhaps you were a coding software engineer and mid-career shifted to become a quality engineer. Sell that. You were tired of the poor quality being churned out at your company and wanted to do something about it. That’s a story I want to read, as compared with a resume that arbitrarily comingles coding and testing positions with no apparent pattern. This is especially important if your resume has gaps in it. Tell the story of the gaps. I have a friend that cashed out stock options in 2002 and took six years off. One interpretation of that gap could be “he’s been rusting for 6 years.” But the truth, and the way he told the story, was that he spent six years learning interesting and relevant technology more deeply than a full-time job would allow. When he reentered the market, he had fully made the transition to service-oriented architectures, yet his job history only contained desktop shrink-wrapped software experience. His resume told a compelling story that, in less skilled hands, could have been a disaster.

The second mental question I need answered is “what results has this person achieved?” It’s answering that question that most resume-writing advice covers. Instead of listing activity, show the results you provided for the company. By what percent did productivity improve? Or employee morale, and how did you measure it? That cool automation framework you built saved the company how much money, or allowed you to re-assign how many full-time employees to more value added work? How many customer service calls did you prevent with your quality improvement work, and how much is that worth to the company’s bottom line? More than anything, I want to see how the results you achieved contributed to the success of your group, or division, or corporation. And I want to know that you think in those terms: that you can connect your daily activity with results for the company.

Finally, the answer to the third mental question is something I supply, but based on your resume: “is it likely that this person, who achieved these results, can produce similar results in the position I have?” If your resume tells me who you are – your story – and does a good job of showing the results you’ve achieved, I can easily compare that to my open positions and conclude that, yes, I should talk to you. If your story is “software engineering manager that tenaciously improves process” combined with relentless on-time delivery of software projects and quantifiable time or cost savings, it’s easy for me to consider you to lead that troubled group whose manager I just fired. But if either your story or your accomplishments doesn’t come across clearly, then you make me work harder to decide if you can produce results for me. The harder you make me work to decide, the less likely you’ll get more than ninety seconds and the less likely it is that I’ll call you.

It's still bad out there. Especially for the 99'ers.

2010-10-25T22:19:00.000-07:00

National unemployment figures have been flat for 14 months, hovering around 9.6%. But that number almost doubles if you include the underemployed and those who have become so discouraged they've given up looking.

Unemployment insurance has been a lifesaver for many, and Congress extended benefits to an unprecedented ninety-nine weeks at a cost of over $100 billion (I think). There are many for whom those benefits have ended. They call themselves the "99'ers".

60 minutes produced a segment that reviews the sad state of the 99'ers in Silicon Valley. Sure, jobs are being created -- but it doesn't look like there are many jobs for folks in their forties and fifties. When you watch this segment notice how well educated they are, how many people are receiving food from food banks. Notice, how lives are forever changed.

It's unlikely that Congress will extend unemployment benefits beyond 99 weeks. The pressure is on to reduce the deficit, no matter that the benefits are a lifeline to millions. We are just now seeing what it means when the 99'ers run out of their benefits, but soon I believe their troubles will soon be writ large.

I don't know what the answer is, and it's clear none of our politicians have a reasonable answer. But I think it will take more than another unemployment check, more than charity to help the unemployed millions.

If you are employed, thank your lucky stars. Do what you can to help someone who is not as lucky as you. Be kind, be supportive, be a friend, connect them to your network, encourage them without sounding too much like a cheerleader. And for yourself, prepare: save you money, keep your lifestyle modest. One day, you may be in the same position as today's unemployed.

Sorry, but Your Resume Sucks.

2010-09-01T23:13:00.000-07:00

I am in the extremely fortunate position to hire for three positions over the next few months. I’ve started looking at resumes, talking to referrals, and bringing in people for interviews. I’m excited for this opportunity – I lived the life of an Unemployed for too long, and I’m eager to share my good fortune.

But I have something to say to you all out there applying for these positions. I’ve looked at your resumes and they suck. I mean, they are the worst examples of resumes I’ve seen. Ever.

Oh, the spelling is fine. The grammar is passable. But the content? Deplorable!

For the Unemployeds, you have no excuse not to have a good resume. Resources for writing and reviewing resumes abound. In Silicon Valley there are two great resources, ProMatch and Connect! Both are free, and both offer classes on how to write a resume. You can also get coaching on interviewing skills, how to network, and how to use LinkedIn to find hiring managers. And did I mention it’s free?

The Employeds fare no better in resume writing: they are terrible too. The problem boils down to one basic issue: no results. The resumes I see have a list of tasks, a job description in bullet form. Really? That’s the best you can do? A list of the tasks you performed at your last job? Did you really spend all your time tabulating bug counts and attending status meetings?

Over the last five years or so I spent time in many outplacement services classes. And I learned that the way you write resume drafts is to start with stories. And the story builds like this:

What was one of the big challenges you faced?

What actions did you take?

What was the result?

It’s easy to write your resume when you can tell a story about a hard problem you solved and how that benefited your employer. Quantifiable results help, too.

Not only do these stories help your resume but they help during an interview. Many companies, including my current one, practice behavior-based interviewing. We probe with open-ended questions to find out how you tackle problems and get a result. One question we might ask is, “Tell me about a time when you had to use influence to get something done?” If you have done your homework and have drafted your stories, you will have a great story to tell during your interview.

Jobseekers, pay heed: Apply with good resumes, ones that tell what you have accomplished and how. Otherwise, it’s the bit bucket for that lousy scrap of virtual paper, and you will have missed an opportunity for not having been well prepared.

The Next Adventure

2010-07-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

The Waiting is over. After well over a year of unemployment, I begin a new job tomorrow, July 26, 2010. I am very excited about the opportunity: the team is focused and energized, the leadership are marching in lockstep towards well-defined goals – yeah, right! What company has all that! I know that there will be big challenges, but I am ready to tackle them with enthusiasm.

I wish I could tell you the precise steps I took to land this job. The truth is a good friend had interviewed at this company and saw a role that fit me well. He forwarded me the job description. I had spied the posting about the same time, but my friend gave me one good bit of information: the name and phone number of the recruiter he had worked with. I prepared my cover letter and resume, sent it off to the recruiter and followed up a few days later with a phone call. Nothing really happened on their side, but on my side I had a few personal hiccups.

In the middle of my travails, another recruiter from the same company called. I passed the first screening and was on to my next screening with the CTO. In less than a week I was in for my first interview. Within hours I heard positive feedback from the CTO that I would be coming back for a second round.

I will admit to a bit of unreality to the experience. After so many rejections over the last year or so it’s hard to believe that something is going well. I superstitiously refused to contemplate or even discuss a future that included a job offer. Soon enough, one arrived and I accepted.

I didn’t start immediately, as I had a trip planned along with some other personal things to attend to. I don’t regret delaying my start date because the time has helped me realize how good it feels to take a breath without stress, and how grateful I am for the love and support I have had from so many people during this difficult time as an Unemployed.

So if you are still out there looking, seeking every day for that chance to work again, keep at it. I honestly believe it will come. Keep talking to everyone you know, look for ways to be productive, and support the people around who are in the Unemployed boat with you.

The Wait Café will continue, just as sporadically as it has over the last year. I’m not certain how the content will continue, I may include some of my work challenges as well as personal ones. Stay tuned, and let’s see where this new adventure takes us.

And, thanks for your support.

Beautiful, but Ultimately Flawed

2010-06-09T11:22:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I decided that I wanted a dog in my life and soon after that there was Cooper. Cooper is a miniature poodle, now off-white in color, but when I first got him he was small and covered in a long, caramel coat.

Cooper soon showed off playful side, running in little circles when he was gloriously happy. He still does this when he is in a grassy back yard, tongue lolling out of a big smile, ears flapping as he speeds along the private racetrack in his head.

Cooper is my first pet, my first dog. The first month we were together I often asked myself, “What the hell have I got myself into?” But I loved the experience and the routine that we evolved. Poodles, including Cooper, are often little clowns, and find ways to be just so adorable you want to squeeze him ‘til he pops. Sometimes I am convinced he uses his cuteness to manipulate, especially if I have something that smells tasty.

The learning curve for dog ownership was steep, but I know how to ask questions and most importantly, how to ask for help. And I got plenty of help, from experienced friends, and excellent dog trainers and behaviorists. I’ve learned how to be a good pack leader and keep my dog under control. I did my homework, and Cooper soon learned manners.

Except, yes, there is an except. A however followed by a but. Cooper, I learned, has fear aggression. Fear aggression can be overcome, but my experience with Cooper is that his issues can be managed, but he will never be “cured”.

Cooper’s transgressions over the past two years are too many to enumerate, but let’s just say that he’s bitten three people badly (some more than once), and most recently hit bit me. I got eight stitches on the left hand this weekend and after that bite, my love and trust for Cooper left me.

Trust between animal and human is not an impossible thing, but it’s never been truly one hundred percent between Cooper and me. He is responsive, but only if I really practice strong, and I mean strong, pack leadership. I have to really be Alpha with Cooper. Maybe you have a nice, calm and balanced dog and you don’t know exactly what being Alpha means. Here’s some of the ways I have to manage Cooper:

The majority of the time I ignore him. If he seeks attention, I push him away.
Affection is only given at my request. If Cooper comes when I call he can get lost of scratches, kisses and cuddles. When I’m finished giving affection, I walk away, not Cooper.
There are no toys lying around. Cooper can only play if I want to play, not when he does the happy dance around the mantle where I keep a few toys.
He gets food only after he sits and looks at me for at least ten seconds.

The positive outcomes are that Cooper is very attentive and responsive when I treat him this way. There are still issues: lately he has been resource guarding his crate (which resulted in the bite he gave me). In other words, I am able to manage his behavior most of the time, but can never guarantee that he will always behave and not bite.

I have asked to return Cooper to the breeder and to her credit, the breeder insisted once I told her my story. I learned after Cooper’s first bad bite that Cooper’s littermate has aggression issues. When I talked to the breeder last evening she told me Cooper’s dam has problems (no details provided). A friend’s neighbor has a poodle from the same breeder that has some serious dog aggression. The evidence is stacking up that there is something wrong with this line of poodles.

I feel like I’ve done everything I can: I’ve spent dollars and time with some of the best behaviorists around including Cheri Lucas, a protégé of Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer; I’ve doubled-down on my own pack leader behavior; I’ve watched him like a hawk and corrected every infraction I see.

This is not the kind of relationship I expected or want to have with my dog. I look at my friends’ dogs, and while they may have their own issues, they don’t bite anyone. Their dogs respond to them and want to please their owners. Not so much with Cooper. Dogs are animals and they have the capacity to act as an animal. I can’t take Cooper to couples therapy and help him work out his animal issues. (Believe me, if Cooper could talk we’d be there right now).

I love Cooper and I believe that there is an extraordinary and strong pack leader in the world for him. Cooper needs a consistently dominant owner to control his fear-aggression. This will be best for him, and for me. I will get another dog. (I’m being lobbied by both the Corgi and Miniature Schnauzer people now.)

The vast majority of the time Cooper is a happy, well-behaved dog, and this is the way I will remember him: chasing leaves blowing across the sidewalk when we are out on a stroll; begging for an ice cube that he can crunch on his bed; running back and forth from the kitchen to the living room with wild abandon every time we return home from daycare or a long trip;

playing tug-o-war with his BFF Kip, and dragging Kip, half Cooper’s weight, around the slick, hardwood floor. Most of all, I’ll miss the lovely toe licking that I’d get anytime he could get to them.

To say goodbye is to die a little, and next Tuesday I will. I hold to the fiction that Cooper will live a long and happy life with the breeder, with plenty of grass to roll in, lots of leaves to chase, and new toes to lick.

Goodbye, my Cooper. I have loved you.

Yes Virginia, it’s a Very Bad Job Market.

2010-04-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

The Valley, like life, is ever changing. In the 15 years I’ve lived here I’ve watched companies come and go – not just Webvan and Pets.com, but Sun Microsystems and Silicon Graphics – and maybe soon, Palm.

The human impact is undeniable and goes beyond just re-organization. Companies cancel projects, delete functional roles, and perform layoffs by the hundreds. Those who get laid off have a long road of emotional and financial recovery. Those who stay are often consumed with survivor’s guilt, along with an extra workload left by their former colleagues.

This recession is the worst in my lifetime, and even my parents who grew up during the Depression haven’t seen economic failure as vast as this. I have been unemployed for a year and what I have seen and experienced is unprecedented:

Complete silence. For most of 2009, there were no responses from recruiters, HR, or hiring managers. Not even my former colleagues held out any hope for employment; all they knew was their company was on a hiring lockdown.
Quality candidates abound. I have been privileged to build relationships with some of the smartest people I have ever met. Brilliant engineers and program managers, talented marketing managers, seasoned executives are all part of the mix. The number of smart people I know who are unemployed is stunning.
Length of unemployment. The US Labor Department defines long-term unemployed as those who have been without work for more than six months. Most of the people I know have been unemployed for at least a year.

It’s hard to find many people who have never been laid off, but there are a few. I have found a disturbing trend among many of those who have never experienced unemployment: a lack of understanding or empathy for those who have been a member of the long-term unemployed. This has shows up in casual conversations and unfortunately in interviews. The candidate must find a way to be cheerful while explaining the worst economic crisis in sixty years.

The long-term unemployed have suffered emotionally, financially and personally. Coupled with crashing investment portfolios, many have seen retirement savings dwindle, and rainy-day funds depleted. Those returning to work can have difficulty re-integrating (see Wall Street Journal article). Children have been adversely impacted as well: teachers site behavioral issues as well as reduced academic performance among children of the long-term unemployed.

The employed are not exempt from the recession pain. Employee surveys state that between 40-60% of current employees want to change jobs when the economy improves. Employees were stuck with more work when their colleagues were laid off. The stress of having to maintain high performance with a high workload has lowered the quality of their work and increased their worry of dismissal. On top of this employees have had to endure reduced salaries and benefits, and unpaid furloughs.

While I feel sympathy for the long hours, job dissatisfaction, and increased stressed felt by the employed, I would trade places with them in a nanosecond. Having lived without a steady paycheck for the last year has taught me that I can survive many things with financial security.

I respectfully ask those who are among the ranks of the Employed, and especially those who have never suffered unemployment, to pause for a moment and imagine walking a year in my unemployed shoes. And think before you ask, “You mean you haven’t worked for a year?”

Guilt-Free Relaxing

2010-04-05T13:58:00.000-07:00

A few of my fellow Unemployeds have been so for almost one year. There isn’t a moment in the day when we don’t wish we were part of the Employed, and we work hard at networking, blogging, tweeting, and whatever else we can think of to get noticed by a hiring manager.

At some point however, you still run out of things to do. How many times can you sort through your Linkedin contacts looking for that second- or third-degree person that might be able to introduce you to the sister of the husband of the hiring manager? How many different creative ideas can you research? How many different designs do you need for your calling cards? How many more applications can you complete before you must wait for a response?

At some point, the rest of life crowds in. The household chores get done. Fix that flickering wall switch. Do that touch-up painting. Sweep the garage floor. Take the piles to Goodwill. And we all have done these things and more while still, way in the back of your mind, you think, I could be meeting someone right now that could help me get closer to finding a job. Those thoughts worry our brain into paralysis.

And after all the chores are finished, then what? Sometimes you have done all that you can do and you can’t do any more. Your calendar is empty… the day is slipping away. What can you do?

I heartedly recommend doing nothing. Or if you can’t abide that, read a book. Indulge in a long walk. Go visit a friend over a cup of coffee. Drive over the hill to the beach and soak in the fresh, spicy sea air.

No need to feel guilty about doing nothing. You have done as much as you can and you are stuck in the Wait Café. Might as well take this day as the gift it is, and realize that the day is yours. Waste it, live it, breathe it, purge it.

Looking for work is hard, exhausting, and often unrewarding work. We need to recharge, keep our attitude positive and upbeat. Many people talk about their unemployed time after it’s gone, and wish they had been able to relax and enjoy it more. It’s impossible not to let the fears and anxiety seep into your life that unemployment brings. We all feel the need to be productive, knowing we have done our very best.

But for one day, one glorious, long, responsibility free day? Live it without guilt. Try it and let me know how it goes.

The Suitors

2010-02-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

We all dream of the perfect job: interesting work, intelligent co-workers, a great cafeteria. And we dream of the interviews, the wooing that the hiring company will do. Remember the heady days of the dot com boom when salaries were high, offer letters came with signing bonuses and stock options that would be worth something, some day.

Well, I seem to be missing those days. I have been having recurring dreams related to my job search and my wish for the perfect job. The dreams have been about men proposing marriage, and I have decided those dreams are really about the jobs I might be offered one day.

In this economy most of us would take any reasonable job offer and work really hard to turn any lemony situation into palatable lemonade. But we all harbor our fears about what we may be offered, and what we may have to accept. Here are some of those possibilities that my dreams disguised as suitors.

I’d Rather Flee than do that! I’m standing outside on the balcony of an old chateau. It’s winter, and the pond beneath the balcony is clear and deep, and the water is the color of strong tea. Someone, I don’t know who, proposes to me. The thought of being bound to that person upsets me so much that I can only think of one thing: escape. I leap into the pond, feeling safe as the water swallows me up.

Okay, as far as dreams go, whacky (they all are). But we all have turned away when our gut tells us something isn’t right. If the thought of taking that job makes you want to run away, maybe it’s best to do just that. If you can’t go into that job with energy and enthusiasm, you’ll be miserable, you’ll fail, and everyone around you will know it.

The George Clooney. I’m in the passenger seat of a convertible that’s whipping down the Amalfi coast. At the wheel is George, flashing that brilliant smile through his salt and pepper beard. He’s telling me that I’m everything he’s ever wanted, and that I’m wonderful. I am totally okay with this proposal.

Yeah, I think this one represents the long-gone days of the employee’s market, when companies really had to work hard to get you to come work for them. Those days have been gone almost ten years, and if you believe the economists, those days won’t be back anytime soon. Call this one wishful thinking, a yearning for the past. It’s unlikely to happen. Sigh.

Really? Ryan Seacrest? Ryan is trying so hard. He is saying all the right things, the ring is exquisite. Ryan is charming, attentive and resolved to have me. But somehow, his proposal just doesn’t sound sincere.

I think this one says more about me than Ryan (although, I’m pretty sure I’m not his type). Is it okay to take a job that you are ambivalent about? There are upsides, a steady paycheck, and if the job isn’t repulsive, why not? Wouldn’t this give you an opportunity to sharpen your skills in preparation for the next opportunity? So far, this isn’t the worst choice.

Mac or PC? What, PC?!?!! I’m married, miserable and my husband is John Hodgman. Somehow I’ve accepted a choice that makes me very unhappy. First of all, I’m a Mac girl all the way. How did I manage to hook up with PC?

Sometimes life puts you in situations that are hard. You make the best of them as long as you can. The good news is for miserable jobs, the situation isn’t permanent. The market will get better, your skills will be more and more marketable. You have free will, and can leave when you are ready.

In this economy we will be lucky to have choices when it comes to job offers. But don’t be fooled into thinking you have to take the first one that comes along. You do have a choice. Make the one that’s best for you.

Interview Questions

2010-01-05T15:22:00.000-08:00

In an interview all you do is answer questions. Sometimes you get good questions, sometimes there are crazy ones. I’m old enough to remember one of my friends from college reporting that on her first interview with a major manufacturer she was asked by the [male] interviewer what form of birth control she used. I hope that we are all beyond that sort of question…

I understand the motivations behind some of the questions – behavior based interview questions like “Describe a time when there was conflict on your team, and you found a way to resolve it.” These can give the interviewer clues as to how you manage yourself in stressful situations, what your conflict resolution skills are like, and what results you can obtain.

The “puzzle” questions can be fun. I know there are many examples of these, ranging from “Why are manhole covers round?” to “How much does a Boeing 747 weigh? “ These are meant to assess your critical thinking skills. Most times the interviewer wants you to think out loud while you work through the problem – for them, it’s about discovering if your thought processes fit theirs, so you’ll “fit in”. (Microsoft and Google favor these types of questions.)

I have one anecdote about these questions. My friend Kramer at an interview and the interviewer and Kramer were talking about golf, as a way to break the ice. The interviewer segues into one of these problem solving questions and asks, “So, how many golf balls do you think would fit in that trash can?” Kramer asks, “How many golf balls you got?” The interviewer responds, “I have none.” “None will fit!”

He got the job.

Brain Maintenance While Unemployed

2009-11-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

I was very fortunate to be invited to join a small group of Unemplolyeds that meet on a regular basis to provide support and assistance to each other. We meet very early on Mondays, as a few have ProMatch obligations mid-morning.

One of the many things I value about my colleagues is their creativity and vitality. T. (all names changed to protect the innocent), came up with a brilliant idea: a project that requires imagination, inspiration, and innovation. Our Secret Project (the “SP”) is very different from what we do normally, and it feels really good to step out of the normal and into a big open space where anything is possible.

T. said to us, “When companies ask you what you accomplished while you were ‘off', what will you say? Wouldn’t you like to say that you worked on the Secret Project?”

I think it’s very possible that we will see our SP will manifest, and we will have something tangible and sellable. And while we are making our SP come to life, we are applying some impressive skill sets: collaboration, listening, problem solving, project management, innovation, business savvy, political acumen, leadership and servant leadership. And best of all, we are having great fun.

It feels good to use all of these skills and to be a part of a team that is building something real. Sometimes the biggest challenge of unemployed time is keeping your skills sharp for that inevitable moment that you re-enter the workforce. This creative endeavor is maintaining my brain and providing me with something to think about beyond “When is that recruiter going to call me back?”

BTW, If you are in the South Bay and would like to join ProMatch or take advantage of the many free services available to us Unemployeds, check out Nova/Connect! and ProMatch.

What You Want

2009-10-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

A million years ago a very good friend of mine and I were talking about the next step in my career. He told me to think about what I wanted, and start telling people. “People will help you get what you want, but you have to be able to tell them what it is.” A million things raced through my mind, the first being “but I can’t ask for what I want! I have to work for it!”

I’m not the first woman to have this belief stuck in my head. But any man will tell you that while hard work is certainly required, asking for that promotion or plum assignment is how you get ahead. I did just that early in my career. I was looking for my next project and a big, new and risky development effort was coming our way. I made an argument for why I should do it, and to my surprise my boss said yes. It was the hardest two and half years of my life, but very rewarding.

That project gave me the confidence to look for other “risky” opportunities and work my way into them. I don’t regret any of the projects I accepted, even when they didn’t last or didn’t work out.

Now I’m thinking about what I want from my next position. It’s one thing to give an elevator pitch about what you can do and what you are looking, it’s something else to turn that elevator pitch into an expression of what you want.

So, what do you want?

The Office Buzz

2009-10-22T17:59:00.000-07:00

I walked into an office building today to meet Don for lunch. It’s been a couple months since I was in the belly of one of the Valley giants. I felt a palpable energy right there in the lobby. Vendors calling for their escorts, conversations happening on the go, people walking with determination and urgency to their next destination. Wow! People were working! And I witnessed the glory of it all.

I miss being part of that large organism we call our office. The ritual of saying hello to everyone in the morning, the daily walk with colleagues to grab a quick lunch in the company cafeteria. The sense of purpose you generate just by sitting down at your desk and typing your password to unlock your computer.

Unemployment in Silicon Valley is at 12%, and is probably higher, closer to 20%. But that still means 80% of the population is out there doing something. Traffic is still bad in the morning, the Whole Foods market parking lot is pretty crowded even when I'm there mid-afternoon on a weekday.

A positive change is coming. Even among my unemployed friends and colleagues, we sense a shift. I know three people that have landed jobs in the last six weeks. Tammy had an interview last week and is likely to begin negotiating her position soon. Eileen is scheduling an interview for next week. Laura got an oral offer this week. Stephen started a job just a few weeks ago.

There is a buzz, and it is not only in the office.

More on the Basics

2009-08-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

Recently a number of people have asked me to review their resumes. What I notice first is that people describe what they have done and don’t tell a story. Let me tell you how important that story is.

Recruiters and hiring managers are such fickle things. They will glance at your resume, looking for something, but they can’t tell you exactly what. It’s like pornography; they’ll know it when they see it. But once they decide to look at your resume in more detail, they need to read about your accomplishments, how you solved problems, how you saved the day.

To write a good story the “experts” will tell you to use something called a CAR (Challenge Action Result), or PSR (Problem Solution Result) or some other variation. This is the building block to good resumes story telling. Here is an example using CAR:

Challenge: How to reduce time top upload new customer records arriving at 50k per day

Action: Analyzed data to determine if it were compatible with existing database schemas. Schemas were compatible, so the records were combined

Result: Reduced time to upload from four hours to ten minutes.

Now, translate that into something you can put in a resume:

Modified the existing data base schema and process, reducing the time to upload record load of 50k records per day to ten minutes from four hours.

And, be ready to tell the story during an interview.

The database I managed began to receive over fifty-thousand customer records per day. The time to process that many records was long, about four hours. I took a look at the data in detail to see if there were compatibilities between the existing schemas and the customer records. I found that combining the schemas could be done, with the added benefit of reducing the process time. After I made the schema changes, I measured the processing time and found I had reduced the load time to ten minutes from four hours.

This takes time and thought. I’m sure you have many fine examples of your problem solving skills that will translate into an excellent resume.

The Pitch

2009-08-26T15:11:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weeks I have been attending workshops and meetings where everyone must present their “elevator pitch”. This is the brief statement you make when someone asks, “So, what kinda work you lookin’ for?” I have been surprised at how many people are unprepared to answer this question.

I was unprepared, for a long time. Told people I just didn't know what I wanted, which meant none of my colleagues and networking acquaintances could help me. It took me weeks to figure out what I could say. I had all sorts of excuses for why my background wasn’t suited for a sixty second soundbite – my work experience is so varied, I don’t want to be pigeon-holed, how can I explain who I am in so short a time?

I got over it. You have to be ready to answer the question about what you are good at doing, and what you are looking for. It took me a while to write a script – and that is what you need, a script. Write the words that you want to say and memorize it. It takes time, practice, and many re-writes, but it is worth it. I still revise mine, almost every time I say it.

Here’s my current speech, which takes about 30-40 seconds for me to recite.

Hello, my name is Cynthia Gregory, and I am an experienced high tech executive with strong skills in program management. I’ve had the biggest successes and the most fun when I have lead teams to places they have never been before. I have moved organizations to improved process, created and implemented practical governance models, and implemented policies and procedures across a corporation. Now I’m looking for opportunities to repeat those successes.

What does your elevator pitch look like?

The Power of "No"

2009-07-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

Who knew that getting a “No” would spur me to such action? Recently I have had interviews, face-to-face interviews, not just a phone screen. Each time I had positive feedback, but in the end the answer was “No”.

There is nothing like a No to get me going to find that next interview. My initial response maybe disappointment, but my next step is action. I dig through my Linkedin contacts and find those people I haven’t talked to in a while. Write up an invitation to coffee or lunch and I’m off.

I’ll start calling my friends and asking for their ideas and their help. Turns out, the more mail I send out the more email I get in my Inbox. Sometimes it leads me down a path I had not been able to see – because I had not asked for directions.

So don’t be frozen in place because of a No. Get moving. Talk to someone. An opportunity is right around the corner and you need directions.

Reach Out. Touch Faith.

2009-06-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

It’s easy to become a hermit when you are out of work. You sit in front of your computer reading the job boards, looking for that perfect fit. You cruise your favorite blog sites, check out the latest news, recalculate your portfolio. You notice the dust on the baseboards and think about getting out the Swiffer to clean things up. You aren’t calling friends, and they aren’t calling you. Who do you talk to? Who helps you work through the frustrations of the job search?

Why not help someone with their job search? Over the last couple of weeks I have been connecting people to people, or to opportunities. Sometimes it’s to find out more about a company’s culture, or identifying the hiring manager, or gathering intelligence about the position. More often I’m helping someone just by listening, helping that person keep the faith that the right job is just around the corner.

I’m on a Yahoo! group for former employees of one of the big companies in the Valley. Recently there was a request from one of our members to help understand the process for requesting food stamps. An outpouring of advice, job leads and cash soon followed. But this man really wants to work. JobAngels was one new idea that popped up. JobAngels is creating a community where “each member commits to getting just one person find employment”. I’ve made my commitment and I even have a few “targets” in mind.

At the risk of sounding a bit New-Age-y, I do believe that helping others helps you. The best reason for reaching out is to keep you from being that hermit, to keep you connected to the world. So get out there. Find a way to connect. Reach out, touch faith.

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

2009-05-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

So far, I have had a charmed life – a middle class upbringing, a decent education, very vanilla in every sense of the word. Big, earthshaking, life-changing events haven’t happened to me. That’s not to say nothing has happened, just nothing exciting. I have had all the normal achievements: graduated high school and college, got married and divorced. I’ve had a good career, been laid off once but found new work quickly. I get to travel, volunteer in my community, and spend time with my family and friends. Sounds pretty good, huh?

I think I have a charmed life because of the way I see life. Don’t get me wrong, I have had disappointments, my share of bad luck now and again. I see more good than bad in my world. Here’s an example.

My family, that is my parents and my sister and I, would go skiing around Christmas in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Beaver Creek is right next to Vail. (How we came to ski in such a posh spot is another charmed story for later.) I seem to have had a bit of bad luck the past few times I’ve been there – once I put a big dent in the rental car, the last time I was there I sprained my knee, then later my ankle. But this time the skiing and the car were all good.

I love skiing at Beaver Creek. Beaver Creek at Christmas time is like Disneyland with snow and ice sculptures. All the folks that work there are fresh-faced and happy. At the end of the ski day you often run into apple-cheeked teens down at the Mountain Base passing out warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies. There’s always a bright fire going in front of the Hyatt, spewing sparks and sweet oak smoke. The crowd gathers there with low chatter and hot apple cider. There’s a smell of clothes damp from too many spills on the mountain and a hint of sweat from the day’s effort. At four o’clock the sky is just starting to darken into that crystal pale blue at the top of the sky and chilling, deep blue close to the mountain top. The sun drops fast and soon the mountain is quiet and the air is still and a bone-chilling 16 degrees.

Christmas week is also my parent’s anniversary. We decided to go to an Italian restaurant in Vail to celebrate, on me. I was driving the big ol’ truck we rented for our drive from Denver to the resort. I pulled into the parking lot and couldn’t reach the ticket dispenser. So I put the car in park, opened the door and stretched out and grab the ticket, then closed the door, drove on and parked the car. When we got out of the car I couldn’t find my purse. I didn’t remember taking it with me from our condo, so I joked with Dad that dinner was on him ha ha ha, and we went on to have a pleasant evening.

Back at the condo I couldn’t find my purse. It was gone. And in that purse of course was my cell phone. My cell phone! Who cares about the driver’s license and the credit cards but the thought of having to re-enter all those phone numbers into a new phone was raising my anxiety level. (This was in the early days, before everything was synch-able.)

My parents were more shaken and agitated than I was. About to plotz from all the anxiety they hurled every fear my way: “You better cancel your cards tonight! Oh how are you going to drive? Someone could be stealing you blind right now! They are Christmas shopping with your credit cards online! Oh you should call the police!” They kept hectoring until I said “Okay, let’s take a deep breath. I’m going to believe in the good of mankind, especially this time of year.”

I finally had the sense to call my own cell phone. Some one answered, a man with a friendly voice, raucous restaurant noise in the background. The man, whose name I now forget, yelled at me over the noise that they had my purse. “They” were a group of four people who had pulled into the parking lot right after I did and found my purse neatly placed at the foot of the ticket dispenser.

So before you think that this was the end of the story and that my purse was retrieved without any consequence, know this: They had fun with my phone. Called all my friends asking if they knew how to reach me. All of my friends whose numbers were in the phone. Every. Single. One. One of my friends is entered in my phone as “Peaches” – he wasn’t pleased to be rousted from his evening with a caller that said, “Is this really Peaches? And you’re a guy??” They woke up my friends on the east coast -- it was easily after 11pm in their timezone. My friends were mobilized by this group of Good Samaritans. A couple of friends back here were calling all Vail and Beaver Creek hotels trying to find where we were staying. One enterprising friend called the Vail police. I’m not exactly sure why, but I’m assured my lost purse was entered in the night’s log book.

So there’s my happy ending. I got a personal demonstration that good things do happen. And I got to talk to my friends on Christmas and tell them how glad I am that they still take my calls.

Time Distortion

2009-05-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

I was alerted to a job at the end of March. Two weeks ago I talked to the recruiter, and am now waiting for an interview to be scheduled. Two months have gone by since my initial discussion. I’m still stuck in The Wait Café.

My buddy Steve says it’s like this: When you are working, time speeds up. A week goes by in a flash – a week can feel like a day. When you are on the outside, unemployed and waiting for something to happen, time drags. A day can feel like a week.

When you explain the time distortion, it makes perfect sense to your working friends. So it’s only been eight weeks – to them that’s a reasonable amount of time to get something done. To those of us in The Wait Café eight weeks feels longer – more than eight weeks, certainly. I check my email, make sure the cell phone is charged; shoes are polished, the shirts and pants are pressed. I will be ready to respond when the working world catches up with my timeline.

The Three Hundred

2009-05-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

I used some connections to get my resume in front of either the recruiter or the hiring manager for a position as a Business Alignment Lead. I got word back today that one of my contacts found the recruiter. The recruiter agreed to take a look at my resume, but cautioned that 300 people had applied for this position.

Blerg!

Three hundred. That’s quite a number. How do you distinguish yourself in that crowd, on a piece of paper! Yeah, you don’t. So what’s the secret recipe for success? How are you going to find a job when there are three hundred or three thousand looking for the same job you are? Yeah, you have to know somebody, preferably the hiring manager.

Getting to a hiring manager takes time, patience and the networking skills of a savvy politician. Don’t be discouraged; you can do it. It’s hard work, but looking for a job is hard work. So cowboy up, and let’s get going.

Start with your network. You have one, remember? Sort through that list and find the people you know at companies you would like to work for. Send those people an email and arrange to meet them or talk on the phone. Now here’s something important: You don’t mention that you are looking for a job. Yes, you read that right. You aren’t going to ask for help with a job -- not yet.

Your mission now is to gather information about the company: the kind of products it produces, the company’s culture, the challenges it faces, and the strategies it has. You are so very interested in this company, you have to know everything about it.

Why would you do this? Because it will give you an edge against all those other candidates when you are interviewing. Your knowledge of the company and its business will impress the people you talk to. They’ll think, “It’s like she works here! She knows how we tick! She has been thinking about our problems, and it sounds like she has some great ideas.” And then, hopefully, they’ll say to you “Can you come talk to Marv? I hear he’s trying to hire someone just like you.” Marv will of course, be impressed as hell and will move heaven and earth to get you on his team.

Does it work? The team at the outplacement center swears by this technique. They advocate deep research on a company, and talking to the people who work there. You can start with people you know, and then ask them to introduce you to others. You’ll have a great opening for a conversation because of your research. You can ask your colleagues for help finding someone who knows about a specific product or technology. You’ve already impressed them; they’ll make the introduction.

Honestly, I haven’t tried this technique. After seeing how many people I am competing with for a job, I will be working this angle. I’ll report on my progress.

Authenticity

2009-05-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

“Just be yourself and you’ll be fine!”

How many times have you heard that from your mom and your friends before you go on that Big Interview. Be yourself. Yeah, right. How can you be yourself when so much is riding on the line? You need this job, you’ve been unemployed for months and the funds are running low. If you have to spend one more day in the Wait Café you’re going to scream. You are tired of being asked by all those well-meaning friends, “How’s the job search going?

Finally, here’s a job you think you can do with a company that’s actually doing well in this economy, and what do get from your friends to pump you up? Be yourself. The pressure to do better than your competition is immense. Your ego is involved. You tell yourself that you can handle one more rejection, but it is the work you must begin again after the rejection that drains the energy from your limbs.

Being true to who you are is the best way to present yourself to the interviewers. Authenticity doesn’t mean that you bring your current cynical, grumpy self to the interview. When you interview you have a chance to display who you are in the workplace. You are alert, a good listener, enthusiastic, ready to collaborate and problem solve.

Easy, right? Yeah, just put aside the desperation, the flop sweat, the nervous energy and go into the interview like this is the most fun you’ve had since riding Space Mountain at Disneyland. That’s all.

This is going to sound a little New Age-y, but interviewing requires you let go of all the negative stuff inside your head. You are worried that your desperation will show? It will, if you bring it with you. Yes, you have to be yourself, the good, creative, thoughtful, cheerful you. The person that everyone you have ever worked with loves to be with and work with. That person is the one that will do the best in the interview.

How do you get there? Find a way to drive positive thoughts into your head before you go in. Play your favorite tunes on the drive in. Get in a brisk walk or a good workout a few hours before your interview. Anything you know works to get you in a good, positive mood will help The Real You shine through.

One last idea, but it’s a hard one to achieve. Convince yourself to be in the moment, not to worry about baggage from previous jobs or interviews, not to think about how this interview may lead to a job offer – think about only what is happening right now. Be present, actively listen to your heart and to your interviewer, and believe no matter what, the right, good thing will happen.

Networking

2009-05-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

There are so many “musts” I’ve been told about Networking:

You must have a network
You must network every day
You must network selflessly
You must talk to hiring managers
You must constantly expand your network

The list is endless. But what’s really important about networking? Let’s look at a few of these “musts” and see what’s worth your time.

You must have a network. And guess what? You have one. Everyone you know, friends, family, neighbors, the parents of your kid’s friends, your dentist, your colleagues at current and former jobs. You know all these folks well enough to have a short chat with them when you run into them at the grocery store, right? Well, they are each a part of your network.

You can formalize these relationships with a number of online tools. Linkedin.com is my favorite – I think of Linkedin as Facebook for grown-ups. But there are other tools, such as ZoomInfo, Spoke, and Plaxo. But sometimes your address book and Roladex are good enough.

Networking is not about getting something you want from another person when you demand it. It’s about building a relationship that is benefits both parties. Sometimes the benefit is friendship, sometimes business. If you have built the relationship well, then when you really do need help and assistance it’s easier for you to ask for that help, and easier for your network to respond. Conversely, when you are asked for help your relationship with that person defines how helpful your response is. It cuts both ways.

You must network every day. Well, everyday is really hard. But you can do most days. When you are unemployed like me, I recommend trying to set up daily interactions with people in your network, through phone calls, coffee dates, lunches, walks, etc. I try to get out for lunch or coffee every day. It’s hard work, but it’s more important to me to be out of the house and talking to people I know.

Being out of work can be isolating. You sit at home, filling out online job applications until your eyes burn and your wrists ache. Talking to someone on your network is the remedy.

Here’s how I do it: Each day I look through my contacts and think about who I need to connect with, or who I haven’t seen in a while. Then I send an email asking how they are and invite them to meet for coffee or lunch. It takes a little back and forth to set a date and a time, but it happens. And I get out of the house, I talk to real people, and maintain my network.

You must talk to hiring managers. This gem was brought to me by one of the outplacement centers I worked with recently. They suggest that one must talk to thirty hiring managers a week in order to find a job. I have a really hard time getting my head around this one. Thirty managers? When I was working I had a hard time meeting with thirty people in a week. How in the heck do I talk to thirty hiring managers?

This is serious networking. This isn’t maintaining your network, or having lunch with the folks you know best. This is asking the right people in your network for help, and following up on every lead. This is mining your Linkedin contacts to see who they know and who they can introduce you to that can hire you. I’ll talk about this in a future post, but right now remember: This kind of networking is serious, difficult, and requires constant attention. Be prepared. Build your network.

Your Highness

2009-04-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

Here's something a little different, a diversion for today.

Back in the early 90’s I traveled frequently between Baltimore, my home, and Boston, corporate headquarters for Bolt Beranek Newman, where I worked. There were a few months when I was flying to Boston on a Monday and returning on Friday. We were in the middle of contract negotiations with the prime contractor.

BBN put us up at the Sheraton Commander in Cambridge, right off of Harvard Square. The staff knew me and always had my favorite room reserved – upper floor, nice and quiet.

One week I traveled with our contracts negotiator, Rick. I got there one day after he did, and checked into the Commander that evening. The nice man at the front desk handed me the key and asked if I’d like help with my bags. I only had the one plus the briefcase, but I said yes.

The bellman came over. I didn’t know his name, but I saw him each trip. He was as petite black man, about five foot five. Big expressive eyes, kind smile, always polite. He was from Eritrea, he told me one evening when we were sharing a ride in the elevator. He proudly showed me his watch face, emblazoned with the outline of his tiny African country, and talked about the importance of independence for his countrymen.

He showed me into my room and set down my bag. “You know Ms. Gregory, if you ever need anything, please, just call me. You know my name right?” I was embarrassed. I didn’t know. I looked for his nametag; it wasn’t there. “I’m sorry I don’t know your name, and you aren’t wearing your name tag. What is your name, sir?” He stood a little taller, raising his head and adjusting his shoulders. “You may call me ‘Your Highness.’ “

“ ’Your Highness?’ ” I repeated, with a wee bit of astonishment in my voice.

“Yes, ‘Your Highness.’ ”

“Okay, I will!” We walked to the door and we said our goodbyes for the evening.

Well, what did I know! He could be Your Highness. Your Highness walked with his head held high, and had a quiet dignity about him. Maybe he was an Eritrean Prince. Anything is possible in America.

The next morning Rick and I had an hour’s drive to the customer site from Cambridge and I told him about Your Highness. We both were amused by the possibility of a prince working at the Commander. After a long day and a short dinner, we returned to the hotel. Of course, Your Highness was waiting in the lobby.

“Good evening, Ms Gregory, Mr. Stuntz.”

I could barely keep the giggle out of my voice. “Good evening, Your Highness.”

I went home on Friday, returned again Monday. Your Highness was waiting for me. He carried my bags to my room again. I handed him his tip and started laughing. I couldn’t stop. Your Highness asked, “Is there a problem?”

I told him no. “You are wearing your nametag today.”

“Yes, there is nothing funny about that.’

“But last week you weren’t. When I asked what your name was you told me “Your Highness”. Your name is “Johannes”. “

We both laughed. “You may still call me “Your Highness”’. And during the rest of that lengthy contract negotiation, I did.

Rejection!

2009-04-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

Rejection stings. It hurts not to be wanted. In this economy you better get used to it. Rejection is going to come more frequently. There are plenty of people applying for the same position you are, and you better hope you have a way to stand out from the crowd.

The first time I was rif’d, it was what you call “redeployment”. They didn’t kick me out immediately. I got to hang around the company for three months and look for a job. I applied for every position I thought I was remotely qualified for. I was too scared to even try to look out side the company for work. I was so frozen by fear that I stuck close to what I knew.

At the 11^th hour, (truly! it was the penultimate day) I got the call from the hiring manager to say I was hired. I called my Human Resources rep immediately so they would stop the out-processing paperwork. I was so relieved I cried off and on for a weekend. I was thrilled to keep the status quo, thrilled that after all that rejection, finally, somebody wanted me.

I suffered tens of rejections during that time. Each one was a body blow. After each rejection it became harder to keep up a cheery demeanor, an optimistic outlook. Somehow I prevailed, I kept positive (family and friends again helped tremendously). It took three months of constant interviews, conversations, and networking, but I prevailed.

Rejection still hurts. I got another one today and it put me at sixes and sevens for a few hours. I knew it was coming – when I talked to the recruiter last week I could hear in her voice that I was missing that one quality that would have made me perfect for the job. I also knew nothing I could say would get her over that hump. So today I asked for an update, knowing the answer. “As we discussed, I sent your information to the Manager, however they have decided to move forward with other candidates.” Yeah, rejected.

That’s okay. Tomorrow is another day. Today I had a good discussion with a recruiter at a different company and I believe that one will turn into an interview. And I spotted a couple other interesting job posts that suit me. And I have more networking conversations scheduled for this week and next.

I see this as progress, moving forward, all good things. That’s what helps me get through the next rejection. That, and my family and friends.

The Wait Cafe

2009-04-28T09:24:00.000-07:00

“Waiting, waiting, waiting. I’ll never get out of here. I’ll die in Casablanca.” So speaks a man despondent about his chances of escaping Casablanca and the Nazis during World War II.

There are many difficult periods during the job hunt, but the worst is the waiting. Last week I was pinged by a recruiter via Linkedin.com for a position as a Director, Business Process Improvement. I looked over the qualifications, ginned up a cover letter and resume and responded within an hour. Then I waited. She had contacted me, and I figured there was a good chance she would respond. I write a decent cover letter, and my resume looks sharp. I had to wait, but only sixty minutes. We made an appointment to talk the next day. More waiting.

The next afternoon we talked on the phone. She seemed concerned that I had not worked in an IT organization and I countered with arguments that I thought were winning. She agreed to pass my resume on to the hiring manager, but sounded reluctant to do so. She told me she would get back to me at the end of the week. That was Wednesday, and of course Friday came and went with no reply. Wait again. I must take the initiative and ask for an update, and then wait.

The last time I was looking for a job the economy was better. It still took six weeks from the time a recruiter talked to me until I had a job offer in my hand. Six weeks is only a long time when you are waiting. Waiting for some positive feedback. Waiting for the initial interview to be scheduled. Waiting for the second round of interviews. Waiting for the verbal offer. Waiting for the background and reference checks. Waiting for the written offer. Waiting for the start date. And that’s if it all goes my way.

It’s a lot of waiting. When I need a description of what I’m doing, sometimes I pretend I’m in the Wait Café. I slowly sipping my strong, sweet mint tea and watch the world go by. Waiting for some one to come with the letters of transit that get me out of the Café and out of Casablanca. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Got Motivation?

2009-04-27T17:08:00.001-07:00

Oh, it is so hard to look for a job! Searching the job boards is mind-numbing and eye-straining. Networking (a future blog topic) is mandatory. So how do I keep the motivation? How do I get up every morning and find the strength and energy to look for another job?

It’s not easy. The emotional toll of losing your job is nothing you get over in an afternoon. William Bridges discusses this in his short book, Transitions. Bridges talks about three phases in transitions, letting go of the old, moving through the time that the old isn’t quiet let go and the new isn’t quite there, and finally, marking the new beginning.

Each of us goes through these phases at our own pace. Sometimes we feel stuck in one place for a long time, or in all places at once. Right now I feel stuck in the middle – the old world isn’t quite gone, the new one hasn’t yet emerged. It’s hard to feel motivated in this neutral phase.

This state of limbo can be freeing or un-nerving. It’s freeing for some, unlocking creativity or activity that is unconstrained by time or responsibilities. It can be un-nerving, because let’s face it, I now have no income. The money I have right now is more finite than ever, and I see the dollars ticking down to zero with each passing day.

There’s only one way I know to break free of it, take action. For me making something happen gives me that sense of accomplishment that propels me to the next task. Some days I cannot stand the idea of doing anything job related, but I still need that outlet. So, I check the Honey-Do list. I’m the only honey in my household, so all those chores are mine. Once I get one chore done and see the result, it feels good. Yesterday I cleaned the windows and washed the front door, started the laundry, swept the garage and cooked dinner for my friend Debra and I. I kept up the pace, patting myself on the back continually for such a good job. The day ended quickly

Inevitably the time must come to do those tasks related to job hunting. It must be done. The bank account is dwindling, and my lotto numbers haven’t hit yet. Time to get to work finding work.

One last note on motivation: family and friends. I am fortunate to have supportive parents and friends that have helped me through each of the four times I have face job loss. Without their love and support I’d be lost and bereft. They motivate me as much as my bank account, because they tell me each day things will be better. I choose to believe them and it really helps.

Next: Networking

Living in Limbo

2009-04-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Welcome to my first blog post at The Wait Cafe.

I was laid off in early February, 2009. I had a great job with a great company and I was sorry to leave. Now it's time to find the next new thing.

I spent the last couple months since the rif going through what everyone goes through: the initial feelings of rejection, a spark of anger and resentment, the fear that leads to paralysis.

I had my thumb-sucking moments in the beginning, and they still pop up now and again.

But mostly I've mostly been relaxed and optimistic. I know in my heart the right, good thing is going to happen. It will take time and work, but I'll get a job. In the meantime, I've kept my spirits high by visiting with friends, going to Disneyland, and getting those nagging household chores [mostly] completed.

After two months of this I'm ready to go back to work now. Really. I'm bored.

Boredom is the bane of the unemployed. I feel Boredom nipping at my heals every hour. It can sap energy, deplete enthusiasm and increase my trips to the fridge. I do what I can to keep moving forward. I keep to a routine, schedule lunches with friends and colleagues, exercise at the gym, walk the dog. Usually it's enough to ward off Boredom. It's a challenge I face every day.

Next: Got Motivation?