Feelings, Part Deux

So, I know that I can trust God to take care of us; He's proven it over and over....why do I have this fist-sized knot in my stomach?

The easy answer is that I'm human, that I'm not fully trusting God, and I'm sure those are partly to blame.  More than that, I think it is unexpressed frustration and anger.   I know life isn't fair, but as I look at what is going on in my company ahead of the layoff, I am both saddened and angry that I have not had any input to the "big plans."

I watched as a VP touted the new plans as innovative and "course changing," and how excited HE is,  as HR will be taking care of everything that specialists (training, org development, recruiting, talent management--whatever that is) have spent considerable time developing expertise through study and practice.   My comment to my coworkers as we left the meeting was, "I hope if he ever gets a heart attack, that he'll have a GP (general practitioner) to care for him instead of a cardiac care specialist."   Maybe then he'll feel differently.

This is the logic that is currently being spouted from our corporate leadership--that HR people (they include us professional training and org development people in with them!) have to be able to be a jack of all trades.   They are entitled to that opinion, but my guess is that within 5 years, that "logic" will fall apart.   Of course the entire HRBP (HR Business Partner) is the concept du jour of the HR world, but I wonder how many business leaders look at this and snicker.

I've spent about 20 years in training and development, and personally, I consider it an insult to say that an HR Business Partner (should there have ever been an HR person who wasn't aligning their efforts to the business?) can take on training/OD as well as recruiting, compensation, benefits, etc. and perform well.   I know the years I've spent dedicated to training and OD and how much I am still learning.  I think it amusing to assume that because it is pronounced, HR employees will suddenly become expert in fields they've spent little time learning about and practicing in.

Well, I thought I'd feel better getting this off my chest, but it's just sunk down into my gut again.  This is going to be a fun Fall!

Running the Good Race

I'm now on the job a couple of months now, and I can honestly say that I enjoy my job.  The first 8 weeks have been tough, as I am learning a new system, learning a job from a consultant, developing relationships, handling issues that I didn't create but have to learn to solve, considering the future vision for training and support, etc.

It's been busy and stressful at times, but it most assuredly beats being stressed by spending a zillion hours a day duing a job search.  Some may want to argue that work can't be fun, but since God created us to work and not to lay around and do nothing all day, I feel fulfilled in helping others learn and improve their lives, and that is core to who I am and why I am here.   It can't get much better than that in this life.

Job Tip # 48: You are not a Failure

Another networking group in DFW that caught my eye, as they hit the nail on the head....you are not a failure.  Job loss or unemployment can be especially hard on men psychologically, as many men get their self-worth and self-image from their jobs.  A job is indeed a career that you throw yourself into, but it is not WHO YOU ARE.   Easy to say; sometimes hard to remember, right guys?


Job Tip # 48: You are not a Failure
Of course you are not a failure, but this Tip title did get your attention. Here's some suggestions from pro Head Hunter, Nick Corcodilos……If your job search is failing, it's for one of two reasons. First, you may be scared because you believe you're not good at your work. If this is happens to be true, admit it to yourself and do something about it. If you don't, your work will never make you happy or successful. Second, you have been brainwashed like most Americans by the media and by America's Employment System to follow antiquated rules of job hunting. Realize that if this System worked, you wouldn't have to mail out 200 resumes or go on 20 interviews before finding a job.

There is only one rule for success in a job search, and almost no one follows it: you must prove, to the manager for whom you want to work, that you can do the job he needs to have done and that you can do it profitably. This is the single most important rule headhunters live by when they prepare a candidate to interview for a job. http://www.askthehe adhunter. com/habyoh. htm




For those in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex:

The Watermark job support group meets every Tuesday morning, 8am on the 3rd floor of the church tower building, 7540 LBJ at Park Central, free admission, no pre-registration. Here is a video introducing the group. http://cbs11tv. com/video/ ?id=51937@ ktvt.dayport. com

You can sign-up and your resume will be circulated to potential employers in our group.
http://www.watermar k.org/ministries /care/jobs- ministry- careers-in- motion/

James Reed
reed.james@yahoo. com

I Know I've Said This Before...

God is in control. Period. You will destroy yourself if you put the burden of return on your invested job-searching time on yourself. We have to be smart and work hard at job searching, but in the end, we do not control the process. My encouragement is to not let the process control YOU.

...and believe me, I know all too well how hard that is.

U.S. Job Seekers Exceed Openings by Record Ratio

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/business/economy/27jobs.html?_r=1&em

"Job seekers now outnumber openings six to one, the worst ratio since the government began tracking open positions in 2000. "

The last lines of the article: “I’ve learned that I can’t look to tomorrow,” she said. “Every day, I try to do the best I can. I say to myself, ‘I don’t control this process.’ That’s the only way you can look at it. Otherwise, you’d have to go up on the roof and crack your head open.”

So, I'm NOT Imagining Things...

Rebecca is spot on, again .... I just thought it was my imagination, seriously.

Job Search Seem Like It’s Getting Tougher? You’re Not Imagining Things

from The Interview Edge by Rebecca Metschke http://blog.theinterviewedge.com/the_interview_edge/2009/09/job-search-seem-like-its-getting-tougher-youre-not-imagining-things.html

It’s challenging trying to land a job right now – and getting more difficult. If you’ve been feeling the pinch and wondering if “it’s just you” rest assured…the phenomenon is real.

Two things are happening concurrently to create a perfect storm of sorts on the employment front.

First, the Labor Department reported last week that the number of available jobs has fallen by a staggering 50 percent-plus over the past two years; in July there were six unemployed people for every job opening. To put that into context, consider that at the beginning of the recession (December 2007) the ratio was 1.72 to 1.

For further comparison, during the height of the last recession’s lengthy jobless recovery the ratio was roughly 3 to 1. Because that was a much narrower downturn, you may not have felt the impact; ask the folks in the telecom industry, though – which was ravaged – and they will tell you the ratio seemed much worse than that.)

Then we have the fact that we’re in the midst of a buyer’s market, which only exacerbates the competition. Many employers with jobs to fill opt to bypass the unemployed and instead choose to set their sights on those who are still working.

This concept isn’t something new. There's almost always a preference on the part of hiring managers for passive candidates – people who are employed and not currently searching. Those folks are considered more desirable.

Various reports, however, indicate that the penchant for hiring companies to target only those who are employed elsewhere is on the rise. The belief is that if a person has made it through this extended downturn unscathed, there’s a good chance he or she could be a top-notch candidate. When you can afford to be choosey, candidates who've been laid off may not even get a first look. (This preference is extending across the board, from line workers to senior managers.)

This means unemployed job seekers are in waters that are only getting choppier.

I point this out not to discourage you – actually, just the opposite. Sometimes when the obstacles appear overwhelming, you can begin to doubt yourself. You might wonder what you’re doing wrong, or figure that surely you are contributing to the situation…when that may not be true at all.

Of course you should step back and objectively review your search strategy periodically to see what you can do differently or how you can be more effective. But the fact that you’re not making headway at the moment may not have anything to do with you. Sometimes circumstances simply are what they are, and the competition is extremely challenging.

Keep at it. Search smart, be creative, roll up your sleeves, understand it’s probably going to some time – but don’t give up.

The Interview Edge - required reading for people who are serious about their careers.

Tales of the Interviewer

So I go on an interview with a well-known company for a contract position, and my contact at the contract company tells me that the job is for 6+ months, and that it could be extended beyond 6 months.  Since this isn't my first rodeo, I take statements like that at zero value.  And man, do I hate being right about something not feeling right.

The interviewers were gracious, professional, and the company is clearly a leader in their field, but when I asked about the length of contract and what happens after the 6 months, and the main interviewer discloses that the contract is only for 4-5 months, backfilling her position while she is away on leave, with no apparent possible employment after the contract period.   I kept my composure and continued on, but homicidal thoughts about my contact at the contract company begin to run through my head.  He'd either lied, misrepresented, or was uninformed about the nature of the contract.   If the interviewer told me the conditions of the contract so easily, you have to wonder why the contracting company didn't ask about/clarify this.

Remember, contracting companies' business models are all about getting bodies into companies and making, say, 25% markup on each person they place at a company.  Many are caring people, I'm sure, but given their business model, you have to figure that they get giddy with excitement at the possibility of getting a contract placement.

My caution to readers is this:   make sure you ask plenty of questions when the contracting company calls (this one pulled my resume off of a large job board), especially regarding the length of the contract, the company where you'll be working and their history with contractors, the possibilities of the contract being extended or cancelled, and your being converted to a full-time employee.

I spent 3-4 hours with this exercise, which, even though the job was not what I was hoping for, provided me another "real-life" practice situation with which to get ready for more interviews.... and another "lesson learned."

Perspective

Lately, I struggle, as all job seekers do from time-to-time, with a "heightened sense of self"---that is, a preoccupation with my own, perceived miserable state.  Now mind you, I'm working a contract for a well-known company, so cash flow is still green, but it is a contract position.   There is some tentativeness in being a contract worker, but as I've told many people, we are all, in a sense, in contract positions.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is fairly well-known (though his explanation of the human condition is incomplete), so I will state my struggle in these terms:  a job is a job, and that puts food on the table, but it does not guarantee that you feel a sense of esteem and self-actualization.   All this said (and I know many who are job-hunting, jobless, and under-employed would agree with the above), I wish I could maintain a proper perspective on life during a job hunting period.

I have a fellow church member in his 50s who is has had a surprising recovery from PANCREATIC cancer, but who is now facing an uncertain prognosis after recently learning he has liver cancer.   And here is the part that really cuts me really deep:  when I call him to see how he is doing, his first question is, "How is the job search going?  Have you heard back from company x?"  I try to update him quickly so that I can ask him how HE'S doing, as his issues are much more significant than mine, and because I'm embarrassed by the whining that he does not know I've done about job hunting.

Despite this awareness of my lack of perspective, and like the Israelites in the desert having seen great miracles of God in their lives, I complain to God--and feel guilty.   Perhaps my prayer ought to be, "Lord, give me the right perspective to give you thanks every day."  

12 ways to stave off job-hunting desperation

Not that I have any personal experience with this.....

12 ways to stave off job-hunting desperation

http://blogs. techrepublic. com.com/career/ ?p=669   April 1st, 2009   Author: Toni Bowers 

It´s not unrealistic to feel panicked and fearful when you´re unemployed in the present market, but panic and fear may be keeping you from landing another job. Here are tips on how to overcome those feelings and put your best foot forward.

In the Doldrums...

All in a hot and copper sky,
The bloody Sun, at noon,
Right up above the mast did stand,
No bigger than the Moon.

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

from "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834)

Growing up in New Orleans, I have some understanding of the expression "the doldrums."   While spending many summer days on Lake Pontchartrain in a friend's boat (a small Lafitte Skiff, see http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/creole_art_boatbuild_unfat.html), swiming, crabbing, etc., there was an occasional dead calm in parts of the lake, usually in the morning, the mirrored surface of the lake glistening, and the smell of the brackish water less inspiring.  No wind moved the gangs of hungry mosquitoes away.   We were at the mercy of the lake---until we fired up the boat's V6 inboard motor---which never left us stranded in the middle of the 630 square miles of water that is Lake Pontchartrain.   Had it failed, we would have floated aimlessly in the hot New Orleans summer.

      

Lafitte Skiff, south Louisiana, and Lake Pontchartrain, my boyhood playground was southeast of the Causeway Bridge (the line going 24 miles across the lake). New Orleans is on the south shore of the lake.

THE WORLD is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;	5
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.
And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;	10
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

---"God's Grandeur," Gerard Manley Hopkins  (1844–89)

This one just speaks to me right now....

Now, I'm not in a panic yet, but I'm starting to feel a little like a teenager without a date to the prom that is next week or the last kid to be picked for a team....I may not agree with every word below, but they are pretty dead on in this article.  I'd one a #12...Take it all to God in serious prayer.

12 ways to stave off job-hunting desperation

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/career/?p=669   April 1st, 2009   Author: Toni Bowers 

It´s not unrealistic to feel panicked and fearful when you´re unemployed in the present market, but panic and fear may be keeping you from landing another job. Here are tips on how to overcome those feelings and put your best foot forward.
------------ --------- --------- ---------
Mark Jaffe is an executive search firm president who was identified in 2008 as one of the "World´s 100 Most Influential Headhunters" by BusinessWeek.

According to Jaffe, "Nothing is more attractive to a potential employer than the heady aroma of desperation. Hardly a day goes by without employers asking me for candidates who are radiating pure terror." Of course, he´s being facetious, but he makes the point that if you want to land that next job, you have to lose the air of desperation.
Here are 12 tips from Jaffe on how to keep your calm in a tough job market:

1. Try to stay calm. Take a deep breath and relax. Hyperventilating is never pretty, particularly during an interview. Prospective employers want Jason Bourne - not Jason Alexander. Show them you´re capable, confident, and cool. No sobbing. 

2. It´s not you, it´s the economy.. Please, please remember that what´s happening is a reflection of the overall economy; it´s not a commentary on your specific qualifications. Sometimes stuff just happens, and we all get stuffed in the process. Don´t take it personally. 

3. Revitalize, don´t reinvent. Why is "reinvent" even a word? Companies need the experience and accomplishments you've earned over time. Leave the instant makeovers for people who have something to hide. Leverage what you already have instead of focusing on what you fear you may lack. 

4. Your money´s no good here. When times get tough, the tough get pitched a bunch of crap. If someone offers to craft you a "killer resume," put you in touch with the "hidden job market," or coach you to become a newer, more marketable you, keep your wallet in its holster. Whether they´re asking for $3,000 or $300, it´s overpriced. Don´t take candy from strangers, either. 

5. Seduction trumps selling. Your next boss wants to be enamored, not assaulted. In business as in love, infatuation rarely results from a hard sell or a soft shoe routine. By all means, explain but resist the urge to exclaim. Let people reach their own conclusions about just how "world class" an employee you are. 

6. Be realistic. Naked ambition is a great thing, especially on reality TV, but baby steps may be more effective in this business climate. Besides, starting at the top is overrated. Set your goals at achievable levels. 

7. Give yourself some time. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Listening too closely to your inner "job clock" can get you wound way too tightly. Yes, time is of the essence - there´s not a moment to waste - but most people underestimate how long it will take to find the right gig. Pace yourself and spare the whip. 

8. Work your network, but gently. Chances are you already know the person who will put you on the path to your next salary. Your network is a precious resource and should be treated as such. Now is the time to use it...but gently. Ask for a reference, not a job. When you don´t put your friends on the spot, they´re more inclined to think about ways to help you. 

9. Choose wisely. If Smokey Robinson was recording "Shop Around" today, he´d probably say: "Try to get yourself a bargain, son. Don´t be sold on the very first one. Pretty jobs come a dime a dozen. Try to find one that´s gonna give you true lovin´." Or something like that. Smokey knows about love and work. Whenever possible, be reluctant to jump into a temporary fix. As things improve, you´ll be defined - at least in part - by the compromises you made. 

10. This too shall pass. Despite what you see on the cable networks, we are not living in the End of Days. Yes, it´s miserable out there - worse than most of us have ever seen - but at some point it will just be a bad memory. Sooner than you or anyone at CNBC thinks. 

11. Don´t put your faith in recruiters. Seriously. We are not the answer to your prayers. Most of us never even answer our phones. 

12. Take another deep breath. Admit it, you´re all tensed up again. Deep breath, cleansing breath. And...exhale. Once more, and exhale. 

Toni Bowers is the Head Blogs Editor of TechRepublic (www.techrepublic.com). She has been in the publishing industry for 20 years, with concentration in IT-related topics. She has edited newsletters, books, and web sites pertaining to software, IT career, and IT management issues.

Unemployment and Emotions

Blue.

Pretty color, ugly mood.  It is a common human experience, especially during periods of unemployment, even more so in extended unemployment.   It can be brought on by exasperatingly marathons of job searching effort, a growing sense of worthlessness because "NO ONE" will hire us, and when we feel debt hanging over our heads like the Sword of Damocles.   When we are feeling weak or defeated, we start to believe anything that enters our heads---and we are our own worst prosecutors.

Negativism resulting from depression can show up in our attitudes, not only to those around us everyday, but it can also be unintentionally communicated to interviewers.  Literally, there is "no future in it."

Not everyone will agree with me that this is essentially a spiritual problem, but it is.  When I experience this feeling, it's because I'm wallowing in self-pity due to misplaced pride in myself.  It is a time when I forget that God is indeed in control.  It is an ugly shade of blue that comes over me.

When this happens, it is time for me to reassess myself and attitude and to realign myself with the only Source of inner peace (eirene in the the New Testament).    It is where I live, who I am, and Who I know loves and takes care of me.   For so much of the world though, eirene is indeed a foreign term.  I feel for everyone out of work.   Perhaps some of the other resources below will be of some comfort:

The Layoff Survival Guide, Nancy Collamer    http://www.layoffsurvivalguide.com/

The Stress of Unemployment: Managing The Emotional Roller Coaster      http://www.net-temps.com/careerdev/index.htm?type=topics&id=163&op=print

Facing Unemployment: Ten Steps to Handling Your Unemployment Anxiety   http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/anxiety-files/200902/facing-unemployment-ten-steps-handling-your-unemployment-anxiety

Worried Sick About Finding Work? Listen to One Man's Inspirational Tale  http://www.hrguru.com/news/articles/2256-worried-sick-about-finding-work-listen-to-one-mans-inspirational-tale?utm_source=nlet&utm_content=hg_r6_20090401_indu

Christian Helps for Unemployment Anxiety

Unemployment Survival Guide  http://www.everydaychristian.com/work/story/204/

Playing the Game (Christian Career Guide), http://christiancareertools.com/play-the-career-failure-game-and-win/

Confronting Unemployment

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/lifechallenges/life_transitions/confronting_unemployment.aspx

This last resource really hits the matter dead on, "For many, identity and occupation are linked.  Our self-image is often formed by our career accomplishments and how those affect our family's perception of us.  It's no wonder, then, that a career change can throw every aspect of life into a tailspin."   When we are so self-absorbed, we experience unnecessary pain and stress during unemployment, apart from any financial stresses that may be facing us.   The non-Christian job search resources also encourage volunteerism and reaching out to others to direct your attention away from yourself and get a balanced perspective on things during your job search.

There is one thing that all of us who are unemployed agreed on:  we want a job...NOW!  Unemployment "free time" is way overrated.  It can open us up to succumbing to an overwhelming sense of fear, which can lead to anxiety and depression. 

Cicero sums the end result of self-absorbing fear/anxiety and the resulting depression up well when alluding to the Sword of Damocles in the Tusculan Disputations, "Does not Dionysius seem to have made it sufficiently clear that there can be nothing happy for the person over whom some fear always looms?"  Tusculan Disputations, V. 61–62

Weekends

So, you're hunting for a new job, and it's the weekend. What are you going to be doing? Since life is not "normal," it may be hard to really rest. I do recommend that you force yourself to take some time off from the job hunt to do what you like, spend some time reconnecting with God, exercising, etc. You will run yourself into the ground very quickly if you ignore the reality about your need for regular rest and recharging.

The weekend should also be used to review and revise your job-hunting strategy, applying to jobs you didn't have time to in the past week (if a job has been advertised for more than a week or two, your chances of getting an interview are slimmer, but not impossible), doing some Internet research on your target companies and/or industries, and setting up your plan for the next week (contacts to be made, lunches, networking group meetings, etc.). Steven Covey refers to recharging as "sharpening the saw"---"Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have--you." Recharge your batteries, renew your spirit, and get ready to dive into the job hunt again early in Monday morning.

Weekends are great for getting renewed, but depending on your financial situation, you may have to rely on less "rest" than a weekend when you have a job and may feel more stress, because you cannot contact prospective employers (weekends are a good time for working LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites). God set up every seven days as a day of rest, and it's clear that we all need the cycle of winding down every week and refreshing to be able to attack the next week with all cylinders running.

Planning and executing your job-search strategy helps to keep you from just generating a lot of activity and instead helps you focus your activity on producing the results you want---landing a job. If you're spiritually, mentality, and physically worn down, you'll have a hard time executing even the greatest job-search plan effectively.

Sort of Good News

I will be starting a contract type of position Monday, training for a local community college. It's not a viable long-term gig, as it is only part time.

As with any "bridge job" as it is now called, you know that your search will have to be adjusted to accomodate your work schedule. The one thing we all have to keep in mind about these jobs is: 1) if you're hurting for cash, it's cash, 2) a bridge job can relieve emotional stress from #1, 3) you'll have to be more creative about making contacts, networking, etc., meeting people and calling people on lunch, before and after hours, and 4) you just never know where the so-called "bridge job" may lead.

The thing any of us have to remember is that we must press on with the job search as hard as before. Yes, you'll be tired....which is why I tell everyone, "I have to get a real job; this job of job hunting is killing me." I always invite comments and suggestions---especially on this blogpost. Thanks.