http://iamyourneighborproject.tumblr.com/

I have seen some very similar stories come up, mostly in the comments people make about the articles.

One very frequent story is a someone running out of unemployment who also has health issues.  Typically the mention the hundreds of jobs they’ve applied for. 

It’s possible they’re being discriminated against because of their health or disability issues:

http://www.lawjournalbuffalo.com/news/article/current/2010/06/10/102368/employment-discrimination-could-follow-health-care-reform

Another frequent story is an older person who worked for several years at the same company and then was laid off. They too have applied for hundreds of jobs. We all know about age discrimination. Here are a couple of recent examples:

http://www.bostonemploymentlawyerblog.com/2011/10/age_discrimination_lawsuit_bro_1.html

http://www.lawfirmnewswire.com/2011/12/age-discrimination-still-happens-reports-chicago-employment-lawyer/

You may have also heard about the people running into job ads that say “If you’re unemployed, don’t bother applying”.

Here is a short article on the issue:

http://jobsearch.about.com/b/2011/10/20/unemployed-need-not-apply.htm

As it mentions in the article above, this short-sighted policy is catching the eye of government officials. 

A similar earlier article confirms the issue is attracting the right type of attention.  Since “unemployed” isn’t a protected status in and of itself, some officials are looking into whether there maybe subgroups of unemployed who are in a protected status, such as by age or minority status.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/11/unemployment-discrimination-slideshow_n_917641.html#s321678&title=Frankel_Staffing_Entry

Meanwhile, public interest groups have sprung up to move things in a positive direction, such a mentioned in this article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/12/monstercom-ads-discourage-the-unemployed_n_925502.html

Here is a recruiting organization working specifically to help:

http://www.smartrecruiters.com/static/news/campaign-to-end-discrimination-against-the-unemployed/

So keep looking.  Things are changing slowly. The statistics are slowly dropping away, and soon there will be one less:  You.

Good luck in the hunt.

It’s difficult to know if things are getting better. One day “they” post that the job rate is lower. Indeed, the latest unemployment rate as of November, 2011 was 8.2% across the US.  8.9% in my state, Oregon. 

Google Unemployment Rate website: http://tinyurl.com/6qsdo5a

There’s some discussion about whether that’s because of more jobs made, or because there have been fewer layoffs. Some of  it is also because some people’s unemployment benefits have expired and they are no longer counted in the statistics:

“The mismatch between jobs created and the jobless rate decline indicated that some 315,000 people stopped looking for work. If they return, the jobless rate could rise.”  (USA Today) http://tinyurl.com/7vh9tjw

The next day they post that unless employers add a few hundred thousand jobs each month to lower the unemployment rate. Here’s one studious person’s calculations:

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/07/how-many-jobs-are-needed-over-next-year.html

However, in the same USA Today article quoted above, it appears that we may be getting there, slowly but surely:

“Friday’s jobs report indicating the nation’s jobless rate dropped from 9% in October to 8.6% in November was a welcome sign. Combined with revisions to earlier monthly reports, it showed a gain of 534,000 jobs in four months and 2.5 million since hitting a low point February 2010, and marked 21 months in a row of private-sector job growth.”

and

“Republican economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin sees a silver lining: More people are quitting the workforce than getting laid off. ‘That’s a good-news story: People are confident enough to quit,’ he says.”

I can personally say, that there is some good news.  As you know, I was laid off a couple of years ago myself.  I have since been rehired by the same company, although I’m in a different position. This position currently pays a little less, mostly because I’m new at it. However, it is less stress, it is a solid position where I can learn skills I could use at several companies around town if I were to be laid off again, and I no longer work nights or weekends or vacations.  Hard to complain about that.

What you may not know, is that my husband was also unemployed for a few months.  He, too, has found a new job. Again, it pays a little less, but he gets to learn some useful new skills that will make him very employable around town as well.

So two people went through what you are going through, and have made it.  Things aren’t exactly the same as they were before, but as with every change, some things are better.

Things will get better for you as well.  Good luck in the hunt.

I have just completed the first phase of my new page, Tips for the Online Application Process.  It’s the tab next to this one, and is devoted to new tactics employers are using with their online application systems and, most importantly, tips for working with them.

I will continue the interviews with people in the HR and recruiting realm, and will update the page as I find new information for it.

For tips on the whole job hunting process, including the online application, see the next page over, Job Hunting Tips–Main Page.

Thank you again for reading, and good luck in the hunt!

My little blog just hit 2,000 hits. Thank you everyone for reading!  I hope the information has been useful. Of course, the real measure of success is that I have NO readers–because everyone has a job! 

Thank you again, and good luck in the hunt.

The gloom-and-doom news stories on the economy are finally starting to abate. Although the unemployment rate is still over 9% across the nation, it is almost 2% down from just 6 months ago.  If you’re one of those adversely affected by the economy, here are some things to consider to turn that frown upside down!

It’s Still A Great Time to Buy Stocks (and some bonds)!

While stock prices have returned almost to normal for many companies, some companies still have a lot of room to grow.  Look at your online stock trading company’s website for some sort of stock screener and see if you can find some cheap picks.  Look for companies of luxury products, or other products that people will stop buying when the economy is low.  Their prices may still be artificially depressed by the economy (the company is viable, but no one wants to take a chance on it).  Look for general use product companies that might still have some wiggle room as well, as not all stocks have returned to their full glory yet.   Consider that it may take a year or two or three to double your money (or more), but unless you’re a day trader or like to short, stocks are generally long-term investments anyway! 

There are also some bonds that are good deals right now. Because of the credit issue, some long-time companies’ credit ratings have taken a dip, and/or they need corporate paper to cover some costs, so their bonds are offering attractive rates, or with a high yield so they can get them sold.  Some even offer monthly dividends so you have a steady income while you’re waiting for the rest of the economy to recover.  Watch the credit score however so that you don’t risk losing the money you do invest.

It’s Also A Great Time to Buy A House!

If you’re not already saddled with a mortgage, now is the time to consider getting one. Mortgage rates are very low, and there are still some good financial products out there to consider.  And, you may have noticed, there are many bank-owned (REO) or pre-foreclosure homes on the market right now. Look around, you might get a deal and help someone’s credit out as well.  Look for prices to drop a little further in many markets, if you’re not in a hurry to buy.  If you watch Zillow or other real estate websites over a period of time, they can give you an idea if housing prices are going down or up in an area.

Need A Car?

Most auto companies really need to turn over their inventory, particularly with the 2011 models coming out.  Many banks and credit unions are offering great finance programs as well. In some cases you can qualify for very good financing or cash back deals directly from the dealer.   There are also cases where cars were repossessed or voluntarily turned back in before the owner’s credit was ruined. These cars are used, but still may be a very recent model.  Keep an eye out for deals.

Need Anything Else?

Many stores are selling items at a discount almost immediately, or are having frequent sales, trying to drum up business.  Look around for better coupons as well, particularly on your local grocery store’s website. Fred Meyer in Oregon allows you to download coupons directly to your Rewards card, so no need for clipping or printing them. Stock up on long-term items now.  You can also use your Rewards card to reduce your gas price by 10 cents a gallon at Shell and Fred Meyer gas stations.  Look for similar deals or coupons at your local grocery store’s website.

If you like to shop online, there are also many deals to get free shipping, particularly now, during the holiday season when retailers need you to spend to make revenu projections.  But some companies, such as Amazon, regularly offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount.  As an avid online shopper, I’ve found it ridiculously easy to meet those limits.  

Most People in The US Are Employed

While it may not seem like it, most of your friends and family are employed, if they want to be.  Most have benefits of some sort.  Most are making a living.  The newspapers mention the 9% unemployed populace, but they don’t mention the 91% that are employed. 

Well, it’s probably not that simple, is it?  Those who have stopped looking or receiving unemployment and thus aren’t countable are not considered in the unemployment statistics, so it’s probably more like in the high 80% range.  And not all of those are gainfully employed. Some are contractors, temps, part-timers, or working for much lower wages or are working multiple jobs, or jobs they absolutely hate,  just to get money coming in.

So let’s go conservative and say 75% of the population is employed, and happy.  That’s still the majority of the US employee population.  Most of us are okay.  See?

That means you will be too, some day.  People move around in companies, retire, or switch companies altogether, and that means openings for you.  Read my posting on the other page, Job Hunting Tips–Main Page, for ideas on how to prepare for the opportunities that will come your way.  And keep your eye out for them.  There are thousands of jobs out there, and one will be for you. I promise.

Happy Holidays, and Good luck in the hunt.

If you’re reading this blog, you are likely unemployed, or are fearful that you are going to be.  These are very stressful times. Many people have extended their unemployment benefits to the limit, and some have run out completely.  Many people are underemployed, whether working under the table, as a temporary or contract worker, working only part-time, working for much lower wages than they used to work, and possibly working more than one job.

Take a break.

Release yourself from worrying about the jobless rates, the homeless rates, the number of weeks people are allowed to receive unemployment benefits.  You cannot change that. It will all change in time, and all you can do is wait it out.

What you DO have control of is yourself, and what you are doing right now.

Looking for a job and preparing for interviews is a good thing to do. Coming up with a game plan for affording to pay the bills is another good thing.  Once you have that settled as best as you can, stop and think for a moment.

What else can you do with any free time?

• Do you have children? Play with them.   Make paintings, draw with chalk on the sidewalk, do a jigsaw puzzle together, teach them some new skill, like whistling.  Things You Wouldn’t Have Time To Do If You Were Working.  You will not regret it.
• Has your garden been neglected?  Get out there and weed  and replant like crazy.  Plants may be expensive, but seeds are cheap. And you have time to nurture them and watch them grow. When I was growing up, that was gardening.  Or, if you live in an apartment, buy a small potted plant and see how big you can get it.
• How many times have you sat on your porch/stoop/front yard and just enjoyed the weather?  Listening to the wind rustle through the trees?  Watching the clouds in the sky and looking for ones shaped like bunnies? Or if you live in the city, go to a cafè and buy a cup of coffee, or go to a park, and watch the people around you.
• Write a snail mail letter to an old friend, or at least post something to them on Facebook. Look things up on the internet, or better still, take a trip to the library and look things up in those old-fangled things called “books”.
• Spend time with your friends and family, meet them at lunch, have them over for dinner, go on a picnic together.  More Things You Wouldn’t Have Time To Do If You Were Working.
• Go jogging, cycling, or walking, do some pushups, lift some weights if you have them. Exercise will help relieve your body and mind of stress.
• Do you speak and write English pretty well?  Help others learn, either for free, or for a small fee.  You can usually arrange for classes or tutoring sessions through churches, schools, and small colleges that offer English as a Second Language classes.
• Think of anything else you swore you would do if you were retired. And do it now. You’re not getting any younger!

I personally think we are starting to hit the deepest part of the trough. Although stocks are holding their own or going back up, we’re not seeing that money trickling down to some of us.  Eventually the slow climb back up will happen though, and I think that time will come in the next few months.

In the meantime, you need to find your peace, a way to hang on to hope, and ride these tough times through.  Things still aren’t as bad as they were in the 1930s, and likely won’t get that way again. So hang on. 91% of the US is employed in some fashion, most of them gainfully. Soon you will be too.

Good luck in the hunt.

By now most of you have been in the job hunting cycle for a long time.  You’ve seen the familiar patterns of having to apply online, or mailing in a resume, or trying to submit the resume personally–only to be told to apply online.  Then when you submit your resume through the online or snail mail process, you don’t hear back. Sometimes not for weeks, sometimes not ever.

I have some information for you.

You are not alone, and it’s not personal.  Here is some of what’s going on:

Online Applicants

If you are applying at a company that is using an online application process, there are a few possibilities:

1. Your application didn’t make it through the online filter
2. Your application didn’t make it through the recruiter filter
3. Your application didn’t make it through the hiring manager filter
4. There are so many applications, they haven’t gotten through them all yet.
5. There are so many applications, they don’t have time to respond.

For Oregon, and possibly other places, I need to add a couple of things to this section.  There are two other ways employers screen you out.  If you apply through the State of Oregon website (http://www.emp.state.or.us/jobs), there are two services potential employers use to help them screen through the hundreds of applications they get for each position:  WorkSource Oregon and iMatchSkills 

WorkSource Oregon (http://www.worksourceoregon.org) is a “statewide network that will stimulate job growth by connecting businesses and workers with the resources they need to succeed” (with some typos).

iMatchSkills is a program the Oregon Employment department uses that ”improves the quality of the matching process by going beyond resumes and job titles – straight to your job skills” (and more typos).

So two more filters, that replace step 1 in the Online Applicants section above.

Trick for online application filters I learned from a job specialist: Take words and phrases out of the job description and arrange them into your resume in a logical manner.  The filter is looking to match that description as closely as possible.  Only do this where it’s legitimate though!

How many of these have to do with you as a potentially good fit for the company? Really, just #3.  IF your resume even made it to the hiring manager, he/she just didn’t find what they were looking for. So be it.

See my original posting on the other tab, or the links on the right of this posting, for websites with more ideas on how to break through this barrier.

But there are 4 other reasons that have nothing to do with you.

So don’t take it personally if you don’t get a response.

Snail Mail Applicants

If you mailed in your resume, you are dealing with similar situations:

1. Your application didn’t make it through the recruiter/HR filter
2. Your application didn’t make it through the hiring manager filter
3. There are so many applications, they haven’t gotten through them all yet.
4. There are so many applications, they don’t have time to respond.

The only difference is there isn’t that additional filter at the beginning that screens out many applications before they’re even seen by people.  Since this process is completely manual, it could take a very long time to get through.

A little ray of hope:  I know of someone who didn’t hear back on a job for 6 months!   So hang tight.

Now, all that above is what YOU have to deal with. Note which step the Hiring Manager is in both scenarios–not the first.

The hiring manager is now one of the LAST people to see an application. This means that many potentially qualified applicants are being screened out by someone who may not fully understand the job or team they’re hiring for.  It could be the hiring manager would love you.

But they don’t even get a passing glance.

This overcomplicated filtering process has many ramifications, to you, employers, and society in general. This next section will be long, but bear with me, I think you’ll agree it’s a good point.  Here goes:

Incredibly Long Explanation About The Ramifications Of The Filtering Process

On the surface, all of these filtering mechanisms sound innocuous.  As an employer, you have many, many people to sift through. Background checks need to be done (you know, just in case your last gig was as Prisoner #183728 in the state penitentiary, not as an incarceration consultant, as you put on your resume, as interesting as that sounds), verifications need to be made (Do you really have 3 PhDs from Harvard?), etc., etc.. Once they make an offer to someone, they need to be sure they want them.  Terminations/layoffs are expensive.

So, good for them, bad for you–and the hiring manager, and society. Here’s why:

Why it’s bad for you

You are being screened out based on words you typed–or mistyped, or forgot to type, or even based on what they typed, if their description isn’t accurate.  As you well know, you are not your resume. It’s only a description of your previous jobs and experience. Add all the “pop” you want, but it still isn’t you. If you forgot to type that you know SQL Server 2008 in addition to 2005, you might get screened out by the online filter.  If you accidentally type “there” instead of “they’re”, you might get screened out by the recruiter filter (this is where the grammar checker is handy).

But if you were given a chance to actually talk to the hiring manager, they might love you and think you’re the perfect fit, in spite of your imperfections.

Why it’s bad for the hiring manager (and employer in general)

Because of the filtering processes in place, many hiring managers are not aware of the people who are applying for jobs. In a company I used to work for, I almost didn’t get interviewed for a job I eventually got, because my resume was filtered out by Monster.

This was an internal application. 

If you work for the company, find and talk to the hiring manager, pronto, before and/or after applying to ensure your resume comes out of the filters to him or her.  If you don’t work for the company, still see if you can talk to the hiring manager, which is admittedly difficult these days.

My point is, the hiring manager and employer in general, is missing out on many potential good hires, because of typing or resume-writing skills they don’t have.  These skills may not even be relevant to their jobs, other than typing the occasional e-mail.  The recruiter should be able to pick through the ones that do make it through the online filter, and make educated guesses about whether someone is a good fit for the position based on their professed qualifications.  But if you don’t word something the right way, your resume might not make it to them and they may not know how good a fit you are.

Why it’s bad for society in general

People as numbers

In this overcomplicated applicant filtering system, applicants are no longer people.  Where business used to be about ”whom you know”, it is rarely about that, or even what you know. It’s about how well you know how to work keywords into a resume.  That’s not a useful skill for the employer.   If an employer happens to meet someone they do like, all they can do is have them go through the same application process everyone else goes through. The one advantage is that sometimes, they can request resumes that don’t make it through the filters. 

While the State of Oregon has good intentions, and it certainly is helpful if you have no idea what you want to do for a career, if you do know, you might not be able to do it, if you have to go through one of their programs.  The key is to fill things out just right.  Here is an example:

When I was looking for Product Management jobs, I searched all the computer areas in iMatchSkills and couldn’t find anything similar.  I asked someone about it and the person said “It’s under Management”. People management.  But I wasn’t looking to manage people, I wanted to manage a software product.  And iMatchSkills is going to determine, not if I get a job, but if I even have the right to apply for the job. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one a little worried about this.

So while they have good intentions, they may, in some or many cases be inadvertently grinding the job-hunting process to a halt, where people don’t get the jobs they want, and employers don’t get the employees they want. A suggestion for that is to work with the Employment employees to ensure you have selected everything correctly and to help you look in all the nooks and crannies for the jobs you want.

So we have a lot of people who could be potentially working tomorrow, if they could just get past the filters.  Wouldn’t it make sense to remove these roadblocks and get more employers talking to more applicants?  Yes, it takes up an employers’ time initially, but as many business textbooks have stated, employees are a company’s biggest, and most expensive asset. Doesn’t it make sense to invest in them?

Psychological toll

No one likes being treated like cattle. But that’s what you are when you’re applying these days.  Take the wearing down from being unemployed and worrying about bills, and then add the faceless application process, and then take not getting any response for months, and you have one stressed-out person. 

Only with 9% unemployment across the nation, that’s almost 15 million stressed out people.  That can’t be good.

Employers, over the years things have changed in your relationship with employees.  20+ years ago, employees were an asset. Their knowledge of your company, products, and customers made them invaluable to your ability to create and maintain business.  You would do anything to keep them, because hiring, retraining, and attaining the necessary knowledge to perform the job was expensive, both monetarily, and socially. Then, over the years things changed.

Employees became a commodity and disposable and easily replaced. Granted, we Gen X-ers kind of started it with our job-hopping every few years.   But then it became clear, that except for highly skilled or executive jobs, employers didn’t want employees around long anyway, preferring to replace and train a new employee (often for lower wages), rather than retrain. In many cases, jobs are now consolidated, so where a job used to be done by three people, it is now done by one stressed-out person.

And the qualified people for that job first has to go through the anxiety of the filtering process, which does not start the relationship off well.  And one report said some people have had to go through this 3 or more times since this all began in 2007.

Here is the psychological impact for that:  Employees no longer feel secure in their jobs.  This creates a constant tension of “When will I be next?” This also creates a system of constantly looking for new jobs “just in case”, as we are now advised to do. This takes a toll on productivity and certainly employee loyalty is zip, since it appears the employers are not loyal to the employees.

This is not good for a company. A strong company is made up of a team of players who know where they fit, and are comfortable–and secure–with where they are. 

This does not mean that you cannot do layoffs.  But layoffs should be the exception, to keep the company alive, not as a housekeeping mechanism so you can upgrade your employees while downgrading their salaries, or to quickly institute a company-wide change. Loyal employees and the knowledge in their heads, as I’m sure employers know, work harder and are much more valuable than short-timer employees who don’t care about the company, and, along with their knowledge of the employer’s business and practices, would leave as soon as a similar position opens up with a competitor.

Let’s bring humanity back to the application process, as much as possible, as quickly as possible, for everyone’s sake.

Financial Impact

The on-line process is a boon to employers, because it takes applicants’ pertinent information, and stores it in such a way that the information can permeate throughout the system (such as for background checks, payroll setup, general HR information, ordering nameplates, etc.).  This also creates records so they can create statistics, such as for Equal Employment Opportunity reporting, or unions, or whomever else they need to report to.

It is a time and paper-saving tool. And that is a fine purpose.

What made this process go from benign to malignant, is all the extra functionality they eventually made these programs do, such as filtering employees out (another one is maintaining an employee’s status in the system–and don’t get me started on that one). All of these filters take people, computers and servers to create and maintain them. Human recruiters aren’t cheap either, whether in-house or through a third party. 

Some of the maintenance is simply meticulously updating the job descriptions and updating the software that needs accurate job descriptions.  This can take the hiring manager’s time, HR’s time, and the systems application person’s time, and QA’s time, if there is QA. Once the software is updated, the website may need to be updated as well, so that it populates the software correctly. More engineer and QA time.

The filters (human and computer) also filter out people who might not be 100% qualified for the job, but willing and able to learn–and cheaply, since they’re new.  This could be a huge money saver for the company over time, particularly now, since so many are hungry for a job.

Conclusion

With hundreds of applicants for each job, employers need help sifting through them all.  And it’s true, a quick glance at resumes can tell employers that some people just aren’t qualified and it doesn’t always take the hiring manager to tell that. I’m not suggesting we eliminate all the filtering systems entirely, but that we allow for the human element to be brought back, particularly when there aren’t that many applicants for each job, which I hope will be in the near future.

Let people walk into a business and submit an application and leave a resume.  Let them make that first impression.

If someone is able to talk to a hiring manager, make it easy for that manager to interview that person if they want.

Always, always, give courtesy interviews to internal applicants.

If positions are being eliminated, show employees some courtesy and let the employee know ahead of time, and let them interview for other positions in the company–while they’re still working for the company, or better yet, help them find other positions, the way it used to be.

People managers, break down the barriers when possible. Get out and talk to people.  Review some resumes yourself. It’s more work, but it will pay off, and look at all the interesting people you’ll get to meet!

And now, as Jon Stewart says, “Your moment of Zen”

In Oregon, 90% of the state is employed. 91% of the US is employed.  Most are fully employed and are satisfied (if not downright happy) with their work.

If you think finding a job in the US is hard, check out Germany’s process, which is not only hard, it’s expensive.  And it’s a beauty contest to boot! Check it out:

http://andrewhammel.typepad.com/german_joys/2006/10/getting_hired_i.html

Good luck in the hunt.

The employment news has been bad lately. The economic news hasn’t given anyone hope either. Housing sales are down almost 30% and housing values are down a scary amount as well. I’ve seen my stocks go down several percent in just the past week, with all the bad news going around.

You might have been laid off, recently or a while ago.  The landlord or bank is knocking at your door every week, while you’re eating ramen noodles and cup-a-soups for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  You’ve applied to over a hundred jobs, and gotten one telephone interview, and have never heard anything since.  It’s a bad luck story all around.

Stay positive.

Okay, don’t hit me (or your computer–you can’t afford to replace it now, right?), I’m not being smart, I’m being serious here.

You need to stay positive. Even though the world is turning black and the walls are closing in on you, now is the time to persevere.  That is our American heritage: From the founding of this country, through our civil wars, the Dust Bowl, and a Depression far, far worse than what we’re going through, and various recessions, gas shortages, natural disasters, terrorist bombings and everything else this country has gone through over the centuries, one thing has stayed true:

We have overcome. And we will continue to do so.

Okay, enough speechifying. Here is why you, personally, need to stay positive:

Employers aren’t going to hire Negative Nannys.

You worked for 20 years for the same company. A company you thought you were going to retire from. You could have worked for other companies–competitors even–but you stayed put.  Year, after loyal year.

And, they repaid you for your loyalty by laying you off. No notice, no thank you, just pack up your things, the security guard will escort you out, don’t forget that plant in the corner.  

That would make everyone on this planet angry, and justifiably so.

Your next employer is well aware of that anger as well.

See, your next employer is going to be moved by your loyalty–and scared of your bitterness.  They don’t want to hire someone who’s going to:

• Complain about their previous employer
• Be a Doomsayer and make their employees feel nervous that they could lose their jobs “because nobody’s safe” (even though as you and I know, nobody is)
• Engage in possibly illegal acts of retribution. After all, if you do that to your previous employer, what would you do to them?  And you’re no good to them if you’re in jail.
• Other scary and exasperating things that the interviewing party can think of

You have to realize that while the person hiring you is sympathetic to your situation, they aren’t the ones who hurt you.

And they’re not your therapist.  So you should see if your previous company has one available through their Employee Assistance Program if you need one.

In fact, the person you’re sitting across from at that conference table is, in a sense, trying to help you.  By giving you a job. 

So be nice to them. Be pleasant.  If you’re really bitter about your last job, it’s okay to say one sentence–lightheartedly, about how you wished things had ended differently–so that issue is addressed, and then move on to something else more currently relevant–and positive–like the experience you are glad you have learned and can bring to them, the friends and contacts you have made over the years that they can use, and any other positive things like fun company events you helped with, and could help your new company with, or things like that.

Your future employer wants to hear that you’ve moved past the shock, denial, anger and grief stages, and have moved on to acceptance and are ready to engage in a new adventure.

If you are hired:

• Don’t compare your new company with your old one. 
• Don’t waste your coworkers time with stories about how good–or especially bad–it was at your last place of work.
• Don’t talk about how you are almost (or are) losing your house, living on the streets, not eating, whatever.

You have a task at hand, focus on it. 

However, if you are hired, and need an advance to stay in your apartment because you haven’t paid the past two months and you’re going to be evicted tomorrow, it would be understandable if you asked for part of your first paycheck in advance, especially in today’s economy. But don’t overdo it.

When you’re in interviews, or just starting a new job, make sure everyone feels you are a willing member of the team, happy to jump right in and help them with whatever they need help with. Employers will appreciate your can-do attitude, and your willingness and ability to muddle through difficult situations and make the best of them.  Your coworkers or future coworkers will feel confident that you are a winner, and will be more likely to want you to be part of their team.

After all, everyone likes to back a winner. Be one.

Good luck in the hunt, and stay positive.

Probably five days after I posted a change in my job status (to unemployed), the activity on my LinkedIn account went almost dead.   Like I could hear crickets whenever I opened my Inbox.  At first I thought it was just a lull, but the lull pretty much continued. Now I’m lucky to hear from one or two people a month.  Pretty depressing.

But I understand.

With any big negative happening, such as getting divorced, a death in the family, or getting foreclosed on, there is a tendency for those around you to circle the wagons to ensure the negative karma doesn’t affect them.  These are the times when you learn about those who care about you, and those who don’t.   Those who care, will still reach out to you however they can.  Those who don’t, don’t.

Should you cross those who don’t care off your contact list?  Not necessarily.  If it’s a Facebook list, it’s personal, but maybe you weren’t that close to the person to begin with, so it doesn’t matter.  If it’s LinkedIn, most of your contacts are likely professional or employees of your former employer, and not really friends anyway, so don’t take it personally if you don’t hear from them. 

If most of your contacts are from your former employer, do continue to reach out to them if you had any kind of personal relationship. They may just feel awkward about the situation.  Call it “Survivors Guilt”.  These people may be willing to help you find a new job, and just as importantly, give a good recommendation to your next future employer.

Since being out of work myself (I’m employed temporarily now, however), I’ve noticed a rift between the employed and unemployed. It may be particularly sensitive now because so many are out of work, and the situation is dire for so many of them, that the survivor’s guilt is keeping the employed from wanting to consort with the unemployed.   Just talking to someone in line, for instance, as soon as you mention that you don’t have a job (when the other person does), there comes this uncomfortable silence.  Then you change the subject and move on. But the realization coming from the other person was clear:

“I’m talking to a ghost.”

A ghost of the former-employeds, lurking and haunting the malls and businesses, where “real” people still work. You’re unseen and forgotten.  It’s quite stigmatizing.

If you’re one of these ghosts, take heart–there are others like you.  And you can see each other!  Take comfort from talking to other people who are unemployed.  Don’t stay at home waiting for automated e-mail responses from job posting boards. Be sure to get out and be active in the community.  Volunteer, take classes, go jogging. 

Be seen.

Things are slowly ticking their way back up again.  The Dow is rising (and falling, but mostly rising). More jobs are becoming available, and unemployment rates are slowly going back down.  It won’t be long before you have a job again.

But in the meantime, you are human.  Even though you don’t have a job, it doesn’t mean you don’t have an identity. It just means you have more time to explore a new one. You’re exploring options right now.  Try new things, meet new people, and most of all, enjoy the experience!

Good luck in the hunt.

As you may have read in one of my previous posts, I was laid off in November of 2009 and am a job seeker myself now.  Well, my former company called me up in February and asked me to do some contract work for them doing Qualitative Analysis (QA–it’s a software company).   They offered me a good deal, so I said sure, and decided I’d let you all know my experience, in case you are considering this route yourself.

First of all, I’m not in a typical contractor situation (hence the -ish).  I’m actually working for a temp agency that my company hired.  They take care of the taxes and I can get benefits if I want them.   Typically you would have a contract (hence the name contractor) and you would specify a length of time and negotiate how much and often you want to be paid, what you are paid for, and you take care of your own taxes and benefits. 

This, however, means a lot more rigamarole and nitpickiness about details, so I think going the temp agency route is a good choice both for the company and for the temp employee.

So when you’re temping, you are there just temporarily.  There are negatives to that:

• While you may have an expected length of time, they may drop you early and unexpectedly.  Make sure you understand the terms of your contract (one contractor I know thought his contract was for a year–turns out it was 6 months), and if you’re writing it yourself, either make sure the length of time is iron-clad, or that you get paid an early termination fee.
• While I’ve heard of contracting jobs lasting years, typically they are less than one year. Which means that in less than one year, you’re looking for a job again.
• In Oregon, at least, if you are receiving unemployment and then you work as a contractor, you don’t get a new unemployment term, and it can expire while you’re working, so you may be left with little or no unemployment when your contract is up.  Save up as much as you can from your contracting work.
• You’re an outsider, and will likely be treated as such. I’ve seen contractors who are basically ghosts. You have a nameplate outside your cube, but otherwise they don’t know you exist. There’s no announcement to the employees of your existence, and no one mourns when you leave.  Unless you’ve already worked at that company, it is unlikely you will make many, if any, friends and will be eating lunches alone.

However, there are positives to being there as a temp, such as:

• You’re only there temporarily, and you and the company both know it.  You’re not expected to get involved in the political quagmire many companies have.  There’s no anguish if someone makes the wrong decision and you know the company will suffer for it.
• You’re very likely not competing with anyone else, unless you are hoping the company will hire you permanently, so all you have to do is your best and go home at the end of the day worry-free.  Many companies nowadays want you to have a growth plan and to plan out your future with them.  As a temp or contractor, there is no such thing. If you like doing this one thing, and that is all you want to do, that’s all you have to do, for as long as your contract is valid.
• You may have a little more leeway in negotiating times of day and number of hours worked, especially if your work is project-based.  While regular employees will be expected to be onsite for recurring meetings and face-time to help other employees, you likely won’t have that requirement, since typically contracting jobs are insulated projects that require little-to-no input from other employees–otherwise they just would have had someone in the company do the job.   You may even be able–or be expected–to work at home, unless the job is filing or something that requires office tools.

To me, not being an actual employee is a very freeing experience.  As an employee I was constantly worried about rumors about reorganizations, or revenue projections, or company strategy, or just the possible directions my career would need to take to keep myself employed. I was always wondering if I was going to be one of those let go.  Turns out I was, so that misery has ended.

But now I have the freedom to do what I want, when I want.  I don’t have to do this work, and I can stop when I want.  If I were still an employee, I actually probably would not have been considered for a job in this position–no one would have thought twice that I would have wanted it.  Now I have the ability to try this, and if I don’t like it (fortunately I love it), I can try something else–and I just might get that chance to try many different things. 

I can re-invent myself with each temporary position I take.  I like that kind of variety.  And best of all, I know exactlywhen my job will end–at the end of my contract!  No worrying about that either anymore.  So there are many upsides to consider doing this sort of thing. 

Some things to think about when you’re temping or contracting to make your life easier:

• Realize it’s a temp job. If you hate it, do your best, finish the contract to make your employer’s customer happy and leave when the contract is done.   If you love it, ask your employer for more jobs like it, or if you’re self-contracting, see if you can extend your contract with the company you’re working for, or if they will give you a reference for working at a similar company in the area.  But, even if your contract is long, always keep in mind that you are terminable at will. That is, if there is a downturn in the economy or just at the company, you are very easily let go first as there is no HR rigamarole to go through.
• Treat yourself as a consultant and think about negotiating like one. This is basically what you are.  Typically we think of consultants as people with very expensive, specialized knowledge. And that’s what most consultants are. However, if you are being hired by a company to help out with work–whether it’s labor such as cleaning, catching up on filing and paperwork, or basic bookkeeping, or covering for phones while someone is on an extended vacation, or more skilled projects such as engineering, market research, or actual consulting, the fact of the matter is, you have something the employer wants–if nothing else, you have time.  Don’t forget that.  If they didn’t need you, they wouldn’t call you. 

Now does that mean you can charge $150/hour and up like regular consultants do?  Maybe, if you have a very specialized knowledge or skill like they do.  But probably not if you’re being hired to sweep and water the plants. However, don’t sell yourself short. Remember, the customer isn’t paying for benefits like healthcare or 401(k) matches, and if you are contracting, they aren’t covering the taxes either. So you can charge a little more than you would expect to get as an employee.  

• A large bonus to hiring you to help is that you are terminable at will. That is, there isn’t the overhead that comes from posting a job, setting up the website to receive applications and resumes and search for keywords, having a recruiter review all the applications that come in and make phone calls to likely prospects, and then taking staff time for formal interviews and making an offer and negotiating.  All that can take thousands of dollars–just for one position.  All they have to do to hire you is pick up the phone and dial.

The same can be said for terminating the employee when they are no longer needed.  If they can’t place the employee elsewhere in the company to keep them busy, then they have to go through the paperwork and rigamarole of laying them off or terminating them. Another very expensive process that is prone to lawsuits.  To terminate you, they just have to call you up and say “Sorry, we don’t need you anymore.” If you have a clause in your contract that says to give notice or pay you some sort of severance, that is all they have to worry about, and they’ll probably just give you notice.

So you are a lot cheaper and easier to deal with than a regular employee.  That can be very attractive in today’s climate when employers are reluctant to hire someone else when they’re not sure how long they can afford to keep them.  You are very easy to budget compared to an employee. That is a big selling point.

• When working for the customer, if you find you like the company, find and talk to other departments that might be interested in your service after your contract is up, especially if you have a useful and generally applicable skill, like office work.
• Make sure you do an excellent job for the customer, especially if you are contracting for yourself, but also if you are temping with an agency. The agency will likely have hundreds if not thousands of people to send out on jobs, and they want to send out the ones that will generate them the most profit–and those will be the ones that keep their customers happiest.  If you are self-contracting, you need those referrals.  At the end of the contract, make sure you leave them wishing they could hire you.
• Take the time to learn if there are any new skills that might make you more valuable as a contractor or temp in the future. For instance, if you are an engineer and find that the company you’re contracting at could use engineers who know a new program, consider learning that program as soon as possible–and contacting them to offer your services when you know it.  Or think of other companies that might need it.
• Try to network as much as possible.  As I mentioned, the employees may not be particularly receptive, but it doesn’t mean you can’t try.  And there are likely other contractors there. See who/what they know.  If you’re good, perhaps the manager in charge of your work knows of other companies that could use your service–and better, would be willing to recommend them to you.  It doesn’t hurt to ask.

Most importantly, don’t forget that you are valuable.  They need something–manual labor, skilled labor, or some sort of knowledge, and you have what they need.   Just because they aren’t rushing to give you an interview and hire you doesn’t mean they don’t like you.  Most likely, particularly in today’s economy, they don’t have the money to hire a full-time employee, especially if they are not sure they will be needed six months from now.  But if you do a great job, it is possible that when times are better, your phone will ring–this time for a permanent position.

Good luck in the hunt.