Shower Conversations, The Economy and Your Job Search

I often have conversations with myself in the shower about topics I want to blog about, but then I get so many in my head that I become paralyzed and I end up not blogging at alI. It is akin to having mental google lists. I promise not to do that so much anymore. I need to just blog about it or get over it.

Since I do resume writing in my free (ha ha "free") time, I now officially have a backlog of like 849,254,850,428 family and friends needing their resumes transformed. Oy vey. Sorry people, I swear I will get on that.

Tough times my friends. People are out there desperately looking for work. My girl in Michigan says the economy is so bad she thinks her company will be closed by March (and she is on commission only) which may not qualify her for unemployment benefits. And just two days ago a close family member called in tears- her company cut her hours back, and she fears worse is coming. It is terrifying. My other bud in the midwest is in accounting and her biz is closing- they are an Employment Firm. And my sweet peach of a gal in the ATL area just got laid off and she is in IT and absolutely loved her work. Ahhh.. how frustrating.

• If you are currently working be grateful; but remember layoffs can happen anytime and to anyone, so have that resume ready and always think about your selling points.
• Save those special projects you did on a jump drive, gather those stats that your project resulted in and remember- employers LOVE numbers! If your work resulted in a 80% reduction in spending- those are numbers they will want to see!

The job situation may look bleak right now, but it is only expected to get better. Not only is the economy predicted to recover, but the boomers will start cutting their hours back and eventually retire and or move on to other careers/hobbies (notice I didn't use the sweeping generalization all boomers are retiring/moving along at the same time or by 20XX).

Think Outside The Box

If you feel like you are in a no win situation take some time to look at all your options. I don't care if you are an accountant or a shoe salesman. Have you always had an interest in healthcare? Maybe now is the time to think about going back to school or pursuing that dream that was put on the back burner.

Consider looking at creative options such as working in the healthcare field and areas that are in high demand (medical, dental, senior care) etc.

Perhaps going back to school isn't an option, but what about something more simple like running errands and providing personal assistance to the seniors in your community? After all, I know plenty of elders that have no business driving themselves to the grocery store or the beauty salon.

Heck the other day I was chatting it up with a girlfriend and she was telling me that taking transportion from the burbs of Connecticut to the airport would cost $ 200.00 roundtrip per person! What?? That is highway robbery! I told her with all the people we know out there unemployed and looking for extra cash she could find someone to do this for the cost of gas money plus a fifty spot. Don't get me started on all my savy business ideas.

Carrying on. I have a family member that went to school this year and got fully certified as a national EMT! Guess who paid for the program? Her Federal Disability Benefits Program! So, even those on Federal SS Disability may have educational support options. As I told this family member once- "Stop crying in your cheerios about not having any money and being on a fixed income- there are wonderful programs out there that will PAY for you to go to school! " After making several phone calls (inevitably there is always one person who gives erroneous information). I am really proud of her. She got the information, went to school, did amazing, and is now nationally certified. Not to bad eh?

I am going to leave you with this.

• Never ever stop networking. Continue to network even when things are slow. Lunches might get pricey, but how about a handwritten note to an old colleague? Grab a cup of coffee with some cohorts and keep the lines of communication open. You never know when a career change or a letter of recommendation will come in handy.

p.s. Next week: Why can't McDs put the cream IN the COFFEE??