Wherever you are is a good place to Network!

Network Wherever You Might Be!

No matter how strange the setting, it does not hurt to try. One of the stranger places I did successful networking was through UPS (www.ups.com). In December I worked as a Driver’s Helper. (I learned that this is another job I don’t want to do when I grow up. Especially during December; those drivers work way to hard. I have a new-found respect for the UPS driver.) As a driver’s helper, we would pull up to a business or house, I’d be handed the package, run it in for delivery and run back to the truck. This would go on for many hundred stops a day.

At one business stop in Adel, I delivered an overnight letter to a business that had taken up residence in an old church. The company is Bow and Arrow productions, www.baproductionsinc.com. I asked what they did and Anne Greenwalt told me that they were a communications fulfillment company specializing in Business Theater and special events. I asked if they were hiring and if I could send them a resume. Anne said she would be glad to take a look. That night I emailed my information to her and the owner, Michael Mars. I also got hard copies into their hands.

When I followed up on my next day off (wouldn’t want to be accused of wasting UPS company time) Ann let me know that they did not have any openings, but she would keep an eye open for me. And she said to keep in touch. The networking did not result in a job, but I did get to meet a very nice person who is keeping her eyes open for me, and I have one more resource to contact.

Oh, in addition to delivering packages, we would also pick up any items that the businesses had for shipment, be it regular or overnight. The overnight shipments ranged from legal documents, a 137-pound overhead garage door spring, and shipments of frozen bull semen. Everyday was an adventure.

If anyone is interested in learning more, or perhaps hiring me, I can be contacted at:

Joe Burklund

Urbandale, IA

515/253-0337

burklund@mchsi.com

@JoeBurklund

http://www.linkedin.com/in/burklund

Joe Burklund, Job Seeker

Firts of all, thanks to WHO-TV for putting me on the air. Any exposure is good exposure, just spell my name right. Since my short segment aired about two weeks ago, I received three calls related to it. One was a person who thought I would be great selling nutritional-medicinal suplements. (Sorry, not my cup of tea.) Another was from a genltemen who, along with his father, had a great invention that would make a lot of money. He needed marketing help to get it going. He was to send me information, but I have not heard from him since. I wish him luck. I also heard from a man in Eldora who has a new travel site, http://www.videotripper.com/. That looks promising and I will be talking to him again soon.



Having been on the street since last August, I have been through the usual ups and downs of the unemployed. Basicly, it bites. I have also changed my search strategy. Just about all of the online job sites and listing seem to be black holes; toss a cover letter and a resume in and they just vanish. I finally realized that active networking was doing the most for my job search. Going to chamber events, Social Media Clubs, seminars, and talking to people has produced the most positive job leads. The Net2Work meeting put on by the Greater Des Moines Partnership, http://www.desmoinesmetro.com/, is a good place to be on alternate Mondays. Also, the Unemployed in Des Moines meetings and web site are great, http://www.unemployedindesmooines.com/.



So, that is the extent of my blog for now. Stay tuned.

February Week of 14th

Hello,

I've been looking for full-time work since December. My passion are people, specifically children. Currently, I have been working part-time at an in-home daycare. I am checking into going back to school for a certificate in Early Childhood Education at DMACC. I am also applying for work for overnights until I get full-time work. I've been doing off-hours child care in people's homes, as needed.

It will come, I just need to keep a positive attitude & check all the options. Do what you need to do to keep going until you get to where you want/need to be!!

The Game Plan!

I'm sitting here reflecting on the past several weeks. Numerous things have come and gone including the holidays, college football, and the NFL's regular season. However, during these last weeks I have reconfirmed my philosophy and the value of networking. Those relationships that I, and I'm assuming some of you, have established over the years still remain constant. I have had the pleasure of re-connecting with individuals on both a personal and professional level.

Thus far, I have come to realize that if you just regimentally apply to online job board postings, your competing with the thousands of other individuals. You become one of those other individuals that hiring managers have to scan through in a matter of seconds to decide if they are interested in speaking with you about their opportunity.

Produce a game plan for finding a new career opportunity that includes job boards but expands on that resource. Networking can provide you with potential opportunities that companies are planning on adding but have yet to be made public. It also helps to have an internal voice speaking on your behalf to obtain that initial interview with the employer. The hardest part is getting to have the opportunity to get in front of the individual company to show them what you can add to their organization.

Things have changed compared to past years, "advantage employer".

It's easy to sit at home applying for career opportunities in the comfort of your home. These lovely balmy sub-zero temperatures can make it easy to want to sit in your temperature controlled environment and wait for something to come your way. I'm not suggesting that I nor you should not apply for openings posted on job boards but before we go that route a few things should be done.

Network and then network some more and while doing that make sure we can briefly describe our self and what we're looking for in a quick and impacting manner. It's easy to say the standard items you say when people ask who you are. You usually start off by giving your name, maybe something about your family, some hobbies, and what you do for a living. Well your not currently gainfully employed and an organization doesn't really want to know about your family items up front, that's once you've made their team. Company X wants to know what your bringing to the their organization and how its different than your other teammate on the unemployment line.

What is it that makes you a unique individual in comparison to the thousands of individuals potentially in the same unemployment line?

Keep the faith!

Kalani

Working The Holiday Season

I am amazed at the job postings that continue throughout the holiday season. Today is Monday, December 22nd and the job boards are updating new career opportunities every day. Beyond the job boards, companies are not closed down until the New Year. I'm making a lot of networking contacts this time of year. There seems to be a lesser amount of stress making employers accessible and willing to meet with me. I met with a senior executive of a company after an introduction by a friend. Although there wasn't a specific job available, he told me that he was interested in my resume and wanted to share it with his colleagues. More to come....