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.
Showing posts with label job seekers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job seekers. Show all posts
Friday, March 19, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
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
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
Friday, July 17, 2009
Tip of the Hat to Grandview
In the continuing series of The Perks of Being Unemployed (ok-technically this is only the second post on that topic so perhaps it not yet an official series), I gotta tip my hat to Grandview. They generously offered to waive tuition for all the Summer sessions for everybody who was laid off. I'm not aware of any other local university/college who made such a generous offer.
Unfortunately, there were no IT classes on the Summer schedule, but I jumped into an Investments class. Have been to several sessions now and gotta say that I'm really enjoying being back in the classroom. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the intellectual challenge of studying a new subject.
The instructor is great. He uses a very practical and real-world approach to the material. It feels a tiny bit odd being in class with all young people, but they probably think that it is a bit odd being in class with me and we all make a dynamic group with diverse views.
Taking a class (even a free class) is not as good as landing a new position and the course is taking a little more time than I was expecting, but I still think that this endeavor is well worth the time (and definitely better than crab fishing).
I have no idea whether Grandview will continue the program in the Fall, but if they do I would highly recommend taking a class.
--
Mike
Click here to see the segment that WHO-TV did on me
Click here to see my profile
To follow this blog add it to your Reader or click on the link in the Followers section at the top right.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Frustration
I met with Dave Price from WHO TV this week to catch him up on my search.
One of the comments that I made was that it has been a frustrating time.
1. It is frustrating to have earned top marks on my performance reviews while working for a series of A-list companies (Wells Fargo, IBM, Bank of America...) over the last 20 years and yet still not have a new position.
2. It is frustrating to have multiple positions in which I am interested all go "On Hold" in the same week.
3. It is frustrating to not receive any feedback (even a robo-response) at all after spending an hour or two to fill out an online application at many many many different companies.
4. It is frustrating to see a job posting and know that I am a perfect fit for the role, that I have all the experience called for, and that I have all the skills needed to move a company forward and never even have an opportunity to talk to the hiring manager before getting the classic "we have other candidates that are a better match" note (although at least it is a response of some kind which is better than none (see above)).
5. It is frustrating to watch companies post extremely positive quarterly results and yet still have a Hiring Freeze in place.
6. It is frustrating that my life seems to have been reduced to an endless stream of networking meetings and yet I still do not have a new position.
If you caught Ben Stone's Social Media presentation at the most recent Net2Work meeting then you know how to add this blog to your Reader.
--
Mike
Original story that WHO-TV did on me: Iowa Job Seekers
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