NEW YEAR NEW JOB

HAPPY NEW YEAR

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.” ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

What an amazing thought- you get this clean slate, an unpolluted opportunity to recreate yourself, begin again, wake up on New Year’s Day considering the possibilities, and envisioning 2011 to be your year for success.

Bundle up all the unfair, awful, sad, uncomfortable, unsure, and angry feelings and experiences and toss them in the trash with the uneaten fruitcake, and wake up on Sunday January 1st to give yourself a pat on the back for making it through 2010.

As the famous Nike advertisement says, “Just do it”.

Then take a deep breath and thank God you are alive and have the opportunity to start anew in the New Year. Fresh, Optimistic, Encouraged, Promised, Persistent, Determined, Confident, Fortunate, Free, Affirmed, Tenacious, Hopeful, and Grateful, with a vision to push forward on this journey to find a job.

Remember, the job search is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay the course. Put one foot ahead of the next and keep walking towards the finish line. You’ll make it…

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” ~Oprah Winfrey

Here’s to getting out of life what you vision it to be in 2011~

GOOD NEWS: “In 2010, the economy rebounded fitfully from the Great Recession, starting strong, wobbling at midyear, but showing enough vigor by year's end to quell fears of a second recession.” (Associated Press) There were new jobs posted this week, and unemployment claims were down for last 4 weeks in a row.

CONGRATULATIONS: To Jeanne C., who recently accepted a position with the Orange County YMCA organization overseeing the after school program. Jeanne found this position by her continued networking and it was actually a friend who works for the company that connected her to this job opportunity.

BACTS FACT: “There is a “soul mate” of a job awaiting you…go find it with pure resolve.” ~ Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: Goodbye 2010…and don’t let the door hit you on the way out! I know it’s what many of you are thinking. Just don’t let the defeat of not finding work this year follow you into 2011. Why drag it forward?

Start today seeing yourself in a job next year. Get prepared with everything I have suggested this year (resume, networking, social networking, interviewing skills, etc.)

Good luck to each of you in 2011. Let me know of your success. Email me if you have job-related questions next year. If you hear of job openings, networking opportunities, or job fairs, please let me know so I can share with the rest of the BACTS group. Don’t forget to check the BACTS group on LinkedIn, as I try to post information there throughout the month.

“Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go.” ~Brooks Atkinson

Good luck on your job search this week, and Happy New Year to you!

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483

www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

SEASONS

SEASONS

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend.”~Ecclesiastes 3

Seasons are made up of many things…time, weather, environment, circumstances, and they come and go. It is my hope that you have been able to process the seasons of unemployment this year so you can move on in 2011:
· Shock/Denial (this isn't happening to me!)
· Anger (why is this happening to me?)
· Bargaining (I promise I'll be a better person if...)
· Depression/Reflection/Loneliness (I don't care anymore)
· Hope/Acceptance (I'm ready for whatever comes)

I encourage you to be ready for whatever comes next --BECAUSE, there is something around the corner for you! The signs of improvement are all around us. Be ready to accept that something good can happen to you. Don’t be a naysayer and discount the possibility of success. It’s possible for you to find a job in 2011 even if you have been off work for a long time, found a job and lost a job this year, or didn’t even get an interview this year.

GOOD NEWS: The trend of more job openings continues even though it is the traditional “quiet” period for recruiting. Major companies in our area have multiple jobs listed on their websites. Continue looking this week at your job listing sites. Submit resumes this week and next as well.

CONGRATULATIONS: To those who are interviewing this week, I wish you much success!

BACTS FACT: “Be ready for that next phone call, as it might be a phone screen interview!” ~Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. If we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” ~Anne Bradstreet

As we approach this week of Christmas, I want to wish all of you the best possible holiday with you and your family. For those of you struggling over gifts under the tree, remember, it is your family and health that really make you wealthy.

“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” ~Calvin Coolidge

Good luck on the job search this week and Merry Christmas!

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

IMAGINE

IMAGINE

“We are what we imagine ourselves to be"~ Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

This past week marked the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's passing. There were constant reminders of his most popular song, Imagine, on all the radio stations and seemingly every store I visited last week!

Walt Disney once said, “If you can imagine it, you can do it”. Imagination is so powerful and describes infinite possibilities to envision your future the way you wish it to be. Consider this: without imagination, there would be no Disneyland, landing on the moon, vaccines, Internet, or iPods!

If you allow yourself to imagine the possibility of your personal success, you can design a future to look exactly how you want it to be.

Imagine it, because it can happen. Just ask one of your fellow BACTS participants, Leonard B, who after sending out 256 resumes (he kept track of all of them), he got a chance to interview, and was finally made an offer for a great position. He never stopped imagining that one day all of his efforts would be successful.

The question is, “Have you lost your imagination?” If your answer is yes, it's time to get it back and start envisioning what you want out of the New Year. Redefine your future success.

GOOD NEWS: December is shaping up to be another month where new jobs are being posted every day online on www.simplyhired.com and other aggregate sites.

CONGRATULATIONS: To Leonard B., who recently accepted a QC Inspector position after being out of work for 19 months. He wrote, “There were times I started to loose my confidence and wondered if I would ever get a job, but I refused to give up.” Leonard extended his search to include Orange County, which helped to open up his search and find a new opportunity.

BACTS FACT: “Never ever give up.” ~ Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: “You imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions” ~ Albert Einstein. There's no reason now to give up imagining yourself in whatever you want to do.
The idea is to:
· Imagine sending off a resume in response to a job posting
· Imagine envisioning it reaching the hands of a recruiter
· Imagine the recruiter being wowed
· Imagine being called for an interview
· Imagine walking through the door of the company for the interview and it going well
· Imagine getting a call from the recruiter, "I'd like to make you an offer to join our company."

Picture it, imagine it, and let it tumble around in your head for awhile…Feels pretty good, right?

Keep your eyes on this scenario and tell yourself, “It’s going to happen to me because I can imagine it happening.”

Make this your mantra for the rest of the year.

“Live out your imagination, not your history” ~ Stephen Covey

Good luck on the job search this week,

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

THANKFUL

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." ~ Epictetus

Seasonably speaking....it's predicable this BACTS Update addresses the subject of gratitude or thankfulness. Every day, if you really look carefully, you'll see countless examples reminding us to be grateful regardless of being unemployed, underemployed, or gloriously employed. Everyone should be able to find something to be thankful for this week.

Maybe it's one of you who:
* Hated the job you were in and after months of unemployment decided to start your own business sharing your passion for cooking, or
* Hung in there after months of unemployment only to be rehired back into the original company and given a bridge of service years to boot, or
* Got to spend more time with the kids during this period of unemployment, after working through countless years of missing most of their school activities, or
* Almost uprooted and relocated their entire family to another state but decided at the last minute to go it alone, and once there realized the job situation was not going to work, allowing for a return to CA and a family still in tack, or
* After years of wanting to switch careers finally had the guts to move in another direction and is now flourishing wonderfully in a new career.

There are plenty of stories this year to be thankful for, and even for those of you who haven't connected with the right job quite yet, you are still breathing, getting to experience life, growing personally, visiting with family and friends, hanging on by a thread, and the truth is you WILL have some wonderful position that will come your way soon. Just don't' forget to keep your eyes open wide for it, so you don't blink and miss the opportunity.

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation" ~Brian Tracy

GOOD NEWS: The Press Enterprise Sunday front page opens with "Area's jobless rate drops." This is great news, and for those of you who have taken seasonal jobs, be encouraged they might turn into full time opportunities after the holidays.

CONGRATULATIONS: To those of you who had interviews this week. Stay encouraged, and be thankful for the opportunity to make a connection and have the opportunity to interview, regardless of the outcome!

BACTS FACT: "If given a chance, be grateful for a job opportunity even if it is not exactly what you had wished for. Each opportunity is another step towards realizing your desired job" ~J. Smith

THAT'S IT: Even though it's a holiday week, don't let up... continue to check online for new openings (there are new positions posted this morning!), continue this week to submit resumes, make a few calls and send a few follow up emails. Wish people a Happy Thanksgiving. Recruiters included. People remember this exchange of gratitude.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God "~ Philippians 4:6

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and good luck on the job search this week.

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

CHOICES

“Life is a sum of all your choices” ~ Albert Camus

Choice: We all saw how important this word was yesterday as we had a choice to vote or not, and who to vote for if we did. We are faced with choices on different levels all the time. “Choice” is a powerful decision, and it affects how our path in life will be on a particular day.

Choice: Each morning, you probably start out the same way: get up, switch on the TV or go online and see what the latest news is, what new jobs are posted, etc. Answer a few emails, respond to a few job leads, and send off a few resumes. Then another choice to get dressed, go out and network or stay at home instead. You also choose to approach the day positively or negatively. “Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.” ~ Wayne Dyer

Each day that goes by without a job wears on you, I get that. What I know for sure is that you can’t easily move forward with a broken attitude. I have talked with several job seekers lately who are tired of being unemployed and are finding it hard to stay positive.

I can only suggest you reach deep inside of yourself and find the single positive bone left in your body and hold on to that during this time of job seeking. Here’s why:
· Negativity is very transparent in an interview
· Downtrodden attitudes suck the life out of you, and you need as much energy for this marathon of job seeking as you can get!

Do something, anything, to get back in the game. If you are concerned how “temp” work will affect your unemployment, talk with the EDD office and determine how this will work for you. When you get back into the work mode, your personal sense of value increases and this will help as you look for your desired full time job.

You might even encounter a customer or co-worker and begin a conversation (networking) that will lead you to a job opportunity. Don’t discount this…it’s happened to me, and can for you too. It’s can’t happen when you are at home.

“The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.” ~ Charles Swindoll

GOOD NEWS: Local retailers are continuing to hire temporary seasonal positions. Many of these positions end up being full time regular positions after the holiday, with benefits, so it might be worth it to consider a seasonal position. Check out Sears, JC Penny, Macy’s websites.

CONGRATULATIONS: I’m happy to report that Mark T. recently accepted a position at Life Technologies, Henry B. just accepted a teaching position in San Diego, and Benita B. started her own company, Mattie & Co eyewear accessories. Congratulations to all!

BACTS FACT: “Every day is a fresh clean slate. It’s your choice what you are going to write on it!”~Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: I made a choice back in 2008 to help the local unemployed with career transition services. I never imagined so many of you would need the help, and certainly didn’t expect the economy to remain as it has for so long. I know there are others like yourself that still need transition assistance. I’d like to continue to provide this and am still searching out a sponsor. I was fortunate to be interviewed recently by the Press Enterprise about the BACTS program. Please read the story. If you feel compelled, you can write the reporter with your opinion at: jhorseman@pe.com. I suspect if the Press Enterprise gets enough response they might continue with the story which will keep the BACTS program in the news and eventually might end up with the program being able to continue! Thanks!
Here’s the link to the story: http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_semployment31.310b402.html

The election results yesterday made a statement that regardless of your political affiliation, people in our country are tired of high unemployment, lack of jobs, and the situation of our economy.

It’s my choice to see the results from the midterm elections yesterday as a positive move in the right direction. I hope you choose to see the same.

“It’s choice - not chance - that determines your destiny.” Jean Niedtch

Good luck on your job search this week,

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

Persistence

“When life knocks you down you have two choices- stay down or get up.” ~Tom Krause

PERSISTENCE

In Greek Mythology, the consequence for crimes committed by Sisyphus, was to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this throughout eternity.

The good news for you is that your name is not Sisyphus, you are not a king, and you didn’t commit any crimes! You do not have to look at your unemployment and efforts to find a job as something you will have to do forever. It’s a temporary space and time that you are experiencing during this period of unemployment.

You might though feel like Sisyphus, fighting the uphill battle to find employment with countless hours online searching jobs, sending out resumes, networking, calling, and interviewing. Then when you feel you almost reach the top of the hill with a great interview, and do not receive an offer, it feels like you are back to the bottom of the hill to start all over again. So it is…but I repeat…it is not forever.

One thing you should avoid is the urge to give up and stop pushing forward. My suggestion is to look at what you have been doing for the past 6 months, and if you can honestly say you have given it your all, then reassess your search process.

Are you using a combination of several processes to get noticed, such as:
· Social Networking (LinkedIn and Twitter)
· Traditional Networking (Face-to-face)
· Direct contacts to companies you have targeted
· Responding to job postings online and in the paper
· Volunteering

Remember, as I have always said, finding work is a marathon, not a sprint. Just keep pushing upwards and be persistent in your job search, and your day will come when you reach the top of the hill and land a new job!

GOOD NEWS: Sorry about this late notice: Today, Wednesday, October 27 · 5:00pm - 9:00pm, Ontario Convention Center, 2000 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario. Mixer admission: $20 per person at the door (no credit cards or checks). The Largest Mixer® is open to the entire business community. No Registration Necessary. Parking: Largest Mixer® Special Discounted Rate - $5


CONGRATULATIONS: For those of you who had interviews last week, I hope to hear you have been offered a position. Please let me know if you have accepted a new job this week.

BACTS FACT: “When you feel you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on for dear life!”~Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: “The good news is the majority of your job search preparation should be done by now:
· Resume
· Business cards
· Development of “elevator speech”
· Selection of networking activities
· Development and use of new LinkedIn and Twitter accounts
· Research on industries and companies of interest
· Resumes circulated and contacts being made

From here on out, it’s all about persistence. Not giving in or checking out. Just keep pressing forward with faith the right job is around the corner.

“To make our way, we must have firm resolve, persistence, tenacity. We must gear ourselves to work hard all the way. We can never let up. “ ~ Ralph Bunche

Good luck on your job search this week,

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

HOPE

“Once you choose hope, anything's possible.” ~Christopher Reeve

ESPERANZA
(Hope)
That is what a newborn baby girl was named on September 14th, 2010, in honor of her father, a trapped miner in Copiapo, Chile.

HOPE, what would anyone do without it? What would the miners have done? On day 1 or day 69…they were still hoping against all odds they would be set free from their underground cell. They never ever considered that they would be abandoned and as a job seeker, you need to know you are not abandoned either. There is help out there for your job search with various local networking groups, Internet resources and you can always email me with your questions!

“Hope never abandons you, you abandon it.” ~George Weinberg
Even so, many of you feel “trapped”, and can’t figure out how to sustain yourself during your time of joblessness. You are hoping someone will lower a rescue capsule and bring you up from the bowels of unemployment. It will happen, and like the miners, you will need to continue to be patient. However, once you find work, you too will celebrate to the cheers and hugs of your loved ones!

Certainly these trapped miners had to endure conditions that had all the cards stacked against them, yet, they remained hopeful. You too must have HOPE! Don’t accept that you will never be rescued from this unemployment predicament you are in.

Have the confidence to reach out to someone who can help you connect with a company representative, or offer job search skills advice. Meet with networking groups of others who are on a job search as well, and learn from their experiences. Use your talents and abilities to volunteer in the industry you are interested in and one of these volunteer opportunities might turn into a job offer in the near future.

For 17 long days, the world did not know if the miners were alive or not. On a small piece of paper which was attached to a drill bit came the words, “All 33 of us are alive and well”. From that point forward, the energy of the world found a way to give hope to these men that they would be rescued. Create your own “notification” to the world that you are still an active job seeker. Jumpstart your search again this week!

You need to create this energy of hope for yourself. Ask your loved ones, friends, and previous colleagues to offer up a word of hope each day for you. Believe in your soul you are worth hiring…because you are.

GOOD NEWS: Murrieta Job Fair will be held TOMORROW, Tuesday, October 19th from 9:00am - 1:00pm at the Murrieta Community Center, 41810 Juniper Street. Over 20 employers will be discussing job openings in the Healthcare, Medical equipment manufacturing, Solar Energy, Retail, and Lodging industries. Dress for success and bring along several copies of your updated resume. Here’s a link to the California’s article: http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/murrieta/article_0607cc4a-f4d0-53ea-8c97-93c8260ef323.html

CONGRATULATIONS: For those of you who had interviews last week, I hope to hear you have been offered a position. Please let me know if you have accepted a new job this week.

BACTS FACT: “Each of you should have hope that this will be the week you will find a lead, get an interview, and a job offer…why not hope for the best, it’s better than the alternative!” ~J. Smith

THAT'S IT: “The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination. “ ~Marian Zimmer Bradley

Please make a decision this week to no longer feel “trapped” in unemployment. Get on the road this week and head in a direction of hope for a wonderful future.

Good luck on your job search this week,

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

IDENTITY

"Work is an essential part of being alive. Your work is your identity." ~ Kay Stepkin

I had a discussion with an unemployed colleague and asked what the hardest part of her job search has been. She answered, "Losing my identity". I was surprised, as this individual appears to continually take her unemployment in stride and projects a strong persona and overt confidence. I thought maybe she misunderstood what I had asked, so I asked the question in a different way, "What are you finding most difficult about obtaining employment?" The answer was the same, "Losing my identity".

It's possible you have experienced this same feeling. There isn't a time frame on how long it will take to make you feel as if you still have an identity. The good news is this:

• You are the person you were before your job loss.
• You are just jobless.
• You still have the talents, expertise and professionalism you had before your unemployment.
• You are still valuable.
• You are not identity-less!

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." ~Epictetus.
This philosopher believed that all external events are determined by fate, and are thus beyond our control, but we can accept whatever happens calmly and dispassionately. He believed that suffering arises from trying to control what is uncontrollable, or from neglecting what is within our power.

You have the power within to regain your sense of self. You have to get up each morning and be self-disciplined in your search for employment. Each day, commit to:

• Reaching out to 1 contact via phone, email, social networking or connecting one-on-one.
• Send out 5 updated and specifically refined and targeted resumes to job postings that make sense.
• Target 1 company you would like to work for.
• Research the name of the Hiring Manager or Director of Human Resources, and try and locate their email. You can often find these individuals on LinkedIn or even in the company directory on their company website.
• Send a "snail" mail (US Postal) cover letter and resume addressed to the specific person, if you are unable to locate email address.
  

The minute you allow yourself to do nothing, you will miss a moment that could make a difference in your job search.

GOOD NEWS: Yea! A local job fair is coming up in Murrieta next Tuesday, October 19th from 9:00am - 1:00pm at the Murrieta Community Center, 41810 Juniper Street. You may remember how busy this job fair was at this location last year, so make sure to get in line EARLY! There will be a lot of employers and thousands of job seekers. Dress for success and bring along several copies of your updated resume.

CONGRATULATIONS: To Brenda C. who recently accepted a position with North County Times in Temecula. Brenda found this position on HotJobs.com, but said she found a lot of other leads via www.indeed.com and www.simplyhired.com. Congrat's Brenda!


BACTS FACT: "Try and establish a focus for your future before you meet with a recruiter. Your sense of purpose and definition will be noticed." ~ Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: "To be idle requires a strong sense of personal identity" ~ Robert Louis Stevenson.
I know it is hard to not have the life you once had. It is not a forever situation, unless you decide that's how it will be. You get to create your identity the way you want it to be. Start with your vision of what job you want and continue the effort to connect with a company or a recruiter who can help you achieve your goal.

It's up to you. You can wander aimlessly or take some control. It's time to wrestle back your identity. You were someone with much promise and talent before you were unemployed. The amazing thing is those same attributes still exist in you!

Good luck on the job search this week.

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

KNOW THYSELF

"Know thyself means this, that you get acquainted with what you know, and what you can do." ~ Menander

Watching the new CBS show, Undercover Boss, I thought about how interesting the difference is between how we see ourself, and how others actually see us.

The premise of the show is an owner or CEO of a company goes "undercover" in their own organization to see what is really going on; how the company employees really perceive the company. If you did this for your own organization, "Me Inc.", what would you find out about yourself that you didn't naturally see, or know?

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." ~Aristotle

Prior to an interview, it's critical for your success, to know how you are perceived. One way to do this before an interview is to work with a trusted friend, colleague or coach, who can conduct a mock interview and give you honest feedback about how you are viewed as an interviewee.

You may think you are doing a fabulous job of interviewing but you didn't realize you never made eye contact with the interviewer, or you annoyingly crossed your legs a hundred times during the interview, or twisted your hair, all of which can easily distract an interviewer's attention away from the focus of your experience and expertise.

So often our actions in an interview make or break the successful opportunity to move forward in the recruiting process. Once you are aware of these "unconscious" behaviors, you can be on your best behavior to nail the interview. Pull out that camcorder and film a mock interview and you will learn a lot about what the person across the desk in an interview sees during an interview with you!

GOOD NEWS: Jobs, jobs, jobs...more listed everyday on the various online sites. Be encouraged! Here's a new site I just came across from someone who each Monday posts new job openings. You can get on the distribution list by going to this site, and can also view the jobs he posted this week at: http://www.jeff-chase.com/job-links/
Job Fair Info: American General Life and Accident (AGLA) is holding a "Hiring Drive" this Wednesday, 10/6. The drive will be in Los Angeles to solicit on-site applications! Both entry-level and experienced candidates are encouraged to attend the event and apply. Link to info: http://hiringheroes.com/itinerary/

CONGRATULATIONS: To Dave C. who was recently hired by International Rectifier. Dave shared that he worked for this company for a long time and was part of a RIF several years ago. He pursued many jobs but was unemployed for a long while. He had heard about openings with IR and found out that Apple One was hiring contractors for this organization. He applied and was hired on contract, which eventually transitioned into a full time position as an employee, not contractor. The lesson here is to be in contact with your previous employer, because as our economy picks up, your previous employer will start hiring again, and if you start the conversation now with your previous manager, or Human Resources, you will be remembered when they are hiring!

BACTS FACT: "A recruiter will always know if you have prepared and practiced for the interview - and that's a good thing!" ~ Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: As a seasoned recruiter, it's evident when I interview someone who has no idea what position they are interviewing for. I once asked someone why they were interested in the position, and they replied, "I'm interviewing for anything and everything". This type of answer won't benefit you in the interview, instead, answer something along the lines of, "I've done some research on this position, and although I have never held this position before, my strong organizational and managerial skills will be an asset to this position and your company."

See the difference? Know Thy Self... understand what you can bring to the table. Be convincing, and be secure with yourself and your expertise and you will ace the interview!

"Make it thy business to know thyself, which is the most difficult lesson in the world." ~ Miguel de Cervantes

Good luck on the job search this week.

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

K.I.S.S.

K.I.S.S.
Keep It Simple Service


How often do you anticipate getting great service at a restaurant, winery, resort, casino, retail store, or other type of hospitality business, and the actual experience misses the mark due to less than expected service? More often than not? If you answer yes, then you are in the company of many consumers who wonder, “Why can’t I get better service?”

In his book, Setting the Table, Danny Meyer states, “Hospitality is present when something happens for you. It is absent when something happens to you.”

How many of your service employees are giving your customer the gift of hospitality? Are they missing the opportunity to create loyal fans of your business?

The line in the sand is often drawn between great and unacceptable service when the employee takes their eye off the reason for representing your business in the first place: To serve.

Let’s look at a recent exchange between a service salesclerk and a customer at a specialty children’s retail store:

A customer at purchased tights and shorts for her granddaughter, and asked if the items could be returned if they didn’t fit. The salesclerk said they could. When the grandmother returned the same day to exchange the items, she approached the salesclerk who helped her earlier and was refused the return. The customer reminded the salesclerk that earlier in the day, she was told the items could be returned, but the salesclerk held her ground and refused to accommodate the customer. At some point in the conversation, the customer asked to talk with a manager and the salesclerk refused. The exchange went on for a few minutes and in a moment of frustration, the customer threw the package of clothing on the counter, which ended up hitting the salesclerk, who promptly called the police and had the customer placed under a citizen’s arrest. The customer was taken away in handcuffs, and when the manager was finally reached, he stated, “of course the items could have been returned”. What makes this situation so detrimental to the store is that the customer is a local business woman with strong ties to the community, and whose granddaughter attends a local, well known school with fellow students and parents who frequent the store.

No doubt this story has been told and retold several times, with the name of the store exposed. Who knows how this situation will impact this company, but without a doubt the bad press will. Obviously, unacceptable service, as in this example, will never help you secure loyal customers. The sad part is the salesclerk could have made a simple decision to accommodate the customer and the outcome would have been completely different.

Share the acronym; K.I.S.S. (“Keep It Simple Service”) with your employees to help promote sustainable service standards in your hospitality organization. The truth is, providing great service is not overly complicated. If you really break it down, great service can be consistently achieved by paying attention to 3 elements:

1. The Greeting/Welcome
2. Anticipation and Execution of Customer Needs
3. A Sincere Farewell

3 elements! That shouldn’t be too hard to achieve! But often it is, and the one thing you can do as a business owner is to always set the bar high for your service standards and hold your employees accountable. Take a “non-negotiable” approach to providing great service!

If you don’t already do so, start wandering around your organization to “inspect what you expect” with regard to customer service, and hopefully, you’ll catch your employees perfecting the K.I.S.S.

The following “SERVICE” acronym can be shared with your staff to help illustrate the 3 elements of great service: Greeting/Welcome, Anticipation and Execution of Customer Needs, and A Sincere Farewell.

Sincerity - Offer genuine and intentional service, because you enjoy and desire to satisfy the customer.
Enthusiasm - Passionately serve the customer. Make sure it comes from your heart.
Respect - Treat each customer with reverence. They are the cornerstone of your job.
Vision - Commit to anticipating and recognizing what the customer will need, before they communicate it.
Intervention - Immediately resolve customer problems with grace and professionalism. You're empowered to ensure customer is happy before they leave the property.
Care - Be accountable and responsible to provide consistent sustained service levels.
Enjoyment - Enjoy your customers and your workplace, as your mood is contagious to those around you.

Help your employees create a memorable experience for guests visiting Southern California Wine Country, by offering warm, gracious, and definitive guest service, inspiring our guests to visit again!

Jan M. Smith is the Founder and Principal of Inland Management Group, a Human Resource Consultancy located in Temecula, specializing in the Hospitality and Entertainment industry. You can contact Jan at (951) 302-6483, email at jsmith@inlandmgtgroup.com, http://www.inlandmgtgroup.com/, or follow her on Twitter at Temecula_HR, and Facebook: Inland Management Group

Permission to reprint allowed, with credit given to my name as author.

"You're a Survivor..."

"Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind." ~ Bruce Lee

It’s that time again for season premieres, and one of the favorites around our home is the show, Survivor. 16 different people with varied personalities thrown together in a unique environment for up to 39 days makes for some crazy TV drama!

The unemployed are a lot like the participants of this reality show. Both groups are put in a position of giving up the life they once knew. Both are expected to keep a shelter over their heads and figure out how to survive with few resources. Both groups are challenged for endurance, strength, agility, problem solving, teamwork, dexterity, and most of all WILL POWER.

Being unemployed, you work hard to find your next job, and your “reward” is an interview or contract work. You might even find the "hidden immunity" and get a job offer. Some of you will feel like you have been sent to "Exile Island" and will feel alone or abandoned by your "team". Others of you will end up at the "tribal council" and you will have to make some hard decisions about where your family will live, potentially giving up your home, or taking a position or pay cut that is not what you really want. Most of you though will be victorious by landing the right job, with the salary and benefits you expected.

Charles Darwin said, "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

To survive your unemployment, you have to hang tough, be flexible, never give up, and refuse to lose. You have made it this far, stay the course and you will eventually survive at this game of unemployment.

GOOD NEWS: One of your fellow BACTS participants, Carol N., forwarded the following list of local networking meetings. You must network to find job leads!
Temecunet - Is open to anyone in the SD, Riverside, Orange counties that is under or unemployed. The group meets in Temecula. Go to Linkedin groups to get more information.
Experience Unlimited - Any under or unemployed professional. Through the Workforce Development office through the EDD. Contact Hugo Casian, Employment Program Representative, 951-304-5753 for information required to join this group. The Murrieta office is located at 30135 Technology Drive, Murrieta, CA 92563.
Networking Unlimited - Any under or unemployed non-professionals or professionals. Contact Hugo Casian. Information is above.
Inlandnet - Primarily professionals that attend this group in Poway twice a month. Go to Linkedin groups to get more information.
The Temecula Under-Employed - Go to meetup.com to find this group. For professionals that are under or unemployed.
The FENG - Financial Executives Networking Group - Go to thefeng.org for information about this organization. You must be sponsored by a current member to join. They meet in San Diego once a month.
Accountants in Transition - Accounting & finance professionals in transition. Meets once per month in San Diego. Contact Judy Thompson at judy@thompsonsearch.com
Judy Thompson also emails a list of networking events in the San Diego area. To subscribe go to http://www.thompsonsearch.com/newsletter/sdevents.htm

CONGRATULATIONS: I'm still hearing that many of you are headed to the "Tribal Council" and awaiting the verdict about your interviews. Stay encouraged! Please let me know when you have accepted an offer!

BACTS FACT: "Recruiters today are looking for those with the survival instinct." ~ Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: It's important to remind yourself each day that you have strong qualities that are desired by organizations in your field of expertise. Remember, you were not laid off because of your performance; it was due to your company not performing, and you were part of the reorganization.

There is no room for self-doubt in this part of the game. If you are truly "playing your hardest" to find work, you will soon find success.

Survivor: That's you!

"One of the most difficult things everyone has to learn is that for your entire life you must keep fighting and adjusting if you hope to survive. No matter who you are or what your position is you must keep fighting for whatever it is you desire to achieve. ”~ George Allen

Good luck on the job search this week.

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

DESTINY

"Whatever the universal nature assigns to any man at any time is for the good of that man at that time." ~ Marcus Aurelius


Destiny is defined as, "The inevitable or necessary fate to which a particular person or thing is destined and a predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control".

Each of us is handed trials, tribulations and experiences because we are made to experience our destiny. It is not that we don"t have free will to affect the course of our life, because we do, but more importantly, nature takes it course with us regardless if we like it or not.

I do not believe your destiny is to be unemployed. You are in a space and time for one reason or another, that finds you without a job. You are being tested and tried, but you are also being strengthened, refined, molded, and crafted for something greater, that's for sure!

You might often wonder, "Why did I have to be the one let go?”, or "Why did that happen to me?”, right?

William Shakespeare said, "That, that is, is", and what more can you honestly say about destiny. I'd like to add something else to William's verse, and that is, "What is, doesn't always have to be!"

Don't accept that your destiny is to be unemployed and make a commitment it will end soon. I know it's hard to stay motivated week after week, but you need to try and do something EACH and EVERY day towards finding work. Take time to stop and ask yourself, "What is my destiny?", "What have these past months taught me about who and what I want to be?", "How do I go about finding my next job?"

"It's in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." ~ Anthony Robbins.

GOOD NEWS: I love good news, don't you? Finally, the weekend news reports the job market shows signs of a slight turn around in the job market! Looks like August data shows hiring by the private sector has improved. Unemployment figures in the Inland area dropped slightly.

CONGRATULATIONS: To everyone who has written me to report they have been through first and/or second round interviews over the past few weeks, I hope to soon hear from you that you have accepted an offer!

BACTS FACT: “There is an unmistakable confidence, which is infectious, in a candidate who understands they can affect their destiny." ~ Jan Smith

THAT'S IT: The BACTS Update was not posted last week because I was at the hospital with my brother, who fell from a 30 foot scaffold and took a "swan dive" onto the concrete. He came home yesterday after a week in the hospital, and is on the mend. It is clear that his destiny was not to check out any time soon, as it could have had a different outcome if his fall was backwards instead of forward. Destiny... No doubt, my brother has wondered, "Why me", "If I had only done something different", "If I had only built the scaffolding another way...."

"There is no such thing as chance; and what seems to us merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny. ~ Johann Friedrich Von Schiller

No one knows why things happen to us. It will always remain a mystery of nature. I do honestly believe that things happen for a reason in life. Maybe you are unemployed today because you didn't really like your previous job, the company, pay, ethics, manager, or industry. Maybe you are wondering if you had only worked harder, smarter, quicker, made more connections or friends, been more aggressive, or not as much, more technical, more contemporary, dressed better, been more social, or less, been more creative, interesting, promotable, or knowledgeable…the list probably goes on and on in your head. I’m not sure what you could have done differently, but destiny has instead put you in this place today.

Maybe you'll look at your unemployment and realize you need to be somewhere else geographically, or change your career, industry, position, to something you have always dreamed of doing, and the unemployment creates an opportunity for you to be where you want to be.

Many people find themselves in a rut and don't have the confidence to leave a job for something else; something better. You are the lucky ones…you have been given an opportunity to affect your destiny.

Destiny can create the confidence to move forward, if you allow it to.

Good luck on the job search this week.

Jan


Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
http://www.inlandmgtgroup.com/
http://www.janmsmith.com/
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

Dig Yourself Out of That Hole...

“The only job that stars at the top is when you are digging a hole.” ~ Anonymous

In the 1993 mystery, Holes, juvenile detainees at Camp Green Lake work camp must dig a hole 5 ft deep and 5 ft in diameter to "build character," despite the danger of the desert sun, rattlesnakes, and yellow-spotted lizards, which can kill. The digging is relentless and the warden is even worse, until one day, the camp's real reason for existence is discovered and the inmates are sent home. Without the aid of a persistent lawyer, the detainees would have continued day after day digging themselves into a deeper hole before finding a way to climb out.

I wonder if you guys feel like one of the movie’s main character’s, Armpit, who asks, “What are we diggin’ for man?”, and was answered by another character, X-Ray, who replied, “Like Mr. Sir said, we diggin’ to build some character.”

Most likely you feel that all you have done is dig and dig and dig for a job this year, and all you have to show for it is an empty hole. The truth is you have developed character during these days of unemployment! You are not the same person who was handed the proverbial pink slip. You can use that character to your advantage when networking and interviewing. You are a resilient soul who has fallen in a hole and is now reaching for the rim to lift yourself out. It’s time.

* Whatever it takes, find a way each day to be looking up, not down. Try one or all of these:
Make a few more calls to those you know who are working and ask them if they have heard of any openings in your field of interest.

* Look online at a job board you haven’t looked before and enter different search criteria to see what appears in the search. Interestingly, there is a difference in what you put in the search criteria and what a few word changes will net in the results.

* Target 5 companies you want to work for this week, and go online into their “career” or “jobs” link and apply directly. (As a bonus, seek out connections on LinkedIn who work in the company you are interested in, and ask if they can make a connection with the hiring manager, or Human Resources)

* Attend just ONE local networking event, and take your business cards (please, if you haven’t already obtained business cards, accomplish getting them THIS week)

“First law on holes - when you're in one, stop digging!” ~ Denis Healey

If what you are doing in your job search isn’t working, try something else!

GOOD NEWS: Over the weekend, there were several hundred jobs posted online on just one of the websites that I check regularly. This is during a holiday weekend period! Just keep turning over every rock, and hopefully, this will be the week you find a great connection.

CONGRATULATIONS: James W. who has accepted a Finance Manager position in Dallas, Texas. James shared, “You told us that we have to do what we have to do in searching for a job, including widening our job search area. I contacted my previous boss in Texas and he referred me to the sister company. It is the power of networking that landed me this job.”

BACTS FACT: “Whatever you are doing today, consider the person who crosses your path a potential networking partner.” ~J. Smith

THAT'S IT: Here’s my take on the news. Turn it off. Depending on the channel you watch, you are going to get a different slant on the job figures. Some of these news channels shovel a lot of you know what, and others are more on the mark. There is so much information (and mis-information) out there about the unemployment figures, none of it makes sense. The only thing you know is that you are still not employed.

In Holes, one of the movie’s characters, Mr. Pendanski, states, “D-I-G, what does that spell?” I know with the right tools in your hand you can dig yourself out of this hole you find yourself in. You’ve gone far enough into the ground. It’s time to find the sunlight.

I hope you all enjoy the week,

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

Hiring the Hospitality Gene

Dining at one of my favorite restaurants in town last week, I mentioned to my husband that our server has “It”. He had no idea what I was talking about until I mentioned our server greeted us with a warm welcome, anticipated and fulfilled our needs, and sent us on our way with a positive opinion about the dining experience. Yep, she really did have “It”.

“It” is the Hospitality Gene, and it would be amazing if all service workers encountered at a restaurant, retail store, hotel, winery, or any other service organization in town, possessed it. Not everyone working in a service role has the innate ability to genuinely serve. You can picture in your minds the ones who curtly ask, “What do you want”, or those who make you feel like you have done something wrong in asking for help. However, there are those who have the Hospitality Gene. They are the ones who serve you authentically with a sparkle in their eye, engage you, and demonstrate a desire to accommodate you as a customer. These are the type of employees you want to represent your company.

Hospitality refers to the relationship process between a guest and a host, the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, with kindness and genuine goodwill. As you look at your staff, identify those with the Hospitality Gene; those without it are your challenge.

You might wonder, “How do I hire one of these Hospitality Gene individuals?” According to The New Gold Standard, The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company by Joseph Michelli, “A thoughtful process for finding job candidates who are dedicated to service pays bountiful dividends…in employees who produce more, are happier, and stay longer.” It would make sense then, as a business owner, to place importance on the hiring process.

We often hire people because they can “fog a mirror”, that is, they are living, breathing individuals who happen in to your workplace just as your star employee has walked off the job. A few cursory inquiry questions later, and an offer is made. Hiring is often done in haste, leaving the company to repent in the long run.

No one loves to go through the recruiting process; job descriptions, job posting, resume reviewing, interviewing… who has time for this stuff anyway? Each time you interview a candidate you question, “How do I know this applicant can do the job?” or “How do I know if this person will fit in to my organization?” The wrong hire can be expensive to your organization, but the recruitment process doesn’t have to be risky. Follow these tips and your hiring will be more effective:



Tip #1: Prepare
Establish what Hospitality means to you and your service-related company. Organize your hiring practices for the best advantage to hire the Hospitality Gene.

* Prepare by developing job descriptions for each position, including the desired and required service criteria. This may not sound critical, but it is the only way to match required skills to the skill set of the applicant. At the very minimum, develop a list of skills necessary for each position and determine if the candidate’s skill set is sufficient, or if they can be trained.

Tip #2: Establish Rapport
Hire for attitude: Why focus on attitude? Skills can be taught. Attitude can’t… applicants are either born with the Hospitality Gene or they aren’t.
* Spend time making small talk with applicant before getting to the interview questions. This initial “breaking ice” moment gives you insight into the applicant’s hospitable style.

Tip #3: Gather and Provide Information
Use behavioral questions to evaluate if the applicant has the Hospitality Gene. Remember, just as important in asking the question, is listening to the applicant’s answer.
* Have you worked in the hospitality industry? Where? What did you do? What did you like (dislike) about this (these) job(s)? (Listen for relevant work experience and likes or dislikes that may or may not fit the job.)
* How would you go about helping a customer feel welcome? (Listen for accommodating style, knowledge of hospitality)
* How do you think you would handle a delicate or complicated request if you didn’t know what resources we could offer? (Listen for resourcefulness, creativity)
* Tell me about an example of how you turned around an initially bad customer exchange into a positive outcome. (Listen for knowledge of effective service recovery, independent thinking, accommodating style). * Describe what you would say if asked to talk about your service philosophy to a group of subordinates. (Listen for personal hospitality philosophy).
* What type of people do you like best? And least? Why? (Listen for openness and a lack of prejudice.)
* What do you think excellent customer service would be in our business? (Listen for service knowledge and values.) * Tell me about a time when someone failed to provide good service to you. Give me examples of what the person did poorly. How could he/she have improved? (Listen for service knowledge and values.)
* What do you think is most important in building long term, repeat customer business? (Listen for work ethic, service values, and willingness to serve.)
* Sooner or later, we all have to work with an unreasonable customer. What types of behavior would you find most frustrating? How would you respond under such a circumstance? (Listen for openness, tact and ability to handle difficult people.)

Tip #4: Evaluate and Select
Remember, past behavior tends to predict future behavior.
* Call applicant’s business references. Talk to business owner, describe your position, customer base, products and services… ask them if they believe the candidate would be qualified.

Make the right hiring choice. The real job of hiring for service-related positions is finding individuals who possess the Hospitality Gene!

Jan M. Smith is the Founder and Principal of Inland Management Group, a Human Resource Consultancy located in Temecula, specializing in the Hospitality and Entertainment industry. You can contact Jan at (951) 302-6483, email at jsmith@inlandmgtgroup.com, www.inlandmgtgroup.com, or follow her on Twitter at Temecula_HR, and Facebook: Inland Management Group

Connection

Connection

Ever hear a song, smell a fragrance, look at a picture, or meet someone, and immediately connect it with something in your mind?

I do, especially when my Plumeria plant finally blooms. I take in the aroma, close my eyes and quickly connect to a warm sandy beach somewhere in Hawaii!

The point is, we are always connecting one thing to another in life and as a job seeker, you want to ensure that people associate you as a great candidate.

When someone looks at your resume, or meets you in a networking situation, do they immediately connect you with someone they want to interview, and eventually hire? You have the ability to change the course of your unemployment today. If what you have been doing to find work isn’t working, look introspectively and figure out what is going wrong. Find out where the “disconnect” is and turn it around.

It’s often the unexpected connections in life that surprise us the most. It might be someone you run into at the store, who shares with you the company they work for is hiring. Maybe it’s a parent of your child’s teammate who, in a casual conversation, discloses they own a company in town that is hiring. Or it could be someone you have met along your unemployment journey who hears of an opening and lets you know about it. Your “brand”, (expertise and personal presentation), is better served if you have a widespread network who can extend the reach of your job search.

As you continue to brand yourself in the marketplace as a candidate of choice, do things that will ready you for the time when a connection puts you in contact with a hiring individual. Look over your resume. Is it clear and concise? What about your social networks? Have you cleaned up your “digital dirt”? Are you connected online with those who will help you, both personally and professionally, and do either of these groups increase the likelihood of moving you forward with your job search? Have you tried to connect your skills and expertise to positions that are outside of your original search parameters?

“Regardless of how you make a connection, remember to always represent yourself in a positive and professional way.” ~ J. Smith

GOOD NEWS: Although the mainstream media reports high unemployment figures, I continually see BACTS participants interviewing and getting job offers. The July figures for national unemployment are being reported as the highest figures for the Inland Empire in years. If this is the case, why are there over 400 jobs listed today on www.simplyhired.com? There ARE jobs available. It’s up to you to connect to them.

BACTS FACT: “Connect with someone each day who can offer referrals and ideas to keep momentum in your job search.” ~J. Smith

THAT'S IT: It’s important to find a way to be a candidate of choice when interviewing. One way to do this is to ace the interview! You want the recruiter to connect the dots and see you as a perfect fit for the position. Here’s a great link to the Tough 64 Questions in an Interview, and it includes how to answer the questions. This is a must-look-at site for job seekers. http://dev.fyicenter.com/Interview-Questions/Sixty-Four/

Keep telling yourself you are a great candidate. I know it’s hard to do when you haven’t yet found the right job, but you need to be your own best advocate as a job seeker.

Have a great week everyone,

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
www.inlandmgtgroup.com
www.janmsmith.com
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith

If You Don't Believe in Yourself, Who Will?

"I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest."

~Muhammad Ali


Just returned from a week of vacation in beautiful Colorado where I saw some of the most beautiful roads, rivers and mountains! There's nothing like getting away to help clear your head, focus on the future, and affirm goals. During my week away, I read through Elizabeth Gilbert's book, Eat, Pray, Love. The story reminds me of the last BACTS Update I sent, where I asked that you keep "Believing" in yourself, your abilities, and affirm your success.

This week, I'd like to continue with the theme about how you must believe you will find work soon. Regardless of how long you have been off of work, you are either your own advocate or your worst enemy, by the words you choose to use to describe yourself. Affirmation is powerful, if used in the right direction! The choice is certainly yours, but as a job seeker, it would be best to be your own cheerleader and keep yourself pumped for the "marathon" of job searching.

There is a great quote in Eat, Pray, Love that describes how people repeat the same words over and over to themselves, and how these words so often have a negative affect. I have mentioned this before, about talking yourself up, not down, but I continue to speak with many unemployed who either are not getting interviews, or getting interviews but not getting offers. The conversation often leads to, "I guess I'm never going to get a job", or "I don't think anyone will hire me because....", "I can't take that job, it's too little pay", or "I won't apply for that position because it's a title I had 5 years ago"....

In the book, there is reference to how "All the pain of a human life is caused by words, as is all the joy. We create words to define our experience and those words bring emotions that jerk us around like dogs on a leash. We get seduced by our own mantras (I'm a failure...I'm lonely...I'm not employable...(I added this last one to this quote), and we become monuments to them. To stop talking for a while, then, is to attempt to strip away the power of words, to stop choking ourselves with words, to liberate ourselves from our suffocating mantras."

It's important for all of you to stop beating yourself up for not yet finding work. It doesn't do you any good. Be quiet for a while. When you are ready to start talking to yourself, say only positive things, with affirmations that you will be successful. Try it, and you will find that without the little voice in your head telling you that you can't... you just might be able to do what you want to do!

I know week after week, without employment, the "mantras" get louder, but please, try to silence them. Each one of you has potential to find work. Don't accept that you will be unemployed forever, because you will not.

"Affirmations are like seeds planted in soil. Poor soil, poor growth. Rich soil, abundant growth. The more you choose to think thoughts that make you feel good, the quicker the affirmations work." ~Louise L. Hay

BACTS FACT: "A recruiter is looking for the most confident, talented, personable, capable, and experienced candidate. That's you, right?"

THAT'S IT: In the last BACTS Update, I shared a thought about volunteering in the field you have interest in for full time work. I heard back from Bill S. who wrote, "I'm one of those still unemployed, but a very slow process a getting a job is closer. In your updates, you have mentioned to volunteer in the area of work interest. My neighbor told me of an opportunity and I have been volunteering twice a month since October, 2009. The reward is great, as the 7-14 men look forward to myself and others who come to see them, as they sit in their jail cells. About 4 months ago, I was asked to be a volunteer chaplain in the jail, which has now turned in to a 20 hours a week paid position, as they found some funds. Sometimes we are given hurdles to overcome, but remember there is a plan, that we may not see right away and we need to wait for His time."

Bill's story confirms my suggestion to not turn away an opportunity because it doesn't fit exactly what you had in mind, or what your MIND was telling you it HAD to be. Go after everything, with earnest, and hopefully, you'll be working soon.

“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve." ~Napoleon Hill

Have a great week everyone,

Jan

Jan M. Smith
Inland Management Group
Human Resource Consulting & Support to the Service Industry
(951) 302-6483
http://www.inlandmgtgroup.com/
http://www.janmsmith.com/
Twitter: @temecula_hr
Facebook: http://facebook.com/#!/InlandManagementGroup
LinkedIn: http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/janmsmith