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