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