DISPATCHES FROM THE GHOST MOOSE

Another cold Friday. I came down with a cold yesterday and don't feel like doing much job searching. Not much to search for though. I had what I thought was a good interview yesterday. It was for a job I know a lot about - payroll production. So, I think they won't find anyone with more experience, but it was the question about my over qualification that always concers me. They would be getting a bargain, but again, not my call. Now that I have hit 50 yrs old, I suppose age will be more of an issue. I have been talking with some fellow job seekers, and their results are no different than mine. It is tight, but there are some jobs out there. We just have to be the one resume they pick out of the 500 they receive. anyway, so much for this week. Have a good weekend. stay warm - spring will be here one of these days.

March is around the corner, daylight savings ends March 8. Spring is on the horizon. I mentioned a few days back I had to finish a book that was due back at the library. It was pretty good - Grisham's "The Associate". Pretty similar to most of his books but a good read. At the Arlington Heights library you can put books on reserve and you'll get an email when it is ready for pickup. Reading for pleasure is a good diversion from all the on line search activity, so I highly recommend it. as for the search - nothing happening. But it will if I make it happen. have a good day, all.

Obama's speech was pretty much what I thought it would be. Lots of nice words, little substance. the speach seems to have been met with disinterest on the part of the stock market today. Nothing about bailing us unemployed. Give billions to the banks and other institutions that lost these vast fortunes. and those billions.....they are coming from us. I give Obama credit - he only alluded to the failed Bush period once. In point of fact, that moron is directly or indirectly responsible for most of today's mess. I hope we completely pull out of Iraq and use those funds here. I saw on the news that Iraq was celebrating the opening of a museum. Big whip - we are going down the toilet in this country, and our billions and the blood of our brave soldiers is going to help Iraq open museums. Really makes sense, doesn't it? oh well - not much job activity to post to. I have reconnected with a lot of old colleagues from past lives. That is usually pleasant. have a good afte

After my last posting yesterday, I got a call from the friend I mentioned last month that had landed a job. Well, his new job was cut after 6 weeks. He was told he would have a several month ramp up period before going on quota. Having worked with him, I know he is top notch. But to cut a position after 6 weeks? You would think a company would have a better view of the business to determine whether a role should be filled. At this point, I am numb to it all. Nothing would surprise me anymore. No amount of unprofessional behavior on the part of the hiring companies is unexpected. I saw a posting yesterday for a role for a workaholic. That was a requirement. Who in their right mind would sign up for that? Sure - a desparate job seeker would tell the interviewer they are ok with 70 hour work weeks. But c'mon - that's just plain silly. As the economy continues its freefall, everyone is a bundle of nerves. I am looking forward to hearing Pres. Obama's speach tonight

As a result of working the last 4 weeks, I had to reapply for unemployment today. The jobless situation really hits home when you go to the IDES office. I got there early and there was already a line. Filled out my form, waited to be called, talked to the claims person. I met a woman who had 25 years with a company and was let go Friday. Unceremoniously dumped. I encouraged her to get the book "In search of the perfect job". The first 50 or so pages is all about dealing with the feelings of getting laid off. It is a necessary process to go through the anger, denial, depression steps. You really need to go through these steps in order to move forward. Anyway, my experience there today was a bummer. I saw a guy that I always see at the health club. I saw well dressed professionals, laborers, and everything in between. I imagine their business is booming these days, and will continue to do so. This is the first Monday in a month that I am home...not something I cher

I went to a party Friday night to celebrate the graduation of my wife's friend's son from the fire academy. It was startling how quickly the subject of everyone's job situation came up. Those that have jobs feel like they can lose them at any time. I was not the only downsized person in attendance. Some commented how they hated their jobs, but were just lucky to have a job at this point. A collective malaise has come over America. I guess the benefit of being unemployed is that you are not waiting the indignity of getting laid off - we have already cleared that hurdle, and the anger, etc. The husband of my wife's friend was talking about a neighbor that had been downsized 4 times and each time had taken a job of less stature than the one he had before. None of this is isolated to one area, or one industry. It sucks everywhere. oh well - it is a slow Sunday. I have my son's bball game to look forward to. As Mike Ditka so famously said: "this too shall pass"

My wife was home today, and when the phone rings, inevitably it is a call for her. Of course, I spring up each time the phone rings, ready to go into phone interview mode. It brings to mind the country song with a title (something like) "If the phone doesn't ring, it's probably a recruiter not calling". I hope you have appreciated that moment of levity. have a good weekend, all.

Someone once defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I suppose that describes my job search. Sitting at the computer, tossing resumes into cyberspace. I try to network with former colleagues who may know decision makers, but it is tough to engage folks that are uncertain in their own positions, or that their firm is not recruiting. But, like they say, you have to keep at it and get to a layer that is effective. So, that is what I will continue to do. My plan today is to do my search, get to the health club, and not obsess about the lack of progress. Reading the business news shows this is no normal recession. No one has really been through something like this before. However, I saw a posting the other day, and immediately applied on line. Thinking that I should do more, I left a vm with the HR director. She responded with an email, and I had a phone interview yesterday and will have an in person interview next week. so, that do

Back to cold and snowy. Enough is enough. I am ready for some warm weather, golf and green grass. Of course, it is just mid-February, but since winter started in mid November, it is getting old. I have a phone interview today. Of couse the job seems a fit, but they expressed a concern that the salary would not be to my expectations given I was a Director and a VP in the past. Hard to convince them they would be getting a steal. But, I will present my case and see how it goes. That is all we can do - stay positive, tell our story and know that some organization will be lucky to get us. Wrapping up loose ends on my contract project. An internal resource I was working with was stretched pretty thin with preparation for an annual meeting, so I have a few things to clean up and get back to her. Looks like that will be the end of the work there - they are still non-commital about their own strategic direction. But it has been good to learn a new industry. so, stay warm. Happy Thu

With my project completed, I am back in the rut...I mean job search. As I have previously written, I got complacent over the last 4 weeks and did not search as diligently as I had been. Although my results from searching hard did not result in too much. But, all it takes is one. One good interview, one perfect match. It is such a tenuous balance between gainfully employed and unemployed. I wonder what the ACCO people feel like today. I would imagine most folks there are just barely making it at 100% of their pay. Now they have to learn to make do at 50%. Of course, I went from making very good money to living on $320 a week and our savings. It can be done, just not to extravagantly. Ordering a pizza is a big decision. One good byproduct of this unemployment has been that we stopped using our credit cards. It is nice to not get the shock of that bill coming each month. Actually we used to get 2 or 3 big bills per month. When I am working once again, we plan to keep that

I am so used to no activity in the search, but it seems so quiet. I saw an article that employees of ACCO are taking a pay cut for the next few months. Better than layoffs, but I suppose that is the logical next step. My project ends today, so I will have to stop at the unemployment office to see how to get that restarted. I had gotten complacent over the last few weeks and relaxed my search. I saw a posting on Careerbuilder that I missed and had been posted for a few weeks. I applied online and called the company. The HR manager responed with an email to call. She was concerned that my salary expectations would be too high. But, at this point, I am willing to take what I can in order to stay busy, and engaged in a project. There is something to be said for having a role, and a place to hang your hat each day. So, I will call the company later and try to get a dialog going. Beyond that, not much to report. I hope all is well with you.

Just got done reading the Sunday Trib. I remember years ago, before the internet, the Sunday job ads were a weekly reason to be excited. You'd gauge the week's possibilites by the weight of the jobs section, and carefully scan each column looking for ads you would respond to by snail mail. These days, the Trib job section is maybe 10 pages, and contains very few positions worth responding to. On Friday, I spoke with an exec I used to work with/for at a company a few lives ago. He left the company after I did, and is now president of a small marketing company. We had a good talk, but his road was not unlike ours - struggling to make it each day, weathering the tough times. We hear so much about networking and its critical function in the job search. I would liken the current environment to the scene in Titanic where the ship is pitching, and the survivors are looking for the best spot to hold onto the deck rail. They are the job holders and the seekers are those that ar

my contract gig ends tomorrow, so it is back in search mode hot and heavy. it's a bummer to have no safety net, but we displaced workers have not choice, do we? I am going to speak to a former exec with a company I worked for a few years back - just to pick his brain about approach. He seems to land on his feet in very high level exec jobs, so I would like to hear how he does it. I have a phone interview tomorrow as well, so it will be a busy day. at any rate, it is the end of the day. a new survivor season starts tonight. the office is on. so, there are a few things to be happy about. have a good evening, all.

I had to leave my project early today because my son was home sick. I suppose it is a good thing to have a flexible contract relationship with an organization, but it is still a bummer knowing the project will be done this week or next. But, such is life. I don't believe this will lead to anything with this company, but it is nice to get busy and thinking again. I like analysis, and have done some basic studies on available data which was out of spec from the original assignment, but I believe valuable. I have a call later this week about another potential contract position. so, it is nice to have something stirring, but still frustrating that full time employment with benefits is so elusive. on the plus side, it is 61 degrees outside. we can almost see the end of winter approaching. Of course, the year I got married (1983) we got 15 inches of snow on March 19. So, don't get out the golf clubs just yet. good day to all.

Finally a thaw. In the weather, I mean. The job market is still frozen. I have to get my on line search work done early, then tackle the cleaning, running around, son's bball games. I have written this before, but I do enjoy the hectic nature of the weekend. That means the week has been too busy for those things. When I am off, there is no pile of laundry to do, no dishes in the sink - because I do them right away. The improving weather, and the passage of the economic stimulus plan has improved my outlook. I suppose no one knows how the stimulus will affect the economy. One thing is for sure - the economy is so far down the toilet that it will take many stumuli (how's that for correct usage) to jump start it. Each month that a half million jobs are shed is such a reduction in consumer spending that will affect the economy for months to come. I am not one for excessive govt regulation, but if there ever was a case for it, the financial markets sure are. In the years

The days slip by. My project is going well, but I am not looking forward to completion - and all that time on my hands once again. But, what can we do, other than trying our best, putting our best foot forward and keeping ourselves motivated. The recent cabinet appointees that didn't make it due to tax problems really gave me a laugh. I was laid off in September, and a week later I got a bill from the IRS for $1400 for a 401k cashout I had done 1 year earlier. These people owed 100 times that much, and conveniently forgot. they have no business running this country. I noticed the property tax bill came in the mail the other day. It just doesn't end, does it? the blog now has 4 followers. as always, comments and suggestions are welcome. have a good day, all.

Funny how when you have gone awhile without working that when you are working (if only temporarily) that the feeling of a Monday is a good one. Kind of like being sore after a good workout. I will have to make the call into unemployment tomorrow, and the benefit will be on hold while I am working. I checked with IDES and they said no problem - the benefit is suspended while you are working, then is restarted when the gig ends. We shall see. But, the important thing is to be engaged and busy. and not on the computer all day. Speaking of which, I have been presented with some "job search specialists" that will assist in the search for a fee. That scares me - I know the internet method is less than effective, but does anyone think there is a secret network that we can only get access to by paying $5 thousand bucks? I feel like these are opportunists waiting to prey on our misfortune. Maybe I am wrong and they are nothing but well intentioned - but everyone is out to make