DISPATCHES FROM THE GHOST MOOSE

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/106829/How-to-Get-a-Job-When-No-One's-Hiring The attached link is to an article that was good. Specifically, what not to do in an interview, and the follow up. I know there were interviews I had that I just wasn't mentally up for, and the interviewer probably picked up on that. Now, the job would have been nothing to jump for joy about, but there is no need to give off a negative vibe. so, as the article says, show excitement, do your research prior, sell yourself and what you will do WHEN you start the job you are interviewing for. I had an interview that I thought went well, but I did not hear back. I inquired about the status and was told it was in limbo. so, I created a powerpoint presentation that matched my skill set to what I knew they were looking for (based on the interviews I had with them) and it resulted in a contract position for 5 weeks. It was nice to have had that work, and I am sure I would not have gotten th

Just got back from playing basketball tonight. Funny how in years past there was so little talk of the economy in a gym environment. Now you hear how bad it is at one place, how someone's business is very slow, how the guy that specializes in short sales on houses has a ton of business. I feel like I am on the "other side" now. The side that I was envious just last month. But that apprehension about job security will not leave me for a long, long time. It is so nice to talk with the family about possible vacation destinations for the summer (somewhere close that we can drive to - the down time exhaused our reserves) instead of wondering how long I could stretch my unemployment debit card. It is so very nice to be busy, but I don't feel at all at ease yet. You will see what I mean when you start your new job. Like Chance in Homeward Bound (a classic movie I love), I don't want to get too comfortable lest the rug be pulled out from under me. I suppose that is a bi

I woke up to 6 inches of snow. I remember the year I lived in Iowa the farmers said if there was snow on the ground the first day of March, there would be snow on the ground the last day of March. With the nice weather we had earlier this month, that seemed to be a longshot. Not now. I played basketball with the old bunch at the health club this morning. When my job looked iffy last summer, I didn't renew my membership. Then I was able to transfer my wifes time to me. So, I went today for the first time since September. The guys that knew me asked how the search was going and were glad for me. A guy there had been laid off, and another told me of 2 friends recently let go from their jobs. So rampant these days. Obviously, I am relieved to be working, but the continued bad news from others is a bummer. I missed posting for a few days. It is nice to be very busy. Toward the end of my downtime, I spent maybe 2 hours a day searching and the rest of the time trying to stay

It doesn't take long before your system re-adjusts to the work week, and you begin intuitively looking forward to the weekend. Making plans on Wednesday for the weekend. There is so much capacity in the mind to juggle work and home activities, and when the work element goes away, the mind looks for things to obsess about. To stew about. To irrationally worry about. That was my case, anyway. Now that I have productive work to apply myself to, my mindset is so vastly different than it was just a month ago. I saw the news yesterday that IBM is laying off 5000 US workers. I worked for IBM in the 80s, and their mantra was "We have never had a layoff". Of couse, that was lifetimes ago, and everything is so different. So, the economy continues to seek bottom. It sucks. Every industry is affected. Anyway, enough of what you knew already. Good luck to all.

I am now starting to get into the work routine. the process of waking up, getting ready, reading the paper, packing up and out the door is comforting structure. As I was coming to this morning, I was having a dream. In it, I knew I had a job, I just couldn't remember where it was, and was getting frantic because I didn't want to screw up the job that I had just started by not showing up. well, I made it here ok. Last week, when I told my mom I had landed a new job, she was profuse in her good thoughts: "I was praying for you, and knew you would find something". When I told my next door neighbor, I got the same response. I ran into a different neighbor the other night while walking the dog, and he asked (in measured tones) how my job search was going. When I told him I had a new job, his face lightened up, he smiled and said how happy he was for me. The point of my story here is that your friends and relatives do know how seriously this is, and how critical it i

The first week is down - hopefully many more to go. The new company is refreshing. They pride themselves on being voted one of the best places to work. This is new for me, as the some of my previous employers seem to strive to be voted one of the worst places to be. In this horrible economy, the worker is supposed to put up with lousy treatment, and just be thankful to have a job. So, did the usual rounds of meeting the senior level execs, explaining my history and selling my value to the team, etc. But, this time is different; having been idle, I want to make sure that doesn't happen again if I can help it. So, I plan to set my goals, and deliver. enough about work (I am boring myself already). Last night, a beer finally tasted like a beer. The list of chores to do over the weekend was welcome. Going to Wal Mart on a Saturday instead of 10 am on Monday just to kill time. The knowledge that my time off was limited to 2 days was reassuring. It is amazing what the securi

I got an email today from a professional that read the blog and shared that my emotions and feelings very closely mirror their own. The more downsized people I talk to, that becomes all the more apparent. When you interact in person with a fellow unemployed person, it is immediately clear that you share some kind of bond. I never felt too good about attending networking events - too many people sharing the same downer experience, but in small settings, I found the interaction with other unemployed to be really comforting. Because you were talking with someone that knows how it feels. and for that time, you could set aside your frustration and desparation and act normal for awhile. This is day 4 of my new job. It is so nice to be mentally engaged all day. To have things to do. To not get caught up in the pc trap (twice during my unemployment I was dealt 10 hearts, and 3 times I shot 4 hands in a row). To not check Perezhilton every hour to see what was happening. Oh, I know ho

A former colleague called me this moring to congratulate me on my new position. In the course of the conversation, we talked about being unemployed, which we have both been through. He referred to that time as "a scar that never heals". I thought that was a very accurate analogy - I had been unemployed for 5 months back in 2002, and the sting of that time is still fresh. I believe part of my frustration and distress during this time of joblessness was because the old feelings came back, and I remembered the desparation of the job search. My conversation today underscored that the same emotions are shared by virtually every downsized professional. Knowing that, it is critical to be proactive and assuage those emotions before they overwhelm you. At the end of my time off (the week before I got the job offer) I had resigned myself to this as a process that would have an end. Fortunately for me, the end of the quest came shortly thereafter, but I know how it feels - boy, do

Day 1 of job went well. Environment is good, and the organization seems to value its people which is rare. as promised, this is the bad list from my down time. Not that anyone will be surprised by it - every day of a layoff will suck if you don't do something to make it not suck. so, make your days not suck..... 1. For some reason, one day sticks out in my mind. On Halloween, we were getting ready for my son to get home, and my wife thought we needed more candy. I had bought a ton, but agreed to go to Wal Mart at about 2 in the afternoon. I remember thinking how little value my time had and that an errand to Wal Mart was a far cry from my duties as a VP just a month before. 2. Every fall, I make a big deal of taking the family to the corn field maze in Richmond. I really enjoy the old time feel of the event and the family has a great time walking the maze. This year, I was deep in the post layoff depression, and cancelled the outing to save money. Well, that day will be

Started my day as I have each day since I was laid off - got up, made my wife and son's lunch. Got the paper from the driveway. However, today, I took a shower and got ready for work. Something I haven't done in a long time. It feels good, but at the same time, provides new apprehensions. Of couse, I will push through that and apply myself to the new job. Over the last 6 months, I have had ample time to reflect on my situation, and think about what I would do differently. I have mulled the positives and negatives about the time off. A few of those are: Positives: 1. Having the time to just rest and recover. As professionals, we ride ourselves ragged with long days, checking email around the clock, wanting to show we are irreplaceable. Well, it is ok to decompress. Not be a slave to a schedule. Not to check email upon returning home after a weekend function. 2. Reconnecting with the family. When I had a job, I could be difficult and disagreeable because I had a job. Because no o

I treated yesterday like a day off, since I am starting the new job on Monday. As previously written, I still won't feel like I have a job until I show up and go through the onboarding process - tax forms, id card, make the rounds to meet people whose names I immediately forget, etc. once I get started there, I want to post a recap of the time off - the good, the bad, opportunites missed, etc. Not that I could create a "how to" for the downsized, but I can probably offer some things to do or not do to better weather the storm. funny how I have adopted my wife's schedule - I get up at 5am and am ready to start the day. However, being unemployed and up at 5 am makes for a long day with a lot of time to fill. have a good Saturday, all.

I had lunch today with Jim Warda, who I met after I read his letter to the Trib (see blog from January 5, link at bottom of post). Similar to yesterday when I lunched with a former colleague that had been let go, it was refreshing to relax and talk to someone who can empathize with my plight. Jim's mindset and his road through the process was very similar to my own. We discussed conversations with our working friends who are frazzled and on edge waiting for the axe to drop on them. For that lunch time, we were peers working in the same industry (the job search industry). Jim commented that when he is back working, he will look to hire people that have been downsized; they will understand how precious a job is, and will work hard to not have it happen to them again. I fully agree with that mindset. On Monday, I will be starting a new job. The road there has been long and challenging. So many times I had resigned myself to many more months of sitting in front of the keyboard, fruitle

I had lunch today with a fellow downsized former colleague. About 50 minutes into the lunch I had to stop and point out that we had been talking for awhile and neither of us had gotten a phone call, or talked about rushing back to the office. It is nice to feel like a person, and not an automaton for a change. Of couse, we all long to get back on the treadmill and work asap, but again, there are some positives to stepping back for awhile. I spoke with 3 former coworkers from my last job yesterday. Things there are not good - more layoffs, pay cuts, 401k freeze. So, still being there would be mentally taxing. More lucrative, but taxing nonetheless. I remember when I used to work downtown and was a slave to the train schedule. I was gone for 12 hours on a good day. I used to dream about staying home and just doing nothing for a change. That is good for maybe 2 weeks of idleness. But now I know I have had my fill (and then some) of downtime. Call it a sabbatical. I got a not

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1883614,00.html?cnn=yes The story linked above is a good one. It describes the stress felt by those not yet laid off. While it is great to be employed, I do remember being at a company with cut after cut. People that had been laid off and found other jobs would tell me "you have to get out of there". Of course, I had been looking for a new job since the time before they were let go. I saw a friend at the health club yesterday that is on edge due to the tenuous nature of his job. I could really see it in his face. The tension, the stress. The guy was not his normal, upbeat, personable self. Just imagine how many folks feel that way but just aren't showing it. I made my call to certify for unemployment today. I am looking forward to not having to do that again. I will be starting my job Monday. I have been out of work for so long that I begin to doubt my skills. Not that I think they will have diminished, but just t

What a wet, chilly weekend. I like to be outside as much as possible, and the weather barely permitted walking the dog. I am waiting for the results of reference and background checks. Nothing of concern will be there, so I should be starting the new job next Monday. But, again, given my nature, I am always feeling unsettled until I am actually there and working. But, this is a very big step towards ending my idle period. I reconnected with a few former colleagues who are my professional references, and it is so apparent that things are tough all over. The measures that organizations are taking to survive - severe and draconian, but what choice do they have? I guess the big first step is to hire professionals like us that can help them navigate through this tough time. I suppose I can kick back a bit and not search for jobs, but old habits are hard to break. happy Monday.

I got the offer yesterday as I hoped I would. I have to submit the background check paperwork and will start on the 16th. but, I am still guardedly optimistic. in this day, you really don't know what can happen - as previous posts here would prove. But I am very happy. the job is 2 miles from home and the industry is one that I am very familiar with. The company has been voted one of the best places to work. That in itself is very, very appealing. I have worked at places that would have been voted among the worst to work at. so, I am really looking forward to this opportunity. once I start on the 16th, I will breathe easier - not until. Johnny B - are we golfing next week?

Looks like spring is trying to push winter out. Let's hope it happens. Temp is supposed to be in the 60s. About to take a walk to enjoy it. I had lunch yesterday with a former colleague. It is really nice to stay connected to those folks you have enjoyed working with. At each stop in my career, I have been fortunate to have worked with at least one person that you would hire in a second in a new company. John is one of those people. When I make it big (or he does) we will hopefully work together and help an organization thrive and succeed. Waiting to hear back from a company that indicated they would be getting back with an offer. I am hoping to hear from them today so I can push the concern that I won't hear out of my mindset. I am by nature a pessimist, so naturally, I figure they won't be calling. But deep down I am pretty sure they will. we shall see. a wise person once said that peace is the lull between wars. From where I sit, I would say a job is the lul

The interview yesterday went well - I believe I will hear back from them. But I have been conditioned not to get my hopes up. Having gone through this drill for 6 months now, I have heard it all. My wife asked me why I wasn't more excited, and I told her that until I have that offer, and have started the job, I will contain my enthusiasm. Also, 2 of my friends have started jobs only to have them end for no good reason. but, at some point I really have to let myself feel some relief. Funny thing about this period of financial stress. The family has really learned to do with less. Not do without - we just don't buy a lot of the unnecessary things we used to. I went to take the garbage out this morning, and there was no full bag in the garage. We would usually have at least one. We have learned to buy just what we need. For those who followed this blog for awhile, you may remember my comments at Christmas about having very little to toss, while other houses had tons of

I have an interview this afternoon. It will be the 3rd, and second face to face. The job would be a good one - right up my alley. A lot less than I was making before, but I am ready to be busy. Very close to home, so there's a plus. Anyway, I am going to observe the operation with the person who would be reporting to me, then talk to the VP. I already have my list of what I expect to see, and how I would remedy those issues. So, here I sit, killing time until I leave. If not this one, I will get another one, right? that's how I have to look at it. Have a good Wednesday - Lost is on tonight. this season is going pretty well. they are finally filling in some of the gaps.

A cold but sunny morning. I played hoops last night with my usual group, and shared my status. Some of them ask, some share the situation at their work, some seem to be doing quite well in this down time. I have been in a pretty good frame of mind lately. I think back to October when the depression really hit. That is such a dark, oppressive feeling. I realized then that I could not leave that situation untended. I spoke to a professional a few times and it really helped, but also it took time. I recall the holidays being difficult (just read the postings from that period to see), and here we are in March. With the spring comes hope. I have noticed my mood is better when I open all the blinds to let in the sunlight. A bright house is full of positive energy. I have just made out my list of to-dos, and that will keep me out of the house for most of the morning. My wife was kind enough to transfer her health club membership over to me, and I make an effort to get there each d

Either the job market is incredibly slow, or I am just not doing it right. Very little about it excites me at all. I sent a bunch of resumes out over the weekend and today, and there were a few that were spot on - but no one has called as yet. I guess that means they are getting hundreds of responses, or I am just barking up the wrong tree. If the job looks like a great fit, I will take more time on the cover letter to detail why it is such a good fit. But all has been for naught so far. Oh well - it's a numbers game and my number will come up one of these days. Either that or my lotto ticket will be the winner. some days it seems the odds are about the same. happy Monday. March has come in like a lion.

the link below is to a CNN story about people coping with the current downturn. Not all were downsized, but there are some good points made here nonetheless: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/news/0902/gallery.optimism/index.html?cnn=yes Spoke with my mom today. She always says "I'm thinking of you" as if I had some terminal illness. I can never deliver an adequate comeback to a statement like that. But, it will change. I guess it is good to be in people's thoughts and prayers. Not much to do today with the search. Seems to be some posting activity, but I haven't heard back on any of the resumes I sent out. All it takes is one, though. see you all on Monday.