Wednesday - Comment from a colleague

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 I know.

Thanks for your call Rob.
Good luck to all.