more ways to stay sane while searching for jobs

1. don’t believe the hype. for some reason the last couple years we have been inundated with those news stories. the ones that declare, “the 25 best jobs that are recession proof” or “the 10 best cities for work,” ok, believe the hype but don’t get fooled by it. still search as broad as you can.

2. take a loooong steamy bath with candles or incense burning. learn how to relax. investigate ways to stay ok.

3. buy the best shampoo. for the record, shampoo will never ‘herbal essence’ me, but a kick arse shampoo sets me ri-right…every daggone time. trust.

4. watch hgtv’s ‘house hunters’. this show makes me almost cry or throw fits. did you see the episode where this lady finds the most beautifulest (i know!!) home in cabo san lucas…ol’ girl even had an office with a 360 degree view of the ocean. lucky ass. but i love hgtv’s ‘house hunters’ you get to learn about cities, countries…the housing market…you get to dream. to me, tv today is mostly craptacious…but a few good shows still exist. or..write your own…and submit. keep all possibilities open and on you.

5. more of a warning, i am really troubled that companies are looking into people’s facebook and myspace pages. i equate that to determine an employee by looking at the bumper stickers in the parking lot. so be careful with what you put out there…or just watch your privacy settings or your name. it sux because you can’t have total freedom online…somehow it has been determined that it is expectable for hiring managers to inspect and use your online profile to access you as a potential employee. but what i want to ask is who is checking the facebook profiles of those already working in the office? will hr decide to let them go if they post a britney spear’s video on their myspace profile? and just how far is this gonna go? so, be careful out there.

6. go to the library. there are so many disciplines of study and so much instruction. you never know if a new focus or “light bulb” idea may happen. and it’s free.

7. don’t get caught up in your own disappointment. and if you do, don’t self-destruct. each breath you take could yield a new opportunity.

8. consider reality tv. my friend has insisted that we are going on ‘the amazing race,’ but we haven’t come up with a good story yet. i have auditioned for a few years ago, why don’t you try. you never know.

9. find good music. i’d suggest for those into a more instrumental yet funky mix kodomo’s “still life.”

10. if you’re a girl and you like oddly bad girl stuff and you just need to feel “liberated” try the last few minutes of ‘deathproof’ i could listen to the dialouge all day. quentin tarantino has a way of capturing a truly down, raw yet entertaining glance at girl speak. before you get it twisted…this movie is a movie…a violent one. but the cinematography is perfect…still picture perfect. the story is creepy and again…violent. but the artistry of the dialouge is genius. features…rosario dawson, tracie thoms, zoe bell (as herself) and mary elizabeth winstead. i’d suggest…just fast forward to this half of ‘deathproof’ it’s wild and it soothes my pain for all of 30 mins. or so. that’s if you are into riotgirl wicked violence…soothing…(ahem…) pain.

and then again…maybe i’ve said too much.

ways to stay sane while searching for a job

my insanity should be checked, job or no job, on a regular basis. but if that means it would stop the smiles that i get, maybe i shouldn’t ask for an examination after all.

the latest list of companies downsizing is ugly. it literally makes me sick…it makes my heart hurt and when i think of those numbers i think of families, more so people losing their much needed salaries. i rejoice at the prospects of president barack obama leading this country with an eager and resounding gasp of relief but i know that even he with all of his exuberant productivity so far, visions and dreams has said that it will take time. and that’s why i’m here…listening to a watering effect of techno music to later formulate an article for…but mostly to help keep you sane.

if you are currently unemployed what i am about to say will not help you but you should know that

“More than 2 million Americans requested benefits under the extended program in the week ending Jan. 3, the most recent data available. That’s in addition to the 4.6 million people covered under the regular unemployment insurance system, though the 2 million figure is not seasonally adjusted and is volatile.”

the end of january 2009 saw a 71,400 jobs lost. 2008 saw a loss of 2.6 million jobs. in december of 2007, the number of the unemployed was 11.1 million.

feel better? you shouldn’t. it doesn’t make me feel any better, i’m just giving you the facts.

so here’s a few of my suggestions

1. everyone stresses networking. but who are you gonna network with if no one is working? i say still network. tell everyone you know you never know what sympathetic ear might become a helping hand. try the school you graduated from. try even your church. try contacting colleges or their websites for career help and information. don’t discount the power of communicating out who you are and what you want. to be honest, it’s never worked for me but i hold out the hope that it could and frankly i haven’t tried it so much recently.

2. don’t despair. if you find that you are depressed about not finding an opportunity, if everywhere you go, you suffer a “no.” if you can’t pay your bills, travel to relocate, if you can’t find a win. DO NOT GIVE UP. DO NOT STOP LOOKING. NEVER. you can take a break from the stresses of looking and applying. you can whine and cry for hours about there being nothing out there. BUT NEVER STOP SEARCHING. if you find that you can’t take the strain, talk to someone. get help. i find that if i feel like i’m losing HARD, if I’m having an usually tough day i try to find something i can win at, a video game, a quiz show (for me specifically it’s jeopardy, the 12 year old school kids edition), or it’s finding a new hobby, but lately for me it’s running 5 miles with crazy music rattling the insides of my brain. i somehow revel in the achy legs, blurry vision and muscle strain only because it’s a goal and i win every time. it helps my bravado. possibly do self-satisfying volunteer work. try volunteermatch.com. or try your hand at something…a hobby, a freelance opportunity, creating a blog…writing. picking up an instrument you’ve always wanted to play. read novels. just get that satisfaction back of winning at something.

3. if you haven’t made that jump to getting on a social networking site like myspace or facebook…try it. you may connect with old friends who can possibly help or at least all those hours you spend finding the right music and layout for your page will at least take your mind off of things for a bit. (ok, i can’t believe i just suggested that)

4. be patient with people. i can’t believe that i actually get mad when people try and cheer me up. they say, “it will get better,” “a lot of people are not working right now,” or “have you tried (fill in the blank…)?” and they study me with their eyes like what they’ve suggested is the answer. and bless their hearts, mostly, it will be something so basic and remedial that i’ve tried it a thousand times over. they are just trying to be sweet, so be patient and tell them what you’ve tried…and be patient. and listen. and be patient and tell them.

5. GO OUT. i’ve been blessed with kooky friends who like wine and i like wine, i even like getting into discussions about wine. GO OUT and laugh and make fun of people’s weird black and white ‘where’s waldo’ sweaters. or go to a club and practice ne-yo’s “closer” dance moves or even soulja boi. just be sure to not waste away in gloom…life is still all about living.

6. explore your passions.

7. try learning a new language. take a class.

8. strategically try and analyze what makes you happy and try to get there as if it would cost you your life. out of crazy circumstances some of the best most ingenious things happen.

9. look up travel ideas at travelchannel.com and dream up a vacation in the greek isles of mykonos.

10. if you’ve applied to a certain “genre” of jobs and nothing’s worked, try something else.

11. most importantly, find a good friend, someone who is that perfect mix of a realist and a dreamer that you can discuss your lowest moods and your successes. i am blessed, i talk to God and my special…both always seem to put a smile on my face at the end of my “sessions” and there have been many sessions.

12. worse comes to worse and you are still hurting…post it here. i can try to help.

signs and wonders

so, a week into my bohemian lifestyle. having lost my job to india…and not working. i feel utterly less jovial than i had imagined. i often think about the last time i lived this way…it was in between summers while i was a student in college…undergrad. i spent days eating odd combinations of foodial experimentations and eating a lot of pasta, recording music and writing. doing tons of laundry, going to the library a lot and hanging clothes out in the yard…my fam didn’t make me work. i made no money at all. but really expanded…somehow inside.

today however…money is my main motivation but i’m still bohemian…sorta…

i’ve narrowed down the place i want to go. it became really clear last week. the place that i think is for me fits all of my requirements…but there is also one more place…my own very delicate issue of which i have been reassured over and over again. sorry for the vague use of language. i have a fluid time schedule to see what all takes place how…and when. so, internally i’m aching to be gone off into the place i feel God has told me to fearlessly go and somehow inside that makes me feel free. freer. once i get my fam moved to our new house…the journey shall begin…for me…and they have added their blessings.

i’ve ran a tour de force of films. with the help of my friend stewart who attends my church and helps me in my movie selections at his second job. and with the help of one other special person in the life of heartbreak.

the movie that has affected me the most…is ‘no country for old men.’ it’s the kind of movie that makes everything amplified in my real life afterward. it makes me want to make movies in the worst kinda way. adapted from a novel, the literal transistion is so rich. the dialougue is perfect and so unconventional. there is a raw pleasurable beauty to a film that has no cell phones, barely even credit cards or ATMs. the actors, josh brolin, tommy lee jones, woody harrelson, javier bardem…all the supporting cast…superb. i was literally awakened and mesmerized by every bit of frame. totally impressed and magnetized by brolin, though. the old west vs. new (modern) world in this thrilling, suspense absorbed film about a maniacal killer is really something impressive. and the end…oh man!!!!!!!

movies i’ve seen also ‘phenomenon,’ ‘the kite runner,’ ‘gone baby gone,’ and eps of ‘weeds’ all i would suggest.

peace.

what is God trying to tell me…

so…we are being released in groups from work. our HR positions have been splintered and shipped to india. the majority of my department left, only to leave a group of us to do menial tasks, at best.

my bestest bestest work bud/friend was apart of the first group. we had worked together for three years…i even trained him on his function and can remember the very first day we met and that he wore a suit and tie. we laughed about that much much later, having watched our semi-stuffy typically corporate department fall apart.

i heard from him recently. prior to his exit, i had discussed with him that i’d have my resume re-structured and after the finished product i let him see it. he wanted to copy the format to see if it would garner attention. which was fine. we had spent many many many days discussing dreams, academics, disappointments, anxiety, disdain with our environment…countless days sharing the success stories of other people who seemingly get awesome jobs and/or strokes of luck while we had felt so left behind in the process. sometimes our conversations would literally turn my stressful days into good ones. we are both guitar players and video game addicts, imeem fiends and so on…

well, as fate would have it he landed a dynamic job, for a cool company, making almost twenty thousand dollars more. the opportunities for stuff he never should have been denied were even offered in this new role. possibly contributing to the success other than copying the resume format was getting an MBA, as well after busting his arse working and going to school for years.

i say this…to say this. if that resume’s worth was to get him a job and never have any pay off value for me…the money is by far not wasted…even if it never works for me. he’s a dynamic guy who will go far and in whom i believe in…to the very core of me.

and i say this…also to say this. if my resume’s format isn’t working for me…and i have a master’s…of all the places i’ve been applying to for months on end without any gain…what is God trying to tell me?

think outside the…

there are certain phrases that i hate. for some reason the mention of them, no matter how cute or steamy the sayer…the repetition of ‘it’ drives me into a fit of helpless rage.

i, heartbreak, admit that i hate the term, “think outside the box.” for first…who the eff said i think in a box? i would like to imagine my thoughts are more circles or bright clouds…or um…in the shapes of floating leather jackets or um…barbie plastic sandle shoes. or lego blocks. or the facial frontal creative canvas of an etch-a-sketch. not a freakin box.

anyway…i’ve newly discovered a way to channel my distraughtful thoughts. oft i get locked into a frenzied mind-dance of self-doubt & defeat…but if i calm down enough to look at the issue from a whole new perspective…opportunity sprouts like a freakin newborn tree. try it sometime but the equation to equal anything requires a bit of trouble or agony…a puzzle…a problem.

for example. i am having zero luck pinning down a job in my old categories. but…i’ve learned through a bit more researching that my current position (soon to be over) coupled with a bit of my interest…a bit of my passion…equals a whole new crop of jobs to apply for.

so try this…

your issue, sprinkled with time…a new perspective…then move.

more specific??

my degree (master’s and bachelor’s) is in journalism, my professional background HR…my passion is in communications/writing…these facts open up many other possibilities i’ve never searched for…hence
technical writing (for i’ve written many procedures)
direct marketing (communication and writing again…in a corporate yet more expansive market)
public relations
advising/counseling/recruiting
i’m web saavy…
so, web marketing / research
and…
after hearing slowjams.com on the radio over the weekend…i’d love to dj an internet radio show…
and on and on…

don’t give in…just keep going.

here’s to thinking outside…you.

i heart writing but…

it’s saturday. the saturday after my most favorite holiday, july 4. the mid-morning air is crisp and moving lightly in underneath the bottom of my open window. my ‘wanna be’ cool dark wood shades for world market allow a nice view of the street…my neighbor’s home across the way, the occasional jogger and the tree in my yard. my music is soft and i’ve just updated some writing of mine that i am really really excited and scared about.

i have been aware for a long time now…that writing is what i am supposed to do. it cleanses me and it moves me…it captivates me and reassures me. it is what is and what has always gotten me by. it is my best friend and my love. it is my answer and it holds all my questions. it is my beginning and no doubt, my end.

and even though it has proven from time to time to be mine…my power and my weakness. the thing that catches all my quirks…all my weirdness it still evades me as to what i want to do with it to earn a living…to be my lifestyle. i’ve always had to two-time it…cheat on it by having a 9-5. not because this is what i want.

i love writing so much that i enrolled in it as an undergrad…graduated in it as a master’s…and yet am still stuck as to how to get in. even, how to pave my way in this field. yet somehow i guess i’m thankful because the frustration has pushed me to write. i guess i’ll always need that wicked mix…but i’d prefer to do it…and get paid. stay true to my creativity…still.

i guess i’m bitter too. going to college, i had some scholarships but loans also. hence debt. and that debt the chain…linking me to the slavery of being financially indebted to the system, not free enough to roam about and be that bohemian writergirl i’ve always dreamed about. it’s tough smiling for the man, sitting in his cubicle while he forces me to tussle with his paper work for a small payment, bad health benefits and little incentive. especially compared to what he makes.

according to the center for american progress:
“The New York Times recently reported that the average CEO made nearly $10 million last year. That’s the average salary for CEOs at 179 large companies. The average worker, on the other hand, earns just under $30,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means that CEOs now take home upwards of 250 times the average worker’s wage.”

contemplative. angry. and stuck.
living as a debt slave in this society…debt to major corporations and living in an economic environment that is outsourcing jobs and just not growing right now thanks to 8 years of the very unapologetic bush and cheney regime.

being financially stuck makes one stilted. you can’t travel, you can’t learn other countries, you can’t eat as healthy, you have to suffice with less effective medications, you have to live less safe, you have to work through despite every inch of your body telling you that you need to rest. it’s a vicious way of living with no easy out…except winning the lottery…and we all know those odds.

all this and my life could be worse…i do watch the evening news with my hand over my eyes. but i suggest that we…those who make less than say the average workers $47,000 a year…if WE banded together to change the price of gasoline, to demand banking corporations be less predatory, to demand equal rights, better health care…if we could forget about our racial divide and focus on what really matters…our survival in the world, and having a substantial financial mound to grow from…to allow our kids a better future…then…what are we waiting for? the amount of us making under $47,000 are…we are the majority.

for more insight…read paul krugman’s article, “the great wealth transfer.”

along these lines…here’s ‘guarantees’ by atmosphere who is a rapper who’s been in the game for a minute now. he’s freeekin’ genius…

what are we waiting for? we are actually sitting on power. untapped power to change the … our horizon.

cities cities cities & me

ok…so the storm begins where before i was calm and slightly elated that my company’s outsourcing would be my initial kick to get out of this city (yes, columbus, ohio), i’m falling into a bit of a funk and frenzy. my time is short and i’m torn. i have to make this leap, and i’m afraid. i have to go…but i just don’t know where.

i have approximately a month to do some pretty major things. they are:
convince / coax someone i’m hireable holding a master of science degree…
meet someone who can get me in…my last ditch chance was a contact at columbia…haven’t heard back after sophisticated yet almost begging check in…
or just…(gasp)
pack my car with my movies. music. computer. and…drive.
this all seemed so cinematic before…reality has put the fear into this girl.

however, i do have a more narrow idea of where i want to go…with the help and essay driven questions and answers from and of a few friends. research. salary / cost of living calculators and many many many polls.

here’s the list:
new york city/brooklyn/or even jersey – pros…everything! cons…soooooooo expensive

los angeles – pros…city, sun, opportunity and my love for film…cons soooo expensive and the cost to drive it would be close to what??? right!

las vegas or phoenix…pros…sun / cons…too far a drive…again

jacksonville, fl – A STRONG CONTENDER for job opportunities, sun and beach. (leaning towards this area because it’s still seemingly doable and risky enough)

atlanta, ga – pros…would love a cnn gig…

raleigh/durham/cary, nc – pros…my dream team has done wonderful at convincing me. both i ultra respect as high as could be and still A STRONG CONTENDER…cons…i want a fast fast city setting. but then again, there’s the dream team.

washington, dc – pros…opportunities galore, my love for politics. cons…sooooo expensive.

so…that is what is going right now. my job expected to be outsourced to india in about 30 days…after which…i plan to … move. um…somewhere.

wish me luck…send me some suggestions. and uh…i am seeking anything, boasting experience in HR and writing…but not limited to such.

just the other day

just the other freakin day i trained my outsourcer. outsourcing sucks and it is ripping our economy to bits. the guy was adorable and extremely nice. we even chatted up a bit about columbus weather, music and stuff. but this nice guy is a part of this massive undertaking that is shipping US jobs overseas. i won’t have a job because of this. news reports say that this year alone 85,000 jobs have been cut…it is only MARCH. although i’m not sure how much of this is due to outsourcing….OUTSOURCING HAS GOT TO STOP. homeland security? how are we protected if our information is hotwired across the globe? HOW??? and you think i’m voting for mccain? uh…NO. you think i want a continuation of these last 8 shameful years in this great country? HELL NO….DOUBLE HELL NO. as to the obama fiasco with reverend wright…who cares, really. i don’t agree with 100% of what ANYBODY SAYS, not even my pastor. who says obama doesn’t have a mind of his own…have you ever seen him carry out any of that stuff since he’s been on the senate? have you?

okay….i feel lots better now…is ‘dancing with the stars on’ … isn’t that marlee matlin freakin awesome?

– obama outsourcing teamsters endorsement
(Washington, D.C.) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced today the union’s endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for president. The endorsement is the first step in mobilizing the union’s 1.4 million members and their families to elect Obama.

“Senator Obama understands the challenges working people face every day,” Hoffa said. “He is the candidate in the best position to lead our movement to restore the American dream for working people in this country. Senator Obama will fight for better wages, real health care reform, stronger retirement security, fair trade and an end to the outsourcing of good jobs. He understands the importance of giving workers a voice at work and will fight for strong unions to help rebuild America’s middle class.”

The endorsement decision follows a meeting in Austin, Texas, between Hoffa and Obama, and completes a months-long process that included scientific polling of Teamster members, surveys of local union and joint council leaders and deliberations by the union’s democratically elected General Executive Board.

“We have been fortunate to have candidates throughout the Democratic primary who are friends of working families and the Teamsters Union,” Hoffa said. “We are pleased that all of the Democratic candidates have focused on issues of importance to working people, including wages, health care, retirement security, fair trade and outsourcing.”

The union’s endorsement immediately activates the union’s 50-state election program, with special emphasis on swing states.

“Senator Obama will stand with the Teamsters when it comes to fighting for working families,” Hoffa said. “This endorsement begins a partnership to change America. Together we will reinvent the political process and give a voice to those who have been ignored by the Bush administration for the past eight years.”

Hoffa emphasized Obama’s commitment to rebuilding and strengthening the national transportation infrastructure, a key priority of the Teamsters Union.

“Senator Obama will fight to rebuild our transportation infrastructure,” Hoffa said. “He will work with us to address critical issues from our ports to our highways, rails and airports. We need a president who is focused on rebuilding America and Barack Obama will be that president.”

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

http://www.teamster.org/08news/nr_080220_6.asp