I meant for this to be posted yesterday but so much has happened that I’ve been distracted. Bad blogger! Yesterday was one of the most spectacular days for a morning walk with Bruno. He loves to shuffle through the leaves. When you have 4 inch legs, shuffling is about all you can do, really, so when there are leaves to trudge through, they tickle your belly and put a funny spring in your step. Both days we’ve been able to take particularly long walks which makes for a very sleepy basset the rest of the day. Ahhhh, the sound of a sleeping hound.
Over the weekend I had the opportunity to chat online with friends Doc (my husband, Bill – see, I told you that you’d get to know him as Doc) and I recently re-connected with. When we last moved, we lost touch with quite a few people. Bob and Robin (or Bobin for short) were in that group. They love re-enacting and Halloween so we had lots in common. Through Facebook, Bob tracked us down a couple months ago. It was so wonderful to catch up on Saturday when we were both a bit bored and appreciated the company.
Since we’ve reconnected, I’ve been watching Bob’s FB posts. Bobin generally have a difficult, but very happy together, life and it seems this year has been especially tough. In the past, Bob has managed FrightFest at Six Flags Great America, a gig kept them afloat pretty well for an entire year. Since he lost that position a while ago, he’s tried to find other work and has had on and off periods. Robin has worked in the past at a Subway sandwich shop that’s close enough for her to walk to (she doesn’t drive) but it sounds like that job is over, too. Anyway, late this summer, they had the electricity shut off, have been trying to qualify for utility and food assistance but it’s been really tough to get it – too many people ahead of them in line. So, Doc and I told them that even though we’re far from rich, we’re going to take them to dinner at a reasonably nice restaurant on our next trip to LG (probably November). It will be a treat for us but we know they really need it more. I can’t imagine having the difficulty they have and so we will try to make their life a little better. Pay it forward, if you will.
After that chat, I had trouble sleeping on Saturday and then again on Sunday. I kept thinking about where we are in our “plan.” This plan has specific dates and tasks that MUST be accomplished in order for the money we have left to sustain us as long as possible. It’s very freeing to have made decisions when you’re not deep in the emotion of them! As the days tick by and no job offer comes of the many calls I seem to be getting lately, life still weighs on my mind and I wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning in a pseudo panic attack. I get myself back into my happy place and go back to sleep sometime before 5 o’clock and I hate that I can’t control this behavior. Probably never will.
That isn’t the only reason I have sleepless nights. Monday, as I checked email for the last time, I saw a LinkedIn post by one of my connections. He’s a recruiter looking to fill a marketing position. Hot dog! I looked at the full post and realized this was a job I interviewed for in December 2008. After that interview, I felt there wasn’t a good fit, it required a pretty healthy move and since it was still quite early in my search, I decided it was best to let this one go. But I’m part sleuth and decided to do some research about why this really great position was open again. Through my network I learned what I needed to know and I became very excited about the possibilities! I sent an email to the recruiter and a sleepless night ensued. My mind kept racing about what I could bring to this employer and their needs and, oh my goodness, I felt valuable! It was such a great feeling that I didn’t care that I was losing sleep.
That was Monday night. Yesterday, my hopes were dashed because it seemed that my network didn’t have all the critical-to-me information quite right so that opportunity was dead. The rollercoaster strikes again! I picked myself up, put on my devil horns (really, I wore horns), and went to my Tuesday CCN meeting. I gave everyone a laugh and even though I was really hurting inside, I felt so good giving everyone a moment (OK, two hours) of giggles. I can be such a dork and my husband encourages me.
I know this post is long but it’s not over. I got home from the meeting and there, in my email, was a message from the recruiter. Things had indeed changed at this company and would I like to throw my hat back into the ring? Heck yes! So, another sleepless night.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Ups and The Downs
Another wet and soggy day means no morning walk for the big boy. He’d rather hold it for life than get wet. I have to admit, though, I’ve enjoyed being able to stay dry myself. Not to worry. I watch for breaks in the rain and drag Bruno out so he doesn’t explode.
What a roller coaster week in the career search! Yesterday I had three phone calls for preliminary interviews (phone screens) and two follow up emails that were let downs. I think that while one phone screen went well, I don’t think I’ll get selected to move on in the process. The company, located about 50 miles from Appleton, found my resume posted at CareerBuilder. The VP of Sales has decided to add to the marketing department but she doesn’t know what qualifications they want to hire yet. This company doesn’t have job descriptions, which is unique. They’d rather stay flexible, which is cool. My concern isn’t that new things get added to your plate (happens all the time in marketing - if it doesn't fit into any other area, it MUST be marketing - ha!) but how do you know what is in scope and what is out of scope? As a very creative person, I know I can come up with all kinds of duties to fit into my box but without some sort of boundary, I could over commit and burn myself out. Still, it was a good conversation, the SVP of HR seemed interested in my department and office start-up background and I was given permission to follow up late next week.
I sent a follow up email to FVTC yesterday. They’re searching for a marketing communications manager but had a few internal candidates to consider first. I'm happy to know that they would promote someone qualified but it’s hard to deal with as an external candidate. I’ve now had at least three people put in a good word for me there but I think I might be fighting a very uphill battle. I’ve now seen this position posted at an Internet job board so that means they’re paying for a listing to get more candidates. Another hard thing to deal with because that's more competition. Sometimes I just want to yell, “What about me? I’m right here in your backyard!” Guess it’s time for a phone call on Monday to nudge HR, but no yelling. I promise.
One of the phone screens with a recruiter was really excited about my background but because the search she was working was so confidential, she couldn’t tell me much about the company. All I know is that it opened the first part of this year, it’s a financial services firm (pretty broad), and there is a person in the marketing role now. I don’t know what will happen to that person – she wouldn’t comment. She wanted to get me connected with the president for a real phone interview this week but it hasn’t happened. And, because she ended the call abruptly (we went too long and she had another call on hold), I didn’t get her email address or phone number. I do have the agency’s information so I’ll have to track her down. It’s a wonderful opportunity to start up a department and help a new company grow. I like that kind of work! One thing I didn’t mention…the job is in the Washington DC area. Yes, I know, a long distance move but I have to say, both Bill and I would really welcome the opportunity to be in the birthplace of our nation. We so love American history, particularly the 19th century, that this would be an opportunity to personally immerse ourselves in it. We also love to volunteer at these kinds of museums – no shortage of those in Virginia-Maryland!
Moving. So many unemployed people think about moving as a curse or a burden. Yes, in some respects it's both. Sorting through your memories isn’t easy and harder still is selecting which things stay with you and which go to the garage sale boxes. But I choose to look at this positively. We moved to Appleton because of a job and now we’ll likely move away from here mostly likely because of the lack of a job. In six years there have been many memories created. So many good times, new friends and acquaintances, shopping, restaurants, things we had to travel two hours to Chicago to get to before. My hope is that when our move is eminent, I have a good career opportunity that will give me fulfillment and that my husband can feel good about. I’ve backed away from several opportunities (didn’t turn down any offers, just decided not to pursue them) because they had all the trappings of disaster. I’d have to be moving into a cardboard box before I put myself into a nightmare with misery attached. One time, very early in my life I took a job that the little voice inside me said, “Run screaming!” I should have listened but I stuck it out three years. We have our health and we have each other. If that’s all I have, I can be happy for a very, very long time.
What a roller coaster week in the career search! Yesterday I had three phone calls for preliminary interviews (phone screens) and two follow up emails that were let downs. I think that while one phone screen went well, I don’t think I’ll get selected to move on in the process. The company, located about 50 miles from Appleton, found my resume posted at CareerBuilder. The VP of Sales has decided to add to the marketing department but she doesn’t know what qualifications they want to hire yet. This company doesn’t have job descriptions, which is unique. They’d rather stay flexible, which is cool. My concern isn’t that new things get added to your plate (happens all the time in marketing - if it doesn't fit into any other area, it MUST be marketing - ha!) but how do you know what is in scope and what is out of scope? As a very creative person, I know I can come up with all kinds of duties to fit into my box but without some sort of boundary, I could over commit and burn myself out. Still, it was a good conversation, the SVP of HR seemed interested in my department and office start-up background and I was given permission to follow up late next week.
I sent a follow up email to FVTC yesterday. They’re searching for a marketing communications manager but had a few internal candidates to consider first. I'm happy to know that they would promote someone qualified but it’s hard to deal with as an external candidate. I’ve now had at least three people put in a good word for me there but I think I might be fighting a very uphill battle. I’ve now seen this position posted at an Internet job board so that means they’re paying for a listing to get more candidates. Another hard thing to deal with because that's more competition. Sometimes I just want to yell, “What about me? I’m right here in your backyard!” Guess it’s time for a phone call on Monday to nudge HR, but no yelling. I promise.
One of the phone screens with a recruiter was really excited about my background but because the search she was working was so confidential, she couldn’t tell me much about the company. All I know is that it opened the first part of this year, it’s a financial services firm (pretty broad), and there is a person in the marketing role now. I don’t know what will happen to that person – she wouldn’t comment. She wanted to get me connected with the president for a real phone interview this week but it hasn’t happened. And, because she ended the call abruptly (we went too long and she had another call on hold), I didn’t get her email address or phone number. I do have the agency’s information so I’ll have to track her down. It’s a wonderful opportunity to start up a department and help a new company grow. I like that kind of work! One thing I didn’t mention…the job is in the Washington DC area. Yes, I know, a long distance move but I have to say, both Bill and I would really welcome the opportunity to be in the birthplace of our nation. We so love American history, particularly the 19th century, that this would be an opportunity to personally immerse ourselves in it. We also love to volunteer at these kinds of museums – no shortage of those in Virginia-Maryland!
Moving. So many unemployed people think about moving as a curse or a burden. Yes, in some respects it's both. Sorting through your memories isn’t easy and harder still is selecting which things stay with you and which go to the garage sale boxes. But I choose to look at this positively. We moved to Appleton because of a job and now we’ll likely move away from here mostly likely because of the lack of a job. In six years there have been many memories created. So many good times, new friends and acquaintances, shopping, restaurants, things we had to travel two hours to Chicago to get to before. My hope is that when our move is eminent, I have a good career opportunity that will give me fulfillment and that my husband can feel good about. I’ve backed away from several opportunities (didn’t turn down any offers, just decided not to pursue them) because they had all the trappings of disaster. I’d have to be moving into a cardboard box before I put myself into a nightmare with misery attached. One time, very early in my life I took a job that the little voice inside me said, “Run screaming!” I should have listened but I stuck it out three years. We have our health and we have each other. If that’s all I have, I can be happy for a very, very long time.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A valley in life.
Oh what a wonderful respite I had from the career search (and dog walking – LOL)! Saturday Bill and I traveled to Lake Geneva to spend the weekend with his friends, now mine, from high school days. We’ve seen each other very irregularly over the last 11 years and somehow it always seems like we just saw them the other day. Bruno got to spend time at Tailwaggers Doggy Daycare in Menasha. To say he loves it there is an understatement. We pulled into the parking lot and the howling begins. By the time we get Bruno into the front lobby, he’s pulling at the leash to get on with the playtime. It’s so funny!
Our weekend included a two hour walk around just over three miles of Geneva Lake – a Northern section of the famed “Walk, Talk, and Gawk” self-guided tour. The homes along this stretch of the lake are as magnificent as the rest of the lake but the walking path is much smoother and easier to traverse. We ended the walk in Williams Bay and our friends Ed and Julie had chartered one of the private yachts to take us back to Lake Geneva. Quick lesson: the city is called Lake Geneva, the lake is called Geneva Lake. Go figure. It was a chilly boat ride at sunset but so much fun. That night we had a wonderful dinner at Ed and Julie’s with several others who were also on the walk and boat ride, and we were lucky enough to spend the night at Ed and Julie’s. Sunday was highlighted with Champagne Brunch at The Abbey Resort. Goodness! What a spectacular get-away!
Now it’s back to the search. I’ve had several phone interviews this week and one scheduled for tomorrow morning. Some of the completed interviews have already screened me out but that’s OK as long as I have opportunities in the pipeline. One opening that Judy sent yesterday is really a dream job for me at the Kohler Company in Kohler – Creative Brand Strategist. Oh my goodness it just speaks to my professional soul. My cover letter needs to overcome my lack of home interior product design experience but I’ve designed classrooms and I think I can make a solid case. They’re looking for international experience and I have that. They want experience integrating brand and communications – got it, and they want a big-picture thinker – that’s me! I’m so very appreciative of Judy emailing the posting to me. I would have missed it because of how they have it posted.
But I’m concerned about Judy and now Sue (I haven’t formally met Sue yet but I know her parents). Both of these women are unemployed as I am. Sue is 60 and lost her job earlier this year. She’s not ready for retirement but at 60 I can imagine the uphill battle she is facing. She had to move in with her parents a few weeks ago in order to survive. Her father, Rich, was telling me Monday night how she spends so much time on the Internet searching for openings and how hard it is to watch one of his children struggle so. I asked Rich if Sue was involved with Career Changers Network, CCN, (love you guys!) and he didn’t think so. I also asked if she knew about other support networks and Web sites that are truly helpful. He didn’t know so I offered to help. I have a great deal of experience searching for a job (hahaha) and feel like an expert who should share. I also offered to get her connected with CCN and Workforce Development.
Judy, though, knows about these avenues and leverages them. She attended the same Lean training I did (it’s how we met) but it was her email yesterday that hit me. She described her situation as a valley in her life and even though there weren’t any specific words about it, I could feel the pain she is experiencing at this moment. She’s been unemployed for five months and she doesn’t want to chase after just any job at just any company. Accepting that you can be unemployed for a longer period of time than you really want is so hard. One of the worst things you can do is get yourself employed in a job you hate or with a company that isn’t a reasonably good fit. The temptation is to put an end to the current misery and loss of income but what you could end up doing is making yourself, and your family, even more miserable.
If you know someone who has been in this valley of life more than a couple of months, reach out to them on a regular basis. Ask how they are. Ask if there is anything you can do for them, anything. You can’t imagine how the littlest of gestures make the biggest impression. And, don’t ignore our plight. It doesn’t go away if you don’t talk about it. Yes, it can be uncomfortable to hear us complain or be sad but it’s equally uncomfortable for us to hear about your bad day that earned you a paycheck. I promise, on behalf of my unemployed colleagues, that we’ll listen to you if you listen to us.
Our weekend included a two hour walk around just over three miles of Geneva Lake – a Northern section of the famed “Walk, Talk, and Gawk” self-guided tour. The homes along this stretch of the lake are as magnificent as the rest of the lake but the walking path is much smoother and easier to traverse. We ended the walk in Williams Bay and our friends Ed and Julie had chartered one of the private yachts to take us back to Lake Geneva. Quick lesson: the city is called Lake Geneva, the lake is called Geneva Lake. Go figure. It was a chilly boat ride at sunset but so much fun. That night we had a wonderful dinner at Ed and Julie’s with several others who were also on the walk and boat ride, and we were lucky enough to spend the night at Ed and Julie’s. Sunday was highlighted with Champagne Brunch at The Abbey Resort. Goodness! What a spectacular get-away!
Now it’s back to the search. I’ve had several phone interviews this week and one scheduled for tomorrow morning. Some of the completed interviews have already screened me out but that’s OK as long as I have opportunities in the pipeline. One opening that Judy sent yesterday is really a dream job for me at the Kohler Company in Kohler – Creative Brand Strategist. Oh my goodness it just speaks to my professional soul. My cover letter needs to overcome my lack of home interior product design experience but I’ve designed classrooms and I think I can make a solid case. They’re looking for international experience and I have that. They want experience integrating brand and communications – got it, and they want a big-picture thinker – that’s me! I’m so very appreciative of Judy emailing the posting to me. I would have missed it because of how they have it posted.
But I’m concerned about Judy and now Sue (I haven’t formally met Sue yet but I know her parents). Both of these women are unemployed as I am. Sue is 60 and lost her job earlier this year. She’s not ready for retirement but at 60 I can imagine the uphill battle she is facing. She had to move in with her parents a few weeks ago in order to survive. Her father, Rich, was telling me Monday night how she spends so much time on the Internet searching for openings and how hard it is to watch one of his children struggle so. I asked Rich if Sue was involved with Career Changers Network, CCN, (love you guys!) and he didn’t think so. I also asked if she knew about other support networks and Web sites that are truly helpful. He didn’t know so I offered to help. I have a great deal of experience searching for a job (hahaha) and feel like an expert who should share. I also offered to get her connected with CCN and Workforce Development.
Judy, though, knows about these avenues and leverages them. She attended the same Lean training I did (it’s how we met) but it was her email yesterday that hit me. She described her situation as a valley in her life and even though there weren’t any specific words about it, I could feel the pain she is experiencing at this moment. She’s been unemployed for five months and she doesn’t want to chase after just any job at just any company. Accepting that you can be unemployed for a longer period of time than you really want is so hard. One of the worst things you can do is get yourself employed in a job you hate or with a company that isn’t a reasonably good fit. The temptation is to put an end to the current misery and loss of income but what you could end up doing is making yourself, and your family, even more miserable.
If you know someone who has been in this valley of life more than a couple of months, reach out to them on a regular basis. Ask how they are. Ask if there is anything you can do for them, anything. You can’t imagine how the littlest of gestures make the biggest impression. And, don’t ignore our plight. It doesn’t go away if you don’t talk about it. Yes, it can be uncomfortable to hear us complain or be sad but it’s equally uncomfortable for us to hear about your bad day that earned you a paycheck. I promise, on behalf of my unemployed colleagues, that we’ll listen to you if you listen to us.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Opportunities abound!
Crisp and fresh air this morning for our walk. Bruno loves to shuffle through the leaves and looks for long grass to waddle through to tickle his belly. The simple pleasures that this wonderful hound enjoys has taught me how to appreciate what I have and be able to live in the moment. The future will take care of itself. We did the “Reverse Bank” route and added a walk through “The Meadow.” It entails crossing Memorial Drive up Verbrick one block, right on Bouten, cut through Anchor Bank’s parking lot and then instead of turning for home, Bruno wanted to cross Memorial Drive to the Meadow. The Meadow is what’s left of The Hob Nobbin’ Restaurant – just a meadow. We shuffled through the leaves to the back of the Meadow and that connects to the back of #130 or as Bruno knows it, Uncle Rodger’s. Uncle Rodger’s belongs to friends who let us cut through their yard on the way back to our house, #9.
Yesterday had an exciting end to it! Around 2pm in the afternoon, I found a LinkedIn job post that seemed like a great fit for me. I sent my resume and cover letter to the recruiter and within 30 minutes, I had a phone call to screen me. Several calls later to further screen me and be sure I was interested in a move to Newark, New Jersey (we are!), and my resume was being presented to the hiring manager. Woo hoo! Then, at 3:30pm, another call. Could I detail my experience on 4 or 5 points in writing so that if challenged, the recruiter could speak on my behalf, and send to him within 15 or 20 minutes? OK, I can do that, I told him. And so I set about writing the reasons why I could do the job better than anyone else. It took me 40 minutes and I felt bad that I couldn’t do it in 20. I sent off my writings with a note that I would continue to write and send an updated version for him before the end of the day – he’s an hour ahead so my update would be in his inbox first thing this morning. I did the update, sent it, and now I wait. Again.
This post is later today than most because I’ve been working on three opportunities at School Specialty in Greenville. My friend Kim, an employee there, sent them to me. They aren’t posted externally but she happened across them this morning and got permission from HR to send them to me. I worked a good part of the morning crafting the right cover letter. This is really exciting! To have advance notice before a position gets posted is a big deal. And, these positions may not get posted if there are internal candidates, or if I am the perfect fit for one of them, which, of course, I know I am! Any of you who have connections at School Specialty please, please, please, call them and tell them about me. It is so important to have people speak on my behalf. I promise, I’ll return the favor – just ask.
So my week closes on a very positive note. This is just what I needed because Bill and I are off to Lake Geneva tomorrow for a fun-filled day and night with former high school friends of Bill’s. I can’t imagine still having friends from senior year of high school. I mean, I still see them every five years at reunions but we don’t keep in touch like he’s been able to do. It also boosts my ego a bit. They’re all 10 years older than me so when they talk about high school and college times or the early 70s, I just say, “Oh, I was 8.”
Yesterday had an exciting end to it! Around 2pm in the afternoon, I found a LinkedIn job post that seemed like a great fit for me. I sent my resume and cover letter to the recruiter and within 30 minutes, I had a phone call to screen me. Several calls later to further screen me and be sure I was interested in a move to Newark, New Jersey (we are!), and my resume was being presented to the hiring manager. Woo hoo! Then, at 3:30pm, another call. Could I detail my experience on 4 or 5 points in writing so that if challenged, the recruiter could speak on my behalf, and send to him within 15 or 20 minutes? OK, I can do that, I told him. And so I set about writing the reasons why I could do the job better than anyone else. It took me 40 minutes and I felt bad that I couldn’t do it in 20. I sent off my writings with a note that I would continue to write and send an updated version for him before the end of the day – he’s an hour ahead so my update would be in his inbox first thing this morning. I did the update, sent it, and now I wait. Again.
This post is later today than most because I’ve been working on three opportunities at School Specialty in Greenville. My friend Kim, an employee there, sent them to me. They aren’t posted externally but she happened across them this morning and got permission from HR to send them to me. I worked a good part of the morning crafting the right cover letter. This is really exciting! To have advance notice before a position gets posted is a big deal. And, these positions may not get posted if there are internal candidates, or if I am the perfect fit for one of them, which, of course, I know I am! Any of you who have connections at School Specialty please, please, please, call them and tell them about me. It is so important to have people speak on my behalf. I promise, I’ll return the favor – just ask.
So my week closes on a very positive note. This is just what I needed because Bill and I are off to Lake Geneva tomorrow for a fun-filled day and night with former high school friends of Bill’s. I can’t imagine still having friends from senior year of high school. I mean, I still see them every five years at reunions but we don’t keep in touch like he’s been able to do. It also boosts my ego a bit. They’re all 10 years older than me so when they talk about high school and college times or the early 70s, I just say, “Oh, I was 8.”
Thursday, October 15, 2009
My Career Search Champions
I wasn’t sure where to start this morning. My whole routine was changed by a dog that decided to sleep in (that means 7am) and then go for a one hour walk. What is up with that? I mean, it was 8am before we returned and that meant Miss Lily’s breakfast was late, Bill’s coffee was late, and checking the morning email was late. But, I must admit that it felt rather decadent to wake up 45 minutes later than usual.
I met my professor yesterday and was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief. I had been making too much of part of the assignment and the other part wasn’t properly explained and Lee was able to get me back on track and going again. Whew! Lee also shared a personal struggle with me. His 86 year-old mother was having health issues. For the last 10 days she had been hospitalized for an intestinal blockage and was being intravenously fed. Today she is having surgery. Lee seemed quite concerned and I wanted to give him a hug but I wasn't sure if he was looking for that from me. I told him I would pray for her quick recovery and his safe return back to the area (he had mentioned he was traveling) and left. I hope everything is going as expected and that she will be well again.
Early afternoon held good news. A friend, Grant, has been my champion since early this year. Every time he finds a career opportunity he either sends it by email or picks up the phone to call me. Yesterday one of his connections at LinkedIn posted an opening and he forwarded her information to me. It’s a really great opportunity so I called her. She wasn’t in but I did speak to her manager and then forwarded my resume. I should hear from her either today or tomorrow. Then Steve, a neighbor, sent two emails. One about a possible job in the area and the other offering to have a close friend put in a good word for me at the Appleton opportunity I wrote about yesterday. I’ve met Steve’s friend several times. He’s a good guy. Even though the Appleton organization is looking at internal candidates, it can’t hurt to have a third person say good things about me. Thank you to both of them for keeping me in mind and to everyone else who shares leads, contacts at companies, and general goodwill. I so appreciate it.
I met my professor yesterday and was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief. I had been making too much of part of the assignment and the other part wasn’t properly explained and Lee was able to get me back on track and going again. Whew! Lee also shared a personal struggle with me. His 86 year-old mother was having health issues. For the last 10 days she had been hospitalized for an intestinal blockage and was being intravenously fed. Today she is having surgery. Lee seemed quite concerned and I wanted to give him a hug but I wasn't sure if he was looking for that from me. I told him I would pray for her quick recovery and his safe return back to the area (he had mentioned he was traveling) and left. I hope everything is going as expected and that she will be well again.
Early afternoon held good news. A friend, Grant, has been my champion since early this year. Every time he finds a career opportunity he either sends it by email or picks up the phone to call me. Yesterday one of his connections at LinkedIn posted an opening and he forwarded her information to me. It’s a really great opportunity so I called her. She wasn’t in but I did speak to her manager and then forwarded my resume. I should hear from her either today or tomorrow. Then Steve, a neighbor, sent two emails. One about a possible job in the area and the other offering to have a close friend put in a good word for me at the Appleton opportunity I wrote about yesterday. I’ve met Steve’s friend several times. He’s a good guy. Even though the Appleton organization is looking at internal candidates, it can’t hurt to have a third person say good things about me. Thank you to both of them for keeping me in mind and to everyone else who shares leads, contacts at companies, and general goodwill. I so appreciate it.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Rejection?
Rain. Not the most pleasant weather to walk in. Bruno doesn’t like getting those big paws wet but did he seem to enjoy our walk this morning. We did the “Reverse Seymour” route today. We crossed Memorial Drive and turned left to Seymour, then right on Seymour and this time, Bruno wanted to cross Bouten before we made our right turn onto it. Each side of the street smells different to him and this is about walking his nose, not his legs. So it was down Bouten to Verbrick, right on Verbrick and back to home. Breakfast was served and for the first time I noticed that Lily waits for me to change Bruno’s water bowl so she can drink from it. She has her own but his water must taste better. Another revelation was that when this little eight pound cat drinks, it sounds like the Fox River.
It was a hectic morning today. Bill had a dental appointment at 9am and I had mistakenly scheduled an appointment with my professor at Fox Valley Tech at 10am. This wasn’t going to work easily because we’re down to one car. If I hadn’t found a good job by July 1st, our plan was to sell both the convertible and the truck to get something more economical yet able to accommodate the dog or to haul things should we need to sell something or move. We did that on July 9th. It was a heartbreaking day but as I’ve already said, it’s just stuff. And we’ve grown to love the Toaster (a 2005 Scion xB for those who aren’t familiar with this cultish mode of transportation). Luckily I was able to change my appointment with my professor so Bill is off at his cleaning and I’ll get to my appointment with ease.
Yesterday was a typical job hunt roller coaster day. I finally heard from HR at an Appleton opportunity but the news wasn’t exciting. It’s a marketing communications manager position – a good one at a solid organization – but they’ve had internal candidates come forward that they’re going with talk to first. Not a rejection quite yet but disheartening nonetheless because internal candidates can be the kiss of death. The outright rejection came later in the day but I’m not sure if it really was a rejection. I’ll explain. At the end of August I found a really good opportunity with Travelers Insurance – you know, the red umbrella people. I sent some of you an email asking for contacts internally and thankfully I did receive replies. The day after I applied, I was put into an email screening process. When I successfully answered an email, I received another looking for more detail in a particular area. I passed the email screen and was to be scheduled for a phone interview. I waited. I followed up. Ten days later, I got an urgent email that needed to schedule the phone interview with a senior HR recruiter for the company. I answered quickly and two days later learned of the appointment day and time – another five day wait. The call came and went well. Within 25 minutes, the interviewer said that I needed to talk to the hiring manager and he’d get that scheduled quickly. I waited. I followed up. Eight days after the phone interview I was asked when I was available to talk with her. Another appointment was set for a 30 minute conversation. She called and it felt like it was going really well, and long, 50 minutes. At the end, I asked about the timeline. She was taking the rest of the quarter to find the right fit because this was a new position. OK, I get that. “How may I communicate with you going forward in the meantime,” I asked. “You’ll need to stay in touch with whomever you spoke with in HR. Thank you for your time and you’ll hear from us.” Not being able to get her email address or phone number is a sign. I tried to be hopeful but I wasn’t holding my breath. Yesterday it had been eight days since the interview so I followed up with my HR contact. Within a couple of hours, I had my rejection. Or, was it? Does it count when you know it’s probably coming?
On a lighter note, I am hopeful about opportunities, yes plural, with Humana Insurance in Louisville, Kentucky. I was screened by phone on Saturday and now I’m waiting to see if I’ve been selected to go on to a full interview. I should know by Friday. My screener was recommending that I go on to the next step but he didn’t have final decision power, someone else does. So I wait.
It was a hectic morning today. Bill had a dental appointment at 9am and I had mistakenly scheduled an appointment with my professor at Fox Valley Tech at 10am. This wasn’t going to work easily because we’re down to one car. If I hadn’t found a good job by July 1st, our plan was to sell both the convertible and the truck to get something more economical yet able to accommodate the dog or to haul things should we need to sell something or move. We did that on July 9th. It was a heartbreaking day but as I’ve already said, it’s just stuff. And we’ve grown to love the Toaster (a 2005 Scion xB for those who aren’t familiar with this cultish mode of transportation). Luckily I was able to change my appointment with my professor so Bill is off at his cleaning and I’ll get to my appointment with ease.
Yesterday was a typical job hunt roller coaster day. I finally heard from HR at an Appleton opportunity but the news wasn’t exciting. It’s a marketing communications manager position – a good one at a solid organization – but they’ve had internal candidates come forward that they’re going with talk to first. Not a rejection quite yet but disheartening nonetheless because internal candidates can be the kiss of death. The outright rejection came later in the day but I’m not sure if it really was a rejection. I’ll explain. At the end of August I found a really good opportunity with Travelers Insurance – you know, the red umbrella people. I sent some of you an email asking for contacts internally and thankfully I did receive replies. The day after I applied, I was put into an email screening process. When I successfully answered an email, I received another looking for more detail in a particular area. I passed the email screen and was to be scheduled for a phone interview. I waited. I followed up. Ten days later, I got an urgent email that needed to schedule the phone interview with a senior HR recruiter for the company. I answered quickly and two days later learned of the appointment day and time – another five day wait. The call came and went well. Within 25 minutes, the interviewer said that I needed to talk to the hiring manager and he’d get that scheduled quickly. I waited. I followed up. Eight days after the phone interview I was asked when I was available to talk with her. Another appointment was set for a 30 minute conversation. She called and it felt like it was going really well, and long, 50 minutes. At the end, I asked about the timeline. She was taking the rest of the quarter to find the right fit because this was a new position. OK, I get that. “How may I communicate with you going forward in the meantime,” I asked. “You’ll need to stay in touch with whomever you spoke with in HR. Thank you for your time and you’ll hear from us.” Not being able to get her email address or phone number is a sign. I tried to be hopeful but I wasn’t holding my breath. Yesterday it had been eight days since the interview so I followed up with my HR contact. Within a couple of hours, I had my rejection. Or, was it? Does it count when you know it’s probably coming?
On a lighter note, I am hopeful about opportunities, yes plural, with Humana Insurance in Louisville, Kentucky. I was screened by phone on Saturday and now I’m waiting to see if I’ve been selected to go on to a full interview. I should know by Friday. My screener was recommending that I go on to the next step but he didn’t have final decision power, someone else does. So I wait.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Handyman
This morning’s walk was a crisp yet delightful experience. Bruno and I went out to Memorial Drive and turned right. At Calumet we turned left and then snuck through a yard to take Foster. At Bouten we turned left and then left again at Verbrick. Three more blocks and we were back home. We call this the “White House” route because on Foster there is a very nice Edwardian house painted white. It went up for sale in the spring and last month, new owners moved in. Its grand front porch is tastefully decorated for Halloween. And, we met the resident Scottie who didn’t seem to like Bruno very well but Bruno was more interested in sniffing the bunny trails left from early morning grass munching. He is a basset hound, after all.
My schedule today is focused on a handyman coming to do projects. There are some last minute things that need attention. I say last minute because our house was officially listed for sale on October 1 and all of this should have been completed by then. But they’re little things that will only take the day maybe a return trip to install a light switch or two that we haven’t bought because we don’t know what to get. Bill freely admits his forte is not handyman work and I only dabble with non-electrical things.
Our handyman has been unemployed since last December. Not quite as long as me but I think more devastating. We met him through the painter we hired in June to paint the trim on the house in case we really did have to sell the house in autumn. He was Bob’s assistant and coincidentally, is his cousin. Doc (funny, same nickname as my husband) worked in construction as a project manager and as the economy plummeted last year, the work in his field dried up. When he was here last week to assess what we needed done in order to get on his schedule, I learned that he had recently lost a vehicle to repossession and was turned down for a real job as a farm hand because of his credit rating after the repossession. I could hear the bitterness in his voice, see the pain in his eyes, and I felt the fear in myself. He couldn’t understand what cleaning stalls, feeding animals, and repairing a tractor had to do with his personal financial situation. I couldn’t either. I’m sure there are protective measures that are being taken by most employers but I would certainly hope that recent financial problems are overlooked. Lots of bad things are happening to good people.
Doc is an incredibly polite and professional man. He addresses me as “Ma’am,” uses please, may I, and thank you in his regular speech and presents himself so humbly that it makes me wonder why no one has hired this very talented man. Doc always asks me about my own job hunt. I give him the positives but only once, when October 1st came and we knew we had to stick to our plan to sell the house if I didn’t find work by our deadline, did I let my emotions show. The shock on his face hit me hard but I just reminded myself that this is not fatal. It’s only stuff.
My schedule today is focused on a handyman coming to do projects. There are some last minute things that need attention. I say last minute because our house was officially listed for sale on October 1 and all of this should have been completed by then. But they’re little things that will only take the day maybe a return trip to install a light switch or two that we haven’t bought because we don’t know what to get. Bill freely admits his forte is not handyman work and I only dabble with non-electrical things.
Our handyman has been unemployed since last December. Not quite as long as me but I think more devastating. We met him through the painter we hired in June to paint the trim on the house in case we really did have to sell the house in autumn. He was Bob’s assistant and coincidentally, is his cousin. Doc (funny, same nickname as my husband) worked in construction as a project manager and as the economy plummeted last year, the work in his field dried up. When he was here last week to assess what we needed done in order to get on his schedule, I learned that he had recently lost a vehicle to repossession and was turned down for a real job as a farm hand because of his credit rating after the repossession. I could hear the bitterness in his voice, see the pain in his eyes, and I felt the fear in myself. He couldn’t understand what cleaning stalls, feeding animals, and repairing a tractor had to do with his personal financial situation. I couldn’t either. I’m sure there are protective measures that are being taken by most employers but I would certainly hope that recent financial problems are overlooked. Lots of bad things are happening to good people.
Doc is an incredibly polite and professional man. He addresses me as “Ma’am,” uses please, may I, and thank you in his regular speech and presents himself so humbly that it makes me wonder why no one has hired this very talented man. Doc always asks me about my own job hunt. I give him the positives but only once, when October 1st came and we knew we had to stick to our plan to sell the house if I didn’t find work by our deadline, did I let my emotions show. The shock on his face hit me hard but I just reminded myself that this is not fatal. It’s only stuff.
Monday, October 12, 2009
And so it begins.
After one year of unemployment, it seems it's time to begin a blog. I don't know how many readers I'll have and I'm not going to worry about it. If you've never been unemployed by no choice of your own, I hope to give you an insight to what it's like, how the job search affects not only your life and that of your family but how it also affects friends, neighbors, and those you meet as life goes on. Please post your reactions to my comments or make a contribution that would benefit this new community. For those of you who have been forcibly unemployed, I especially encourage your comments and contributions.
Today, like most mornings, I woke up wondering what lies ahead and starting a blog wasn't even on the list. As my first five words of this blog state, it's been a year since I've gone into the office. It's strange to think that 378 days have gone by and I'm still doing the same thing each and every day. I wake up at 6:15am to the sound of Bruno (that's my basset hound; all 95 pounds of him) gently asking me to get up. He wants his walk and his breakfast. I get myself dressed and then get Bruno dressed. These days that means just his collar but he understands that when the collar is taken off late at night, it's bedtime and when we put it on in the morning, a new day has begun.
So we're off for a 30 to 45 minute walk. Today's route took us north on Memorial Drive, left on Ravinia, across Memorial Drive onto Seymour, one block to Bouten, right on Bouten, right onto Verbrick, back across Memorial Drive and then home. He loves this morning walk. It's our time together and it's good for both of us. Bruno heard all about what I planned to do this morning long before Bill (that's my husband - but most of you will know him as Doc) ever knows what's in the cards. Back inside, Bruno got a big drink of water and patiently waited for breakfast to be fixed. Not every morning is like today. Usually Bruno let's me know that he's hungry and I should hurry up. I'm never sure that he isn't stating this on behalf of Lily, the resident queen kitty, too.
By 7:30am everyone has breakfasted and I've started the coffee and my computer. While the coffee was brewing, I checked email. It's Monday so I'm a bit amused with myself - who on earth could have possibly contacted me about a job since last night, Sunday? No one, that's who. But being an enternal optimist and still having hope, I checked it. In these craziest of times, those of us chasing our tail, er, in a career pursuit, check email each and every day. Several times a day. Several times an hour. Because when that next possible employer taps you with an email and says, "I want to see/speak/email/communicate with you about an opportunity you responded to," you don't want to keep them waiting. They have many candidates to choose from and you've just been able to get their attention. That's big!
So far today, there hasn't been a new contact but it is Monday and it is early in the day. I do have several opportunities that I am very interested in; one of them would keep me in my home the others all require a move. I don't mind the thought of moving. It means change and right now, I kind of welcome change. I've always embraced it at work and in my personal life. Experts would say that too much change is difficult to handle and can cause serious depression, anxiety, etc. So can being unemployed. I say, too much of the same is harder.
Welcome to my blog.
Today, like most mornings, I woke up wondering what lies ahead and starting a blog wasn't even on the list. As my first five words of this blog state, it's been a year since I've gone into the office. It's strange to think that 378 days have gone by and I'm still doing the same thing each and every day. I wake up at 6:15am to the sound of Bruno (that's my basset hound; all 95 pounds of him) gently asking me to get up. He wants his walk and his breakfast. I get myself dressed and then get Bruno dressed. These days that means just his collar but he understands that when the collar is taken off late at night, it's bedtime and when we put it on in the morning, a new day has begun.
So we're off for a 30 to 45 minute walk. Today's route took us north on Memorial Drive, left on Ravinia, across Memorial Drive onto Seymour, one block to Bouten, right on Bouten, right onto Verbrick, back across Memorial Drive and then home. He loves this morning walk. It's our time together and it's good for both of us. Bruno heard all about what I planned to do this morning long before Bill (that's my husband - but most of you will know him as Doc) ever knows what's in the cards. Back inside, Bruno got a big drink of water and patiently waited for breakfast to be fixed. Not every morning is like today. Usually Bruno let's me know that he's hungry and I should hurry up. I'm never sure that he isn't stating this on behalf of Lily, the resident queen kitty, too.
By 7:30am everyone has breakfasted and I've started the coffee and my computer. While the coffee was brewing, I checked email. It's Monday so I'm a bit amused with myself - who on earth could have possibly contacted me about a job since last night, Sunday? No one, that's who. But being an enternal optimist and still having hope, I checked it. In these craziest of times, those of us chasing our tail, er, in a career pursuit, check email each and every day. Several times a day. Several times an hour. Because when that next possible employer taps you with an email and says, "I want to see/speak/email/communicate with you about an opportunity you responded to," you don't want to keep them waiting. They have many candidates to choose from and you've just been able to get their attention. That's big!
So far today, there hasn't been a new contact but it is Monday and it is early in the day. I do have several opportunities that I am very interested in; one of them would keep me in my home the others all require a move. I don't mind the thought of moving. It means change and right now, I kind of welcome change. I've always embraced it at work and in my personal life. Experts would say that too much change is difficult to handle and can cause serious depression, anxiety, etc. So can being unemployed. I say, too much of the same is harder.
Welcome to my blog.
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