It’s in the teens today but it felt much colder as Bruno and I set out for our daily walk. He decided he wanted to go to the gas station on Memorial Drive. I don’t know why he likes that route but I know that we get lots of smiles from motorists as they drive by. Bassets do that to people. There is a stretch of the sidewalk that is close to the street and gets covered with road salt. Bruno doesn’t like road salt. It burns his paws and when we get home, he has to spend a lot of time licking it off which triggers drinking a lot of water and that requires more trips outside. He enjoyed going to the gas station today because it has been at least two months since we’ve done that route. So many new smells! As I write, I’m serenaded by snores. Tired, happy puppy.
This week I attended a CCN (Career Changers Network) meeting. I haven’t been to one since Thanksgiving. It felt good to be in the group atmosphere again but most of the faces were new. I sat near another “old-timer” and I asked him if not seeing more familiar faces meant they had gotten jobs. Jim didn’t think so. He said that he knew of a few who were giving up. Giving up finding a job, networking, all of it. I know that feeling. I go through days where I just want to give it all up, let the unemployment run out, walk away from everything. I sometimes feel so rejected by the working world and wonder why I get up every day and keep trying. It isn’t depression. That’s a different feeling. This is a tired, kind of weighty feeling. But somehow, I manage to put the smile back on my face, the lift in my voice, and square my shoulders to meet this challenge head on. I’m not going to let unemployment in the most difficult economy be my dominator. I know I’m better than that and I know that sometimes, my job is to bolster others in the same situation.
So the score as it stands is one rejection, one hold (American Family Insurance now has multiple openings of the position I interviewed for so they need to re-group a bit before going forward), one delay, one re-posted position (they want to interview more people so they need to look through more resumes - more resumes? how many do they want to look at? - and is that an indirect rejection?), and one is supposed to get back to me by the end of this week with the next steps. That’s the five jobs I told you about last week. Since then, I’ve gotten a call to interview by phone for a different position that I applied for at American Family. I’ve been trying so hard to get hired there. They’ve interviewed me for jobs, I don’t know, six times, seven times by phone and I’ve been there twice for in-person interviews. I have at least one internal contact who keeps trying to help me get hired, maybe three. I fantasize that they really, really want to hire me but are just trying to find the right place to put me. Otherwise, why would they keeping talking to me? For awhile, I gave up trying to get hired by them, but since Christmas I have a renewed sense of urgency and desire to work there. I think the multiple rejections were harder to take than I thought and the break from it was good.
There is also a fabulous opening at an independent, community bank in the heart of Chicago, Bridgeview Bank Group, that was posted over the weekend. I called to make sure they received my resume but I don’t know how strong my chances are. I have everything they require and more but I don’t know what the competition looks like. I hope that I score an interview, and then the job. I wonder what quarter this this?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Prepared
Monday morning when we returned from our walk, the front door knob broke. It was an unsettling crunch in my hand, something I had not felt before. Bruno saw me turn the handle and expected the door to open but stopped just before bonking his little pun’kin head on the door. He waited patiently at the front door while I went around, through the back door and to the front door thinking I could open it from the inside. I couldn’t. He lost his patience and began to howl that soulful, mournful howl that sounds like he’s on his last legs. So I ran back outside to calm him down and coax him around to the back door with a treat. Bruno is such a creature of habit. Whatever door we’ve gone out of, we must return in to. With the front door unusable until it was fix (yesterday, by the way), Bruno was all out of sorts. The front door is fun to come in and go out of! I don’t know why but to him it is. This morning all was back to normal, the walk was extra long because the weather is pleasant and now the nap is extra deep.
It’s Thursday and there’s no new news. I’ve done all the follow up I can without being a pest or an annoyance so now I have to wait for decisions to be made. Keeping busy during this wait is a challenge. It’s so exciting to know that I could be very close to landing a great opportunity. Minutes tick by like hours…..really. Being unemployed and waiting for that decision is much harder than being employed and waiting. When you’re at work, you’re working and you need to stay focused on the job at hand. When you’re unemployed, the search is your job and you stay focused on landing the offer. It’s all you think about. It’s all my husband thinks about. Yesterday we had to make a change.
Yesterday we finished packing all of Christmas. Doc’s recent surgery dragged this process out because he’s the decorator in chief in our home. He knows how everything gets put away. This time, after the boxes were packed (you don’t want to know how many because we do Christmas like no else I know), they didn’t go back into the attic. They went into the garage of a friend who is loaning us storage space while we prepare for selling our home and moving. When this was complete, we decided to continue packing other things in the house and set a date for an open house, February 21. We started packing things that we know we’ll be selling and today we will get the right boxes to start packing the very fragile things that will stay with us. Things like our china and crystal. There’s a lot of it because we’ve entertained so much over the years. Every time we wandered into a Goodwill or thrift store we carefully looked through the glassware section. We’ve landed some incredible items, Baccarat and Stuart crystal, for example. These are things we would not have been able to afford at their retail of $25-75 each but there they were, looking for a new home at a dollar or two a piece. Picking through these items makes us trip through memory lane…the parties…the celebrations…the intimate dinners alone. What do you keep and what gets sold? It’s a hard choice sometimes, other times we say, “What were we thinking?” and laugh.
The process of moving has begun even without a job. We’re fully prepared to redirect our move and have been in contact with distant friends who had to do just that. Kris landed a job in the Carolinas and literally during the drive to the new apartment, she received a call on her mobile phone offering her a position with a company she really, really wanted to work for. She and her husband took 2 hours to “think about it” and she accepted the new job, in Washington DC. Called the movers and told them, “Turn North, put our things in storage for a couple of days, we need to find another place to live.” They gave us some good tips had they known in hindsight that this could happen.
So, we’re prepared. Now if the phone would just ring.
It’s Thursday and there’s no new news. I’ve done all the follow up I can without being a pest or an annoyance so now I have to wait for decisions to be made. Keeping busy during this wait is a challenge. It’s so exciting to know that I could be very close to landing a great opportunity. Minutes tick by like hours…..really. Being unemployed and waiting for that decision is much harder than being employed and waiting. When you’re at work, you’re working and you need to stay focused on the job at hand. When you’re unemployed, the search is your job and you stay focused on landing the offer. It’s all you think about. It’s all my husband thinks about. Yesterday we had to make a change.
Yesterday we finished packing all of Christmas. Doc’s recent surgery dragged this process out because he’s the decorator in chief in our home. He knows how everything gets put away. This time, after the boxes were packed (you don’t want to know how many because we do Christmas like no else I know), they didn’t go back into the attic. They went into the garage of a friend who is loaning us storage space while we prepare for selling our home and moving. When this was complete, we decided to continue packing other things in the house and set a date for an open house, February 21. We started packing things that we know we’ll be selling and today we will get the right boxes to start packing the very fragile things that will stay with us. Things like our china and crystal. There’s a lot of it because we’ve entertained so much over the years. Every time we wandered into a Goodwill or thrift store we carefully looked through the glassware section. We’ve landed some incredible items, Baccarat and Stuart crystal, for example. These are things we would not have been able to afford at their retail of $25-75 each but there they were, looking for a new home at a dollar or two a piece. Picking through these items makes us trip through memory lane…the parties…the celebrations…the intimate dinners alone. What do you keep and what gets sold? It’s a hard choice sometimes, other times we say, “What were we thinking?” and laugh.
The process of moving has begun even without a job. We’re fully prepared to redirect our move and have been in contact with distant friends who had to do just that. Kris landed a job in the Carolinas and literally during the drive to the new apartment, she received a call on her mobile phone offering her a position with a company she really, really wanted to work for. She and her husband took 2 hours to “think about it” and she accepted the new job, in Washington DC. Called the movers and told them, “Turn North, put our things in storage for a couple of days, we need to find another place to live.” They gave us some good tips had they known in hindsight that this could happen.
So, we’re prepared. Now if the phone would just ring.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Wait
Monday morning means get the trash out to the curb. For the first time, I let Bruno “run free” while I gathered up the trash. We’re pretty sure that he wasn’t trained to stay in a yard so being off leash is a bit of a risk. Our neighborhood is a closed community so there aren’t racing vehicles (usually) to worry about but there are lots of other dogs and Bruno can’t resist a visit. He knows his name but he also knows when to play deaf. I got the trash out to the curb with Bruno by my side and he knew that he was free. He was giddy and full of excitement. I've been training him to the word "wait" rather than stay. He's getting pretty good about it. I use wait to signal waiting for the street to clear before crossing it and to help him calm down while I get his meal prepared. Today I reminded him to wait while I positioned the trash. When I finished, we walked to the next house and then I had to get him hooked up to the leash. Why tempt fate? We did an extended version of our Ravinia route and that meant he would get scents that he rarely smells. It was a very slow walk.
It’s Monday of the longest week ever. Last Wednesday I was selected to participate in a written interview for a VP of Marketing position in Deerfield, Ill. It isn’t unusual to interview in writing when the position has large writing demands. The email instructions were clear about how to answer the questions and to whom to reply. I did my research first and learned that the person receiving the replies is the President and CEO of the company. Nice! Generally these replies go to HR first but this was a very welcome surprise because the position reports directly to this man. Again, nice! The deadline to reply is Feb. 3 but I’ve already sent mine in. I really enjoyed the questions….tell us three things about yourself so that we may get to know you better……what about the position is most exciting……we’re passionate about what we do – are you and why? There were a few others but these kinds of questions really get my creative juices flowing. If you know me personally, you know how revved up and passionate I can be about things. It was a nice break from the waiting game. I spent most of the day Friday writing and rewriting.
My interview on Thursday went well. I drove two hours for a 45 minute interview. Being a government position, their portion was very structured. I was asked precisely five questions with a time limit to answer them. Then it was my turn. I always bring two pages of questions with me (not solid type – about 24 questions in total with plenty of space to write my notes) that help me better understand the position, the expectations, and get a clearer picture of the company and its culture. Usually half of the questions get answered through the interview process but these are questions I really do want answered so I write them down. You never know how the conversation is going to go. What I find interesting is that more than half of the time, the person(s) interviewing me are either amused or surprised by my two pages of questions. I learned that this was very important years and years ago so doesn’t everyone do this? Well, maybe not two pages but don't they bring at least six to 10 questions?
I got home from the interview just before the evening news. Doc is technologically “impaired” so he watches the 5:30pm and 6pm news. Thursday I used the time to catch up on email from the day away and to get my news fix. I find it humorous that I can give him quick snippets of the news before he sees it. He doesn’t mind. In going through my email that day, one article grabbed my attention. “The Three Questions You Should Always Ask When Interviewing for a Job.” I didn’t assume that I knew them so I looked at the article. Two were familiar and ones I use: “Why is this position open?” and “What are the next steps in the process?” But the third one is fabulous and I wish I had had it in my repertoire before now. “Can you tell me what my first day, week, and month will look like?” The question is designed to help the candidate better understand the orientation process and any training that will take place. Think of it…you’d know how well prepared the company is to welcome you and help you fit into the organization. I remember starting one position and after two hours with HR completing the necessary forms and such, I was taken to an office and told, “OK, now do what it is that you do.” Funny! Like I was a magician. But then again, sometimes in very conservative industries, marketing people look like magicians or at the very least we’re the odd man out. It was that experience that taught me to be prepared to orient myself to the organization if they don’t.
In the time I’ve been writing this post, some of my waiting is over. I received an email from one of my opportunities apologizing and saying that the position has been put on hold, they’ll let me know if/when they can go forward with the process. OK, I’ve heard this before. That left four opportunities until I read the second email saying they’re behind in the process and are re-configuring the timeline. So, I’m not in but I’m not out, either. This type of email is rare but I appreciate it. When you don’t hear from an employer after you’ve interviewed and followed up, you’re left wondering what happened? I realize that HR is swamped with the process but not knowing where you stand is frustrating. I hate to bug them but I need to continue to follow up if it’s a position I really want and if I don’t know what’s happening on the inside, my follow up can work against me.
I’d really like to see this process come to an end this week. I’d have to change my blog.
It’s Monday of the longest week ever. Last Wednesday I was selected to participate in a written interview for a VP of Marketing position in Deerfield, Ill. It isn’t unusual to interview in writing when the position has large writing demands. The email instructions were clear about how to answer the questions and to whom to reply. I did my research first and learned that the person receiving the replies is the President and CEO of the company. Nice! Generally these replies go to HR first but this was a very welcome surprise because the position reports directly to this man. Again, nice! The deadline to reply is Feb. 3 but I’ve already sent mine in. I really enjoyed the questions….tell us three things about yourself so that we may get to know you better……what about the position is most exciting……we’re passionate about what we do – are you and why? There were a few others but these kinds of questions really get my creative juices flowing. If you know me personally, you know how revved up and passionate I can be about things. It was a nice break from the waiting game. I spent most of the day Friday writing and rewriting.
My interview on Thursday went well. I drove two hours for a 45 minute interview. Being a government position, their portion was very structured. I was asked precisely five questions with a time limit to answer them. Then it was my turn. I always bring two pages of questions with me (not solid type – about 24 questions in total with plenty of space to write my notes) that help me better understand the position, the expectations, and get a clearer picture of the company and its culture. Usually half of the questions get answered through the interview process but these are questions I really do want answered so I write them down. You never know how the conversation is going to go. What I find interesting is that more than half of the time, the person(s) interviewing me are either amused or surprised by my two pages of questions. I learned that this was very important years and years ago so doesn’t everyone do this? Well, maybe not two pages but don't they bring at least six to 10 questions?
I got home from the interview just before the evening news. Doc is technologically “impaired” so he watches the 5:30pm and 6pm news. Thursday I used the time to catch up on email from the day away and to get my news fix. I find it humorous that I can give him quick snippets of the news before he sees it. He doesn’t mind. In going through my email that day, one article grabbed my attention. “The Three Questions You Should Always Ask When Interviewing for a Job.” I didn’t assume that I knew them so I looked at the article. Two were familiar and ones I use: “Why is this position open?” and “What are the next steps in the process?” But the third one is fabulous and I wish I had had it in my repertoire before now. “Can you tell me what my first day, week, and month will look like?” The question is designed to help the candidate better understand the orientation process and any training that will take place. Think of it…you’d know how well prepared the company is to welcome you and help you fit into the organization. I remember starting one position and after two hours with HR completing the necessary forms and such, I was taken to an office and told, “OK, now do what it is that you do.” Funny! Like I was a magician. But then again, sometimes in very conservative industries, marketing people look like magicians or at the very least we’re the odd man out. It was that experience that taught me to be prepared to orient myself to the organization if they don’t.
In the time I’ve been writing this post, some of my waiting is over. I received an email from one of my opportunities apologizing and saying that the position has been put on hold, they’ll let me know if/when they can go forward with the process. OK, I’ve heard this before. That left four opportunities until I read the second email saying they’re behind in the process and are re-configuring the timeline. So, I’m not in but I’m not out, either. This type of email is rare but I appreciate it. When you don’t hear from an employer after you’ve interviewed and followed up, you’re left wondering what happened? I realize that HR is swamped with the process but not knowing where you stand is frustrating. I hate to bug them but I need to continue to follow up if it’s a position I really want and if I don’t know what’s happening on the inside, my follow up can work against me.
I’d really like to see this process come to an end this week. I’d have to change my blog.
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