New beginnings.

I last posted in March of 2010 and haven't been back. Lots has happened in a year and a half. I landed a marketing job with American Family Insurance thanks to a wonderful person who advocated on my behalf. As a result, my husband and I moved to the Chicago suburbs and couldn't be happier. One sad note is the absence of Bruno. Last week we made the decision to take Bruno to the Rainbow Bridge. He was 11-years old and had failing health for several months. It was very hard to do but I believe we made the right decision at the right time.

It was also hard to return to this blog. But when Steve asked me if I was going to write again, I wasn't sure. I am sure now. Just as I knew going through my career pursuit needed to be documented in some way, I know that going through the grieving of a much loved pet and the moving on from it just needs to be shared. Our life is going to take on new meaning and new directions and we're not sure what or where.

I do know, though, that I'm not chasing my tail anymore.

A new route

One of the things that I’ve enjoyed most about the morning walk with Bruno is his inquisitive nature and his intense desire to always take a new route. At every crossroads, he undoubtedly will pull in the direction we’ve never gone. Recently I’ve been exploring those new routes with him. It only adds one block, maybe two to our walk. Sometimes it makes the walk an hour, not just 30 minutes. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to just try something new with him but it has.

On these new routes, Bruno has met some new “friends.” Bubba, another basset hound, is a tri-color with as big of a mouth as Bruno. His sleepy owner came out the day we met, at 6:30 in the morning, and implored Bubba to “Quiet down!” and told him, “It’s too early for this.” Bubba, like Bruno, doesn’t listen. I think some bassets just like to hear their own voice, especially when it’s particularly melodic.

I got to thinking about my new routes with Bruno and starting doing some research about my interviewing history and the lack of success in getting an offer that I’ve had. I talked to a couple of hiring managers who passed me by, an HR director or two who know me well, a few friends, and asked for advice. What I learned was to me surprising news. In my career search, I have been submitting to positions equal to or somewhat lower than my most recent position. My “panelists” all suggested that I wasn’t digging deep enough into my strengths, that I needed to re-evaluate what I am really good at and then search for positions that matched it based on my experience. I finally figured out that I’m qualified for not only a lateral position (duh) but had I still been employed at this point and searching for a new career, I’d be looking up the ladder. I’ve spent so much time on just trying to land a position that I can do and not enough time looking for something that will challenge me. How odd. In the work world, I continually look for change, for improvement. What happened to me that I lead me to be looking for “good enough?”

So I started a new route. I changed my job search agents to reflect the true skills, passion, and drive that I have. What came up were not only director level positions, but AVP and VP, even a CMO or two. Huh. What a dope I’ve been. I think that being unemployed I was being too hard on myself. I’ve continued my education, something I’ve wanted to do but traveling for work made it nearly impossible. I’ve been volunteering at a couple of charitable organizations that need marketing help, I’ve helped two friends with their marketing plans for their new businesses, and I’ve counseled a friend going back to school later in life who wants a new career in marketing. I’ve kept my skills sharp. I’ve kept my competitive edge. I’ve figured out why I’ve been overqualified for the other positions.

A new route. And it has already started to pay off. Within a few days of applying for these better matched positions, I’ve gotten phone calls. That’s what it’s all about. I’m really excited about what the new route will bring.

Weakness

As spring makes its way, the ground begins to peak out from under the snow. And when the ground becomes exposed, so do all the smells. It’s another favorite time of year for Bruno. Not only does he take in every smell he can, occasionally he ferrets out something to eat. Yesterday I found myself fishing a chicken bone out of his mouth. I find it interesting that when I want to take his bone away, I’m met with at least a grumble but when I’m extracting something yummy that he pilfered from the ground, he willingly gives it up, almost laughing at me because now it’s slimy. Call it his weakness.

I started walking Bruno on a new route this week. I don’t know if that was a mistake because with bassets, probably most dogs, the language is, “Always and never.” We always go that way. You never give me what I really want. From what I’ve heard, sounds like kids, too. On this new route of just 10 blocks, I found eight houses for sale, two of them empty. I used to drive past car lots and think to myself, all of these cars will go home with someone at some point. I don’t know about the houses. They can’t possibly all get a new resident. There are too many. The housing market remains very weak.

In the past three weeks, I’ve had an incredible flurry of interviews and I still haven’t been hired. I can’t seem to figure out where I’m weak on a consistent basis and yet strong enough to be interviewed. When I’ve asked for advice from friends, I’ve been told that someone else simply rose a little higher. At the end of last week, after two rejections on the same day, I sent an email that I later regretted. I had asked a friend why I wasn’t hired nearly a year ago. My intention was pure – I wanted to understand what I could have done better, said better, proven better. That was a mistake. He had already shared the reasons months ago. A moment of professional weakness, and five days later I’m still beating myself up for it because he is truly a wonderful person and that email may have been interpreted as a guilt trip. I did ask that my email be disregarded, that I acted on a weak moment. And, I can’t take it back.

So how do I move forward? I just do. I have to. Tomorrow I have a phone interview.

The Score

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?

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.

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.

Juggling. Plate spinning. Balls in the air. Gardening.

The January thaw has come to an end but Bruno still thinks the weather is delightful for his morning walk. Last week we enjoyed the freezing fog – on the trees, not so much on the sidewalks. The fog painted the trees with a delicate white lace of ice that was simply beautiful. Bruno was able to take in some very strong smells, too. The heavy air kept scents close to the ground. He considered that heaven.

Last week I was blessed with three great interviews. One was a second interview for a marketing director position at a bank that I’m very excited about. I think I could do really well for this company and be a strong contributor to their goals. I’ve been able to talk to a current employee by connecting to him through a mutual friend. It was good to hear similar comments about the culture and pace from him that I’ve heard from HR and the President and Senior Vice President. It means a move, but then all of my current opportunities mean a move. Hassle? Yes. Concerned? Absolutely not! Love the locations of all of them!

The other two are vastly different. One is a media buying position in television. I’ve bought media before so I know I can do the work, as did the hiring manager who interviewed me. She commented that she was only speaking to candidates who had the skills necessary. What she was really looking for was the right fit within the company. It’s a small office with an open design. Everyone must be able to get along with their co-workers. The office had such a homey and comfortable feel that I could see why it would be easy to spend long hours there. Many times the environment is cold and sterile but this one truly was inviting!

The third interview was with a company that interviewed me last spring but chose to hire someone else. I have a strong advocate there who continues to go to bat for me (thanks, Steve!) and pass along openings with other companies. I don’t know how I will ever repay his kindness to me but I will think of something. Even if he has no direct hand in me becoming employed, his support has been inspiring to me. Oh, yes. He forwarded another opportunity late last week that isn’t even posted yet and connected me with someone on the inside. How cool is that?

This week, I need to continue to try to follow up with a VP of Sales and Marketing that another fabulous friend, Grant, sent my resume in for me (he introduced me to Steve, by the way). He knows her and quickly forwarded my resume for me. I’ve been trying to reach her but this company has recently been awarded quite a few contracts and is probably quite busy managing everything. It’s a solid company that has had openings in marketing but I just can’t seem to get interviewed. A quick phone call with the VP might help…I’m hoping so.

I also have an interview with the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture. I passed an exam and qualified for an interview as an Economic Development Consultant. My past experience working overseas, importing and exporting goods and services has come into play. I don’t know what to expect with this interview but I do know that they are very structured. There could be as many as 10 of us interviewing but since we’ve all passed the exam, we are now equals, if I read the documentation correctly. The best part of the day will be having lunch with an old friend. I’ll be able to relax just before my interview and I’m sure he’ll give me some pointers because he currently works for the State of Wisconsin. He can’t give me any direct help but he can be encouraging and give me a general overview of what to expect.

So that makes four opportunities that I need to keep fed and watered. Some people call it juggling, others plate spinning, and still others say they have lots of balls in the air. I just know that I am very lucky to have so many possibilities and I must remain dedicated to each of them. The waiting is the hardest part. This has already been a very long week.

I’ve been asked which of all of these opportunities is the one I really want. The one that provides me with a challenge, good environment to work in, great people to work beside, and fair compensation is my favorite. That sounds like all of them right now! Sorry. I’ve got to run. I think my garden needs tending.

January Thaw

Sun streaming in the windows. Balmy morning walks with the beast. Slush in the streets. It makes me yearn for spring. I figure the January thaw is mean, really. It teases us with its pleasant weather and then wham! Back into snow falls measured in feet and temperatures measured by what it feels like and how fast exposed body parts can be frostbitten. But I’m enjoying it now … staying in the present.

I haven’t been able to attend my regular networking meetings for quite a while. Between personal appointments and interviews, I haven’t had the time. It’s a good-bad thing. I miss seeing everyone and I don’t know who has become employed. Not everyone posts celebratory statements at LinkedIn or at our network subgroup sites so I don’t get to hear the good news. I feel a bit cut off. But I’m happy for my situation having turned to a much more positive direction.

I’ve landed a second interviewnext week for a marketing director position. I’ve been in this spot before over the last year but this feels different. The first interview felt right. And, if the people in the next interview are as described, it should feel right again. I learned long ago to listen to my little voice inside. No, I don’t “hear voices.” It’s my intuition that can size up a situation and while I can’t describe it any better, I just know when it’s right and when it’s wrong. I didn’t listen to it once when I was quite young. I had been offered a job as a marketing director and my little voice said, “Don’t do it.” Well, I did it. On day two of my employment, the EVP (whom I had not met before), let me know in no uncertain terms that I shouldn’t get delusions of “having the President’s ear,” that if push came to shove, he would always win. The EVP didn’t believe that the company needed marketing and that this was all a waste of money and effort. I didn’t see that one coming. I went home that night and cried. I stuck it out for three years and was recruited to work at another firm before I even began to look for another position. I did learn a lot in that position and because I didn’t have a lot of money to work with, I became incredibly savvy and creative. And, as it turned out, the EVP and I became good friends. I’m glad I didn’t listen.

I also passed an exam for a position in the Department of Agriculture with the State of Wisconsin and I scored well enough to earn an interview. It’s in two weeks. Once you get to an interview, everyone is considered equal. I’m pretty excited about this opportunity, too. It would use my past experience working internationally. I enjoyed those years even if the travel was wearisome. I don’t think this job would require the same amount of travel that I did in the past so that’s good. And, I’ve always been a big advocate of Wisconsin products, trying to buy locally whenever I can so this could be a good fit. I won’t know until I get to the interview. I have a friend who works in continuity planning for the State of Wisconsin so I’m going to try to meet with him for lunch. I don’t think I’ve seen Art in 10 years but we’ve remained friends and try to stay in touch.

Both opportunities are very good ones. I'd be honored to work at either of them. A good start to the New Year. Seems it’s more than the weather that’s thawing.

Preparations

Finally, temperatures in the double digits. Our walk this morning, while brisk, felt good. We went down Verbrick, turned left on Bouten, left on Seymour and then left again on Memorial Drive bringing us back to Verbrick and into Cherry Court. We hadn’t done this route in many weeks so Bruno was extra interested in sniffing the way. So many smell changes since our last visit. A young man walked a few paces ahead of us as we turned onto Memorial Drive. Bruno excitedly sniffed his footprints and raised his hackles. He didn’t know this person but was getting to know him in his own way. Having someone to follow increased our walking speed. Usually at this point in the walk, Bruno is starting to seriously slow down. It’s why I say, “I’m taking Bruno for a drag.” You never really walk a basset hound.

After my post Friday, I had good activity on the opportunities that I submitted to last week. Two phone calls and one email resulting in an interview tomorrow. All three were inquiring where I lived which opened the door for me to allay concerns about not being a local candidate. When I first started this blog, my house had just been put on the market. Our plan has been to move closer to family if I am unable to find a great career opportunity somewhere first. I explained to the inquirers that I am in the transition process so while I physically live at one address for now, I am preparing for a move and there’s no reason why that move couldn’t be to their town, on their schedule. It’s a bit of a relief to learn that one of the reasons I’m not hearing from really great fits is my address. But at least I’m opening doors a little more and getting the chance to chat with HR or the hiring manager, and convincing them that the move is such a trivial thing for me. And it really is. All three of them said that I have great qualifications so now I just have to prove I’m the right person for their company. It was a tremendous boost.

Tomorrow I travel for an interview and it is a great opportunity! I’ve been preparing by reading through their Web site and their holding company’s Web site. I want to learn as much as I possibly can before I meet with anyone. I’m also searching through LinkedIn to see if there are any network connections to people who work there, and I’m sending emails to friends who live in that area, again, looking for connections. My other preparations extend into “pre-answering” the standard interview questions to make sure I’m sharp, making my own list of questions, and looking at the backgrounds of their list of employees posted on their Web site. Sometimes you find common interests, experiences, or education with people who already work there. It gives me more to talk about and shows that I’m doing my homework. It can take 10-15 hours to prepare for one interview that lasts, if I’m lucky, an hour. But it’s well worth it. I know that my preparation shows and when I can get that offer, I know it will have paid off.

Focus

Welcome back! It’s been a month since my last post and a lot has happened. I’m still searching for that great opportunity, or maybe it’s still searching for me, but many other things have taken place since we last met.

Bruno continues to beg to play in the snow. Wednesday was a delightful day for a walk. Even though the temperature was in the mid-teens, I took Bruno through the Gardners Row triangle. It’s a bit of a longer walk and I was concerned about his ears freezing but I guess that won’t happen when they’re dragging through fresh snow that has a temp in the upper 20s. I enjoy watching his brisk shuffle, big paws flipping up snow almost to his nose (when it isn’t glued to the ground plowing the white stuff). And I get a chuckle when he brings his head up and that perfect cone of snow balances on top of his nose. I want to brush it off but then he puts his wiper on (his tongue) and everything gets cleaned up.

So, I’ve teased you about happenings since my last post. In a nutshell…lots of drama the weekend of Dec. 19 with a friend who needed her and her daughter’s evening gown altered for a debutante ball in three days after the professional seamstress literally butchered them (one rescued, one destined for small claims court), phone call from my sister-in-law inviting me to Christmas Day at their house (haven’t spoken to her in five years – very long story but this was a good sign), melt down in my stove – literally – that could have destroyed it but didn’t, and an unrelated to the melt down in my stove visit to the ER with my husband.

The week of Christmas, I heard from two dear friends. One was seriously unhappy and disillusioned with her job. It was time to start making career decisions because the current situation was going nowhere and she’s far too young to be in a dead-end job. I gave her some suggestions were to get help and answers. And the other was potentially seeing “the handwriting on the wall” not because of performance, but possibly the whim of a boss. She asked if this was the case and was told, “There’s no timetable for that yet.” What does THAT mean and how do you fix it? You can’t. You just do your best and forge ahead or look for another route.

The holidays this year were especially hard because it’s the second year without a job, no presents, no party of our own, and my husband’s impending surgery on the 28th. A year ago I said to myself, “In a year, this will probably be over and we’ll live happily ever after.” Shouldn’t have said that. Boxing Day had another trip to the ER making the surgery on the 28th more complicated. We counted our blessings that we delayed the surgery because those two trips to the ER revealed issues needing to be fixed that would have presented themselves a few weeks later, requiring another surgery. Friends came to us on New Year’s Eve and we toasted a fresh start. New Year’s Day we were back in the ER – a hematoma but not critical. Ice would take care of it – who knew? Was this our fresh start?

That brings us to this week. And what a week for a career search it has been! On Monday and Wednesday, I found the focus in my search and uncovered 32 excellent opportunities that suit me well. About 25 of them required 10+ years of experience. Finally, it seems they are looking up the ladder for new blood. Thursday there were eight more and this morning, another three so far. Tuesday was a bit of a disappointment, but that's OK. I had a long awaited interview for a job that was completely out of field but something I thought I could do. Very low pay, lots of overtime, no time off the first year – a bad combination if I wanted to continue searching for the right fit but still have an income. The worst part is that I would have been crushed emotionally by being in this position. It was a position as an adjudicator that required me to take sides. One party would always be, at the least, unhappy but likely quite angry. I’ve spent a good part of my career learning how to make every situation into a positive, the win-win. This job did not allow for that, at all. It was converse to my very being. Even when I have had to deliver the worst of news to a customer or my employer, I have always found a way to focus on the positive. That’s my nature and I’m good at it. I had to walk away.

Yesterday I connected two friends who have needs and talents that could help each of them start their businesses. One needed graphic design help (and marketing advice from me so I’m guess I’m providing consulting services now – for free - it feels good being needed) and the other wanted to do some freelance graphic design work. I think their personalities will mesh very well and that they have strengths that will complement each other. I’m glad I’ll get to see how this works out.

Oh yeah, already this week I’ve been contact by two of the 43 companies. That’s a 4% response rate – pretty darn good! Seems my focus is back in focus.

Following the plan.

A brisk walk today. Single digit temperatures energize Bruno and that means much of the walk is actually a canter for him. The faster pace keeps him warm. Still, his ears flap in the wind he creates and I worry about frostbite. He just doesn’t seem to notice. We made it short walk – the Ravinia route – but the cold tires him out. I have a sleeping pooch at my feet as I write. Correction – a snoring pooch. Ah, the sound of contentment.

Still no word from the local opportunity that I interviewed with in early November. I find it disappointment when a company promises to contact you by a certain date “because we don’t want to keep people hanging,” and then doesn’t follow through. It’s troublesome for me being that I am so very customer-centric. I realize that this is an employer’s market but you still need to follow whatever plan you’ve put into place. Otherwise, I have to wonder how good you are at serving your paying customer. Yet, that means you really NEED ME! Hahaha! I’ve just amused myself with that logic.

I did get contacted by the State of Wisconsin for an interview. Get this…I took the exam for an Unemployment Benefits Specialist 1 back in June, did rather well, and now I’m being interviewed (not until January 5) for one of four positions (two permanent, two temp) that are available in Appleton. Boy, do I have experience on this subject! I’ve had to call several times with questions and I feel pretty confident about being able to handle what they call, controversial situations. I know that I’ve probably been one of the nicer callers they get in the course of a day but I go out of my way to be nice to them. For the number of calls each person takes from people in sad, awful situations, I’m sure that the specialists get blasted on a regular basis. Lots of people need to vent. I hope that the conversation they have with me is pleasant and feels like a bit of a break. And now, I have the potential of being one of them. You know, it’s a great fit. Knowing exactly how the caller feels and understanding that not everyone goes at their situation with a positive attitude comes naturally to me. The bad thing is that it’s pretty low pay but we’d be able to make it. I’d be able to stay in my house, pay all my bills, and have great benefits. At some point I’d also have the inside track for other positions or have the opportunity to be promoted. See…positive attitude.

Doc and I continue to follow our plan. I'm searching for whatever assistance for which we now qualify and I’m amazed at how much there is. I don’t know if funding is there, but I’m certainly willing to do the work filling out forms and waiting in line. I am so grateful for the programs that exist. Even if we can’t be funded, I’ve seen people in far off worse situations than we are and I feel for them. This month, if you can do it, please buy one of the pre-packaged sacks of food at your local grocery store for your food pantry, donate old towels, blankets, or cleaning supplies to your pet shelter, or pull an ornament from a merchant’s donation tree to buy a basic necessity for someone who doesn’t have shampoo, deodorant, or shaving cream. I have. It’s part of our plan.

What’s the right thing to do?

It finally snowed! Bruno loves the snow. He’s a completely different dog in the snow - full of energy, happy wagging tail, and that "puppiness" (I know, not a word) bounce that very young bassets have. We call him a “plow hound” because he thrusts his nose into the snow down to the ground and plows, snorting all the way. Sometimes the snow sticks to his snout and if it’s really cold, he gets little icicles. That’s gotta hurt but he doesn’t seem to mind. I never know if I should wipe him off or leave it alone.

Today we’re waiting for “the big one.” Doc just left for the grocery store to stock up. It sounds so funny but we’re preparing for a couple of days without an outing. Late this afternoon we’re headed off to Dottie’s for a bit of social time. Dottie is one of our retired neighbors and has become a close friend. We call visits to her home mini-mental health breaks. She loves many of the same things we do: opera, public radio, the symphony (Dottie plays the viola in the Fox Valley Symphony) and theater. We miss living near Chicago – we were members of the Lyric Opera and on our local Chapter board of directors, we attended Chicago Symphony performances, and we looked forward to programs at Ravinia. At least these visits with Dottie satisfy much of those needs. She’s a great neighbor who is trying to do the right things where we are concerned.

I have a question for all of you. My friend Dan has interviewed for a technical writer position with a great company that is growing at leaps and bounds. Lucky man! He followed up last week to get information about his status and was told by the hiring manager, not HR, that out of the group that they interviewed for the position, he was the only person who did not receive a rejection letter. OK, here’s where you go “Woo-Hoo!” right? Wrong. Dan was told “not to buy a new wardrobe just yet,” that they were going to continue searching for candidates. Apparently, if they can’t find someone with experience in a particular software package and an electrical engineering background, Dan might be the person they want. Talk about a blow that takes the wind out of you. When he told me the story, I felt so bad for him having to be on the roller coaster. Yippee! He’s not rejected! Dang! He’s not hired. So now what? What’s the right thing to do? Keep your hat in the ring and hope that being not quite the right person is good enough for you because you really need the job, or walk away because you don’t want to be second best and KNOW it? If I got an offer today, I would not know if I was the first, second or even third choice. I don’t want to know, ever. I want to go to my next employer with a full heart thinking and feeling that I am the best fit.

And here comes the snow.

Being caretaker.

Bruno is adapting to his diet rather well. Almost too well. He seems to be satisfied with his new food and the amount he gets. I wonder how long that will last. I just want to get this "fixed" before he notices.

Morning walks at 6:30AM are increasingly dark as we approach the winter solstice. But I don’t feel uneasy because of the hour and the amount of people out and about. Last Saturday, Bruno and I took the Grove and Lynch Roads route going past a favorite Christmas tree vendor. Bruno sniffed a few trees and I made sure that he had poor aim, if you get what I mean. It put the Christmas spirit into my head so later that morning, Doc and I returned to the tree lot to get our fresh Christmas tree. It's the only live tree in our house - there are usually 15 others that are artificial. The lot owners are great people and we’ve bought our tree from them before. This time, he asked how our year had been and we told them about being unemployed for the second Christmas in row but that we remained positive about the future. He asked what I did for a living and I shared my business card. Marketing. He said that marketing was what was probably needed for his two businesses but that right now he was having a tough times and couldn’t afford it. We picked out a tree and a couple of bundles of boughs and he said, “$25 for the tree; the boughs are free because you’re unemployed.” We argued that it was in our budget but he insisted. I’m going to go back next week to see what I can do to help him get more business without spending a lot of money, or any at all. He paid it forward and I'm sure there is something I can do for him. In fact, I have a couple of ideas already.

Yesterday was a day of taking care of others. Part of my morning was spent conducting a workshop teaching other unemployed professionals how to complete a good professional summary and then from it, writing a short bio. For most people, the hardest part of the process is identifying special skills. We’re taught as children to be humble and not to brag. It’s not a lack of confidence about what we can do because in any given situation, if someone has a particular strength for a needed task, they generally jump in and do it. But to talk about, in a bio or cover letter, can be very hard. I shared some of the dozen or so bios that I helped people create. I have their permission to share them and I’m glad for that – it shows that my workshop with them paid off. They feel the bio accurately reflects them and should be shared. My class yesterday knew some of these folks and they agreed about the accuracy of the bios. Now I’m eager to help this new class capture their strengths. I love that "Aha!" moment.

Later that afternoon, I took Doc to a doctor appointment. Sigh. A hernia that had been repaired 30 years ago is back. That means more surgery. Now is not a good time for a lot of reasons. Everyone agreed that he could wait until the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, except, of course, if an emergency occurs. He's already met his health insurance deductible (he has his own coverage, separate from mine) so at least our financial exposure is limited but it still means he has exposure to the risk of surgery. He’s had several abdominal surgeries in the last four years and I worry how this one will impact his digestive tract. We’ve adapted pretty well to his food issues and are thankful that we can “figure it out.” I wonder if this will change what food he can enjoy – we love food! We’ll see.

In the evening, I spent a good hour with Laura on the phone. She is tying up loose ends with her former employer and getting her resume in shape. She sounded pretty good on the phone and yet I could still hear the pain. Not so much for losing her job but more about the effort finding a new one will be. A career search is a full-time, plus overtime, job. The thought of it never goes away. Weekends are just short work weeks. There are no breaks from the career search and networking. Speaking of networks, a big “Thank you,” to Josh and Pete from my CCN group (and any of you who have contacted her directly) for reaching out to Laura with job opportunities and including her in your own network. She is very appreciative of your kindness. I can’t believe what great people I’ve met during this time and I am so very glad that you’re part of my new life.

Ack! Lose 20 pounds! That’s what Bruno's vet said yesterday. His back issues are because we’ve (no, me’ve) let him gain 20 pounds since we adopted him two years ago. Sigh. OK, I can do this diet with him. I’ve needed an extra kick in the butt and now I have it. Poor poochie. Wait. That’s the kind of thinking that got me…us…into this condition. No more! Foodies unite...lose the weight! This morning, Mr. B and I took an extra long (60 minute) walk. Well, it was actually a saunter. Didn’t burn any calories but we were upright and moving. All good!

It’s Thanksgiving Day and I made it through the Macy’s parade to the Smurfs. At that point, I knew Santa was only 30 minute away and the tears started. What is wrong with me? Bill says nothing; that it’s because I’m such a sentimentalist. True. Still, why do I cry? Thanksgiving holds such wonderful memories. My parents traded hosting the event with my father’s sister and her family. They lived in Green Bay just houses away from Bart Starr. Yes, as kids in the 70s we would walk down the street on turkey day to see if Bart was home. That is, of course, if the Packers weren’t playing. We always hoped we’d get the chance to chat with “the man.” Sometimes we did. Sometimes we spoke with Cherry, his wife. Memories.

I have much to be thankful for. My health. My marriage. My mother’s and mother-in-law’s health. My husband’s nephew arriving home from Germany today (in the military)! A roof over our heads. The unconditional love of Bruno and Lily. The warmth of natural gas. The electricity for my laptop. The get-up-and-go of my car. The clothes on my back (and front, thank you very much). The hugs I receive on a daily basis from friends. The realization that this will end in its own time, not mine. The change of seasons. The smell of dinner in the oven. The sound of the Packers winning (3rd quarter). The contentment of life and being alive. The friendship of new friends. The support from old friends. The knowing that I am a good person with good intentions and without my own personal agenda. The looking forward to Christmas because now that Thanksgiving had actually happened, the Father Christmas suit and bells need polishing and preparing for our first event. We’re ready…I think.

Happy Thanksgiving. Be happy in who you are, today. It can be, and should be, your foundation for tomorrow.

Now I really don’t know my dog. The last several days he slept in until 6:50am. No whining in the middle of the night to get up to piddle, no 5am whining to get on with our walk. Those of you who have or have had children tell me you’ve been there, done that. I don't have any children. I have a dog. When we brought Bruno home, I told Doc to treat him like a three- or four-year old. Basset hounds throw tantrums, whine and complain, talk back, and hold their ground just like a toddler. Tantrums are pretty funny. But lately, he’s subdued and he’s had difficulty with steps and furniture – yes, I allow my pets on the sofa. I don’t know what’s wrong and I’m trying not to worry. We’re going to the vet on Wednesday (regular maintenance of glands and nails) so we’ll get him all checked out. I want to do the best for the pets I’ve committed to bringing into my family but now cost becomes a bigger factor than ever. It’s hard not to feel guilty asking how much health care of an animal is in order to make a decision of what to do next.

Last week my husband found the article below. It encapsulated some of what I and others have experienced. Not sure if I agree with the 13 interviews statement, unless he was counting each person in a panel who may have interviewed him as separate interviews. That would bring one of my interview counts to nine on one day at one company – three panels of three.

A long wait for job offers
Friday, November 13, 2009
The Week magazine
With an average of six job seekers now competing for every opening, employers have the luxury of putting candidates through the wringer, said Diane Stafford in The Kansas City Star. “And, boy, is that frustrating the applicants,” who at every turn are subjected to blood tests, drug tests, and personality tests—often in vain. Gordon Bonnes, who works in the apparel industry, recently endured a drawn-out job search only to narrowly miss getting the position. He says you can’t blame a company for trying to find the right fit. “But 13 interviews may have been overboard.”

The best way to get past those barriers may be to find a back door, said Phyllis Korkki in The New York Times. “A lot of people don’t like to hear it, but it comes down to networking.” If you don’t have any connection to the company, there’s a good chance that you’ll jump through a lot of hoops for nothing. If you know someone on the inside, however, hiring managers may be willing to cut you a little slack—provided, of course, you can convey “what a witty, personable, flexible, cooperative, and hardworking employee you will be.”

It’s hard to keep feelings, specifically frustration, at bay during the hiring process when the competition is so intense and so well qualified. I just want to know where I stand so I can concentrate my energies on opportunities that are really interested in me and it’s up to me to ace it or blow it. When I was a hiring manager, I tried to push things along if not only to satisfy my own needs but to be sensitive to the people waiting for me to make a decision. This article has a cynical tone to it. I choose to think that most HR and hiring managers are conducting their process with more sensitivity and prudence than this implies. Even after 14 months.

We no longer need your services.

Bruno has had a tough week. It started with pain in his back that prevented him from doing even one step. He could walk just fine but going up steps was next to impossible. The strange part was that he could go down them. Doing his business outside presented a problem at 2am one night. He just couldn’t manage the two small steps. I had to put my coat on over my PJs and find something in the garage that would make a ramp. It took 30 minutes to get him inside and he was exhausted. So was I. But today he’s back to himself and we took a long walk on River Drive. It’s a great little neighborhood and he loves all the different smells. Right now Bruno is having his after breakfast nap on the couch.

Thursday night I received a call from a dear friend who had just been fired. “We no longer need your services,” they told her. There had been a few bumps in the road but from my perspective, nothing that would cause the organization to ask her to resign and when she refused, fire her. That’s from my perspective. I’m not sure anyone shares all the gory details about work even with close friends. It just isn’t done.

Laura cried. My heart sank because I knew very well what she was feeling and what she was going to feel over the course of this. It was why she called me and not her parents first. She was driving home and I asked her if she felt OK to drive; she could call me after getting out of her car. She said that she was OK. I knew she wasn’t but I didn’t want to abandon her. I asked Laura if she had all of the physical pain, too. She did. It's like that first puppy-love break up. It feels like your stomach being tied into a knot. And if you touch your skin, it feels like it has been burned and blistered. Every nerve is standing straight up and it’s strange that even the lightest touch is so very painful. The intense skin and muscle pain only lasts a few hours at most but it can return when you get into the deep sadness, almost depressive stage. The first stage, shock or disbelief, affects your emotions and physical being equally. Once she had gotten the whole story out, she was ready to get off the phone with me and call mom and dad. I was the rehearsal.

I chatted online with Laura early yesterday morning and she had gotten to the numb stage overnight. That’s good. It meant that she wouldn’t be in the grieving stage very long. She had already made plans to move out of her apartment and go back home. Her parents were being very supportive. This was Laura’s first real job out of college and her concern was her pride. She hates the idea of going back home and taking a temp job that her mom could get for her. Laura had had a temp position at her mom’s employer before taking this now defunct opportunity. It helped her pay for college and her master’s degree. I reminded her that they loved her there and she needed to feel wanted and appreciated and to be working. Being part of a contributing community is the one thing you miss most when you’re unemployed. She’s going to think about it.

I got the call from Laura’s firing squad last night. Laura had asked Doc and I to appear as Father Christmas and Mrs. Claus. Now that Laura was no longer with them, I was told, “We no longer need your services.” It was a relatively short conversation but I kept it professional and asked what publicity had been done. None, really, I was told. I explained my concern that their decision to pull the cord would look like our failure to show up. I was assured that that would not happen.

And so, Father Christmas and his wife will appear in Appleton at the Thompson Center’s Breakfast with Santa on December 5th. Hundreds of children and their families get the opportunity to meet with Santa in a private room away from the screams and squeals that the excitement of seeing Santa creates. It lifts my spirit and gives me hope for our future just thinking about it. It’s our fourth year and we wouldn’t miss it for the world. Our services are needed here.

Follow up and wait

Our walk Friday morning was a memorable one. I had an in-person interview and needed to get my day going early. We trotted down Verbrick to Adams and turned left. As we did, I looked to the sky to witness something I’d never considered before. In the East, the rose, and scarlet, and oranges painted the sky. In the West, I discovered the lavender, and blue, and turquoise slipping away and it looked just like “the blue hour.” At the end of each day, Doc calls that last bit of light before darkness takes hold the blue hour. He says that the blue hour chases the sun to its next destination. But now it was the sun chasing this blue hour. Almost as if the day was reversing itself. I thought about that for quite a while.

The interview that day went very well for me. I really enjoyed learning about the details that you only get in an interview and meeting the team I would work with via video conference. I’ve conducted video conferences in a sales setting but not in an interview so this wasn’t unnerving. That was good. I remember my first video conference. I was so nervous and the technology was new. I wasn’t confident then, but I was on Friday. I felt so relaxed and it felt good. My answers flowed and, again, it felt good. I’m so ready to get back into the workplace, I can taste it! I miss the dynamics of being on a team, being accountable to someone other than myself and my husband, and being a contributor. But, I was the first one to interview, there are nine more and I won’t know anything more until closer to Thanksgiving. Time to follow up and wait.

Saturday I worked on Mrs. Claus’ new bodice. Doc and I play Santa and Mrs. Claus, respectively, for several children’s events. Our interpretation is 19th century so it’s really Father Christmas and his wife. To get into the mood to sew dark green velvet, I warmed a Yankee Candle tart called “Christmas Eve.” It has a lovely spicy scent with notes of evergreen. At a certain point, I needed Doc’s opinion about the trim I would use so I called him into the room. We narrowed the plethora of choice down to something manageable and off he went. The next thing I knew, Doc was in the attic getting out the Christmas cards and his notes from last year’s holiday. An hour later he was near manic when I asked what the rush was on Christmas details. I mean, Thanksgiving is still 10 days away. And that’s when it hit me….the tart! Anyone in marketing and advertising knows the power of stimulating the senses and the sense of smell is one of the most influential. I warmed the tart to put me in the mood and didn’t think about what it would do to him. It sure did a number on him and we had a good laugh over it.

Today I had another in-person interview. Again, I feel really good about how it went. Like the interview on Friday, this is a new position and it’s important for the company to get the right person in place. As I look back at my past employment, there’s only one that wasn’t a new or dramatically changed position. I seem to gravitate to new opportunities. I’ll have to think about that. If you’re wondering which one I would take if I were offered both (several people have asked), I say, “How fortunate to have that dilemma.” So while I wait, in my follow up I’ll create the case for both of these employers to see me as the perfect fit and at the same time, continue the search, and do my homework.

Angry belly

If you’ve ever seen the movie “Alien” with Sigourney Weaver, you know exactly what an angry belly looks like. Bruno had the sound version at 4am today. And it was cursing in a language I’d never heard before. Why? Who knows? He hadn’t been to doggie daycare. He had eaten all of his dinner the night before. He hadn’t shown any signs of illness before bedtime. He had gone to bed and to sleep as usual. So when I first woke up to the sounds from his belly, I thought it was our cat, Lily, hunting down a mouse or perhaps, killing it slowly. Cats do that. But this yowling sounded more extraterrestrial and it was coming from my side of the bed. So as the cursing became louder and more frequent, at 5am I finally asked Bruno if he would like his walk now instead of 6:30am. With a very green, “Yes,” Bruno extricated himself from the warmth of his bed on the floor and slowly shuffled to the back door. Once we were both dressed (Bruno goes to bed naked – without a collar – and getting dressed means to putting his collar on), we set out into the pre-dawn darkness.

I’ve mentioned before that walking in the early morning darkness isn’t my favorite thing in the world. The streetlights were on, which helped. I decided to stick to Memorial Drive and head toward Bruno’s favorite spot…the gas station/convenience store. So many smells. So little time. I thought this route would keep me comfortable and perk him up. It did both. We got home just before 6am as the first few streaks of sun stretched across the sky. Bruno was happy to be home but his belly was still angry. He climbed into his favorite chair in the library next to the fireplace, without having breakfast. I turned the gas fireplace on to warm the room and heard his heavy sigh. Even though angry belly was still pitching a fit, the rest of my Bruno was ready to have his early morning nap.

I didn’t go back to bed. My day needed to get started. I had an 8am meeting to attend. I wish I could say that it was an interview but it wasn’t. It was a meeting of Lean Consortium NEW. This group was formed by participants of the Lean Lead Facilitator certification class. In August, Workforce Development found funding to offer the class. All we had to do was qualify for funding from WIA, Wisconsin Investment Act, and be unemployed and our tuition for this 120 hour, intense 3 week course was paid in full. I qualified. Becoming Lean certified is a big deal. It has helped several of my classmates become employed and it perked interest in me by more employers. I’ll explain more about Lean in another post. I want to get to what happened at our meeting.

I was in the charter group and we welcomed a second graduating class about a month ago. The melded group is very large now – more than 30 people – and is about to grow larger as we decided to extend an invitation to join to the third graduating class. Recently, we’ve experienced, well, let’s call it growing pains. There is a tremendous amount of talent in the group, all of whom are eager to find a new career and equally eager to gain experience using the new skills gained in the class. When the group grew, the pains increased. At our last meeting two weeks ago (my first with the newly formed, bigger group), I experienced a discomfort that I couldn’t ignore and I think I knew why. I’ve been unemployed for longer than most people in the group and I’ve been through the complete and deluxe cycle of grief over the loss of my job. I see pain on the faces of some of my classmates that’s hard to define but easy to see. Everyone in the group is at a different phase of grief. As we proceeded through today’s agenda and dynamics, I found it time to point out that we all have hot buttons that are easy to push and we don’t always know which ones they are until someone touches it. It’s like going to the dentist with a toothache. Until that metal probe touches the spot, it’s hard to know exactly where the pain is. Except, some of the folks don’t even know they have a toothache, but when that probe finds the spot… OUCH!

I hurt for them. It took me a few months to get a grip on my situation and decide how I wanted to go forward. I can’t fix it for them but I can try lead by example and show them that this isn’t fatal, there isn’t a gallon of blood. By self-assessing on a regular basis, you stay in touch with the phase you’re in and are able to manage it rather than it managing you. I consider myself “self-employed” and my business is that of selling myself and my brand. Who wants to buy emotionally damaged or worse, self-destructive goods? No one. My customers want confidence, talent, collaboration and focus. They don’t want baggage.

Every night before I go to sleep, I self-assess: have I used my day as productively and positively as I can? Am I in a good place, a healthy state of mind? Have I controlled what I can and put the rest into God’s hands? I do it because I want to help myself and I want to help those who need it, get through this process. It helps to keep me from waking up with my own angry belly.

Is there more pizza in my future?

The schedule has gone out the window. I don’t know this dog anymore. The past couple of days I’ve gotten up with him between 4:30 and 5:30am to let him out. After Bruno does his business, he goes back to bed until close to 8am. I don’t get it. The time change was last week and now my routine is messed up. Our walk didn’t take place until after 9am. I’ve got things to do, Bruno. It’s not all about you....well, I guess it really is.

I thought Friday was over when I last blogged but it wasn’t. Several weeks ago I had a phone screen for a green energy company in Manitowoc. They are looking for the right fit and the marketing position will be designed around that person’s talents. I did my best, sent my follow up and went on to other opportunities. You know, gotta keep moving forward yet spinning the plate every so often. In the afternoon, while I was out, a message was left. The VP of Sales and Marketing wants to meet face-to-face. Hot dog! The meeting was scheduled for this morning but late yesterday an emergency required my interview to be postponed to next Tuesday. More waiting, but I’m happy to wait on a good opportunity.

The weekend was delightful – warm and sunny; the last of summer slipping slowly away. Doc and I had houseguests from Lake Geneva Saturday night. By the time they left on Sunday, we were tired out. But it was a good tired.

Monday brought another opportunity for a face-to-face interview, well, mostly face-to-face (part of this one will be done by video-conferencing – very cool) scheduled for Friday of this week. That’s 2! Count 'em, 2 in-person interviews! I haven’t been able to score an in-person interview since late July. And now I have 2! Can you tell I’m very happy? To celebrate, we had pizza delivered. This is such a treat because two pizzas from delievered Pizza Hut costs $25, after a coupon and with a small tip for the driver. We always have leftovers (good for the next day or two) but to us it’s extravagant, nonetheless. Making it better, it was delivered by Thompson, one of the regular delivery guys we would get until we stopped having pizza delivered last Spring. He’s a really good guy who always has a positive attitude and a kind word. This time, he was happy about the for sale sign in the yard. Thompson knew I was unemployed so he thought we were celebrating a new job. It was so hard to tell him that wasn’t the case. He felt so bad. I didn’t want him to going away less than his usual self so I told him about the upcoming interviews. It helped. He wished me luck and hoped he would see us again soon. I do, too.

Better

Bruno had a really good walk today. We made our way down Memorial Drive to Riverview Lane and back. A quiet, and somewhat private street, Riverview Lane borders an older, public golf course. The houses here are modest but tidy and well kept. There was lots to sniff. Leaves had been raked into the street and the last blooms of summer were emptied on top. Bruno likes to get his nose into the middle of the pile and plow. Plow hound. But he never remembers that there is curbing in there and either he crashes into the curb or falls off it, deeper into the leaves. I chuckle to myself but sometimes I know it’s gotta hurt, poor pooch.

Leaves. We have two huge, very old maple trees in the front yard that dropped their leaves earlier this week. It’s a daunting task to rake them into the street and it takes a great deal of motivation to even get started. A quick side note: in June when we had the trees cleaned out of dead wood we learned that we have three families of flying squirrels (Rocky, of “The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show”) living in our trees. I felt so bad watching them scurry looking for new homes in the tree but the crew assured me that they'd be safe and sound by nightfall. Back to the leaves. On Tuesday afternoon, the doorbell rang and there stood a Hispanic man. He explained, in very broken English, that he was our newspaper delivery man (yes, we still get the paper a couple of days a week – for the comics and grocery coupons, Doc says). He went on to offer to rake our leaves for whatever I wanted to pay him. I didn’t know what to say except to thank him for the offer but that I couldn’t afford to do that. He insisted that he would do the work for any amount of money and my heart sank. I knew that if I gave $10 or $20, all I could afford, he would have been very happy but I couldn’t do it. The amount of work this job takes (took Doc and I working together 2 hours) is worth so much more. I felt that I would be insulting him or at the least, taking advantage of his situation. So I told him that my husband and I were both out of work and that we had to do it ourselves. I’ll never forget the instant look of compassion that washed over his face. He was sad for us and said, “I’m sorry.” He turned and left. Today I left him $10 in an envelope right where he places the newspaper every day with a note saying thank you for great service. I feel better.

My phone screen on Wednesday went well but they’re going to take their time “to get the right fit. If it takes until after the first of the New Year, then that’s what it's going to take," she said. She went on to say that the current holder of the position was stepping down, not leaving. The woman had just given birth to her second child and wanted more time with the family. Since she wasn't leaving, the bank could afford to take their time. She told me how lucky they were to have so many qualified candidates apply not once, but twice. A firm reminder of our times. I haven’t sent my thank you note yet because I’m still mulling over a statement. I’d like to tell her that if I’m not the right fit to please choose someone else who is unemployed. I know there are people who have good jobs or even OK jobs who have applied for this position in order to get a better job or to move up the corporate ladder. That will always happen. In the best of times, when I have been the hiring manager, conventional wisdom said to hire the person with the job. But times are not conventional. I want to tell every hiring manager and HR professional, “If all things are equal or even close, hire the unemployed person!” You’ll get a humble, grateful worker who will appreciate the littlest things and work hard to bring the greatest value to your company. I’ve heard this statement from so many of my peers, unemployed and those recently employed. It’s true. Very true. The unemployed are learning lessons that the employed will never learn. Our lives and those of our families have been changed forever, for the better.