Career Collective post: Once a month, a group of career professionals blog on a subject topical and timely for a job seeker. We’ll post our thoughts on our own blog and link to the post of our colleagues on the same topic.

This month’s topic: What do you do when you’re really, really, really discouraged about your unsuccessful job search? How do you overcome the negative aspects of job search? Responses from others contributors linked at the end. Follow the hashtag #CareerCollective on Twitter.

Discouraged is a difficult place to live. We all visit occasionally, but wallowing in a cesspool of negativity doesn’t solve anything. And yes. I realize that leaving “discouraged” is a lot easier said than done. This in no way is meant to diminish personal circumstance, but I do know it’s much more difficult to sell your skill set when you’ve lost confidence in you and it’s difficult to have confidence in you when you can’t sell your skill set. Add to that, it’s not easy to network when your confidence level doesn’t register at all. It’s a vicious cycle. And only you can break out of it. So how do you do it? I’m not 100% sure either, but I’ll tell you what works for me.

As I’ve said in tweets and past posts, attitude plays an important role in a job search and career management. Don’t get me wrong. I’ll be the first one to endorse a “pity-party”, but you can’t carry that woe-is-me mentality everywhere you go. Acknowledge the pain, for a moment, but eventually, perspective has to change. In addition to making internal adjustments, be sure to engage your network to support the changes. Accountability and camaraderie are important on any journey.

For a long time on Twitter, I started the day with a daily gratitude. (#dailygratitude) No matter how I woke up feeling, I sat and thought about something for which I was grateful. One morning, it was the vacuum cleaner and its ability to tame dust bunnies. Now how can I have a bad day when I start it out with the word “bunnies”? (See, it even made you smile just then.) One smile leads to another and eventually I’ll forget what made me grumpy. Or in relaxing for a moment find the remedy for the point of consternation. (Hmmm. Might be time to revive that practice.) Even if you don’t tweet your gratitude for things, big and small, at least take a moment to find a flash of wonderful in the midst of the insanity. I’ve also found, when you notice one good thing, two or three other good things show up, eager for attention too. Before you know it, you’ll find a respite from despair and perhaps stumble on the motivation needed to move out of discouraged. It’s not easy being crabby with a smile on the outside. It eventually seeps inside.

This past month, I’ve been walking most mornings with my neighbor Brenda. We walk a loop through an open field, near the Black River and up and down the dirt road. We go for about a half-hour and Brenda sets a heck of a pace. As pleasant and bucolic this setting is, some days, we don’t feel like walking. We usually go anyway (yea us!) but change our route a bit. We’ll go in the opposite direction, add a new landmark or take a different path home. One morning, after changing the direction of our walk, we both remarked it seemed much easier coming at it from a different direction. And so it goes with a job search or career management. If the approach you’re using is daunting, then change it. There is more than one means to an end. Explore them until you find what works for you.

What doesn’t work is curling into a fetal position wondering why me? Believe me. I’ve been there. Even I couldn’t stand being around me for very long. I had to make changes. It wasn’t easy. And I didn’t make all the required changes all at once. I did little thing like changing my internal sentences, (would I talk to my best friend the way I talk to me???). That changed my perspective. A new perspective attracted different opportunities and so it goes. Look long enough, you’ll find good and bad in most everything. Small changes lead to big things and one foot in front of the other will take you anywhere. It’s OK to visit discouraged. With a dependable network and an escape plan, you won’t hang out too long. It’s up to you.

Here’s what my colleagues have to say:

Walter Akana @walterakana Light at the End of the Tunnel

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter @ValueIntoWords Restoring Your Joy in Job Search

Laurie Berenson @LaurieBerenson 3 Ways to Keep Your Glass Half Full

Chandlee Bryan @chandlee Strategy for Getting “Unstuck” and Feeling Better. Watch Lemonade

Martin Buckland @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes Job Search Made Positive

Megan Fitzgerald @expatcoachmegan  Dealing With Job Search Stress: Getting to the Source of the Problem

Katharine Hansen, PhD @KatCareerGal Job-Hunting in a Weak Job Market: 5 Strategies for Staying Upbeat (and Improving Your Chances of Success)

G L Hoffman @GLHoffman How to Overcome the Negativity of a Job Search

Gayle Howard @GayleHoward Job Search: When it all turns sour

Heather Huhman @heatherhuhman 10 Ways to Turn Your Job Search Frown Upside-Down

Rosalind Joffe @WorkWithIllness Finding Opportunity in Quicksand

Susan Joyce @jobhuntorg Just SO VERY Discouraged…

Hannah Morgan @careersherpa Mind Over Matter: Moving Your Stalled Search Forward

Erin Kennedy @ErinKennedyCPRW Dancing in the Rain–Kicking the Job Search Blues

Heather Mundell @heathermundell Help for the Job Search Blues

Meg Montford @KCCareerCoach You Can Beat the Job Search Blues: 5 + 3 Tips to Get Re-energized

Barbara Safani @barbarasafani Making Job Search Fun (Yeah, That’s Right!)

Miriam Salpeter @Keppie_Careers What to do when you are discouraged with your job search

Rosa Vargas @resumeservice Don’t Sweat The Job Search

I was going to title this, “It’s a small world after all”, but then “that song” would be stuck in our heads all day and I didn’t want to do that to us.

I’m reading Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. In it he recounts Stanley Milgram’s small world experiment, the original study about six-degrees of separation. (Which of course lead to the Kevin Bacon’s six degrees of separation game … but I digress.) This experiment really drives home how we all are connected and this story puts a personal spin on how.

When I first started interacting on Twitter, I retweeted J.T. O’Donnell, founder of Careerealism frequently. She thanked me, a conversation ensued and eventually she asked if I’d like to contribute to an upcoming article about resume writing. I happily agreed and contributed to “Hate Resume Writing? Here’s how to get it done” last March. Careerealism is based, I believe, in New Hampshire

In early June, following publication of that article, my phone rang. It was a young woman from Atlanta. “Mary” said she read the article on Careerealism, liked what I had to say and decided she wanted me to write her resume for her. Remember, she’s in Atlanta, GA.

The Saturday morning, after I delivered “Mary’s” documents, I got an email from a friend on Facebook. This particular person is the reason I’m on Facebook at all. She’s a long-lost friend from high school and sent an invitation to reconnect via Facebook way back when I was on dial-up. (You’ve not experienced Facebook until you’ve experienced it on a dial-up connection.) I dipped my toe in social media, thanks to Renee, and have been happily immersed ever since.

Renee is in Raleigh, NC. I’m in Atkinson, about 2 hours south, (outside Wilmington, NC). In this message, she shared an interesting dinner conversation from a family gathering the night before. Her husband’s cousin was visiting from Atlanta. She was recounting her recent move to the Atlanta area and subsequent job search. She told them she’d even hired a professional resume writer. My friend Renee mentioned she went to high school with someone who became a resume writer and asked who wrote the resume. Renee’s cousin-in-law said she found her writer through the Careerealism site and her name was Dawn. What?

Turns out Renee’s cousin-in-law is “Mary”, my client from earlier in the week. I was not only Renee’s high school friend turned resume writer; I was Mary’s resume writer, located through a Web site based in New Hampshire. What a happy coincidence. Because I accepted a Facebook invitation a few years ago, I developed a passion for social media. That involvement led to contributing to the Careeralism article. The article caught the interest of an Atlanta-based client. Later, we found the client was connected to the person who sent that original Facebook invitation.

Tell me it’s not a small world. The next time you think social media, networking and reconnecting with old friends is a waste of time, think again. The connections didn’t happen overnight. But because I was there, willing to participate, I expanded my reach, met new clients and colleagues and re-established conversations with old ones. We’re really not that far apart. And with all this closeness, you can easily see the power of a network.

When Susan Whitcomb, Deb Dib and Chandlee Bryan put out a call for job search tweets for inclusion in their upcoming book, The Twitter Job Search Guide: Find a Job and Advance Your Career in Just 15 Minutes a Day, (set for release early March 2010), I gladly dug through my Twitter stream and found 10 to submit. Guess what. Five of the following ten tweets were selected. Not only will this be a great addition to your personal library, it’ll give you the Twitter handles of the top names in the career business so you can keep on getting great information from them thanks to social media. Definitely worth the cover price.

This is especially thrilling for me. You see, Susan Whitcomb’s book, Resume Magic was the book that launched my resume writing business. To now have my name in one of Susan’s books is quite an honor. And I’ll tell you, Deb and Chandlee are well-respected in the career community. Suffice it to say I’m in good company and I couldn’t be prouder.

In excited anticipation of the book’s release, here are my submissions. Of course I won’t tell you which five will appear in the book. You’ll have to buy it and see. For now, here are a few job search tips in 140-characters or less.

Category: Personal Branding Tip

1. #Jobseekers: Don’t under estimate power of simple thank you when differentiating self from rest of pack.

2. If you use Firefox, download the Search Cloudlet http://is.gd/4HKFf Then Google UR name. R the words displayed the image U want to present?

Category: Job Search Strategy Tip

3. #Jobseekers: You’ve got 2 believe what U bring 2 an employer is special & you’ve got 2 sell it. If not U, who?

4. #Jobseekers: If you share a phone with your spouse, be sure UR voice is the one on the outgoing voice mail message. Avoids confusion.

5. #Jobseekers: Knowing where you want to go is equal to or more important than telling where you’ve been.

6. #Jobseekers: It’s good to have Plan A for re-employment. It’s even better to have Plan B, Plan C … Work ‘em all. Don’t limit to one.

7. #Jobseekers: Don’t forget to smile. That comes though on the phone too. Exude positive energy & remember, it’s all about them.

8. #Jobseekers Copy & paste job postings into Word docs & save. No guarantee it’ll still B up when U interview & may contain needed info.

Category: Networking Tip

9. #Jobseekers: Networking doesn’t end when you land a job. Effective network=career-long process, cultivated w/occasional, thoughtful contact.

Category: Resume Tip

10. Stuck on key words? Go to the company Web site and review Meta tags in the source code for inspiration. (View, Page Source)

Well there you go – a quick glimpse into the great information and categories covered in the book. Susan produces top-notch material. Several of her books are included in my own career resources library. I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait to read the rest of it.

I received this message from Matthew, via Facebook. It’s a good question. I decided to share it and my answer to Matthew here. THANKS MATTHEW.

January 28 at 5:12pm

Dear Ms. Bugni,

In your post (which was very well-written, by the way) you mention the necessity of having “basic computer skills” to compete in today’s job market. What, exactly, do you define these skills as?

Sincerely,

Matthew E.

I realized I frequently say you need basic computer skills, but seldom define it. I’ve listed my idea of basic skills below. Please, feel free to add to the list.

Hi Matthew –

Thank you for your kind words about my post.

I define basic computer skills as an ability to sit down at a computer and have enough knowledge of how software works to “figure out” what you need to do navigate either Microsoft based or industry-specific software.

This would include, for example, knowing how to send and receive emails, as well as attach documents to an email and open them when attached. It also includes an ability to know how to copy and paste information and use the Web for research.

Depending on the position, I’d also include a knowledge of how to create a document in Word and do basic word processing. Also, an ability to create simple spreadsheets.

There are few professions in this day and age that don’t require some interaction with a computer in some way, shape or form. I’m not saying you have to master every single software, but you’ve got to have enough knowledge to know the big red X in the corner closes the program, and the small ball at the bottom of a Windows screen is what you click to access almost everything.

Frequently, the only way to apply to a position is through an online application system and computers are used to log hours worked at many facilities.

One should also know basic computer terminology — Reboot, hard drive, software, operating systems, USB port.

There are so many common elements running through programs, a good deal of operation is intuitive. You can’t intuit if you don’t have a basic understanding of how things work.

If I’ve sparked more questions, let me know. Thanks for taking the time to engage.

Dawn
(Ms. Bugni is not necessary, but thanks for not presuming. What a refreshing consideration!)

Career Collective post: Once a month, a group of career professionals blog on a subject topical and timely for a job seeker. We’ll post our thoughts on our own blog and link to the post of our colleagues on the same topic.
This month’s topic: What advice do you have to help jobseekers transition and make the most of the new year?  Responses from others contributors linked at the end.
Follow the hashtag #careercollective on Twitter.

It seems to be my week to challenge verbal roadblocks. In my last post it was the word “just”. This post, I’m going after “ya, but”.

I spend a good deal of time on the phone speaking with potential clients. During those conversations, I generally offer a bit of guidance to help the caller, whether they use my services or not. Sometimes they get it. Sometimes, they “ya, but…” themselves right out of an opportunity for greatness. In line with this month’s Career Collective topic, the best guidance I can give to anyone – job seeker or not – (in addition to taking “just” out of your vocabulary), is lose the term, “ya, but” altogether. No matter what tools you use or what resources you have at your finger tips, if your internal sentences contain “ya, but” when it’s time to make a change or face a new challenge, you’re destined for failure, or at least a more difficult path than necessary.

Here’s a sampling of what I say to job seekers (based in the reality of the 2010 job market) and what I hear in response regularly.

You really need basic computer skills to compete in today’s market.
Ya, but …
I never really needed to know how to use a computer in my last job.
I don’t have time to go to school.
I’ve tried. I just don’t get it.

More than 70% of jobs are filled through effective networking.
Ya, but …
I didn’t take the time to schmooze at my old job. It’s creepy.
I just moved here and don’t know anyone.
I don’t even know how to get in touch with old coworkers.
It’ll freak people out if I ask them for a job.
I’m not comfortable asking for help.
I don’t know about any networking opportunities in my town.
My car’s too unreliable to go anywhere but to work and back.

A good number of employers will Google your name or conduct an Internet search as part of the vetting process. They’ll also check social media sites.
Ya, but …
Google is evil and the developers too are powerful. It scares me. (Seriously, I’ve heard this.)
I don’t do anything on the Internet. People don’t need to know my business

Using social media is a good way to build an Internet presence and build a strong reputation in your chosen profession.
Ya, but …
What’s LinkedIn?
I don’t have time to read a bunch of blogs and comment.
Twitter is a waste of time.

Setting up Google alerts is a good way to see when you’re mentioned on the Internet and what others will find when they search for you.
Ya, but …
I don’t know how to do that. I’m not that technical.
(Also, see responses to two previous statements …)

Posting your resume on a job board is not the way to conduct a search.
Ya, but …
I don’t know any other way.
I got contacted by a few people right after I posted, so it must be working.

You can’t sound desperate in during an interview.
Ya, but …
I am desperate. Unemployment runs out in two weeks. I should have started looking earlier.
I’ve got to find a find new job. My boss is driving me crazy. I can’t help it if that shows.
I’m still so upset by what happened; I just can’t get past it.

An employer won’t take time to extrapolate information from a resume. You’ve got to tell them what you bring, boldly, proudly.
Ya, but …
It’s obvious what I do. Anyone who knows about this business would get it.
It’s too difficult to explain what I do. They should be able to tell by my list of previous employers how good I am.
I’ve won awards. That should be enough.
I’m not comfortable talking about myself.

I could go on … but won’t. Do you see a common theme? Excuses, excuses excuses and not a lot of meat to any of them. In fact, as you were reading, you were probably coming up with solutions to each and every one of them. Bottom line: anything worth having takes effort. However, if the first response out of your mouth when offered a suggestion to help get your from Point A to Point B is “Ya, but …”, then most likely, Point B will never become a reality or at the very least, you’ll work twice as hard getting there.

Move the roadblocks and watch your course get easier. Oh, and don’t even start me on “can’t”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PS – Lest you think I’m preaching from a holier-than-thou place, I’ll give you one of my own. Rest assured I struggle with the “ya, but …” monster as much as you.

This is mine: Sound familiar?
I know to lose weight and be healthy I have to work exercise into my daily routine.
Ya, but …
I stay so busy; I don’t know how I’ll do it.

Know what I did to get rid of my own roadblock? I called my neighbor, announced it was time we both got up off our … buts (butts) and started walking again. And that’s what we’ve done … two seven days in a row now. Yea us.

Here’s what my colleagues have to say:

Walter Akana @walterakana Starting anew – Tips for truly managing your career

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter @ValueIntoWords Is your job search strategy a snore?

Chandlee Bryan @Chandlee Starfish, JobAngels, and Making a Difference

Martin Buckland @MartinBuckland, @EliteResumes Career Trends and Transition 2010

Katharine Hansen PhD @kat_hansen New Year: Time to Assess Yourself and Your Career

G L Hoffman @GLHoffman A Flash of the Blindingly Obvious

Gayle Howard @GayleHoward How are those New Year’s resolutions panning out anyway?

Heather Huhman @heatherhuhman Job seekers: 5 tips for making the most of 2010

Erin Kennedy @ErinKennedyCPRW Advice to Job Seekers in 2010–learn Yoga?

Rosalind Joffe @WorkWithIllness Dogs Can Do It, Can You?

Susan Joyce @JobHuntOrg Lifelong Learning for Career Security

Meg Montford @KCCareerCoach The Art of Being Gracious: Much Needed in Today’s Job Search

Hannah Morgan @careersherpa The Year of the Tiger

Heather Mundell @heathermundell Kaizen and the Art of Your Job Search

Barbara Safani @barbara safani Looking Into the 2010 Careers Crystal Ball

Miriam Salpeter @keppie_careers Help for job seekers in a rut

Andy Robinson @AndyInNaples What are you getting better at? Make This the Year You Become the Best You Can Be.

Rosa Vargas @resumeservice The Resume and Your Social Media Job Search Campaign

Debra Wheatman @DebraWheatman Making the most of a new year

“It’s not who we are that holds us back….it’s who we think we are not!”

This quote floats by on Twitter occasionally. I liked it so well the first time I saw it, I wrote it down on a post- it note and put it at eye-level in front of me. Not sure who coined it, but it’s a keeper … which leads me to the topic for today. If you tuned in thinking this is a post about truth, justice and the American way, sorry to disappoint. This addresses the use of that four-letter word “JUST”.

I belong to four professional career organizations and read each of their online discussion groups daily. The career industry is incredibly collegial, collaborative and giving. I’ve learned a great deal about resume writing, business, technology and everything related to entrepreneurship and managing clients from my colleagues. They’re wise and generous in their sharing and have the credentials, education and training to back their wisdom. They write eloquent, insightful responses to questions about myriad topics and have, on more than one occasion, helped me personally with business, client or technical issues. And I’m not talking “140-character” short responses. I’m talking long answers with references, links personal experiences and information that never even occurred to me before they shared. Judging by the sheer length and breadth of the response, these elist posts must take hours to write. The author will sign with their “canned” signature (like we all do) listing degrees, credentials, publications and other honors. But wait, what’s that at the end of the post, right before the signature listing out these accomplishments?

“Just my $.02“

What?????? You spent three hours researching and replying with brilliance, signed with a laundry list of highly regarded credentials and you diminish all that with “Just my $.02″???(Or something equally apologetic.)

I run into the same thing with my clients. They describe amazing career feats, where they “moved the mountain to Mohammed” on a daily basis, and in response to my, “Wow. Really? Tell me more…” they respond with the verbal equivalent of kicking the ground, head down and uncomfortable, “I was ‘just’ doing my job.”

I wrote for a client a while back. She worked in a busy municipal court office. People went there to pay fines, fees, gather court information … you name it. She helped, in person and on the phone, probably 100 people a day, every day. Do the math … 100 people in an eight hour day, means interacting with an average of one person every five minutes. And these weren’t “where are the coffee filters” kind of interactions. This was responding to a broad spectrum of people from all walks of life in regards to legal issues. When I wrote her resume, I bulleted the information regarding her prowess in keeping a service line moving, while still giving the information needed and keeping order in the office. She called after I delivered. That call went something like this:

Client: “Resume looks good, but I’d always read you only bulleted important things.”
Me: “Yes. That’s true. Why do you ask?”
C: “Well, I don’t think the part about me helping 100 people a day is that big a deal. Everyone was expected to do that, so it’s not that special.”
M: “Really? You don’t think an ability to keep a line moving, respond to requests and do it quickly and efficiently is a marketable skill, deserving of being highlighted?”
C: “Ah no. Like I said. Everyone in that office is expected to operate at that level of efficiency.”
M: “In that office … but have you ever been anywhere where simple questions took forever to be handled? Lines moved at glacial speed and you knew there was a better way to manage the process.”
C: “Well … ya.”
M: “And you don’t think a manager would jump at the opportunity to find someone like you, able to move a line and provide customer delight, quickly, efficiently? You don’t see that as a marketable skill?”

Suddenly the light went on. I’d managed to remove the “just my job” blinders and helped her dig down and realize her career wonderfulness. She emailed less than a month later telling me about her new job. She made my heart sing with the following: “I want to thank you for all you have done for me. It was your magic words that caught their attention.” My “magic words” properly conveyed the value she brought to an employer. Something she couldn’t do because she was caught up in her “just my job” thinking.

Many years ago, during a time when my first marriage was disintegrating and self-esteem was at a low point, I went to pull a file from a cabinet near a coworker’s desk. He was head-down engrossed in a project and I startled him when I opened the drawer. Seeing him start, I smiled and said, “Relax. It’s just me.” He paused, then said, “Dawn. There is no such thing as “just you.” If you asked him about it today, he probably doesn’t even remember the exchange. I’ve never forgotten the impact of that simple, yet powerful statement at such a low point in my life. It was the reminder I needed to help me realize I was special and had good things to offer; in spite of what my now ex-husband kept telling me.

Today, right now, I challenge you to take the word “just” out of your vocabulary when it pertains to you or something you do. If you don’t see your own wonderfulness or the importance of what you do in contributing to the bottom line, how will you ever convey your value to a potential employer?

If you “just” walked in the door, that’s one thing. If you think you “just” move mountains, then change your perspective.

Hmmm. This is a post about justice … justice and fairness in the treatment of yourself.

It’s early New Year’s Eve, the last day of 2009. I just tweeted this:

“One of my favorite things about 2009 … all my Twitter friends. You guys gave me more than you’ll ever know. Thank you! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!”

And it’s true. I can trace a good bit of the wonderfulness of 2009 back to Twitter – the people I’ve met, the relationships I’ve forged. I signed-up for Twitter out of curiosity. As a professional, it’s important I stay current on emerging trends. Twitter is such a powerful networking tool, it’s important I know about it so I can help my clients understand social media in a job search. I had no idea what I would discover when I first created @DawnBugni on Twitter. Now, a little more than a year later one of my best professional network resides in Twitter and personal friendships have blossomed. 

Back in September, A member of the Professional Association of Resume Writer’s (PARW) posed a question about Internet privacy in general and Twitter in particular on our elist. This is how I responded to her.

“Sue -

“I’ll be the very first to admit I am a Twitter addict, a serious Twitter addict. 
 
I’ve met incredible people via Twitter and social media.

* I’ve had real life conversations with several Twitter Tweeps (contacts) and learned sooooo much from those phone calls.
* I have been given countless opportunities I would never have known existed were it not for Twitter interactions.
* I’ve engaged five clients so far by tweeting job search advice and having people reach out to me because they liked a bit of advice I offered.
* I read daily what recruiters and HR managers have to say via their tweets and their blog posts making me wiser for my clients.
* I’ve tightened my writing because of the 140-character limit.
* I’ve improved my understanding of the entire job search process because of the information shared on Twitter by other career people and jobseekers.
* I’ve been exposed to things I would not have taken the time to find on my own in and out of the career realm.
* I received “virtual hugs” from around the world when I had to put my 17-year-old Dachshund to sleep and shared the sad time via Twitter.
* I’ve had tear-wiping laughter because of conversations on Twitter.
* I’ve connected with fellow resume writers on a more personal level.
* I’ve helped and been helped countless times because I answered/asked questions.
* I am uplifted by the positive energy generated by the Twitterverse.
 
“I could go on (and on and on and on and on), but you won’t believe I’ve tightened my writing if I do. )

“As far as privacy, what you put out there is what is seen. Use discretion as to what you are or are not willing to share and you’re in control.
 
“I read (via a Twitter post/link) Twitter is like riding a bicycle. You can’t explain the joy to someone until they do it themselves. They will fall. They will have to figure out balance. They have to work out their methodology, but once they see the wonderfulness, they’ll wonder what took them so long to do it.
 
“I assure you, when you first sign up, you will spend the first two weeks scratching your head trying to figure out what the heck am I doing and why???? You hesitate responding to someone because you don’t know them. Then you’ll get over that fear and start to interact. You’ll find like-minded people. You’ll also find the “famous” are regular people, with a passion for banana splits and chocolate just like you.
 
“At the risk of sounding like a complete sap, my life is enriched because of the time I spend in the Twitterverse.
 
“Here’s a prime example of enhanced relationships. Because Julie Walraven chimed in on this topic as well I’m going to use her. I’ve read Julie’s posts on the PARW list for years, I’ve known of her, recognized her name, but that was about it. Because of Twitter, I now count Julie as a wonderful, giving, generous friend. I know her dog’s name is Teddy. We’ve shared resume writing business information as well as commiserated over the dust bunnies generated by living with dogs. Again, I could give about 10 other examples with others in our industry, but I’ll stop. (I’m bordering on frightening myself with my obsession. I can only imagine what I’m doing to you. LOL) ”
 
Yes. I’m proud to say I am a Twitter addict. You should join me. You’d be amazed at what you’ll learn and the opportunities you’ll find there.

Happy 2010!!

I went to my computer early last Monday morning (12-20) around 2:30 a.m. I live with six dogs and an “old bladder” so middle of the night computer visits are normal for me. I check email or catch up on Twitter until I get sleepy again. Sometimes, on Twitter, I’ll find another night owl or someone on the other side of the world willing to chat.

When I moved the mouse to wake up the computer, I was greeted a black screen with white writing. For those of you have seen this type of display, you know the terror starts now. I tried everything I knew to revive or restore the “sick” machine … to no avail. I went back to bed for a few hours hoping it would “miraculously” heal. No such luck.

Grabbing the yellow pages I started dialing. I left a message at the first shop (has YET to call me back) and then called a shop advertising 24/7 service. I dialed 910.367.2365. After the second ring, a cheery “Paradox Computer Services” greeted me. It was 7:30 a.m., Monday morning, Christmas week. From that point on, Gary Webb, one of the Paradox owners went above and beyond in getting my computer back operational. Over the course of the week we upgraded to Windows 7 and Office 2007. We installed a higher level anti-virus program and added an external hard drive. We also downloaded infinite files from my off-site backup storage (THANK GOODNESS FOR Carbonite!!)  We tweaked, restored, reset and reloaded all week. He met me and returned my computer on Christmas Day for heaven’s sake!

I’d had computer troubles back in September and put in place some stop gaps then. I thought I had it under control. Boy was I wrong! Downloading one file from Carbonite … no big deal; restoring an entire hard drive … BIG deal. I’m on a high-speed satellite, not broad band or DSL connection, what should have taken less than 24 hours took 3 days to download. At one point, I did “something” and had to restart the backup making it take even longer. Ugh.

On top of the download adventure, we’d make a change, I’d take the computer home, hook it up and something else, unexpected would happen. I’d call Gary, and we’d arrange to meet at a point between our two locations (I live 30 miles from town, 60 mile minimum round trip). I went to Wilmington five out of six days last week. On the fourth trip, Gary, handed me a $25 gas card to help defray the cost of schlepping the computer back and forth. We’re still not sure the cause or reason for the ghosts in my machine, but it was a challenge. I wasn’t giving up. Neither was he.

Every day last week I planned around getting my computer back and what I could do in the interim. I rearranged my schedule so I could prepare for Christmas, meet an urgent client deadline, get my computer repaired, remain current with emails and take care of other client needs. Oh, and did I tell you, at the same time the computer crashed, I noticed my phone wouldn’t send emails from my business account? I was in technological purgatory. Gmail worked on my phone, but the account I’d need the most for responding was down, and nothing would fix it … expect a master restore. I wasn’t willing to do that until I could get my computer back up since I wasn’t sure I might loose/had already lost. Ironically, that’s what the computer needed too.

Nope. This isn't part of my plan, but then again ...

It was a full week of, “OK … this isn’t working. What can I get done today in spite of that?” and then “dropping back and punting.” I couldn’t sit down and sulk. (Believe me. I wanted to.) I had to keep moving. Events of this past week give a nice parallel to the job search. I had a plan. I’d prepared, yet the unexpected happened and I had to scramble.

We prepare. We plot a course. We envision the outcome. Then we remember, “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans”. It’s good to have a plan.  It’s better to have three or four (or more) to keep you on your feet and moving forward. I managed to get it all done. I learned A LOT about adapting and redundancy in planning for the worst. With plans B, C and D firmly in place, I “think” I’m ready for anything now. This may never happen again. Or worse may happen. Who knows? At least now, I have a few different paths established for recovery. You can do the same in your search. Map out multiple if/then scenarios. Hopefully, you won’t have to do everything you planned before you attain job search success, but with several things in place you’ll be able to exhale instead of gasping the next time things don’t go your way.

Career Collective post: Once a month, a group of career professionals blog on a subject topical and timely for a job seeker. We’ll post our thoughts on our own blog and link to the post of our colleagues on the same topic.
This month’s topic: What are some specific tips to help job seekers really ramp up their efforts for the holiday season and the new year. Responses from others contributors linked at the end.
Follow the hashtag #careercollective on Twitter.

After receiving the topic for this month’s Career Collective post, I bet I’ve read more than 50 articles addressing different aspects of staying motivated during the holiday season in the past few weeks. And that’s a mere drop in the bucket compared to what’s out there. Today, a Google search using “Job search during the holidays” brings back 97,500 (and counting) results. In fact, digging through my own archives, I found a post I wrote addressing this very topic last year. I’m not even going to try and condense all the Web wisdom I found in this one post, but will share a few ideas:

• Attend holiday parties. Enforce and expand your network.
• Ask friends to take you to their holiday work parties so you can network.
• Connect with company executives during holiday gathering. They’re more accessible.
• Send holiday greetings to your network thanking them for their support during the year.
• Start networking by sending holiday cards to people you’ve not contacted lately.

Do you see the common thread? Network, network, connect, network, network. I’ll say it again. NETWORK.
Between all the holiday decorating, baking, shopping, wrapping and traveling, who has time to sit down and rev up a resume, compose a cover letter or conduct company research? If you do, bravo. If you need to do it, then make the time. For the rest, rather than add more stress to your already crazy schedule, use holiday gatherings as an opportunity to connect and shore up your search. But use discretion. (I’ll spare you the “don’t drink too much” lecture. You should know that by now.)

Holiday networking doesn’t mean running up to Uncle Nuncio, who you’ve not seen in years, hugging him and launching into your 30-second elevator pitch or handing out business cards willy-nilly and espousing your career goals at every holiday event. It means, being interested in others and being interesting in what you share. Interesting/interested usually doesn’t include every detail of your search or employment status. Want to disperse a crowd quickly? Dominate the conversation, especially with your job search frustrations, and turn every topic back to you and what you need. With that approach, don’t be surprised when people start checking their imaginary watches, develop urgent bladder issues or start backing away from you slowly.

Instead, allow conversations to happen. Engage. Spend more time listening to what’s going on around than you do telling your story. Eventually those conversations turn to work. It’s where we spend a good deal of time so naturally, the story telling moves to work-related topics. By listening, you’ll learn about Suzy’s pregnancy and upcoming maternity leave, a company’s restructure, Bob’s surgery and mandatory two-month recuperation or corporate expansion plans. You might not know all the characters, but if you listen and ask questions these stories can open the door to opportunity for you. Pay attention.

Remember, if you look (and listen), while the rest of the world celebrates, you’re facing a reduced candidate pool, improving your chances of being noticed. Whether you’re actively seeking a job or a casual looker, the time of year, the day of the week shouldn’t have any impact on your approach to a job search. Prepared is prepared, regardless the time of year. Effectively managing your career means “ramped up” 24/7/365. Opportunity waits for no man (or woman.) Use the holiday season to reach out to old friends, make some new ones and enjoy yourself. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking hiring or chances for a new adventure disappear during the holidays. Listen closely. You may think you’re hearing jingle bells, but really, it’s opportunity.

(By the way, I received emails from two clients, in two completely different industries, this week excitedly sharing news of interviews. It’s a little more than two weeks before Christmas. And a third client contacted me for a quick update to pounce on an opportunity for a un-publicized position she found through networking with a friend. Doesn’t sound like “no holiday hiring” to me.)

Here’s what my colleagues have to say:

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter @ValueIntoWords  Navigating the Mistletoe of Job Search

Laurie Berenson @LaurieBerenson Three resolutions to take it up a notch

Martin Buckland @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes Season’s greetings and your job search

Chandlee Bryan @Chandlee Job search tips for the holidays

Megan Fitzgerald @expatcoachmegan Expat networking: Holidays are a great time to nurture and grow your network

Katharine Hansen, PhD @KatCareerGal Avoiding the holiday blues in your job search

G L Hoffman @GLHoffman Merry Christmas! Can I buy you coffee to talk about me?

Gayle Howard @GayleHoward It’s Christmas: And a ho-ho-ho-hum?

Heather Huhman @heatherhuhman 4 tips for making the most of holiday job hunting

Rosalind Joffe @WorkWithIllness Avoid this minefield: Drive your bus

Susan Joyce @jobhuntorg (Holiday) party your way to a new job

Erin Kennedy @ErinKennedyCPRW How to keep up the job hunt during the holidays

Grace Kutney @sweetcareers Holiday job search tips for college students 2009

Meg Montford @KCCareerCoach The gift every laid-off job seeker needs

Hannah Morgan @careersherpa Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Cheers

Heather Mundell @heathermundell Have a holly jolly job search

Andy Robinson @andyinnaples Shift Your Focus to the Highest Impact Job Search Activities During the Holidays to Leverage Your Time

J. T. O’Donnell @careerealism Holiday tips for job seekers: 4 ways to impress others with your professionalism

Barbara Safani @BarbaraSafani Holiday networking can facillitate New Year opportunities

Miriam Salpeter @Keppie_Careers Four tips for effective networking follow-up for the holidays and the rest of the year

Rosa Vargas @resumeservice Holiday resume sparkle: Outshine the New Year job search mob

Snug as a Bug - Pet Sitting for ALL types of pets & just a bit more

If you read this blog with any frequency (THANK YOU!!!), you know in addition to being a professional resume writer, I ran a busy pet sitting service – emphasis on the word busy. Back on July 29^th, I came to the realization something had to give. I drove 150 miles doing pet sits, – never leaving the county – had promised a resume to a client AND it was my 10^th wedding anniversary. (OK, so I didn’t do such a hot job of scheduling that day.) Anyway, the light came on and I began the long process of figuring out how to sell or close a rural pet sitting business and not leave my loyal clients hanging – I’d been pet sitting for seven years.

I approached several potential buyers. They all turned me down, basically saying, “I really don’t want to be that busy” (WHAT???? This is the “Summer of 2009”. Hello. Recession. Double-digit unemployment … But that’s a blog “rant” for another day). Finally, for my own peace of mind, I realized I had to walk away. I’ll spare you the details of that decision-making process. Suffice it to say it was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve made in a long time. And I greatly underestimated the emotional roller coaster that decision would bring.

Fast forward to October 4^th. I composed a farewell letter to my clients (approx 75 households in a 25-mile radius), stayed up until 1 a.m. stuffing and addressing envelopes. I awoke, bright and early on October 5^th to do two pet sits before arriving at the post office to buy stamps and mail out the farewell letters. Around 8:30 that morning, pet sits completed, stamps purchased, I’d dropped the letters into the mailbox. There was no turning back. Following is how the rest of that week shaped up:

• About 10 a.m. one of my most loyal pet sit clients called to book two pet sits. I wasn’t prepared mentally or emotionally to have the “I’m closing” conversation, but had to have it. She’d get the letter the next day. I couldn’t play dumb. At one point, she started to cry. In retrospect, a wonderful testament to the value I provided my customers. At that moment, it triggered heart-wrenching, “What have I done???” thoughts.

• Half an hour later, my 9:30 Tuesday morning resume client called and said the temporary agency she’d registered with months ago finally came through with a job, starting Tuesday morning, so she was going to postpone having her resume written.

• An hour later, I heard from another pet sit client, who not only wanted to book me the following week, she had a friend who also needed my services at the same time. Another unexpected, difficult “I’m closing” conversation.

• Oh, and the client I scheduled to write for on Monday never followed through with payment, so there went that project.

• Then my 2:30 Monday appointment didn’t answer the phone at any of three numbers I had for him.

• Also on Monday, a resume colleague emailed to reschedule a business conversation. She didn’t know the craziness of my day, but it was frosting on the cake. Even my resume colleagues didn’t want to talk to me.

• Tuesday my writing project never followed through with payment, so there went that one too. (I’ve got to revisit my business model and how I schedule/invoice, but now’s not the time.)

• Wednesday, another pet sit client called. She’d not had a chance to go through her mail, so didn’t know I was closing my business yet. Another difficult conversation ensued – she had 15 Jack Russell terriers and a horse. Who would take care of that crowd, if not me?

• Thursday, my morning resume consult didn’t answer the phone and when I called my afternoon appointment she responded with, “Oh, I meant to call you, I decided to postpone working on my resume for awhile.” By the way, I’d schedule Friday to write for her because when we spoke on Wednesday, she was in such a hurry to get it done.

• Thursday afternoon, I heard from the son of the client that didn’t respond at three different phone numbers on Monday afternoon. He’d heard the message I left his father (friendly and upbeat) and wanted me to know his father had passed away from a heart attack on Monday morning. He said his father was the type of person who would want me to know why he didn’t keep his appointment. His son, a stranger until that moment, and I cried together. Partially because in the few conversations I’d had with his dad, I found him to be charming and delightful and I regretted not having the opportunity to know him better and I felt the son’s pain, partially because I wondered what exactly the universe was trying to tell me. I found some solace when the son said knowing about his dad’s career plans and the content our conversations gave him great peace of mind.

So let’s tally this up … The same week I decided to close a successful pet sitting business to pursue what I thought was my ever-growing resume writing business – my phone did not ring for resumes, except cancellations, for two days, three of four writing project disappeared, four of five resume clients canceled, one of them passing away (two more appointments canceled the following week.) In the same week, three pet sit clients called to book four appointments and one wanted to refer a new client. I gave up pet sitting and am turning away pet sit business to advance my resume career, yet my resume clients start disappearing like chocolate at a fat lady convention. (I can use that analogy. I’m round!)

To say I was confused, frightened and full of self-doubt would be an understatement. I didn’t know this old, round body could still get into the fetal position, but that’s pretty much where I spent the week.

Why do I bare my soul to you with this l-o-n-g story? Well, to tie it into the job search of course. Know what I did during my time of self-doubt and fear? Honestly, I had a good cry; then I reached out to my network. You know the network I tell you repeatedly that’s soooooooo important to nurture and cultivate and support. Know what? They were there for me. They rallied. They reminded me this too shall pass. They offered virtual hugs. They emailed frequently. They called to check on me. They let me rant. They let me know when I’d ranted enough. They let me cry. The kicked me in the butt when I needed it. Most importantly, they were there, letting me know I didn’t have to go through anything alone.

Know what else? They were right. Within two weeks I’d weathered the storm. The resume business rebounded. Now, less than two months later, I’m rockin’ ‘n’ rollin’ wondering how I ever fit pet sitting into the mix. I won’t say a job search will go that quickly, but I will tell you even at the bottom of a pit, from a fetal position, an attitude adjustment and good friends will get you through most anything.

Sure, it was a lot easier sitting around feeling sorry for myself, but eventually, even I couldn’t stand to be around me. I had to take a different approach. I can finally tell this story. I kept saying, eventually, this’ll make a great story, there’re some great lessons in here and we’ll laugh about all of this … and I was right. As another good friend said to me tonight, “We are git ‘er done kinda gals. We don’t stay knocked down long.” I’ll be honest. I had to “fake it ‘til I made it”, but adopting that “git ‘er done” attitude made all the difference. Try it. You’ll be astounded at what happens.