Don't Be a Scrooge This Christmas

So, it is the Christmas holidays, and you are engaged in a job search.  What does that mean at your house?  Bah, humbug? or God Bless Us One and All?

I came across a very helpful article in this light, not just limited to Christmas mind you, at the the website Bankrate.com.  Now, keep in mind these guys are pretty heavily tied to the financial services industry, so expect their website to bend a little in favor of financial institutions in its editorial opinion.

This particular article builds on a bedrock of common sense.  The article admonishes the saver ( in our case Job Seeker) not to get hung up on the practice of saving money just for the sake of saving.  Savings should have a purpose, an objective.  

When we first married, my wonderful wife brought to our marriage the self control to save for major purchases.  I admit I am not good at saving. I'm more of the spendthrift if you must know.  The only problem was that once we had saved our purchase price, she still was reluctant to spend those savings.  She almost drove herself nuts trying to figure out how to pay for each item out of current cash flow.  Often it meant we continued to go without whatever item we had been saving for.

We also can not afford to loose sight of the fact that "life goes on".  A truism for a job seeker if I ever head one.   As a job seeker, don't become so frugal that your frugality begins to impact others.   Not to mention, you need an occasional "splurge".  Even if your splurge is just a deli sandwich or a Starbuck's Caramel Macchiato once a week, for your own good mental health JUST DO IT.  Doctors and nutritionists have advised me that the best strategy for staying with a strict weight loss regimen in the long term, is to plan in small indulgences along the way (mine were French Fry Saturdays.)

This Banknote.com article offers up a bit of zen like advice.  The author (Clark Palmer) quotes Liz Weston, an LA Personal Finances columnist as saying

"You don't want to be so thrifty that you miss living life today,"  That's pretty profound advice if you pause to think about it.  This philosophy is referred to as "living in the moment" and often attributed to Buddhism.   However, almost every major religion has it's equivalent of this thought.  Does anyone recognize the statement "...do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. "? 

Even if/when you are in a job search, life still happens around you and to you.  It is vitally important that you be aware of it and engaged in it. 

While we plan for tomorrow, we must live today.  I guess I developed my own expression of this philosophy when I traveled the country for a living.  When asked how I could stand to be on the road so much I replied,  "The getting there is half the fun."  If we don't enjoy the "getting there" (life's journey) we will miss out on half or more of the enjoyment available to us in life.  The same is true of our job search.

Yes, we want to and must have our eye on that objective of full-time paying employment.  But if the price of that objective is that we strangle our own life and our life relationships now - who will be there to enjoy that new job with us when we reach it?  While we may limit our activities in the "now" we still need to be engaged.  To fail to do so, is a recipe for long term failure.

Read more: Are you taking frugality too far? http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/are-you-taking-frugality-too-far.aspx#ixzz185sIkRfm

I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS…

 You will quickly notice this post has nothing to do with the job search process, job markets, or the factors that influence them.  This special post is my attempt to express my grief, and yes joy, in my father’s (Jack Walton Wiles) life and passing.  Unless I do, I feel any other attempts by me to be effective here will be for naught.           

A Special Christmas Post

             As some of you may, or may not, know I lost my father Jack Walton Wiles, in June 2010.  Fortunately, his passing was not prolonged or excessively painful.  I believe by his shear strength of character he managed to stay alive so we could share one last Father’s Day with him.

            And share it we did.  My most sincere gratitude goes to the staff and volunteers of Clarehouse in Tulsa, OK for that.  Clarehouse is a haven for those in their last days of life, along with their loved ones.  It provides a place where the dying may do so with comfort, peace and dignity and where families can focus totally on their loved one, and nothing else.  I can truly say I could not have hoped for my father’s passing to have come in a more beautiful place, or one that spoke more of him and his meaning to me.

              Jack Walton Wiles (dad, daddy, my old man, Uncle Jack, or just plain Jack) was a man known to many.  Even his passing reminded me of that fact.  I was amazed at the sheer volume of handshakes, greetings and hugs I received both before and after the Memorial service.  I met people from his and my past who were like mythological beings to me from the stories Dad told of them.  Moreover, in this present situation, I learned Dad had not exaggerated one iota in his telling of those tales.  His truly was the Greatest Generation.

            This morning I attended a special Christmas program based around the story of the Prodigal Son.  Sitting in the midst of the worship, I remember when I was the prodigal with my own father.  I can bear witness that as with any true father, my Dad did not hold up to me my faults and mistakes   Rather, he ran to greet me, to kiss me and gather me in his arms when I came to my senses and returned home.  I could not stay dry eyed at the memory.

            Speaking of tears, there are a lot of them right now.  I shed tears of missing him for sure.  However, much more so, I shed tears of joy at the memories of so many Christmases past with Dad.  There are memories of trips taken to cities and places far away,  often to be with my mother’s family, not his own.  There are also precious memories of Christmas with his mother – and learning of simple faith at her knee.  I remember watching him learn to snow ski on a Virginia mountainside when in his 50’s.  So perhaps I will take skiing up again, “they” say it is never too late.  I joyfully remembered “wild game” dinners where the fruits of his and others efforts as bird hunters took center stage.  This list can go on and on, and the memories still do for me.

            The point is, there are tears, but they are mostly tears of happy remembrances, and some of grief.  So if you see me on the street, in the aisle, or the hallway and detect there a look of sadness, or a tear, please remember Jack Walton Wiles, my father-my Dad.  Moreover, understand those tears are a mark of honor for man who had touched many, influenced more, and been a loving father and husband.  Do that and you will be honoring me as well. 

            Oh, and another thing, this too will pass.  Grief, like all of our other human emotions is but for a moment.  It is the memories that last forever.  If you have a memory of Jack W. Wiles, feel free to post it as a Comment to this blog.

If anyone is looking for an end of year place to make a charitable gift, let me encourage you to consider Clarehouse.  Their operations are supported 100% by charitable giving.  They charge those blessed by their services and facilities, nothing for that blessing.  You gift to them in memory of Jack W. Wiles would be most appreciated.  Click here to learn more about supporting Clarehouse.

Should I Put My Job Search On Hold For the Holidays?

Recently, a number of people I have spoken to have mentioned they are putting their job search on hold for the holidays.  Since Thanksgiving to New Years traditionally is a slow period of hiring in any job market, this may seem like a good action plan.   NOT! 

Putting your job search on hold at this time of the year is a piece of traditional/conventional  job market wisdom.  Some would say that all the holiday activities and demands make the search process just that much more stressful and who needs more stress-right?  Many point to the possibility that rejections during this period saying they will have a amplified impact on job seeker self-esteem.    Others just do not want to be reminded that their resources are limited, and gift giving maybe restricted or nonexistent this year.

All of these sound like good excuses for reduced activity, or no activity at all.  However, the non-traditional Job Market never closes and never sleeps.  If you will work it, your network is available 24X7, 365 days of the year.  While at this time of year your activity may be altered a little you still should be putting a full 40+ hours a week into your search.

This may not be the time of the year to be engaging in some of the more common network activities.  Yes, there are more holiday luncheons and parties so network members may be less able to allow time for coffee and lunch meetings with you.  Because many of your network contacts are aware their company has reduced or stopped their recruiting activities, they may believe their granting an information interview or taking a coffee invitation to be a little benefit to their company or you.

Still, there are networking and job search activities you can, and should engage in now.  First dust off your network contacts listing and be sure all of your contact information is correct and up to date.  Consider sending out Christmas Cards or a brief Holidays Note.  This is one of those activities that can make your stand out from the rest of the job-hunting crowd.  Just be sure to include any companies/contacts that you interviewed with or applied during the year.  What a way to remind your contacts you are still out there. 

You should accept every holiday party invitation you receive.  This includes both business and person invitations.   You make new network contacts to pursue in January, if you work the party.   And do not forget to attend your spouse’s employer’s party, too.   Now is a good time to wrangle an invitation to some of general industry or business community parties as well. 

Just because it is the holidays, does not mean you have to sit on the sidelines.  Volunteer to help at your church, synagogue, or other religious or charitable organization's gift and food distribution.  Arrange to stop by a local grade school and read holiday stories to the students.  Again, these activities will expose you to new people to add to your network AND give you self-esteem boost. 

Stay active on the personal/non-employment side of your life, also.  Definitely do not neglect your exercise and diet programs.  Do not fall prey to the temptation to let down your guard and put on those holiday pounds.  This is the season when more damage is done to the health and self esteem of Americans in just four short weeks than any other month of the year.  Stick to your regimen and in January you will be glad you did, as you will not have one more problem to deal with.

Do not assume that because you are unemployed gift giving is out.  Make something personal to give to those closest to you if you cannot afford to buy a gift.  You can use a hobby skill to create simple but personalized gifts.  Some ideas might be to write a poem and frame it, paint a picture, carve a gift or toy, or develop a scrapbook.  I recently unearthed my old Calligraphy stylebook and I am thinking of ways I can use it to make personalized gifts.  The list of possibilities is long – knitting, crocheting, leather working, writing, scrapbooking, and on and on and on.  

Wherever your Talents/Interests lie, there are opportunities for networking.   Track down an group that shares your interests, and join.  By attending their meetings, and getting involved you will meet new people, and that translate into new contacts.

So, as these sacred holidays approach, I greet you with Habari gani, warm Channukka  Blessings, Feliz Navidad,  Fröliches Weinachten, Noel, and  a Merry Christmas!

Just In Time For Christmas!

Yep, just in time for Christmas Tulsa, Oklahoma finally begins to get some positive job market news!  Really, it is only one piece, but it is a solid one.  Local manufacturing firm McElroy Manufacturing, Inc.  has run an advertisement today offering a $2,100.00 sign-on bonus for a wide variety of positions related to their operations.

 Why do I view this as a positive indicator?  Such sign-on bonus were almost routine back in the "good ol'e days", your remember 2004 through early 2007 don't you?  Those heady days when everyone seemed to think 2.7% unemployment was here to stay, and the economy could do nothing but grow-yes, the good old days.  This is the first time since then I have seen such a substantial bonus offered for such a diversity of "hard jobs". 

 "Hard jobs" are those that require and produce real physical inputs, and physical outcomes.  That is as opposed to those that only have a paper impact, such as banking, securities, and other financial sector jobs.  (I should note that this is the very sector where I began my working career many years ago.)

Congratulations to the good folks at McElroy, we are pulling for you!

The McElroy positions are based upon real demand for real products, not some speculator's, hedge fund, or fund manager's guess of the market's next move.  Not only will the products produced be real, but also they will have real lasting impact on the economy, as they are durable goods-the kind employers purchase with capital expenditures.

 I am sorry, but I have little faith in any sector of the economy where sales, revenues and profits are based upon the simple exchange of paper, or now computer bits and bytes.  Until someone converts that paper promise to pay, or those bits and bytes into a tangle firm asset they have no real value.  They are just potential value that "savvy businessmen" then try use to convince someone else to lend them more potential value in order to build the books. 

 Unfortunately, we all saw how high those wunderkind could build those books when their ivory towers came crashing down in late 2007 and early 2008.  Suddenly businesses and portfolios that had seemed golden, turned to lead, and sunk to the bottom of the pond.  We saw all the tradition "blue chip" securities lose significant value, some even filing for bankruptcy or closing their doors completely.   

However, the jobs McElroy and manufacturers like them will create.  They will also create orders for raw materials, intermediate components and assemblies, and goods and services.  Those also represent more tangible and real job growth for their vendors and suppliers and the communities where they exist. 

On a more cautionary note, I see that Bill Bartmann, of Commercial Financial Services (CFS) infamy, is at it once again.  In July this year, CFS II opened its doors in Tulsa.  An article in the Tulsa World Business section notes that new employees were reporting to work this week.  Just in time for Christmas-that’s a good thing.

I guess the recent rounds of bankruptcies, and subprime problems look like business opportunity to these bits and bytes boys and girls.  Never mind that the original CFS was the opening salvo in Oklahoma of the Great Recession we just now are trying to put behind us.

You have to admit, Bartmann has chutzpah.  CFS proved to be just as much a house of cards as the subprime lending, derivatives, and other financial tools that lead to the recent worldwide recession.  Nevertheless, here Bill is, going to try again. You can just bet his efforts will all be based upon the same types of derivative instruments that no one could understand and that took out folks like Lehman Brothers, almost crippled Sallie Mae and Freddie Mac, and so shook up the rest of us.   You do have to admit though; CFS II does have a fertile field of bankruptcies and defaults to mine. 

So, guess what?  CFS is back just in time for Christmas.  I guess I have to say that the news is still mixed-so stay tuned.

Now that is Something to be Thankful For!

This is a season for giving thanks.  I for one am very thankful that all job search clients who have been actively using our services have found gainful employment.  In some cases it is not their "ideal" job, but they pay their bills, and we keep collaborating with them to find a more suitable situation.  In others it seems like the employee and the job/situation were made for one another. 

 I also am thankful that I seem to have finally kicked the sinus infection that has been harassing me for the past six weeks!  Yeah, it has been a nasty one, of course not being the best patient, I probably have helped linger longer than I should have.  Anyway, I once again seem to have my energy back, and am in the swing of things!

 Now, let's talk about some things I am not so happy about.  Recently National Public Radio's (NPR) Morning Edition™ program began a series of pieces on looking at the employment market and it’s current status. They started off with what seemed an upbeat piece of news, more employers are looking to hire, and looking to hire “experienced” candidates. [http://www.npr.org/2010/11/15/131342946/employers-pickier-about-job-applicants-skills]  Those are candidates with education, skills, and experience to be able to enter an organization and begin making a contribution-almost immediately.  The down side wasn’t far behind in that those same employers seem to be getting more demanding about formal requirements, like college degrees.

This is excluding a myriad of the currently unemployed with experience who have more than sufficient experience to have gained all and more than a college degree can offer, but because they lack that “sheepskin”, these employer’s won’t touch them.  Ironically, when the economy was strong, and orders booming, these same candidates as employees were just what the organizations needed to “meet the challenge”. 

Gaining employment via the “traditional” path is out for these suddenly “defective” (read experienced) candidates.  The NPR program actually wound up by stating that many employers seem willing to not fill positions unless they get exactly what they want.

So, my advice?  Don’t skip the traditional job market, but sure don’t invest much time and effort into it.  Better to build (and nurture if you already have one) a strong personal and professional network.  That is those relationships with other individuals you meet and interact with on a day-to-day basis. 

Your network can include personal physicians, and their staffs, barbers, beauticians, and board members.  It should also include your neighbors, family and friends and acquaintances.  Anyone you know well enough to great by name and discuss the weather with should be in your network.

We should be network (relationship) building everyday of our lives, because you never know when you might need a great mechanic, plumber, photographer, or oncologist.  Likewise, you never know when you might find yourself among the ranks of the unemployed, or underemployed, and looking for a hand up to gainful or full employment.

Never assume that just because of what a person does, or does not do for a living, or what neighborhood they live in, that they would be of no value in your network.  The man who taught me that lesson was a living example of that advice.  During one particularly long and tough, he had to run an outplacement center for 800 and place them before starting look for his own job, he stuck to his own advice.  Ironically, it was because he did not fail to maintain and nurture his relationship with his own spouse, that success came his way. 

Because his spouse was clearly and currently aware of his job hunt objectives, and status, she was able to relate them to her newborn’s first pediatrician.  This was on the baby’s first visit to the doctor when he asked “How is your husband’s job search going?” It turns out that the pediatrician was the brother of the one man in her husband’s target organization, with the decision authority over the one open position in that organization her husband was qualified for and wanted to interview for!  Small world? 

That ‘s what happens when you Network.

After weeks of how own networking, his wife accomplished what he had not.  Her husband had a two-hour appointment with the decision maker the next day.  That interview lead to him beginning work in his target job the following Monday.  Amazing?  Not if you have spent much time with true networkers, because these stories abound in the “Non-Traditional Job Market”.

So,  when was the last time you tended to the care and nurturing of your own network?  The process should begin today, and right at home.  Take time to sit down with your husband, wife or significant other, and make sure they understand your job search, your objectives, and current status. 

Don’t leave your kids.  Keeping them in the loop can help them cope with anxiety, and help you.  Your kids have their own networks and everyone in those networks has parents who work somewhere-perhaps the somewhere you want to work, too!

Now that you think about it, that really is something to be thankful for!!!