When To Wine, Instead of Whine

With all the news in the headlines, you may find it hard not to feel anxious with regard to your own job search.

At least once a day I'm asked, "Should I stay where I am? Is it even possible for me to find a job in this market? How can I possibly find something I want when the unemployment rate is rapidly rising?"

Resist the temptation to feel sorry for yourself. Visit a job board like Indeed.com or SimplyHired.com. Type in a few key words of interest and see what comes up.

Chances are good that you will see jobs...Current openings that you can apply for. If your experience fits, you should move forward.

I was reminded of this recently when I stumbled upon a website that recently mentioned me in a blogpost...Winetalent.net

This website specializes in executive placement for positions in the wine industry. You don't have to be a vineyard owner to apply, you do need functional experience in the area to which you are applying and a demonstrated interest in the industry.

Even if you're not a oenophile (i.e. lover of wine) with a dream of working in the business full-time, the point here is a broader one: Not all jobs have ceased to exist, and there's a treasure trove of information about potential opportunities across different sectors available. Now get going!

It's better to go out in search of possibilities you'll love then to sit at home and whine...

Cheers,
Chandlee

Avoiding Summer Stagnation

Suddenly, summer's arrived with a vengeance: the U.S. unemployment rate has risen yet again, gas prices are at an all-time high, and many states are encouraging you not to eat summer's best tomatoes for fear of Salmonella. (In the words of Guy Clark, "What would life be without home grown tomatoes?)

With all of this dire news, I'm hearing from several potential job seekers that it's hard to motivate. Common party lines include "it's easier to stay where I am, even if I'm unhappy," "my vacation's already planned," and "who's hiring anyway?"

I challenge you to consider applying now. For many sectors, it is actually the ideal time to be looking for a new job. Here's why: Many organizations, especially non-profits and educational institutions run on a July 1- June 30 fiscal year cycle. For these organizations, summer can be a time of hiring booms, particularly as new hires are often approved for a new fiscal year and employees depart for new positions.

In case you need a jump start, here are three strategies to help you get going--even while you're on a vacation:

1. Be a passive job seeker: Find out what's available by establishing job search alerts on career sites such as Indeed, Monster, and Simply Hired to alert you of openings in your areas of interest.


2. Keep a record of what's available--and a running tab on positions you've applied to--through Jibber Jobber.


3. Find a friend to hold you to your word: Enlist the help of a friend, mentor, or trusted career advisor to be your "accountability partner" and to help you benchmark your progress against your goals. Having someone to check-in with on your status can help you "get it done."

Many happy returns!

On Being Grounded

Career discussions that focus on job options and lifestyle choices frequently involve a brief mention of the importance of "being grounded": to have a home base, to be able to define what your core skills are, to know how your skills "stick."

But grounding isn't always good. Sometimes it's necessary to go out of your way not to do it.

I was reminded of this last night on my way home in the New York subway system. I started out taking the R train out of Prince Street. There was a cluster of Wall Street bankers, and they were talking quite loudly about the benefit of the recession to smaller financial services firms: from their perspective, these firms will be the lucky beneficiaries of the recent layoffs at Bear Stearns and other banks. I resisted the urge to interrupt and question whether this might also be an appropriate time for laid off employees to consider market sectors outside of the financial industry--market "pockets" where hiring projections outnumber pink slips and a deep talent pool. Given the sheer market numbers (and the widely reported statistic that every laid off Wall Street employee ultimately affects three other positions), I couldn't help but think that contemplation of alternative industries which use similar skills might also be useful. For example, I would imagine that a former communications VP on Wall Street might transition into a position in new media uptown: both are fast paced work environments, and I've heard that there's a shortage of senior management talent in this young industry. (This tip compliments of a career fair on Interactive Advertising sponsored by 212).

When I arrived at 42nd Street to transfer trains, I lost sight of the i-bankers and focused on the platform as I discovered subway workers on the train rails--picking up trash, using rakes, and wearing headlamps. I was uneasy, given that:

• The overhead announcer made it clear that the trains were still running on the track,
• I knew that one of the rails on the track was a "live" one in order for the trains to run, and
• I had recently read a NYT article about accidental deaths of subway workers.

The men on the tracks finished their work, but one worker stayed behind on the platform. I asked him about the live rail, and he gave me a quick crash course in how to avoid it: if you touch it, it won't hurt you unless you are grounded. If you're touching metal (in other words, if you are "grounded" to something else on the subway floor or to an object)--you'll be gone before you can blink an eye. He said the key was knowing the danger, and taking good care to avoid it.

Score one for the importance of taking care to "not be grounded" in New York.