The Laid-Off Life: How I Got Here From There

“This was what could happen to you: you could end up this far from where you thought you were going." - Wally Lamb, She's Come Undone

Most blogs on career sites are your standard ‘How To Find a Job’ types. You know, “How To Utilize LinkedIn”, “Ten Tips On A Winning Interview”, “How To SEO Your CV For HR, ASAP”. Well folks, that’s unfortunately not me, because were I an expert on those subjects, I wouldn't be writing this particular blog. I’m not here to tell you to treat your job search like a full-time job or on what type of paper to print your résumé. Conversely, I’m like many of you: out of work (a victim of the economy, as they say), reassessing career choices, and looking for a job. And looking. And looking some more. Like Sawyer said to Sayid, “He’s our you.”



Ten or so months ago, I, along with an assortment of my coworkers, came down with a terminal case of “sudden employment amputation”. The company for which I was working, in a job I just loved, became a statistic in the economic downturn, forced to sell to a larger, out-of-state competitor. After the new owners wrung a couple months of transition work out of us, about half the workforce was kindly asked not to return on Monday. Thank you for all your hard work, good luck, and may we please have your keys. Cue the ‘crud, now what?’ moment.

I’ve had numerous jobs in my life, in a few different careers, but I’d never been laid off. I had no idea what to do. How does Unemployment Compensation work? Do I qualify for COBRA? Is my résumé still in Word 95? And most importantly: how the heck do I find a new job? I know a lot of you can relate. It stinks. There’s emotional trauma inherent in the transition. And practical trauma. And of course, financial trauma. I applied for Unemployment. I updated my résumé. I checked my LinkedIn page for the first time in like a year. I scoured CareerBuilder and HotJobs and Monster. I asked my friends for leads and connections. I posted for help on Facebook and, lord help me, even MySpace. Then I was out of ideas.

Fortunately, I had friends with knowledge I did not possess, and that, young Skywalker, makes all the difference. I learned how to use Twitter as a job-search tool. I got advice about LinkedIn groups and résumé organization. I found freelance work on Craigslist. I got tips about “talent placement” agencies. I subscribed to blogs and followed the right people on Twitter and read e-newsletters. I got leads, I got interviews, I got call-backs. I even got a job, and then lost it before I even started (more on that another day). But yet I sit here with you, comrades, still amongst the 30% or so of unemployed and underemployed Americans.



And that’s why I’m here. Thanks to one of those knowledgeable friends, I discovered PhillyJobs.com, and I’m confident (hard to type with my fingers crossed) that I’ll find something wonderful around the corner. But until then I’m here for you. Rather, I’m here with you. Each week I’ll share with you my trials and errors of a year on the open market, weathered potholes and pristine Macadam along the Job Hunting Highway. I’ll share stories of where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m going, and hopefully you’ll share back with me. And if you have a job for which I’d be perfect (or at least competent), drop me a line. I’m not afraid of a little self-promotion. Or groveling. Call it what you wish.

My point in all this? The reality is that I’m not, and you’re not, alone. My story is one of thousands around the Delaware Valley and millions around the nation. And that, in and of itself, is the saving grace. I can keep my head up and stay positive because I know many people — friends, colleagues, neighbors — in the same boat. I know it’s not me. And it’s not you. We’ll find what we’re looking for, it will just take patience and persistence. And a little fortuitousness. That’s the formula.

Now I must ask my boss for the afternoon off so I can watch the Phillies game. Oh wait, I am the boss! There are some advantages to the Laid-Off Life.



Michael Hochman  ◙  LaidOffLife@yahoo.com  ◙  twitter.com/PhillyPartTwo

Michael is a Copywriter, Creative Marketer, and Broadcasting Professional still in search of full-time employment after 10 months of full-time job hunting, thanks to an “involuntary career sabbatical”. A Philly native and Syracuse graduate, Michael will gladly accept any job offer you may have for him. Any. Really. Please give me a job??

Job Seekers, Are You Ready for the Next Philadelphia Job Fair?

If you’re currently searching for jobs in Philadelphia, you know just how competitive the city’s job market can be in today’s economy. That’s why it is important to take advantage of every opportunity available to get face-to-face with employers. Registering for a job fair can be an excellent way to do this, but only if you’re prepared to use the event to your full benefit. If you don’t make the most of the experience, you’ll just be wasting your time. 

New Job Hob Nob comes to Philadelphia in June 

Take the upcoming New Job Hob Nob, for example. This recruiting event takes place on June 16^th at Jack’s Firehouse on Fairmount Avenue from 5pm – 8pm. What’s great about this Philadelphia event is how it has been designed as a casual networking event (“Meet, Mingle, & Match” is their slogan) without the typical booths and lines. It’s also limited to 250 job seekers, so it’s a good idea to register early. Before you register, though, you should be sure you’re prepared to do the following: 

• Research the job fair. Are they hiring for positions you are interested in? Which employers will be there? What can you learn about the companies, recruiters, and available positions? You may not be able to find out all this information at the time of registration, but do your best to research all you can prior to the date of the fair. Employers want to know that you understand what they do and with research you can discuss how your expertise can both meet their needs and add value. 
• Prepare an oral professional biography. Be ready to discuss who you are and what you’ve done in a brief format while highlighting the most pertinent and impressive information. Practice this so you can get through your bio smoothly and comfortably. 
• Dress professionally. Yes, the event has a casual atmosphere, but employers don’t want to see you in sandals and a t-shirt. Always dress in a manner that shows you are a professional in your field, take the employment opportunity seriously, and will be an excellent representative of the company that hires you.
• Have many copies of your resume available to hand directly to recruiters. It is important that your resume is appropriately formatted and error-free. Also, make sure you are familiar enough with your format to be able to easily guide recruiters through the points of your resume that will be relevant to their available position. 
• View the event as a networking experience. There is no way to know what the path will be to your next job. It may come about through discussions with other job-seekers. Even those recruiters who can’t use your skills may know of someone who can, or may remember you when a future position becomes available. Be positive, professional, and an especially good listener.  Ask questions. The best opportunities often come from taking in information and using it smartly, rather than by distributing it with hopes it will land in the right hands 
• Ask for business cards. Ask recruiters for their business cards and if you can follow up with them later. Always follow up with a thank you email or mailed letter. Following this, make a phone call reminding him or her of the job fair and your interest in the position.
• Log your experiences. Who are the recruiters you met with and from which companies? Note anything important about your discussions – personal or professional. What did they focus on in particular? Do this immediately after the job fair or you are bound to forget these details.

Done Right, the Job Fair is Never a Waste of Time

Follow these steps and your Philadelphia job fair experience will be a success. While the job fair may be a direct or indirect avenue to a job, with good preparation you can feel confident that you took full advantage of the opportunity and didn’t waste your time. Don’t forget, your job fair preparation and face-to-face time with employers offers the best way to fine-tune how you conduct your job search and the best training and practice around for your next job interview.

And if you're looking for more great ways to discover the latest Philly job opportunities, check out PhillyJobs.com today!

- Lynn Mattoon

Welcome to PhillyJobs.com Blog! Top Ten List on ‘Why you’ll want to read this blog everyday.’

The primary focus of our PhillyJobs.com blog is to provide our readers with interesting job seeker insights, innovative career search tips as well as “how to” articles and helpful resources to enable you to find your dream job today!

We welcome comments and feedback and will be posting frequently so subscribe to our blog articles and share with your friends!

Find your dream job today!
 

"Top Ten List on ‘Why you’ll want to read this blog everyday."

10. Declare your job independence.  Philadelphia is a city of “firsts.” First bank, first stock exchange, oldest zoo, largest city park, first snowball thrown at Santa (yeah we’re sorry about that, really). Find out what your first step should be for discovering a more rewarding career.

9. There's more to life than cheesesteaks and soft pretzels. Our career tips will make your day-to-day life that much better. And btw, true Philly natives know cheesesteaks are best not with whiz but with provolone, and always ordered ‘wit’. And the cheese is for the steak, not for the pretzel. Mustard only, please. 

8. Back in the day, Philadelphia was the largest city setting the standard throughout the nation.  And while we’re no longer the largest, we remain a key player with lots of ‘Philly-tude’ and pride in setting trends and norms—read up on the hottest industry trends and happenings in the City of Brotherly Love.

7. Engage your friends in your job search. We offer the easiest ways and best places for you to further build your networking contacts in Philly. Are you both Phillies fans? Great! Both 76ers fans? I’m sorry for both of you. Either way, we offer the easiest ways and best places to further build your networking contacts in Philly.

6. We’ll tell you how to improve your résumé and stand out from the crowd, because the fan wearing the Flyers jersey at a Rangers home game will always get noticed. Luckily, our résumé critique is a little safer than dressing in orange & black at MSG.

5. We offer comprehensive resources so that you can climb the corporate ladder just like Rocky Balboa climbed the Art Museum steps. But the part about sparring with frozen meat on a hook, we’ll leave up to you.

4. Receive actual career tips that work! Because “chillin’ out, maxin’, relaxin’ all cool” will only land you a job if you’re Will Smith. Although if you have a rich Auntie and Uncle in Bel Air looking for a boarder, please let me know.

3. Like a Mummer down Broad Street on New Years, strut your stuff with confidence when you go on your next job interview. However, we suggest you dress professional and leave that Fancy Brigade feather-and-glitter headdress at home.

2. Find your passion! Whatever your interests we can help you pursue them, whether you love shopping for vintage clothes at Peddler’s Village or amateur dendrology at Tyler Arboretum, our blog will provide useful tips to help you craft your ultimate job search plan.

1. As important as it is to you, it’s just as important to us. Let us help you find a job you’ll love. And that’s love with a capital “LOVE”, as big as the sculpture in JFK Plaza. Ya, it's out there.

So subscribe to our blog, comment below and stay tuned for our next post tomorrow!

Getting Hired for Your First Full-Time Healthcare Job

When you’re new to hunting for a gig in the medical or nursing field, there are some career strategies you should use to make yourself an ideal candidate. These are especially helpful for those looking for nursing and physician assistant positions.

When you’re a newly certified health professional, flexibility is the key to employability. Show a willingness to work any shift—the more availability you have, the more desirable you are to a hiring manager. However, if family concerns or other issues limit your availability, you can offset that disadvantage in other ways.

For starters, be willing to take a less-than-ideal opening position and work yourself into a better job after proving yourself. Are you looking for a job as a clinical research nurse or something similar? Find a gig that will let you get close to those positions to learn the facility’s needs, and start positioning yourself once your probationary or introductory hiring period is over.

When it comes to teaching positions like nurse educators, there’s no replacement for on-the-job experience to make you a more ideal candidate. Take all the opportunities you can to become a well-rounded healthcare professional.

If you’re after home healthcare jobs in the early stages of your career, don’t overlook the importance of being exposed to a wide range of treatment situations. Getting some initial experience in a hospital or nursing home; it may give you perspective you can’t get doing home healthcare.

Consider your career goals and ask yourself what gives you the best advantage. Nursing positions, for example, can be specialized in a number of ways. Do you want to be a critical care nurse, or specialize in ambulatory care?

Knowing what direction you want to head in is a big help when trying to narrow down your job search. It’s important to be flexible, but you should always try to move towards your career goals even if just in a general way.

Ask yourself, what are the possible outcomes if you take a particular job? Think through that question when filling out your job applications. The answers can help you make a more informed decision about your first job.