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Job Searching While you Still Have a Job

Jenni Hammitt — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:36:42 +0000

By Jenni Hammitt

January 30, 2009

I have a job. I have a decent job. So why on earth am I trying to do a job search in this lousy job market? Regardless of the economy, there is a point where you have grown as much as you can in your current job and it is time to start looking into other options. Of course you tend to have better luck when the economy is doing well, but just because your timing is off doesn’t mean you should put off your search.

Some job searchers are unemployed or disgruntled, and their job searches are often an uphill battle. They are in search of something/anything that might work. This usually results in applying for many less than ideal positions. If you have a job that is currently meeting your needs, and isn’t making you crazy, you can be more selective. You can take the time to look into jobs before you send off your resume and before you choose to interview. Yes you are exploring your options, but the pressure isn’t there to find something and find something quickly.

If you have not revamped your resume lately, make sure to do this before you start submitting it. Add in any new responsibilities or certifications you may have. Typos and misspellings are a sure fire way to hit the recycle bin quickly, so make sure your resume is edited. In this market there are more people applying to few jobs, so you want to make sure your resume sticks out in a good way.

Don’t just apply for something just to apply for it. Only apply for jobs that you meet the criteria for and you are actually interesting in pursuing. Otherwise you end up fielding too many undesirable options. Also, if you apply to every single open position a company has at a given time (regardless of what the position is), you may come across as just desperate. Now if I found a school that had three student services positions open, I was qualified for all three, and I was interested in all three of them, that is one thing. I genuinely like working in student services. Now applying for all 18 openings would be overkill.

Also, be honest with your supervisor whenever possible. I know in corporate America, this is not always an option. Telling your boss you are looking elsewhere for employment is many times shooting yourself in the foot. It can be taken as a threat, a sign of hostility, or lack of loyalty to the company or worse. Doing your job search in a veil of secrecy and having to come up with reasons to leave work for interviews can be daunting. I’ve been lucky to have the option of telling my boss that no, I am not unhappy with my job, and no I do not want to leave the college. If there is an internal opening I am interested in, I will apply for it.

That being said, I’m to a point where I need to start planning for my future and I can’t just wait for an opening to post and then hope I get it. I am looking into other options, and I may interview from time to time. This way when I need the time off, there are not lame excuses or dropping of bombshells.

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Fix it Nix: I’m Stuck in the Wrong Career

Nicholas Johnson — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:11:59 +0000

By Nicholas Johnson

October 9, 2008

Dear Nix:

I know I’m in the completely wrong career field. I do okay with it, get recognized and rewarded. However, it gets harder and harder every day to work here…my productivity, which has never been great, has slowly deteriorated. I know I was born to do other things. I’m afraid my downward trend at work may be an unconscious attempt at self-sabotage. I could take a stab at other career fields that interest me, but I get compensated well and I have a lot of financial obligations (some credit, mostly student loans). Plus, who doesn’t like to make some decent scratch? It would be very difficult for me to jump ship to a career field where I’d probably have to take a 50% or greater pay cut. What should I do?

Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

The most difficult thing to do in life is to find your happiness. Considering that we spend approximately 33% of our lives sleeping and almost 25% of our week working, it’s no surprise that so many people are dissatisfied. Most of us spend our childhood having our families tell us that we “have to go to college” and “have to get a good job”. More often than not, we are given the directive but no real plan of action.

I was given the same orders growing up. So, I hurried up to get out of high school and go to college. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before I failed out. My performance had little to do with whether or not I was smart or if I could apply myself. It had everything to do with my inability to see the benefits or the necessity of a college degree. A big part of it was that I just wasn’t ready to accept the slice of working-class pie that the world is offering.

The best advice I ever received from my stepfather was when he told me, “they don’t call it work for nothin’.” Truer words have never been spoken. If it was supposed to be fun, it would be called something else. It’s also the reason that we often feel that we were meant to do other things in life. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a desk jockey. (On a side note: I never dreamed of becoming a writer of an advice column) I dreamt of being an artist. I wanted to be the next Picasso or Rothko. And in a lot of ways, I still do.

At the same time, I need to be able to keep the lights on and food in the refrigerator. So like most of us, I walk the tightrope of life. It’s a hell of a balancing act to maintain. Every day, I want to get up and walk out but I don’t. I have to allow myself my moments to dream of setting my desk afire and feeling the explosions at my back. Then my phone rings and I am back to reality. I’m back to giving my all (well, 70% or so) to a company that doesn’t appreciate me as much as I wish that they did.

I’m right there with you buddy. I feel your pain brother. I’m willing to bet that like me the money was the worm on the hook. And just like the fish on a fisherman’s line, it sucks to know that every moment of your day you feel that you are being reeled in. When income is a driving force, it’s incredibly difficult to break free. Money doesn’t buy us happiness, it gives us options. More often than not, we choose the option that will provide the most positive feedback from our peers.

That’s the reason that we buy 80″ HD Televisions, 3 mpg mammoth SUVs, and 6 room houses that we can’t afford to furnish. We choose a lifestyle that solicits the WOWs. It makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside. We become WOW junkies. We have to continuously go bigger and better to feed our addiction.

Like any addiction, we generally know what is going on, but we feel powerless to overcome it. We make excuses for why we can’t break away. For you, it’s that you have bills to pay. For some it’s because of family obligations. Still for others, it’s lack of education, training, etc.. At the end of the day it’s just excuses. The reality is that we’re always going to be in debt in some manner or another. What happens when you pay off your student loans? Sure, you might save a little or you might start applying this newly freed up income to your mortgage or car note; but more than likely, you’re going to find something else to spend it on. That’s a way of life.

There are really only two options that I could recommend if you truly feel that you have a greater calling. The first is to spend the time doing a little soul searching. Find what it is that you would rather be doing. Maybe you make a list that you can post on your bathroom mirror that you can look at every day. There is a good chance that you already know what you want to do and you just need to spend the time figuring out your plan of action. One key step to include in your plan of action is to learn how to live leaner or find ways that you can start surviving with less income.

This may be as simple as brown-bagging it for lunch and cooking at home, or it could be that you have to break out the scissors for your credit cards. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but it is definitely going to be worth it. The other option I’d propose is to slip on your jockstrap and take the leap of faith. By forcing yourself into a crisis, you are given the opportunity to get the most out of yourself. The instincts take over and you are not given the chance for your brain to out-think itself.

It’s not easy to find all of the pros when your life is constantly pounding you with the cons. Overcoming the fear of all of the consequences that a life change presents is in itself a monumental achievement. So let me present you with one question: Do the consequences of making a life change outweigh the consequences of living a life that is devoid of real happiness?

One key thing to remember is that your biggest allies in any life decisions will always be your family and friends. They will always support your choices when it comes to you finding your happiness. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and for their support. You’ll be surprised at how much strength and courage they can provide. This is because we all find happiness in seeing those close to us succeeding. In a way, seeing your friends succeed is in itself a small win for us.

Life is always going to be the 800 lb. gorilla on your back. It will always be the rain cloud over your head. But it does not mean that you can’t make a change and do what you need to do to find your happiness.

Anonymous, I thank you for your question and I wish you the best of luck in your life. Please keep me posted and abreast of your progress. Don’t be afraid to take the road less traveled. Succeed or fail, you’ve got a life lesson ahead of you.

Fix-it Nix can be contacted via email (nixjohnson@hotmail.com)

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You Try Working from Home

Jenni Hammitt — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 12:47:35 +0000

By Jenni Hammitt

October 4, 2008

In today’s economy, it isn’t uncommon for people to have multiple jobs. Many people juggle two and three jobs just make ends meet. I am no different, except in that two of my jobs let me work from home. For some reason, people don’t understand that concept. If I was working at Starbucks, people wouldn’t call me and after I said I was at work and keep jabbering on for over half an hour. Working from home takes a certain level of discipline, and it is made harder by friends and family who just don’t get it.

I know that traditionally you “go” to work. Yes, you actually leave your home and travel to another location. You have a pretty standard work day, and then you drive/ride home. When you work from home, you do all the things you would do if you had an actual office, but you do them from the comforts of your own home. That offers a certain amount of flexibility. You can adapt your schedule to be so much more than a typical 9-5.

However, you still have deadlines and expectations to meet. I think that is the part people just don’t get. If I have three articles and a blog with deadlines at midnight, and I have given myself five hours to get it all done, I don’t really have time to do anything else. I know it might just seem like I am at home hanging out, but I am really quite busy. I know people who work from home full-time, and they experience this on a much bigger scale. They may be able to take shorter days here and there. In many cases, they don’t have to be up at the crack of dawn.

However, there are days where they work long hours to generate sales, meet deadlines, and complete their respective tasks. People just assume that working from home is a lot of vegging around the house, but many times it is time consuming hard work. In my case, I work four jobs, so I have to manage my time wisely. I have to set aside time to work on writing projects and for Cha Cha and stick to those timelines. Otherwise, I would always be behind. As my writing business keeps picking up, I am going to need to focus on this more and more. It isn’t “free” time and I can’t just drop everything to accommodate others.

So the next time you call a friend who works from home and they tell you they are busy with work, tell them you will call back later. The next time they say they can’t hang out because they are working, just say “Okay” and let them get back to it. Just because they are at home and not at an “office” does not mean they are not working diligently to complete their tasks.

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Book Review: The 4-Hour Workweek

Daniel Dessinger — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:57:53 +0000

By Daniel Dessinger

June 18, 2008

A coworker first told me about The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss in November of 2007. And I began reading it right around Thanksgiving; however, that was also during a time when I was having a lot of difficulty focusing on any book. I had 3 or 4 or maybe even 5 or 6 lying around my house that I'd started and just never got quite interested enough to finish. And this one got added to that pile.

I finally finished reading it in March of this year. It's definitely a book that makes you think, and I've been thinking about it and what it advocates ever since I finished it. Ferriss introduces the idea of the New Rich. He says the New Rich "are those who abandon the deferred-life plan and create luxury lifestyles in the present using the currency of the New Rich: time and mobility[1] " Basically, you live your retirement (or mini-retirements) while you're young and active, rather than waiting until retirement age when you may or may not have your health or enough money to do what you've always dreamed of doing.

He spends the rest of the book explaining how he liberated himself from his internet company by eliminating time management and automating certain tasks. He contends that the typical 9-to-5/40-hour workweek is an arbitrary idea. He believes that many people create unnecessary work just to keep busy for 8 hours a day 5 days a week. He differentiates between effectiveness and efficiency and suggests that through making yourself more effective, you'll be able to liberate yourself from the commonly accepted 9-to-5 routine by proving that you can get just as much work done in half the time.

With all the technological advances today, it's much easier for people to work from home than it ever has been, and I've heard some friends sing the praises of the freedom and flexibility, and in the very next breath, talk about how much more stressful it is. Sure you have the freedom to work from home, but then that means that you can't really get away from work. Instead of leaving work at work, you bring it home with you – literally.

Ferriss admits that implementing this sort of thing is much easier for independent entrepreneurs because you don't have a boss. You ARE the boss, but as previously stated, he doesn't say that it's impossible if you do have a boss. You just have to work a little harder, and he gives several examples of how to convince your boss that you can be just as effective from home, or anywhere else for that matter.

In these economic times, things are harder for everyone, and reading about how Ferriss has liberated himself and can therefore travel all around the world, will probably make you more than a little disenchanted with the current state of things. However, if you can quiet your ego long enough to learn from his ideas about bolstering productivity, you might just make yourself an even more important asset to your company, which in better economic times, might mean that you could one day follow in Ferriss' footsteps and maybe even blaze a few trails of your own.

* Timothy Ferris, The 4-Hour Workweek (New York: Crown Publishers, 2007), p. 7.

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Finding a Job in 2008: The Hunt

Daniel Dessinger — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:42:36 +0000

By Daniel Dessinger

June 3, 2008

I've been a recruiter, professionally, for nine years. Recently, it seems more and more people are asking me about the best ways to find a job or how to improve their resumes and cover letters. It's obvious, no matter which political side you sit on, that our economy is taking a major hit. Employers are beginning to lay off people, albeit ever-so-secretly, but it's happening. Employees are realizing that they need a job that pays more money since gasoline is up so high, the cost of food has radically increased and their economic stimulus check has already been spent. I decided that maybe I should try to shed some light, from a recruiter's perspective, on the best ways for someone to land a job.

One of the biggest misconceptions in finding a job is the resume. We've been taught that the resume can only be one page. We've been taught that a resume should detail every thing you've ever done in your professional life. We may have also been taught that adding personal statistics can liven up a resume. I'm here to tell you, these are all false. Resumes are no longer one-page identities of your professional life.

Statistically speaking, people "job hop" more and more, especially in our younger generations. However, with that said, it's never a good idea for a resume to be a book. Your resume needs to be a concise, descriptive and quick reading. It's true when you hear that recruiters only take a minute or two to look over a resume. I'm proof of that. You have to keep in mind that we get HUNDREDS of resumes a day. Literally. I don't have the time to look over one hundred resumes in full detail. It's impossible, so keep it concise yet reflective of what you can do best. And for the love of all that's holy, we don't need to know that you're divorced with three children who are all Boy Scouts. Keep the personal statistics to yourself, in regards to a resume.

So now that we have that out of the way, here's my two cents. Network, network, network. The days of Monster and CareerBuilder being the only places that lists openings are over. If you haven't created a profile on LinkedIn, you need to do that immediately. Don't just create a profile, though. You need to interact on LinkedIn (a social network for professionals) daily. The more connections you have, the more opportunities you can find. Also, do you attend any type of group meetings, clubs or organizations relative to your job profession?

For example, if I'm recruiting for a designer for the ad agency I'm employed with, my best bet is to find him/her at a local designer organization/club/association. Or I simply pick up the phone and call every designer I know and ask if they have anyone they would recommend. Referrals are really the best way recruiters and companies obtain the best talent. So network, network, network.

Here's the bottom line. No one is safe in this economy. Just because I'm a recruiter doesn't mean I don't risk getting laid off. So keep your resume updated and keep interacting with social networks so you can meet people that you would never have the chance in real life to meet. If you know of any openings, then let your friends and colleagues know. Karma works in the job search too!

What are your thoughts? Have you found any advice that works best for you in regards to finding a job? Where do you network? I would love to hear your comments below!

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Confessions of an Office Slacker

Daniel Dessinger — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:45:24 +0000

By Daniel Dessinger

May 9, 2008

I work at a small office. A very small, very boring office where we do menial work that would be done far more efficiently by a computer or a zombie. Honestly, a computer could do my job far more efficiently and I live in fear for the day that my employer realizes this and puts a computer in my place. The computer also wouldn’t crunch loudly on sunflower seeds, text, twitter, or take frequent restroom breaks because she’s fidgety and can’t sit still for five seconds. The computer wouldn’t cost twenty grand a year and also would never, ever complain about it being too cold. Ever.

A variety of people are employed at my place of business, but most of them tend to be anti-social eccentrics who keep to themselves. They laugh at inappropriate times and have no clue what to say to you in the elevator. They live alone and don’t really talk to people and tend to be in their late 40’s. Being in my mid-twenties and fairly social, I tend to stand out. But I really like this job because I can come in hung over with green hair and a paint covered t-shirt, sweats and fuzzy slippers and no one even looks at me funny (yes, this was an actual outfit.) I will admit that I’m a slacker, and the ability to be one and still work is the most appealing part of this job. God forbid I work somewhere I actually have to dress up- or wear shoes.

My boss is very nice – probably too nice for her own good. She tends to be very non-confrontational about things, and would rather not offend anyone than say what she really thinks. This works out for me, because I’m passive aggressive. When she instituted the no-cell phone rule, it was because I had spent almost an entire day running out of the office with my phone so I could talk to various people about my evening plans. I’m at least a little surprised that I haven’t been fired yet, but I’m decent at what I do. Or not. Like I said, she is very, very non-confrontational.

To be quite honest, it would probably be in my best interest to look for a position doing something I’m more interested in. But I don’t think they have a position for a wanna-be gypsy, or professional tequila drinker, or serial procrastinator. But if they do have that kind of a position available, you should totally pencil me in.

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Bring Your Dog to Work

Daniel Dessinger — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:45:12 +0000

By Daniel Dessinger

May 7, 2008

According to a CNN/Money poll in 2006, 75% of all dog owners would work longer hours if they could bring their dog to work. In this day of employers trying to create "work-life harmony" and adding more value to their employee's' benefits, bringing a dog to work sounds like a fantastic idea. I'm here to tell you, it is!

As a recruiter for an advertising agency here in Dallas, I get to bring my dog, Deco, to work with me every single day. I adopted Deco from the Animal Rescue of Texas back in June 2007 when he was just 3 months old. One of the important factors for me in getting a dog was the fact my employer allowed me to bring him to work. The last thing I personally wanted to do was leave a 3 month old puppy in a crate by itself in my apartment.

A lot of people ask me why my company allows me to bring Deco to work. If you think about it, from a company's perspective, it allows an employee to be more productive and it keeps the employee in the office. It's definitely to their advantage to add this option to a benefits package. My employer created some basic guidelines for those of us who bring our dogs to work:

(1) All dogs must have current vaccination shots, rabies shots, etc.

(2) If you dog leaves your cube/office, the dog must be on a leash at all times.

(3) There is a fenced-in area outside where all dog owners take their dogs to use the restroom. Doggie bags are at every entrance in our building. All employees are responsible for keeping the environment clean.

I've been recruiting for over nine years. I can't think of a more unique way to sell my company to potential employees. Even our clients love seeing our four-legged friends roaming the halls or sitting in a conference room.

Now before you think there is no way your company would allow this, consider these points. Did you know some of the top Fortune 500 companies have adopted the "bring your dog to work" policy? Google and Amazon allow their employees to bring their dogs to work. There are at least 3 local employers here in Dallas that have given this benefit to their employees as well. If you're interested in finding a company that has a "Bring Your Dog To Work" policy, check out www.simplyhired.com/a/special-searches/dog-friendly.

Finally, did you know Friday, June 20th is Take Your Dog To Work Day? If you're serious about having your employer consider this policy, I would suggest getting a group of co-workers to approach your company's HR or leadership and discuss with them the added benefits and reasons why you should bring your best friend to work. Start off small and ask your company to adopt June 20th as Take Your Dog To Work Day.

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Daniel Dessinger Joins VIZION Interactive

Daniel Dessinger — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:30:21 +0000

By Daniel Dessinger

October 9, 2006

I decided to go against tradition and stick with a blog post rather than an interactive press release. It’s official: Monday, October 2nd was my first day at Vizion Interactive, Inc. It’s an exciting move – one full of possibilities. I’ve worked with the president of the company on several projects over the past year. Recently, he called me up and offered me a full-time position – something we had discussed at length back in January yet never acted on.

After the crucial discussion with my wife (I’m no fool), I accepted the position. I know that some people will think it ironic that I joined an interactive marketing company that specializes in SEO. I think it’s kind of ironic too. Quite a few SEO “experts” have left quite a bad taste in my mouth, but contrary to popular opinion, I don’t hold that against everyone in the profession.

I am a writer at heart, and so I prefer to write creatively as the “juices” flow. That’s great and all, but there are many other tasks to be accomplished in the interactive marketing space and I respect them for their level of difficulty and sheer necessity. With that said, I would like to thank the team for the warm welcome. I look forward to contributing where I can and learning quite a bit at the same time. The team is earning new and repeat business left and right, and it’s exciting to be on the team!

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