"recognition of this time in life is important"

Arrival vs. landing? Tim writes:

I’ve always preferred the term “arrival” since “landing” sounds like you’ve just returned from a bumpy flight.

And while that may better describe your job search journey, to me “arriving” sounds more like something to celebrate. Recognition of your completing a successful effort. Having learned a few things along the way. And allowing yourself to be changed by the experience.

I have used landing even with the "Land ho" of the recent contract position. I tend to use it in the context of the explorers, landing on a new continent or island and ready to go explore.

While a minor difference in wording, there is no intent on my part to stir any controversy. The perspective is interesting.

Which do you like: arrival or landing?


You can read Tim's full posting here. I do endorse the celebration which ever way you call it!

"create the outline of the lives we aspire to"

The despair we’ve experienced as a result is not only our greatest tragedy, but one of humanity’s as well, in a most profound sense. While former generations may have experienced far more difficult times in terms of poverty, physical hardship, death & sickness, there was always, at the core, a notion of hope, of faith, and of conviction in the human race, and in the opportunities that the future might have held–if only they worked hard enough.

We, on the other hand, are not so naive anymore.

The 99'ers. Those close to reaching 99 weeks. There are too many folks in that realm.

I believe that faith still counts.

• Faith in oneself is where you can start. 
• Faith that you can do what is necessary. 
• Faith that your network can help you. 
• Faith that you do have something worthy to share and contribute. 

In order to free ourselves from the icy grips of the despair, we must learn to create–to invent, forge, hand-construct, and bring into existence–the road we wish to travel. And create our own forward locomotion down that road.

It is no longer a question of what you want to do, but rather, who do you want to become?

There is a difference

Viva la difference!

What are you going to do today to advance yourself?


You can read Ash's full post at the middle finger project here

Maybe it is not "so cold and lonely on the digital side"?

Anna Tarkov concludes a recent post by writing:

Perhaps it's not surprising that many journalists and writers of the techie persuasion are going to work for, well, tech start-ups or starting their own media companies or news websites. As Dave Winer (one of my favorite people writing online) noted: 

If you've created too complex a world, the next generation will just create a new one that's simpler. One that they understand and you don't.

The "complex world" is the current media landscape and the new one that's being created is all too often not inside established news organizations.

As a job seeker, you also have a 'complex world.'  One where the old way (business as usual) has gone out the door, likely to not return. Two where the new way has come about suddenly via some form of digital technology.



The harsh reality - cling to the old and you'll stay unemployed. Embrace the new and you will find something to leverage what you have experienced in the new world. It will be yours for the making!


Your choice!

You can read Anna's full posting here

Free Webinar for Job Searchers

Making Holiday Networking Work! A Guide for Job Seekers

Wednesday, 1 December 2010
1:00 pm (Eastern)

What is networking if not socializing with friends, colleagues, and family? And, what better time to network than with people who are joyous in the holiday season?  Make that holiday networking work for you! Presented by Laura Gassner Otting, this free webinar is one of the NonprofitWebinars.comWednesday Webinar series for nonprofit staff and board development.

There are twenty other free webinars in this listing focusing on the non-profit world

Thankfulness

Continuing the thanksgiving theme:

Thankfulness for Job Seekers

by admin

Insights on what a future leader will require

How to Lead in 2025

by Alexandra Levit

More on gratitude

Pinch Yourself

by Chris Garrett

What can you share today?

Thanksgiving Day

You will probably be spending time with family and friends today and this weekend.

• Be positive. 
• Use your elevator speech when necessary. 
• Be prepared to conduct an informational interview. 

Be prepared to share something you learned in a way that it will matter with whomever you are talking to. Don't just say, "I read this article..." Relate the article to something they do or care about.

And above all, give thanks. Thanks to your family, friends, relatives, and network for helping you during your job search.

Thank you - for your inspiration, your questions, your help in my own job search. I can not do this alone. Together we can help one another get where we deserve to be!

Take a chance, reach out and give thanks

Use of the internet in higher-income households http://bit.ly/i7Xv2v me: no real surprise here, those with more have more #the5

The interesting thing about this report is that the data came from three other collections and note one specifically for this topic. This shows a good re-use of data in the warehouse. What else can you do with the data in yours?

"changing the world through expressing gratitude" #EpicThanks launches again – with an epic message! http://bit.ly/gLTfad #the5

An appropriate topic as we get into Thanksgiving. There is so much I have to be thankful for.

10 Reasons Why People Follow On Twitter http://bit.ly/hOJa1i me: a good summary, with job search focus #the5

You are only as good as your network. Who knows what your skills and talents are? How do they know?

"We used to be bound by geography and circumstance" The Personal ROI of Social Media http://bit.ly/igIMlp #the5

Yes, we used to be bound by geography. With Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media tools, those days are gone. You can more easily find people who you would want to be with, who share common interests, who can help you!

"go above and beyond, and to give someone a chance" http://bit.ly/eQHW2J a new series to share good stories #the5

Once upon a time, one of my groups had an ABCD award. To recognize going Above and Beyond the Call of Duty. Do you have one? Maybe you should?

What can you share today?

This was cross posted with a different title on Steve's 2 Cents

Your elevator pitch should be good!

Pat Weber has a guest posting to summarize her tips on perfecting your elevator pitch. She writes:

Planning is second nature to an introvert while speaking, speaking, speaking usually puts an extrovert in the zone. Either style can speak an elevator pitch fluidly like this:

Keep your pitch to around 100 words. As you hone it, write it out and chop, chop if necessary. That’s short.

Once you’ve honed a statement of what you do for a particular type client, focus on the benefit. You can get this by asking a few of your clients if you find yourself getting long winded. They’ll keep your focus on what you do, for who, to help with a problem.

Along with your name, offer something gives them more than your pitch. Direct them to your website or offer to help them so they want to know more.

Read the full posting on Jeanette Paladino's sitte here

Focus and practice your pitch. The more you practice in different situations, the more comfortable you'll be. The more confidence you'll have when you deliver it to make it count!

Perception is reality

Let's just assume this is true for conversation sake. Put aside your doubts for a moment anyway.

Do first impressions really matter? If you say yes, then are you dressed on your job search for success?

Folks in Orange County, CA can turn to a great non-profit for help in this wardrobe area.

Working Wardrobes, an Orange County Charity Organization, empowers men, women and young adults in crises to confidently enter the workforce through career development and wardrobe services.

Each year we serve over 5,000 clients from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, including Welfare-to-Work, alcohol & substance abuse, domestic violence, transitional homelessness, catastrophic illness and other life crises.

Several things come to mind from this organization.

1. If you are in Orange County, this is a good place to turn to for help
2. If you want to contribute, this is a good and worthy cause
3. If you are not in Orange County, why not start something like this in your area? Let the fashion or fashionista side of you come out!
4. No matter where you are located, consider if you are properly dressed for success

Thanks to Tim's Strategy for pointing out this great site and prompting these ideas!

Where would you prefer to sit in your ‘Career Car’?

A guest post by Lenore Mewton on Tim's Strategy says:


Knowing yourself, fully, is key to navigating the present and future. While job search strategies are crucial, your greatest career strategy is self knowledge. A house without a foundation crumbles. A career strategy ‘house’, without a solid foundation of self knowledge, is vulnerable to all the elements.

Greater knowledge, e.g. strengths, motivators, what makes you ‘tick’, values, creates more choice, building career resilience.

Think about it this way—where would you prefer to sit in your ‘Career Car’:
- Driver (you’re at the controls)
- Passenger (helps driver, but has no controls)
- Kids in backseat (headsets and texting – just ‘along for the ride’), or last, but not least . . .
- Trunk (no vision, trapped, no choice).


I hope this resonates with you as much as it does with me.

Read the full guest post by Lenore http://timsstrategy.com/the-key-to-career-resilience-know-yourself/

Where do you want to sit in the car?