I had two face-to-face interviews last week. One was on Monday, for an associate editor position with a local magazine. The other was for a co-manager position with a national grocery chain. Based upon the wide diversity between those two positions, you can't say that I am not open to all options. I also had a very promising phone interview before the holidays, and there is still a chance that I will be called in for a face-to-face interview sometime soon. The woman in their HR department sent me an encouraging email a couple of weeks ago, so I know that they have not forgotten about me. In addition to that, I am applying for new jobs online every day, including on weekends. To continue to qualify for unemployment benefits, I have to apply for a minimum of five jobs a week. So far, I've applied for nine, and that doesn't seem like it's enough.
After last week, though, this week has been so very quiet. There's not much to do but wait until I hear from the folks I interviewed with whether or not I get to proceed to the next stage. For me, that's so hard. I want to fix this, and I want to fix this right now. Today. This minute.
I go to a Job Seekers group on Monday mornings at Christ Fellowship church here in McKinney. It's a 2-hour meeting headed up by a wonderful woman named Stephanie Lyon. Stephanie is a Life Coach, and has her own business called Cross Centered Coaching http://www.crosscenteredcoaching.com/
On Monday, she gave us an assignment to contact at least five people we know on Facebook or LinkedIn and let them know that we're searching for a job. You never know who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone else that needs to hire someone. Apparently that's the best way to find a job, since most jobs filled are from this "hidden job market" and never posted on sites like Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com.
I had great personal reservations about doing this. I wanted to "fix" this myself, and not have to involve my friends or family. I guess it's the same part of me that refuses to ask for directions until I am totally turned around and have driven 50 miles in the wrong direction. Yeah, it's a guy thing. I blame it on the testosterone.
We met on Monday, and today is Friday (it is Friday, isn't it?). This has been weighing on me for the entire week, and I just decided to take the plunge and let every single person I know on both Facebook and LinkedIn that I am now actively looking for a new position:
A short personal message: sorry if this is old news to some. I just wanted to pass along that I am no longer with (where I was before), and am actively looking for a new position. It doesn't have to be as a copywriter or copy manager or even have anything to do with advertising. I have a few "irons in the fire," but if you know of something that you think I might be qualified for, please let me know. Thanks! --Steve
I typed it in, and my finger hovered over the "send" button for almost a full minute before I decided to take the plunge and just do it. It was so hard, though.
In my heart and in my head, I know that this won't last forever. At some point, with some prayer, determination and the help of a friend I may or may not already know, I will find another job. It may be sooner, it may be later, but it WILL be.
It can't come soon enough.
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