When I was younger, so much younger than today...

...I never needed anybody's help in any way. But now these days are gone and I'm not so self-assured. Now I find, I've changed my mind, and opened up the doors...

Sorry for the blatant plagiarism.

The point is, it has been so hard for me to ask for anyone's help during my job search. It's a matter of pride. It's a matter of not wanting to bother others with my situation. It's a matter of, I'll fix this myself. And yes, it's a matter of me being the kind of guy who doesn't ask for directions until he's totally turned around.

I guess I'm totally turned around, because today on Facebook and LinkedIn, I sent out the following piece of self-advertising:

Short personal message: I’m looking for a job and there are five local companies headquartered nearby that I’m currently "targeting": Blockbuster, Fossil, HRsmart, Michael's and The Container Store. If you have a relationship or connection there that could help me in my search, or if you have any other suggestions, I’d really appreciate your help. Thank you! Steve

This was so hard for me to do. In fact, this was the second time I have sent out a message like this, although this time I was more specific about what I was looking for help on. It wasn't any easier to send out this second message than it was to send out the first. In a couple of weeks, I'll send it out again.

I'm sure it'll be just as painful.

How can I call myself a man now? I've asked for help, even after my testosterone level told me clearly, in a deep bass voice that I should just "man up!" What a sniveling little girly man I have become.

"Shut up, testosterone!"

"Make me, you of the mostly hairless torso!"

"Watch it, or I'll use this!"

"Estrogen injection! Nooooo!"

But the thing about it is, I could spin my wheels for months and months sending out resume after resume, and meanwhile some friend of mine or a friend of a friend of mine might know of a job that would be perfect for me. If you don't tell anyone, you won't get asked to fill a job that they might know about.

I've been told by people who know that there is a hidden job market out there, with more jobs that need to be filled than will ever show up on Indeed or Monster or wherever.com. The only way to find one of those jobs is through networking. I just read this great article called "How to Use Social Media to Find a Job" 

http://tinyurl.com/8xkgmuc

These days, you find work on the net by networking. I just made that up. What a clever little writer I am.

Anyway, that's just how job search is evolving. I have to evolve along with it.

And I was just joking about the estrogen injection. Seriously.