Community Blog: DBR Career Services, Inc.

I just have to be the ray of hope. I have been accused of being too upbeat at times. Finally, this is the time that my optimism is really needed. I have facts to bring you hope.

I have been, and sometimes still am, fearful too. I work as hard as I can, when I can and when there is the opportunity. I give my coaching clients and business clients 150%. Sometimes it's 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. Sometimes, it's not as plentiful and I get scared too.

Today, I saw the following news release from the NY Times. today It's all about theindustries that ARE hiring. I realize that we are really in control of our work situation. We must continue to nurture the relationships we have with colleagues and life long friends in the industries listed below.

These are the fields in which you will find work now. You are the only one that can make it happen:

• Home Health Care Services, up 10.8%
• Federal Government Except Postal Service, up 9.3%
• Oil & Gas Extraction, up 7.4%
• Pipeline Transportation, up 6.7%
• Outpatient Care Services, up 4.6%
• Hospitals, up 3.8%
• Computer Systems Design & Related Services, up 3.4%
• Nursing & Residential Care Facilities, up 3.2%
• Motion Picture & Sound Recording Industries, up 3.2%
• Educational Services, Excluding Government, up 3.1%
• Management & Technical Consulting Services, up 2.7%
• State Government Education Services, up 2.1%
• Utilities, up 2.0%
• Waste Management & Remediation Services, up 1.5%

Do something to stay connected to people you know in the fields. Look for opportunities to provide your talent and strengths and you will find a new job!

• Pick up the phone!
• Send an email.
• Invite a new LinkedIn connection.
• Facebook an old high school friend.
• Send a "tweet" containing advice on your area of expertise.
• Blog on a topic you are an expert on and love.
• Microblog.
• Send an informational YouTube video clip to your former bosses.

I promise to help you stay focused on who is hiring, where you can get a job and be there as the "half full", "partly sunny" side of the current workforce challenges. Granted, there are some days it's much harder than others. Then I see statistics like those I have listed above and I must share the hope with you. Now pick up the phone and call your contacts in the industries that are hiring. Ask them: "What is your biggest challenge in your company now?" And then, offer a solution or two using your area of expertise. You will reap the rewards of your generosity. Please let me know how this works for you.

Ok - 3 times in less than 24 hours now, I have had people  tell me there is no other way to live other than loving what you spend most of your life doing. In other words: Love Your Work and Be Happy.

How can people realistically be thinking like this when we are in a recession? Shouldn't you just take any job you possibly can get your hands on right now? I mean, there are bills to pay and mouths to feed.

I certainly know all about this firsthand. I was a single mother, raising a son on my own, working anywhere from 3 -5 jobs at one time. I know what it's like. Not much has changed for me now that my son is grown and on his own. I work hard because I love my work.

Last night, I grabbed a quick bite with some friends and one of my friends said to me: "I have never worked harder in my life and I have never been happier in my life. I just started my own business working with seniors and helping them move from their homes on to their next phase in life. It's the most rewarding work I can think of at this point in my life."

Then, I went home and at 11:25PM EST, the phone rings. I answer and this is what I hear on the other end: "I am not making a lot of money and it may take some time until I do, but I have never been happier. I know I will make the money as I work harder and harder and keep loving what I do even more and more. Then I won't have to sleep on my friend's couch anymore!"

This morning, Saturday morning, one of my career coaching clients, called to thank me for some advice I had shared with her yesterday and said: "Now that I have made the decision to love the work I do, I feel the happiest I have ever felt in my life!".

So - is there is something to this thought process that is hitting all generations, all professions, all sectors of society, in all parts of the country: Love Your Work and Be Happy?

Go out there and find what you love to do, apply for funding to go back to school, learn a new trade or to reinvent yourself, start your own business and be happy. Life is too short to not be!

What are your thoughts?

By the way: There are jobs out there! A survey of South Florida companies was recently released by Manpower Inc. stating that 8% of employers are going to increase payroll in the last quarter of this year.

 

So - with our unemployment rate at an all time high in South Florida today, you are thinking how can I celebrate Labor Day, I don't even have a job?

OK - how about looking at today from this angle? You have been working very hard on your job search! Most places are closed today and you can take today to ask yourself the following and to do something with your answers today:

• What has been working for you in your job search?
  • Do more of it starting tomorrow.
• What has not been working?
  • Stop doing it, reassess and refocus on new tactics. "People connection tactics".
• Who has been able to help you?
  • Call them tomorrow, preferably in the afternoon so they will have had a chance to catch up after the holiday weekend.
  • Ask them about the progress of what they have been doing for you.
• What new contacts do you need to follow up with THIS coming week?
  • Make a list and start with the first person and call 3 people each day.
• What are the 5 top priorities for you to accomplish this coming week that will bring you closer to your next job?
  • Follow up on any outstanding job applications.
    • Get an interview status update.
    • When will they begin interviewing?
    • Try to find out if you are in the running to be set up to come in for an interview?
  • Call companies where you had an interview over 10 days ago for a status update.
  • Call the contacts you came up with that may know someone at a company or organization you are interested in working for now.
  • Take a thorough look at your resume to see what you can update and tweak after reviewing some of the latest resume articles and blogs that are currently available for FREE online.
  • Update your cover letter template to include:
    • A standard introductory, opening paragraph explaining how you found about the position.
    • A second paragraph which is customized to show how your skills and talents match the specific job requirements
    • A standard thirds "call to action" closing paragraph. (i.e.: I will be calling you next Wednesday to follow up on the status of my application, resume etc.)
• Is there a low cost/high benefit networking event that you can go to in person this coming week? There are FREE and very low cost ($10) events in our community right now. Research them online.
  • Register for one.
  • Go to one.
  • Collect business cards from everyone you meet.
  • Bring your own business cards to hand out.
    • (www.vistaprint.com - FREE business cards!)
  • Ask about places that are hiring and how you can get a chance to talk to someone (anyone) who works there.
  • Follow up with every person who has even a remote idea of a contact for you.

Today is Labor Day: Celebrate the hard labor of all of your job search efforts by simply being with family and/or friends. It's so important to stay connected to those who really care about you.

Tomorrow: pick up the phone, make your follow up calls, set up appointments with people who can "open doors" for you and commit to going to a FREE or low cost job networking event over the next 2 weeks where you will meet people who are connected to a job in your field of interest or to a new field you can move into easily and fast.

 

This past Sunday evening, I was having a real "heart to heart" talk with a friend of mine about how much of her weekend she had spent doing work for free. What really impressed me was the fact that she was the most exhausted, yet the happiest, I had ever seen her!

She works full time Monday - Friday. So, what's this working for free thing, on top of her regular full time job? Why is she doing this? Because she loves what she is doing on the weekends. She is driven to make her goal. She is working very hard to make her new career happen.

It's one that she is totally passionate about and wants to do for the rest of her life. She doesn't ever want to stop doing it. That is how much she loves it.

She is committed and has decided to "position her passion" to pave the way for a good paying job in that career as she builds her resume and gets more experience in this new career.

If you have decided what you really want to do for work, then you have to "position your passion" to score the job you want. You may have to work for free to make it happen and work hard, on your days off, for weeks, even months at a time.

Just like in sports, you position yourself and your team to win. Same in your career. You set up a game plan for your new career and you position yourself to win! It all starts with your passion and dedicating practice time to move into your new career.

Sound exhausting? Yes - it can be, but think about this: How tired are you when a friend calls and invites you to do something you really love to do and says they will treat you? How likely are you to get yourself together and rush out that door to meet him/her? Same thing here: you are going to do something you love and it's costs you nothing. On top of everything, you will have a great time doing what you love.

See how easy this can be, when you look at it in a different light?

One key - you must LOVE what your passion is. Not like, but LOVE it. Your motivation to do it for free and during your free time, will be much greater when you LOVE it.

So what do you think? Work for free on your time off doing what you love? You just may reap some, or all, of the following rewards from doing it:

• Make the "people" connection to find a paying job.
• Gain the experience necessary to land a paying job.
• Gain the confidence to make it happen
• Find the support to make it happen.
• Learn the "ins and out"s of the specific industry to make it happen.

When you love what you do, you will go to any lengths to do it. Even, working 6 -7 days a week for awhile for no extra pay.

Eventually, you will get a paying job doing what you love because you have been able to "position your passion" to get you what you needed to make your dream job a reality.

Additional Food for thought: Many times volunteer/unpaid work leads to paid work!

 

 

I'm flying back to South Florida this past weekend after a combined work and family visit in Washington, DC and I happen to have one of those "nice" passengers sitting next to me on the plane.

You know, the type that carefully checks out if it's OK to start a conversation with you by asking a quick and quiet: "So do you live in DC or in Fort Lauderdale?" A nice neutral question to test the waters to see if I would readily engage in a conversation or go straight into reading the book I had strategically placed on my lap.

This gentleman was an Army officer who was on his way to a global convention being held in Ft. Lauderdale, in the height of the summer and with a couple of hurricanes lurking in the Atlantic Heat and hurricanes, perfect conversation starters on a flight to South Florida. The conversation then lead to the in editable: "So - what do you do Ft. Lauderdale?". I answered: I run a career transition business. Perfect segway into a discussion about his daughter, a recent post college grad, who is having trouble finding a job.

So - what does a recent grad do if they can't find a job in this current market in their field?

He told me that his daughter, who had just graduated from Law School in New York City can't find a job now. Not only is there s glut of recent Law School grads in NYC, to top it off, law firms are slashing hours of the attorneys they already have onboard!

He went on to say: "if there are any jobs at all, there are all these experienced attorneys who have retired or have been laid off and they are the ones who are getting the entry level positions. They will take the lower salary to get the medical benefits and get some income flowing again"

All that education and now, no job opportunities. I asked him: "So...what did you advise your daughter to do?" And here were his words of wisdom, straight from the trenches, as a parent of a young adult who just completed years and thousands of dollars of advanced education:

"Look into additional education, training, courses, certifications and get a job with the government now."

As a career transition expert, I found this very interesting. A parent, who had helped put his daughter through years of higher education, was guiding her to continue to get even more education in order to find a job.

How could he say this?

This is how: Now, you can find federal money, grants, scholarships etc. to help you with the additional education, training and certifications. Check it out. Play around with the keywords for your field of interest and use the keywords FREE MONEY in your search. One idea is to check out the FREE resources on this blog: http://freecollegeblog.com

Your local colleges are receiving federal dollars to provide 3 month, 6 month and even year long certification programs and training anywhere in numerous "hot fields" where the jobs are needing to be filled such as healthcare, "Green" jobs, forensics etc.

Ride this current challenging job market for recent college grads out by getting an entry level, part time, sales, etc., customer service etc. in an industry that is hiring, while you take a course, additional training, a certification program that will provide you an additional marketable set of skills for a job that is in demand. And you may want to consider checking out federal jobs, for longer term security, as my airplane friend suggested to his daughter.

Remember, the "hot" jobs that are in demand now, and for the coming years, are in:

• Healthcare
• Technology
• Renewable/Green Energy
• Higher Education
• Federal Governement

Get yourself prepared to get a job in one of these fields, keep a healthy, positive outlook and you will have a job you like and will be happy in sooner than you think.

 

I'm sitting here in Washington DC, reading the cover story in today's edition of the Washington Post about a recently laid off worker who was so afraid to tell anyone other than his immediate family that he lost his job, that he told no one. Guess what happened? No one helped him with his job search. No one knew that this talented, dedicated worker was in need of his next job. So no one was able to offer ideas, suggestions and most important, help him connect to other people and opportunities that could possibly lead to his next job. He thought he would be looked down upon, that people would actually no longer want to have their kids play with his kids. He thought that he would not be respected. In reality - just the opposite happened when he finally did decide he no longer wanted to pretend to "look like he still going to work ever day." He got involved in networking groups in his community and they are connecting him with other people who are all working together to find each other their next job. Even if "networking groups", which have popped up in most communities throughout the country, are not for you, then reach out to whoever you are comfortable telling that you need a job now. There is no shame, at all, in being truthful and letting everyone, everywhere know you lost your job and you need a job. I have had people from all parts of the country, in all professions, from entry level to senior executives, contact me in the past 12 months. They all share the same anxiety level, fear of financial disaster and loss of professional identity. As a career transition coach, the best advice I have is "tell everyone". There is no shame in losing your job as a result of "business decisions", "restructuring due to internal financial decisions" etc. Being honest, and telling everyone you know, in all aspects of your life will result in your next job. Tell former colleagues, bosses, your neighbors, professional association members, people in your place of workshop, alumni groups, community organizations, parents of your kids friends, everyone. This not only keeps you honest and truthful, it opens the door for people to help you find your next job, land your next job and then be able to help them, if and when they lose their job.

People – The Key to Getting a Job Now!

Your job search can all be summed up in one word in 2009: People.

Yes, that’s it -your job search, the review of your cover letter/resume and your interview is all about people.

The people you know now. The people you used to work for in the past. The people you grew up with.  The people who have always been your champions  are still your champions, even if you haven’t spoken to them in a little while. Call them. Email them. Send them a LinkedIn invitation.  Facebook them. Today!

How about the people you didn’t like too much in your past? Maybe, this is a good time to reconsider, connect and give them a second chance now.

As a career transition coach, I work with people on a daily basis who are going on interviews and getting job offers. Some  are the happiest they have ever been in their career landing their new job.

The key to getting a job now is totally about who you know. I don’t mean, who will give you a “silver spoon” and give you a job just because you are their buddy /friend or because you are nice to them.

Try to meet them in person.:
• Bring a cup of coffee, decaf, iced tea, whatever they like, to their office.
• Ask to spend 10 minutes of face to face time with them.
• Give them a break in their stressful day.
• It’s not all about you, it’s about them too. You may be giving them a very needed excuse for a breathe of human contact and friendship.

If not in person, do it through Social Networking sites, email or voicemail. Take it slow :
• Avoid asking for  a job in the first contact you have in 20 years with a former friend or colleague.
• Build a relationship and see how your commonalities come to the surface.
• Provide some useful information for them to help them with their life and their jobs.
• Set up your LinkedIn profile, your Facebook profile today.

Start connecting with people now. Not necessarily with everyone. Give this some thought. It’s about creating your world of relationships that will help you with your job search and way beyond as you settle in to your next career move.

Who knows – you may even find an old friend and reap the rewards of a renewed friendship too? 

Each and every day, I receive at least 2 -3 calls or emails from people asking my advice on how to and where to start their job search. They are overwhelmed. They are scared. They are exhausted!

Here are 10 Simple Steps I share with those who reach out for my assistance to Start Their Job Search now and get closer to a job interview:

1. Make a list of industries that you want to work in. Narrow this list down to 3 financially sound industries.

2. Identify 3 financially sound companies in each of these industries. You now have 9 companies you want to work for and that are in a hiring mode.

3. Research job openings in each of the companies. Be sure that you are qualified for and want to apply to these positions.

4. Search for a live personal connection in each of the 9 companies. (NOTE: LinkedIn is great for this)

5. Research a direct phone number for each one of your personal connections.

6. Call each contact on your list. If you get their voicemail, leave a message asking them to please return your call and include a convenient time for them when you can have 5 minutes of their time over the phone.

7. Send an email to the same person, following the voicemail you have left, stating that you have left them a voicemail message and to please confirm receipt of the email.

8. When speaking with your internal contact, ask: “What advice do you have for me on how I can get the opportunity to meet with either HR or the hiring manager for the position I have applied for within their company?”

9. Follow up with a thank you email and follow up on their advice immediately.

10. Do this for each job in each of the 9 companies and you will get to interview for the job you want.

Feel free to comment below or contact me directly if you would like more information or just have a conversation.  I am here to support whoever needs it.  Best of luck! 

I just finished a career transition coaching session with a client who asked me whether she should accept an interview for a certain position. My thoughts, as a career transition coach on this question are as follows: #1. If you have to ask yourself : "Is this the right job for me?", then it just may not be the right job for you. #2. You have nothing to lose by the knowledge you gain from the experiences associated with the interview process. #3. Potentially, there is a job offer available through every job interview, whether it's for the specific job you applied for or another opportunity that is revealed through the interview process. #4. Accepting the opportunity to interview gives you exposure to the company and to hiring managers who can share your talent with other hiring managers, should you not be the right match for the specific job you were brought in to interview. #5. Each interview exposes your talents and skills to new decision makers who have connections at other companies who are hiring for similar positions where you may be an even better match. Right now - it's all about the people connection. Hiring managers are sharing resources. People are wanting to help people get jobs and get our current 10.2% unemployment rate in South Florida down fast. The faster we all get people employed again, the better for all of us and our local economy! Is this how it really works? Yes - it is! You apply for one job, it turns out you are not the exact match for that job and the hiring manager passes you on to another hiring manager who reviews your qualifications for his/her open position and you are set up for another interview for another job within the same company. You ace that interview, with proper preparation and you have a new job! So, interview for all jobs that you are requested to interview for and use these experiences to your job search advantage. And finally, always send a hand written thank you note to each and every hiring manager who interviews you. This, in addition to the email thank you, will open even more doors for eventually landing the right job for you. Debbie Benami-Rahm, M.S., M.H.C., is a career transition expert who brings real world knowledge and experience from both sides of the HR hiring desk. As a keynote speaker, career transition coach and workshop presenter, Debbie works with both individuals and organizations to find the right jobs for the right people increasing employee engagement and career contentment. For more information, please visit: www.DBRcareerservices.com

 

CRITICAL JOB LOSS SOLUTIONS

THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS YOU'VE BEEN ASKING

HOW TO TURN YOUR JOB LOSS
INTO CAREER GAIN!

Survival Skills for Job Loss Recovery are critical in this economy right now!Hear what you need to "get unstuck" and move your career forward through the answers to the questions you've been asking.

Hi, I've been overwhelmed and touched by the dozens of emails youv'e been sending every day to my website in response to 's November newsletter and my Jobing.com blog: Jobing.com

Up until now I've been answering your emails one by one and realized many of you are asking the exact same questions on how to survive job loss and how to find your next employment opportunity.

I have also come to realize that I cannot get to each one of you in a timely manner to help you through this difficult period. Nor, can I respond to each of you personally. (There is only one of me!)

So..............................

 

If you are someone who has contacted me and would like to hear the answers to your most critical and frequently asked questions that will help you transition to your next job------------

Then this teleseminar is for you!

If you are worried about losing your job,

If you have recently lost your job,

Or if know your job will be going away within the next six months,

Then this teleseminar is for you!

Come join me in a live teleseminar:Tuesday, Feburary 10, 2009
7:00-8:30 pm Eastern Standard Time

CLICK HERE TO Register http://dbrcareerservices.com/store/productdetail.php?ProductID=5

Do you have a spouse or significant other who has experienced job loss?

Do you have a mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, neice, nephew, aunt, uncle, cousin or friend who is looking for a new job/career?

Then this teleseminar is for them

Give someone you love a ray of hope in finding a job or following through on a career change. Forward this email on to them or better yet, CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW and purchase this teleseminar for them for VALENTINE'S DAY!

Some of the most critical questions that will be answered include:

Where do I start, I am so overwhelmed?

What are the hot industries now?

I'm really angry I lost my job, when will this go away?

There are no jobs, how will I find a job in this market now?

I am right out of college, should I just go on to graduate school and wait for the job market to improve?

I have to come out of retirement, I haven't worked in 6 years and don't know who will want to hire me now?

I haven't interviewed for a job in 10 years, how do I prepare?

Attend this teleseminar and you'll discover the answers to these and many more of your questions so you can move your job search forward as soon as you hang up the phone!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER http://dbrcareerservices.com/store/productdetail.php?ProductID=5

 

Debbie Benami-Rahm, M.S., is a career expert works with individuals in transition to successfully move them into their next job or career. For more information, please visit www.DBRcareerservices.com.

By the way----

 

 

I invite you to read an excellent article in today's Business Section of the Sun-Sentinel on Job Market Survival Skills. Let me know what you think. This link will be live for the next 29 days:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-0107marcia,0,6045352.column

Let me know what you think - it's a new year with new careers waitng to be explored.

In the last 24 hours, 2 people in 2 completely different industries have called me to say that the very first application they completed, after making the decision to "get unstuck" and do something about their current career situation, has resulted in an interview.

There are jobs out there. Stay focused, stay positive and above all promote your passions, strengths and talents and you will find the work you love. (And a job!)

Debbie Benami-Rahm, M.S., President and Founder of DBR Career Services, Inc. is a career coach, professional speaker and talent development consultant. For more information, please visit: www.DBRcareerservices.com Debbie can be reached at Debbie@DBRcareerservices.com

OK - the holidays are over, the new year is here and it's a new beginning.

Let's take a fresh look at some job loss survival tactic for the new year. Let's begin with the basics:

• Start with a walk.  Yes - I said a walk. As long as you are healthy and can do it, go for a walk. It's FREE, it clears your head, you can sort out your plans, get some exercise, get those joints moving and fight off any of the negative thoughts that may have been creeping up on you while you were sitting in your house.
• On the note of doing something that is FREE and good for you, chose one positive thing you can do for yourself each day that does not cost you money, lifts your spirits and could even land you a job lead and DO IT.
  • Make one call to a friend.
  • Go out of your way to say hi to a neighbor or even help a neighbor.
  • Get to a place where there are people, fight the comfort of isolating at home.
  • Go to a Bookstore, you don't have to buy anything.
    • Look at the career books!
    • Go to the inspirational book section and feed your soul.
    • Go to the humor section - a little chuckle is good for you.
• Make a decision to not get caught up in the "bad news". You know, it's very important to me to stay informed and up to date on all that is going not only in our U.S. economy, but globally. There are a lot of challenging events taking place in the world right now. I personally have made a conscious decision at what points in the day I chose to update my own knowledge. I would like to suggest that you try this too:

• Try not listening to sad or bad news first thing in the morning before you are even awake.
• Try not listening to sad or bad news last thing at night before going to sleep. no longer turn on the news before I even am awake.
• Chose specific times throughout the day to check in with your favorite source of media to see what's going on anytime other thanit being the first thing you do or the last thing you do in your day.

Hope these few simple survival tactics help pave the way for the more strenuous ones that are coming.

Keep sending me your questions, although I am not able to get back to every single person of you individually, I am compiling your most frequently asked questions.

In addition to answering your questions in my blog, I will be conducting a Survival Skills for Job Loss Recovery Teleseminar on February 10th at 7PMEST. I will be posting  the information to register in this blog and on my website closer to the date.

Start with the 3 tips in this entry and you will feel a lot better about your job search! I know, I have done them myself!

Debbie

Debbie Benami-Rahm, M.S. is a Professional Speaker, Career Transition Coach and Talent Development Consultant. For more information, please visit: www.DBRcareerservices.com

Over the past week, I have received dozens and dozens of emails from Jobing.com newsletter readers needing detailed advice on how to handle their recent job losses.

I was overwhelmed by the number of responses and want to help all of you! At this time there are so many emails, that I decided the fastest way to help you is to answer some of the hottest questions here in my blog.

(FYI - I am in the process of creating a Job Loss Survival Skills Teleseminar to be delivered in January 2009. More info to follow in upcoming blog posts.)

Until then, let me start to answer one of your most critical questions now and then will continue to answer more over the coming weeks:

Question:

"I just lost my job, am very upset, overwhelmed, financially strapped and don't know what to do first. Help!"

Answer:

• Give yourself the permission to grieve the loss of your job. Even when the economy is in the state it is right now, it's still possible to be caught off guard when you actually are given your pink slip. You may be in shock and don't even realize it. I have clients who were completely paralyzed with fear and some couldn't even make a phone call for weeks after losing their jobs. It is OK to be in shock!
• Give yourself a bit of time to go through the grieving process:
  • Denial,
  • Anger,
  • Bargaining,
  • Depression
  • Accceptance.
• You did not lose your friends, you lost your job! Contact friends you from your old job. Talk to them. Meet them for a cup of coffee. Social connection is one of the things that people fear they will lose when they lose their jobs. It doesn't have to be that way - it's all in your hands. People may not call you because they think you want "your space." So, you may need to call them.
• Make a list of what you love to do at work.
• Make a list of what accomplishments you had that were a direct result of these passions.
• Make a list of all the people you know, in any part of your life, who work for or who may have a connection with companies, organizations or agencies where you can do what you really love to do. (i.e. technical, people interaction, private sector, nonprofit, gov't etc. )
• Call each and every person and tell them what happened (briefly) and ask for their advice on how to apply within their organization to get noticed. Usually, they will tell you exactly who to address a cover letter to and how to follow up with the hiring manager or the HR recruiter handling the position on the status of your application.
• Do this!
• Go to the job listings on the professional associations websites that are related to the field you want to work in. (i.e. the American Society for Training and Development, the American Management Association, etc.),
  • Research open positions.
  • Apply to the ones you see a match of your passions and past accomplishments.
  • Follow up with your personal contacts in the companies that are hiring to see what you can find out internally about the status of the position.

These initial job loss survival steps will get you through the first couple of weeks. You may just hit the right open job at the right time with the right contact to help open the door for you to move from being "stuck and overwhelmed" to "actively in charge" of your job search.

Having personally experienced 6 corporate layoffs in 5 different industries in the Human Resources and Workplace Learning arenas, the single best advice I can share with anyone who is going through job loss is "Reach Out to Everyone Your Know".

This is the single most realistic piece of advice I know that works in this market, right now, December 2008.

The very first thing that must be done is: Understand that it's OK to be angry, sad, confused and very emotional. Address this immediately, work through it with loved ones, professionals and friends. Then and only then will you be ready to take the following steps:

#1: Identify what direction you want to go with your next job or career:           

            What are your passions?
            What are your strengths?
            What do you really love to do?
            How can you make a living combining all of these right now?

#2: Identify each and every professional and personal contact you can reach out to NOW.

#3: Contact each and every person NOW.

#4: "Ask for their advice". (It's not time yet to ask for an interview.) People love to share their knowledge and to help.

#5: Now, it's time to ask for specific help. 

          Ask: "Would you mind connecting me to your contact. - just a short introductory email or call, would be great. I will take it from there and follow up."

#6: Most important: "Do it".
        Make that call, follow up on the door openers you are given.     
        Find out what jobs, either temporary or full time, your contacts may  be able to help open a door for you.

#7: Prepare thoroughly for your informational interview or your formal interview.

#8: Work with a professional who knows the current workforce "ins and outs".

There are jobs out there now. People are getting job offers every single day! Don't forget to smile, even if you just aren't feeling up to doing it. Doing this and keeping a positive outlook will really help you to move your career forward!

Debbie Benami-Rahm, M.S., M.H.C., President of DBR Career Services, Inc., is a career expert who works with people in transition to move into their next job or career. Please visit her website: www.DBRcareerservices.com.  

 

I would like you to join me at the following event to honor talent development in our South Florida organizations:

The Fort Lauderdale Chapter of ASTD invites you to join us onTuesday, December 9, 2008 as we recognize outstanding achievement in workplace learning and employee development.

The theme this year is Showcase Employee Learning.  Focused around this theme, the celebration will provide opportunities for you to:

• Learn what local organizations have done to successfully promote employee learning
• Hear from leaders in the community about the value of employee learning and development
• Network and share best practices with colleagues in workplace learning and performance

Keynote Speaker: Debbie Benami-Rahm, M.S.

Keynote Speech: "Tap Your Talent to Create Performance Champions"

Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Time: Registration begins at 5:15 pm.
Dinner and awards program from 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Location: The Signature Grand (6900 State Road 84, Davie)

To register go to:
http://www.astdftl.org/submaster.cfm?apage=ERS/ event_registration.cfm&EventID=6