Utterz from the Road - Making your own opportunities

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How much does the jobless rate affect your job search?

The Cincinnati Business Courier recently reported that the Ohio jobless (Why they don't just say unemployment?) rate fell in February. When I first started this blog back in 2002, I often wondered about the unemployment rate.

It's really a bit of an inaccurate number, when you consider that it's the number of people filing for unemployment each week. It doesn't count those who are still unemployed yet have either stopped meeting the reporting requirements or have had their unemployment benefits expire.

The rate describes a macroeconomic condition; i.e., a condition of unemployment as a whole. More importantly, I also found, at least for me, that I began using the unemployment rate as an excuse for not keeping up with my job search as intensely as I could have been.

So the jobless rate is falling or rising... whatever.


The statewide/national jobless rate shouldn't affect your own job search and career management. Stay focused on your own job search. Companies still have positions to be filled. Your industry (also known as "vertical" by some) may have high demand for labor. Don't use the rate as an excuse.

Am I off base here? Does any of this make sense? What do you think?

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Check out my other blogs:
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

Related tags: getthatjob, get+that+job, job+hunt, job+search, career+advice, networking, professional+development, daniel+johnson+jr

How to show compassion to a job seeker

Not much time to blog right now, but I do want to make sure you read Jason's post aon Showing Compassion to a Job Seeker.

I've got another announcement coming in the next week or so about a project I'll be doing that I hope will further enhance this blog's usefulness.

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Check out my other blogs:
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

Related tags: getthatjob, get+that+job, job+hunt, job+search, career+advice, networking, professional+development, daniel+johnson+jr

Show confidence without being arrogant

I was motivated to write this post from reading an article on Monster about Ten Tech Interview Errors. Specifically, I noticed the following passage from the article:

Too many techies come across as arrogant in interviews, says Sean Chou, CTO of Fieldglass, a software technology company. "A lot of techies are very talented, but what comes out is arrogance," he says.

Confidence is desirable, not arrogance. Arrogance suggests "they can't be a team player," Chou notes.

So I posed the following question on Twitter earlier:

What ways can you show confidence without it coming across as arrogance?

I could have clarified that I was looking with respect to an interview situation, but I preferred asking an open-ended question (i.e., without context), just to see what the responses would have been. Here are some of the responses so far, again to my open-ended question:

• matthewebel Not breaking into a cold sweat when some director asks you to make a pass at iJustine.
• mindofandre I always like to attribute my knowledge due to the fact that others have helped me learn. You haven't come this far without others.
• TheSatch I think a key for me is being willing to point to and discuss my own flaws, sometimes seriously and sometimes with humor.
• CollinDouma Best way to show confidence over arrgnc. Listen first, ask 3 questions for each of theirs + Hold your cool when "they" are proved wrong.
• jasonalba research the word "assertive" ... that might have what you are looking for. very powerful.
• tonysteward 1. Never offer criticism without a prepared solution 2. Arrogance makes someone unreasonable - be reasonable. 3. Confidence doesn't need everyone to agree - arrogance demands it or villianizes.
• fairminder state your opinion as fact and support it with an example from your experience. Quote other experts - birds of a feather...
• steveames One way is to be quiet - in other words, don't try to show confidence. Just exude it...
• markbaars You need to KNOW that you're confident, that people like you and that you can do whatever you want + KNOW that you're NICE
• Sourcerer be the one to greet and make others comfortable at meeting/event, also witty self-deprecation goes a long way
• RichBecker Relevant stories play better than laundry lists.

What do you think? What are some ways to show confidence, or as Jason Alba put it, assertiveness, without it being perceived as arrogance?

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Check out my other blogs:
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

Related tags: getthatjob, get+that+job, job+hunt, job+search, career+advice, networking, professional+development, daniel+johnson+jr

How do you face intimidating opportunities?

Do you run toward or away opportunities that you know would require a change in your character? What I talk about here could be applied not only to job searching, but to life in general.

Links mentioned:

1. http://getthatjobonline.com
2. http://danieljohnsonjr.com
3. http://twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

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Related tags: getthatjob, get+that+job, job+hunt, job+search, career+advice, networking, professional+development, daniel+johnson+jr

Read local business journals for market info potential leads

Do you read the local business journal the city where you live or want to work? Years ago I started doing that, just to see what companies are doing in the area and as a potential source for job leads, a way to get an understanding of the job market. I can't remember whether the Cincinnati Business Courier does it, but the Dayton Business Journal publishes these lists every week of fastest growing companies, top minority-owned businesses, etc. I liked looking at those lists because it gave the name of the top official as well as other relevant information for generating leads.

I'm currently have the RSS feed for the Cincinnati Business Courier's Breaking News in my Bloglines collection. I often don't know what to make of some of the information I read, though.

On one hand I hear that unemployment rates are up slightly, but then I read that the job market for IT professionals is pretty good. I even saw this morning that Cincinnati is ranked 18th on Forbes magazine recent Best Cities for Young Professionals list.

Does it seem confusing to you? It does to me, sometimes. Then I look at the details and see that the unemployment article is talking about Ohio metro areas overall. I guess that's what we need to do - look at the details a bit more closely.

Also, I think it's a good idea not to let negative information put a cloud over your job search efforts. Doing so can lead to making excuses. You'll be tempted, as I am, to think and say things like, "Oh, the job market's just down; that's why I'm not able to find work." Let's think and believe bigger than that.

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice job+market daniel+johnson+jr

Overcoming Excuses in a Job Search (video)

In lieu of a text post, and as part of the testing effort for Blogger in Draft, I've uploaded a video about a book I've started re-reading. I also mentioned the Journey Inside My Mind Podcast but forgot to mention the URL: http://jimmpodcast.com.

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking professional+development daniel+johnson+jr


Visit DiversityJobs.com for information on Diversity in the workplace.

SUCCESS STORY - Getting a job despite your efforts not to

Sometimes the need is just so great that the company will jump through hoops to get and retain you, despite efforts you might make to the contrary.

I talked with a woman today who does Accounts Receivables about how she got her current job. She did that work for a group of doctor's offices before she went on maternity leave. She wound up finishing her Accounting degree before she came off leave, so she opted to look for a full-time job outside of her job with the doctor's offices.

She said she applied everywhere and doesn't remember when she was contacted by the recruiter who was hiring for her current position. Then when it came time for the interview, she had to reschedule a couple of times.

While on the job for awhile, the company came in and eliminated half of the department. Thinking her own job was in jeopardy, she found another one and put in her notice. The VP of Operations begged her to stay and sent a message to her boss demanding that she give the accountant a raise.

Please share your own job-hunting success stories here so everyone can know they too can Get That Job!

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search success+stories networking daniel+johnson+jr

Job Searching vs Career Management

Jason wrote a great article about changing the way we approach job searching and career management:

I frequently think about how we think of our job transitions - we are supposed to have lots of them during our career.

I’m completely intrigued by the people who have forgotten what a forced transition is like, or by those that feel totally secure in their job (or their ability to find a new job) - and their reactions to a “job search.”

I'm finding that Career Management was easier when I was looking for work. Now that I'm working, it's harder and harder for me to stay in that mindset. I'm spending more time thinking about projects at work than my own career management.

But I try to do a little bit every day to manage my career, whether it's setting up a lunch appointment with a friend, or use my LinkedIn URL as I comment on this and many other posts. I also maintain a portfolio blog. I also look for other ways to share what I'm learning about career management.

I don't want to be misled into a false sense of job security. Right now work is going strong, but I still need to keep my eyes on the big picture.

What practical things do you do every day to manage your career?

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking professional+development daniel+johnson+jr career+management jibberjobber

You Are the Star of Your Show!

Okay, I realize this might sound a bit weird...

Some of you may know that I host and produce the Journey Inside My Mind Podcast, which I have done for over a year now. At the end of the theme, before the opening monologue, I have an audio clip that I created that goes like this:

Man:What happens when a man goes through his own portal?

Woman:We'll see.

Announcer: Get ready... here's Dan Johnson!
(applause and sound of kids cheering)

I love having that clip because it gets me charged up and ready to move on with the show.

I recently have started using that same audio clip as the Start Windows sound for my computer. So now, as I boot up my machine and log in, I get introduced!

Like I said, it may sound a bit weird. Maybe even a little corny. I don't care. It charges me up for doing work.

What does this have to do with a job search? Well, in the same way, we all are the stars of our own show. Every day you get to live is a new palette for you to carve out a masterpiece. I think that how you approach it says a lot for your effectiveness. Sometimes we need something to inspire us to get started.

What inspires you to make it a great day?

Related tags: getthatjob get that job job hunt job search career advice networking professional development dan johnson attitude motivation inspiration jimmpodcast

Give Yourself a Pep Talk

You've received no phone calls or contacts about jobs for which you've applied. You search job listings and don't find openings that match your qualifications and experience. You might start to feel down.

I know because I have been there, am there, and will be there again. How can I get myself back up?

I think I need to give myself a pep talk. You might feel the same.

Every day and maybe throughout the day, I'm going to look the man in the mirror right in the eyes and say, "You are important. Your work is important. You are valuable. Someone wants to pay you for what you have to offer."

I believe that. I've been working on believing in things that are not as tangible as I'd like them to be. I've started thinking big and dreaming big.

If I let myself get caught up in negative energy, it will eventually lead to more and more inaction.

"Your work is important. Someone wants to hire you. You just haven't met each other yet."

Related tags:

getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking professional+development dan+johnson pep+talk self+image believe+big dream+big mind+change

Have the right perspective

"Anyone who sees in his own occupation merely a means of earning money degrades it; but he that sees in it a service to mankind ennobles both his labor and himself." -- A. Lawrence Lowell, also posted at QuotesBlog