We are better together than by ourselves

This is one of the things I love about blogging: Comparing Apples to Ideas

Your Predominant Duty

"The one predominant duty is to find one's work and do it." -- Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935), American feminist and reformer, via e-mail from thefreedictionary.com

crossposted to QuotesBlog

Related Quotation Keywords:

quotation, get that job, charlotte perkins, duty, work

Quit That Job!

No job is without its aggravations, to paraphrase a Malcolm Forbes quotation. But sometimes it becomes necessary to part with the job that you hate.

Quitting a job you hate may bring relief to stress, but it may not always be the best thing. Get more advice on whether changing your job is right for you:

U.S. News and World Report | Ways to Change Your Life: Quit Your Job

Welcome!

A hearty welcome to visitors taking the job hunting seminar at Sinclair Community College. I signed up for the seminar because I'm wanting to better my own job situation, and I originally started this weblog once I found the abundance of information available online.

Here we post a job- or market-related topic, question, anecdote, quote, tip, etc. You read the topics, decide if any of them are of interest to you, and use them as you see fit.

I especially want to encourage you to share your job hunting success stories. We've had a few in the 1.5 years this blog has been around. Nothing more encouraging to others searching for employment than to hear how someone else got their job!

Now go Get That Job!

"I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up."

I made that statement yesterday at a gathering of other job seekers at Sinclair Community College. A brief history of my education and experience:

• I have a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering
• I was an Environmental Engineer doing environmental management for a manufacturing company
• I was a programmer/consultant
• I am a bartender for a hotel and conference center

I remember when I met with the guidance counselor in high school, he told me that he could see me doing a number of different kinds of jobs, based on the talents and aptitude he'd seen in me. I had dreamed of becoming a Renaissance Man back then. I don't know if I've found something that fits just yet. To quote U2, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for."

At the same time, I realize that no job is going to be a perfect fit. There are always going to be times when the passion wanes, when there is other "non-fun" work to be done, too. I guess it's a matter of seeing whether the benefits outweigh the costs, evaluating the trade-offs. For example, I have a friend who designs cars for a major automobile company. He loves that part of his job so much that he is able to live with the long hours and the long drive to and from work.

I guess I want to find something in-between, too.

crossposted to Journey Inside My Mind

What Your Body Language Tells Interviewers

"What you are shouts so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson, via QuotesBlog

During a job interview, your body language can say even more than your words. Many interviewers can read the subtleties of body language, and even those who can’t will experience subconscious reactions to the clues you give off with your gestures and facial expressions. Let’s follow two job seekers through their interviews to see the difference body language can make. Read more...

Interviewing is drama; therefore, plan accordingly: More fromWetFeet.com > Interviewing

My New Sig Line

Jenny, the Creative Tech Writer, has added this quote from Bertrand Russell to her signature line. She shares from her experience of being unemployed for a year and her journey to get a better perspective. I'm glad to link back to it here.

O Captain, My Captain!

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently carried an article entitled "How to Hunt for a New Job in An Uncertain World." When I began reading it, I felt a little dismayed. I'm glad I continued reading, however. The opening negative sentiments were just to get our attention.

The overall theme of this article can be summed up in this quote from William Ernest Henley:

"I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.", via QuotesBlog

I also provided some comments about this in a post from 9 September 2002, entitled "Be Proactive."

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

New to the blogroll: emblog

I found this fellow in my referrer logs, so I had to check him out. We job hunting information junkies need to stick together. Let me see whether an RSS feed is availiable (hold on a sec). Yes, the URL is http://dijest.com/emblog/rss.xml, so update your news aggregators! (I'm waiting for Amphetadesk to load as we type this.).

Seeking to relocate? Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania may be the place. Phil reports that Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is experiencing a labor shortage and are needing to rely on immigrants. A specific quote: "Americans who complain about immigration do not know what Pittsburgh knows: We still need immigrants. Always will."

Heraclitus said it well

"A hidden connection is stronger than an obvious one."

Any good job seeker knows the truth of that statement. Courtesy of QuotesBlog.

Effectiveness Tip of the Week via the folks at FranklinCovey:
First, some Quotes:

• "Learn to say no. It will be of far more use to you than to be able to read Latin." -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
• "A 'no' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'yes' merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble." -- Mahatma Ghandi
• "When your daily activities are in concert with your highest priorities, you have a credible claim to inner peace." -- Hyrum Smith

No Thank You

No. Nicht. Nulle. No matter how it comes out, saying "no" isn't always easy. Project overload, interruptions, and demanding coworkers can make it tough to speak this language. Remember, you have a right to say no... graciously but firmly. If you respond evasively, you'll build false expectations. Saying no takes practice. Here are some phrases that might help:

• "I have so much on my plate now that I don't know when I can get to it. But I do know someone over here who can help you now."
• "Sure, I can help you with your request as long as we both understand that what I agreed to do for you yesterday might be delayed."
• "Thanks for thinking about me, but no thanks."
• "I won't be able to do it until tomorrow, but I could provide you with some resources that might help you do it today."

MSN Careers | How interviews are like first dates

MSN Careers looks at how these two different things are similar. An important quote from the story: "Faulty thinking about the competition is a mistake. You are unique and should be confident in your strengths and positive qualities."

Interesting Quote found at The Job Hunter's Bible:

"Know then thyself; presume not the Web to scan, until you know what you love to do, and have evolved a plan." - Richard Nelson Bolles (with apologies to Alexander Pope)

also posted to QuotesBlog

Abundance

Joseph Murphy once said: "Infinite riches are all around you if you..." more>>

I refuse to believe that, because certain jobs are not just popping up, obvious to be seen, that there are no jobs for me.