December 2009
37 posts
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Why is Job Search Like a Boxing Match?
As I am going through the latest employment opportunities that my search agents have located, I received a call from my wife, reminding me that we have several recorded boxing matches that we have not watched. I checked through what we have recorded and found that, in fact, we have recorded about a half dozen boxing matches that we have not yet watched.
This brought forth a memory back from my...
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Mapping Out a Career Strategy: The War of the Jobs...
The world has morphed into something so complex, you need a roadmap to figure out a career path and how to get somewhere, but the journey consists of constant movement from point A to B and perhaps Z before you wend your way back to C, D or E.
Twenty years ago, reports from the world of media and employment stats revealed that most people would change careers—not jobs—five to seven times in their...
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Part 2 - The Interview.
Ed. Note: Be sure to read Part 1 of “The Interview” here.
I have been through many strange experiences, however this has to be one of the strangest. I am about to have an interview with and extraterrestrial being and I am going to ask him about employment issues on his world? All because Great Britain may become a safe haven for extraterrestrials?
As I am writing this for the 405...
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5 Uses For Old Christmas Cards.
(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can. As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.
You’ve opened the gifts and put on the Yule log on TV. You’ve probably received a ton of holiday cards by now....
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Job Searching IS Like 2009 Dating... or something...
Some people told me that interviewing for jobs is like going on a string of dates. Considering I went to a college that Rolling Stone magazine publicly panned for having an abysmal dating culture, I was uncomfortable making such a comparison.
After sending a few emails that I deemed as life critically urgent and not hearing a response right away, it clicked. Job searching IS like 2009...
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Litany to the Patron Saints of Work.
“O When the saints go marching in!” The old-time gospel song provides assurance to the faith-filled of a Hereafter. It’s the place they want to be.
Did you know you can pray to the saints for a job? In fact, you may also not know it but there are patron saints dedicated specifically to that purpose. Usually, there is some outstanding thing they did during their mortal lives that cast them into...
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Part 1: "The Interview" by Howard K. Young
Writer’s Preface: A few months ago, I realized that the weekend is the best time for my writing for two reasons. First, I am using the month of December to re-double my efforts to find suitable employment. Second, I as I have stated in other writings, although I do my best to keep a positive attitude, I often find it difficult. This week was especially difficult because all but one of the...
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Changing Careers From Finance to Non-Profit.
If you’re contemplating a career move from finance to non profit you have chosen a perfect complement to one another on the giant chess board of work. What interesting bedfellows the world of finance and do-good cause endeavors are! No doubt the finance arenas are “gotta-get” while non profit charitable circle are give.
They seem to be two different worlds. Can East meet West? Will the lion lay...
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A Trip Through The Junk Mail of an Unemployed Man.
Initially I had planned to write about how I found my new job just in time for the holidays, and that I would truly have something to be thankful for. Unfortunately that did not happen so I had to change the subject of this week’s writing. One thing that those who in between jobs are constantly reminded of is the importance of keeping a positive attitude. I have found, however that the...
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Saturday Funny Pages.
According to the USA Today, an increase in unemployment has prompted an increase in pregnancies nationwide. Apparently, women seem to want a lot more sex these days. These women do not live in my complex.
-Todd Justice (C)
Four Fidelity Investments employees were fired for participating in Fantasy Football Leagues. The newly unemployed investors were confused, saying it was their jobs to make...
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What to do?! Nothing Beats Free Indoor Winter...
(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can. As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.
It’s cold out there. Winter is here to stay, so I’m sure you are looking for indoor activities more than outdoor...
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Unemployment Claims Up Again.
There was less of a move in new claims than last week. We’re still below 500k. That’s the good news from this week’s Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report. Initial claims increased to 480,000. Last week’s number was revised down 1,000. This was above the (rather tight) Bloomberg consensus range of 460k to 470k. From the report:
In the week ending Dec. 12, the advance figure for...
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"I Just a #$%^&*@ Job!" What To Do When Employers...
Once upon a time when I was barely in my twenties and job-searching, there was no such thing as an Internet and job applications were made with costly postage stamps and stationery. Or I walked on foot from one company’s HR to another and from one employment agency to another. I was warned to leave my engagement ring at home so an employer wouldn’t eliminate my application for a job, thinking I...
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I'm More Optimistic Now Than Ever Says The...
I remember sitting for lunch with some job hunting friends back in September or October, just before I left my last position. We were all discussing our job hunt, which, at the time, felt more daunting then ever.
We had been asking each other if anyone else was noticing a dwindling number of positions posted, which was something none of us were expecting to see. Eventually, someone looked at a...
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Simon’s Five Tips For The Unemployed In NYC.
I live in New York City and I am currently unemployed. In the last couple weeks since my arrival in the city, I have organized a small advisory board consisting of close friends and their contacts, recruiters, temp agencies, my wide array of stations on Pandora to keep me sane and oh so kind strangers I have met along the way. While I am able to sustain myself for the time being, mission #1 is to...
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Sunday Blog Brunch: Unemployed In Des Moines.
(Ed.Note) Welcome to our journey into the world of recession blogs! The 405 Club wants to get personal via a handful of questions with our favorite fellow bloggers who are documenting the recession and unemployment firsthand.
We’ve got a special guest today, sitting with us all the way in from Des Moines courtesy of http://unemployedindesmoines.com - Enjoy.
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Before we chat about the...
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Saturday Funny Pages.
See more unemployed comics via our Saturday Funny Pages here.
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Unemployment Claims Creep Up.
We’re still below 500k. This week’s Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report has been released. Initial claims increased to 474,000. Last week’s number was unrevised. This was in the middle of the Bloomberg consensus range of 450k to 500k (I’ve seen a few headlines calling it worse than expected, which is why I look at the consensus range). From the report:
In the week ending Dec. 5, the...
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6 Strategies To Save On Your Holiday Shopping.
(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can. As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.
If you didn’t get a chance to grab the great deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year, there are some other...
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Is It Me? Interviewers Say the Darndest Things.
Interviews may or may not go well, but when one of them—particularly a good one at a job we wanted and the interviewer acted like our long, lost friend—doesn’t yield fruit, we get down on ourselves and beat ourselves up. Maybe we should work very hard at detaching. Be our own public relations person, as if the commodity—us—we are selling, is touted and pushed as in sales or marketing. After...
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Non-revelations From an Ex-evangelist.
Ed. Note: We are extremely pleased to share a piece from our newest addition to The 405 Club writing team, Todd Obolsky. Todd’s bout with unemployment after becoming a recession casualty via a career-related web site provides a unique perspective. Enjoy.
As an employee of a career-related website, it was my job to provide advice, analysis and resources. I served as a guide, if you will,...
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The 4-1-1 on 401(k)'s.
If you were downsized and don’t know the first thing about 401(k) rollovers, never fear.
Figuring out COBRA and pension plans may have been enough of a headache so this may have slid into last place on your to-do list. Quite honestly, based on my research it sounds like it should be the first. For the inside scoop I checked in with Jeffrey R. Wylde, a New York City-based financial...
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Today’s Music Monday song is “The...
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Five Things to be Thankful for this Cubeless...
You know the drill. Every year when the holidays roll around, in the office you’re bound to have a full on holiday party, a few luncheons and oh yes, the ubiquitous random (not to mention stale) toffee sent in by vendors. Here are a few reasons why you should be oh-so-thankful you don’t have an office to call home during the holiday season:
*No extraneous snacks, no problems! Remember the...
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Sunday Blog Brunch: Smart Unemployment.
(Ed.Note) Welcome to our journey into the world of recession blogs! The 405 Club wants to get personal via a handful of questions with our favorite fellow bloggers who are documenting the recession and unemployment firsthand.
Today we have the honor of enjoying a lovely brunch with our friends from Smart Unemployment.
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Before we chat about the blog, what will you be having for brunch?
* ...
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Saturday Funny Pages.
Mint Explains Why The Real Unemployment Rate Is 17.2 Percent
To explain all of this (and I guess to remind people why it’s important to budget in these trying times), the folks at Mint prepared the video below. Despite its attempt to be lighthearted, it’s probably the most depressing cartoon you’ll see all month.
-Reblogged via fellow tumblrer michael j jacobson
View more...
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6 Ways to Boost Your Income.
(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can. As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.
Living frugally can do a lot for your financial goals, and most millionaires live a little on the frugal side. However, these...
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Unemployment: New Claims Drop to 457k.
This week’s Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report has been released. Initial claims dropped to 457,000. Last week’s number was revised down 4,000 to 462k. This was better than the Bloomberg consensus range of 471k to 495k. From the report:
In the week ending Nov. 28, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week’s revised...
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Did Your Working Friends Desert You?
In all times of crisis and pain, people feel so overwhelmed and afraid and with those feelings comes the isolation they complain about. “No one knows the troubles I’ve seen” says an old song.
People who lost jobs and anything else for that matter feel alienated, abandoned and taken for granted. Relatives seem to expect the same expensive gifts at Christmastime and birthdays that you gave them...
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REVIEW: Adam Lambert's AMA Performance.
Ed. note: If anyone can make this applicable to job hunters, Howard can! Enjoy.
Writer’s note. During my college years, I was entertainment editor of my campus newspaper and I learned my craft by writing concert and record reviews. I have seen many good concerts and many poor ones as well. As I was watching the American Music Awards last Sunday, I thought this would be a good time to revisit...
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Happy Festivus!
I love NYC this time of year, I truly do.
You know what I even love more? How countless holiday delights are free-free-free or in some instances, next to nothing! For starters, Gen Art is having their annual Styles 2009 Presentation/Awards on Wednesday, December 2nd at 7W (7 West 34th Street). They’re combining it with their Shop NYC event which means one thing: delish. For $15/ticket you can...
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405 Clubbers featured in The New York Post!
Okay, okay so I’m a little bit behind the 8 ball. More like a month but hey, time flies when you’re having fun! 405ers Courtney Adams and Christopher Merritt were featured in an article by Vicki Salemi.
http://tinyurl.com/y8mt79o
The upsides to being downsized are plentiful! What new passion did you decide to pursue? For many of us, getting the pink slip and being shown the door isn’t an...
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Cover Letter Me Bad.
We are always trying to find new ways to help our fellow members of The 405 Club so we are extremely delighted to welcome Kristine Henriksen to our family.
With Krissy’s expertise in Human Resources and business writing we are now able to offer a professional resume makeover and cover letter revision service… and for only $1 while unemployed!
Quick Snapshot of Krissy’s...