Sunday Blog Brunch: The UnemployMentor.
(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 took a few weeks off there from our Sunday Blog Brunch to regroup and go to the gym, but now we’re back. We’re suckers for brunch deals!
This week we have the honor of sitting with The UnemployMentor, all the way from California…
Roger Jon Hyman, The UnemployMentor
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Before we chat about the blog, what will you be having for brunch?
* Chopped liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.
1. When were you laid off and what did you do? Or are you employed/self-employed? If so, what do you do now?
* Jan. 15, 2009 @10:30AM—Broadcast Television Programming Administrator for an International Media Conglomerate
2. When and why did you start your site?
* My website is http://www.theunemploymentor.com. I am TheUnemployMENTOR. My tagline is, “Why Just Look For A Job? Create One!”(TM) The inspiration came basically from the frustration and depression of experiencing job-loss. Human nature dictates that we hate change and try to replace what we had with the same; this is poor thinking today. The jobs we had are gone—period. We must be forward-thinking, creative and innovative in order to find a new niche. Life is now live and on-line; run with it! TV as we know it as a static box of varied forms of entertainment is disappearing, sadly. I have developed this website to provide employment strategies and resources in a humorous, motivational and inspirational fashion that will hopefully lead others to follow my path.
3. What is your motivation to continue blogging and/or running the site?
* It keeps me focused and busy beyond words. Vomitting resumes and cover letters into the in-boxes of Corporate America is a fraction of the battle; the response percentage is nill. My website and blog are instant—just like working in television I was able to come home and watch my work! I post and people respond. People today want instant results—nobody wants to wait around anymore to see how their doing. I have a viral topic and it makes sense to do this right now.
4. Do you think blogging or running your site will help you find a job?
*What I’m doing IS a job in itself…
As I look for traditional, terrestrial forms of employment, I have this to fall back on…if I can monetize it…My site is not on my resume—yet. My fear is that if too many companies out there see this (they probably already have) it will be counter-intuative. They will think this is my new gig and I don’t need a “real job” and turn away. This is a job resource to help others, not something that is making huge profits whereby I can retire tomorrow. At some point, the economy will turn around and this idea of mine will no longer be needed—than what? Real Job.
5. What do you want to do next professionally?
* If I can get my ducks in order…without getting goosed (hmmm…never mind.)…I have plenty of ideas that can drive income from my website; Speaking, teaching, webinars, e-books, teleclasses—I’m just one person, so I need to work quickly on this. This sort of evolved; I’d like it to be a new or side career if at all possible. Self-employed is only applicable if you’re making money at it—for me, not yet.
6. How will your blog change when you rejoin the workforce?
* That’s the golden question! Companies out there are looking at me and asking that very question—If I hire this dude, where will my loyalties lie? Damned if I know—4 in the morning? Weekends? I’ve created a monster!
7. What’s new at your site and where does it go from here?
* Nothing terribly new yet, however I will be building a new page totally devoted to additional resources—books, links to other sites for support (LIKE YOURS!), humorous sites to help us laugh and forget about things for awhile, and maybe some therapists I know to help you when you can’t laugh. Things like that. If unemployment is forever, I’m here! It will expire when I no longer have global interest—hopefully not for awhile. I’m open to affiliates willing to share in whatever profits can be had by this.
8. Any final thoughts or words of wisdom for members of The 405 Club?
* Apply yourself before you apply for the job. Build on your strengths and improve upon and invest in your weaknesses today to become a better employee tomorrow!
9. Last but certainly not least, what is your favorite series/feature on The 405 Club?
* Truthfully, it’s all superior stuff. What seperates you from the others is you have this section to engage others, like myself, to become an integral and important part of the humongous unemployed community—Thank You for this opportunity!
Our pleasure — Thanks for joining us!
