(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.

This week we had the opportunity to sit with Rich over at Corn on the Job.

Be sure to visit him: http://www.CornOnTheJob.com.

Thanks for joining us Rich!

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Before we chat about the blog, what will you be having for brunch?

* Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich (duh)

1. When were you laid off and what did you do? Or are you employed/self-employed? If so, what do you do now?

* I was laid off at the end of February. My company was acquired by Oracle, and me and the HR folks were let go. I went to Cancun to celebrate a week after my last day!

2. When and why did you start your site?

* The first few months of FUNemployment were definitely a great time and I was learning a lot about myself in the process. I traveled to Cancun, Key West, and spent time with family members that weren’t in the Philly area (where I’m from).

In July I realized that my mind was numbing a bit and to keep on top of my game I should start a blog. Corn On The Job was created sometime around July 12, 2009.
My blog looks at the lighter side of Career Advice, utilizing my HR and Staffing background to bring a fresh perspective.

http://www.CornOnTheJob.com

3. What is your motivation to continue blogging and/or running the site?

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(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…

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(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 blog, what will you be having for brunch? * two eggs on toast w/ decaf coffee

1. When were you laid off and what did you do? Or are you employed/self-employed? If so, what do you do now?

* Feb 2008 - settled on a crap job Jul-Aug and was laid off AGAIN! Am technically “underemployed” right now as I work part time for a non-profit - unemployment insurance makes up the rest of my monthly “income”.

2. When and why did you start your site?

* Wrote my first post on 21-May at http://unemployedindesmoines.com. The first 3 months of unemployment consisted of submitting my resume to job openings I found on job boards. I read Seth Godin’s “Tribes” and was totally hooked on not being a “sheep-walker” anymore. I always wanted to learn how to develop a website and I was meeting others in Des Moines who were in the same situation and we just needed a place to gather. They were also wondering where I was networking, so I included that on the site.

3. What is your motivation to continue blogging and/or running the site?

Read More

(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?

* 7 egg omelet please!

1. When were you laid off and what did you do? Or are you employed/self-employed? If so, what do you do now?

* I am a Human Resources consultant.

2. When and why did you start your site?

* I started Smart Unemployment after seeing a number of friends lose their jobs during the recession. Many were frustrated with the process of applying for unemployment benefits.

Two friends of mine were laid off from the same company and immediately planned to start a business. As such, the unemployment office in their state (NY) deemed them to be “self-employed” and therefore ineligible to receive benefits.

In addition, friends and acquaintances were frequently asking me about how to go about getting health insurance on their own. Having spent many hours researching individual health insurance for myself and my family a couple of years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to share this information with others.

3. What is your motivation to continue blogging and/or running the site?

Read More

(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.

—-

Before we chat about the blog, what will you be having for brunch?

* Eggs benedict (with the eggs cooked very well done), hash browns, coffee and some orange juice

1. When were you laid off and what did you do? Or are you employed/self-employed? If so, what do you do now?

* After working for the same employer for over 12 years, I became suddenly unemployed in April 2009. I had been working as an IT Manager for the last 10 years and am still actively looking for employment.

2. When and why did you start your site?

* I started http://www.SuddenlyUnemployed.com approximately two months after I became suddenly unemployed myself. I found that coping with unemployment could be very difficult at times. I created SuddenlyUnemployed.com with the hope that it could provide encouragement and information to others, like myself, that were unemployed. The forum at http://www.suddenlyunemployed.com/forums was created to provide a community for unemployed individuals to meet and discuss issues involved with unemployment

3. What is your motivation to continue blogging and/or running the site?

Read More