Posted by Vicki Brackett on May 12, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: May 12, 2010: I’m helping a friend with her job search.
I made Sue a deal. I would help her with her job search and she would blog about everything she was going through, including her job search activity. Sue agreed to this quickly, but added that I would have to agree not to censor her blog. For people that really know me, they realize that this is a huge request. Make It Happen For Women is my brain child. I am the founder and I want the blog to be inspirational and informative and of course, I know what’s best. Sue of course, laughed when I explained this to her as if she didn’t already know.
Sue and I are both type A personalities and we both are very passionate about our beliefs, so when Sue said to me, Take it or leave it”. I laughed and said. “I think I am in the better bargaining position.” We both laughed and in the end, I knew she would offer a great deal of information to the women that read our blog.
Sue and I have known each other for about 15 years. She is divorced, 56 years old, and has 3 children, the youngest of which is still in college and two older sons. Sue is a sales manager and has had some terrific success. The job market has been hit hard in California. Sue lives in the Sacramento area, where I lived for over 20 years.
Sue’s company was acquired. The sales manager from the acquiring company took the Director job and Sue was laid off. She had been there for 6 years and was heartbroken. She is very dedicated and has some wonderful accomplishments for her resume. Sue can’t believe that she has been unemployed for 8 months. She felt by now, someone would have “grabbed” her right up since she is so accomplished.
Doing a job search in this market can be very challenging….so hold on to your hats….
Sue will take over from here.
Take Care,
Vicki
Founder
Make It Happen For Women
http://www.makeithappenforwomen.com
Tags: California, college, divorce, friend, job market, Job Search, Make It Happen For Women, Sacramento, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman
Posted by Vicki Brackett on May 4, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women – The Diary of a Job Searching Woman – May 3, 2010 – Received a promotion!
For months, our Job Searching Woman has been “on” and “off” her job search. Finally the cloud lifted and her boss left and she got his job! So…she is updating her resume to be more prepared (for next time) and is jumping into her new position with both feet. I wanted to make sure you knew what had happened. Please join me in congratulating her!
We receive emails from all over the world every day from women who tell us about their job search, how they are frustrated with market conditions and that they want to take control of their job search. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. It means a great deal to us.
Stay tuned….I have a friend who I have agreed to personally help with her job search and she has graciously agreed to blog what she does, how it’s going and also to be open about her emotions. There is a catch – she has only agreed to blog if she can be totally honest in her blog and that I not “censor” it.
I have agreed. She is very direct so…hold onto your hat….
Thanks for listening….
Vicki
Founder
Make It Happen For Women
Posted by JobSearchingWoman on Mar 8, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Mar 8: Still on that proverbial roller coaster called a job search.
Why is the roller coaster make me crazy? Why should I be afraid? Is it because of the economy? Is it because of my fear of being a single working mom and being out of work? Is it fear of not having any money to feed my kids or pay my mortgage?
How can I go from believing that I am an amazing woman with great skills to being alone, afraid, with my head under the bed covers? How does that happen?
I like the top of the roller coaster a lot better? Why do I crash? I think it’s because of this fear down in my belly that I am not in control of my own destiny and that I may not be able to support my children.
I just want to be happy and feel secure in my job. Is that too much to ask?
Tags: children, fear of money, job, job search? Economy, Make It Happen For Women, out of work, roller coaster, single working mom, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman
Posted by Job Search Expert on Mar 3, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Mar 3: Companies are hiring!
Dear JobSearchingWoman:
Companies are hiring, but you have to make it easier for them to hire you. When people put together their resume, it’s an historical account of their career. Companies want to know more. Companies want to know how you are going to help them in these difficult economic times. So, think about what they need and that’s what you put on your resume.
Please remember that women look at their job searches differently than men. I didn’t say “worse” or “not as good”…I said different. If you can realize that a woman is wired differently and embrace those differences, then you can have a competitive edge.
Very few people actually get a job from a job board, so don’t spend all your time there. If you are going to put together a networking plan, do it from a business development stand point. Trying to find the hiring manager is not enough. Also try to find the person above the hiring manager. Remember, resumes don’t travel up the corporate ladder very well. But they do flow down.
Don’t just schedule time at Starbucks and meet someone and ask them for help. It might make you feel good, but it probably won’t land you a job.
Think from an employer’s point of view. We call that “Employer-Centric” and it works.
More importantly, remember that companies are hiring and that someone is going to get the job…it might as well be you!
Don’t give up!!
The Job Search Expert
Tags: business development, career, Companies are hiring, corporate, employer-centric, job, job boards, Job Search Expert, Make It Happen For Women, networking, resume, Starbucks, The Diary of a Job Searching Women, Women
Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Mar 1 – Don’t Give Up!
Dear JobSearchingWoman:
I know that you are discouraged. I know that looking for a job is a tough time in a woman’s life. How do I know? Cause I have been there…many times.
Part of a woman’s frustrations is that she is trying to do what she’s always done which is not working in 2010. But, old habits are hard to break and the “Networking is the only way to find a job” isn’t working anymore. Only 4-10% of the people in this country get a job from a job board and for professionals it’s less than 2%. Recruiters are getting reqs from their clients that are asking for everything under the moon and that makes their job more difficult.
So…you have to do something different. But first you have to get control of your mind. Take a few minutes to sit quietly and take some deep breaths. Think of things that empower you in your life. The times when you were on top. Spend some quiet time just trying to calm your speeding heart rate.
Keeping calm and focused is the first step. I’ve asked Our Job Search Expert to blog tomorrow about some tips on helping you….so stay tuned.
Remember…women are resilient. Once we know what to do…we will chew up anything in our paths.
Hang in there….In the meantime…here are some resume tips put together by our team.
Best Regards,
Vicki
Tags: job, Job Search, Job Search Expert, Make It Happen For Women, networking, recruiters, resume, resume tips, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman
Posted by JobSearchingWoman on Feb 24, 2010 in
The Product of You Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Feb 24: I am still waiting.
I’m staying true to me right now. Listening quietly on what I’m supposed to do in my job search and in my career. I know that one day soon, I will come back roaring like a lion – in true Helen Reddy style. I’m more than just a mom, a single woman, a single mom – I am a woman. I deserve to be happy and fulfilled in every part of my life.
Until then, I will wait. Quietly. I know my inner woman will speak in the night, like she always does. The question is….will I hear and if so…will I listen?
I know that whatever happens and although I believe that everything happens for a reason, I must be logical and use my sharp business mind to decide on the game plan. I want to treat my job search like a business problem. Which it is. I am the product and my prospects are new companies that should be begging for me to come to work for them.
So, as I build my inner spirit up, since it’s been deflated – no stamped on….I will continue to wait.
Tags: business problem, companies, game plan, inner woman, Job Search, Make It Happen For Women, mom, single mom, single woman, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman, waiting, woman
Posted by JobSearchingWoman on Feb 23, 2010 in
The Product of You Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Feb 23: My soul is quiet.
The truth is that I don’t want to do a job search. The truth is I don’t want to work. I just want to be a single mom that can spend time with my kids. I’m tired of being tired. I’m tired of being scared that I might lose my job. I’m tired of spending time on my job search and nothing happens.
I just want to sit quietly and wait for this all to pass. And I know it will. I want to sit and just listen to my heart, quiet, accepting and willing to just wait. Is this the wrong way to do a job search? Will it affect my career? Are we really reduced down to what we look like on paper on our resume?
I think not. In fact, I’m not going to think today. I will continue to wait. I will continue to be quiet. I will continue to just sit here. I know my heart will tell me what to do.
I will wait.
Tags: career, Job Search, kids, Make It Happen For Women, resume, scared, single mom, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman, wait
Posted by JobSearchingWoman on Feb 22, 2010 in
The Product of You Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Feb 22: The stress is effecting my body.
Now physical stress on my body because of all the emotional stress at work. Why is it when I am really stressed out that something happens physically to my body? I get a cold or the flu and I end up in bed.
I’m not a doctor of course, but I do know that this happens. Why can’t I control my inner emotions? Why does my body react when I am freaking out inside about my job and my career? What do I really want to do with my life? How do I balance that with my responsibilities as a single working mom with two kids in school? Can a woman really “have it all?” Or does that just happen for some women?
I do know that the grass is always greener on the other side and I know that other women struggle with this as well. We all have responsibilities of one kind or another and that over half of the women in the US are single…a lot of them are moms like me.
So how do I get my fear and uncertainty under control? If someone knows the answer, I wish they would share it. I sure need some help with this. And who better to help than other women.
Tags: career, inner emotions, job, life, Make It Happen For Women, single women, single working mom, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman, Women
Posted by JobSearchingWoman on Feb 18, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Feb 18: I’m on the roller coaster again!
Why are my emotions going up and down? One day I think I want to stay with my company forever and believe that we are really ready to grow to the next level and then the next, I feel like the world is coming to an end.
Yesterday was fabulous at work. The energy in the office was good and my boss was in a great mood. We have a new client with a promise of new and continued revenue. We don’t need to lay off, we need to get out there and sell, sell, sell! We just need more new business.
Wish everyday was like yesterday. I actually felt like I could run the mile in seconds! My boss promises things will be better. Should I stop my job search for a while and regroup? Who am I kidding. I haven’t even been sending out resumes or networking because I’m so discouraged about my job search.
What is best for my career?
Tags: career, Job Search, lay off, Make It Happen For Women, networking, new business, resume, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman
Posted by JobSearchingWoman on Feb 17, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Feb 17: I hate my Job!
No one wants me! I don’t know what to do. I apply and apply for jobs. No one calls. I don’t know what to do? I keep changing my resume for every job I apply for and nothing is working. What do I do?
My friends tell me I am great and that it’s only a matter of time before I get a new job, but nothing is happening.
Everything at work is crazy. My boss is acting weird and I feel like the whole place is ready to explode. We just lost a client. I think my boss is going to blame and it’s not my fault. They have cut our customer service programs and I don’t have much to offer my clients. Has the world turned upside now?
I’m scared. I’m a single working mom with two kids and I need to have a job. If I get laid off, I don’t have enough money to support myself and the kids. What will happen to me? What will happen to my career?
What do I do now?
Tags: boss, career, customer service, friends, job, laid off, Make It Happen For Women, money, resume, single working mom, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman
