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
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 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 12, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Feb 12: My friend found a new job!
After being unemployed for over 8 months Renee, my friend, has a new job! I’m thrilled for her. You should have seen her face. She was so excited and relieved that all the stress was over. She’s the new Marketing Director for a great company here in the city and has a bright future.
Watching her at Starbucks last night, as we celebrated, made me realize that I am being left behind. I am going no where. I thought my boss and the company cared, but who am I kidding? I really need to jump start my job search because my career is going no where. I don’t believe my boss when he says that my job is safe….
Wonder what’s happening to me? Has the fear of unemployment made me not trust people anymore? I hope not because I am a positive person and I always see the glass half full.
I’m going to work on my resume again this weekend and see if I can get out there and find a new job!
Tags: boss, career, job, Job Search, Make It Happen For Women, Marketing Director, new job, resume, Starbucks, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman, unemployment
Posted by Vicki Brackett on Feb 4, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Feb 4: Changes in the Job Market for Women!
After 2 years of being in business, we launched our new division Make It Happen For Women early last year, exclusively to help women with their job search. Since that time we have seen many changes in the job market. We have also seen changes in the women that we serve.
I have always prided myself in being part of a gender that is full of eternal optimism and by inclination a nurturer, helps others, and can tackle anything 100% and make it happen. What I have seen in this job market is that the passion, a willingness to tackle everything and eagerness to move to the next level, have turned into insecurity, doubt and downright fear.
Many women have crossed our path. I’ve sat and talked with women across the country that are hurting and it seems to me from where I sit that the fear we are facing is drenched in insecurity that has left us feeling hopeless. When it comes to the job search, many women are scared and uncertain.
New Methodology for Job Market
I started MIH4W to help others, to pour my heart and passion into helping the millions of women across this country and Canada. I’ve hired a great team of people that not only share that passion, but together we have developed a new methodology that has a proven track record of helping women get a new job.
Women come day after day and share their stories. We have our triumphant days filled with interviews for our clients, and the days when our gut is wrenched when we hear of tragedy, savings depleted, illness and death that strikes a family, as well as the month after month feeling of hopelessness.
Let’s Take Our Power Back!
My dream is that we as women will take back our power and use it to make calculated moves in our job searches; that we will once again feel enlightened and hopeful. I know this is possible because women are resilient. We’ve done our best to try and wake women up with a firm and direct approach. Our clients tell us that this directness has saved their careers, as well as helped put them back in the drivers seat for the way they see themselves and their potential.
We continue to move up the mountain with a quest for every woman to get what she wants. We have provided free resume reviews and Career Marketability Assessments for over 10 months to any woman that calls our office. We have given back and we’ve received many blessings.
I wish that all women could see the jubilant face and hear the relief and laughter in a voice of a woman that has secured a new position. A lot of hard work for her and for our marketing teams…but it’s been worth it.
Thank you for letting us be part of your lives- We treasure you!
Rooting for you in your Job Search,
Vicki
Founder and President – Make It Happen For Women
Tags: career marketability assessment, interviews, job market, Job Search, Make It Happen For Women, new methodology, new position, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman, Women
Posted by Vicki Brackett on Jan 25, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman JobSearchingWoman: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Jan 25: The job market? The world has turned upside down!
Dear JobSearchingWoman:
I know that the job market is a tough one and that fear grips a lot of us, especially at night when we can’t sleep and we are worried about paying the bills and feeding our children.
My suggestion is that you treat your job search like a business problem. There could be a few reasons why you are not getting many calls about your resume. Perhaps your resume is not search engined optimized and is not getting pulled up in the database search. To fix that, most people cut and paste the “buzz words” from the job description into their resume so it comes up when HR or a recruiter does a search. However, what people fail to realize is that is not the only problem. If you do come up in a database search and your resume looks like the job description, your resume will not communicate what the company wants to hear.
In this market, companies are looking for three (3) things: 1) Make them money. 2) Save them money. 3) Minimize their risk. Make sure your resume is communicating what the company needs at this time during a recession. Be the solution to the problem. Do your research so you know what the problem is and convince them you are the solution.
These are some of the keys to getting in the door and winning the offer.
I’ve been there. I’m a single mom and have had all those fears – You know the ones that make you wake up in the middle of night; the ones that immobilize you . The fears that cause us to panic and keep changing our resume.
Your career is important to your family and to your future. Look at your job search like a business problem and that might help you put things into perspective and understand what employers are looking for.
Wishing you all the best,
Vicki
Tags: career, employer, HR, job description, job market, Job Search, Make It Happen For Women, recession, recruiter, resume, single mom, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman
Posted by JobSearchingWoman on Jan 20, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Jan 20: Why can’t I find a new job?
Why won’t anyone hire me? I am GOOD at what I do! I feel like I am looking for a needle in a haystack and I’m not sure what to do at this point.
I’ve talked with a few more recruiters and they say my resume is good, but they can’t help me either. The competition is fierce! I mean I can’t even get the phone to ring!
Not sure what to do. What if I lose my job and I can’t find a new one? I’m just panicking I guess. Everything is going well at work, so why am I freaking out about my job search?
I spend hours on the internet after the kids go to bed searching for jobs and reading resume tips, information about my cover letters, job search and what I can do to move my career forward. Forward? I just want to maintain at this point and not go backwards.
Maybe I should go back to school and get my MBA? Heck, I don’t know what to do….
Tags: cover letters, job, Job Search, love my job, Make It Happen For Women, MBA, new job, recruiters, resume, resume tips, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman
Posted by JobSearchingWoman on Jan 19, 2010 in
The Diary of a Job Searching Woman Make It Happen For Women: The Diary of a Job Searching Woman: Jan 19: I’m sick and tired of the emotional roller coaster!
I’m tired of working hard at work only to have it be “not enough.” I’m tired working, trying to make ends meet, trying to take of my kids and doing a job search at the same time. I’m tired of changing my resume and I’m tired of thinking day and night about my career and how I’m going to take care of my kids, send them to college AND save for retirement on only one salary!
HR doesn’t call back. The interview I went on – What a fiasco! No one is calling back or returning my phone calls. This is ridiculous! What has happened to common sense?
I’m tired of all the networking meetings. They are depressing! I’m surrounded by miserable unemployed people and come out even more depressed! I don’t know what to do or where to go.
I can’t seem to get my emotions into check. I had better get a grip on myself, because there is no one to take care of me but ME!
Tags: career, depression, interview, Job Search, Make It Happen For Women, networking, resume, The Diary of a Job Searching Woman