NOT EVEN PLUTO WAS EXEMPT FROM BEING LAID OFF

The more time I spend in this horrible economy the angrier and more frustrated I’ve become. Given I’m a recruiter by trade; I’ve had the painful task of spending countless hours speaking with immensely talented professionals who, after years of loyal service and commitment to their employer, are now out on the street desperately seeking a new job. Years ago, when someone was laid off, there wasn’t the wide spread panic there is today. You’d simply get your resume out there, go through your network, and start looking for a new job. For most, they would land a new position within a few weeks to a couple of months. Today, the employment horizon is horribly bleak and, sadly, for most, it’s taking more than a year to find a new suitable role.

Walk into any Starbucks or coffee hang out during the work week and you’ll find former CFO’s, VP’s, Analysts, and the like, dressed in their knock around clothes with their laptops fired up as they search desperately for some form of employment. Highly talented people wanting badly to work but, despite their best efforts are unable to find employment. For many it’s demoralizing to have the ability and desire to work but not have the job to go to. For others it’s been an opportunity to move into another career path or take some much needed time off. For most, it’s hell. As the weeks wear on and the bills pile up so does the despair.

From the moment we start school we’re trained to work hard to get good grades so we can go to a good college or university and eventually land a good job. This economy has been the complete antithesis of everything we’ve been taught.

This got me to thinking, if such high ranking personnel aren’t exempt from pink slips then clearly who is? No one! That’s who. Not even the former planet, Pluto. Let’s face it, if Pluto lost its role in the Universe, who’s to say we mortal humans aren’t subject to the same?

Pluto first took its role as the ninth planet of the solar system, technically when the universe began, but officially in 1930. The outermost planet, as it’s otherwise referred to, was discovered by renowned scientist, Clyde Tombaugh. For over 75 years Pluto fulfilled a prestigious role as part of the solar system. Despite being a prominent member of the Kuiper belt, having an impressive composition of rock and ice and an eccentric, highly inclined orbit, Pluto’s performance was taken under intense scrutiny and deliberation. After much debate, Pluto was essentially called in and laid off from one of the most esteemed roles of the solar system. Not that Pluto underperformed or ever called in sick. The solar system was downsizing and Pluto’s services as a full-fledged planet were no longer needed. Pluto was given a new title of “dwarf-planet” and would no longer be considered part of the “Big Nine”. I’m sure he was given a severance package of a few billion stars and continued orbiting privileges, but where do you go once you’ve been let go from one of the coolest jobs in the universe, literally?

Hearing the words, “We’re making some serious budget cuts and unfortunately, Loyal Employee, we’re going to have to let you go”, instills immediate shock, degradation and all out concern over how you’re going to pay your bills. The second those words roll off your bosses lips, you’re instantaneously locked out of email, company databases, the restrooms, and parking garage. You’re then left with the humiliating task of cleaning out your desk in front of your fellow employees, who oddly enough are still gainfully employed despite their lack of productivity, and having to take that walk of shame with security as you exit the building to the daunting and disconcerting world of unemployment. Like Pluto, we’re left orbiting about aimlessly trying to figure out where we’re going to land next.

Does this economy rot from its putrefied core? Absolutely! Will we survive and press on? Absolutely! Does being unemployed mean you’re void of talent and any less of a human being? Absolutely not! Will you eventually land another job? You can count on it, but don’t let Pluto know. After all, he was named after the Roman God of the underworld and could get a little jealous and incensed.

For more information on how to survive being laid off, visit http://www.jobs.state.ak.us/taa/survive.htm


Copyright 2009

Know Your Own Strength

I've recently gone through a series of very difficult circumstances, both personally and professionally. Serious life altering changes that on the onset rocked my world considerably! As with most adversities I’ve faced in life, I took a long, hard look at each situation, searched for answers, and a way to grow as a professional and as a human being. I’ll admit there have been moments when I would have preferred to stay curled up in bed in the fetal position crying my eyes out and feeling sorry for myself. In the long run that only yields a bad sinus headache and an even deeper sense of despair. I consider myself more of a Phoenix; always rising above the ashes (or at least out of bed) after some form of destruction has hit my life. These past few months have been no different.

This morning I downloaded Whitney Houston’s new single “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength”. The words spoke so deeply to my heart. The triumph and empowerment she sings of are things I can profoundly relate to. We all get beaten down and battered by the trials and tribulations of life; especially in these tough global and economic times. What keeps us on the path to victory is when we make that instinctive choice to persevere and pick up our proverbial swords and keep fighting. In doing so, we see unfold before us a strength so immensely powerful. A strength we didn't know was residing in us all the while. A strength that will sustain us through to the end allowing us to claim insurmountable triumph and victory.

Thank you Whitney for this song of incredible strength and for the demons you clearly had to overcome in order to sing these words with the amazing conviction and fortitude you did! Way to go!

Achieving Your Optimal Greatness!

Watch this AMAZING video on achieving your optimal greatness!

Being In The KNOW

Knowledge is POWER and when it comes to job hunting and interviewing, “being in the know” is essential. How you convey and leverage what you know, throughout your recruitment process will separate you from the pack. Here are a few helpful hints on how to do just that.

Know Your Assets – YOU!
What is your best asset? YOU are! Far too often candidates are unaware of the overall value they can bring to a potential employer. They drone through their interviews giving basic answers or dropping “buzz” words and phrases into their conversation. (I’m a synergistic team player whose core competencies are mission critical to enhancing the overall strategy of the bottom line!) Say what? Prior to an interview write down several key value propositions you can offer a company based on your specific skill sets, the requirements of the role, and your overall experience. You want to stand out positively in your interviews, to make a statement and leave the hiring managers thinking about you long after the interview is over. Be confident without being arrogant and present your total professional package.

Know Your Potential Employer
Time and time again, candidates are ill prepared when it comes to knowing the landscape of who they’re interviewing with. In this technological age when even dogs have blogs, there should be no excuse for not doing your homework and research on the company you’re interviewing with. Be sure to review their website, know their products and services, identify key players, know their mission/values statements, and if possible review press releases and/or newsworthy articles. Being well informed goes a long way with hiring managers. It shows your willingness to go the extra mile and you’re readiness to invest and be committed.

Know How to Ask Insightful Questions
Ask questions beyond what the scope of the job and benefits package. Ask the hiring manager what he/she finds to be most challenging about their role. What separates them from their competitors? Where do they see themselves in the marketplace over the next few years? What new products or service offerings do they anticipate rolling out in the near future? What are the key indicators that make their firm/company successful? Asking insightful questions that relate to the company vs. just your role, signals the hiring manager that you have a big picture mentality and understand how your work contributions affect the bottom line.

Know to Stay Abreast of Industry Trends
By staying in tune with industry trends, both from a skills perspective and your prospective employers, you add tremendous value to your process, your conversations with hiring managers, and have the potential to provide valuable insight that shows you’re truly dialed in. It also affords you the aptitude to speak your potential employer’s language and will garner you more credibility. It also shows you’re a visionary hungry for knowledge and more importantly, willing to share that knowledge

Helpful Tools to Be In The Know

• LinkedIn
• Company Websites
• Industry Blogs
• Press Releases
• Network Events
• Social Networks
• Alumni Groups

copyright 2009