My Unemployed Experience - Part 6

Well it's a beautiful day today. The sun is out with a nice breeze, so sitting here on the porch I figured I'd throw a little more of my experience your way if it helps any.

You know I've tried many avenues and I've always made change when needed. You have to be ready to change at any given moment. The world has changed, but understand something. I know you need an income and you must pay taxes, but do know if you have any sort of income that you're paying taxes on all your unemployed techniques can be tax deductible. Meaning by claiming all the things you do like, buying paper for your resume, ink for your printer, minutes used on cell phones, trips to interviews, and many more you can claim this on your income tax reducing your total taxes you're required to pay. Sure it's percentages that you're allowed but it might just get you back a few needed dollars to get you through. Many people don't take this to heart and claim it. They simply just let it go and not worry about it. That's your dollars that you're not claiming and possible dollars you won't get back because you don't claim it. Claim everything you possibly can. You automatically get a standard deduction, so undoubtedly you have to claim more than your standard deduction or you'll just lose it. That has happened to me before. But knowing my standard deduction, I know what I have to work toward. Whichever is the most is what my accountant will use. But I give him everything just in case. Here's some ideas to help you along.

Office Supplies- Ink, paper, pencils, pens, staples. In some cases and yes I let the accountant know that I purchased my last laptop and accessories for the sole purpose of job searching. One might say yea but you're using it for blogging in this instance. Yes I am, but because I blog and I have evidence to show that people read my blogs listed under stats, can easily grab a potential employers interest in hiring me for a specific need based on what I might be blogging about.

Home Office - if you're using a home office, spare bedroom you might inquire how much of this are you allowed to claim, since it is your office area and you're using it for business, (ie, job searching). Percentages of electricity used, your long distance carrier, or your web provider bill that you pay to stay online on particular job sites searching. Ask about it.

Vehicle charges- gas, tires, oil, repairs. I let the accountant know about it all. He'll determine what can and cannot be claimed. As for as gas you have really one of two ways to claim it keeping each receipt showing each time you filled up or claim the standard deduction for fuel and wear and tear the IRS allows you to claim and I'm not quite sure the exact, but somewhere I believe around .71 cents per mile. Note though going this route includes tires, fuel, repairs, etc.

Interviews face to face and telephone. If you have to do the call-in, make sure you are tracking the time frame spent on the call, whom you're speaking to, the company name, etc. If using your cellular phone log the minutes and times talking. Even if they are calling you and you're using your minutes to answer you're using minutes toward job related affairs. Landlines the same way, but you can get this information off your monthly bill such as the number called, the amount in minutes you've spoke, the date, etc. Keep those bills. Face to face if you have to stop and eat, hotel expenses, etc. those items are used solely for job related affairs. However if the company you're interviewing with pays your interview expenses, you can't double claim unless you use your money and you are not reimbursed.

Check with your accountant you may also be able to claim such things like dry cleaning expenses to have suits and dresses cleaned to go to interviews.

Be proactive when it comes to listing items to claim. Look around,ask your tax preparer and you may be surprises what you're allowed to claim toward job relations.

Just a few areas of thought to help you possible get a few bucks back that might help you over the hump. Nothing here implies or suggest that I know anything about the tax codes or laws. Your accountant or tax preparer can assist you in the proper direction you might need to go, but it's worth talking with them.

OK not I've covered some of the IRS possibilities. One area I've focused on is questions and answers. Ever get hit with behavioral interviewing questions. Yes the old days of sitting down and just talking and getting to know someone is all but gone. Now you have to answer questions to be judged against. Here's several.

1- Tell me about yourself... the infamous question. This is not a question to take lightly. They are not saying tell me about your score from your golf game or how involved you are with your daughters dance class or son's baseball training or how much you enjoy fishing. Stick to the question on a professional job related experience. Whom have you worked for, what was your job or how long did you work for them. Include the roles you had and how you save the company $150,000 dollars on a project you were involved in.

2- Tell me a time when you had an unhappy client and what was the problem and what did you do to relinquish the problem.

3- How do you handle anger?

4- Tell me a time where you had a dispute between two workers, how did you handle it?

These are just some questions. If you Google and ask for "interview questions" you can find many questions that are asked typically including the top 100 questions asked during an interview.

My point here is learn the type of questions by researching them and applying your answers to them and know your answers. Preparation is key here. You don't want to be caught with a bunch of "UM's" and "a's". If you're ever asked a question that you don't know the answer clearly state, "I'm sorry, but I have no answer for this question". Don't give a bunch of "UM's". I always had suspected questions and answers available next to my phone when doing a telephone interview

You have to put forth a lot of effort to get a little bit of success out from your job search. From printing business cards, some possible advertising and marketing, learning to sell yourself, sales pitches(elevator pitch), beating the streets, working the job boards, employer sites, mailing off resumes, following up etc.

One think I've learned, don't get lazy with the computer and do everything through it. It's a great source but again part of your arsenal of tools. When you are finished with an interview, do you simply email a thank you response when you get home, or do you still mail a hard copy saying thanks. I do both. An email captures the "in the now" and set's the stage for remembering you. When the hard copy thank you comes it's an added icing on the cake so to speak. Make sure you tell the potential employer how much you enjoyed the interview and reiterate what you have to offer, but never forget to again ASK for the job. You don't have to take it once you've been selected and you've gone through everything they're offering you if it doesn't sit well with you, but always ask for the job. You may never ever get a second chance to say, "I'm interested".

One last thing, you should always be making contacts and NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. Take advantage of job fairs, networking events. Anything that will put you out in the forefront of potential buyers. Buyers being employers who will purchase your product.... YOU!!!

Well, I think I've come to a stopping point in my unemployed experience. If I happen to think of more avenues and areas I have left out and need to add, I'll just add them in a future response as a new segment. I hope many of the things I've brought to light that has helped me, helps you or someone who sometimes needs a different edge on things. I do wish everyone well with hopes of obtaining a job in the near future. If you ever want to bounce something off someone, drop me a line, I'll be happy to tell you what I've done and possibly give you some more ideas! Wishing my readers the best!!!!

My Unemployed Experience - Part 5

WOW, thinking back over a year of everything I've done is a time consuming effort. I come across numerous things I hadn't realized I have done, but nevertheless it is what was part of my saga.

During my search I did speak to several people who has got all my respect and who has helped me with little things here and there. They do come from a discussion board that I've been part of for almost 2 years. They are well worth their weight in gold. Not to mention I gave up on family and friends support when people started acting like it wasn't their problem. These discussion boards are worthy of sticking to them if for anything the support these people give you. How amazing it becomes when you actually start finding out how truly your friends are that you've grown up all your life with. Family is the same way.

One thing I have to say is you need to put the negative people out of your life and hang with those that are positive. Yep, positive influence will get you through this. Majority of friends and family will tell you they don't understand and how they can't figure out why you won't go back to work. They really have no clue what you're going through unless they themselves has experienced it. I've had family that has mention everything to try since they were looking for their first job. BING... things have changed, nothing last forever in the realm of job searching. What use to be is far gone nowadays. The basics might be there but the technique and the arsenal one must use is clearly over the hill in trying to make anyone understand. So forget those people. They will bring you down. They figure you should be able to find something, anything for that matter. Many will tell you to take this or that minimum wage job, but has no clear understanding that you've applied you cannot make people hire you. Your experience is out of the ball park for what they want to pay anyone. The old tale of you will find something better when things get better is typical the way companies see those with experience and qualifications.

I have applied for retail jobs, wholesale jobs, oil and gas jobs, building products, construction, trash dump jobs; you really have to work the system and find your niche' to find people who want your skills. In the old days you could go sit in front of a hiring manager talk one on one, get to know each other and either walk out knowing you have a job or at the bare minimum know that this wasn't the one. Everything is a science nowadays.

Moving on, I have used the famous job boards. Some are worthwhile where some I wouldn't go to if they paid me to be on them. Here's a list of quite a few I have been on and in most cases my credentials still float amongst their system.

Careerbuilder, Monster, Bridget Bits, Employment connection, Resume Poster, Beyond, Jobfox, Jobboard.asme.org, CBC jobs, Execbuddy, my jobhunter, vault, wafbjobline, salesgravy, Rigzone, Perficient Openhire,Indeed, Hotjobs, HireDiversity, Batonrougebetterjobs, Geowebjobs, Hotmail, jobsonline, realmatch, resume360, thejobspider, Houstonhires,PCRecruiters,Jobsradar,Novotus, Preparetohire.me, TalentTrust, jigsaw, Jobinsider, sciencecareersite,Badon's Employment,inc., Business Workforce,

To give you an idea of working the company job boards I've used the following.

Fastenal, LehighHanson,Aramark,Owens Corning, Armstrong World Industries, Champion Technologies, Akzonobel, Johnson Controls,Aerotek, TransUnion,Vitrura, Shell, Robert Half, Dish Network, Owens Corning, Home Depot, Masco Home Services, Newell Rubbermaid, Bluelink, Georgia Pacific, MSC Industrial Supply,Sims solutions, Culligan, Waste management, wilsoncombat,Sabic Innovative Plastics,United Rentals, Dollar General, Wis International, Solar Turbines,British Petroleum, Love's Travel Store, HB Rentals,Haliburton, Fifth Gear. This is just part of the list.

Other areas I've become associated with is LinkedIn, Praxair,Facebook, Twitter, Yolasite.com, Brightfuse,Wix, MySpace,QuietAgent, Naymz(visible.me).

These are just some. Honestly, I was tracking every site I launched on and have a pocket book I keep everything in because I can't remember them all so I started writing them down. Some might not even exist any longer.But the reason I pointed all these sites out is simply to show it is a full time job keeping up with each, monitoring them and following up to stay at the forefront. My job search became quite serious over a long haul. I knew I had no one to depend on but me. I had many sleepless nights getting up and plugging away again. When I've told people I spent 14 hours a day behind my computer or beating the streets, that was not fictitious. My poor old mother who I tend to had no understanding why I stayed on all the time. Her most redundant question every time she came around was find anything else, you find anything to apply to. I'm typically a quiet person. She can't handle that. She wants conversation. It's hard to converse when you whole world is wrapped up into finding work.

The whole entire point to this message is you have to make you a plan, work the plan continuously changing the plan no different than you change a budget statement as time goes on, so you'll always be ahead of it. It's definitely not a lazy man's game. Each site I've been associated with whether it was a social site or a job board or a specific company's career site I have sat down and filled each and every profile out as they've wanted. Now don't take that wrong as I give everything away. I do not deal well with anyone asking me for personal information like my social security number or my references. Forgetaboutit. I respect my references to much to throw them to the wolves. I am cautious. But here's the thing. First I make sure if it's a social site I know what I placing on it. I never say anything that will draw a red flag. Even like on Facebook. It's personal but business oriented. I love many things that of interest, but you have to stop and think, "is it politically correct"?

You know we all been taught the ole adage of "don't put anything you wouldn't want your grandma to see", well that goes double dose for employers. You have no idea how and if they can get into your site. If someone wants you bad enough, they will go through hoops to find out all about you. Is your political standings in line with theirs? Is your religious thoughts in line with theirs? Hey no one said they had to be. I'm quiet but I tend to voice my opinion when riled, but I know certain things people will take out of context and won't give me the benefit of the doubt such as being my own person with my own thoughts. So, I don't put it on any posting. I watch each and every move I make on the internet. Now if I could ever get my kids to buy into that, which is another blog.

The thing is in my experience I had one goal and that was to be known and get known across the web. Have I succeeded. I think I have. When I Google myself, I pop up first in many agendas. It wasn't always that way, but I had to work many long hours to get there. Will it ever help me, maybe one day, who knows. In regards to recruiters who contact me and find out I'm on a job board. That doesn't bother me at all. They might have the stroke in the company to get me seen or get me an interview, but there's other ways of skinning a cat! It's called determination and persistence.

You know I use to go with my wife to stores, now she was a tiny lady 5'1 and little. But she wasn't one to reckon with. When she felt she was getting screwed she let you know about it and it wasn't what one would consider happy times. How many times did I say, "baby, you don't need to do that, it's not the clerks fault, they just following policies". She felt if you worked for someone you represented them and since no one else was around guess who's going to hear her out? Well on numerous occasions a supervisor or even clerks would approach listen to the problem and here her and her voice getting louder attracting other customers to stare. I guess when you have a mission statement that says something like "we want everyone who shops here to have a pleasant experience", that pleasant experience is not exactly happening at this point. So they would simply give her what was required just to get her out of there. She was never nasty or threatening, just factual, and expected to be treated like a decent paying customer. Well I did that once myself thinking what the hell, the store I was in pulled something totally off the wall with my 13 year old daughter and followed her around and then when she got scared she looked at me and said daddy, those men are following me. Now I can take a lot, but don't ever do anything to mess with my kids, especially my girls. So after questioning the so called security and knowing that she didn't take anything, I came unglued and told them are we finished here after them speaking with me in front of her. They said yes, I had $300 dollars worth of goods in my hands holding 2 credit cards to pay, the child had money in her pocket and I gave them permission to search her purse as she said also she didn't do anything. Crying, I dropped all $300 worth of goods right there on the floor and told them if we are finished here do not try to stop me when I walk out the door or you will be hearing from my attorney. Amazing how people react when you become persistent.

The deal here is with any company, you show enough interest, you keep sending resumes, making calls, learning who the right people are to contact, eventually (not always) someone will take notice and say "let's talk to that person" if nothing else to get you to move on. There's your cue to a quick interview. It works, but you have to have things in order. You can not be a stalker, you cannot be ugly. But you can be professional, determined, learn who the right people are to contact.

Getting out and making your name known is key to any place you choose to want to work. Talking to current employees on your skills when something comes available you made a contact, they might even throw it out there that they know someone the company might want to talk to. Also, many company's have a referral policy where the employee might get a certain amount of bonus just for introducing someone who stays with the company 3 or 6 or even an year. If they stay you get the bonus. Many employees love that. Why wouldn't they want to know you as a prospect? And yes company's do do that. My last company I worked for gave out $1100 if the new hire stayed on for 6 months. The current company I was told that if you introduce an underling and they stay once hired you can get up to a couple hundred dollars and if it's a manager up to $2000. So it does help to get to know the current staff.

If you know people who has left the company, talk with them. You can learn lots. Not the begrudged or disgruntled, but the positive things. The disgruntled however will give you ideas on what was disheartening, why they weren't happy, why they moved on. This might help you in your interview skills about the company and what to stay away from or rather capitalize on. Positive attributes will help you when you do get an interview because you'll know what's important to the culture.

I'm doing it today working. Getting to know new people and listening to older people who has been there a while. Learn from them. They have a lot of information that will steer you in what to do and what to stay away from.

One thing I want to bring up for the interview process. We've all been told never to bring anything to an interview. I somewhat don't always agree with that. Yes I dress professional, but I usually have brought 2 things with me besides a pencil. My portfolio with a tablet inside along with several extra resumes and my brag book. What's a brag book one might ask.

A brag book is all my certificates and write-ups of things I publishes, created, designed, company newspaper articles, copies of evaluations, memos that capitalized on my successes, and certificates of things I've learned. It's about 2" thick in a nice black binder in clear sheets so they can be pulled in and out. My portfolio as I said has a tablet in it. I'm not bashful about taking notes. But you have to weigh out the interview when you get there. Based on whom you're interviewing with and the personalities involved you might just leave it closed, but on the other hand dependent who you're interviewing with, I have no problems asking if you mind if I take notes. Wait until they throw something at you like figures or need to know stuff. I politely ask do you mind if I take notes.

I have also kept in my portfolio things like matrix (excel sheets) I've designed myself like monthly financials, budgets and process maps. Why would I carry that. You know how many times in the positions I have applied for someone ask the question can you do this, are you familiar with this. Now the one's I drum up all all fictitious. I would never use a past employers information since majority of the time those items are privy to the past employer not to be shared. I create my own and when the subject is brought up, I can show them without a doubt, yes I can here are some examples of what I can do. One thing though, if you're doing financials like a budget statement make sure all your calculations and formulas coincide with the information you have on paper. Last thing you want is them to think you can't do a formula in and Excel spreadsheet, or your adds and subtracts are wrong. It's embarrassing let alone after you're gone and if they choose to review it thy might be checking you out for accuracy.

One more thing I leave behind and I have given it earlier during the process so they can follow along in case something of sorts is asked is a black folder when you open it, it can have your business card in it, but in one pocket it has a packet of all my recommendations, and in the other pocket it will have a nice fresh copy of my resume. NO REFERENCES. Those signed recommendations doesn't give them the right to contact anyone, besides some of those people may not even work for the company anymore. Simply let them know this is for your review if you're interested in learning more about me.

One last thing on this post and I'll break. I use to be a hiring manager. I've seen everything one can imagine when it comes to hiring people. One thing that has always aggravated me and if it aggravated me, I can only imagine how it aggravates other hiring managers. Bring a pen and a pencil. You are a professional. A professional never ask for the utensils needed to comply unless it's something they want you to do and they'll supply what's needed. Don't get caught with the eye-roll from the receptionist or the HR or hiring authority when you ask for something to write with. It's embarrassing and very unprofessional.

Until next time.... more to come!

My Unemployed Experience - Part 4

OK as part of my plan I wrote about my resume summary rather than an Objective, I summarize using bullet points to attract whomever is reading. Make sure you capitalize on percentages and number factors as this gives the reader some kind of idea how much you were involved, how much you saved, etc. Numbers and percentages are gold mines to many people. They can actually tell how much your experience is worth based on this. But be truthful. Many will say, I have no idea. Sit back and think about what you have done in your position.

If you were an electronics tech and you worked on 10 boards a day on average, multiply that by the number of electronic techs in your department let's say for example you have 5 that would be on average 50 boards being worked on in any given day. Again multiply that by 5 days a week or the number of days you work. Using 5, that would be 250 boards on average a week. Multiply that by 4.2 weeks a month and you have on average 1050 boards a month. Now if you want to add dollars to that. Do you know how much the boards and components cost to work on? How much does it cost to repair, maintain? If you don't have this information a simply rule to follow is if you make $10.00 an hour and there are 5 techs in your department and you work on average 8 hours a day, again 5 days a week at 4.2 weeks a month. Your estimated dollars for working on these boards are $8400.00 a month to work on 1050 boards a month. You want to add a percentage of how much you work on? Do it based on an average of 1050 boards go through your department monthly and if 1050 is the norm figure you're using as 100%, you're working on 210 boards a month,that is 20% of all boards per month you're working on. Now if you want to make this more sustainable how many of these boards have you worked on that you saved in that one month that would have been otherwise scrapped? If you scrap out 50 that leaves you with 160 useable boards that you have refurbished. Roughly that is 76.2% you have saved the company per month. Get larger numbers and percentages by calculating things on an annual basis.

So here's a simple way of obtaining those numbers and adding them to your resume. You're not lying. You're simply using the information available based on what you do. Now you have percentages and numbers to add to those bullet points.

* Saved company 76.2% in product refurbishment per month.
* On average refurbished 210 electronic boards per month minimizing scrap outs.
* Reduced waste by $500.00 or 23.8% in scrap while maintaining required inventory of 160 units per month.

It's not lying, it's being creative. You can stand by your testimony because it's what you yourself did each and every day!

Regarding dumb-ing down resumes. I've had many people tell me based on my experiences that I need to dumb-ie down my resume. No way will you get hired with all that experience. That's just it, I have experience and my education stems from what the employers have given me to learn whether college courses, in house training etc. But, I can support everything I have done. I tried dumb-ing down my resume one time. I have to say if you have a lifetime of achievements and experience it becomes rather hard picking and choosing what to leave off and leave on. However, I always read the job description and applied my resume to that job. That's a chore in itself. Yes it takes discipline, but remember this is currently your job. You are the CEO of your job seeking business. No different than if your boss in a job said do it for me. Discipline and time is the cost you pay. I quit dumb-ing down. It makes no sense. One resume depicts the last 11 years which was in the building products industry. The second resume I have created and used includes the last 27 years, building industry and oil and gas service industry. One depicts much experience over time in many avenues including progressive responsibilities and my growth whereas one depicts my experience in management, materials and distribution. They somewhat go hand in hand. But based on reading the JD I usually figure out what's important and which one to send. Yea it doesn't make much sense to send my 27 years of O&G experience to a job that is in the building industry, but I might rob a few lines from my management part and add it to the bottom line of my building experience since I realize the JD requires some time of a particular experience. Again, I'm not lying that I did not do it, I can explain it when I get in an interview if I'm asked.

The adage listed by many recruiters and headhunters is don't stay on job boards because if one recruiter calls you for a job someone else might have cherry picked your resume for their system and the recruiter doesn't know about it so when the company tells the recruiter they already have you on file they lose or you might have applied to a company and the recruiter says let me know so I don't submit it in case they have it. Well my take is this. I have submitted over 1700 resumes to companies in 2010. Am I suppose to remember everyone I have applied to, to satisfy the recruiter. I realize they have a job, but if you found me and wanted me, then do what you have to do. If that means, you cannot submit me, well then I won't get submitted. In my experiences, I don't depend on recruiters. I use them as added arsenal to my job search, nothing more. I will talk with them. I will be professional with them and treat them as the person they are, but I do not depend on them. If I have any opportunity at all, I will go directly to the company or at least work with the corporate recruiter. Just as recruiters say it is not their job to give me advice on what I did wrong or how to get better, it is not my job to help a recruiter get a paycheck and it is not my job to do their job.

I know that sort of statement will cost me on many recruiters list. Oh well, I'm not worried. I've had this discussion with many recruiters who I'm friends with and understand my professionalism.

Continuing on with my search, yes I used many job boards and applied to many jobs from sending resumes and cover letters. As I've stated before I do have a standard cover letter that can be utilized for standard jobs, but for my career oriented submits, I personalized each cover letter to depict my interest, what they are looking for and letting them know I meet their requirements. I've included a couple of cover letters for examples.

Cover Letter #1

Dear Hiring Authorities,

Thank you for considering me as a candidate for the above referenced opportunity as (Position)for your (City), (State) office. Our concurrent goal is for you to fill this important position and for me to demonstrate that I am best qualified to assume its responsibilities. After living in City for the last 10 years, I look forward to relocating myself back to the geographical region and feel my qualifications would be a good fit to meet (Company name).

Although my career has prospered in the adhesives, building products, and oil industries, I am not restricting myself to those exclusively. I am confident, as an experienced professional the knowledge, skills and abilities I have developed are universally applicable and effective. My proven work ethic will allow me to gain the necessary knowledge required to become a contributing and valuable member of your company’s team.

I am eager to meet with you in person to discuss your objectives and to explain how my ability will meet those needs and more. I look forward to hearing from you. I can be contacted at the numbers listed above or my email address (email address @). Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely yours,

(name)


Cover letter #2

Dear Hiring Authority,

I see you are seeking a (position title) position for your (town), (state) office that was published on (company's)career site. My work history extends over 17 years working in the oil service industry with a technical background for (the company I worked for); whereas I have held numerous positions with progressive responsibilities. Throughout my career my experience also reflects in quality, inventory, and management.

With this experience, progressive growth and responsibilities I feel my skills working in this environment meets your requirements for understanding of processes, ISO quality systems, and analytical skills, verbal and writing skills including years working in the quality department of (company name). I feel I would be a great addition to your team. I can offer computer skills, strict attention to every facet of details required, great communication and exceptional organizational skills along with my extensive experience working with certainty and having the ability to work independently without supervision.

The (position name) position sounds exciting and given the opportunity to contribute to your success would be an exciting career move. Because a single correspondence is limited in fully representing my range of abilities, I would like to request an interview to better determine my contribution for the (position title) position. If there is any other information I can supply you with please do not hesitate to contact me at my email address (email address @) or I can be contacted at (phone number). You are welcomed to view my profile on Linked In at http://www.linkedin.com/in/denmorgan. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

(name)


These are just 2 examples of my customizing my cover letters for positions I have applied to. At times I have received numerous calls, whereas other times I might not have received any. But I am confident in saying you have to indicate things that will allow you to stand out.

I'll break for now and move on to Part 5 shortly. More to come.

My Unemployed Experience - Part 3

Today's a wet day. We have a tropical storm "Lee" hovering over us and dumping all kinds of rain. Tad bit wet without a doubt. I have much to do this weekend and one is to continue my focus on my unemployed experiences hoping that maybe one thing stated might be the one thing that helps someone reach their successes.

Last I spoke about thinking like a salesperson and a marketing director. I can not over emphasize that thought. Think about it. Even if you obtained the job today and received that professional response "We want you", what will you do when you have the job? What does your position entail? Truthfully, you will be in a sales job and considered an internal customer by people who require your services and an internal salesperson by those you will require service from. Typically speaking if you work in IT people are going to want your services in making sure their systems are top notch, so they will be contacting you or your department. On the opposite spectrum you are salesperson who has to get your ideas across to other departments, other managers, your boss. So what do you do? Do you take the attitude "forgetaboutit"?

No you have your job to do in order for your company(you) to profit from your deals(selling your ideas and fixes)

Think of a production worker on the floor assembling product who has a boss who tells him what to do. The boss is merely the client telling you the salesperson here is my problem (I need to get this product assembled) and there you are saying, "I'm the person for the job, utilizing my solutions(assembling the product) will help get you toward the bottom-line results"(results that stem into getting the assembled product to the next phase)being the shipping department. You drive a hard bargain that you can do the job in a given amount of time. This is key to delivering on your promises as a salesperson. If you miss the deadline, your client(your boss), may scratch his head and wonder if he made the right choice in giving you the business. But you have to ensure you have your ducks in a row. You have to foresee the problems before you have them and have the ability to have the answers to make the deal work (your resume is the business plan, the ducks in a row that you've implied will get you the business, assembling the product). The customer(your boss) does not want to hear "but I had this problem". Nope you asked for the business and stated you had a solution. It's up to you to deliver. Once you have met the so called answer to the problem the client had, your client will probably give you more business because he now knows you have delivered on the promise and put forth the solution, making you the right vendor to achieve what he was looking for. The better you do, the more you get. It's a trickle down effect. See everything you're doing is for the most part dealing with sales or a sale.

So this is where I state and continue to emphasize your job search is no more than you being a salesperson trying to sell your product(YOU) to a client(a company, hiring manger, HR person). You can not lie or throw stuff out there that your product cannot do. Get into a position of saying what you can do but if you throw something out there you cannot deliver on, your client will catch on and kick you out the door. Know your product like the back of your hand. Know what your past experiences have been, how you dealt with them and how you remedied them when needed.

Now you need to focus all this knowledge of your past experiences into what can you do for the client today. What can I offer this client that no one else can offer. One thing you can bet on is if you know your product inside and out, your competition will not know theirs nearly as well. Secondly they don't know what your experience levels and what you are bringing to the table. That's an advantage to you. Talk it up when you're asked what can you do for me.

Well now you've learned all about your product and realize that you'll need to become a salesperson to do your job effectively and that's winning over the hiring authorities. Don't stop there, you're not finished.

I had a CEO who always coined the term, "we are all in sales", meaning everyone you come in contact with is a potential client(employer). One thing I've learned is you need to learn how to talk to people away from the interview process. Ever been in a situation where you standing next to someone and they ask you, "what do you do"? Try rattling that off when least expected. That's almost like saying, "tell me about yourself". We hate talking about ourselves right? But, you can ease the blow if you learn a quick as it's called, "elevator pitch". No more than about 30 seconds to give a quick synopsis of what what you do. Here's mine;

"I’ve worked in the oil service industry for over 10 years while working with Baker Hughes in numerous positions with progressive responsibilities, electromechanical for MWD, Production Supervisor, Production Manager, Technical Analyst, Quality Engineer. My passion in life is management and business. I love everything about managing, whether General Management or Operations. It combines your thought process with technical, analytical, and theory. It’s high energy, successes, and drives ambition with the hard knocks. And in today’s economic standstill it’s more than ever important to have people that have high energy and willing to go the extra mile to accomplish what every organization expects to see, bottom-line results. I’ve been in General and Operations Management for over a decade and find I’m always learning something new making everyday successful. And I love it".

You're welcomed to utilize mine as a template for you to come up with one for yourself. Learn it, practice it, memorize it and use it. We walk, talk, mingle and associate with all kinds of people everyday. This elevator pitch is no different than standing in front of a retail representative who you have asked to tell you something about the product you want to purchase. No I can't say I was successful in landing anything using it myself, but it is another tool to add to your search. I have used it and it does if anything starts a conversation. Who knows if you happen to be standing next to a hiring manager one day riding an elevator(no pun intended) and you're asked and it strikes up a conversation and they ask you to drop by or give them a call. Again, it cost you nothing but a little time to create and implement into your arsenal of tools!

I heard a good example of determination in a discussion a while back. A man who was determined to get a job with a television station. He took his broom and went stand in front of the station one day and began sweeping the sidewalk in front of the door. He continued doing this everyday until one day the VP walked up as he was going in and asked him, "Sir, I've noticed everyday you are out here sweeping in front of the door. You're not an employee so why are you doing this"? The gentleman looked up and said, "Well, Mr.VP, I figured one day, you would walk by and ask me that very question. I then figured that when you did it would be my chance to talk to you and tell you how much I want to work for your company"! As the story went, the VP hired him on the spot.

So you see as determined as this gentleman was in obtaining employment he came up with a plan, worked it until he got noticed. A great marketing scheme if you ask me. I definitely have added that to my arsenal of tools. Creativity is the next thing to working the job beat. How creative are you? Do you do the same thing as every other John or Jane Doe? Do you simply send out resumes hoping to get noticed and falling into that pit of never hearing from anyone? As I said earlier from a very respected contact of mine that stated, "If somethings not working, change it, if you can't change it, change yourself"! Heck pick up a book, research the internet, look at other advertisements on television, on billboards, in magazines. Look at how they market and advertise their products. Pick something that you can work with and start brainstorming ideas how you can work something like that into your search.

There's lot's of ideas that's been tried over time. A billboard with your resume summary and your photograph. OK that might be a bit expensive, but you get the idea don't you? A full page newspaper advertisement, a sign on the back of your vehicle, magnetic signs on the side of the vehicle. I was told once when I was thinking about doing the signs on my vehicle by a headhunter, who stated "don't do that, companies might think you're desperate". Well my thoughts on that is, people are desperate. In today's economy with 20% unemployment and over 13 million people that are unemployed, if you're sitting in an interview whether you are unemployed or not, times are desperate. When you fight a war do you go with empty guns to make your enemy believe you're not worried, they better be? That's some awesome confidence if you do, but that's not gonna keep them from shooting at you. Business cards, flyers, a packet of handout information. Yep, easy to hand out at a church function, a networking event. How about those little tear sheets with your phone number on it with a flyer posted at your market store. I notice many people reading those boards all the time looking for something. Here's a chance to create a standout, grab your attention flyer. You never know who could call you. Mr. VP standing at the door reading the board while his wife is at the check out counter. You just never know.

I have come to believe as we have always been told job searching is a job in itself. A full time job for many. Believing that I started and still truly believe if it is a full time job, I need to treat it like my job. Market the product, sell the product, know the product and talk the product up. Who knows you may become a household name like McDonald's, or Cheerios one day, just out of pure determination.

Hang in there my friends, we're not done yet!

My Unemployed Experience - Part 2

One thing I have noticed throughout talking with people who are unemployed is the negativity they possess. Yes it's hard without a doubt and you're reading this from a guy who went through a devastating divorce where I lost everything and then resigning from a job and while looking I've lost that much more, not that I had anything else to lose. When I tell you I lost it's not just materialistic items, it's faith, it's my kids, my friends, my family. Yes everyone tends to turn away from you when you hit with anarchy. It's not my problem. Oh they do help at the start, but eventually it gets old and they figure they have their own worries. Which in lot's of cases is true, but that's when we as a society should bond closer to help each other.

I recently was reading in a discussion of unemployment someone who wouldn't give acknowledgement to his creator. That he's not helping out. That is part of what keeps me going and has kept me going. It's OK to be mad and upset and blame, but understand nothing happens in our timing and no matter how many prayers one might say even our creator will not help unless you help yourself. When someone would ask me how am I doing, I always reply I'm doing well thank you, I woke up this morning and my feet hit the ground so I must be doing well. Besides any day on this side of the earth is got to be better than any day inside the earth, right? Well that's my spill on gospel. You have to believe in something or you'll fall for anything.

In my last post I spoke about getting out there and talking to people and letting people know you exist. I'm not one for mingling in a networking site around town. I never was one to do that, but I seem to be able to carry more of a relationship with people on the internet in discussion groups on LinkedIn and Facebook somewhat. I don't do much on Facebook by the way, really not my thing. But on LinkedIn, you need to speak with people; getting in discussions and letting people know what you offer on a discussion. I have made more contacts this way than I could ever make anywhere else. People read and many might disagree, but find some common ground and make that contact. Each contact is a potential that may get you closer to your goal.

Regarding my resume I have tinkered with it for so long I finally got it together and have had numerous recruiters as well as contacts tell me I have a very impressive resume. I did have 2 individuals in my network that offered me to look it over and give me some additional tweaks and both were resume writers in their profession. That did help. As I said I've read and continue to improve on my method. I never use an Objective statement. It is always a brief summary and several bullet points of my achievements. I've included it below.

Summary:

Passionate, proactive business leader, offering fresh ideas, building on new thoughts & theory with documented results of building on quality management, increasing revenue, reducing costs, developing people, exceeding expectations with accountability & veracity. Combined leadership, business acumen, technical expertise with strong communication & motivational skills to align business with cost-effective strategies to increase productivity & profitability. Improved ROI through process improvements.

Then followed by about 4 or 5 bullet points. I have 2 resumes. One is 2 pages, and one is 3 pages. I am not bashful about telling me my experience and I've gotten over the cliche' of age discrimination somewhat. Yes it effects me but not as bad as it use to. I'm a salesman and selling a product. It doesn't matter how old I am, I'm selling a product and my job is to make the buyer want the product. In theory if you can sell ice to an Eskimo who absolutely has no need for ice, then you should be able to sell yourself to a potential client who has a need and you have a remedy.

I said a potential client, because that is what the employers are that you are interviewing with a potential client. A future customer. Even when you got to work for an employer you are nothing more than a salesman on a daily basis providing a service for their need. You will get paid for what you deliver. Is that any different than what a salesperson does? You have to study your client and be well prepared to present your product and services and know ahead of time what is the need they are seeking out. OK so you have a job description, study it, read between the lines and understand what is it they are searching for. Forget the title, intriguing but that won't get you the job. Most employers in my experience want to know what you can do for them now not what you did in the past. Your experiences just qualifies you to be sitting in front of them. Now it's my job to convince them the product I'm discussing is what they are looking for and my product is clearly the best on the market and here's what my product will do today if you jump on board and give me the opportunity to prove to you, you have made a wise choice.

To many people I have found go into an interview not prepared, myself included over time. They assume they met all the points from the job description so they qualify. Heck look at the big 3 auto makers. They all have the same resume. So they each sit in front of you trying to get you to buy their product. They all have what you specify you want. What are they doing to win you over? What can they do for you today that the other one hasn't offered or cannot do? It's the same process.

I find people are not salesman and if they are not in sales they have no clue nor do they want to learn how to be a salesperson. I never thought I would have to change my way of thinking but I did change. I'm a salesperson and I have to market my product (ME)in the best possible light with the best possible ideas that will get this potential client to want to use my services. Will I get his business? I don't know, but I'm going to sell to him and negotiate what I can do for him/her the best way I can. Quit thinking of yourself as an interviewee who has met the bullet points of a job description. Yes you need the JD to qualify you for the position, but now it comes time to write that proposal in a clear concise format we all know as the cover letter to help get you in the door so you can concentrate on the product. Taylor your resume for each job you apply to. It's not easy, yes it gets boring and tiresome, but you are trying to win over your next big client. Think like a sales manager. Think like a marketing director.

What you're reading is part of my plan I put together over time, there's more to come, hang in there!

My Unemployed Experience - Part 1

Many people have wrote publications, books, papers etc. on how to get a job; the things that are right and wrong, how to miss opportunity, what to write on a resume and so on. I am going to attempt to write what I went through, the things I did, my attitude, my experiences, etc. in hopes that instead of this being a "what should you do", to tips that have worked for me and where I've been and where I'm headed in hoping to give someone out there some sort of idea or ideas that might help them. No doubt this will be a longer post than most.

I hope to at least just give some ideas over the norm and just maybe someone will be lucky enough where this may help them succeed through their endeavor.

First off let me begin by saying I fell into the 13 million that have been unemployed that has been thought of as the rubbish that employers will not look at because you carry the title of unemployed. I was not laid off, nor did I get fired. I was not the rubbish of the pile if that is what people are thought of. I resigned my position after 10 years with a national company only to move back to my home state to aid in helping age and ailing parents. Someone has to help, and if that's says I'm one of the types that was gotten rid of then employers are really just labeling people at their own regard without any consideration or compassion to someone who is very loyal to their employer.

If you must call it unemployed I guess it must be said I've been for 19 months. I do not like to think of it as unemployed. I would rather think of it as an interim journey in my career path.

When all this began, I had started my search somewhat early. The things I began doing was becoming a member of several job boards like Monster.com, Career builder.com and had a membership with The Ladders. It was slow going because back around 2007 things were not as bad as they are today. But, I wanted my feelers out there. I had received numerous calls from several recruiters about certain positions in different geographical locations. I was pretty green about everything including telephone interviews. I remember getting a call from Ran-staff, one from a bug place in Houston, and one interview as far as Britain. I was ecstatic. Couldn't believe I was out there. Still being green, I probably messed those up and never heard back from them.

As my search started to make more sense to me, I began trying to keep up with recruiters on The Ladders. Now understand recruiters were not very prevalent when I started looking. I saw them, red the comments about them and how they looked for you and how to leave them comments, but I never ever worked with one. I thought it's the typical gambit but was very dumb to the system. I notice many were saving my profile, why I had no idea, but was intrigued.

From there I began searching many avenues on The Ladder to land my big job. I started adding myself to other job boards. I'll add a list of all the boards I've been on, many I'm still out there.

My key points at this time was ensuring I had a top resume that would grab attention. I worked many hours drawing different ones up and fine tuning them. I even had critiques from some sites and no one is ever the same. What one says is wrong, another said that's not the problem, this is. So I never paid anyone to ever do my resume. I spent many hours using older books I had and researching on the internet all about resumes. Some helped some was a waste of time.

After tuning my resume to what I thought was a winner I started posting it to all these boards. I was always following these boards, always fine tuning something or updating my resume and experiences on these sites.

About the time I came to having to resign, things became much more serious and much more involved. I had already many contacts from AOL, I spoke with from back home and around the country. Everyone was sending me ideas and places I need to get attached to. I followed and attached to local newspapers online. I made every possible attempt to make contact with anyone and everyone.

After moving back to Louisiana I started to make me a game plan. I had resumes printed out, standard cover letters, reference list made, hard copies of all my recommendations made, a brag book assembled of all my successes throughout my career. Everything ready and waiting for that big interview.

I do remember recruiters on LinkedIn as well as many people I spoke with how they suggested not to take temporary or minimum wage jobs. They indicated that temp jobs interfere with your worth and many employers will not look at anyone who is doing temp jobs since they look like job hoppers, can't keep a job, and it dummied you down and who in their right mind would hire someone who is in a starter job or fill-in job for a higher role. As we can see those thoughts have changed throughout the industry and now you're encouraged to have something no matter what it was. I had actually turned down a couple of very low jobs that came with no benefits, no full time opportunities, minimum wage etc. Hey I didn't want to look like an underachieving professional who's luck couldn't land him anything but the bottom of a pit.

LinkedIn became home. Although I stayed active on Career builder and Monster, I continued monitoring and changing constantly many job boards I was on. I was determined to be noticed. I received over time numerous calls and invites to interviews out of town which I went to. I remember the how I was told I'm still in the running, I'm still in the cross hairs but.... Yea buts. How depressing they did become since it appeared you were right on the line of being made an offer and at the end it was nothing more but a "but".

That didn't stop me though. I actually had the attitude of "wait, I can play that game also". So I did. As I continued going to interviews and speaking to people who would call over the telephone, their promises became nothing without a guarantee. I kept them on my cross hairs but unless they came through with more I became less concerned. I did all the traditional things from dressing appropriately as a professional, going to the interviews and acting professional, answering everything they asked, asking for the job, filling out email thank you's to those that I was able to obtain a business card from and sending out handwritten thank you cards once I returned from the interview. Following this got me close but no cigar.

As I continued to post and change things on several job boards to keep me floating to the top, I received many phone calls from our friends in India type recruiters, but after listening to their pitch if it could be understood, I never much fell prey to any of it and canceled such relations before they started.

Although many avenues I utilized from continuing seeking in newspapers, newspapers in areas geographically I wanted to be in and filling out and email and even mailing, yes USPS mail sending to various companies that would ask that it be mailed in. I have spent many long days in my job efforts. Seriously, getting up in the early morning at 5:00 AM and turning in around 10 or 12:00 at night. Giving all I have. You have to become serious about your search. Sure you can follow the adage of don't take life so serious, but when you're forced to find something because you have nothing serious becomes the name of the game.

As I indicated LinkedIn became an avenue I continued to grow and still do today. I have spoken to headhunters and recruiters on their take and suggestions during many discussions. I have alienated many with my way of handling things to making many see my way as not being so daunting just a different avenue I chose to follow. A long time friend as he became on LinkedIn Rick Farquar was a headhunter from the west coast, about 62 years old I believe spent many hours speaking with me over the telephone as well as in discussions talking about different avenues. He always had a favorite saying,"if you can't change something, then change yourself". Meaning if the current plan you have is not working, seek out new avenues. I guess that's where my way of thinking came into being. To heck with tradition let's play.

I went into a deep depression for about 7 months. No I wasn't sick, I was just losing ground thinking nothing will ever come to being. Over those 7 months I continued looking but the want was dieing out. I lost focus.I didn't speak to very many people, whether around me in life or the internet. One day I woke up and realized nothing will happen unless I make it happen. It took some time but I was coming out of my pity mode and started working again. I was pressing forward, returning to links and discussions and I was getting much needed support. I didn't feel I was out there alone.

As I began to continue to grow my contacts, I was back reviewing areas on Career and Monster again sending out my coveted resumes that I spent much time tweaking and fine tuning. I was getting interviews and phone interviews on an average of 1 to 2 a month. I learned what I was sending in needed to be better researched so following advice I started following an 80/20 rule. If I had 80% of what the job description entailed, I sent it in.

I started being more active in LinkedIn's discussion threads and began delving into the question and answer forums. One thing Rick was big on and I caught on to that quickly was, never bad mouth while on a thread. Whether it's your old boss, old company or even other posters. There are many people who sit out of the treads watching and you might be the one they're watching. They may be viewing you to see how you react to certain discussions and what your contribution might be and even as much as the way you type(talk) and your English as well as your punctuation skills. How knowledgeable are you in the discussion. How knowledgeable are you in the question and answer forum. I spend a lot of time researching topics for appropriate answers in the forum where I've achieved around 32% best answers including good answers. Now of course it is all subjective based on what the author of the question thinks is best, but it shows that you are contributing, socializing, being professional and being a part of the system. You fit in with the culture.

The bottom-line to this is make contact with folks, communicate, give answers, talk it up. Let people know you're out there. Keep yourself at the forefront of discussions taking interest in different discussions so people will get to know you. Who knows, it only takes one to recognize you and put you on the road to prosperity.

In our next segment I will discuss and lay out my plan that I have used over time that I continue tweaking and always putting out there. Again you never know who's going to be the right person that seeks you out.

Honor, Respect, Character,Integrity and Diginity

You know I see things and I always seem to attribute what I saw to something that has occurred or something that's occurring or will occur. If you've ever watched the movie "Hart's War", a 2002 film about WWII prisoners of war, where thousands of American GI troops were housed in this particular Sta-lick barracks. It starred Bruce Willis as a captured Colonial and Collin Farrell as a Lieutenant who was also captured and Terrence Howard played a framed Lincoln A. Scott to take the fall of one of the men for selling out to the Germans and killed by the Colonial(Bruce Willis). It was a depiction to show that Scott (Howard) was the ruthless murderer because the men of his barracks were raciest.

During the movie the Lieutenant found out what was going on and an escape was being planned and this is why Scott was being frame. As the Colonial indicated if one man has to be sacrificed to save 35, it's worth the sacrifice. The Lieutenant couldn't agree with him more but inserted as a Colonial it was much more that just a sacrifice of any man. If there were going to be a sacrifice then it should be him the Colonial who would sacrifice himself to save his men. It was about Honor, Respect, Character, Integrity and Dignity.

During the climax Scott was told by the Lieutenant what was fixing to go down and as much as it upset Scott,the Lieutenant wanted Scott to escape with the 35 men during the deliberation but Scott chose not to, even knowing he would be executed for a false crime. He felt that if this is what it took to save 35 of his solider friends then he'll accept the consequences. All that he asked the Lieutenant was that he take a photograph he had of his family and when he got back home to explain to his son just what Honor, Respect, Character, Integrity and Dignity was all about just as his father had explained it to him.

My whole point to this post is what our country has seem to have forgotten all about what's important. Yes we are a capitalistic society. Capitalism to the fullest extent where each of us has the ability to succeed and make something of ourselves. But as the soldiers code "we never leave a brother behind" is the empathy of every decent American; what has our society chose to do with the American unemployed workers, workers of age, youth that has no experience and can't get hired on without experience? Have we not turned our backs and walked away leaving our brothers to starve, die, and to allow their families and children to falter at our lack of honor, respect, and character?

Has capitalism become so important toward success we will walk over our very own just for us to prosper and flaunt it to everyone who cannot have what some have? Is it our government and politicians wish to leave fallen brothers and sisters behind so they might benefit because they choose not to pay their debts, they choose to vote in every aspect of wealth that will benefit them allowing the millions of Americans to struggle with no means of pulling themselves out of the mud?

This show made me do a lot of thinking regarding Honor, Respect, Character, Integrity and Dignity. I feel we all need to go back to our roots and stop and think about not just from a point of view that we have sons and daughters fighting and dieing to give many this allowance but just what America stands for. Opportunity and giving honor to all those deserving. Not handouts, but the belief that tomorrow will be a better tomorrow and we can all prosper simply by helping our fellow man and not leaving anyone behind.

Reaching the Big 50 Part 2

Yep, I continue to observe and everything around me seems to be notoriety pointing to "oh you must be over 50".

I went on an interview recently and speaking with the interviewee whom I knew, he started discussing how it appears the way corporate sees things that they're trying to push out people of age only to bring in the youth. Which I understood his point, but that's not what this post is about. Although his thinking is what this is about. See everyone is under this conception that 50 marks the end of an era for life and you need to be somewhat put out to pasture to graze until you merely ready to keel over and you slip into the next world.

It was interesting to hear him talk. Yea this wasn't the traditional interview, like I said I knew the person I was interviewing with. He explains how he has to work at least another 15 years, how so and so has 30 years here how and how he suspects that person will go another 5 years and be gone. Same thing for Bubba and John. Everyone is just getting old. OK what is the definition of old I ask you?

Dictionary.com defines old as 1. far advanced in the years of one's or its life. Merriam-Webster defines old as a : advanced in years or age b : showing the characteristics of age . So does this definition type cast all people once they reach 50 as being old? To old for a healthy lifestyle?

I never gave it a second thought in my forties of what old meant or that things would slow down in that era. Not until I reached 50 did I start hearing so much rhetoric about being old. Commercials, shows, the media, insurance ads, etc. Today being at my age, I still feel no different than I did when I was 30 and in some cases probably younger.

Ever notice how sensitive women get when they are reaching the Big 50? It's like shoot me please. We have become a society of putting labels on everything. Ads trying to draw the younger crowd to buy certain things. Media as stating things like the consumer buying power is within the younger generation between this age and that age. Is it because people of that age era spend more freely so they captivate the audience by saying a certain age range?

In the case of 50 and older being old in the work force. Why is it people don't see it as and aging workforce but government does? But in the same breath they say social benefits won't be paid until 62 1/2 and continually speaking about raising it to 70 whereas people are expected to work and be vibrant through their golden years?

I never considered my parents as old when they hit 50. I just thought they were more experience at giving advice that I could utilize. From a standpoint of ladies hitting the Big 50, I see many ladies that look better now than they did in their 50's and many are healthier today. Heck back in my 20's and 30's some women looked way worse than women of the age of 50 and above. So why do we have to continually stigmatize people with a label?

Is statistics so clear that they have narrowed it down to the point where they absolutely know that you're going to start dieing when you hit the 50 number? Believe it or not, from the time we get out of our mother's womb we begin dieing. If the government was totally sold on these statistics wouldn't it make more sense to say let's give social benefits to people when they hit 50? Why prolong it if you know I'm doomed to die within that era? I know lots has to do politically by trying to make one believe they're dieing but you must work until what we feel is a good age to call it quits if you want to be eligible to collect your benefits. There's a separation in what people believe and the way statistics portray the individual growing older.

Are we living in a New World where we will create social economic issues that will push people to die by the time they reach 50? Are we so concerned that anything younger is what the world is all about?

It's just in my opinion that I think we're missing something here. That there is no balance between social economical times of being 50 and being anything else younger. What would truly happen if we quit focusing so much on certain age groups and focus more on life itself? What would happen if we balanced out the age groups and not cater to one more than the other one? Could it be if we really quit type casting and setting particular ages as being the ultimate time to deteriorate that people would do more, be more and live a much healthier lifestyle with no worries about when is it actually time to be considered a senior citizen? It just doesn't make much sense to stigmatize a group that has so much to offer who's continually learning and contributing to a betterment of life.

It's something that haunts me the way society sees things and really it all stems not from the youth, but from advertisements, government depictions, and what a select group is made as the deciding factor. Grow old with dignity not dis-spare and let's quit worrying about type casting the cast that doesn't really care what you think of them as long as they have bounce, let them continue to bounce!

Reaching the Big 50

Just a personal observation. I listened, conversed, and watched all around me. My sign states I'm a great observer, and I think I am. To get to my point one thing I do think plagues society as a whole is the labels we put on things/typecasting. I know we always are talking about the age crisis. But why has society become so obsessed with age. Everywhere you turn you see 50+ eligible for AARP, If you're 50 or over, 50+ senior citizen discount. Really? Although it's nice to obtain such discounts and eligibility, why do we as a society press so much on this? Why has this become such a factor in order to live a decent life and why is it so darn important to always be pointing it out?

No where do you see if you're 20+ you could do this, or have you considered this now that you're 20, so on and so on. The only other factor where a stringent age notability takes place is 18 and below. Checking ID's. But then that doesn't stop you from achieving things. Don't get me wrong being 50 shouldn't stop you either, but it's just the attitude people have and envision that if you're 50 or over life is down hill.

You know it's clearly proven in Psychology circles that if you constantly dwell on things and always referring to things eventually you'll start reacting to those kind of things. Look for years and even into days social economical circles you're told "be around positive influence because negativity will keep you down". Has Physiologists determined our make-up as human life changes when we reach 50? Do we stand out as a population for being different than anyone under 50? Have we grown tails that's become so noticeable we need to be caged only to be looked at and laughed at?

So why do we put so much emphasis on hitting the big 50? Shouldn't we be inspiring without using the age category in advertisements, things we do, things we don't do as just a regular day in life with out being stigmatized with the "ut oh.. you've reached the point in life where you being thought of as less human". It's kinda like watching a sitcom like "the Office" where as Steve Carell is this dumb person, counter intuitive boss who can't run a business to save his life. Every time you see him in another movie he just doesn't seem right because he's been typecast-ed as being a stupid person.

Sorry off on a tangent, but it really fits the role of discrimination. Why is it so important that you be within a certain age group to be considered still worthy of (shhhsss I don't want to say it to loud).... a productive life style?

Putting the Bull Out to Pasture Before It's Time

I was watching an old Bonanza show today and what I watched seemed to be exactly what is happening in the world around us with people of age. It's amazing that even the show of back in those days depicted the thoughts we're all under today. And yes even back in the 60's when Bonanza was being filmed it was the same ordeal.

What this story was about was an aging Sheriff in Virgina City, Roy Coffee. The title was "No Less Than A Man". He was up in age, carried no gun and believed you didn't need a fast gun to keep order. The town differed in opinion. They felt he was to old to do the job of maintaining proper order and wanted him gone. But the only way to get rid of him was the town had to vote Adam and Ben Cartwright from the city counsel since they were backing ole Roy. Once they got Adam and Ben out then they could fire Roy.

As the story goes they had a gang coming to town. The Wagner gang who was notorious about robbing the banks in the territory, molesting women and anything they felt like doing. Anyway throughout the show you saw Adam and Roy installing bars over a building's windows and nobody understood what was going on and thought Roy and Adam was crazy as in "what the hell are you doing"? The town people were worried and dazzled about "what will we do when this gang comes to town"? Roy had no worries and suggested the towns people let him do his job. But with no support they rallied against him and put together a somewhat mob to protect the inner city.

To cut to the chase, Roy had no support other than the Cartwrights. When the gang got to town they saw no one was on the streets and thought maybe it was a trap and then noticed the Sheriff (Roy) standing outside the bank. They road up to him, stepped off their horses and asked, "hey ole man you don't carry a gun anymore", and "where's all the people". Roy stated he ordered everyone off the street because he didn't want anyone getting hurt, and no as he exclaimed, "I do not carry a gun, because we don't want anyone getting hurt, so go on,get what you came after and be on your way". The gang thought that was pretty smart coming from and ole coot. So they preceded into the bank and started the search for the money.

No money could be found and started questioning the banker and forced him to open the vault. Still no money as the leader walked out and figured we'll go and kick that Sheriff's butt and he'll tell us where the money is. The banker grabbed the vault door and pulled it closed and locked himself in. Well the gang couldn't get to him, he was locked inside this steel box and no one knew the combination. As they approached the door to the outside, Sheriff Roy ran to the door, closed it and barricaded it with a bar that was installed outside locking them inside. They tried the windows only to find out the reason Adam and Roy was putting up bars were because they were putting them up on the bank. The gang couldn't get out. No door, no windows so lets just start shooting at the Sheriff who was hiding behind a wagon. Then last but not least they realized we're wasting ammunition. At that point good ole Old Roy hollered to them "you can't go nowhere, you can keep shooting until you run out, you can stay in the bank for a week, a month, but you're not going anywhere. Now throw out your guns, it's over". Yep it was over and the ole gezzard Sheriff Roy Coffee caught the entire gang without force, no guns and by himself.

Now the moral behind this show and what my comparison is, is simple. The town was Upper Management/Corporate, they wanted the underlings (the Sheriff) fired (fired/laid off)and replaced with a quicker gun(Youth) because youth was quicker on the draw. However the Cartwrights knew better about Roy. He had what most older workers have today that most youth haven't had yet; and that management and the corporate world is overlooking; experience.

In the end the town (Management/Corporate) admitted they made a mistake and didn't realize that sometimes experience speaks louder than someone with a sharp wit or in this case a quick gun.Sometimes that experience if given a chance can prove to steer a company right toward the direction they've been wanting to go. Sometimes you really have to quit thinking the worst about people growing older. Wisdom, knowledge, experience and believing in what could be may be exactly what you need. It's not always the appearance of youth that brings fresh ideas, but knowing that you have; someone dependable that cares about the job in Roy's case the town, the employees and company, as Roy stated (the family)and is willing to use that wisdom and knowledge to benefit not themselves but to continue the path of the company's (the family's)success.

Working for a Company with a bad reputation-part five

Finally, in my last part of “Working for a Company with a bad reputation”, one thing most people don't think about when accepting such a position; you can be given all the authority needed to make change, with expectations you will, but you have to have buy-in, from corporate figures as well as bottom feeders and subordinates. Without buy-in, your chances are futile as you can come in with the best intentions, and you can't fire everyone that won't buy-in, so you'll need to plan, present, implement and it won't happen overnight. I learned this and it doesn't matter, anyone can say they can and will make change; people that don't buy-in although can seem to be on board, but can derail the best system approach and simply make you believe they are on board. It's not to say it cannot be accomplished but your adversities will be challenging, because one thing you have to remember, whether you're the authority figure or not, you are still the new person on the block and those difficult adversities will become a struggle especially each time you run up against an obstacle and/or a brick wall.

Working for a Company with a bad reputation-part four

I believe this question although created a lot of discussion and brings fresh ideas and thoughts is really a vague synopsis of jumping in with no added features. Simply put if you're walking in blindfolded, it would be a death trap for anyone. If this question could expound on why is the company's customer service the worst, why is it the worst company to work for?

There's not really enough meat in this question to warrant a successful answer. If customer service is bad is it the management team; is it the employee’s attitudes, is it lack of training or skill sets? Is it in- appropriate tools given to the employees to be successful; is it long hours being worked so it's beating people down? Why is the company one of the worst to work for, is it because they can't get their sales up, in that case is it the management sales team, is it the acct reps, is it training, is it laziness, is it a bad product? Is the atmosphere what causes the company to be the worst to work for, the culture as everyone seems to put so much into? Is it the type of people being hired in, or is it again operations with no steering, no direction where they are going? Is it the main CEO, CFO, COO that is standing in the way? Is it finances that they are more concerned with than the people?

There is too many variables to just say yes I can and would do work for a bad reputable company or no I can't and I won't do it. With more narratives to come to a conclusion to ensure you have the skill sets, the culture, the background, just going in blind folded would be nothing short than starting your own business as an entrepreneur and with a hope and a prayer and many hours of hard work then one could review and see from information and matrix where they can go, keep growing or shut it down. There's just not enough information really to say yes or no!

A very simply standpoint would be like someone inviting you to go hunting but that's all they tell you. And you say, sure I can hunt, I'll do it. Then without variables such as Hunting for what, what do I need to bring, have I ever been hunting for whatever we're going hunting for, will I need to wear some camouflage, or an orange vest, wait have I ever really been hunting, only to find out when you get where you're going they were just asking you if you wanted to go hunting with them for a new car!

Working for a Company with a bad reputation-Part three

You know, I worked for a company with similar experience somewhat. When I accepted the transfer it was another division that was in the red. I didn't know this. I was I guess one could say lied to. I thought it was up and up. Come to find out it was in the red, and numerous times reading reports or watching the map matrix the division was not even on the map. I became upset wondering what is the deal. I asked and was told oh it was a computer generated error. Nothing to worry about, it's just a mess up. I spoke to other counterparts in other divisions that was there long before I got there and was told, "didn't you get told, that division was being looked at as being shut down twice, and when you got there, they figured they would give it one more try". How heart wrenching to know your job is now riding on "can you fix it, if not, you're gone". But I did fix it. From negative $'s to over 5 million in less than 2 years. It does take work, and many times I got called on the carpet "what are you doing down there", because some things in corporates eyes didn't seem logical. But I stood my ground and told them point blank, get off your ass and come down here if you think you can do better, this is not a dog and pony show, you needed change, you needed someone who is willing and wanting to make change, and someone who won't just sit here collecting a paycheck. I got it fixed to the point where we were a benchmark for other divisions to be judged against, with the thought of if my division can do it, so can everyone else, so it became an expectation on other divisions.

In this instance it is somewhat different; I didn't realize what I was walking into. The information like P&L I requested didn't reflect problems. I was given either an old P&L or one from another division that indicated it was successful. But needless to say, it worked out despite the untruths and I was successful and over a decade they made plenty of money with me. After I resigned apparently whoever took over couldn't make it work and a year later the division was shut down. I was even offered to take over another division where there was trouble, but chose not to because I was tired of being asked to go to an undeveloped division. I wanted something I didn't have to clean up.

It is challenging and rewarding to succeed, but if it would have failed, I’ve been told that it could have been a mark against me. How do you write that on your resume after 10 years that it just wasn't a successful division without it being looked at as well you're not very good at handling things!

All options have to be weighed out. And you have to also figure out; is it not the company that really wants things to fail or is it really just troubled.

Working for a Company with a bad reputation-Part two

I was approached in a conversation with this analogy. I can’t take a position with someone who has a bad reputation because the belief was "Being a good father means more than eating better at the kitchen table". In other words, why take something I can’t control when I might be able to find something I like because I have higher values”. With that analogy, wouldn't eating better be part of being a good father? Meaning, sometimes we all have to step down from the higher ladder rail we're on, expecting to find that perfect position and settle for something in the interim until that something better comes along. So if your only opportunity unless you one that doesn't need money to survive, I have to believe that in the example given, to be a better father and to instill proper values, accepting something that's not so great might instill better values in the long run.

My example using this analogy is, I can look in the mirror at myself and know I am doing everything possible to be a great father by accepting something that's a little more demeaning, not as important, and that it's not beneath me to pick up a broom and sweep the floor even though I was a VP of a good organization at one time.

However if it's from a view of "all things are equal and assuming you do have a choice", I would totally agree, make a better choice and not put yourself in that sort of position by accepting something whereas you'll get nothing out of it in the long haul.

I'm not trying to surmise that what is being said say is not 100% true by any means, I couldn't agree more. But for me, I am at a point after 15 months with a record of employment that has written proof of recommendations from every facet of my career that indicates I'm a good worker, whomever hires me is obtaining a gem, but even looking at myself and not wanting to take that risk of working for someone who's reputation is somewhat tarnished, if I can obtain employment, I'm looking at it as I have to put my pride aside and say I need to do what I need to do, and this will make me a better father, citizen, family man, employee (down the road), decision maker, volunteer, husband, etc.

Working for a Company with a bad reputation

Working for a company with a bad reputation? I can honestly say, I worked for a company who had a great reputation, but within the area I took over not so much. The company was looking at actually closing it down in 2 instances, but decided to give the area one more shot and it was offered to me.

But, I had only been with the company a year when they offered it. Not knowing even when I asked for a current P&L to review how that center was thriving, I sort of wasn't given the true facts. When I found out how they were going to shut the place down, I was their last shot, I came unglued and expressed my discontent to the uppers.

However as it turned out, having the right person on the right bus in the right seat pays off. I was able to turn the reputation of that center around from a negative red into over $5MM in 2 years and over my tenure bring in around 100 clients with an average of 100/200K monthly. I was then beginning to be offered positions in other troubled centers, which again it wasn't actually told to me in that fashion, so I just assumed what is it I'm doing wrong that I kept getting me offers to handle these places. I had a counterpart tell me after I actually turned the last one down because it was really a trouble spot; I was looking at it in the wrong light. Apparently they liked what I had done at the one I was at so they figured let’s see if he would clean up others. I shot myself in the foot on that last turn down. I was clearly asked by regional, "there is no amount we can offer you to take this position".

So you never know what the outcome is for accepting a position with a company with a bad reputation. I wish my counterpart would have explained that to me prior to me turning it down. That might have been my ticket to fame and fortune! I think you have to stop and view everything from outside the box and not immediately take everything from a negative aspect. Ask questions if you are going to be a decision maker, how much responsibility will I have in making decisions, judging the outcome of things, how much of my contributions will be allowed, or is everything strictly take this and follow what we tell you what to do, then you're really not helping nor is the company open to change. Weigh it all out before accepting anything you think could be harmful or beneficial to the outcome of the company as well as for yourself

Quantum Physics-Past Present Future

I watched a television show last evening and maybe you've seen it. Called "Through the Wormhole" with Morgan Freeman as the Narrator. I love this show. Do you get what they're talking about most of the time? Typically it is physicist trying to conclude when the universe was started and where does it go and how does that help our existence.

On this particular program they were talking about Quantum Physics and time. Time as in does time really exist or is it something that is just built into each of our minds. Was time there before the universe was created or did it come about after the universe was created.

I know most people think people like this are probably loony tunes. But they really aren't They're just thinkers who go beyond the normal day thoughts. They live in a world of "what ifs". If you put down all your bias and really listen there's so much to be learned out there and this blogger enjoys listening to theory and would be, or could it have been.

The program spoke about time but in the advent of what is time? Is there really such thing as our past, the present and the future or could it be all three actually take place at the same time. They gave examples such as using a digital camera and how fast it will rack up 30 frames a second. Did you see what I just said, 30 frames a second. Now we would all think starting with the first frame is present as we move to the second one, #1 is now the past and #2 is now the present and everything ahead of it is the future, right? I had to put some thought into this to really makes some sort of sense.

Actually 30 frames a second is pretty fast. It all takes place in nanoseconds to achieve those 30 frames. Now lay them out side by side. Look at frame number one and then look at frame number 30. One would think from past to present to future. But in reality they all happened within the same time frame 1 second!

I thought about it more. Remember as a kid how you would take a tablet and draw on the bottoms of the tablet a picture the next page a picture in just a slight different movement and the third page something a bit different until you used up the entire tablet with a picture on it. Now you were ready to flip through the ends to make your own show. As a comparison to the photos shot within 1 second. Look as you are flipping through the tablet the action taking place. The past the present and the future is between your fingers as you cause the tablet to flip. Take that same tablet and make it go backwards now you're going from the future back to the past. All within a second right. But if you lay them out frame by frame they are typically in the now. No past and no future, simply the now.

The whole point to this exercise was to determine or theorize is there really a past, present or future or does all three actually happen simultaneously and we know it as the three parts of time because that's what we have been taught and that is how our brains rationalizes time. But you have to step away from what we are taught and what our brains sees as rationalization and think bigger than that. Think of your life as already been planned out and it's all taking place right in front of you just on a slower scale. It's really quite fascinating in my eyes. Is time of essence or is it simply something we have grown accustomed to in order to rationalize what we do each step of the way, something we use that we have created to justify our being. All pondering thoughts!

Can Quality Be Designed.

In a question that was recently asked Can Quality be Designed; I replied with the following information.

Personally I realize there is quality product and quality service. But to me in a generalized sense of the word, it is a perception. It is not a tangible product that can be moved from A to B.

It is service that was brought about back around 1924 whereas industry professionals gained statistical data based on uniform manufacturing of mass production of the same item(s) and/or assembly of a repetitive product. If all fell in to a manufactured tangible piece of material that matches with other parts and assembled after manufacturing within a given degree of does it go together utilizing a good, average or poor methodology at which point statistical data was created. If it didn't conform statistically data was classified as NCR non-conformance as we know it today.

*Quality management adopts a number of management principles[3] that can be used by top management to guide their organizations towards improved performance. ( *Cited- Wikipedia)

Quality is a process no different than getting advice from an attorney if you do it this way you will achieve this. It's advice. It's words that steer you to correctness toward building a winning product as well as service.
Areas of Quality focus are: Customer Focus, Leadership, People Involvement, Processes(directions),Managing, Continuous Improvement,
Factual decisions based on statistical analysis, and requirements based on supplier relations.

ISO derives quality as performance improvements
* ISO 9004:2008 — guidelines for performance improvement.
* ISO 15504-4: 2005 — information technology — process assessment - Part 4: Guidance on use for process improvement and process capability determination.
* QFD — quality function deployment, also known as the house of quality approach.
* Kaizen —Japanese for change for the better; the common English term is continuous improvement.
* Zero Defect Program — created by NEC Corporation of Japan, based upon statistical process control and one of the inputs for the inventors of Six Sigma.
* Six Sigma — 6 Six Sigma combines established methods such as statistical process control, design of experiments and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) in an overall framework.
* PDCA — plan, do, check, act cycle for quality control purposes. (Six Sigma's DMAIC method (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) may be viewed as a particular implementation of this.)
* Quality circle — a group (people oriented) approach to improvement.
* Taguchi methods — statistical oriented methods including quality robustness, quality loss function, and target specifications.
* The Toyota Production System — reworked in the west into lean manufacturing.
* Kansei Engineering — an approach that focuses on capturing customer emotional feedback about products to drive improvement.
* TQM — total quality management is a management strategy aimed at embedding awareness of quality in all organizational processes. First promoted in Japan with the Deming prize which was adopted and adapted in USA as the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and in Europe as the European Foundation for Quality Management award (each with their own variations).
* TRIZ — meaning "theory of inventive problem solving"
* BPR — business process re-engineering, a management approach aiming at 'clean slate' improvements (That is, ignoring existing practices).
* OQM — Object-oriented Quality Management, a model for quality management.

* (Citing from Wiki)

Quality is not something you can touch. It is a mind-set of ensuring metrics are met by pursuing a given set of instructions or goal or set of statistics.

On 7/10/11 5:20 PM, Dennis J Morgan added the following clarification:
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) created the Quality Management System (QMS) standards in 1987. They were the ISO 9000:1987 series of standards comprising ISO 9001:1987, ISO 9002:1987 and ISO 9003:1987; which were applicable in different types of industries, based on the type of activity or process: designing, production or service delivery.
To further prove my thoughts, if you opened a business and you were required to pay taxes what would you pay them against? You only pay State and Federal Sales Tax on a tangible personal product that exchanges hands. You do not pay taxes on your labor. You may report your earnings but no tax is charged of consulting or labor. Quality is just that a suggestion, a mind-set, nothing is physically changing hands. The only thing changing is how one performs and conforms to the statistical data they are trying to improve on.

So, the bottom-line is "Yes" the concept and the perception of Quality can be designed. It can not be designed as a product because the product is an aftermath of the quality system you choose to follow based on demands and information!

Should Sales Act as Collections When a Client's Account is Overdue?

In my eyes I can agree with most in the aspects of selling and that's the bottom line of a sales person is to drive revenue. I worked for a distribution company for many years as a General Manager. The whole analogy to the business as our President derived in his quote was "We're all in Sales", so that being said even collections is in sales. So to make the blow much easier on everyone even AR needs to come across empathetic. We all have tough times in business. This month better than last and vice-verse. Owners of businesses know they have to pay their debts. Whether you're in accounts receivable or sales we're all in collections also.

Who has the best relationship with your client than your sales people? Heck many eat with them, play golf with them, many times have invites over to BBQ with them and so on. The relationship is in some cases better than family. A Salesperson should soften the conversation my probing with open ended questions like asking them to check, and ensure it wasn't a mistake on the salesperson's part and/or could it have gotten lost or misfiled, doesn't make the sales person a bad guy/gal. It simply states we do work for a company and we all have to mind our business.

Our credit department did do their job, but in many cases the customer/client did go to the extreme until confronted. AR did call them, did follow up with them with letters and 10 day notices from the legal department, but when the customer is having a hard time they may not even answer the phone in fear of collections. So, to make it a softer blow, AR would ask us (management of the center) who also was in sales as well as operations to talk to our clients and see what we can do to assist. Surely we didn't want to lose the client over one invoice or several, but a plan of action could be made to help them out. So we would speak to the client, maybe take them to lunch and sure discuss all the things happening in their business and what's going on for the future etc., etc. But again we softened the blow because the client trusted us and knew we would work with them in every avenue possible. We became the voice between the client and corporate. Face it clients hate corporate who places demands, so they knew we understood their business and we brought back their issues to AR and AR was able to make arrangements or change the terms to their accounts, hence making the client happier, and in many cases increasing business because they realized under a collaborative effort the company wasn't out to sink the client but only help them grow which was beneficial to both sides.

Of course you did have those clients that pushed the limits and you had no choice but to become forceful with demand letters and even issue leans, but take into account, dependent on how big the client is $1000.00 invoice worth going after if the client buys $50MM annually? When taking them to court is going to cost you more time, effort and expenses? So you have to weigh each client individually and know your client to be able to even approach them in the manner of collections. I succeeded. I knew my clients and never had a loss show up on my monthly’s that will be wrote off due to the inability to collect. Guess it depends on the business, the product, the efforts involved, the type of sales person you have and how they are at sales and negotiation tactics and their relationship with their clients. If you’re servicing them, they are happy with the product, the service, the pricing, they know deep inside that if they’ve been avoiding payment someone, even the sales person could easily ask; “hey what’s going on, how can I/we help”?

And in many cases sometimes that is all it takes is the buddy plan. "I (the client) couldn't call corporate, but I knew you could help me (the salesperson) with a possible plan of action. And who knows this same, I scratch your back and assist, gives you the opportunity for more sales!