Thank you for the Welcome Back!

Thank you very much for the warm welcome back! I am glad that I am back at work. I feel at home with what I am doing for a job. Much less stress at this position than at the previous one.

I want to share some thoughts and experiences. I hope this will help others in looking for work. To skrpndiva, I understand how you feel. Back in 2000, I was one of the first Mortgage Sub prime victims-First Alliance Mortgage. I managed their mailings. I remember the feelings when I said I worked for a mortgage company--and the looks. Hopefully, what I have learned will help.


1) Apply for Unemployment: I know sometimes that it feels odd and embarrassing. But think of it this way, you paid for it.

2) Contact every one you know--Vendors, Friends, Former Colleagues: I have received at least two interviews from recommendations from former vendors. Think of the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon. You never know who knows who.

3) Try all avenues of a job search: I have landed jobs through Newspaper ads, Internet postings, Referrals, Headhunters and old fashion cold calling. This last one, I walked into the business, left my resume and followed up.

4) Join the One Stop Center in your area. For those who are not in Southern California, One Stop is like an office. You can use computers, photocopiers and phones for your job search. Additionally, they have classes to sharpen your interview skills , resume and follow ups. They will also test you to help your change your career.

5) Network, Network, Network! Everyone out there is a potential employer or a way in. See (2). I received my last job from networking with an old vendor.

6) This will be very familiar to all Sales Reps out there. Looking for a job is selling a product--you. You will get a ton of people saying no to you--Sales reps will rationalize it by saying each no they receive will bring them closer to Yes. In looking for a job, you only need one yes!

7) Bad times do not last forever. It may certainly feel that way, however, do what you need to do and the bad time will pass.

8) Anyone that tells you--Unemployment is a vacation--has never been there. On Unemployment, you worry about conserving money, looking for a job and paying bills. This is no vacation. I had just as much stress on unemployment as on my last job.


It has been a long five months and I am grateful to be back in the land of the unemployed. I hope you do not have to experience it and if you do--I hope it is short.

B.