The Fighting Men of the U.S. Merchant Marine

As many of you realize, the holiday season can be a boost to your career search with a fresh new look at things entering the new year or it can be a down time, especially if you have no new opportunities in the coming months for those without jobs. I have had several conversations with former friends and colleagues recently that are struggling in this job market. It seems many are finding out that the recruiters and HR personnel are real bad at getting back to the candidates. There was always some of this, but it seems more and more are experiencing a lack of professional courtesy these days. In my part time job of officiating basketball games, we are experiencing a rash of technical (T's) fouls lately. It seems this year the T's have increased by over 30%. Believe this or not, but some are blaming this on the economy. The stress of the day to day grind is affecting the temperament of coaches, parents and players. Stress levels are high and if you are out of work and have been for awhile, that stress level can be very high. At these times we have to dig down and come out fighting in a good way. Start attacking your network again. Making calls and sending emails to everyone and anyone. Let them know that you are still out there looking for a job. The job boards, such as this one, are good up to a point but you need to make that personal contact and get the interview. The face to face is critical. You must recommit yourself to the effort of getting motivated and staying motivated. It is time to be a warrior in the job market. As was said many times in the merchant marines during WWII, "Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!" That is where we are. Full steam ahead.

Holiday Job Searching

As we approach the end of year holidays, it is my recollection that this is one of the toughest times to pursue the job market. Many companies are closing their books and are trying to maximize profits and keep head count low. If open job slots have not been filled by now they usually will roll over to the new year. There are exceptions out there where some hiring managers will lose the allocated budget dollars if the hire is not done in 2009. So, what to do? If you are out of work you have to try and continue to pursue the job market. You never know, you may find that one hiring manager that needs to hire now. You can just about write off the last two weeks of the year though. Not much will get done during this time frame. It is a good time to refresh and develop some new targets and goals as soon as the new year kicks in. Don't forget about setting up a blog or free web site in offering your services as a contractor while still pursuing permanent employment. Blessings to you during this holiday time!

Direction - Contract vs Full Time Employment

Many in today's job market are finding another path to providing income for themselves and that is with "contract" employment. Several years ago this trend became popular especially for those that hit a certain age factor. Companies today are seeking more and more contract workers for specialized work. My personal experience was exactly that. Being in the corporate environment for over 25 years and being out of work, I found it extremely difficult to find a suitable higher level management position. By default, a good friend contacted me and wanted me to evaluate his company's transportation operations processes and recommend improvements. This started me on the path of consulting. I have provided insight to many ex-transportation logistics professionals on developing a game plan for contract/consulting work. It has provided an income for me over the past four years and I would be glad to provide some insight for you. Please send me an email to discuss.