This gentleman has been taking a 90-minute train ride into New York each day, where he walks the streets wearing this sandwich board sign. It reads, “Almost homeless; looking for employment. Very experienced operations and administration manager.”
He says he’s beyond the point of being humiliated – he just needs a job. He says, “When you’re out of work and you face having nothing – I mean, having no income – pride doesn’t mean anything. I have to take care of my family.” His resume includes 36 years in the toy industry before being laid off in February of this year.
I know this is an all too common situation for lots of people right now. Hey, I’m an old farm kid. If the cow is old and has stopped giving milk, standing there begging for more milk is probably not a good solution. I’d be out looking for something new to quench my thirst. Predictions are that by 2010 only 50% of the American workforce will be “employees.” The rest will be contingency workers, independent contractors, temps, freelance workers, consultants, entrepreneurs, electronic immigrants – and lots of other interesting descriptions that are showing up every day. Rather than trying to force the sameness of the old work models, lead the way into the new ways of working and making income.
When my Dad was 88 years old, he was driving his own van, hauling Amish people to places they wanted to go. He charged $2.00 a mile and often drove 500 miles a day, providing them with a valuable service and enjoying the time spent visiting.
If you are out of work – don’t wait on a paycheck. It may never come. What is it that you can do that fulfills a need someone else has?
Tags: amish, humiliation, paycheck, work
Dan Miller's Blog 
December 17, 2008 at 2:43 am
What I find interesting is the number of people that I have talked to who claim they will do anything to find work or better work. Then I tell them about your books and they won’t buy them.
I don’t get it. Will they do anything or won’t they?
December 17, 2008 at 6:55 am
It would be illegal to do today without a license (and fees yada yada) what your Dad did earlier.
December 17, 2008 at 6:58 am
Re: “What I find interesting is the number of people that I have talked to who claim they will do anything to find work or better work. Then I tell them about your books and they won’t buy them.
I don’t get it. Will they do anything or won’t they?”
Books cost money (unless you can read them for free). I’m living on fumes and can’t afford books right now. (Rent for a room in a house with nine people requires two-thirds of my meager income.)
December 17, 2008 at 1:21 pm
“poor boomer”, I think you are missing the point. I think the point is that this guy has been doing the same thing for 9 months and it obviously isn’t working. I think it was creative to try the sign but after 9 months it isn’t working and he needs to try something else. The fact that he won’t change his method actually brings into question his ability in “operations and administration”. If I were hiring a manager would I want a manager that keeps doing the same thing for many months that clearly isn’t working? No. If this guy does it for a week or two, it’s a great sign of creativity and desire to work. But doing it for 9 months shows the exact opposite.
Ditto for the books. The point of the comment was that a lot of people who say they will do “anything” for a job are not being honest with themselves or they would buy a few books.
It sounds like you have a lot of issues you are dealing with and I suspect money is a symptom, not the cause or the cure. The purpose of Dan’s work is to help people like you (and me) turn our negative feelings into a positive enthusiasm for finding something different to do that is rewarding both personally and professionally.
I have Dan’s books and those aren’t going to magically help you, so save your money for now. But most of Dan’s material and philosophies are freely available on his website and in his podcasts. I highly recommend you listen to the podcasts, they are free and there are lots of good ideas. Again, Dan’s objective is not to provide you with a specific idea or job opportunity, but to help you change your perspective to see whatever opportunities may be right in front of you no matter how bad your circumstances are.
December 17, 2008 at 3:33 pm
poor boomer,
I read Dan’s books by checking them out at the library, no money at all. Heck I even rented the book on CD version to listen to it in my vehicle while driving. If you want the information you can find ways to get it. The thing I find funny is how so many people think the library is outdated, or embarrassing to use, but it’s free resources. That’s the best price you can get!
December 17, 2008 at 4:50 pm
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink.” If we want to help people, we also must be careful to spend our time with those who want it. I’m reminded of this time and time again each time I try to help someone who says they want help, but don’t do things required to get themselves out of the hole they are in.
I believe that money is just the band aid for helping solve the problem… look at GM, and ALL the companies that were “Bailed out.” It just gives them more money to create more products that people don’t want.
December 17, 2008 at 4:53 pm
People who feel desperate or trampled by life are rarely in a place to think clearly or creatively. They may even feel that they’re not worthy of having a purpose.
If you find yourself in this position and wish to extricate yourself from the mire of “sameness,” you might start by becoming aware of the things you are telling yourself. Our thoughts come out as actions, habits and character, …so it is important to be in charge of what goes into our minds every day.
Dr. Phil refers to this as the “tapes” we play in our head. I love his analogy because it helps us realize we can change the tape, change the things that we say to ourselves, …the things that speak to our very soul. The best way I know of to begin to do this is available as a free download from Zig Ziglar. http://www.ziglar.com/downloads/self_talk_card.pdf
If you will use this faithfully for 30 days (or longer, if you are in a really low place), you will be amazed at the transformation in your thinking.
Also, don’t be afraid to “just say no” to the daily doomsday report. It is difficult to look for opportunities if your mind is full of fear and bad news. Instead, listen to things that are positive and inspiring like Dan Miller’s weekly podcasts and Ziglar’s podcasts “Inspiring Words of Encouragement” which are available free on iTunes.
As “poor boomer” points out, bureaucracy and the high cost of housing are real challenges in our way of life. So are broken homes and disabilities, yet we hear stories of people who conquer seemingly insurmountable odds to accomplish great feats. Continually remind yourself of inspiring stories about regular people who achieve BIG things. Control what goes into your thinking and you’ll likely find yourself in a much better place to discover the determination and creativity to overcome life’s challenges.
December 17, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Poor guy… read that he spend 36 years in the industry (probably same company). He knows nothing else but to be an employee. Not everyone has it in them to strike out on their own… they need a routine & consistency.
Dan- Go find this guy, counsel him and track his progress. He may be your next success story. Then have CNN do a follow-up. You would impact his life and give your business a huge boost.
December 17, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Great advice Dan. We make our on destiny! We can either sit and wait for something to happen or make it happen! Many sit and wait for God to “open” a door yet they take no action. God is waiting for you to take the first step, to take the leap of faith. Once you take the first step, God can then guide your path.
Jay Peroni, CFP
Author of The Faith-Based Millionaire
http://www.jayperoni.com
December 18, 2008 at 1:12 am
Thanks for the wealth of wisdom here. It seems clear that we tend to choose our future — either we beleive we have positive options, or we believe we are trapped by circumstances.
Yes, at those times when I couldn’t find two nickles to rub together, I got books and tapes from the local library, went to every free seminar I could find and asked the advice of every successful person I could stop for a minute. From the time I was a poor farm kid I’ve accessed the wisdom of the ages — and learned from that how to create a better life.
December 18, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Dan – your response to your situation, when you “couldn’t find two nickles to rub together” shows your attitude. You can’t keep a person down who, like you, had a mind set to ask advice of every successful person and attending every free seminar.
Poor boomer – I know that words like attitude, mind-set, and the phrase “how you see things”, appear to be useless in the ‘real’ world, but it really does make a difference. You can be surrounded by opportunities and starve to death.
Dan, thank you for your wonderful books and podcasts and even your radio show with Tim Knox.
I realize that I don’t think the same way that I used to, before I started listening to you. I expressed my frustration, to my wife, about a friend’s reluctance to work for himself and instead be taken care of (in a sense) by the big company.
I’ve only been on my own for 3 months but I have FREEDOM and I haven’t had to ask anyone if I can take a week off to have a Christmas vacation with my family.
I’m trying to hold back the emotion as I write that statement…Wow! I hope I make a great living, but if I only do as well as I was when I was working for the corporation and I have this freedom then I am a huge success.
Scott Harpole
December 19, 2008 at 6:12 am
Complaining and blaming is easy. Action and ownership is HARD!!
December 21, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Rich – I’ve checked with my library, there are seven reservations/holds ahead of me. It usually takes several months to check out any “hot” new books here.
I have been out of a job for over a year, and my lack of marketable skills (over the past 25 years I have had two long-term, dead-end, menial, low-wage jobs; thus my resume is sparse from an employer’s perspective).
I have a number of business ideas, but without money, so not know how to implement any of them.
I have pretty much resigned myself to unemployability, although, really, I always wanted to be self-employed. (I didn’t know how to do that without money to at least start a business on a shoestring.) So I have long considered money my primary problem.
Scott – Thanks, I think I understand what you’re saying about “real world” applicability of intangibles like “mindset” but the value and importance of a positive mindset is well-attested by numerous heavyweights – no I don’t really think I can refute them.
I’ve been doing odd jobs including piecework which pays a couple dollars per hour. Yes it gets old and it isn’t working, but I don’t see a better alternative – $2 per hour is better than $0 per hour. (So I guess I’m in the same sameness boat. Thanks, HotRod, but perhaps I’m experiencing an imagination blight.))
I see an entire boatload – a sea, really – of opportunities and in such an environment I find it difficult to stay focused. Right now I could rattle off perhaps a half dozen opportunities I would like to pursue. The “Multiple Streams of Income” carrot is enticing, but I can see myself putting the cart before the horse. (But I find it hard to pick just ONE to pursue.)
But if one ruminates on several ideas long enough, to a certain extent, things come together. So I see myself in the “thinking” phase, yet making progress.
December 23, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Poor Boomer wrote: “I have been out of a job for over a year, and my lack of marketable skills (over the past 25 years I have had two long-term, dead-end, menial, low-wage jobs; thus my resume is sparse from an employer’s perspective).”
But Boomer, look at the way you’re approaching this. “Lack of marketable skills”, “menial”, “dead end”, “sparse from an employer’s perspective”. I can’t imagine that you shine in your resume or interviews if that’s how you feel about your work experience. How about looking at the skills you MUST have learned in that 25 years.
How about highlighting the fact that you’re a reliable, stable employee.
If you really feel that way, then how about going back to school? That could be for a marketable skill that will land you a job or for skills that will help you develop your ideas.
You may have to start with a job to get the bills paid and some seed money, then work your way into something more independent and creative. I think it’s probably difficult to focus if you’re concerned with buying groceries or paying the mortgage.
All the best to you!
December 23, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Anita,
Thanks for posting the zig ziglar link. I downloaded it and will start using it today. I made the decision to quit watching and reading the news (anytime the economy surfaces as a topic). All the bad news does is bring me down so why watch it! Boycott it instead! Knowing that more people are laid off, blah, blah, blah doesn’t help me move forward and when you get right down to it what does knowing this bad news get anyone…I chose to focus my efforts on my corner of the world. I know what it feels like to be flat broke and have nearly lost my home twice over the years so i have empathy for those who are in a tough spot. However, Dan and the other posters are right on the money about opportunities that still exist and the importance of having the right attitude. I would also recommend a book which you might not have trouble getting at the library because most people won’t think to check it out or even know about it. It is called “Psycho-cybernetics” written by Maxwell Maltz. This books is about utilizing your internal success mechanism (mind) to change things for yourself. It has helped me. Like anything else it won’t do you much good though unless you really practice the techniques it mentions. It was published in 1960 but the principles mirror those of Dan Miller, Brian Tracy, and others (in fact it you read some of Brian Tracy’s materials, it sounds like he pulled his information straight from this book but just refashioned it a little). You have more going for you than you might realize.
December 23, 2008 at 3:42 pm
It is so sad to see people suffering in this way, because it is suffering – I know that look on their faces, it was the look I saw in the mirror for nearly 5 years. It makes me sad for them and (selfishly) for all of us, because I have to wonder what the world is missing when all of this creativity and experience is not being used for its highest best purpose….
As a family who has just recently turned the corner financially (in the right direction), doing most things wrong (without the benefit of Dan’s books, Dave Ramsey, and God – the trifecta for success born of discipline and creativity – we’d still be doing most things wrong), I’ve learned two lessons that got us off the mark….
1) work begets work – sitting at home w/a good idea and a box of business cards won’t pay the mortgage or develop your plan – thinking is great, but action is crucial, even if it means taking a less than perfect parttime job as a stepping stone. We both took as much work as we could get hired for and used it like “bootcamp” – the early days of being in business for yourself is 24 on, no off, and we learned the discipline of being up and dressed and ready to go, along w/creative scheduling and intensive, relentless cooperation.
2) there’s a million ways to skin a cat – for us, we were already known in both our industries, but people were looking for us to do something DIFFERENT – not the same thing they were used to when we worked for other companies – and what’s the point of quitting to go do the same thing anyway?
There are many reasons for failure and success, but no excuses. I would invite people who choose to inumerate and explain their obstacles to put that list aside, and join the fun of living with success and failure, free from the excuses that are really chains of our own making.
Poor Boomer, don’t be pitiful – if you can write as well as you do and have access to a computer, you’re ahead of the game – I would be happy to loan you one of my 48 days books, including the return postage, if you’ll tell me where to send it.
December 23, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Dear Boomer,
I understand about books being on hold and waiting several months…what I do if I do not have the funds to order a book is go to a bookstore like Borders and Davis-Kidd. sit in a comfy chair, read for awhile and make notes, from books that help me get ahead and life.
My mother is scandalized, but who cares? I have purchased plenty of books from Borders and Davis-Kidd in the past and will do so again so I don’t feel I am ripping them off.
I also order books from half.com for 75 cents plus shipping of a few dollars.
And there is plenty of free material on the internet, Dan’s site as well as others.
This may be harsh but I can tell you from experience that if you continue to refer to yourself as “poor” you will remain so.
We do indeed create our own reality.
Even if I do not have funds (like right now, did not have $ buy Christmas presents for family or go to Chicago to see our kids) I continually think of myself as rich because this is only temporary…and I am rich in friends, family, pets, and my church, my intelligence and knowledge, my talents and skills, I am surrounded by the beauty of nature…I could go on and on!
Life is good. All is well, I am truly blessed.
December 23, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Poor boomer sounds like a really intelligent guy. Wonder why he was stuck in such dead end opportunities for so long. Maybe it was a lack of self belief or a lack of know how. Maybe being unemployed is now the best thing that has happened to him in a long time. It has exposed him to a community of motivated, creative, determined and passionate people. We all need some help along on our journey and I believe he is already starting to find the way forward. It is not too late to start afresh.
I have had my own struggles for many years but I thank God I am now seeing the way forward. I wish you all a very merry xmas and an unbelievable new year. God bless
December 23, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Poor Boomer,
Let a guidance counselor (me) who is also trying to break out of the “employee” mindset and add some streams of income give you some advice:
I request a lot of books through my library too, and would suggest that if “48 days..” and “No More Mondays” have a waiting list, you request “What Color is My Parachute” (by Bolles), and work through all the questions etc. He puts out a revision every year, you’ll definitely be able to get your hands one from the last 5 yrs. today!
Also, if $ is tight, look for used books online. I purchased half of Dan’s recommended reading list (you can find that by a search on the main site) for a total of $20 this past year. As Kramer once said on Seinfelf, “Retail is for suckers!”.
If you feel that you are lacking in transferable skills, and perhaps don’t have the $ for schooling, I would suggest that you do what new college grads do when they have more time on their hands than experience: find a business that you would like to be a part of, and offer your work for free as an intern/apprentice. After working through “Parachute”, you should have a good idea of several things you would like to do, will definitely be able to find somebody who will let you work there for free for 6 mo. or a year. On the job training is much more important than a specific degree in most situations, and I can tell you from experience (I’ve hosted two interns myself, my office has had several more) that if a business can see that you’re reliable and passionate about your work, they’ll usually make a way to keep you around, or hook you up with someplace similar that has an opening. It would sure beat sitting around being unemployed, or making 2$/hr when it won’t lead to something better. Dress nice, work your butt off, don’t complain about your $ woes, and you’ll find that the challenge and interaction will be invigorating.
If you are dependent on the slow trickle of $ that you’re presently making, I’m sure that you can find something else to do that will make that much while just working part-time on top of the internship that you set up, even if you’re working at McD’s, Wal-Mart, Home Depot etc.
May God bless your efforts!
December 23, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Okay – so I didn’t read all the other notes. But the truth is that there are jobs available. I know, my husband was out of work and needed a job post haste. He applied at wal-mart working on the dock making $8.10 an hour. A little less than what he’s used to, BUT its a job. You’ve got to make tough decisions to feed a family, nothing isn’t an option. McDonalds is always hiring. Better a small income than no income.
December 23, 2008 at 4:34 pm
As Dan states in the introduction of No More Mondays, the workplace has changed. And we need to change along with it. We need to change the way we think about our jobs, about work hours and salaries, and about job security.
This poor fellow has 36 years of experience operations and administration manager but is stuck. He’s not adapting to how things work today and seems to be in denial, desperately doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome.
Admittedly, I can be a lot like this man. May God graciously allow me the wisdom to unlearn what my experience has taught me, to be more comfortable being uncomfortable in life’s transitions (regenerative cycles), live by faith, and not lean on my understanding, or what I at least I thought I once understood.
Times, they are a’changing. At times like these, may we hold to His unchanging hand. Treat yourself to a good mountain melody and listen to the song clip found at http://www.playingbyear.com/songs/hold-to-gods-unchanging-hand
Lyrics:
Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand
Time is filled with swift transition
Naught of earth unmoved can stand
Build your hopes on things eternal
Hold to God’s unchanging hand
Hold (to his hand) to God’s unchanging hand
Hold (to his hand) to God’s unchanging hand
Build your hopes on things eternal
Hold to God’s unchanging hand
Trust in Him who will not leave you
Whatsoever years may bring
If by earthly friends forsaken
Still more closely to Him cling
Covet not this world’s vain riches
That so rapidly decay
Seek to gain the Heavenly treasures
They will never pass away
When your journey is completed
If to God you have been true
Fair and bright your home in glory
Your enraptured soul will view
December 23, 2008 at 4:38 pm
“Poor Boomer”,
The fact that you are on this blog tells me your going to be just fine.
Remember, if you want something you’ve never had, you need to do something you’ve never done! You aren’t looking for 25 more years of meaningless work…so do something different.
You have mentioned that you have ideas, but no money. Well my friend, congratulations, ideas are FREE and they can be converted to profitable business in any of three ways. You either have to have 1. knowledge, 2. time, or 3. money. If you have one of the above (I think you have time on your hand), you can find those that have the other two. (money & knowledge).
Go for it and remember, you don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it going. Go ahead, get out of your comfort zone and really take on your life, you may just surprise yourself. YOU CAN DO IT! I see people doing it every day.
Make it a great day,
Gary Norris
December 23, 2008 at 4:46 pm
hi all…
I understood Late Boomer issues. Cause i’m going to be his position soon. Look at the bright side your country provides to the un-employ citizen.
Whereas in Asia, we do not have the luxury to be in your position.
This time it would be my 3rd lay-off since i’ve been working for 11 years.
Talk about books, God… so much easy to say. But to have a chop on your head and having stigma of not able to get a work, or get a pay… What more can you say. Some of us, we did try hard but it is not easy. With less pay, and accumulative installments on hand. What can you do? Do more God’s work, pay tithes that cost money too.
Getting more papers on hand, i find it tiring. I’ve a degree, a teaching certificate, certificates from many short courses. What more?
if only God come and reestablish his govern with, no credit cards, high loan interest rates, less saving on hand, high medical fees etc…
I find ridicule the rich become rich, the poor become poor… Being a free world, which none to exist.
What happen to the sense of community, the rich helping out the poor.
If all has the sense of helping out, not getting material goods, i think we will live is a better world.
Economics is not build in one day, and next day it will been destroyed by unscrupulous people.
Maybe there is a sign.
December 23, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Boomer,
I have put up a website where you can get Free copies of several of the best success books available; Think and Grow Rich, Acres of Diamonds, As a Man Thinketh etc. The Link is http://www.Training4Free.com There are also articles and quotes from the masters of motivation and success on the site.
I wish you God speed.
December 23, 2008 at 8:37 pm
I can understand everyone’s perspective on this. We are working our way out of what has been a huge mess of a few yrs. The path wasn’t much fun – my job was outsourced to India, then I ended up in the hosp, followed by hubby’s job loss (an unjustified one brought about by a bad combination of dsigruntled co-worker and post-9/11 corporate panic). Add some horrible area job conditions (Enron/Arther Anderson) and no one moving to the city and buying houses. Arrogant mortgage companies had no incentive at the time to work with people either. We tried to get four months in arrears bumped to the end of our mortgage. We were refused, and told to pay in full or else. Well, it was or else for us, as we had used up our savings just surviving. It all summed up to the loss of our home on Dec 23rd – five years ago today, in fact. Happy anniversary – not so much!
It has been ALL uphill. A move to a different state to start over didn’t work. (Note that it was not a unanimously-favored move – just the only thing we could think of at the time.) Jobs here were even scarcer than where we’d moved from, topped with snow! : )
As the country FINALLY wakes up to some of the major problems Americans have been experiencing for quite some time now, it is with both interest and sadness that I see so many going through what we went through. Ironically, we moved up here to be closer to his family, hoping for some assistance and maybe connections for a place to live and jobs. It didn’t happen – the true colors were outed, and their shallow cores were exposed. They were very much a “I-got-mine-bummer-for-you” folk. Instead of trying to help, we were pretty much shunned, like we had lost the house through poor money management or stupid decisions, rather than untimely issues and other problems deep within the economic system. Basically, they thought we had been stupid, or we would not have lost our home. Now five years down the road, the entire country is finally waking up to the widespread problem, and realizing that our country is in trouble ourselves, jobs are scarce, housing problems abound.
I am glad the gov’t is finally starting to force mortgage companies to work with people. I would have much preferred to stay in our home where we’d lived for 7 yrs. We had $30K equity in the home, and could not find refinancing (after all, we were both temporarily out of work), and no one to work with us. Our own mtg company had severe arrogance issues as well. They would not even sell the property to our realtor! (In desperation, we had offered to sell the home for just a little bit over what we owed (at a huge loss to us) directly to the realtor just to avoid a forclosure on our records. The mtg company ignored his purchase requests as well, preferring to take the house back.) So, I have NO sympathies for the mortage industry, and do not believe we should have bailed them out! They made their own bed in this case, and have the glut of properties due to situations just like ours, refusing to work with homeowners in crisis. (Same with the car companies – but I digress.)
I say all that to preface that I’ve struggled greatly to keep a positive outlook after all that has happened to us. After 25 yrs in lay ministry, we also struggled as to how God would allow this to happen to us, after we had been faithful tithers, servants and believers. Guess what – it rains on us all. We were totally knocked off our feet for a few yrs – financially, spiritually, physically. We are still trying to get stable, but doing better.
Both hubby and I turned 50 this year, and are starting over from scratch. Did we lose our 25+ yrs of work experience and knowledge? Nope, but most companies are not interested in older workers. My own health has declined quite a bit from all the stress, and I can’t work a regular job outside the home like I used to for all those years. I am taking correspondence courses to beef up areas of skill for things I can do from home. The thing is – there isn’t any money in that yet, but we still have expenses that don’t go away. Funny – we still enjoy lights and groceries! LOL! But some weeks, we live on Ramen noodle dishes my husband creatively cooks with! He is thankfully employed right now. He is UNDER employed, earning much less than he did 4-5 yrs ago, but it is a job, and beats sitting home. (The employer is not very nice – he recently laid off half the staff last week, right before Christmas, so he would not have to pay holiday pay. Hubby is home today, because he had overtime from being on call last week, and the emp doesn’t want to pay O/T. He chose to “comp-time” him instead, when we could desperately use the money. And the emp can afford to pay it – he is on the top ten list of wealthiest people in our state. Guess we know how he got wealthy!) We struggle every week right now to pay basic expenses, and go without many basic needs. We live in a tiny cramped place that has me rooming with my daughter due to lack of space, but it is all we can afford.
I say all that not for sympathy, but to give you an idea that I KNOW what I am talking about. Sometimes, when you are in the middle of the ocean, everything looks wet. When you have had the rug pulled out from under you, it takes some time to get your equillibrium back. Very few people can lose everything they have due to economic conditions (not that it is easier in a disaster like a flood/fire/storm, but somehow people are more willing to help you get out of the hole if that happened) and bounce up ready to Carpe Diem every day. It often is a struggle to just get out of bed!
So, I commend the man in the story for at least getting out there. It might not be working, but he isn’t sitting at home either. Now, if someone with the right connection and outlook could help him go to the next step, that would be great. I am sure that he can’t see past the train trip right now. When you feel worthless from losing your job, and have the pressures of either losing your home, or you lost it, your self confidence takes a complete hit. He probably needs a shoulder right now as much as a job. The confidence will eventually come back, but meanwhile, let’s not judge him for not moving on to the next level – this is probably the only level he has the mental energy for!
I feel we were on the leading edge of the economic downshift – like MANY things, God seems to take my hubby and I through things ourselves so we are more effective in ministering to others. I’ve had an inside view of what it is like to be broke/no choices/no home/no job/no hope. I will NEVER AGAIN give rice to a food pantry! LOL! I will never again say certain things to people that I used to say. I now have first hand knowledge of what it really feels like, and how it can totally mess with your mind.
And on our own current situation? I feel we were among the first IN the hole (with the job layoffs, house loss) and therefore am holding steadfastly to the thought that we will also be the first OUT of the hole! (First in, first out.) It is the knot at the end of our frayed rope, but it beats letting go of the rope entirely!
December 24, 2008 at 5:02 am
I was unemployed for almost three months. I sacrificed and went to school and ran on two hours sleep per day at times while working third shift. It is sickening that I busted my behind and my family sacrificed so I could get an engineering degree. Anyway, after almost three months of frantic job hunting and what seemed like millions of resume revisions to fit the jobs – no dice. So i took a job at Chuck E Cheese fixing video games. Unemployment pays $7 per hour in TN, but Chuck E does better. I work with children all day as I do on Sundays in my class. God is preparing me for something. In the meantime, I am making money and not taking the “corporate manure” home every night.
People who know me ask, “Why Chuck E Cheese?” To which I reply, “I’ve wasted my time in the corporate world working for a bunch of clowns, so I thought I’d see what its like to have a mouse for a boss!”
Hey, this world pats the thieving clowns (or CEO’s) on the back and pays them better than professional athletes for bankrupting hundreds of companies per year. When are we as Americans going to stand up to this garbage and walk out on our employers for ignorant leadership? If people want to picket, then picket over the pay that these CEOs are receiving that are NOT contributing to the bottom line. I mean really, Citibank or CitiCorp paid that one shark 220 million this year and he went to Congress begging for two loans totaling 45 billion dollars. Multi-million dollar company-furnished apartments and for what? Lavish vacations for board members and we hard working folks at the bottom are losing our jobs? He should be thrown out on the street.
How about the plant manager that had hundreds of illegal immigrants on his payroll at the transformer plant. He should have been put in jail. And the widow of the Enron thief, getting to keep the money since her husband died on trial.
GOD gave us all special skills and with those, you do not have to be afraid of any manager or CEO that is coming into town for a 15 minute site visit after the company spends thousands on the building to improve or replace things the manager will never care about or even get to see anyway.
December 24, 2008 at 8:58 pm
The previous postings have great messages and I appreciate the positive side as I too have been out of a job for the last seven months. Here’s what I have done: I am currently on a temporary assignment through a staffing agency. The key with the staffing agencies is to contact lots of them; take their tests; repeat your story to each one. Then follow up with phone calls at least once a week with the contact person, or talk to the receptionist if you aren’t receiving calls back. The more often you call, the better they get to know you; build a rapport and don’t blame them if they don’t have a job for you. If the temp job isn’t what you like, keep in touch with all of the agencies to let them know you are interested in a permanent position.
There are also many job clubs around and they are free to attend. Also see if your community has a Community Career Center, which provides free services to review resumes, interview tips, and lots of other topics. It got me out of the house to do a small amount of networking and let their staff know what kind of job I was looking for. Some churches also have extensive career services available. Google search “career services” or “job clubs”; it’s amazing how many are out there. Also, check out Job Fairs in your area through Monster.com — it’s really neat! Then attend them!
I am fortunate to have a friend (previous co-worker) who is an HR Recruiter and who is also looking for a job. He helps me stay focused and positive. Self talk is crucial — there are people worse off than me and getting my mind out of the self-pity is terribly important. I know I need to do more in order to get a better outcome, but it is up to me and that’s what drives me to keep working on it. To all who are looking for the next opportunity, don’t give up, look for the positive people, become a positive person. Yes, it’s tough to do sometimes. This is your work now — being positive and working to find work!
December 30, 2008 at 5:52 am
RE: The first post in this series about people not buying Dan’s books. One of Dan’s books is the reason that I now live in Oriental NC and own a business. I have purchased several of Dan’s books for gifts, and at least one of those gifts has been a godsend for the recipient. I liken those gifts to scholarships and I recommend those that are blessed with some income to do the same for their friends and family members – – it can change their lives, and for only a stipend of what it would cost for you to help them financially. . . . .
January 1, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Wow — the wealth of information here is amazing. I don’t know why I write books in the “normal” fashion. I should just post a topic and let you, my readers, create the insightful and inspiring content. Thanks so much for your wisdom, willingness to share honestly, and encouragement to each other.
March 14, 2010 at 5:36 am
Thats some quality basics there, already know some of that, but you can always learn more. I doubt a “kid” could put together such information as dolphin278 suggested. Maybe he’s just trying to be “controversial? lol