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The Power of a Compliment

It’s easy to get discouraged during a job search. When I was employed, I would wake up every morning with a to-do list a mile long. I knew exactly what I needed to do at work, and would sometimes give myself a mental pat on the back for crossing things off my list. At the end of the day, I could look back and feel accomplished.

Now, the to-do list is still a mile long, but I’m have trouble deciding what to prioritize. This is so not like me. I’m the queen of prioritizing my work. But this is different. Like a Wordle puzzle with too many options to choose from, I tend to freeze up (or scroll Reels on Facebook as an exercise in avoidance and procrastination).

Do I hit the job boards on Indeed and Idealist or plan out posts on LinkedIn? Should I work on my freelancing website or schedule a few more networking calls? Maybe I’ll add a few more organizations to my target list and work on some answers to potential interview questions. I also need to nag a few people about a few letters of recommendation.

Which one of these things will get me that much closer to a new job or a writing gig? The answer: all of the above. It can be quite overwhelming at times. My goal every day is to be able to say that I was productive.

Which is why a compliment from an old friend was so welcome. We go way back to my synagogue days when we were program directors in our respective congregations. While we live in different states, we stayed in touch online. During this phone call, we talked about the different directions I could go in with my career. He shared some of his most recent work experiences with me and offered some solid career advice.

Before we got off the phone, he said, “You are incredible at what you do, Elisa. Hang in there.”

Incredible? I don’t know if I would describe my contributions as incredible. But I have to admit that it’s really nice to hear someone else say it. He put me back in the right mindset by reminding me that I still have plenty to offer. I need to remember that as I continue to push forward.

Wherever I decide to put my efforts tomorrow or the next day or the next, the prioritizing is probably not the most important thing. What’s important is to DO SOMETHING because I know every little bit helps. So far this week, I got my resume down from three pages to two pages. I also found a few places on my resume where I could explain my accomplishments more clearly. Before I knew it, I had a whole new resume to send out. Today, I posted on LinkedIn and made some new connections. Tomorrow, I’m going to follow up on a few job applications I sent out last week and look into taking a few classes toward another certificate.

For now, I’m going to watch the Phillies and get a good night sleep. Tomorrow is a new day.

XO,

Elisa

P.S. – If you would like to follow me on LinkedIn, here is the link to my profile. I’d love to connect with you.

Getting Over That Hill

A photo of a walking path in the park. I like to walk in a pretty park across the street from our neighborhood with a two-mile paved walking trail. Every time I walk through, I take deep breaths, enjoy the fresh air, and appreciate the park’s natural beauty. Until I get to this one big hill, and then, I’m miserable. It’s in a part of the trail where the sun beats down on me harshly. The twists and turns make it that much more difficult for me to climb. I plow through, but it’s not my favorite section of the park. And then I remember, what goes up must come down. The rest of the trail from there is basically downhill, and I arrive home feeling relaxed and invigorated.

Today, I didn’t even notice the hill. I was deep in thought about being laid off, my recent job search, and how things are moving along at a snail’s pace. Like that hill, it feels insurmountable. It’s easy to get discouraged. I’m one resume in a large pile on my potential employer’s desk. I have an excellent cover letter that shows my ability to write and think creatively. But, I’m not sure people actually read it or just scan it for my salary requirements. My resume is long at three pages, but it’s a well thought out representation of a successful marketing career so far.

I know, I know. A three page resume is probably too long. I need to cut it down. That’s next week’s project. 

I think it is more productive to attend networking events and ask people out for coffee or lunch to pick their brains. I love this part of the job search. There are always ways in which we can help each other, and we do so without hesitation. Last week, I sat down with someone and discovered we were both applying for the same positions. At first, it was a bit awkward, but as we continued to talk, we started rooting for each other to land the job. Building these relationships is so important during any job search. I plan to keep them going after I land a new position. In the meantime, I’m hoping my efforts will get me an “in” somewhere, and soon. Once I get over that hill, it will be downhill from there.

For now, I’m hoping to do some freelance work so I can keep my skills sharp and my creative juices flowing. I’m working on a new website and portfolio so people know where to find me and what I have to offer. And, I’m trying not too stress out too much. That is not an easy task, but I have a list of projects I never got around to this summer. I call it my list of distractions. It’s a solid list that will keep me busy. I need to apply for TSA Pre-Check and get a Real ID in case my new job involves a lot of traveling. I want to clean out and redesign my home office. I’ll very likely be working in a remote, or preferably hybrid, environment and need my office to be much more comfortable and inviting.

There are a bunch of books on my TBR that I’m working my way through when I need a break. And thanks to those long walks and that G-d awful hill, I’ve lost 12 lbs already and will keep working my program until I get back to a healthier weight.

And thankfully, the Ultimate Blog Challenge is the writing project I need to keep on creating for and connecting with those who read it and my fellow bloggers. I’m looking forward to it!

XO,

Elisa

Where Ya Been?!

“How come you haven’t written a blog post lately?”

“What books are you reading?

“Where ya been?”

I’m getting these questions a lot lately, so I thought it was time for an update. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written anything new here. But I can’t say there hasn’t been anything to write about. If you follow me on Facebook, you already know my husband and I found ourselves unemployed this summer. This has put our household into what can only be described as Life Without A Manual on steroids.

Every day, we are updating and sending out resumes, writing cover letters, networking with others, and managing our stress levels. Our daily lives of running errands, checking in with our children, keeping up with the dishes and laundry, and helping our parents has stayed the same. This new normal has brought on a whole new level of busyness to our days, and sadly for me, writing blog posts had to take a backseat. But, now that we are settling into a routine, I’ll post more often. (Stay tuned for the 31 day Ultimate Blog Challenge starting October 1st).

While there are tons of webinars, books, and articles to read about how to conduct a job search, it’s the emotional toll that no one manual can cover. Luckily, I have my therapist on speed dial these days to help me navigate the anxiety and uncertainty. What I know for sure is that this situation is a blip. We are going to be fine, and I am confident we will find new positions soon.

For now, we wake up at 6 am (ok, sometimes 7 am), have breakfast, walk the dog, make our to-do lists, settle into our home offices, drink lots of coffee, and look for new jobs. We talk about the opportunities that come our way and whether they are a good fit. We encourage each other to do our best, celebrate successes, and lift each other up when things don’t go as we had hoped. Sundays are extra special around here because we file our weekly unemployment claims together over a glass of white wine. It’s our new date night.

Romantic, right?! 🙂

And throughout all of this, we are incredibly grateful for so many things, and I want to make mention of them here.

Friends and Family

From our parents, siblings, and kids to our aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, everyone has been so supportive. Whether it is introducing us to someone who might be able to help, offering to look at our resumes, reminding us that we are both marketable and worthy, treating us to an Eagles game, or just checking in, we are lucky to have each and every one of them in our lives.

One day, I called one of my closest friends and asked her to do me big a favor. I was feeling all the love and support coming at me, but I needed something different. Every day I wasn’t working blurred together into the next. I was feeling what Pink Floyd would refer to as comfortably numb. I was unfocused, unproductive, and exhausted which is the complete opposite of who I am under normal circumstances. So, I asked her to give me a pep talk to snap me out of it and get my ass in gear. She happily obliged.

It takes a village to get through these tough times. I am forever grateful for our village.

Networking

The last time I looked for a job, LinkedIn was a huge help. Now, it is our new best friend and sometimes a third wheel at the dinner table. What surprises me most about LinkedIn is how generous people are on the platform. Several former colleagues have written thoughtful recommendations on my page about projects we worked on together. Another friend who is a photographer is taking a new headshot of me for my profile this weekend. I have also reconnected with people who I have admired from a distance who met me for coffee and shared sound advice and plenty of ideas to consider. My husband has felt the same support over LinkedIn, and we both see it as an essential tool to our search.

The funny thing about my LinkedIn network is that about a quarter of my contacts are people I have only met a handful of times in person. There is one woman who sends me job postings on a regular basis. Today, I had lunch with someone I met years ago at seminar where I was a speaker. I’ve also been introduced to people who don’t know me at all, but we were connected by a mutual friend. What a leap of faith to be willing to spend time with someone you’ve never even met before! I’ve had wonderful conversations with those people and hope they continue to happen.

During one of our walks, my husband and I thought back to what job searches looked like when we first started out. Remember when we used to print out and mail resumes and cover letters to potential employers? Who else here looked for a job in the Sunday classified ads section of the newspaper? It’s a whole different world now and for those who don’t think LinkedIn is for them, I encourage you to take a second look. If you are in the middle of a job search, the LinkedIn Premium level is worth the extra money. If not, stick with the free version, post often, and stay in touch with people. You never know how you can be of assistance to others or when you will need help in your own career.

The Little Things

There have been some silver linings over the last few weeks. We vacationed in Bar Harbor, ME and explored Acadia National Park without being tied to our laptops  or worried about deadlines. And there was no vacation hangover to deal with while sorting through tons of emails and playing catch up when we returned.

Also, my reading life has never been better. I finished six titles in August and one so far in September. But that’s a topic for a different blog post.

Maybe the nicest part is being able to take time for some self-care and allow myself to recharge, regroup, and figure out what’s next and what’s best for me. I know I want to do something creative and meaningful in my career. I prefer working in a hybrid situation, but can work on-site or remote. Traveling for work is something I miss and can do more of now that we are empty nesters. I know my dream job is still out there somewhere. I just need to be patient.

And finally, I have time for what I love to do most—writing and blogging. Hopefully, you will keep reading and commenting. Deal? 🙂

XO,

Elisa

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