25 Mar 10 What is unemployment teaching you?

: Image by George Eastman House via Flickr

Carla, a longtime blogging friend, posted this on my Facebook wall yesterday:

I want to pose this question, Dan, to you and some of your readers of your blog. I am pondering the answering to this in my own life because I need some perspective in my own family’s situation, and would like some thoughts from others on this too. “What is unemployment teaching you”–about how you see life, family, Faith etc. It’ll be interesting to hear answers to this question!

When I think about the times I’ve been unemployed (and even underemployed), they have been defining moments for me.

I think I’ve been able to see my life as more than just a job. Unemployment forced me to separate work from my identity. With so many other people unemployed, and with the “wounded animal” demeanor that often accompanies the announcement that one is unemployed, I resolved to not let it be the most interesting thing about me.

It has naturally been a huge strain on my family financially. Unemployment benefits are certainly better than nothing, but they are barely enough to live on. So it forced us to really consider what is important. As one friend told me, when it’s really boiled down, all we really need is food, shelter, and clothing. This friend has been seriously reconsidering the direction his life is taking and is making some changes.

Managing the emotional side of job search has been one of the key things I really went after this time around. I resolved at the beginning of 2010 to be an incurably tough-minded optimist. It’s been hard, but that resolve has helped me focus on protecting my mind from negativity and disappointment.

I’ve read so much more during this period because I knew I needed to continue growing and changing, and I look forward to continuing this habit.

Having emotional support, not only from my family, but also from my church community and local job search support groups, has been very important this most recent time around.

Now it’s your turn…

What do you think about what Carla has asked? What is unemployment teaching you?

Unemployment and Underemployment (jibberjobber.com)
Unemployed Networking – Free for Unemployed (friendswhocare.us)
TweetDeck Targets a Growing Audience: The Unemployed (readwriteweb.com)

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Tags: emotional support, job search, Underemployment, unemployment, Unemployment benefits

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22 Jan 10 Looking for a non-profit job?

: Image by MacRonin47 via Flickr

Could a job with a non-profit be in your future? I’ve interviewed a few people who landed jobs at non-profits. They’ve shared that the biggest difference between working at a non-profit versus a for-profit is that at a non-profit you don’t work to make money; you work to make a difference.

Here’s a comprehensive list of job boards for non-profit job seekers:

http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/tips-and-tools/nonprofit-jobs

I wish you the best in your search. Let me know when you’ve landed so that we can share your story with others.

Flexibility, Freelance Key for Journalism Grads in Tough Job Market (pbs.org)
Opportunity Knocks Releases 2009 Most Demanded Nonprofit Positions Listing (prweb.com)
How can non profits increase their funding opportunities? (startups.com)
Posts tagged ‘non-profit’ (howigotmyjob.com)

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Tags: Business and Economy, Employment, job board, job search, Non-profit organization

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04 Dec 09 Series Wrap-Up – NaPodPoMo Day 30

Background

: Image by shawnogram via Flickr

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’ve released a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I practiced answering a typical interviewing question. Were my answers perfect? Probably not. This experiment had the following objectives:

Practice answering typical interviewing questions
Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the last installment of the series, as Day 30 of 30:

NaPodPoMo Day 30: Series Wrap-up

Feedback

Dawn from Cincinnati sent in a great critique of how I did with the videos, mentioning that the idea was great and shared some suggestions for how I could get better. Chris Meyer from Las Vegas sent in some audio feedback that this series came out at a time that he was interviewing for a job, and the interviewers commented that he was well-prepared. This series helped him be prepared for the interviewing questions.

Lessons Learned

Seeing the return on my time investment. Producing video content to go out every single day was rather strenuous. If I didn’t see the benefit of me getting practice answering job interview questions, I probably wouldn’t have done it this way.
Producing in bulk, scheduling to be published later. Many of these videos were recorded and produced in bulk, and then scheduled to be published on the days they went out. Creating content, whether video or blog posts, in bulk while in a creative frame of mind, was very helpful. Being able to schedule the blog posts ahead of time was also very helpful.
Learning to produce and edit video. I feel much more comfortable recording, editing, publishing, tagging, and in general producing video now. The tools I used were
- Lenovo Easy Capture for the webcam recording, built-in laptop mic
- Windows Movie Maker to edit, add titles, and publish
- Free Video Converter utility to convert WMV files to MP4
- iTunes to add ID3 tags
Promoting through social networking. Promoting the videos on Facebook and LinkedIn, and occasionally on Twitter, helped drive traffic.
Would I do this again? I don’t know if I’d commit to producing video every day like this. We’ll see. NaPodPoMo 2010 is a ways off.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 8:27, 16.4 MB)

How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
Free Video Editing Tools: Guide To The Best Software And Web-Based Services (masternewmedia.org)
National Podcast Post Month (NaPodPoMo) (danieljohnsonjr.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (16.5MB)

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Tags: Derek K. Miller, feedback, interviewing, job search, lessons learned, NaPodPoMo, video, video production

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29 Nov 09 When have you had to deal with an upset customer or coworker? – NaPodPoMo Day 29

Background

: Image by shawnogram via Flickr

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question. Will my answers be perfect? Probably not. This experiment has the following objectives:

Practice answering typical interviewing questions
Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 29 of 30:

Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:30, 10.6 MB)

How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)
Persuade me that you have strong analytical skills. – NaPodPoMo Day 17 (getthatjobonline.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (10.6MB)

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Tags: customer service, Derek K. Miller, interpersonal skills, interviewing, job search, NaPodPoMo, video

Filed in NaPodPoMo, interviewing, podcast, video with View Comments

28 Nov 09 When have you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done? – NaPodPoMo Day 28

Background

: Image by shawnogram via Flickr

Practice answering typical interviewing questions
Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 28 of 30:

Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:52, 9.4 MB)

How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)
Persuade me that you have strong analytical skills. – NaPodPoMo Day 17 (getthatjobonline.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (9.2MB)

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Tags: Derek K. Miller, interviewing, job search, mistakes, NaPodPoMo, problem-solving, video

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27 Nov 09 When have you missed an obvious solution to a problem? – NaPodPoMo Day 27

Background

: Image by shawnogram via Flickr

Practice answering typical interviewing questions
Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 27 of 30:

Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:52, 9.4 MB)

How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (9.4MB)

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Tags: Derek K. Miller, interviewing, job search, mistakes, NaPodPoMo, problem-solving, video

Filed in NaPodPoMo, interviewing, podcast, video with View Comments

26 Nov 09 When have you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision? – NaPodPoMo Day 26

Background

: Image by shawnogram via Flickr

Practice answering typical interviewing questions
Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 26 of 30:

Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 6:10, 12 MB)

How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
Tell me about your ability to work under pressure – NaPodPoMo Day 09 (getthatjobonline.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (11.9MB)

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Tags: decision making, Derek K. Miller, interviewing, job search, NaPodPoMo, video

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25 Nov 09 When were you faced with problems that tested your coping skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 25

Background

: Image by shawnogram via Flickr

Practice answering typical interviewing questions
Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 25 of 30:

Describe a time on any job that you held in which you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:55, 11.5 MB)

How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (11.4MB)

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Tags: coping skills, Derek K. Miller, interviewing, job search, NaPodPoMo, problems, stress, video

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24 Nov 09 How have you been able to engage online audiences and empower them to talk about the brand? – NaPodPoMo Day 24

Background

: Image by shawnogram via Flickr

Practice answering typical interviewing questions
Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Today, I’m answering a question constructed from a statement in a good example of a job description for a social media job. This comes from Amber Naslund‘s blog post entited “Hiring for Social Media: Good Moves“.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 24 of 30:

Tell me about your ability to engage online audiences, both reactively and proactively, ultimately empowering others to talk about the brand.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

I also talked about Movember, a movement for Prostate Cancer Awareness that has led me to grow a moustache this month.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 6:26, 12.4 MB)

How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (12.4MB)

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Tags: Derek K. Miller, empowered audience, interviewing, job search, NaPodPoMo, social media, social media monitoring, video

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23 Nov 09 How have you been able to execute on social media strategy? – NaPodPoMo Day 23

Background

: Image by shawnogram via Flickr

Practice answering typical interviewing questions
Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 23 of 30:

How have you been able to take larger strategy and insights and translate into ideas and executable plans in the social media space?

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:09, 10 MB)

How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (10.0MB)

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Tags: Derek K. Miller, interviewing, job search, NaPodPoMo, social media, social media execution, social media strategy, video

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25 Mar 10 What is unemployment teaching you?

22 Jan 10 Looking for a non-profit job?

04 Dec 09 Series Wrap-Up – NaPodPoMo Day 30

Background

Feedback

Lessons Learned

29 Nov 09 When have you had to deal with an upset customer or coworker? – NaPodPoMo Day 29

Background

28 Nov 09 When have you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done? – NaPodPoMo Day 28

Background

27 Nov 09 When have you missed an obvious solution to a problem? – NaPodPoMo Day 27

Background

26 Nov 09 When have you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision? – NaPodPoMo Day 26

Background

25 Nov 09 When were you faced with problems that tested your coping skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 25

Background

24 Nov 09 How have you been able to engage online audiences and empower them to talk about the brand? – NaPodPoMo Day 24

Background

23 Nov 09 How have you been able to execute on social media strategy? – NaPodPoMo Day 23

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25 Mar 10 What is unemployment teaching you?

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