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Few movies have moved me on such a visceral level like “The Pursuit of Happyness” starring Will Smith. The movie is based on real-life events of Chris Gardner.

I recommend seeing it. Again.

This scene is his interview for his internship.

The Pursuit of Happyness – Job Interview

In this scene, it’s his last day of his unpaid internship. A truly inspiring one.

Best scene of Pursuit of Happyness

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1. Your Job Searching Success Story – with a Prescription

Image via CrunchBase

As I’ve talked with people where I live, many of them have wondered how Twitter could be used in the job search. Aside from building and communicating a personal brand presence, I’m now recommending TweetMyJobs.com.

I only recently started looking at it, and I really like the benefits for job seekers, as seen via the TweetMyJobs Job Seeker Intro:

• Have access to thousands targeted JobChannels™, so you only get the jobs that match your profile in your feed
• Receive INSTANT notification of new jobs in your Twitter feed or on your mobile device
• Learn of new posting from thousands of leading companies
• Post (and tweet) your resume and custom profile to thousands of recruiters and hiring managers
• Forward jobs to friends
• Receive daily job updates via email or RSS
• Be able to search for jobs using our TweetMap, a Google Maps enabled job tool

Up to now I’ve had some of this on my own, through my own tinkering around. I like that this interface has been developed in such a way that anyone can use it.

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1. How’s Your Job Search Going?
2. Places to Find Jobs
3. Passion and audacity in the job search

If you ask, most people in a job search probably hate getting asked this question.

I’m currently reading a book called Breakthrough! (affiliate link) by Paul Kurnit and Steve Lance.  It’s more of a business book, but the marketing principles are certainly applicable to those in transition. Chapter 1 of the books is ”How Ya Doin’?”

Job seekers are not alone in their dislike of the question. Paul and Steve say that question is one of the most feared questions people in business hear all the time as well. Without sounding like a complete advertisement for the book, I think there are some great things they share that can transfer to those in a job search. (Note: I originally came up with the idea for this post in the spring of 2010 before I’d even heard about the book.)

It should be easy, they say. After all there are only 5 choices, which I’ve adapted for the purpose of this post:

1. “Terrible.” If your job search isn’t what it could be or your career outlook isn’t what it used to be, what are you doing about it? Take stock of what you already have to offer. Then figure out a new game plan and transition into something else.
2. “Could be better.” This is probably what most of us would say. Whose fault is it that our search is the way that it is? The only one who can change it is you. Time to make a plan to make it better.
3. “Same old, same old.” What?! It sounds like rear-view mirror thinking. This is a dangerous spot to be in, because you could soon find yourself thinking that things will be okay in the future because they have been in the past.
4. “Great! Couldn’t be better!” Maybe things are going well for you in your search. Maybe you feel that everything is falling into place and you can just coast along. The truth is that, just as consumer brands need to develop and grow to stay at the top in their respective industries, so we ourselves as brands need to develop and grow to stay at the top in our respective industries.
5. “It’s great, but it could be better.” You should always be actively involved in creating what Matthew Kelly, author of The Dream Manager (affiliate link), calls “the best version of yourself.”

So, how’s your job search going?

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As I’ve said previously, I’m not an expert in Ohio Unemployment Benefits. I don’t work for the State of Ohio.  I’m just a guy sharing expertise gained from my own search and experience.

I don’t have to tell job seekers how frustrating it is to make sure you’re doing everything you need to get unemployment benefits. But I hope this post will point you  closer to getting the information you need.

It’s gotten easier to file

It’s gotten a lot easier over the years. Back in 2002, you might appear in person to file for benefits, but the office began encouraging people to file for Ohio unemployment benefits through their hotline: 1-877-644-6562. You’d get a card mailed to you and you’d need to fill it out and mail it back. Or you could call the phone number and file your claim that way. What’s nice these days is that you can still use the phone number, but you can also apply and get Ohio unemployment benefit information online.

SCOTI – should I really care about that?

One of the most popular posts on this blog is this one I wrote almost 4 years ago entitled Ohio SCOTI System and Indeed Salary Search. I’ve gotten emails from readers asking how to register for SCOTI. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think you can. SCOTI doesn’t even exist anymore.

When you file your initial claim, this is something you can ask the person on the phone.  They will probably point you to Ohio Means Jobs.

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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?

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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.

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Background

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)

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Background

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)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• 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)

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Background

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 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)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• 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)

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Background

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 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)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
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• What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)

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Background

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 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)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• 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)

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1. Template Changes Coming Soon!

Background

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 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)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• 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)

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Background

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

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)

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Background

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

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 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)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
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Background

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

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 22 of 30:

Tell me about your willingness to experiment and innovate.

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, 4:15, 8.3 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
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Are you applying for jobs you have no business applying for? Are you trying to pass off someone other than YOU as you work toward getting your next job?  Well, STOP IT!

Seriously, watch this short video my friend Kevin Dugan did with keynote speaker Artie Isaac, at SummitUp, a recent social media confab many of us attended in Dayton, Ohio. I happened to stumble upon it while browsing other videos on YouTube.

Know Yourself, Be yourself for better pitches with Artie Isaac.

Authenticity is by far one of the most important qualities you’ll need to get to your next job.  Nearly everyone I’ve interviewed for How I Got My Job has mentioned this trait in some way, shape, or form.  Know who you are and how you fit with the company and position you’re applying for.

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I saw that Jennifer McClure had shared this link on the Job Search Focus Group of Hyde Park (Cincinnati) LinkedIn group.  Great stuff you need to see:

7 Must Read SlideShare Presentations For Job Seekers | Applicant – Job Tips And Advice.

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I mentioned recently that in April I gave a talk about The Emotional Side of Job Search to some job seekers in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.  Below are the slides I used in my presentation:

If you haven’t seen some of the pictures from the workshop during my talk, you can find them here: Photos from Maximizing Your Job Search Workshops in Cincinnati, Ohio

And if you haven’t yet, please Promise Me Something.

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It’s so great to be amazingly busy, and if you follow me on Twitter, you probably already know what I’m up to.  Still, I know you like to have some good stuff to read from time to time.  With that in mind, here are some things I’ve been looking forward to sharing with you.

Maximizing Your Job Search Workshop, Crossroads Community Church, Cincinnati, Ohio

In February I gave a talk in front of about 150 job seekers about the How I Got My Job project, entitled “Real People. Real Job-hunting Success Stories.”  Last night I gave another talk to about 50 job seekers entitled “The Emotional Side of the Job Search” (links to slides coming soon). In addition to the photo on this page, there are some more photos from Maximizing Your Job Search Workshops held in Cincinnati, Ohio on Flickr.

Job-hunting success stories wanted

I recently submitted a request to Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter for individuals to interview for How I Got My Job.  So far the response has been great. A lot of real people have genuinely interesting stories to share.  If you would like to share one of your job-hunting success stories, please get in touch to set up a phone interview: successstories AT howigotmyjob DOT com. Please keep in mind that it can be any job that you’ve landed; I have collected stories from over 15 years ago!

Evaluating job offers

One of the questions I ask during the How I Got My Job interviews is how people have evaluated job offers.  I believe advice on how to do this effectively is sorely needed, especially in the current job market.  Check out this working guide for evaluating lowball salary offers from Liz Ryan.

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I know you’re hurting.

When I was unemployed and underemployed in 2003-2004, those were very dark times for me.  The stress of not being able to provide for my family overwhelmed me to the point where I became seriously depressed.  Seriously depressed. The pain I felt was nearly unbearable.  I found a psychiatrist and therapist and took some medicine and talked with other people. I was involved in a church community.

Depression clouds everything

Still, there were times I thought about ending it all. Yes, there were rare times of what they call “suicidal ideation“.  I was open about those thoughts and feelings.  I made myself accountable to others who would ask me:

• “Are you taking your medicine?”
• “Are you going to your appointments?”
• “How are you really doing today?”

Depression clouds everything, especially in a job search.  When you’re depressed you don’t feel like you have anything to offer anyone.  Maybe this hits us guys more than the ladies because we get so much of our identity from what we do for a living.  When that is taken away from us, we feel like part of our soul has been ripped out.

There are days you don’t even want to wake up.  You want the pain to go away.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Stay in the battle

Promise me something.  No matter how bad it gets – don’t give up.  Stay in the battle.  Look at yourself in the mirror – no, STARE DOWN the person in the mirror – and repeat these two statements of fact:

1. You are better than you think you are.
2. You can do more than you think you can.

The biggest reason I created the How I Got My Job project is for times like this. Surround yourself with success.  Just hearing that someone else got a job can give you hope.  Listen to these stories over and over again.  Let them sink into your consciousness as you begin to believe in yourself again.

Read this excellent article from Christopher S. Penn about How Your iPod Can Protect Your Mind.

Get help

Finally, get help. No man is an island.  We were made to be social creatures, and we need to get and stay connected with others.  We live in an age now where connecting online is so easy.  Even more importantly, though, get connected to people in-person.  You need to find people to meet up and network with.  Find people who will inspire and encourage you, people who are not afraid to tell it like it is.  Heck, feel free to get in touch with me. I try to make myself as approachable as possible.  Get some therapy if needed.

To share this post on Twitter, please copy and paste the following text:

RT @danieljohnsonjr: (via Get That Job!) Promise Me Something: http://bit.ly/promise-me

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I initially started this blog as a resource for myself.  As I read and consume content that I think would be worthwhile sharing, I often consider it in that frame of reference.

Such is the case with this jewle  jewel from Rachel Levy:

Using social media for a job search | Rachel Levy – Boston marketing pro (social networking, Twitter).

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In January 2008 I announced my intention to create an internet radio program (podcast) of job-hunting success stories, entitled How I Got My Job. Over the several months that have followed, I have recorded several interviews and am now beginning to release them. Last week I released the initial episode: Intro and How I Got My Job as an Environmental Engineer.

I plan to release these interviews each week and for this project to be a sister project of Get That Job! If you’d like to share one of your job-hunting success stories, be it your current one or a former one, send your contact information to successstories AT howigotmyjob DOT com

Speaking of interviews (hat-tip to Ed Ovett)…

—-
Check out my other blogs:
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
QuotesBlog
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Related tags: getthatjob, get+that+job, job+hunt, job+search, career+advice, networking, professional+development, daniel+johnson+jr

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