Twenty third week-Danger of overexposing yourself to the world

This past week I was reminded of the dangers of overexposing yourself to the world. Being on the Internet as I am to look for work sometimes has its pitfalls and hidden dangers. You always have to be wary of what you write and communicate to others. This is a good lesson to learn. Most career experts will tell you that the first thing you should do to make sure that your name is not associated with any black marks is to Google yourself on the Internet. If you find any, then you have to take action to clear them up. Unfortunately the career experts don't tell you how you can clear your name easily. It takes time and effort on your part.

One of the concerns that have been raised at various workshops I've attended is the fear of being overexposed due to the fact that whenever you apply for jobs on-line you are giving the potential employer personal information on what could be a publicly accessible site. I understand these concerns for they are mine as well. One way to avoid personal information being leaked, even though its not foolproof, is to look for the lock and https sign on the url. Most companies that require personal information should have this secure information url. If they don't, and they require personal information....avoid them like the plague.

I know for some of you that its extremely difficult to expose yourself in any way on the Internet. I am learning, however, that in some cases you must get over that fear and press on. The Internet and the many facets of social media can help you succeed if you use them right. Unfortunately some haven't and have paid the price for it. The best advice that I've been given is to be vigilant and wary of those job offers that seem to offer you the moon for little time and effort. For if you are smart, you won't overexpose yourself and be able to offer your potential employer evidence that you are savvy enough to avoid Internet traps that could expose their company's information. 

Twenty second week-Time to reinvent myself

You would think by now that I would have figured this whole thing out. You know the thing that all employers want for their prospective employees...You know....the perfect candidate...the one who will look good and make your company look good too. I have news for them...there is no perfect candidate!

Wow...what a freeing thought that is! So now I can stop struggling to fit in, and start being myself. I know who I am. I know what I want, but unfortunately I can't seem to get past the obstacles that are blocking me. I'm thinking to myself that I really need to stop focusing on those obstacles. We all have them. They become more apparent when you're struggling to find some meaning to your life and when it feels as if everything has been ripped out from beneath you.

I do have a lot of ideas about how to reinvent myself, and they don't include going back to school. I can't afford it, and in my current situation it is very unwise to go back into debt. Yes, some have suggested this as a good way to gain necessary skills. Yet I can't help thinking that you're really throwing away money if you can't get a job once you're finished....as a lot of college graduates are finding out now. No, I've been batting around in my head some ideas about going back to the simple things in life. I don't want to spend my whole life in front of a computer.....They're not friendly and you can't talk back to them....yet they can get you in a whole mess of trouble.

There are some good things about computers...this blog is hopefully helping someone. Facebook and Linkedin are okay...but sometimes I feel a bit leery about them too. I know there are many of you that are feeling the same way....

Twenty first week-In for the long haul

This week was another turning point for me. It was the week I realized that I was in this for the long haul. I still have some choices to make. I can continue "spinning my wheels" trying to find gainful employment or I can start searching for anything that comes along that will make me some money. I know by this time there are many out there that are thinking the same thing. Age doesn't matter. That is the one thing that really gets me upset. I know there are many out there that are saying that once you reach a certain age that you should just quit trying to find gainful employment. I also know that there are many out there that have just gotten out of college or have been really trying for a year or more to find gainful employment as well. For these people, it isn't that they are a certain age. It's really because they have no experience. How do you get that experience when nobody wants to give you a chance to gain it? I don't know. I feel that frustration as well.

Most of us can relate to this feeling very well. I've heard stories of people that have years of experience being let go because the company couldn't afford to keep them on, only to try to bring them back later on. What some companies don't realize is that they have a "treasure trove" of resources that their computers are automatically deleting because the candidates don't use the right "keywords" on their applications. How can you compete with a soul less computer? You can't.

I'd love to find a company that actually looks at the cover letters and resumes they receive, instead of regulating them to an electronic "black hole."  I know I can't compete with a computer or with the literally hundred thousand resumes that clog the internet. I do what I am required to do. I know that my resume is in that electronic "black hole" now at least twenty or more companies. That is why I know that I'm in it for the long haul.

Twentieth week-Where do we go from here?

Okay, this is the week you stop beating yourself up because you haven't got a job. Some say by this week you are now considered one of the unemployable due to the fact that you have been out of work for so long. I say that it's not true. If you start believing that lie then you might as well quit looking. Some have by this time. Others haven't, telling themselves that twenty weeks is not a long period of time. It really isn't. Once you start telling yourself that you will never get employment or that no one wants your particular skills then the game is over.

What is the alternative? You are probably asking yourself this question right now. Do you settle for any job that happens to come along no matter how hideous it is? Do you tell yourself that no matter what happens you will persevere? Do you change direction, hoping that something will come your way? All of these questions have been rattling around in my brain. I know what I'm good at and what I'm not good at doing, but at this time can't seem to make the connection with a decent job.

So where do we go from here? I know I must persevere no matter how hard it gets, but I also know that God will hold me up and see me through whatever happens. I won't settle for a job that I know I can't do because it wouldn't be fair to my future employer or to me. Yes, I may have to change directions a couple of times. I have already done this once.

The hard part for me will be to reach out and connect with others, letting them know what I can do for them. All of the career advice columnists push this simple concept, but don't realize how hard it actually is to put yourself out there like that.