Thirty sixth week-Taking those first steps out of the "well" of despair.

Yes I admit I was in that well of despair this past week. It's a place all of us go when weeks and months go by and you received only minimal responses to your queries even though you've done everything the experts have told you to do. Remember what I said last week about going about the job search all wrong? I know now what I've been doing that has deterred me from reaching my goal of gaining stable employment. First thing is you need to forget what the experts tell you. Most haven't got a clue about the current job market situation. That  is because they're not in it. You are. They may tell you that they understand. They don't. Once I got past this, I was able to see a little clearer.

Right now is a good time to reflect on what works for you. Is it networking? Everyone seems to tout this as the answer. No one seems to get the fact that it is extremely difficult to do when you haven't got a "hook" to put in front of the person. They all tell you to work on an elevator speech, yet don't give you any ideas of how to put one together in a way that would make someone actually listen to you. I know the standard elevator speeches....It just seems to me that you're ambushing someone by doing this. So, no it won't work for me. What has worked....no jobs yet....is actually asking questions and thereby gaining information.

I do find that there are some opportunities out there for me. I am taking the first tentative steps on my way to stable employment and out of the "well" of unemployment. It might be that I will be self employed which would be very interesting to say the least.

Thirty fifth week-The road not taken or not giving to the crisis

A very interesting development happened to me this week. While interviewing for the job that I said I would take I had an epiphany that led me to think that I've been going through this job search all wrong. As everyone who has ever been unemployed as long as I have knows, there comes a point in time when you get to the end of your reserves. It's at that point when you no longer struggle and finally accept the state you're in that you realize that somehow you left God out of the picture. Once you realize this and are open to other possibilities, then you start to feel a sense of peace that you haven't felt in years. Because of that epiphany I decided not to give in to the desperation that led me to want to take that job in the first place. Instead I decided to use the talents and abilities that I've been given over the past nine years to forge out on my own.

Yes, I realize that it's really scary move and not at all stable. Yet I also know that my safety net along with thousands, maybe millions of others will be gone January 1st. I have to follow God's lead in this, even while I ache for myself and those around me that will be affected by the loss of government unemployment assistance. Unless something changes in Washington and they are reinstated, then I have to start bracing for the impact of this. I refuse to give in though to the crisis. I'm going to keep believing that God will provide for me and for the people around me. I know God is working through me. I do praise him as I see new opportunities to serve him while serving others.

So for all of those like me who have struggled and are still struggling, there is hope. God will grant you peace and prosperity in the coming year if you just yield to his guidance. Merry Christmas!

Thirty fourth week-Crisis passed, now making the first steps out

This week the crisis passed and I now have prospects of a new job in the horizon. No, it's not one I really want but it will help in the short term to ease financial burdens. Yes, I have to say if I'm offered it which is at this point very likely I will be, I'll take it for the reason that I'll at least have a job.I know what everyone says. I do believe that you should follow your passion, but you have to take those first steps out of your comfort zone. This means that you have to accept a job that you may hate in order to get the financial support to do what you love. I think that the first thing to do now is to get out of the mindset that tells you that you're settling for something that it beneath your abilities. Instead your mindset should be how can you help the other person out. Once you get past the mindset that the world tries to project, you can move forward. In other words, try to think about the other person's needs and how you can fill them. When you're in crisis mode, it's difficult to see beyond your own needs. I know I've been there and am still going through it.

Your priority at this stage of unemployment is to bite the bullet and take the job if it's offered to you. No more excuses can be tolerated. I do know that we all tend to make up excuses for not taking jobs and then sabotage ourselves at interviews. I've done it admittedly from time to time. You can no longer take that luxury, and you shouldn't have done it before. Your attitude should be that you are willing and eager to do whatever it takes to get the position and do the work.

Thirty third week-In Crisis Mode

Yes, this week I was in crisis mode as I scrambled to adjust to the new normal and focus enough to make some critical decisions. As all of us should now be aware, federal unemployment benefits will expire the end of this month. This affects all of us who are now struggling to find work. Right now is the time that we all need to start thinking about what we have to do in order to survive in the coming year.

1) Contact all friends and family now....and let them know that you are in crisis mode. This means that there will be no money coming in and no money to spent for Christmas. Hopefully they will all understand and be willing to help if they can.

2) Continue and press even harder to pester (if you have to) local employers to hire you. It's going to get ugly out there...sigh.

3) Pray hard for Congress and Senators to pass legislation to re-instate emergency funds or find some way for the millions who are now unemployed to get jobs by the end of the year.

4)Time to set aside squeamish feelings about reaching out. You need a job now!

Yes, I know that employers will balk at this, but sometimes you have to scream in order to be heard above the crowd. So you have my permission to scream,