Lucky to be working?

It sucks to be laid off. But if you think you were lucky to have dodged the bullet, think again. The ones left behind are often expected to do the work of two, sometimes even three employees.

I expect to work like a dog at a job. I can skip the coffee breaks and sometimes even lunch. And, okay, I can come in a half hour early and stay late. But what happens when you do all that and the work still can't be done? I remember sitting alone in my office laughing out loud when yet another direction from management--you know the kind, the kind that says, 'Drop everything right away and do this instead'--comes by email. And oh, by the way, once you do this new thing, all the old things have to be done, too. Priorities? Why, they're all priorities.

When I forget my phone number in the middle of the day and do jigsaw puzzles all evening because I can't keep a coherent thought in my head, I know that my brain has reached full capacity. And when younger workers tell me that they, too, are struggling to keep up, I know it's not just me.

I'm not talking about a normal, but very busy, job. I'm talking about a job where it is physically impossible to do the amount of work required. The kind of job that makes you feel like a failure no matter what you do.

The anger over being taken advantage of is mixed up with relief and gratitude that we still have a job. And yet, it's harder to sleep at night. In the day there's the sense that more and more balls are thrown at us to juggle. What happens when we just can't juggle any more balls?

Retirement is starting to sound pretty good, but let's face it. Some of us will have to work past retirement age.

I'd like to know how you are coping with this kind of stress. Are you quitting your job to find something less stressful? Are you going to your union if you have one? Or are you staying at your job and taking up kick-boxing at night to relieve the stress?

Let's discuss solutions here. Would having a couple of part-time jobs actually be less stressful? A change of occupation? A move to a different area with better opportunities?

What are you doing? Let me know.

Hidden Job Market

Amy wrote:
I have a question regarding job searches. Other than the job search websites and the traditional newspaper classifieds, what other avenues do you recommend to find jobs?


Ah, the hidden job market:  Jobs that aren't advertised in traditional ways. Here's a couple of my favorite ways to find those hidden jobs.

Start with two or three jobs you would love to have and know you can do very well.
Then think of the companies or organizations that would have those jobs.

Do they have a website? What are their products or services? What are their goals for the coming year? Then check the Contact page for the manager of the department you'd love to work for (not Human Resources).

Send this person a brief email telling them what you're looking for and how you would be a great match for their organization. Be specific:
'I see that you will soon be expanding your services to include a job-finding club for injured workers. I have several years' experience as the team leader of Project Hired, which matched injured workers to new employers...'

Here's another way to reach those hidden jobs:  Let your circle of friends and acquaintances know just what kind of work you're looking for. Give them a couple of choices. You can say you'd love to work with kids in an educational setting or as a paid fundraiser for a children's charity.

Often the person will say, Sorry, I haven't heard of any jobs like that. But the human brain is a wonderful thing. Later, when they hear someone mention a job opening in a school, they will remember that you are looking for a job like that.

Another hugely untapped resource:  The spouses of your friends and acquaintances, and the spouses of YOUR spouse's friends and acquaintances. We often don't know what they do for a living, and chances are, one of them works in a company you would love to work for.

You could also offer to volunteer at an organization you love that might be able to hire you. You can do this for as little as one morning a week. This will not only get you on the 'inside', they will see what a great worker you are and when a job is about to come open, you might be the first candidate on their list.

Hope this helps, Amy, and happy job hunting!

And so it starts

Hello, Everyone:

This is my first attempt at blogging so bear with me.

This blog is meant to give the Baby Boomers some advice on job search and career planning.

So I'd love to hear your questions.

I'll start off with a question I get quite often:  How do I get past reception when I'm calling about a job?

Answer:  Try calling half an hour before or after regular office hours. The boss might be answering the phones.

Okay, so what's your question?