Your Personal Economic Recovery Plan

Written on 12:48 PM by Robert

I know it's been a while since I posted anything. Although I'm still unemployed, I am happy to report I completed the requirements needed to receive my Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Does that change anything in my status? Not at all - not yet. I still believe you need more than a Bachelor's degree to make an impact in the job market in IT.

My road to success is a long and difficult one, but one where I see light at the end of this dark tunnel I seem to be stuck in. Phase one is complete, with my 4-year degree in hand. What's next?

1) .NET Certification - I have VB .NET experience. Unfortunately, the experience is in Windows programming. I know the industry is focused on web programming, but the fastest road to certification is to be certified in something you are already familiar with. After I'm certified in Windows programming, I can set my sights on web programming certifications down the road.

2) Continuing my education - I decided to get into my school's Master's degree program in the Fall. This means I need to prepare for the GREs fairly quickly.

3) Keep learning - I need to keep up with the latest technologies, particularly open-source programming languages. A great site to start would be Dev Shed, a site for programming tutorials. The more you learn, the better chance you have to land a programming or developer position.

4) Keep putting yourself out there - It's frustrating to keep applying to jobs that seem to be filled before you get to interview for them. I need to learn to set up informational interviews. I need to be more active on LinkedIn groups, on Facebook, and on Twitter in order to attract some attention from the right people. I need to keep refining my resume, contacting more recruiters, and going to career fairs.

Why should you care? Well, if you are in the same boat I'm in, use my example as a template to follow for your own personal situation. The U.S. unemployment rate for May was 9.4% and being one of the thousands out of work is little comfort. The bottom line is that you should have your own "economic recovery plan" so we could start pulling ourselves out of this hole we seem to be in. Good luck!

Posted in career,degree,education,financial,jobs,layoff,money,programming,school 0 comments |

I'm Unemployed and Proud of It!

Written on 10:44 AM by Robert

Emotions definitely come into play when you go through a layoff. I think the first emotion we have after a layoff (besides anger) is shame. Being jobless is traditionally a "bad" thing to have happen to someone (especially yourself). When you tell someone you've been laid off, the first reaction they give you is a pitiful, "I'm so sorry!" There is a period of time that you naturally want to hide this fact from most of your acquaintances and some family members to avoid the feeling of shame.

This shame seems to stem from the feeling that you are somehow responsible for your current situation. The fact is that if you are a casualty of the economy, and it has happened to millions of people just like you.

The shame you initially feel should eventually become acceptance. When you begin admitting you have a problem, that is the beginning of your personal recovery. Admitting you have a problem to others invite others to help.

Ok, being "proud" of being unemployed is probably stretching it a bit. However, the more people you tell about your unemployment issues, the greater the chances become that someone will connect you with that ONE opportunity that will get you your dream job. Isn't that the ultimate goal for the unemployed professional?

Do you think you should spread the word if you are unemployed, or keep it to yourself?

Posted in jobs,layoff,unemployment 0 comments |

The Layoff Cycle

Written on 5:01 PM by Robert

Posted in jobs,layoff 0 comments |