“You don’t want to work at being seen, it’s better to be seen working.”
That’s what one of the staffers of the Duane Reade Pharmacy at the corner of 42nd Street and 8th Avenue in Times Square in New York City said Thursday when I stepped into the store’s elevator.
It was just a chance meeting, but the lesson is a good one!
As the elevator door opened, the man was polishing/cleaning the stainless steel inside. I smiled and said,”Ahh, caught you working!"
He chuckled and delivered the perfect line: “You don’t want to work at being seen, its better to be seen working.” He continued polishing that elevator with such a sparkle in his eye, that it put a smile on my face and made me happy for him.
This man got me thinking about all the other jobs hardworking American’s perform everyday without notice.
It got me re-focused on the jobs people have or don't have, and the struggles most are going through these days.
I created my Dear Job Hunter blog in June, 2010, but during most of this year, I’ve been so focused on making sure my own little company survives, that I haven’t had a chance to keep-up with this blog, that I’ve been told by my readers, is REALLY needed during these tough times.
So my chance meeting with the Duane Reade employee gives me the perfect chance to get back to writing and talking about something that is affecting EVERYONE in America in someway.
It was the perfect day to re-engage on Dear Job Hunter because I was travelling from New York City to Chicago with a several hour delay at LaGuardia Airport. It was a good week, having attended a CNN launch party for my close friend, Erin Burnett. Erin has a great new job and career. She’s a pro!
For most journalists, Erin has the ultimate job...she is the television news anchor of a new primetime general news program on CNN called OutFront. The show begins Monday, October 3, 2011.
It was great to see how happy Erin was about her new job! However, Erin’s job wasn’t the only job I took notice of during this visit to NYC. I spoke to a website code writer, a global insurance executive, flight attendants, TSA staffers, cab drivers, clerks, ticket agents, baggage handlers, waiters and busboys. The list goes on-and-on.
I thought how great that all of these people have jobs…and by golly…most seem happy doing what they do every day.
After I boarded my plane, I read a cover story called The New Faces of Poverty in USA Today about those who have lost their jobs…then their homes…and the rest of their American Dream. The story details how hard it is for people to give up their pride while relying on food banks, friends and families to help. Even with all the turmoil, they keep going…keep looking for work…and keep hoping they will find their way back to positive territory in their checkbooks, savings accounts and their lives in general. Some have found work; others work several jobs to make ends meet. And, then there are those who take jobs they would never have dreamed of in a better economy.
It takes all kinds of people and jobs to make the world go-round, but when life feeds you lemons, its amazing how many people are able to make lemonade.
The quote from the Duane Reade employee will stay with me forever!
I thank you Duane Reade employee for sharing your wisdom with me, and now my readers!
Let’s hope that the world can find its way out of this recession…and when we do...make sure that you’re seen working! There’s NO substitute for hard work when it comes to landing and keeping a job!
In closing, there are approximately 14-million people out of work!
Dear Job Hunter wants to hear what you are doing to find a job and your story of pride and perseverance!
Thanks for reading!
Trish
You can comment directly here on this blog or email by privately at: trishhoffman@gmail.com.
Showing posts with label Trish Hoffman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trish Hoffman. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
The President's Job Council Gets a Makeover
Makeover shows are all the rage in America…now the President has jumped into the act.
Today, President Obama announced he is revamping his job council by appointing GE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt as the new chair to the council. It will be named the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. No word yet on whom else will serve on this council. The current chair is former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker who is said to be stepping down next month according to an Associated Press story.
According CNBC.com, Mr. Obama said, "We still have a long way to go, and my number one priority is to ensure we are doing everything we can to get the American people back to work.”
The President added that many businesses have created new positions, but still too many American’s are not working!
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as of December 2010, 14.5 million American’s were unemployed, which is down from 15.2 million a year ago. That means some 556,000 people landed a job. The December unemployment rate is down to 9.4 percent.
So Dear Job Hunter wants to know what you think of this “makeover” and whom you think should be on this council?
Finally…is all of this a little too late?
Today, President Obama announced he is revamping his job council by appointing GE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Immelt as the new chair to the council. It will be named the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. No word yet on whom else will serve on this council. The current chair is former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker who is said to be stepping down next month according to an Associated Press story.
According CNBC.com, Mr. Obama said, "We still have a long way to go, and my number one priority is to ensure we are doing everything we can to get the American people back to work.”
The President added that many businesses have created new positions, but still too many American’s are not working!
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as of December 2010, 14.5 million American’s were unemployed, which is down from 15.2 million a year ago. That means some 556,000 people landed a job. The December unemployment rate is down to 9.4 percent.
So Dear Job Hunter wants to know what you think of this “makeover” and whom you think should be on this council?
Finally…is all of this a little too late?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Dear Job Hunter Wants to Know
How are employers viewing job candidates with decreasing FICO scores and tarnished credit reports?
Please post your comments. You can also email me privately at TrishHoffman@gmail.com.
Look forward to hearing from you!
Trish Hoffman
Disclaimer: Dear Job Hunter does not offer job opportunities, guarantee work or future employment opportunities. Sorry!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Look at the Big Picture when Searching for Jobs and Interships
Today’s a rainy day in Chicago. As I put on my heels to head outside, my partner said…your nice shoes are going to get soaked! As I jumped the puddles in an effort to stay dry and save my soles, I started to think about today’s column and asked myself:
How can Dear Job Hunter help readers remember the obvious when job hunting to save their souls?
I didn’t have to go far to seek out an answer or two…my trail started with a newspaper article from the WSJ, which in turned sent me searching….you guessed it…online.
It seems paying jobs aren’t the only things being affected…internships are too. Jay Walker of the Wall Street Journal, citing the National Association of Colleges and Employers, writes “the number of interns that employers planned to hire declined 20.7% between 2008 and 2009.”
Walker also says, some students delay graduation to be able to take advantage of internships in order to receive school credit. Others that strike-out on landing an internship may have just decided to graduate without one.
This phenomena is a bit surprising to me as I would think companies would take advantage of this somewhat “free labor” during these tough economic times. One problem could be that many schools have gotten rid of their recruiters, whose job it was to assist students seeking internships. Those same recruiters would also interact with companies offering those type of positions.
So without that conventional way of finding an internship, many students are being forced to get creative about finding a company that is offering internships.
One option…social media.
Every-time you turn around, you hear how social media is the place to find a new job; a place to research a company you want to work for; or a place to actually read what insiders have to say about a company. Apply those same social media principles when you hunt for an internship. AND, remember to check the company’s actual websites.
Take time to search for companies with a Facebook page and LinkedIn profiles.
Now is also a good time for me to mention the other side of the coin when it comes to things like posting your info on Facebook. It never ceases to amaze me at what personal info people post on their pages. Remember, perspective employers can access that fairly easily, so watch what you write….what may be funny today, may not be funny tomorrow in the job world!
In a separate article written by Joe Walker in the WSJ entitled Firms Invest Big in Career Sites, he writes that many companies are spending big bucks on their websites to not just find good candidates, but to stay ahead of their competition.
So Dear Job Hunter suggests you stay ahead of the game and look at the big picture by making a wish list of where you would like to work…then go to the specific company’s website and search all social media outlets for that company.
If your field seems too full to land an internship or a paid position, consider branching out. For instance, if you have studied finance at school and a financial institution isn’t hiring or offering internships, then consider branching out and apply for a job in a completely different sector that still involves a form of finance…like a retailer, a developer, or something on the business side of Hollywood.
Dear Job Hunter wants to know what your biggest challenge regarding your job hunt.
Post your comments here on Dear Job Hunter or email me privately at trishhoffman@gmail.com
Trish Hoffman
Monday, May 31, 2010
Welcome to Dear Job Hunter!
Think of this blog as the Dear Abby of job hunting.
This blog is meant to be an inspirational forum for Americans who need a job.
I want to hear from THE REAL job hunter…the unemployed, recent college grads and job changers. Share your stories of how you are making ends meet and how you are maintaining your integrity and self-esteem during this job revolution.
I will share ideas that can help you look for a job, identify your skill-set and get your resume ready. I’ll post tips on interviewing, networking, using social media, plus offer suggestions on what to wear on that all-important interview.
In this day-and-age, you have to bring out the big guns and get creative! You are the only one who can lead your job search.
Dear Job Hunter is where you can post questions about your job search. I will work on finding the answer.
Don’t be shy, even if you have a job that’s okay, you may want a better one and we can help there too!
There were several motivating factors that caused me to create this blog.
First of all, I have been unemployed…so I have first hand experience! I actually started my boutique media company on an unemployment check with a laptop and a cell phone.
With hard work and perseverance, I’ve gone from an award-winning journalist to running my own successful firm.
The second reason was seeing my family members, of all ages, out of work and struggling to make ends meet in this dreary job market.
Most unemployed Americans are in the same boat…expired unemployment benefits, insurance coverage is threatened or gone…and dark days looming ahead because the job market is shrinking.
Look at those closest to you. You my have a job, but I bet someone in your inner circle doesn’t.
Research shows millions of Americans have been affected by this dreadful economy. So much so that we find the job market shrinking with little hope of recovering.
According to David Wessel’s Meet the Unemployable Man on May 6, 2010 in the Wall Street Journal, more than 6.5 million people are looking for work right now, and that doesn’t include those who have given up.
Let’s face it, without a job there isn’t much you can do…you can’t shop, you can’t improve your lifestyle, and chances are you can’t make anyone happy…especially yourself. In most cases, unemployment strips you of your self-esteem and begin to wonder "what in the world can happen next?".
Dear Job Hunter is here as a tool to help everyone remain positive, but offer solutions. Remember, there’s strength in numbers!
Send me your questions with a little bit about yourself. In turn, I will interview experts in the field of career management and psychology, to give you some tips on how to make your life better during these trying times. From time to time I will interview top business executives, who will tell you what they are looking for from job seekers and what gets their attention when reviewing a swell of resumes.
Let’s not make excuses about why America isn’t working, let’s make it work! Please share your stories and I will work on finding you an expert who can help you out of this mess!
If you are an expert and think you can help, please send me an email so I may feature your work and suggestions.
If you are an employer hiring, please post your job here!
A little more about me…
I’m the founder of Blitz Group based in Chicago. I’m an award-winning journalist, publicist and volunteer. I’m currently creating “A Healthy Serving”, a 501 C-3 non-profit organization that raises money for nutritional programs for underprivileged families.
Disclaimer: Dear Job Hunter does not offer job opportunities, guarantee work or future employment opportunities. Sorry!
This blog is meant to be an inspirational forum for Americans who need a job.
I want to hear from THE REAL job hunter…the unemployed, recent college grads and job changers. Share your stories of how you are making ends meet and how you are maintaining your integrity and self-esteem during this job revolution.
I will share ideas that can help you look for a job, identify your skill-set and get your resume ready. I’ll post tips on interviewing, networking, using social media, plus offer suggestions on what to wear on that all-important interview.
In this day-and-age, you have to bring out the big guns and get creative! You are the only one who can lead your job search.
Dear Job Hunter is where you can post questions about your job search. I will work on finding the answer.
Don’t be shy, even if you have a job that’s okay, you may want a better one and we can help there too!
There were several motivating factors that caused me to create this blog.
First of all, I have been unemployed…so I have first hand experience! I actually started my boutique media company on an unemployment check with a laptop and a cell phone.
With hard work and perseverance, I’ve gone from an award-winning journalist to running my own successful firm.
The second reason was seeing my family members, of all ages, out of work and struggling to make ends meet in this dreary job market.
Most unemployed Americans are in the same boat…expired unemployment benefits, insurance coverage is threatened or gone…and dark days looming ahead because the job market is shrinking.
Look at those closest to you. You my have a job, but I bet someone in your inner circle doesn’t.
Research shows millions of Americans have been affected by this dreadful economy. So much so that we find the job market shrinking with little hope of recovering.
According to David Wessel’s Meet the Unemployable Man on May 6, 2010 in the Wall Street Journal, more than 6.5 million people are looking for work right now, and that doesn’t include those who have given up.
Let’s face it, without a job there isn’t much you can do…you can’t shop, you can’t improve your lifestyle, and chances are you can’t make anyone happy…especially yourself. In most cases, unemployment strips you of your self-esteem and begin to wonder "what in the world can happen next?".
Dear Job Hunter is here as a tool to help everyone remain positive, but offer solutions. Remember, there’s strength in numbers!
Send me your questions with a little bit about yourself. In turn, I will interview experts in the field of career management and psychology, to give you some tips on how to make your life better during these trying times. From time to time I will interview top business executives, who will tell you what they are looking for from job seekers and what gets their attention when reviewing a swell of resumes.
Let’s not make excuses about why America isn’t working, let’s make it work! Please share your stories and I will work on finding you an expert who can help you out of this mess!
If you are an expert and think you can help, please send me an email so I may feature your work and suggestions.
If you are an employer hiring, please post your job here!
A little more about me…
I’m the founder of Blitz Group based in Chicago. I’m an award-winning journalist, publicist and volunteer. I’m currently creating “A Healthy Serving”, a 501 C-3 non-profit organization that raises money for nutritional programs for underprivileged families.
Disclaimer: Dear Job Hunter does not offer job opportunities, guarantee work or future employment opportunities. Sorry!
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