So many times we can be our own worst enemies.  We allow people to define who we are.  Even our resumes want us to list the dates of the employees we worked for. The perspective employer may read the name of previous employees and those dates.  What is he looking for?  With so many people out of work and so few jobs available, who has time to read an entire resume?

Sell yourself!  Believe that you are there to offer yourself to an already successful company and they are in need of your experience. Should dates of previous employees be needed, supply them in the “references upon request” section.

The first couple sentences will make or break an interview for you.  If possible, research the company with whom you want to work for. Find out what is needed and than gear your resume towards those needs.  Sell yourself! Everyone has something to offer.  It is up to you to rise up to your own selling points.

Believe in yourself.  Sell yourself and your life’s experiences.  Your best friend is you.

October 5, 2009 – Being a part of the middle class American is really dangerous to your health.  Make too much and you don’t qualify for state insurance.  Make too little and you cannot pay for insurance or are under insured even with high deductibles.  And to make matters worse, the middle class is slowly edging towards poverty.  Everyone has a talent that can be utilized.  If you believe in yourself, you can edge towards remaining middle class.  Search the internet.  See what is available.  If children are living at home, check for stay-at-home jobs.  And always…determine your need over your wants.  Costs can be cut; life can be simplified.

October 14, 2009 – Fear seems to be the dominant emotion nowadays. Whether it is fear of being laid off, fear of acquiring the “little piggy flu”, or fear of creditors, the general population is losing hope.  Yes…the market seems to be on the rise but is that really enough to allay fear?  Not really since the general public doesn’t “play” the markets.  Concern is primarily within their family circle and their support groups.  Beyond that means nothing. Many worry about the future for their children.  And rightfully so.  In the bigger picture, is all of this leading to something bigger?  Where are answers to be had?  Believe that you can, in some small way, brighten someone’s day in these unprecedented times.  This in turn will allow you to sell yourself and what you have to offer to help anyone who needs it, whether young or old.

October 23, 2009 – So, the CEO’s are getting a 90% pay cut.  Do I feel bad for them?  No way.  They brazenly take bonuses offered them and turn a blind’s eye on their constituents in the states they represent.  They are aware unemployment is high; many people have no health insurance and the poverty number is increasing.  But when you live in a “castle” far removed, it is “out of sight, out of mind.”  Empathy is no longer an emotion they feel.

An argument presented is that CEO’s will find another job since they don’t feel they are being paid enough for their knowledge.  Yikes!!!! There goes the loyalty to a firm that took care of them but has since bowed to the government’s intervention. Greed is calling. These very CEO’s, on any managerial level, complain of the lack of loyalty from their employees. HELLO! Look in the mirror and check out the fine example you are setting. You may think you are selling yourself to another firm, but you are merely following the highest bidder. Lower your standard of living. A 2,000 square foot home is far easier to take care of and you don’t have to yell to the far end of the house for someone to meet your needs.

March 6, 2010 – I am eagerly awaiting spring and summer so that I can begin the planting season.  I always marvel at those tiny seeds and the produce produced.  I can learn from them.  The tiny seeds of writing abilities I possess have turned my blog into a modest success. Seeds of words have been created that have given advice, knowledge and commendation to readers.  I can sell myself.  I just need to believe in the abilities I already have and work on them, allowing them to grow into a “produce of information”.

June 4, 2010 – Almost 14 months since my lay off.  Still no job and it doesn’t seem to be that there will be any prospects in the near future.  Of course, I enjoy writing and do pick up writing assignments, but I would like to be hired by someone who needs a writer part time.  Will also work as a rewriter or a technical writer. That way I am guaranteed some stability as a writer.

Isn’t the world crazy?  The oil disaster.  Wars in the middle East. Strange weather cycles. And…people in general not happy.  Financial institutions getting larger and earning profits on an almost daily basis. Those banks need to be “cut down to size”, into smaller pieces. Pretty soon they will have control of the government, telling it what to do. Holding the entire US hostage.  They are doing this now by charging off debts where the average American only needs help but is punished for being unable to pay the agreed amount, due to no fault of their own.  They made this financial agreement with the intent to pay but when their circumstances changed due to lay offs or other reasons, help was needed but instead, credit reports ruined. Thank you Bank of America for your non-existent empathy!