Making “New Year’s Resolutions” Achievable

I started forming my plans for 2010 about a week ago.  They weren’t unusual: more income, less expense, more fitness, less weight, more planning and less clutter.  It’s a familiar list.

I’m in gear already with the fitness piece.  In the words of the second Mrs. Foley, “It all starts at the supermarket.”  She was right about that.  On the last trip to the supermarket, I didn’t buy any junk food and avoided carb-laden foods.  Fresh veggies, lean meat, dairy and fruit are what came home.  I gave some unopened snack food to my daughters after dinner last night to take with them for their upcoming NYE party.  Changing my diet now and continuing exercise at the gym will help me on the path to weight loss and fitness.  So I started at the supermarket where it all begins.  If it ain’t in the house, I can’t eat it. 

When it comes to the rest of the list, it’s really about blocking time and being task-focused.  A solid income search effort simply requires planning the time to do it, and then doing it.  Searching online for opportunities, networking and working with recruiters isn’t hard, it just takes some time and effort.  The challenges are poor planning, everyday distractions and a lack of resolve.  So rather than creating New Year’s Resolutions around them, I plan to plan and to focus on focus.

TIWIKE

What’s the big deal about New Years, anyway?  The ancient Romans named the first month of the year after the god Janus, who had two faces; one looking forward and the other back.  Janus could look into the past and the future at the same time.  So the New Year celebration is centered on reviewing what happened and projecting what will come.  Not a bad thing if we resolve to make desired changes in the coming year.

What sometimes happens at this time of year is that we look at the same list of things we wanted to do last year and didn’t, and promise once more to do them this year. This is a recipe for disaster unless we really take a hard look at what we would have to do to actually achieve the goals we’re setting and breaking them into tasks.  Tasks are manageable.  High level goals are not.  Setting a goal of “losing weight” is a great idea if you’re actually going to do something about it, but losing weight consists of tasks like “eating healthier ”and“ exercising at least three days per week.”  Those are doable.

It’s easy to feel defeated when you set big goals, don’t plan the tasks, and fail.  So rather than listing ten goals for 2010, resolve to achieve one goal like “lose 20 pounds” and list ten tasks that would get you to that goal.  Make the tasks manageable.  One might be “join a gym.”  If there isn’t a gym close enough so that you will actually go there regularly, you may want to choose a different task like, “get a workout video and an exercise mat.”  The next task might be, “create and test a workout schedule.”  Work on that one goal by completing the tasks, and make sure you’re checking off those tasks as you go. 

And finally, there is focus.  If you focus on your tasks, you will achieve your goal.  That means planning activity, tracking it, making necessary changes, logging progress and celebrating the small successes.  You’ll have to pay attention to what you’re doing and not doing, but this will bring you victory where in the past you may have been defeated.  Plan for success, focus on activity and achieve your goal.

Resources

Here is a brief article listing some of the common New Year’s Resolutions

<http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/holidays/tp/resolutions.htm>

This is a short, fun article with a few different ideas about resolutions

http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/12/28/new-authors-look-at-new-years-resolutions/

This is an excellent article, including links, etc… from the very cool people at MindTools

<http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html>

Winding Down and Gearing Up

The Christmas holidays have left me with the beginnings of a cold, an extra 5 or 6 pounds, a messy house and bills to pay.  But I had a lot of fun!  No regrets.  I had a great time with my family and friends, and that’s what it’s all about.

For some, the holiday season isn’t over until after New Year.  For me, it’s over yesterday.  There are still a few parties, and I had to send my regrets just now to a friend who had invited me to their annual house party that’s set for tonight.  She’s a training professional and he’s a professional musician.  They have great food and drink, and best of all – live music.  But with this cold coming on, I just can’t go.  There will be a New Year’s Eve party if I’m well enough for it.  But all of the shopping, cooking, cleaning, and other activity leading up to and through the Christmas holiday are over.  Time for me to get back on track.

First things first.  I need to get back on schedule.  Set my alarm last night to get up at seven, since my sleep routine is way off.  Next will be to get back to healthier eating.  I’m toying with the idea of going through all of the food in the house and donating or discarding anything that seriously junky.  I’ve been away from the gym for a week, and I’m looking squishy.  With this potential cold, I may not be able to get the level of cardio exercise that I want, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t get there.  Getting there is half of the solution.  And then will be revving my income search back up.  I hope to be on track by the end of the week.

TIWIKE:  The holidays are great, and should be enjoyed to the fullest.  It’s great if you can keep your healthy and productive routines up during these times, and there is sometimes a price to pay later if you’re not so dedicated or there is just too much extra to do.  The key here is to get right back to your routine.  Beating yourself up about slipping here and there is unnecessary and counterproductive.  It’s not about what you did; it’s about what you do next.

So get up, brush away the tinsel and wrapping paper and get moving.

If you find yourself feeling down about holiday excesses given where you are in your income search, take a moment to replay the fun and uplifting moments of the season so far.  Picture the faces of the people you spent the best times with.  Relive those moments.  It’s what the season was all about in the first place.

Resources

This is a great article from Monster for job seekers at post-holiday time.

http://college.monster.com/news/articles/450-post-holiday-job-hunting-strategies

Here is a little article about beating the post-holiday blues

<http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/103377/how_to_beat_post_holiday_depression.html?cat=24>

These are a little more geared toward depression is you feel that you’re more challenged.

<http://www.ehow.com/how_5734015_survive-post_holiday-depression.html>

<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/92053.php>

Your Greatest Gifts

It’s Christmas Day here in New England.  There’s snow on the ground. It’s quiet. My daughters have returned to their mom and stepdad’s house, after spending a couple of days here with me, quietly celebrating together.  Like many families with divorce in its history, we’ve created new traditions to anchor us during the holiday times.  I have to hand it to my girls, though my eldest are almost done with college and my youngest is on her way they’ve hung in there all this time and we’ve kept our relationship alive.  I am blessed in this way.

We had a great time at the big family party last night.  I usually take lots of photos, but I couldn’t last night due to the terrible stiff neck I had developed at the movies in the afternoon.  That was unfortunate.  There were so many opportunities for great pictures of all the kids!  Thankfully, digital cameras were in plentiful supply.

I popped online when I got home to say hello to any of my virtual friends who might be there.  When I mentioned the family party, he asked “what kind conflicts came up,” and was surprised to learn that there weren’t any.  I get this a lot, actually. When our family is together, we celebrate being together.  If there are ongoing conflicts, they are never in evidence at family gatherings.  Another blessing.

A few times during the evening, my thoughts drifted to a good friend of mine who just learned that she is facing her second bout with Leukemia.  She’s a wonderful woman, and deserving of the best that life has to offer.  Here is a quote from her sister, who is maintaining a webpage to track her progress… 

“She is the light of our lives and has shown us the true meaning of a hero. I have witnessed firsthand her incredible will and strength, her generosity in every sense of the word, and her ability to see the good in everyone. Ever the optimist, when she was first diagnosed eight years ago, she had a game we played in the hospital to show how “lucky” she was to have a disease that could be treated.”

Amazing.  I hope for the best for her.  Sometimes life asks a great deal from people; perhaps more than they should be asked to bear. 

At the party, people asked how I was doing after my layoff last month.  Is it really only last month?  Feels like 6 months.  I think they’re usually surprised when I tell them how much I have going on, and how confident I am in the future.  I suppose I might make it sound too easy.  That’s the voice of experience.  It doesn’t mean that I have no fear, and it doesn’t mean that everything is “perfect.”  Maybe what it means is that I refuse to give in to the fear, and I am ever in forward motion toward whatever will come next.

So on this Christmas morning, I am celebrating what I have, taking courage from those who face challenges far greater than mine, and looking toward the future with confidence.

TIWIKE:  Whatever holidays you celebrate and whenever you celebrate them, enjoy those times as best you can, regardless of your situation.  Well-meaning people will ask how you’re doing, being laid off, out of work, etc…  Be honest, but positive.  You don’t know what the future will bring – nobody does.  Truthfully, they don’t know what their situation will be as time marches on, either.  What you do know is that you have skills, energy, and most importantly the right attitude to be successful.  That alone will be enough to keep most conversations positive, and may even inspire confidence in others to feel that everything will work out just fine in the end.

Keep in mind that there are people out there who are in a lot of pain, and not in the position of potential that you are to move forward into success right now.  The fact that you are reading this blog indicates that you’re literate, probably computer literate with access to the vast resources of the internet, and reaching out for information to move ahead.  There are people out there who can’t say those things, whether it is for reasons of ill health, insufficient education or an inability or unwillingness to put one foot in front of the other and create success for themselves.  You’re not one of them.

You control your present with your attitude and actions.  Each today is a collection of your choices.  Life is a chain of todays that when viewed over your shoulder become the past, when experienced create the present, and when dreamed upon become the future.  You may feel that some things are out of your control, and they may be, but how you respond to those circumstances is up to you.  Choose well, with the knowledge that you are creating your past, present and future.

Give the best you can give to yourself and to others.  Be open to possibility.  Blaze trails.  Set an example.  Help others along as you move ahead.  These are gifts that cost nothing, but have value beyond measure.  Be generous.

Of People, Parties and Potential

I had the good fortune to be invited to a party last night by long-time friend. I was very close with her years ago, and with some of her brothers and sisters.  We all lost touch for some time, each blowing in our own direction as people do when they grow up and have families. Thanks to FaceBook, we’d been in back in contact, and I was thrilled to be invited to their holiday party. It was a great time. There was live music, great food, lots to drink, happy people having fun, and dear friends whom I had sorely missed. The house was gorgeous. I stayed for some time, had a blast hanging out with my friends, and left early enough to drive safely home and miss the incoming snowstorm. I wanted to leave on the highest possible note. As I left, I was smiling and so very pleased that she and her husband and family had done so well. I wondered what my own future would be like. Will I find that kind of prosperity? My current situation is evolving, but challenging. There is promise, and at the same time there are problems. I had a lot of questions for myself on the drive home, but kept my mood light.

TIWIKE: If you celebrate the holidays, you should really celebrate. Get out and visit with friends and family. Enjoy yourself and the special opportunities for connection that the season brings. Surround yourself with happy people, food and music. Be careful, of course.

 As a job seeker, it might be tempting to feel sorry for yourself, or a bit like an outsider. Your job status may come up in conversation. Be honest with people about your situation. Sometimes a casual conversation can turn into something productive on the employment side, but I don’t recommend that you network too heavily on the professional side at a social party beyond exchanging contact information and touching base later. If you’re feeling down, avoid any negative talk about your former employer, the economy or other such things.  Remember that your situation is temporary, and by this time next year your circumstances will have changed. You’ll have a tale to tell with a happy ending, it’s just that you’re drafting it right now.

If you’re a struggling soloist, you may be tempted to feel like you’ve missed the financial boat. You may think that you’ll never be as prosperous as some of the people in  your circle. Of course, you have no way of knowing exactly what the future will hold for you. It’s you who has control of your destiny. Anyone can be successful if they desire it, and prosperity itself takes on many forms. Count your blessings when you’re feeling tempted to be a little sorry for yourself. Think of the future, but don’t try to predict it. Project your desire into it. And then get in gear…

Wrapping Up the Holiday Prep

This week has been a nice mix of teaching for my main client, networking and prepping for the holidays. 

I finished up the shopping completely (spending more than I should), bought and sent the holiday greeting cards, including some nice ones that I created on high quality paper for close family and clients using my photographs. Got to the local post office and mailed most of what I needed to without waiting in line. I got started on the wrapping, and even got most of that done. I even did a little decorating, though I am not “into” Christmas as much as some. At the end of the week before Christmas, I feel like I am most of the way there. This will make the next few days a lot easier.

TIWIKE: If you participate in the year-end traditional holidays, it can be a time of terrific stress if you’re laid-off or your business is slow. You probably have less money available to pay more bills. You may be superheating your credit cards to make Christmas merry, knowing you will have to live with the real Holiday Hangover when the bills arrive in January. These things all add to the already elevated stress that the holidays can bring.

One advantage to being unemployed or a soloist is that you can really manage your activity to get ahead of the pack in your holiday prep by getting your errands done while the pack is in the office. That allows you to really efficient with your time, to feel like you have it all under control at a time when some other things feel out of control. That’s an advantage to you at a time when you may feel at a disadvantage in many areas of your life.

Before you dash off to  get everything done and leave your revenue search behind, remember that by being proactive you’ve created free time to work on research, networking and correspondence. More later on that…

Resources:

Dealing with Holiday stress: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/MH00030

Holiday Strategies for job seekers<http://www.risesmart.com/risesmart/blog/six-holiday-strategies-for-the-unemployed-make-merry-and-maximize-your-job-hunt-too/>

Hold Hell, and Mining for Money

Opportunity Week 6:

Since my vestigial unemployment claim had expired, I needed to contact the DUA to reopen claim. 1^st try – 30 min wait. 2^nd – 50 min, 3^rd – call back later or another day. Oy vey.  It was still only midday.  I thought, “People like me who were told to call back on another day will give up. That should eventually empty the call queue.” Like magic, when I tried an hour later the wait was back to 30 minutes and I got the work done.  I was disappoimted to learn that there would be a week without pay, and a 3-4 week delay for the rest.  Right through the holidays. Agh.

TIWIKE:  It’s easy to give up, and that’s why so many people do.  Be persistent, and look for creative ways to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. You’ll consistently beat the crowd.

I got some solid billable time in for my main client in the morning, and then worked on the documentation for my potential new client.  The paperwork didn’t take long, and I am pretty hopeful about the possibilities.  In the further interest of new work, I also dropped off my photography business card at my gym.  I’d noticed some “before and after” photos there, and the quality was poor.  I can do better, and the work is easy.  You never know.

TIWIKE:  If you’re a soloist, you should always be prospecting for new business.  In tough economic times, good things do not come to those who wait, they come to those who don’t hesitate.  Prospecting is a numbers game.  The more you put yourself out there, the better your chances are at landing opportunities.

Opportunity Week 5, December 7, 2009

Journal Article 12/07/09

Opportunity Week 5, Day 1:

Got up and wrote the outline for the TIWIKE book.  I don’t know why I did this, but inspiration has its own timetable so I didn’t ignore it.  It bloomed on the paper pretty well, and that’s encouraging.  Once I’d created the outline, I researched copyright, trademark and ebooks.  I also contacted a friend who happens to be a publisher.  I’ve never written a book before, so there will be plenty of discover to be done.

Followed up on job leads from a few weeks ago. Recruiters seem to be saying, “call us, ‘cause we’re not calling you.”  I expected that, in this weakened job market.  That’s okay.  I will continue to stay in touch.

I had a great call with someone at a training organization affiliated with a prominent Boston University.  My original contact was an e-mail from them soliciting me as a potential client.  I turned it around into a prospecting call for training and OD contract work.  They like my resume, and want me to submit an outline for a proposed webinar, and come in to demo for them after the 1^st of the year.  That’s good news.

A family emergency took me out of the game in the afternoon and into the night.  Unfortunate; but necessary.  Family is the most important thing. 

TIWIKE:

Follow your energy.  If something speaks to you, look into it, and if you have the time to actually take action; take it.  If you don’t have the time to actually do the work, take a few minutes to make some notes about it for future reference, then block time to work on it.  Listen to your intuition.  Capture your ideas.

When you need information, use the web to answer questions quickly.  There is plenty of information that can be uncovered with a simple search.  It can be overwhelming.  After some time, you’ll get good at filtering out the information that isn’t going to get you what you want.  You can take the approach of doing some web research on your own, and then reaching out to your network when you either feel less effective with your research, or need to hear the voice of experience.

Recruiters are only one component of an income search, though they are an important component.  In a challenging economy, they’re struggling, too.  Don’t take their distance personally, or as a sign of disinterest.  There is no reason for them to do a lot of outreach if there isn’t anything for them to talk to you about.  Establish a routine of communication.  If you take a contract or perm position, tell them.  If you update your resume, let them know.  If you’ve chosen 5-6 appropriate agencies to work with, you’re probably covered for anything that’s a good fit for you anyway. 

Resources:

< http://www.copyright.gov>

<http://www.uspto.gov>

http://www.ebookdevelopersassociation.org

www.job.com

Journal Article 12/8/09

Opportunity Week 5, Day 2:

Derailed again by family matters.  I’m waiting for movement on a couple of things, but I am really distracted by this issue.  I know it may disrupt my plans for the afternoon, which involves job search coach at the outplacement agency.  I only have a month of services there, and the clock is ticking.  I hope I don’t have to reschedule.

Since I couldn’t seem to focus on anything complex, I did other things.  I packaged some expensive pants via mail that I wanted replaced by the manufacturer.  I also successfully disputed a vestigial service charge on a credit card that I’d paid off months ago and got it removed. Handled the dishes and the food shopping.  All these things were designed to get me back in motion, and it worked.  

Eventually got the family thing done.  I was emotionally drained.  Decided to stop at my fave mex place along the way home to pick up lunch.  The food was great, but I have to be careful not to reward myself with food.  That is an easy and familiar trap for me.

I received an e-mail contact from yesterday’s business call.  They want to move forward, and have requested a January date for a demo.  This is excellent news.  Every income stream has value, and adding the name of a prominent University to my portfolio will help generate other business as well.

I finally received the sample print from the lab for the wedding shoot.  The timing is about right, since people will be ready to order prints for the holidays.  I contacted the bride, and she e-mailed the guests to let them know that the wedding was posted.  There is potential revenue here, and that’s very welcome.

I met with my former manager, and then had dinner with the core professional members of my Committee.  We’ve stayed together as friends after meeting as colleagues over 10 years ago.  They’re great people, and I love seeing them. 

I got a call back from a Recruiter while I was at dinner.  It seems that a job lead that I thought had gone cold has not gone cold after all, and they want to submit me.  Excellent.  You never know.

TIWIKE:

Sometimes you become so distracted by something in life that you can’t seem to put two thoughts together until it’s resolved.  That’s okay.  What’s important is to break out of that inactivity.  If your way of doing that is to work on mindless tasks, that works.  It frees your mind up to turn over ideas, while still enabling you to get things done.  Like it is in physics, a body at rest tends to stay at rest and a body in motion tends to stay in motion.  Get in motion.  Eventually, you will move from less important mindless activity to more important work.  But sitting there and thinking about something you can’t control or fix does nothing at all for you.

It ain’t over till it’s over.  Sometimes a lead or opportunity that seems gone isn’t gone after all.  Follow up and confirm.  You can be a finalist for a position, be told it’s been filled, then get a callback later to let me know that the deal had fallen through and they want you after all.  Or you can call about an opportunity you think must have been filled weeks ago, but they haven’t found a good fit until you called.  Perhaps the position you were looking for is closed, but another has opened.  Follow up on leads.  Use e-mail and the phone to your advantage.  The time and money you spend doing that is insignificant compared to the potential for income.

 

Journal Article 12/9/09

Opportunity Week 5, Day 3:

It was a granola bar morning.  No time to eat breakfast, since I had an early photoshoot.  Unfortunately, New England weather strikes again, and a drive that normally takes 15 minutes took 90.  I called along the way to let my contact know that I was stuck in traffic.  She was fine with it, and there were several people involved as subjects that were suffering with the same traffic we were, herself included.  Once there, what should have been a 1 hr shoot took three.  I had technical problems, and well, there’s no excuse.  I need to be in control of my equipment.  And there additional shots they wanted.  The images came out fine.  I edited them this afternoon, and she was delighted with the results. We negotiated a slight additional charge for the extra work, and I invoiced them.

The mail included a notice from the health insurance company.  The COBRA information was wrong.  I’d been specific that I didn’t want the FSA included.  The call to them was quick. They fixed the problem and promise to send me new payment coupons.

I got three tech trainer job leads in e-mail from a recruiter.  I responded for myself, as one of them was a fair fit for my skills, and then forwarded the leads on to the appropriate people in my LinkedIn network right away.  In this job market especially, time is of the essence.  I don’t want my network colleagues to miss out on an opportunity, and I would like to believe that they’re just as keen to help me.

Had a contact from my main client.  They’re scheduling the next training session.  Good news!  Revenue is front and center on my agenda.  I have some additional billable work for them this week that I’ll be doing from my home office as well.  All good revenue for the cause (that being me).  They’re a great client, and I like working for them.  It is definitely a mutually beneficial situation.

Called a former colleague today who’d been laid off back in the first quarter of the year.  I was surprised to learn that she really hasn’t been looking much beyond surfing the job boards.  She said she’d been pretty depressed about being laid off, and decided to take a little vacation on unemployment and be a housewife for awhile.  People do this.  Most people I know can’t for financial reasons.  It’s the same for me; but the fact is I can’t manage that low level of activity over long periods of time.

TIWIKE:

Be flexible.  Sometimes things don’t shake out the way that you expected them too.  It can be positive or negative.  Try not to label the things that get in your way as negative.  Think of them as circumstances.  If they’re things you could have had some control over, then treat it as a learning experience and try to be more effective next time.  If they were out of your control, then pass it off to the Universe and walk on.  Dwelling on unfortunate circumstances can only hurt you.

Follow up when some organization messes something up.  Assuming that they’re right and you’re wrong, or that there is nothing you can do about something is defeatist.  It’s at least worth a phone call, especially if error will cost you money or the potential for revenue.  Do your research first.  Have information to offer to clear things up.

Push job leads out to your network right away.  Networkers who regularly help the people in their network get helped regularly by the people in their network.  It’s a two-way street and a contact sport.  They’re your colleagues.  You should treat them that way.

Taking a brief hiatus from working after a layoff is fine.  Some people choose to spend more time with their family, get important projects done or engage in personal growth work.  The folks at unemployment do expect that you’re looking for work, and you could be asked to submit evidence of an ongoing job search.  Also, a prospective employer may have some questions about an extended period of inactivity, though in a weaker economy this is more easily explained away.  So while taking a little time off from working is okay, it has to be managed.  Perhaps more importantly, it is easy to get used to inactivity and become resistant to getting in gear.  That’s dangerous.  Watch out for it.

 

Journal Article 12/10/09

Opportunity Week 5, Day 4:

Billable time – yeah!  I got a lot of work done for my client today.  It seems that there was some confusion on the client end.  I looked into it, and there were two misunderstandings on their part, including a file versioning issue.  We cleared it up, partially on the phone, and partially via e-mail.  In the end it was all good.

Last week I’d seen a discussion LinkedIn about an organization looking for professionals to, amongst other things, blog for their site.  As a newer blogger, I would love the exposure.  We spoke on the phone, and I agreed to blog for their site; “TrackAhead.”  It’s described on the site as, ” An education and career focused social network dedicated to offering choice, not chance, for success.™”  It’s about getting information to young people who are just entering the workforce, and I like the idea.  It seems almost like a bridge between Facebook and LinkedIn.  Better than working blindly, as I did.  I will probably contribute when I have the time.  Not the highest priority right now.

The job leads keep rolling in from my network.  I have a few new ones to follow up on now, and maybe a few new websites to monitor.  Everything needs to be followed up.

I spent some e-mail time negotiating dates with my former employer, now a client again, for March.  I felt a little frustrated, since we seemed to be playing e-mail tennis about it.  I finally decided to ask them to propose dates, and if there was anything that wouldn’t work for me I’d let them know.

TIWIKE:

The billable time needs to be at the top of your priority list.  Your clients need to be served and you need the income.  If you have the flexibility of scheduling desk work in your home office, you might schedule the time in specific slots throughout your week.  You could choose to create a floating time block in each day, where the work gets done when it best suits your energy level or fits with other important activity.  The key is to watch your activity end ensure that you don’t let other lower priority work get in the way.

Find affinities.  Is there some pro bono or lower paying work you can do that might help boost your professional effort elsewhere?  It may very well pay dividends that you can’t predict.  Be careful.  Everyone wants free or cheap help, and it can be attractive, especially if you’re a “helper” by nature.  At the end of the day, you have to put a roof over your head just like they do so you have to put this work in its proper place within your priorities.  But there will be times when someone notices that you also donate your time and skills to a cause that they believe in, and it could be that leg up that you need.  Also, it’s good to help, right?

Resources:

http://www.trackahead.com/

 Journal Article 12/11/09

Opportunity Week 5, Day 5:

I met a friend for her birthday breakfast.  It was nice to get together at my favorite local diner.  She’s a struggling single mom with two teenage boys to manage.  She just bounced back from a layoff herself, and started a new job.  The pay isn’t what it should be, but she’s in a bind and hoping to augment it with other work.  I don’t know how she does it.  For that matter, I don’t know how most single moms survive.  My friend is wonderful, and manages to keep a smile on her face most all of the time.  We had a great time.  I felt good as I moved on to my next appointment.

I met with my ex regarding the Joint Petition for Modification.  I still didn’t get it quite right, though we’re almost there.  I brought the wrong version of one of the documents, so I still didn’t get it right.  She was nice about it, despite having to meet me and go into work late.  As it turned out there are a few more things that must be done before we can sign these anyway, so we wouldn’t have been able to wrap it up this morning.

I created the training webinar outline for my new potential client; the university-affiliated training organization.  It was a topic that is familiar to me, both conceptually and practically.  I think it came out okay, and I forwarded it along.  There was a slight twinge of guilt that I should have spent more time on it, and also run it past the committee for a second look.  But I had to choose between getting the outline in on time and spending more time on quality.  I may have chosen poorly, but I won’t know until I hear from them.

More billable time today for my main client.  I’m pressing now, since they’ve given me quite a bit to do over the next few months.  I am trying to spread the work out over the upcoming weeks, and keep the billing steady.  If I really crank out the work as I could, the larger invoices may cause them to balk a little.  Also, by knocking the majority of the work out now, I could unintentionally create a dry spell in March.  We’ve kept a pace that works for all involved, and I would like to keep it smooth and steady through 2010.

I quit working early to go to my youngest daughter’s Swim Meet.  I’d never been to one and it was really interesting.  I was so proud of her.  This was an opportunity that I was very grateful for.  She is with me for the weekend, and I always look forward to that.  We talked about college over dinner, and she still has a lot of application work to do.  She worked on that through the evening.

 TIWIKE:

There are other people out there who may be struggling as you are, and who manage to stay positive, or at least neutral.  Take care of each other.  Learn from each other.  Enjoy the connectedness that comes with shared experience.  These people in your life help you keep a sense of belonging at times when it might be easy to feel that you’re alone.  You could learn from them as well, and gain new methods and perspectives that can help you.

Sometimes it is a challenge to balance quality and deadline.  Quality should always be the goal.  By building preparation time into your schedule, you can manage the quality.  However, sometimes life just gets in the way and puts you into a situation where you have a choice to deliver an acceptable product on time, or a great product after the deadline.  You will figure it out.  You may not always choose well, and you won’t know until you see the results.

If you decide to become a soloist, one thing that may take some time to master is keeping work in the pipeline.  You’ll spend your energy doing three things: sales and marketing, delivering your product, and billing.  Sounds simple; but isn’t.  You’ll work harder as an independent than you ever did as an employee.  You may find it easier to manage your finances if you create smooth, predictable revenue streams by spreading the work out a little and working toward multiple streams.  Of course, it depends on your clients and the nature of your work.  The good news is that it will be up to you.

 

Journal Article 12/12,13/09

Weekend Edition

Saturday

Finally got fed up with the mess in my apartment after the crazy week I had.  I started in the place that would affect my work the most; my home office.  There were papers and files here and there throughout my small living spaces that really belonged in my office, so step one was gathering them up.  Then the sorting.  I filled my office trash can with stuff I really didn’t need that had simply accumulated because I was too busy to handle it at the time.  I need to get better at handling it as I go, but I’ve been straight out lately.  I as I was trying to put things away, the one drawer in my desk was overflowing so I pulled it out, cleaned it and put it back.  Finished the filing.  Dusted and wiped everything down.  Cleaned the monitor and keyboard.  It looked great when I was done.  I don’t know about you, but if my workspace is disorganized, I am, too.  And the holidays are fast upon us, so the whole place needs sprucing up (no pun intended).

I did get out to the gym for the first time in a week.  I really need to manage that better.  Even with everything that happened this week, I should have found more time for exercise.

I was playing online games far into the night.  It was fun, but there is such a thing as too much fun.  I looked at the clock and it was after 1:30 AM.  Not good.

Sunday

My daughter had to go to work early this morning, so I got up at 5:15 to make her breakfast.  I like to do that, and I think she really appreciates it.  Once breakfast was on the table, I made my apologies and went back to bed.  I always like to sit and eat with her, but with less than four hours of sleep behind me, that wasn’t going to happen.  After a few hours I was able to face the world and get to finishing up the blog for the week.

I got out to the gym again, but after my youngest returned we went out for Chinese food.  I could have eaten healthy but didn’t.  Paid bills. Oy vey.  I had to put on some music to get through it.

I was delighted to meet with a friend who is working on my websites and logo for me.  It’s barter – I photograph her grandkids and she works on my internet presence.  Of course, since we’re friends we’d do it for each other anyway, without the need for reciprocity, but I think we both like helping each other, too.

Then, off to hang out with a very close friend of mine, and it’s been too long since I’ve seen him.

Opportunity Week 4, November 30, 2009

Journal Article 11/30/09

Opportunity Week 4, Day 1:

Got a LinkedIn recommendation from a former colleague today, and it was very complimentary.  It makes me feel great as a professional when this happens.  I also sent out 12 new LinkedIn invitations, and got two confirmations almost immediately.  The first level of my network is now at 246.  These are people I’ve dealt with directly, not just anybody.  That’s important.  I checked and saw that modest number now generates over 2 million people in my extended network.  Nice.

Spent a few hours working on the business financials for the Joint Petition for Child Support Modification.  I have more work to do on this project, but I set a goal of completing the financials only today, and achieved that.  The rest will have to be done by the end of the week.  Today’s work will also help me prep for my meeting with my tax accountant end of the year.  That’s a good thing, and it gets me out in front of that dreaded end-of-year task.

Today is my last day of health insurance pre – COBRA.  And I had to go back to the clinic today, since that ear infection seems pretty persistent.  I went at 2 pm to avoid the morning crowd and the lunch hour.  Worked well.  I was in and out of the clinic and over and done with the pharmacy in 90 minutes.  Back on antibiotics.  Ugh.  I did notice some information about the current COBRA subsidy, which I thought expired in December.  That’s something I will have to look into.

Put in some solid billable time in the afternoon.  I’m trying to see what is in the pipeline for the next few months.  There’s work to do, no doubt.  Now what I have to do is start to fill that pipeline with revenue.  I’ll have to craft a marketing plan for 2010 this month.  I have ideas; I just need to spend some time to gel them.

Worked late, since I took time out to go to the clinic today.  Didn’t hit the gym until after 6. 

TIWIKE:

Using web-based professional networking tools like LinkedIn is an advantage that can’t be overstated.  If you’re not doing so, you should start today, regardless of your professional focus or employment situation.  It’s something you should monitor for quality and activity as well.  In addition, you should be updating your status at least once per quarter.  It messages the people in your 1^st degree of networking, and keeps you “top of mind.”  I prefer to update mine once per month, usually with the beginning of a new project.

Tackle the tough work in manageable bites.  If you can’t face the idea of working on something that you really don’t want to, make a decision to accomplish one part of it and no more.  When you’re done, put it aside and schedule the next piece.  Before you know it, you’re done.  Many people freeze on tasks that are just too unpleasant or large.  Remember the saying, “How does the ant eat the elephant? One bite at a time.”

If you have to go off-task during the day, try to make the time efficient.  Avoid trying to business at lunch time or at the end of the day.  That’s when everyone else is trying to do it.  A benefit of not being chained to an office is that you can choose when to get things done.  Enjoy this benefit.  Keep in mind that if you do this, you should be making up the hours later on.  For example, if you beat the crowd at the gym by going in the “off hours,” you should be working when the crowd is at the gym.  

Resources:

<http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/content/pressNew/Answers_About_COBRA_Subsidy.html>

Journal Article 12/1/09

Opportunity Week 4, Day 2:

Did you ever have one of those days when things just fell into place?  They don’t happen all that often, at least that we notice, so they should be recognized.  Today was one of those days.

I met with my client this morning to review the Time Management course I wrote for them, and also to talk strategy for the next couple of quarters.  Seems pretty solid, and that’s encouraging.  I was talking to the HR folks after the meeting, and one of the senior staff came in, asking if I had a brief training module that I could give to him for an offsite that is coming up this weekend.  As it turns out, we’d just decided to create a brief Communications refresher to deliver in the spring.  All I needed to do was push it to the front of the queue and work on it immediately.  He was grateful and I was happy to be able to help.

On the way home, I remembered that I was out of printer paper and swung around to Staples.  I love that place.  While I was there, I picked up all of the participant supplies that I’ll need for Time Management.  And right next to Staples was a supermarket – my favorite local chain.  I picked up a few, important things while I was there.  Efficiency on the road is a wonderful thing. 

While I was in the supermarket, my friend called.  Apparently my rebid for the photo job was successful!  That is very good news.  We talked a bit about it, and I called her back when I got to my home office.  I decided that I’d shoot the building exteriors on the weekend, since we probably don’t want cars in front of the buildings for the shots.  I’ll reach out to the contacts I’ve been given to find out when the sun is on the building facing to determine the proper time of day to shoot each location.  There’s a staff shot to be done, but that is local and will happen next week.  It’s all good.

Had a call with my “Committee” friend about my revised resume.  He liked it!  That’s nice, because he is very picky about resumes, which is why I asked for his help.  In the end there are only a few minor edits.  That’s amazing, and a relief.  I hate to send out a resume that isn’t crisp.  And I have a call tomorrow afternoon with a recruiter.

Work, work work.  In the end, I did have to deliver on this morning’s promise to that manager, so I worked on the Communications refresher until about 6:30.  Absolutely worth it, but I’m beat.  I won’t complain; it’s “work for pay.”  When I was done, I had to hit the gym.  I came perilously close to walking out of the house tonight in my boxers, rather than my gym shorts.  Maybe I need to take a break?  I probably would have noticed on the walk to the gym, after all, it’s 37 degrees outside.  But clearly I am tired and not paying attention.

Came home from the gym at 7:30 and made lasagna.  The last time I tried this was about 8 years ago.  It came out okay, but it wasn’t “right.”  This time I made it at the end of a long day, with the wrong pans.  Were there suposed to be leftover ingredients?  I didn’t have a lot of choice but to make it, since the meat was at the “use or lose it” stage.  I froze a bunch of it for times when I don’t have the time or inclination to cook.

TIWIKE:

Attitude is everything.  If you believe in yourself, and that things will work out for you in the end you will have the serenity and confidence to be successful.  It isn’t always easy.  You’ll fall down.  You’ll screw up.  You’ll lose your way.  That’s part of being human.  But a positive attitude carries you along with the stream of life.  People see that, and are attracted to that energy. 

Be patient with potential clients and hold your ground on what is fair compensation for your work.  If it was meant to be, it will happen.  It can be frustrating, especially for creatives.  You’ll occasionally lose an opportunity, but unless you’re really off the mark in your pricing you just need to hang in there and expect success.  (Looking at the prices that other, comparable professionals are charging is a good baseline.)  It won’t always work out, but often does.  And as you continue to do work for a fair price, you’ll build a client base and a history of successful work at that rate.  The rest, as they say, is history.

When on a job search, your resume is your entre to the interview. It has to pass a digital and human screening and a few more pair of eyes if you’re going to get a chance to actually talk about what you do.  All the key words need to be there in order for it to move on to the next stage.  Make sure they are.  Take the time and make the effort to get a great resume.  Use experienced and critical colleagues, recruiters and outplacement professionals to get a sense for your resume’s quality and potential.  In this weakened economy, your resume needs to stand out from many others.  If you need tips on resume writing, a Google search will give you about 2 million hits!  Resume Help (linked below) may be a good place to start if you’re really just starting.

Sometimes you just have to laugh.  People do funny things, and you’re one of them.  Laugh at yourself.  You’re just showing how human you really are, and that’s a good thing.

Resources:

http://www.resume-help.org

 Journal Article 12/2/09

Opportunity Week 4, Day 3:

I spent the morning writing yesterday’s blog.  I’m finding that this pattern of taking notes during the day, then completing the entry the next morning seems to work so far.  The only disruption seems to be when I have a morning commitment.  Later in the morning, I called a committee member to ask her a few more questions about blogging, and as anticipated she gave me some very valuable feedback.  With little fanfare, I named and launched my blog today.  It may not seem like much to the rest of the world right now, but this is a very important step for me.

Based on the feedback that I got from another committee member, I revised my resume this morning and sent it off to a recruiter I’d made a phone appointment with for later today.  She had an older one, and we need to work from the most recent version.  I also called the outplacement agency to make an appointment to meet with my job search coach.  My employer only paid for a month of services, so I need to “use it, or lose it.”  Amazing that in this job market, where searches can last anywhere from a few months to over a year that someone would think that a month of outplacement is appropriate.  On the one hand, I appreciate the service.  On the other hand, it’s seems like a token gesture from an organization letting me go at the holidays in a seriously weakened economy.

This is the week to decide about COBRA – the incredibly expensive health insurance carryover that is appropriately named after a venomous snake.  When I was termed, there was some mention about a COBRA subsidy, and some notes on the rate sheet in my black (sheesh) folder of death seemed to indicate that the current federal subsidy runs out at the end of the year.  Just for the heck of it, I went to the COBRA website from the Department of Labor along with a few other web pages, and it seemed to indicate that if you were laid off this year you could get a nine-month 65% subsidy from the day you elect COBRA.  Hmm.  That was contrary to what I’d been told.  That would give me nine months of health care at just over $100 per month, as opposed to just over $500 per month.  For me, that is the difference between having and not having health insurance.  I called the health insurance provider to confirm.  Yup – confirmed.  I asked them to get in touch with my former employer and get it straight with the people who were laid off with me.  Sheesh!  This is important stuff! I called one of my former colleagues to let him know, too.

I spoke to someone on the management team from my last job and asked about maybe doing some contract work for them next year.  She was amenable to the idea, and after all it’s how I came to them in the first place.  She asked me to submit a proposal for the relationship.  This is great news, and it feels good to start possibly filling next year’s revenue pipeline already.  You never know.

I worked on the Joint Petition for Modification today.  I’m almost there, but I needed to work out the entire year of revenue to this year to be fair.  It took time, and I still have work to do but I am glad that I’m this far.  I have an open day tomorrow, and I’ll try to wrap it up then.  This is already behind schedule.

Had a good conversation with a recruiter. Who was a new referral to me from a former colleague, but from an organization I had worked with before – Clearpoint Consultants.  They’re headquartered locally, and specialize in Training and Organizaitonal Development so it’s a good fit for me.  I liked the recruiter and she seemed confident that I was a good fit for their business.  Of course, there were no “hot reqs” to work on.  I asked how often I should follow up with her, and then scheduled it as a monthly recurring appointment in my calendar.

I made calls to contacts that I have for the commercial shoot this weekend, and got the information about which way the buildings face so I will hit the mark this weekend.  I don’t want to have to reshoot anything.  The window of good weather for this weekend can close at any time; this being New England.

Daughter Meg came to dinner, and as always it was great to spend time with her.  I am so fortunate in this way to have my wonderful daughters in my life.

TIWIKE:

Ask quality people for input, and follow it.  If you’re not sure, by all means get a second opinion.  If you’ve done a good job of creating quality relationships, the people in your inner personal and professional circles can either provide or connect you to important information, tools and people to help you to be successful.  Don’t forget to be a resource for them.  Networking is a full-contact sport based on mutually beneficial relationships.

Look into the important things, like taxes, insurance, legal issues and the like.  Even if you really hate to deal with complicated paperwork, processes and bureaucracy as I do, these are things that will impact your life quite directly.  Before you shrug and walk away from something important, take the amount of time to research it that’s proportional to its potential impact on your life.  

Recruiters are an invaluable resource for job seekers.  They may have the inside word on a job that isn’t quite public, or isn’t public quite yet.  You don’t pay them, either.  They’re paid by the employer for finding a candidate they hire.  Most importantly, they have the right inside relationships and information you may not have.  Combining those relationships with your solid network can really give you a leg up on the competition.  Get a lead from a recruiter…get out to your network and make some contacts with people you know, and who know your work.  You may be able to uncover some information even your recruiter doesn’t have and get an inside referral.

Resources:

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.HTML

www.clearpnt.com

 Journal Article 12/3/09

Opportunity Week 4, Day 4:

I woke to a rainy morning this morning.  It’s one of those days that I’m glad I don’t have that 25 mile commute right now.  There are, after all, good things about not going to an office every day.  I’m glad that I know how to be an independent.  As I was enjoying the non-commute I got an unexpected call from a number I didn’t recognize.  The man on the other end of the line said that he’d received a package that seemed to be meant for me at a place I left three years ago.  He’d opened it, then saw my name and number on the shipper and called me.  I drove over and picked it up.  Nice guy.  Coast Guard officer.  Being a vet, I chatted it up with the guy before I left.  A good experience.

I completed the paperwork for COBRA and put it in the mail today.  Never thought I would get COBRA.  If it wasn’t for the current subsidy, I simply wouldn’t have health insurance.  That would mean a fine at tax time by both the federal and state government (at least in my state).  Those are lovely things to avoid. And having health insurance is good.

After a bit, it turned out to be a glorious day.  Is this December? It’s 66 degrees.  Well, a day like this is a day to get things done in the true New England spirit.  Preparing for winter!  After hitting the gym, I took the afternoon to wash and wax my car.  The road salt up here it brutal on unprotected paint.  I doubt I’ll see another day this warm until March, so as they say, I’ll “make hay while the sun is shinin’ ”.  And my black Mazda3 looks great with a coat of wax.

TIWIKE:

Not having to commute is one of the few potential perks of being unemployed or a soloist.  There aren’t all that many perks to getting laid off, so you should enjoy not only the absence of the commute but also the absence of the fuel cost of commuting. If you add it up, the savings are significant.

When it makes sense, change plans to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity.  The flip side of that coin is that if there are goals that will be moved or sacrificed, it has to be worth it.  As an independent, you need to be goal-oriented enough to be willing to make up that work time in the evenings or on the weekend.  Unlike being employed, “playing hookey” doesn’t mean a day off; it means putting work off to another scheduled time.

 Journal Article 12/4/09

Opportunity Week 4, Day 5:

I signed up for a workshop on dreams and dream interpretation that a friend and former colleague of mine is giving on Sunday.  She’s a life and executive coach with training and some real insight into working with dreams.  I’m looking forward to it.

I did get some good billable time in today.  That’s important, and I haven’t been at it as much as I’d like lately.  My client has a lot of work that needs to be done, and I am happy to help.  Lately, I’ve been tied up with so many other important, but non-revenue-producing activities… But some of that is behind me now, and I should be able to focus more on actual billable work, marketing and looking for gigs.  I sent some of the materials that I’d created for my client to the “committee” for review early today.  It’s great to have that resource, and I got some feedback immediately. 

I decided to get to the gym early today for some reason.  It was a tough workout.  For some reason, my energy just wasn’t there. 

After the gym, I finished off the Joint Petition document.  I feel confident about the outcome.  It’s tough on me financially, and may be a stretch, but it’s fair and accurate.  Now I just have to make sure that I can keep up with it!  I e-mailed back and forth with my ex about it a little, and tucked the documents into the mail.  We’ll talk about it next week.

You never know what’s going to happen next.  I broke a tooth, and made an emergency call to my dentist.  Great guy.  Turns out that he’s out of the office next week, but he can take me today.  At the appointed time, I jumped in the car and sped over there.  He worked his usual magic, and I was out of there in about 40 minutes.  I went right from there to my next appointment.  The traffic!  Oy…

I met my friend to help her with the activities in her upcoming dream workshop.  She’s a subject matter expert, and very capable, but in this case she was working on some participant activities for her workshop, and wanted some pointers.  I’m on her “committee.”  As I waited for her at Panera, I noticed a lot of people working on laptops, meeting with others, reading and other such things.  It’s interesting to see this trend in New England, and it’s been steadily growing for the last 20 years or so.  Not so long ago, it would be unusual to meet someone in a book store, for example.  Now it’s common.  And I know a lot of soloists who get out to a public place to work or read to beat the sense of isolation.  From here, my friend and I braved some more traffic to have a birthday dinner with some friends at a restaurant in a nearby mall.  Except for the holiday traffic and parking, it was a great time. 

TIWIKE:

Get the paying work done.  It’s easy to spend lots of time working on other things that could and should be done, but don’t generate revenue or the possibility of future revenue.  They need to be done, especially those related to managing expense, but weekly priorities need to be focused on finding income if you’re going to make it.  Stay focused.  You’ll be happy for it in the long run.

Bad weather days are one of the potential perks of being a job seeker.  You didn’t have to sit in traffic in the rain or snow with the rest of the commuters.  Enjoy that.  Enjoy not having to deal with some of the silliness and politics that come with working inside an organization as well.  As long as you’re “out,” take the perks as they come.

Be on someone else’s committee.  Be a helper.  Working together with other job seekers and independents is good for all.  If you miss being on a team in a corporation, this activity will mitigate that.  And getting comfortable working out in the world, whether in a library, a restaurant, a cyber café or what-have-you is a good way to beat that isolated feeling you can encounter when you’re on your own for months at a time.

Sometimes the Universe is going to throw you a curve.  It’s easy to get frustrated, and stuck on, “what ELSE is going to happen to me now?”  With enough of that thinking, it’s easy to get to a place where you feel like you’ve got a dark cloud following you.  Handle things one at a time.  Enjoy the fact that you can handle it.  With enough “taking things in stride,” you’ll become an expert in flexibility.  That’s a good thing.

 Journal Article 12/5,6/09

Weekend Edition

Saturday

I’d been putting it off, but it was time to take the TIWIKE blog to the next level.  I logged into WordPress and started to see what needed to be done to get this baby out in the world.  It took some time, but I figured out how to get the last three weeks of blogs uploaded and edited.  It was a little challenging here and there, but then there it was – out there.  I set up my new domains so they would point to the blog.  It was pretty simple, using some of the instructions online.  The whole operation took the afternoon, but I was pretty satisfied with this first pass at blogging.

But those are the mechanics. 

The real deal here is that after many years of wanting to, I finally started writing something beyond courseware and corporate communiqués.  I’ve been saying that I am a teacher, a writer and a photographer for some years.  Now, all three are a reality in the way I’d imagined them.  It’s a dream I’ve dreamed, and now I am living it.  That is something to celebrate!

Sunday

Today was a busy day for photography, and I had the first installment of that successfully rebid job to shoot.  It snowed a few sticky inches last night, and I awoke to blanket of snow.  The shots are three industrial buildings, and I’m not sure that the client will want snow in the shots, but then again it is December in New England and they want these shots right away.  And we need an empty parking lot, which means I am restrcited to shooting on the weekends.  So in this case, that means I shoot in the snow.  It’s rare that I have a paid photo gig, and I won’t see this money until next month but sure it will come in handy.  I celebrate the opportunity to work as a professional photographer.

It was a glorious day, with a fresh blanket of snow and a clear blue sky.  As I drove to each of the three locations, a total of about 230 miles over about 4 hours, I enjoyed every beautiful mile.  I cranked up the music, including some classic rock from the 70’s.  It was a good day.  These are fair times.

I was supposed to go to that dream workshop, but a last-minute heating system emergency at my mom’s house cancelled that.  I was sorry to miss it, not only because I am interested in the dream work, but also because I want to support my friend.  In the end, being there for family is more important.

In all – a good week.  I’m feeling more confident every day.

Opportunity Week 3, 11-23-2009

Journal Article 11/23/09

Opportunity Week 3, Day 1:

I spent at least three hours figuring child support, which I would describe as a word problem on steroids, including the financial statement.  This required getting state and federal tax tables, COBRA rates with a current discount of very brief lifespan, child support guidelines with related worksheet, and a joint complaint for modification. Had to call my former employer, and search online for resources.  It still isn’t done, but I’ve run out of time for it today.

Went back for the second hockey team shoot for the Food Bank.  It turned out to be a good idea, as the shot had a lot more context with the rest of the project.  Of course we’re talking hockey in New England here, so the team manager was speaking French with one of the players, who was Quebecois. 

Got a call from a friend with a potential photo job for her employer.  I’ve done a shot with them in the past – a few years ago.  I guess they liked the work.  That’s a good thing.  I’ll be getting the details soon so I can submit a proposal.

I worked for a bit on the online store, which has seemed a little clugey.  Was considering contacting tech support until I heard on the recording for tech support that it was a $50 charge regardless of duration.  Ridiculous.  In the end, it seemed that it was working for all intents and purposes.  I made a small test order to make sure everything is okay.

Did some Christmas shopping online at Franklin-Covey, but ran into a question and ended up calling.  In the end, it was worth it, since the shipping option I wanted wasn’t easily accessible through the website.  The big surprise was that when I was in voice mail hell, they mentioned that they had moved their customer service operation from India back to the US in response to customer comments.  Wow.  That’s a first in my experience.

Met some ex-coworkers for a drink.  They were all out to dinner, and I was previously invited.  Decided to come for after-dinner drinks instead, since they’d chosen a pretty expensive place.  Within five minutes of my arrival, all but two of them left.  I felt like a leper…  Ah well.  The good news was that I had a nice talk with the two who stayed.  I am trying hard not to be offended.

TIWIKE:

This financial stuff can be tough stuff for soloists paying child support and college.  The emotional challenge of dealing with your ex is matched only by the process.  Tough it out – be honest – best estimate where there is no choice.  Try to be a partner with your ex as much as possible.  The goal is harmony and seeing your kids.  It’s a good goal.

Expect the unexpected.  Opportunities come seemingly out of nowhere, though you’ve clearly created them in the past through performance or networking, or both.  When they arrive, do your best to respond quickly.

You may feel left out in the cold by your former colleagues who are still employed.  On one level, those who were your friends there probably feel guilty around you, since you’re “out”, and they’re “in.”  They may not know how to say or be with you.  They probably don’t want to offend you and may be feeling a little awkward.  Don’t “fill in the blanks” in your mind and make judgments about it.  If it’s really bothering you, pursue it with them individually.  Then give it up. 

Resources:

www.franklinplanner.com

Opportunity Week 3, Day 2:

I went to outplacement orientation this morning.  I was late with a little car trouble – I hate being late.  The facilitator was excellent, and so were the materials.  I complimented him directly afterward.  As a training professional, I set the bar pretty high.  I also ran into a VP in the office who had been an outplacement coach for me many years ago.  A later e-mail revealed that she’d remembered me, too.  Anyway, there were about 10 people in the class.  One man was still pretty bitter about his layoff.  He used words that clearly revealed that he was resentful and stuck in that stage.  We did a powerful exercise that helped with our “elevator speech” about our skills.  He volunteered.  I think it helped the guy, as did being in a room full of fellow unemployeds.  It helped me, too.  I was grateful that I seem better equipped to handle this than some other folks.  That’s experience, I guess.

Went to the next photoshoot for the food bank project.  I got there early enough to set up the shot – six people assembling a basket of food.  With enough prep time, the actual shoot was a breeze – no more than 10 minutes.  I love that.

I’m still working on child support guidelines, and I am not done.  Mostly just e-mailing with my ex now.  But I am so busy I can’t seem to get closure on this step.  I know I’ll be working on this and other things over the weekend.

I finished the proposal for potential shoot, after calling my contact for a detail.  It seems they want to expand the project now, and that’s a good thing.  I warned that there would be an additional cost, and the fair price that I am quoting is already a little pricey, since they’re asking for four location shots, one that is two hours away.  While working on this, I got a call from a former girlfriend with a potential opportunity to do touch-ups for HS photos.  Got the contact info and called, but I didn’t speak to the primary contact.  And in the end, I didn’t get a return call.

I’m slipping on my goals, going to gym, everything, it seems.  I feel like I am in action with some things, but way off course on others.  I’ve been putting off some client work for pay, which makes no sense at all.  Filling the pipeline is important, and mitigating expenses is, too, but cashflow is king and I need to keep that going.

TIWIKE:

When you have the chance to get to a workshop where you might learn important revenue search skills, try to get to it. You’ll learn stuff, including how your situation compares with others.  In addition to the potential learning, the networking is also worth it.  One of the worst things about being a soloist or a revenue seeker is the potential for isolation.  Isolation can lead to a loss of momentum and depression.

Grind through the messes, like child support, insurance, taxes and the like.  It can be daunting for some and paralyzing for others.  But in the end, it will bite you in the butt if you don’t hang in there and get it done.  In addition, when you know it is hanging over your head, it will bog you down.  If you really get stuck – ask for help! 

Keep in mind that you never know where a project might come from or how far it might go.  Don’t judge the situation until you fully understand it.  Be ready to re-assess your workload to see if you can fit in another revenue project at the drop of a hat.  Also know, however, that it may not pan out.  Many leads don’t.

When you’re slipping – look at what you’re doing.  You may be surprised that you’re doing more than you think, and it just feels like you’re not moving ahead.  Or maybe you’re focused on the wrong things.  Journaling; in whatever your preferred form is will be helpful for this.  You need to stay in action.  You also need a balance of work and non-work though, and this is to avoid burnout, which is a great thing to avoid. 

Opportunity Week 3, Day 3:

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I know the supermarket will be crazy, so I decided to hit the place early.  I got there at about 8:30, and it wasn’t too crowded.  I hated to carve (no pun intended) that time out of my day, and I know that I will have to make up the work time this weekend.  I need to get more effective and efficient with my work effort.  I picked up the raw materials for lasagna and some more soup mixes.

My friend at the former photo client from yesterday called.  She said they rejected my bid, and that the cost was too high.  I’m sure it’s just “sticker shock.”  I mostly held the line on my prices from two years ago, which is very fair.  I added some cost for the location work, and then for the additional shots they asked for.  We talked for a bit, and I explained why it was priced the way it was.  I rebid the project, removing the long-distance location and dropping the price a bit on one aspect of the job.  It made a significant difference.  I won’t go lower.  We’ll have to wait and see now.

I dropped the CD off to the bride from my recent wedding shoot, who really wanted the images to show at Thanksgiving.  It disrupted my day, but this is fulfillment on revenue that has already been paid for.  I owe it.  Also, it opens the door for potential print revenue.  It’s appropriate to push it to top of the pile.  Trying to get the photography revenue stream going…

I did get to the Gym today, and it felt good to try to get back on track with that.  Seems a constant struggle.

I did an hour of directly billable work today.  That’s it.  Not enough!

TIWIKE:

If you’re living solo, shop for things that you can divide and stretch, like chili, lasagna, casseroles, soups and the like.  Cook, divide and freeze (important, since spoilage is a money waster).  This is a big financial savings, because you end up with several really inexpensive meals from some small time investment in the kitchen.  You’ll gain an additional advantage in that you won’t be tempted to eat expensive, unhealthy fast food when you’re in a hurry because there is “nothing in the fridge.”  Go to the supermarket when you can be efficient – during the week.  Keep in mind that you’ll have to make up the lost time from your revenue search.

Sometimes you’ll lose a bid or be outbid.  If you’re a soloist, it’s a fact of life.  It’ always worthy rebidding a project, and finding out where the problem areas are will help your next proposal.  Rebidding does not mean selling your soul by dropping your price below what’s fair.  Your services have value, and undervaluing them may get you the job but may send the wrong message to your client.  If you keep that client, they may get into the habit of pushing back on every bid since you have now trained them to do so.  You may resent the idea of working below your value.  In addition, you may feel that you could have used that time to bid on work that you’ll be appropriately paid for.  You’d be right about that.  At the same time you have to balance those decisions against your financial commitments.  You thought it was easy?  So do many people who wake up one day and decide to be self-employed; never having been a soloist before.  It isn’t easy at all.  I have to work a lot harder as a soloist than I do as a full-timer.

Opportunity Week 3, Day 4: Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving Day.  I’d committed to photographing some specific aspects of the annual Feaster Five road race for my sister’s running club, so I was up and out early.  I got the shooting done, it wasn’t really a challenge, and anyone probably could have taken the requested shots.  I added some value here by getting a couple of darned good close-ups and family shots after the setups were done.  Handed out a couple of business cards, where people asked.  A little here and there helps more than I can imagine, so I keep doing it.

I shocked myself by getting to the gym after the Feaster.  Felt good about that.

Had a very nice family time today with my mom and some close cousins.  Great food, champagne, pies and cocktails afterward.  I’m fortunate to have a wonderful and close and extended family.  I know so many people who don’t have those things in their lives for one reason or another.  If there is anything that I am thankful for today, it’s that I am surrounded by a loving family and great friends.  Here was my Facebook status today:

Jay Foley wishes all a Happy Thanksgiving. I will miss those whom I will not see. And for those we have lost this year, I trust that they are in a better place. I wish the best for our military families who are separated at this time of unrest, and hope that they will be together next year. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Thanksgiving notwithstanding, I got another job lead from my network today.  This is a guy who was a job seeker for a few months, and just landed.  We’re in the same field, and he is still receiving leads from recruiters and people in his network, so he is passing them on to me.  Funny how that works.  Those network volunteers are working for me on holidays, too! 

Regardless of the current situation, things are right in my world today.  I like to say (and write on my little refrigerator’s erasable board), “These are fair times.”  It reminds me to be appreciative of what I have. 

TIWIKE:

Cherish the things in your life that are in place.  If some things are not in place, look into ways to correct that.  If you can’t correct them, focus on the things that ARE working.  Sometimes it is the basics, but if that’s all you’ve got right now, then focus on the basics.  Just remember that the point of power is in the present, rather than the past or the future.  You control what you say, do and think today. 

Opportunity Week 3, Day 5:

I reached out to the headhunter re: yesterday’s job lead.  Didn’t hear anything back, but it could be that she is out of the office on this remnant of a holiday week.  I hope to hear from her on Monday.  Looked like a decent opportunity, not necessarily for me so much, but maybe more for my former colleague.  We’ll see.  Either way, it’s all good.

I spent most of the day today rewriting my resume.  It’s a difficult job for me.  I like to write, but like a lot of people I have a hard time writing a summary of what I’ve done, and what I do.  I’m fortunate to have a resource in my network who is a resume expert, and as soon as I was done I sent it off for review.  I think it’s looking a lot better.  I hope he agrees.

Took a break in the middle of the day to have lunch with some friends.  Two of them were a couple, and she is an American citizen; originally from Columbia.  They’re both delightful, and she is just a sweetheart.  It makes me wonder how people can be prejudiced based only on ethnicity or skin color.  It also reminds me that I am lucky to have a wide and diverse social circle.  I love people, have a lot of great people in my life, and I intend to keep them there. 

Spent the balance of the late afternoon, and then well into the evening writing this week’s blogs.  I’ve been so busy that sometimes all I can do for the blog in a day is make a few notes for future reference, in the hopes that I will get to it later.  Some weeks I end up working into the evenings and on the weekend, and this week is no exception.  I have to live with that.  In the end, goals are goals.  If I can’t make it work, I may have to rethink my original idea to blog daily and resort to blogging weekly.  I don’t want to do that, though.  Daily blogging is better for me and for my future readers. 

TIWIKE:

Don’t worry about the silence in job leads.  It’s part of life as a revenue seeker.  It’s easy to start making assumptions about why you’re not hearing anything, like, you’ll “ never get another job,” or your resume is weak and you’ll have to “set your sights lower,” or there just “aren’t any jobs out there.”  The simple truth is you can’t know what is going on at the other end of the deal.

Absolutely follow up appropriately.  If you’re not sure about what would be appropriate, ask the person that you’re dealing with.  They’ll probably tell you.  Once you know, put it into your plan so you don’t let things slip.  That serves two purposes, one is that you’ll keep an eye on the situation, and the other is that you will be showing the person that you’re organized and that you follow through.  Both of these are good things.  But being overly aggressive with follow-up, letting it slide, or taking it as some kind of judgment against you are not ways to go.

If you have a project to do that is important to you, make time for it.  It’s hard sometimes.  There’s a belief out there that if you do something new for 21 days that it will become a habit.  At that point, you’re all set.  I guess the flip side is that if you have a bad habit that you’re trying to break, that if you stay away from it for 21 days that it will be out of your life, at least for the time being.

Weekend Edition
11/28, 11/29

Saturday:

This was kind of a lazy day.  Meg is here with me, and she just started playing a new computer game online with her friend.  Being a gamer myself I understand that a new game can be absorbing, so I let her play to her heart’s content.  When she left for work, I headed off to the gym and was happy to see that I lost 6 pounds this month.  It was a computer gaming day for me, and into the night.  It’s a nice distraction; and my replacement for TV, which I don’t watch.

A letter reminded me today that I have to make a decision about COBRA.  I don’t know what to do about it.  I can’t afford health insurance.  I also can’t afford not to have it, since the state, and now the federal government will fine me for being uninsured.  Pay now or pay later, right?  COBRA is currently discounted, but only until the end of December.  After that, insurance for me alone will be over $500 a month.  It is literally the difference between paying my mortgage or not.  It’s interesting that in these times, having health insurance can render you homeless.  That ear infection I thought was gone isn’t, and I’ll have to get back to the clinic Monday – my last day of health insurance unless I agree to pay COBRA.  An interesting dilemma. 

Sunday:

Up at 5:15 to make breakfast for Meg before work, and back to bed.  I rarely do that, and I actually slept until 8:30.  Amazing.  I didn’t like it much, though, since it makes me feel a little sluggish, and that the morning has gotten away from me.  I took the morning to wrap up the week’s blog to the background sounds of Aerosmith.  What it is it about music from my teens and 20s that is so therapeutic?  Maybe it’s that when I was young I had so much ahead of me, coupled with an underdeveloped sense for the responsibilities of life. Maybe I relive that feeling through the music. 

Got groceries for my mother, and then off to photograph my friends’ kids for the annual Christmas card.

Lessons:

I was certainly in motion this week; with the outplacement orientation, working on the child support modification, rewriting my resume, two more shoots for the calendar project, negotiation on a potential photo gig, getting the wedding photos in place for possible sales, etc… But I need to stay focused on two simple things during these critical weeks: reducing expense and expanding revenue.  That means continuing to cut expenses, reducing child support to match my current income level, and working to get more money in the door quickly.  So next week, I need to concentrate on working with my ex to get that court paperwork in motion, and getting some serious billable hours at the same time.  Other activity may have to wait.

The holiday season is great, and it’s a time to connect with family and friends.  Those connections are incredibly important to my sense of security and well-being in a time that is so uncertain.  At the same time, the holidays can be challenging in such a challenging and uncertain time in my life.  I started working when I was 16, and I’ve worked in one way or another pretty constantly since.  Being laid off is a blow at any time when you’re used to working, but at the holidays, the pain can be a little sharper.  It can really affect my attitude.  But I have to remember that attitude is everything, and I am in charge of mine.  If nothing else, I have to stay energized and walk on with a purpose.

Opportunity Week 2, 11-16-2009

Journal Article 11/16/09

Opportunity Week 2, Day 1:

The Dentist was surprised to see me so soon after being there just last week, but when I explained that I might be losing my dental insurance this month he nodded and smiled with that sympathetic smile you get from people who can’t really relate to what you’re going through when you’re laid off.  He’s a great guy – I really like him, and it’s important to me to have a dentist that I like and trust.  At the same time, we live in different worlds. 

I spent an hour or two editing the wedding shoot.  The images came out pretty good on the whole, and that’s encouraging.  I moved into digital photography in 2002 with the idea that I might need a backup skill in the future.  I don’t really care for shooting weddings, but they pay well and there are a lot of them.  Unfortunately, there is no money in divorce photography, which would be almost as lucrative.  Okay, that’s a little dark… 

The client billing got done today.  I can’t fully express how good it feels to do that, especially being underemployed.  Mixing client work with unemployment compensation is perfectly legal as long as I report the earnings.  And business expenses can be deducted.  I could never survive on unemployment alone with my current responsibilities.  No way.    I’d be homeless on Unemployment while paying child support.  And that’s without even considering health care and paying my taxes. 

Had to send an e-mail to my daughters’ mom about Child Support, since we’ll have to reconfigure it for now.  I hated to write that e-mail, since we finally seemed to have come to a place in the spring where we were both reasonably comfortable with the arrangement.  It’s been acrimonious here and there over the years.  It had been better this year, and that made both our lives a little easier.  Divorce is hard on everyone but the lawyers. We’re learning. 

On the networking side, I networked with my former boss a little.  I’m hoping for some contract work next year now that the team’s resources have been cut by 40%.  I also wrote a LinkedIn recommendation for colleague from my recent gig, and connected on a job lead that I’d received last week.  I’m a little slow on the draw right now, and that must change. 

I rewrote resume and sent it off for review.  It’s about time.  The good news is that it wasn’t terribly out of date.  I decided to use a slightly different voice. I also decided not to position my recent full-time engagement as a “perm job.”  With only 10 months there before layoff, it could look a little negative to some HR screeners.  I originally went there last year on a contract, and this year was a conversion from a contract anyway, so I am calling it a contract.  It’s only fair – after all, they called it a “perm job.”  I know I’m not done with resume – it still had to pass muster with “The Captain.” 

TIWIKE: 

Don’t hesitate to network with your former employer.  Chance are that there is a need for someone to do the work that you were just doing, and they know very well that you can do it.  Once you’re off the payroll and you’re not getting bennies, you would show up in a different place on the balance sheet and away from the red pen of the job cutters.  My record for a turnaround conversion from laid off to contract is one business day.  The longest was about 3 years. 

Keep your resume up-to date, always.  You never know when you’ll need it.  Always get a second paid of experienced eyes to look at it before you send it off.  Recruiters are really aces at this, and of course outplacement people.  Not only will they help you find errors, but they’ll help make it the best product it can be.  Just keep in mind that all of them will have a different approach, so it will have to be your product in the end. Your resume is one important piece of your personal marketing material, and sometimes it’s the only thing that people will see.  

Opportunity Week 2, Day 2: 

Met with my client this morning to review the outcomes from the other day.  Looks like they have even more for me to do and I will be meeting with the HR contact on Friday to start scheduling that work. I may end up doing a delivery for them next month, and then another in January along with all of the development.  That is great news. 

I got a LinkedIn request from a former Not-For-Profit colleague.  There are very few people from that organization whom I would want to network with at this point, but she is one of them.  She’s also a communications specialist, and very experience with media.  Not only will she be a great networking partner, but she will also be an excellent informational resource about working with the media.  Hopefully, I can help her as well. 

Did another Photoshoot for the Food Bank calendar project – the management staff of a local hockey team.  The shot came out really well, but it seems that there is another opportunity for a better shot coming up on Monday.  The manager seemed interested in it, and I like the idea, so I’ll be going back next week to pick up the second shot. 

Got a very nice LinkedIn recommendation from my recent direct reporting manager.  The effort to enhance my LinkedIn profile is moving along nicely, and I’ve received several in the last week.  I use LinkedIn a lot, and I know that I haven’t even scratched the surface yet.  Got a book recommendation on how to use it, and I’ll look into that. 

Searched Indeed.com briefly.  Looks like a great job opportunity aggregator, and I haven’t seen a tool exactly like it.  I’ll be spending more time there when I have less leads.  Right now, I have plenty to work on and I am busy as hell. 

In talking to a good friend about what I have planned and how busy I have been, I got a nice website lead from her that offers free guided meditations.  This is handy stuff on a tough day, and I liked the one I tried.  I gave her a little information about how she might use PayPal in a somewhat different way.  Helping each other – it’s what makes the world turn. 

TIWIKE: 

Be prepared for people to want you to do more work for them.  Offer ideas about what could be done and how it could help them and their organization.  Wait for them to ask.  If they don’t, find a way later in the conversation to let them know that you’re available to them.  Wait for them to ask.  If they still don’t, mention it in your follow-on e-mail.  Plant the seed and let it grow.  Some people consider this a very soft sell, and maybe it is.  But I have been hard-sold before, and it is a definite turnoff for me.  I use “we” a lot in negotiation, and also, “what I can do for you is…” That’s what it’s all about anyway.  Once they agree, then you can tell them what you need in return, including compensation (unless that is already in place) and commitment. 

Always be a little early, and never be late for an appointment.  You may tend to get involved in what you’re doing and then have to scramble to get out the door.  Try this approach; get completely ready; map printed, dressed, and with all the gear and materials at the door.  That way you can work right up until the time you have to leave, then get up and grab your stuff as you’re walking out – on time.  Nothing screams, “I don’t value your time,” like being late.  Don’t scream that. 

Learn to use LinkedIn, among other online networking tools.  Get your profile up to 100% as soon as possible.  Trade recommendations with the appropriate people in your network, making sure that you’re honest and you’re recommending people you know well.  If there are positions that you don’t have recommendations for, seek them out from former colleagues. 

Resources 

http://www.learningmeditation.com/room.htm 

www.PayPal.com 

www.Indeed.com 

 Opportunity Week 2, Day 3: 

I’m not a big clothes shopper, but I got to Macy’s really early for a decent sale they were having.  It’s the only retailer that I have a branded credit card for, and it carries a zero balance most of the year. I have to admit that it works out pretty well on the discount side.  I bought a couple of pair of Dockers pants for an okay price and paid $60 for a sport coat.  I don’t wear suits anymore.  Gave it up.  It’s cheaper and easier in my opinion to have a couple of slightly different sport coats and a variety of pants, suits, ties (ugh) and shoes that work together.  Suits go out of style, and if the pants cease to fit, then the suit is usually useless.  A sport coat formalizes business casual, and adding a tie brings it to suit level.  The coat I bought yesterday is roomy enough to accommodate a sweater, and we’re approaching the New England winter.  Made sense.  I also replaced a couple of shirts at Bean’s online store.  An inventory showed that the wardrobe is in decent shape, and that’s a good thing. 

As you may have read in my previous blogs, I’ve been getting job leads from my network.  I had hoped to get some resume critique before I sent it out, but I was running the clock down on some of these jobs, and the leads were turning cold.  I decided to risk it and send them out anyway.  A couple of them were jobs I probably wouldn’t fit with.  I’ll take the interview if the opportunity is offered. 

The E-mail server went down for a few hours.  That’s okay, there is plenty to do here so I switched gears.  No use getting upset about it. 

I went to a wake in the afternoon.  My friend’s mother had passed away.  Strange, lately there have been a rash of deaths in my circle – four in a week.  I can’t help but wonder at the parallels between the sobering economy and personal life. 

After the wake, I went to a local Chamber of Commerce mixer as the guest of a friend and colleague.  I don’t belong to this particular chamber anymore, since I found another that I preferred.  It was good to see some familiar faces there.  Mostly I saw some of the same people having the same conversation.  I didn’t notice anything dynamic going on, and got no leads.  That’s not to say I couldn’t have, I just didn’t. 

My youngest daughter, Meg came to dinner.  We had a great conversation for quite awhile.  I’m so glad that we can relate.  I know a lot of parents that can’t or don’t.  In this way, I am a very, very fortunate man. 

TIWIKE: 

Have a variety of dress clothes ready to go for interviews and meetings.  Find a way to have the largest variety of options at the most reasonable cost.  “Reasonable” doesn’t mean always cheap.  For example, LL Bean has a ridiculously robust return policy, and while the dress shirts might be slightly expensive, if you can get 10 years’ worth of wear out of them, and you’re wearing them often, the value is clear.  As a revenue seeker or soloist, you’ll want to be smart about how you spend your money.  In fairness, I rank Land’s End evenly with Bean, and I’m sure there are others that I am unaware of. 

Job leads have a life expectancy, and you need to pay attention.  At the beginning of your search, you might get leads that are a little aged.  Apply anyway.  Once you get your feet under you, turn leads around into network inquiries within 24 hours, and try to have contact with the client/employer within 48.  There are hundreds of thousands of people who are searching for jobs right now, and there is no tolerance in the system for slackers.  So don’t be one.  

Interview whenever you can.  For me, interviewing is a brilliant exercise in selling yourself and re-acclimating to the interview process.  And you never, never know.  It’s also good networking.  If you’re not getting interviews, try setting up simulated interviews with people in your network so you can stay sharp. 

Family and friend stuff does not “get in the way”, it IS the way.  People are the juice of life.  The people in your life keep you alive as a human. Balance, yes, but keep your family, friends and colleagues at the top of your list.  Life is a full-contact sport.  So stay in contact.  Be a dad or mom, a sibling, a friend and a helper foremost.  The rest will come. 

Resources 

http://www.macys.com 

http://www.llbean.com 

Opportunity Week 2, Day 4: 

I got another e-mail from a former coworker who is still pretty unhappy about being laid off.  I completely understand where he’s coming from, and I don’t disagree.  I think the difference is that I have moved on from that place, and he is still working on that.  I know this guy pretty well, and I am 100% sure that he is in action in his income search but I hope that he gets past this stage soon for his own sake.  It could impair his income search. 

I went to a funeral service this morning for my friend’s mother.  There were a few friends there, including a former girlfriend from a long-term relationship that ended badly this past summer.  It’s still a little painful, even now.  Knowing that she would be there made me hesitate to go, but in the end it wasn’t about her anyway so I went. Turned out fine. 

Had a long phone call with a colleague about my resume.  I don’t know about anyone else, but I find the whole resume writing thing to be a little painful.  It shouldn’t be, and I understand the value of it, but I have always dreaded it.  One of the reasons is that there are so many ways to approach it.  I am extremely fortunate to have someone on my “Committee” (the core people at the inner circle of my professional network) who is an expert in resume writing and willing to spend the time.  We were on the phone for about 90 minutes, going over it in detail.  The time was very well spent. 

I did a little local search and e-mailed city hall about the tax abatement process.. A friend told me that you can apply for a reduction in your property taxes if the market value of your home is less than it’s valuation with the community.  I didn’t get a reply, so I will probably have to go down there. 

Downloaded state child support guidelines.  I’m not very good at these things, but in this case I have to handle it.  I’ve found that the way it seems to work is that if the support is declining because of a decline in my income, I have to drive the process.  If it’s going up, my ex-wife seems to drive it.  So it’s my turn.  The clock is ticking on this one, and I’ve been draggin’ my feet!  I hate it when I get in my own way. 

TIWIKE: 

It’s okay to SWAMP (Speak Without A Meaningful Purpose), as long as you SWAMP with the right people.  My former colleague and I can process how we’re feeling about the layoff together, and it’s a safe place to do that.  It’s cathartic. SWAMPING about a previous or current employer in general company or with a potential employer or client is a really bad idea.  Employers focus on that negativity, and wonder what you say about them offline.  Also, protracted SWAMPING may artificially prolong your movement through the initial stages of managing change.  So give it up already. 

Spend the time with someone who knows what they’re doing to get your resume shined up.  This is especially important on a standard job search, but some prospective clients will also ask for it.  You’ll find that there are many different perspectives on resumes, even amongst “professionals.”  Listen to everyone, then pick someone who gives you sound advice, and can give you a reason for their suggestions beyond “that’s the way it’s done.” 

See what you can do to stem the flow of money out of your accounts.  Unemployment is great, but it isn’t an income replacement.  You should cut back expenses as best you can.  If you were a commuter, getting laid off may have just saved you a bunch of money on fuel or transportation expense.  Find other ways, too; like shopping differently and conserving energy.  

If you’re paying child support and you get laid off, run (or netsurf) don’t walk to county courthouse and start the process.  You may need to make that temporary adjustment to your finances to survive. 

Opportunity Week 2, Day 5: 

Had a great meeting with my client this morning, and I like the direction that we’re taking.  It’s billable time as well, and that is always welcome.  There is a close partnership here, and this is the kind of the relationship I want to build with others.  I’ve been working with them for about 18 months or so now, and it’s been a mutually beneficial relationship that appears to be continuing through 2010. 

I had a tough conversation with someone in my personal life today.  There was something that had to be shared, even though I knew that there was a strong possibility that it would derail or end the new relationship.  In the end, it seems we will be friends, and not have a romantic relationship.  I’m really unhappy about that.  Even at my age and with two divorces in the trunk, I hope for a partner.  However, I really value having this person as a friend, and count that as a blessing.  One foot in front of the other. 

Finished editing the wedding shoot.  About 450 finished images.  It was a ton of work, but I am hoping that I can sell some prints at my online store.  I posted the work and alerted the bride, but I seem to be having some issues on the back end of the site.  I tried tech support, but couldn’t get through.  I will have to try again. 

Today got away from me a little.  I know it’s Friday and all, but that doesn’t matter.  I need to be working the income stream every day, and that means looking for opportunity, filling the pipeline with work and billing.  No excuses.  I got behind in the blog writing today, too.   That’s a new problem. 

TIWIKE: 

If you decide to become a soloist, and take on contract, consulting work or a blend, manage your client relationships closely.  Ask questions, and then make suggestions.  As Stephen Covey, author of “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” says, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”  If you’re a soloist, your clients are your oxygen supply.  Don’t become complacent and forget to nurture those relationships.  Covey’s words also apply to job seekers in the interview process.  It isn’t all about you, it’s all about them and how you can help them. 

The end of the week is a time when most of us are used to winding down.  When you’re unemployed, a job seeker or a soloist, it’s very tempting to just take the time off.  That’s legitimate if you’ve nailed your objectives for the week, and you won’t be missing goals.  Use a calendar and reminder tool on your computer, like MS Outlook for example to keep yourself honest about getting the work done.  Remember that if your goals slip during the week, you’ll need to make up for that during the evening or on Saturday.  If you like to play on the weekend, you have to work during the week. 

Resources 

https://www.stephencovey.com/ 

http://howto-outlook.com/ 

 Weekend Edition
11/21, 11/22 

Saturday: 

Went to a workshop at the photo studio where I work and learn.  As always, it was time well spent.  I learned a few things and did a little networking.  Afterward, I met a friend from High School whom I haven’t seen in about 10 years for a drink in the next block from the studio.  She lives up there, and we’d agreed to connect the next time I was shooting in town.  Nice lady.  I was planning to stop on the way home at a café where another HS friend was playing music, but I couldn’t find the place.  I think I was just too tired.  Anyway, I went home. 

Sunday: 

Time to catch up after slipping in my goals this week.  As I was getting the blog written, I stopped to register online with Unemployment for the week.  I entered the billables for the week as income; deducting a percentage for expenses.  That’s something I will have to track closely and then make a solid estimate on each week.  Typically, I would do that quarterly and then annually, but while balancing self-employment and unemployment I will have to do better than that. 

Made a nice breakfast sandwich for myself, unlike yesterday when I sabotaged my eating habits by stopping for a fast food breakfast.  I used Roman Meal whole grain bread, Smartbalance Light buttery spread with flax seed oil, Oscar Meyer turkey bacon, American cheese and an egg. I photographed it, and then went looking for some information about the ingredients.  In the search, I stumbled across an interesting site about healthy foods.  I’ll have to take a closer look later. 

Breakfast Sandwich Step 1

  

   

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Lessons: 

I started hitting my stride this week.  Not bad for week 2, but I slipped a little at the end of the week.  I need to be better at that.  I did get to the gym almost every day, and that’s a good thing.  I increased the frequency, intensity and duration of my exercise by about 20%, and that’s a healthy trend.  I am spotty with my eating, and I am not going to get into shape that way.  I’ll have to work on it. 

Friendship demands and relationship issues were competing for my time this week.  Both are important, but not equally.  Family comes first, then friends and then the rest.  It can all be done, if I pay attention to balance and boundaries.  And of course, weekends are not sacred.  They sometimes must be used for work, especially if I have used work time for other activity. 

Resources: 

http://www.thebestlife.com 

http://smartbalance.com/FlaxFamily.aspx 

http://brands.kraftfoods.com/oscarmayer 

http://www.romanmeal.com/Products/details.aspx?pid=14&productGroup=0&info=BreadInfo