The Curse of the Internal Candidate

Have you ever been the internal candidate? You know who I’m talking about…the employee who is in line for a promotion or moving on the next level at their company. It’s really great for staff morale when companies promote from within; it shows a sense of loyalty and commitment to employees, but it really sucks for the folks that are applying for those same jobs and have no idea the gig has already been promised to someone else.

I completely understand hiring someone from the inside for a new position. They likely have more knowledge on the product, client or brand; they know the style of the company, office and its co-workers; and they’ve probably already been doing something similar to the job at hand for a period of time. It’s great when a corporation moves an assistant to a managerial position. Not only does it show their faith in the candidate, but it lets other employees know they can move up the ladder too.

Now on to us job seekers. It’s so unfair when we apply for a job and get called  to an interview when the job has already been given to another person. As you’re sitting there interviewing, the office manager is ordering new business cards for Johnny Appleseed, who accepted the position two weeks ago. I don’t understand the laws behind posting jobs that have been filled and I certainly don’t think it’s right to put unemployed people through the hassle and disappointment of an interview.

It takes work to interview, much less apply. You prepare, you prep, you research. You write a cover letter, sign up for the company’s job posting/HR portal, divulge your salary history.  You also take time out of your day, maybe find a babysitter for your kids, spend money on public transportation or gas. Either way, you are making an effort and the people interviewing you know all too well that Johnny starts next week and they’re just killing time with you because they have to.

I wish there was a way that companies could just let job hunters know which positions are truly available to them and which are not. It’s a waste of time for HR, recruiters and those of us looking for work. Why put anyone through the hassle of applying, let alone interviewing, when there is no hope for them? Don’t we have enough hopelessness in the job market already? There is zero reason for posting a job that is already promised to someone else. Perhaps a new law, clause or disclaimer can be created on these postings to save everyone some time, energy and frustration. Maybe something like, “Please note – this job has already been awarded to an internal candidate.” Point blank.

The Poorly Written “Form Letter Thank You” From Potential Employers

I am not a huge fan of form letters. Maybe it’s because I am a communications person, but I appreciate the personal touch of being thanked or recognized for something. Otherwise, I almost don’t want to be noticed at all.

I’m not talking about thank yous from friends or family. That ship has sailed. I’m talking about the form letter job seekers get from potential employers when they apply for a job or actually make it through the interview process, either through email or actual snail mail. Can you believe that, some of us actual get rejection letters and thank yous for applying via the U.S. Mail? Now I think that’s a nice touch, even if you are rejecting me.

I don’t mind the automated email informing me that Employer A has received my resume,  my background and qualifications are being evaluated and if I am suitable match or fit, that I will be contacted. What I do mind, is when Employer B sends me the thank you for interviewing with our company email, “It was pleasure meeting you and you were an outstanding candidate, but we have chosen to move in another direction. We will keep your resume on file for one year in the event your skills match another role in our organization.”

Really, you’re going to contact me when my experience matches another job in your company? Has any company ever done that for you? Similar positions open up all the time at companies you and I have applied to, maybe even interviewed at already, but no one ever gets that call saying, “Hey, Jane, this position opened up and it has your name written all over it!”

Maybe it’s some human resources law that says these companies need to send these types of correspondences to folks. And I understand, I really do, and I am not trying to sound bitter, I just think there is a less fake approach, shall we say, to go about this. Tell job seekers to keep looking, not that you’ll find a match for them; we know you’re not going to reach out to us if some keyword matches something on our resume with a job at your company; you must have a million resumes on file! Don’t sell us that short, please!

And while we’re on the topic of selling us short, take a look at the email below which I received this summer from an organization I applied to telling me I was not the chosen candidate. Not only was it not personally addressed (undisclosed recipients!), it left the “insert position here” empty and in plain sight for me to see!! So HR professionals, CEOs, hiring managers, whoever sends these emails and letters to those on the job hunt, please take note, have a bit of compassion or don’t send anything at all. Sometimes no news better than any news at all!

To: undisclosed-recipients

Thank you for the opportunity to interview you for the $(customtext1} position. It was a pleasure meeting you.

Although your credentials and work experience are most impressive, another candidate whose qualifications more closely meet our needs has been selected.

Your interest in this position is appreciated.

Responsibility Ain’t Much Fun

I haven’t always been a responsible person. When I was in college, I racked up a lot of credit card debt charging Cluck-U and beer. I snuck out of the house and made  my poor parents crazy. I’ve gone without health insurance because it was just too expensive when I didn’t have job. There’s a lot more in the irresponsible vault, but we’ll stop there, as I’m sure you get the drift.

With age, comes wisdom and the understanding of responsibility. I learned to pay my bills on time and that all that extra money I was paying in late fees could go to cute new shoes.  I learned to give respect to get respect. And I will never go without health insurance, no matter how much I have to pay for it (even if I come full circle and go back into debt for it!). But in the midst of becoming the now responsible human  being that I am, I  wonder what good it has actually done for me.

Don’t get me wrong…I have a roof over my head, money in the bank, no debt and great friends and family. I even scored a job in this less stellar economy. But at the end of the day, when I take a long hard look at the big picture, being responsible hasn’t been all that fun.

While I was unemployed, I wanted to travel the world, take some of my time off to explore new and unchartered territory. I wanted to visit Greece and Paris, Amsterdam and Italy.  I wanted to just pick up, break my lease and live somewhere else – another state or something, just to see what it would be like to live outside of the only thing I have known – Jersey! Instead, I took Responsibility Road. I looked for jobs, honored my lease and took smaller, inexpensive trips. I did hit Cabo with some girlfriends, so don’t feel too bad!!

I’ve always tried to live my life with no regrets. I’ve always said, “I could die tomorrow, let’s just do this! What good is money if you’re not going to spend it?” And trust me, many times I do, and I really go the distance! But I look at what being responsible over the last few months has gotten me: a job outside my industry and passion, a husband so determined to work that hasn’t found a gig, a house that we bought that we could no longer purchase because we were jobless, passports waiting to be stamped with dreams of exploring what the world has to offer.

I know this is a stepping stone as we get older and a fact of life. It could be so much worse. I just miss the days of being a little less concerned about being so responsible!

Why Do Calls for Volunteers Go Unanswered?

When I lost my job, I knew I did not want to waste my time on the couch, watching TV and regretting that I didn’t do more with my time off. I had been unemployed before and regretted not taking advantaged of the time that I had when not  looking for a job or taking care of things I otherwise didn’t have time to while I was working.

Immediately, I decided to volunteer. After working at a non-profit, especially one that depended so heavily on volunteers, I knew that there was a great need at so many organizations for people like myself. I could do more than just answer phones and stuff envelopes, I could help develop strategic plans, write press releases, build media lists, create collateral materials; the list was hefty with communications and public relations experience. And I would even stuff envelopes and answer phones. I just knew that I could and wanted to give back.

I began by applying at places that I interested me; places that I would like to work if I had chance, but since I couldn’t, at least could be a part of the team in a voluntary role. My interests varied, so there was a lot to choose from. Unfortunately, no one was answering my calls, emails or applications.

I must have applied to at least 10 non-profits in the last five months. I applied at the YMCA, the Jubliee Center, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, the Innocence Project, Hoboken University Medical Center, and others, throughout Hoboken, Manhattan and surrounding northern New Jersey towns, but no one got back to me. My husband even applied to a non-profit or two and no one got back to him either.

I understand that many non-profits are probably bogged down with unemployed people who are interested in giving back while they are looking for their next career move, but what I don’t get is how these organizations advertise and beg for volunteers yet don’t answer when people heed their call.  I know that some volunteers only want to do something related to their field, but at least call them back. Maybe they’d be willing to do something else or contribute in another way that you never thought possible. Non-profits are losing many valuable people by not returning calls and emails of those who are willing to help. It creates a false sense of urgency for your causes and your needs. And by not developing these relationships, non-profits are losing more than just those who can help, but those who can help foster their mission.

How Can I Apply for a Job Online When Your Site Doesn’t Work?

I have been applying for jobs for the last few months. It’s not a fun process. Sometimes I do it through a job site such as Hotjobs, Careerbuilder, Monster; the “Big Three” as we call them here in my household. Other times, there is a direct email address where I can send my resume and cover letter directly to the employer and/or their human resources department. Finally, there is the online site in which companies make you use their online employment portal to apply for job. Sometimes you cannot even get an interview even when someone wants to meet with you without going through this type of system. I hate online employment portals. Here’s why…

I’ve read what I need to apply for said job. I have the qualifications and materials needed to move forward in the application process. I go through the 25 steps it takes to sign up, sign in and register with the company in order to apply. Nine times out of 10, I have to fill out my job history and also paste or attach my resume. I think this is a waste of time because if you are going to read my resume, why am I spending all this time filling in boxes that you can read on the database anyway. I usually have to attach or paste something or I cannot move forward with the application, so why reiterate my entire job history? In addition, sometimes I am asked for samples of my work, but I am only permitted to attach one document…my resume. Make sense? Doesn’t to me either.

I can recite my resume and past job experience by heart. I have filled it out so many times on sites such as these. I understand they may be helpful to human resource professionals by weeding out those of us who don’t exactly match the job description. But does anyone even read what is written on those sites? Or what about how it says this will be helpful in matching you with other opportunities that come along? None of this ever happens. Who knows, maybe this is all true and I am just a pessimist. 

The reason I am writing this piece is not so much because I have to do double the work to apply for jobs on an online portal. I am writing it because I get frustrated when these sites don’t work. I have spent countless hours signing up on these types of sites, from the NJ Department of Labor to large and small corporations throughout the U.S. to job listing sites such as the ones I mentioned above. The problem is, you spend all this time filling in boxes and information and when you get to the end, it doesn’t take. Messages like, “Your request cannot be processed,” or “Invalid submission,” things that don’t make any sense to you because you were careful to fill out everything just as your were supposed to. All the formatting and character counting, it doesn’t stick or take and you’re back at square one by no fault of your own. You can press “back” on your computer, you can call a human resources specialist at a company (but at that point, you are hoping to just get their email and send your resume directly!) or throw your hands up in frustration and give up. I have done all three!

It’s hard enough to find a job in this economy. Even when it wasn’t so bad, it’s still not fun looking for a new job. But to add insult to injury, those of us looking for new gigs are left with wasted time and a failed chance at applying for a job that we might be the perfect fit for. I ask, employers, please make sure your online application sites work. Listen to the messages we leave on your voicemail about it. You are probably losing out on some really great, talented applicants because your systems don’t work properly. And that is a great shame for us all.

Time, All We Need is Time…But What if You Have Too Much?

Did you ever find yourself with so much time on your hands and nothing to do? Or so much to do and no time whatsoever? How about having all the time and tons to do, but lack of motivation to actually do any of it? Right now, I’ve been experiencing a bit of the latter.

I am a list person. I have a Mead Big Fat Notebook that I write down everything that I need to do. It probably holds about three years worth of “to-dos.” When I go to the beginning of my current one, I am back in 2007, so I am right on track. I write everything in there; from laundry and paying bills, to downloading photos, buying gifts, and little things to remember that I might otherwise forget. Then I cross everything off and I feel like I have accomplished so much! I love my little Fat Notebook!  The only problem is, I fill it with so many things, that I sometimes get annoyed with myself for having so much to do.

Being unemployed, it’s great to have so much time on your hands to get stuff done. For example, being able to go food shopping on a weekday morning instead of dealing with the crowds on the weekends is a “luxury.” But who wants to spend their free time food shopping?

It’s also nice to have those extra moments to work on projects that have been on the back burner. My wedding album has been mine. My husband and I were assigned to go through over 3,000 pictures and narrow it down to the ones we like. Afterward, we were to make an appointment with our photographer to make the album. In the 3 ½ months we have had to work on this (time since we were laid off – we have had a little less than 2 years to do it), we have chosen the pictures but have yet to make an actual appointment.

I have a million projects like the wedding album on my “to-do” list. Essays to write for journalism contests, scrapbooks to be completed (much less started), books to read; the list goes on.

What I find interesting about having time on your hands when you are unemployed, at least for me, is that these are still somewhat tedious things I need to get done and it’s hard to motivate myself when I know I can do it at anytime. What is bad about this is that (hopefully) this time will disappear when I get a job.

I love having the freedom to do what I want, when I want. I love being able to see friends and family on a whim; to help others out at a moment’s notice; go out late and not think twice, but I also miss having a schedule and being somewhat regimented.

The grass is always greener. In the meantime, I better get on this “to-do” list before I start complaining that I have no time!

Don’t Ask Me to Do My Old Job When I Come to Visit You

The other day I had the opportunity to stop by a smaller office of my former job. I knew a few people would be there, and by few, I mean like 3-5 at most. My husband had a meeting near the office and I decided since one of the colleagues I worked very closely with was there that day, I would pop in and say hello.

Had this been the office that I worked in, the place where they let me go and told me in literally 30 seconds that I no longer had a job and had to fend for myself; the place that slowly went from a job I loved to a prison, I certainly would not have stepped foot inside. But like I said, this was a much more remote office, the office where I actually began my Red Cross career, so I kind of felt safe.

I walked right in and the volunteer at the desk didn’t recognize me. That was ok, I was seldom at this branch so it didn’t surprise me much, especially since I didn’t know who was at the desk anyway! As I walked up the stairs, I waited for that sense of sadness to come over me, some sort of memory that would make me wish I was back there. Nothing rushed over me. I was just excited to see my former colleague and surprise her.

And she was surprised to see me and got up to hug me hello and it was nice to feel that warmth of work friendship once again. It had only been a few weeks, if that long, since I had seen her, but when you see someone every day and share thoughts, dreams and aggravations with one another, not seeing those people in a few weeks sometimes seems longer. She told me that she missed me and asked me what was new and before I knew it, another colleague came over to say hello. I was also close with her, she had always had a whip of a personality, which was what I loved her.

Unfortunately, she barely said hello to me before she was asking me to help her with a project. I was baffled. I hadn’t seen this woman in weeks, she had yet to ask how I was (or my husband for that matter), I had just lost yet another job (see blog post #2) and she was asking me to help her with a website issue? Give me a break!

I handled all the web content and campaigns for our chapter’s website and while this lovely woman had a large part to handle with the website in fundraising capacities, she never really learned how to do those things. I always helped her, and while I walked her through things and set her up with specialized training from our webhost providers and gave her some tips before I left, she still never got it and never bothered to try. And frankly, it wasn’t my problem that she didn’t know how to deal with these things now that I was gone.

When she asked me, I got annoyed. I said, “I haven’t heard from you in ages and when I do, you ask me to do stuff for the website?” No, this was not the first time she asked me to do this crap. I had received at least two emails after my departure asking me to do these same types of things. She said something about how the staff didn’t know how useful I was and that they still needed me. What she didn’t know was that I knew that already and didn’t care much anymore.

Needless to say, I helped her, but did it without my usual smile and grace.  I came there to say hello to these folks. I mustered up the courage to go into my old stomping ground (hey, the guy who laid me off could have been at that office that day for all I knew!) to see old colleagues and they ask me to help them with projects? Give me a break!

I left that day very bothered and thinking about still makes me bothered. What is even more annoying is that neither of those women has reached out to me since to say hello or see how I am (either by phone or email).

A note to those who are visited by former colleagues: don’t ask them to help you or do work for you during their visit. While they may not have a job, that’s certainly not why they came by.

What I Want to be When I Grow Up…

Before losing my job or trying to find a new career path, I always wished that I was doing something else. Doesn’t everyone? I always believed that the grass was greener on the other side. Isn’t it?

Since losing my job (oh, and we can’t forget the job I got but was taken back), I have been contemplating what my next step will be. Maybe this is the time to really delve into my writing (trying to do that). Maybe I should volunteer or give back somehow (applied to be a volunteer – I worked for Red Cross, I know how valuable volunteers are!). My mind is running aimlessly and endlessly.

Having been unemployed before, I understand the value of having this “free time.” The last time I lost my job, I was about eight weeks away from getting married. While I still interviewed and tried to find a job (I even landed a gig six days later but it wasn’t for me…is there a pattern here?), I also came to the realization that I had the opportunity to finish planning my wedding and start fresh on the employment path just a few weeks later. This time around, it’s a little different.

When my husband lost his job, I told him this was his opportunity to do a lot of the things he always wanted to do that he couldn’t because work got in the way, such as travel, play guitar, see family and friends. Of course, you’re still looking for work, but at some point, you burn out after hours at the computer, networking, phone calls. If you’re unemployed, you know the drill.

There is so much I want to do and be right now. It’s so confusing. I recently turned 31 and while I am still young (in my eyes at least), I feel like I have lost this huge opportunity to start something new, which I know is outrageous. I would completely discourage someone from that state of mind if they told me that.

So here are some of the things I have wanted to be since I lost my job and even while I was pitching stories and being the media maven that I have been for the last eight years:

• Writer
• Lawyer
• Doctor / Surgeon
• Detective
• News Reporter
• Reality TV Star
• Radio Announcer
• Actress
• Postal Clerk
• Scientist

While some of these occupations are completely attainable, some are so out of reach given where I am in life; at least that is how I feel. For example, if I wanted to be a doctor, I would have to be in school for like eight years and by then I would be almost 40 before I’d even be a resident or something. How would that affect my plans for the future, for a family, how would I pay back all those student loans? And let’s not get into the math and science aspect. I work with the other side of the brain, which brings me to the detective and scientist.

Sometimes I think I chose the wrong career. Communications is so broad; I wish I had a more definitive specialty. But I have excelled thus far and maybe my skill set can help someone down the road somehow, including myself. Maybe it’s just time to “nut up” and try something new and different. We’ll see. In the meantime, while I wait for Hollywood to call, maybe I’ll brush up on my math and science (and reruns of CSI and Law and Order can’t hurt either, right?).

How the Economic Crisis Changed my Marriage

I am one of millions of Americans dealing with the unemployment crisis, only I have not lost my job. Recently, my husband lost his job and our world has dramatically changed. Not so much because we are changing the way we operate our finances or dealing with new health insurance carriers, and all that goes along with a job loss, but our roles in our marriage have taken a drastic leap.

I am a media junkie. I work in public relations so maybe that is why I am constantly glued to all things news. Whether I am watching local or cable news, reading the paper or surfing the net, I am always plugged in. But in all the coverage on this unemployment crisis, I have seen nothing about the changing roles in marriages that take affect when a man loses his job.

My husband was the promotions director for the number one classic rock station in New York City . He worked there for 10 years; a third of his life. Working his way up the ladder, he met celebrities, went to hundreds of concerts and received lots of perks, but worked harder than anyone I knew. He had survived layoffs at this company before, but this time, it was a massacre. Nearly 90 people from his New York office were let go and over 1,800 nationwide.

Having lost jobs myself, I knew what my husband was about to experience. There would be many ups and downs, a roller coaster of emotions were awaiting him. He would soon feel angry, depressed, lost, alone, invaluable, scared; the list goes on. Anyone who has lost a job, no matter what the reason, knows what I am talking about.

When my husband called me to tell me he had lost his job, I ended up taking a personal day and left my own job to be with him. While he didn’t ask me to, I knew that he would not know what to do with himself after things slowly started to settle in.

I helped him sign up for unemployment and contact his now former employer about his contract and bonuses he had yet to receive. I made him lunch and stroked his hair and told him everything would be alright. I also told him that he’d have to be patient as he started looking for a new job. Forget the fact that it’s hard enough to find a new job, but in this economy, with this many people out of work, especially in the New York City market, there were a lot of odds stacked against him. My husband has a lot of patience with me and for friends and family, but when it comes to personal goals and ambition, he becomes restless quite quickly.

Aside from all the sadness and anger about losing his job, we also came to the realization that we would be losing a home that we were in the middle of purchasing. We had been approved for a mortgage, our bid had been accepted and we were in the process of setting up the inspection when this all happened. We knew we had to throw in the towel on our dream home when there was only one income supporting us, despite a severance package. I was fine with this, as I was not 100% ready to move, but it broke my husband’s heart in a million different pieces that this was happening at the same time that he lost his job.

I hate to admit it, but I am a bit of a needy person. I don’t handle being sick very well or making decisions on my own. While I like to think I am an independent woman, I do depend on my husband for so much. Suddenly, I had to step up and be this entire support system, something that my husband had never needed in this fashion. Don’t get me wrong, I have been there for him whenever he has needed me, but usually, I need him more than he needs me. Not only did I have to help him, I had to deal with my own emotions and fears about my husband, the breadwinner, the rock of our unit, losing his job and how that would affect us.

It’s been a roller coaster for us both, but I can’t share my peaks and valleys with him right now; not that he wouldn’t be open to hearing what is on my mind, but I don’t want to add that stress to his plate. He is up at 7:00 a.m. every morning looking for jobs, even on weekends! One Sunday morning, I told him, “It’s Sunday, a day of rest, give yourself a break!” It breaks my heart knowing what he is going through as a person and as a man; a man who feels he should be supporting his wife through a paycheck and not unemployment. Don’t even get me started on that one!

It has been more than an emotional ride that I have taken through this whole transition, and that is what I think people forget when they talk about this economic crisis. We hear about the families and how they may not be able to put food on their tables or the educations that may suffer. There is constant chatter about struggling two income families not being able to make ends meet to pay the rent or car insurance, but no one talks about the generation who doesn’t have children to feed or put through school, but still has the same challenges and struggles. I am one of those people.

Since my husband lost his job, I feel I have lost a part of him. A piece of his spirit is gone. And while that may not make a great news story on CNN next to the family who can’t buy milk and eggs for their family of six, it makes headlines in my house. I also have lost things through this life change. I used to relish in my time alone. My husband may have worked late or had an event or went out with friends or colleagues after a long day and I had some “Michelle Time” as I like to call it. There is less “Michelle Time” these days. I would never tell my husband that, because he spends his days looking for work and then looking forward to me coming home. He spends most of his days in front of a computer or on the phone; networking, emailing, job searching. Sometimes I want to come home and just do some personal things on my own and I feel a sense of obligation to be with him since he has been alone all day. We are no longer playing on an equal playing field and sadly, it’s not by choice.

I know my husband will find a job, and while it might take longer than he would like, it will likely be better than his previous gig. I know we will find a house when the time is right and it will be even greater than the one we originally found. This job loss won’t define us, but it will help us learn more about each other and grow stronger. It would just be nice if mainstream America and the media remembered that there are others who have been affected by this terrible economic downturn in our country.