I am officially launching my website. My book, So You Have This Opportunity has been sent to the publisher for editing, and all the other publishing processes that are necessary to produce a finished book. This book is designed to help you get going again. The target audience includes people who lost their positions through job elimination, restructuring, lay-offs, etc. It also includes people who may still be working, but are now doing more jobs because others have left, or who have seen a wonderful, challenging position deteriorate into a terrible position where you are expected to do more with less resources, and nobody cares about you, your life balance, or your good health.
It was developed as a “Little Book,” that can easily be read in several hours, full of ideas and practical wisdom. I would suggest that you read for maybe an hour, no more. Let it soak in, and do something else. Go to a movie, read a book, or call a dear friend and see how he or she is doing. Come back the next day and read more, until you get through it. Then go back and read it again, and start the process. Plan how you will marshall your resources, develop a plan, and find the right position for you. This book gives you options.
This book tells you to review your resume, and make it the best it can be. It does not tell you how to do that step by step. There are books for that and Google or Bing can help you find them. There are professional resume writers, who keep track of the latest formats, and know how to make your resume look better than the others that will also be submitted for that position. You need to make a good first impression, or it may be your last impression for that position.
This book shows you how to develop your plan. It does not give you a plan. Your plan depends on your life situation, and your resources, and your dreams and goals. Keep it as simple as you can, but realize that there may be some complex or complicating issues, and you may have to adjust it over time. You have some work to do, and when you are ready, you need to work diligently toward your goal. Make sure you work on achieving a positive attitude. The glass is half-full or half-empty, depending on your point of view. I suggest you choose half-full, and expect that it will continue to improve. When you get the call to schedule an interview, do your homework. What do you know about this employment opportunity, the company, the people who work there? Preparation makes all the difference.
If you know someone who is in a bad work position, or who has recently lost their job, you may want to offer this book , and tell this person that you care and want to support him or her. Support means so much when you just got slammed by something that you could not see coming.
Support is caring. It is not critical. You are not responsible for finding someone else a good position. But a smile and a kind word can make a big difference during stressful times. Even if you did not lose your job, a positive interaction with another person is a wonderful addition to your day. If you are stressed out, feeling down, losing confidence after a sudden job loss, a kind word from a caring friend is a wonderful gift. Remember to give that gift often. When you give a smile, you most often get a smile back, and your day goes a little better. Sounds too simple, but it works.
Have a great day.
-Dr. Bob