Following Up, The To Do List, and Other Scary Thoughts

Once again, it's been a very long week since my last post. Just another curse from managing to keep my 4 part-time jobs alive. While the job search To Do list doesn't seem to get any smaller, it's now joined by a pair of new To Do lists from a couple of the part-time positions.

I wonder what you think...how best do you chip away at your To Do lists? Carry them with you? Create a new one each day? Keep them electronically? On paper? Post it on your mirror, your fridge, your pc's screen? Reward yourself?

Please: comment on this post, share your thoughts, I'm curious what works best for you all. This blog has leaned a bit too one sided, let's share our thoughts and start some discussions...

Had my second conversation this week about following up (job leads, networking contacts made, returning calls, deciphering the notes made on business cards, promises made...). Both of the people I discussed this with were roughly my age (the wrong side of 40+), and we shared our observations about the piling up of follow ups - seems almost inevitable. We also noticed how many younger folks (generation x, or y, or whatever you want to call them - i.e., the ages we wish we were again now that we have all this wisdom!) seem to have a strong aversion to following up, especially when it comes to the job search ("I don't want to be a nuisance"..."they promised to call me in a week").

Again...what do you think? Are they, or you - depending on age, so different from some of us older workers? Comment, criticize, agree, yell, debate...let me (and all of us) know your thoughts please.

A final thought - it's summer! Time to be outside, especially in Chicago (the suffering is over, for a few months at least), we need to go pick up our Blackhawk Stanley Cup Championship gear - we have so much to do, but now's not the time to let your "networking" guard down. Two of my part time jobs were found due to networking. Simply put: we can't ever stop networking. So, find a great place outside to meet with these people, but try really hard to resist "taking the summer off". It's indoors, but on Tuesday June 22, 6:00pm - 9:30pm, a great monthly networking event to attend is the BNC's After Hours - learn more, register at: http://june2010afterhours.eventbrite.com/

and now, your turn!

larry

Census, Part Time Work, And Much More Part Time Work

Gosh that was one LONG week since my last "weekly" post. First, some key events coming that need to be shared. Then, an update on me, and thoughts, if there's space and time.

The Windy City Biz Bash is quickly approaching!

June 3, 5:30 - 8:30pm at The Murphy, 50 E. Erie Street, Chicago

This is BMA Chicago's (Business Marketing Association) annual gala and fundraiser. Register by May 20 and save almost 20%. It's worth it!! www.bmachicago.org/events/windy-city-biz-bash-2010-0

Another event worth attending is BNC's (Business Network Chicago) monthly BNC "After Hours" event. Engaging speakers, very interesting people with whom to casually network, a short speednetworking session if you choose, and great food in a fantastic location downtown. The next one is set for Tuesday May 25, 6:00 - 9:30 pm. Interested? Check out the details at www.bnchicago.org/EventDetails.php?id=269

This heads up for those that are way too overloaded with work, family, no spare time - and never were able to send in your Census form. When the U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, please, be kind, because it might be me (and it will take less than 10 minutes out of your day!) Apparently patience pays off (sometimes) - more than a year after applying, I got the call to work part time for our government for a few weeks, they even chose me to be a "Crew Leader Assistant" (or, CLA...having been in corporate America for years, I thought I knew the overuse of acronyms all too well. Ha, not even close Larry, welcome to your government's alphabet soup!) Want to learn more? Check out the Census site at 2010.census.gov/2010census/

Fundraising: for over 30 years, this has been very important to me. Having raised over $21,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and other important causes during my too brief marathon career, I understand how tough it can be to raise significant money at times. For anyone connected to nonprofits, schools, teams, or any worthy cause - you are in luck: I have a wonderful, risk-free fundraising vehicle (pun intended) for you, especially if your contributors are located anywhere near: Palatine, Elmhurst, Downers Grove, Melrose Park, Naperville, Tinley Park, Crestwood, Glenwood, or even Joliet. Want to know more? send a comment to me, or contact me at LLabow@comcast.net It's a great idea that people love!! No calories are involved, I promise you.

During the job search, we're often tempted (or pushed) to go outside our comfort zone (anyone up for some insurance sales?). And we tend to hesitate, procrastinate, worry, rationalize why it's a bad idea to leave our chosen profession. Well folks, it just may be worth the risk (this, from someone who happily avoids risks, except on the tennis court) and you may be pleasantly surprised. I've jumped far outside my comfort zone, and, so far I'm still here. From retail, government work, tons of volunteering, committee work, leading networking groups, and now, gulp.....sales! Even the dreaded word "commission" enters this picture. As always, I firmly believe and encourage us all to think: "you never know...."

I look forward to your comments, new followers, and always feel free to forward,

larry

"Income tax returns are the most imaginative fiction being written today." - Herman Wouk

Dear Readers,

The Herman Wouk quote in the title above tickled me. He's long been one of my favorite writers. If you've never read any of his Pulitzer Prize winning work, you're missing out (a huge understatement). There's a really nice piece on him in the April 19 issue of Newsweek. (at right, in Jerusalem, 1955)

Why not have a look if you're not familiar with this American treasure:http://www.newsweek.com/id/236028

Ok, marketing folks in Chicago: both those in transition and you that are blessed with full time employment and regular paychecks. Perhaps you've recently been to networking events that were crowded, had a speaker or two, sometimes interesting and fruitful, sometimes not. Sometimes costly.

Here's one that is very low key, very inexpensive, includes free appetizers, and hosted by...your favorite blogger. The next AMA (American Marketing Association) Downtown Meetup will be this Friday, April 16, 5:30pm at Pazzo's, 311 S. Wacker, in Chicago (across the street of the Sears Tower http://www.pazzoscucina.com/ ). I'll be hosting three more after this week's Meetup - May 17, June 21 & September 20. Besides the very relaxed, friendly, and easy networking, we'll run the "Hot Seat" format.

What's the Hot Seat format? Hot Seat allows you to leverage the room full of marketing experts to get some free consulting on your current marketing challenges. Or, if you're in the audience it's an opportunity to flex your brain and show off your skills. The marketing challenges can be related to a specific campaign, job search or even a new idea you'd like to evaluate. You can fudge the names to protect the guilty, but please keep these to real-life situations, not theoretical scenarios.

Hot Seat volunteers have two minutes to lay out the case, followed by one minute of clarification questions (if needed). Then you have a fast and furious three minutes where the audience offers their best tips to solve your challenge.

Interested? Want more information? Send me a comment to today's blog post, I'll be happy to tell you more. Or you can go to: http://www.meetup.com/ChiAMA/ to learn more, and you can join this Meetup group (free). Currently the group has over 1,000 marketing professionals. But don't worry, the restaurant's room only holds about 30 people.

As always, I anxiously welcome your comments, thoughts, alternate views, ideas for blog discussion, and questions. I continue to hope that you find these posts worthy of forwarding to your network, retweeting, facebooking, and that you become a follower of this blog.

Readers: I will moderate all comments posted in order to prevent what most of us consider to be very inappropriate, offensive language, as well as block unwanted spams.

Meanwhile, it's 75 degrees in Chicago, in April, and if I'm not mistaken, my running shoes are whining for me to take them out for a quick run. I hope your tax season ends nicely, wasn't too painful, and that your tax returns are all nonfiction!

larry

Part Time + Part Time + Part Time = ?

Dearest Readers -

We made it! The last day of March - Holiday Season has arrived - happy Easter and Pesach to those who celebrate; San Diego's artificially flawless, cloudless, wonderful weather arrives in Chicago (and it's not even a cruel April Fool's Day gag); Only five short days until the SMACK of fastball hitting leather is heard in baseball stadiums across America (I'm long a believer in what Thomas Boswell wrote, "Time begins on Opening Day"); Dreaded Duke is in the Final 4 (yawn), but so is Butler (who?); and for me, the last day of March arrives with yet another part time opportunity plopping onto my plate. I'm thinking it's time I find a much larger plate.

Those still in a job search: keep the U.S. Census in mind - apparently they still need our help. It's some decent money for the short term, it gets you away from your computer, your phone and outdoors, and you're supporting our Constitution - all at the same time! I hope if I knock on your door in the coming weeks wearing my cool Census Worker lanyard, you'll answer it. I took the very easy test over a year ago, was turned down last summer, but got the call today. As I firmly continue to believe and preach: "You never know".

For a very long time I've been a firm nonbeliever in new year's resolutions: the gym gets way too crowded for a month (just for a month, since most resolutions fade by February); often they're alcohol-induced; created by peer pressure; and usually they're not serious, heartfelt, well thought out goals. Not to mention my greatest aversion to them: they're trendy! Nobody ever liked my "resolution" very much, so, I've stopped sharing it.

However, now the very serious, long, marathon-like drama known as the baseball season begins. A season sure to be full of joy, disappointment, ups, downs, records broken, and yes - boredom (for many), and a scandal or two. For me, well, I honestly fully expect my character-building, long suffering and heartache to continue to grow due to my stubborn loyalty and love for my Orioles and Cubs.

So, now that both the first quarter and the winter is over - no more excuses, now would be a great time for us all to set some practical, six month long (or, 162 games long if your brain works like mine) goals. I hope and welcome you sharing these real, achievable, measurable, serious, silly, and perhaps life changing goals in your comments to my blog.

Stay outside if you can, take a longer lunch out there if you're employed, see all the joyous faces! And know that it's the weather, or the holidays, or maybe that baseball hasn't started yet in Chicago!!

I look forward to many comments, followers, and the Final 4!

larry

Filling Your Calendar

The list of to do's during the job search is bottomless. Trying to fit them all into my small (nonelectric) day planner? Good luck. They call this leather-bound burden "Pocket Sized". Pockets that large simply don't exist. But for me, if it's not committed to paper, it'll never happen. Besides the calls, follow-ups, 1 on 1 meetings, classes, part-time job schedule, more calls, more searches, online applications, there are plenty of networking events to attend.

Here are some upcoming events, not just for those in the job search, that should be very worthwhile attending. On Friday, April 23 is the second Business Networker's Expo & Social Media Fair. See all the details at http://www.biznetexpo.com/ A very good friend is the co-founder and it takes place in Buffalo Grove at The Arboretum Club from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. There will be a variety of speakers covering various angles of Social Media. The afternoon's keynote speaker is Emmy Award winning Chicago sportsbroadcaster, Bruce Wolfe. He's also an attorney, video blogger and his presentation should be highly interactive and lively. His sense of humor and take on things is right up my alley, so if you can stomach mine...you'll love Bruce.

Another event is the monthly Chicago Booth Marketing Roundtable, usually on a Wednesday night toward the end of the month, at the Gleacher Center (University of Chicago) downtown. It's located between the Tribune and NBC Towers. This month's Roundtable is March 31, and the topic: Seizing the Advantage - Recruiting Marketing Talent in Today's Tough Environment. There will be a panel featuring three executive recruiters who specialize in recruiting marketing professionals. I know two of them and they are excellent. Each month the group is made up of really high quality people, mostly employed, many are connected to the U. of C., but you don't have to be an alum to attend, and best of all...it's free! For more information, go to: http://www.chicagogsb.edu/chicagoweekly/

Meanwhile, proving how incredibly tiny this world is. Last week I was sent a job posting for what looks like a great position as a Marketing and Sponsorship Manager. First step: rather than be in the pile of 800 resumes, I try to network my way toward the hiring manager. Yesterday at my part-time job, while chatting with a customer, I quickly learned that she is the person they are replacing! A long story, but just incredible. Chicago - it's so tiny!

This blog puts an abrupt end to the brief sidetrack I allowed to carefully focus on and follow my Terrapins in the ncaa tournament. The pain from the heart-crushing loss (a desperate, long 3- point shot as the final buzzer sounded) is just beginning to numb.

Once again, I hope you get something out of this blog, and hope you sign up to follow me, forward it to those you know that would appreciate it, and please, I look forward to hearing your comments on this two way conversation we're having.

Enjoy the rest of your week, and play your music loud.

larry

A very temporary back seat

The job search - we know it's never ending, more so than ever in this wonderful job market. But today happens only once a year. A special day.

The search, our jobs, our kids, our plans for today...they must temporarily take a back seat, just for the morning....because, it's upon us. There is no longer any time to procrastinate. The deadline is staring at us all in the face. This is too serious to ignore. I hope you will be strong, have courage, tax your analytical skills...sharpen your pencils (always love the 'throw back' references) and just get it done...and get it done soon folks:

Fill out your ncaa men's basketball brackets and get them into your office pools or online sites!

Pick your underdogs, your cinderalla(s), your favorite uniform colors, silly mascot names (a turtle?), think of schools that happily hover just under the radar (a school named Maryland, as well as some others). Or, make it easy on yourself, and blindly pick Kansas to win it all, surrounded by the other 3 top seeds. It's too easy to pose the question for you about who you think will win it all, so I won't.

Yes, today will be in the 60's in Chicago, and it's only March. However, true to form, and as predicted 3 weeks ago, this weekend we may get snow (it is Chicago, after all). But it's time to break away from all the 'shoulds' for just a short while, consider the injuries, upsets, streaks, bitter rivalries and biases such as, by how much will Notre Dame lose; just how far do I send, gulp, Duke (led by a boy from Northbrook!) in the tournament?
Have fun you all!!
larry

The Pilot, Preseason, Practice, First Attempted Post

Welcome to "Labow's Last Search" blog...both to you and me.

As the job search continues, I'll share thoughts, ideas, suggestions, links, and perhaps a well-edited, slightly out of control, rant here and there. One of the goals for the post - to somewhat lighten our burden. Of course we've been told over and over: looking for a job is a full time job. Actually, no it isn't..it's much more demanding than a full time job. It can be endless, since unlike you and me, the blessed (and dreaded) internet never sleeps. And it often lacks what we have on our jobs - a boss. Deadlines, demands and reviews all come from within.

However, it does come with benefits, in theory at least - more time with your children; more time to work off the extra 10 lbs.; more time to learn, read, think, self-examine and reconnect. And, plenty of time to network...lots of time for this.

The first couple of posts will be experimental, the direction it takes is unknown as of now. I welcome your comments, always. Keep your eyes open for my next post, very soon.
Try not to 'should' on yourself too much during the search, stay positive - fake it if necessary, and give yourself credit!

larry