So I have my answer. Friday afternoon I accepted a chance to become a financial advisor with Edward Jones. I dropped out of the hiring pipeline of Merrill Lynch even though I would have learned from someone who I've respected for 20 years.
In that case, much of it was timing. I would have had to wait another three to four weeks before they made a decision and nothing was guaranteed. It was a situation of a bird in hand ...
The last thing to wait on was Monday. I had had two excellent conversations with Northwest Bank and they finally called on Monday because I let them know I had a deadline with Edward Jones. Back at my first meeting in late August I had given them a salary figure I was shooting for. I won't say what it was but my calculation was easy. I wanted what I had been making at the Register Star plus what I paid annually in child support.
In the end, that priced me out of the market for Northwest. They would have had to create a position for me and they were uncomfortable doing that at what I had asked.
I told them I understood. My reasoning was simple. I didn't want to get myself into another position where I had to work five or six part time jobs to afford what I want to make for myself and my daughters.
Of course, the salary at Edward Jones is well below that, but now I'll have incentive to do more. The more clients I find and the better I do for them the better I do for myself. I'm only capped now by how hard I want to work.
There are lots of other advantages to this opportunity. If I do well I will have my own office in a year and can set up my day to my advantage. Edward Jones goes after all kinds of clients, not just ones of a certain wealth. That turned out to be important to me. I talked to lots of people in the past few years who could use some solid advice, but most of them aren't at the financial level many financial firms look for. I didn't want to go somewhere where I couldn't help them.
It's a solid chance for me to recreate myself and it's scary. I don't think I would have taken this chance before 2009. I liked a set paycheck. I liked to be able to budget to a penny. Then I went through a divorce and my financial life became very complicated. All of a sudden every minute of my day was for sale. Umpiring, scorekeeping, lifting gates, donating plasma, stacking packages, bookkeeping. It was never boring, always tiring and it expanded my horizons. There had to be something better.
Now, I have a lot to do to get where I need to go. I have to pass a six hour test called the Series 7 and then a shorter but still important test called the Series 66. Officially, I start studying Nov. 17. Really, I'll start studying now. Edward Jones gives you one shot at it. Fail and you're out. So I have to clear the decks so that I have as few distractions as possible.
Some of that I'll be able to do. I plan to wrap up this version of Sunil's book by the 17th. He has talked about adding to it in the future. That future will have to at least be summer. My second round at UPS ended after three weeks. I quit this week. I'll be taking the tests in late December. I can't be staying up until 3 a.m. for $8.50 an hour. I felt bad getting out, but it was barely worth it. When I hear politicians say it isn't necessary to raise the minimum wage I think of the hard working people at UPS. The deserve a raise. I'd like to see Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker work a week on Green Runout.
I will continue the basketball scorekeeping. The Jefferson games start in December. I'm also coordinating doing the statistics now for Rock Valley College. That starts Friday and right now it's a bit of a chore. They have a very sophisticated program they use, but I was just able to start practicing it tonight and it's going to take a lot of repitition to get it right. We'll need to use spotters for the first several or else we're going to miss things and the men's coach put us on notice. If we aren't accurate after the first few games he'll look for someone else.
I think we'll get it, but it's nerve wracking going into games Friday and Saturday with so little practice.
The other distraction is that if I pass the Series 7 and Series 66 I'm going to have some training out of town in January and then lots of door to door work in January and February. I'll have to give up several games for Jefferson and RVC because it's more important to get this next career launched.
It will be a different mind set as well. I had lunch with my old Register Star coworkers Tuesday to let them know my final decision. I've talked finances with two and then found out a third needs to make some decisions with their old 401(k). Hey, I could be that guy if I do well. On the way out I said hi to several others. I need referrals now. I need people to help. A couple people asked me why financial advisor. It actually has been years in the making. A book I read coming out of college was called "The Wealthy Barber."
It is an excellent book that all should read and it started me down the path of studying personal finance. People who know me I'll talk tips of how to save more and spend less all day. So perhaps I'm not straying from my true calling and instead finally finding it.
One other thing I plan to continue is staying involved in the business community in some way. For the next several months I'll be writing the Transform Rockford stories in the Voice. Hopefully, I'll be able to do the work without hurting my other efforts. Two stories a month shouldn't cost me too much time. I already have some ideas of what to write about.
My schedule with the girls will be in flux after January. I won't be able to pick them up after school every day. That'll be impossible. I'll still try to do it as much as I can. Emma is almost 16 so pretty soon she'll be driving herself. Hannah still hates to ride the bus so I have more years of enjoying that time with her.
I had lunch with George Hofstetter of Rockford Reachout Jail Ministry today. He is one of several I met with over these two months who gave me confidence. As we were leaving he told me to count my blessings. Many people lose their jobs and wait 12 months or more to even get a nibble. For me it was a day less than two months.
I have lots and lots of people to thank just for sitting down and giving me advice or confidence. I know I'll miss someone, but I'll toss out some thank yous to John Lewis, Denny Roop, Bill Roop, Ed Muguia, LoRayne Logan, Tom Walsh, Charles Kluzak, Linda Heckert, Stacy Brady, Scott Jeffrey, David Casalena, Dan Reece, Rick Bastian, Brian Leaf, Sunil Puri and Bharat Puri. Again, there are more, but it's late and my brain is shutting down.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Down the stretch
This drama should be ending soon.
I stopped blogging because as things progressed I thought it best to keep the developments to myself because I am friends with people involved in the progress and I realized I'm going to have to pick one opportunity over another.
I have a job offer and I have until Monday to accept. I really have/had three solid opportunities. I had a solid knowledge of the starting salary of one and an idea of another and no real idea of the third.
Each of the three had different lengths to the training program. One was for 30 months, the other for 24 and the third I was told "we'll know in six months to a year if it's working out."
All three really are sales, either selling myself to a person or my organization to a business. All three will be a marked difference to what I was doing.
The one where I had an idea of what the initial might be was the first to come in with an offer -- and it was significantly better than I expected.
I wasn't sure what to do with the other two if I accept the offer. I messaged a friend who owns a staffing firm and was advised to drop out of the hiring process of one -- which was going to take another five weeks and I wasn't 100 percent sure I was going to be accepted -- and to message the other saying I have an offer and was wondering if they could speed up their decision making process.
So I've done both. I've heard back from the one I'm still hoping to get a competing offer saying they'll call me today or Monday to discuss what they were thinking.
I don't want to say either way today what I'll be doing, but I'm confident that by Tuesday I'll be meeting my old coworkers at the District for Taco Tuesday to celebrate this new direction.
In any case, it'll be nice to be back to one job again -- or one real job, I plan on working some of the side stuff in.
Three weeks ago, I still wasn't sure when this all would end so I re-upped for the UPS graveyard shift. I've found even if I can sleep in the morning after working so late at night just messes up your body clock. I'm exhausted all the time. That ends Dec. 23 and I may ride it out until the end, depending on what the new employer says will be my start date.
We're inching closer to basketball season and that means 30 or so days/nights at Jefferson High School in December, January and February. I'm expanding that business though. Charles Kluzak, who does the announcing at Jefferson, found out they need someone to supervise keeping statistics during Rock Valley College games. Charles suggested me. I exchanged a few emails with the RVC athletic department and boom, I'm scheduling myself and two friends to do those games. Those start next week.
I also have to wrap up a book I'm doing for a friend. I'll need this one off my plate by the time the new job starts. I just won't have enough time for the first year to do both. That's going to be my focus next week.
I've now been gone from the Register Star for two months and two days and I still haven't missed it. I found a platform to continue to do statistical research and write through Transform Rockford as a volunteer. I'll get to look into how the Rockford area got this way and be part of the team researching how to get out of it.
My old Register Star friends laugh at this because I've been skeptical so far of Transform Rockford. At first it felt like group therapy, which in itself is helpful. But there have been so many different efforts to fix things over the years and few have made a difference so I've become jaded. But now instead of sniping from the outside, I get to be in the process at least a little bit. I'm not exactly Theodore Roosevelt's man in the arena, but at least I'm closer to the arena and out of the safety of the press box.
Look, I love to write and I love to do research, but with the way the newspaper industry was going it just wasn't going to be a career that paid well enough to put two girls through college. I'd win awards or launch new products, whatever, and made the same regardless. There's nothing more meaningless in life than doing your annual self evaluation knowing that it was pointless. Your pay was going to be the same. Your benefits were going to be the same. To me it was like the band of the Titanic that continued to play as the ship sank. Heroic? Yes. But really they should have run for the lifeboats.
The incentive was no longer there. Now, the better I do for the organization I pick the better my family does in what we make.
I stopped blogging because as things progressed I thought it best to keep the developments to myself because I am friends with people involved in the progress and I realized I'm going to have to pick one opportunity over another.
I have a job offer and I have until Monday to accept. I really have/had three solid opportunities. I had a solid knowledge of the starting salary of one and an idea of another and no real idea of the third.
Each of the three had different lengths to the training program. One was for 30 months, the other for 24 and the third I was told "we'll know in six months to a year if it's working out."
All three really are sales, either selling myself to a person or my organization to a business. All three will be a marked difference to what I was doing.
The one where I had an idea of what the initial might be was the first to come in with an offer -- and it was significantly better than I expected.
I wasn't sure what to do with the other two if I accept the offer. I messaged a friend who owns a staffing firm and was advised to drop out of the hiring process of one -- which was going to take another five weeks and I wasn't 100 percent sure I was going to be accepted -- and to message the other saying I have an offer and was wondering if they could speed up their decision making process.
So I've done both. I've heard back from the one I'm still hoping to get a competing offer saying they'll call me today or Monday to discuss what they were thinking.
I don't want to say either way today what I'll be doing, but I'm confident that by Tuesday I'll be meeting my old coworkers at the District for Taco Tuesday to celebrate this new direction.
In any case, it'll be nice to be back to one job again -- or one real job, I plan on working some of the side stuff in.
Three weeks ago, I still wasn't sure when this all would end so I re-upped for the UPS graveyard shift. I've found even if I can sleep in the morning after working so late at night just messes up your body clock. I'm exhausted all the time. That ends Dec. 23 and I may ride it out until the end, depending on what the new employer says will be my start date.
We're inching closer to basketball season and that means 30 or so days/nights at Jefferson High School in December, January and February. I'm expanding that business though. Charles Kluzak, who does the announcing at Jefferson, found out they need someone to supervise keeping statistics during Rock Valley College games. Charles suggested me. I exchanged a few emails with the RVC athletic department and boom, I'm scheduling myself and two friends to do those games. Those start next week.
I also have to wrap up a book I'm doing for a friend. I'll need this one off my plate by the time the new job starts. I just won't have enough time for the first year to do both. That's going to be my focus next week.
I've now been gone from the Register Star for two months and two days and I still haven't missed it. I found a platform to continue to do statistical research and write through Transform Rockford as a volunteer. I'll get to look into how the Rockford area got this way and be part of the team researching how to get out of it.
My old Register Star friends laugh at this because I've been skeptical so far of Transform Rockford. At first it felt like group therapy, which in itself is helpful. But there have been so many different efforts to fix things over the years and few have made a difference so I've become jaded. But now instead of sniping from the outside, I get to be in the process at least a little bit. I'm not exactly Theodore Roosevelt's man in the arena, but at least I'm closer to the arena and out of the safety of the press box.
Look, I love to write and I love to do research, but with the way the newspaper industry was going it just wasn't going to be a career that paid well enough to put two girls through college. I'd win awards or launch new products, whatever, and made the same regardless. There's nothing more meaningless in life than doing your annual self evaluation knowing that it was pointless. Your pay was going to be the same. Your benefits were going to be the same. To me it was like the band of the Titanic that continued to play as the ship sank. Heroic? Yes. But really they should have run for the lifeboats.
The incentive was no longer there. Now, the better I do for the organization I pick the better my family does in what we make.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Where does the time go?
Have you ever been busy while not being busy?
That's how this seems. I have a list of things to do every day and lots of time to do them and then I look at the clock and it's time to pick the girls up from school.
I am still pursuing two similar but starkly different work paths. One is taking up a lot of my time with various hoops to jump through before a job offer. The other is moving along about as fast as I push it.
Each day I wake up thinking, "man, it would be cool to do .... for a living."
Then the next day I think the exact opposite.
Of course, I still don't have official offers from either and until I do it's really a waste of brain power.
I have put everything else on hold while these play out and I'm not sure that's a good idea. I also don't want to waste anyone's time setting up meetings that I may not need. Perhaps that's being too polite. I don't know the best policy here. In my head, I'm thinking if one of the two falls through then I need to start pushing again. There are a couple of "people of influence" I haven't seen yet and I don't feel like I'm to the point of just sending resumes out.
Unemployment came through so I should be good financially through the end of October. If this extends far into November I'll A) start to get really nervous and B) have to dip into some savings again.
I'll admit also I'm thinking a little about my dad. He's gone now so I can't ask him how he handled these situations. He got his degree from Rockford College when I was around 5 and went up and up and up in his career.
Then my parents got divorced.
He did OK here in Illinois for a few years and then kind of went south. He went from being the general manager of large manufacturing operations to selling insurance, along the way burning through a bunch of cash on a couple of restaurants. He made a lot of money in his life and ended up with nothing other than Social Security.
This past weekend I had the girls and at the store I was looking for some medication for acne. It sucks being 45 and having to deal with that. I've learned over the years it's the surest sign of stress. And I admitted to my oldest daughter that I'm stressed. She said I don't seem stressed. And I told her the goal is not to appear to be stressed -- but sometimes your body gives it away.
That's how this seems. I have a list of things to do every day and lots of time to do them and then I look at the clock and it's time to pick the girls up from school.
I am still pursuing two similar but starkly different work paths. One is taking up a lot of my time with various hoops to jump through before a job offer. The other is moving along about as fast as I push it.
Each day I wake up thinking, "man, it would be cool to do .... for a living."
Then the next day I think the exact opposite.
Of course, I still don't have official offers from either and until I do it's really a waste of brain power.
I have put everything else on hold while these play out and I'm not sure that's a good idea. I also don't want to waste anyone's time setting up meetings that I may not need. Perhaps that's being too polite. I don't know the best policy here. In my head, I'm thinking if one of the two falls through then I need to start pushing again. There are a couple of "people of influence" I haven't seen yet and I don't feel like I'm to the point of just sending resumes out.
Unemployment came through so I should be good financially through the end of October. If this extends far into November I'll A) start to get really nervous and B) have to dip into some savings again.
I'll admit also I'm thinking a little about my dad. He's gone now so I can't ask him how he handled these situations. He got his degree from Rockford College when I was around 5 and went up and up and up in his career.
Then my parents got divorced.
He did OK here in Illinois for a few years and then kind of went south. He went from being the general manager of large manufacturing operations to selling insurance, along the way burning through a bunch of cash on a couple of restaurants. He made a lot of money in his life and ended up with nothing other than Social Security.
This past weekend I had the girls and at the store I was looking for some medication for acne. It sucks being 45 and having to deal with that. I've learned over the years it's the surest sign of stress. And I admitted to my oldest daughter that I'm stressed. She said I don't seem stressed. And I told her the goal is not to appear to be stressed -- but sometimes your body gives it away.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Happy anniversary
I woke up this morning and realized it was exactly four weeks ago that I was let go by the Register Star. Honestly, it feels like it was a lot longer than that.
I haven't posted this week because things are a little slow right now. Next week, I have two second interviews and I'm optimistic about both. I have kind of decided in my head which way I want to go if different options open up -- the hard part is the waiting.
One avenue closed yesterday. I'd applied for an economic development job, knew several people on the board and finally got in touch with the board chairman on Tuesday. It was a short but good conversation. He promised to call me back and set up a meeting for next week.
Instead, I got an email saying the organization decided to go in another direction. I wasn't too upset. I'd heard there possibly was a viable candidate when I put in for the position.
Catching up on the week. On Monday, I had to send in a bunch of income verification for one of the promising leads. I also stopped in to talk some more to a representative from the company.
On Tuesday, I stopped in to see a friend at the City of Loves Park. He suggested going for an economic development job in another nearby city. I have good contacts there so I sent an email and am waiting for a response.
Wednesday, I had lunch with the director of a nonprofit in town really just to get his input on the various things I'm pursuing. It was also to get out of the house.
Today, I'm working on finishing a book project that I really need to get done because now it'll be a conflict of interest.
I'm still waiting for a determination from the unemployment office. That's agonizingly slow. I can't imagine what it was like in 2010 when no one in the world was hiring.
Otherwise, I hit the YMCA a couple of times this week and finally got clamps for my body pump bar at home. Even though I had four weeks of vacation at the Register Star I always took them with my daughters so there was rarely any just me alone time. This is probably the longest stretch of time I've had to go for walks, hit the YMCA, make phone calls, rearrange the house since ... when I first got married and I was working nights at the Register Star while my ex-wife worked days.
So I'm kind of enjoying that right now even though I'm ready for it to end as well.
I haven't posted this week because things are a little slow right now. Next week, I have two second interviews and I'm optimistic about both. I have kind of decided in my head which way I want to go if different options open up -- the hard part is the waiting.
One avenue closed yesterday. I'd applied for an economic development job, knew several people on the board and finally got in touch with the board chairman on Tuesday. It was a short but good conversation. He promised to call me back and set up a meeting for next week.
Instead, I got an email saying the organization decided to go in another direction. I wasn't too upset. I'd heard there possibly was a viable candidate when I put in for the position.
Catching up on the week. On Monday, I had to send in a bunch of income verification for one of the promising leads. I also stopped in to talk some more to a representative from the company.
On Tuesday, I stopped in to see a friend at the City of Loves Park. He suggested going for an economic development job in another nearby city. I have good contacts there so I sent an email and am waiting for a response.
Wednesday, I had lunch with the director of a nonprofit in town really just to get his input on the various things I'm pursuing. It was also to get out of the house.
Today, I'm working on finishing a book project that I really need to get done because now it'll be a conflict of interest.
I'm still waiting for a determination from the unemployment office. That's agonizingly slow. I can't imagine what it was like in 2010 when no one in the world was hiring.
Otherwise, I hit the YMCA a couple of times this week and finally got clamps for my body pump bar at home. Even though I had four weeks of vacation at the Register Star I always took them with my daughters so there was rarely any just me alone time. This is probably the longest stretch of time I've had to go for walks, hit the YMCA, make phone calls, rearrange the house since ... when I first got married and I was working nights at the Register Star while my ex-wife worked days.
So I'm kind of enjoying that right now even though I'm ready for it to end as well.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Keeping old stuff going
My Rockford University meeting was good. There's a position they'll be posting in a couple of weeks that I'll apply for. I'm not sure where it fits/ranks with the other opportunities out there, but it's another avenue.
The meeting with Mike Schablaske of Transform Rockford was fun. In this case, I wasn't looking for a job, I was wondering how I could help. Mike and I talked numbers. I tracked a lot of stuff at the Register Star that we stopped using as the paper got smaller and the demands got larger.
It's all sitting there. I'm sure some of it may get used, but most of it is just going to sit there until someone in IT decides they need to clear server space. Mike and I talked about perhaps rebuilding the work I've already done for use by Transform or the chamber or the RAEDC.
I want to stay involved and I want the work I started to continue. It's just a matter of how.
Nothing scheduled for today except busy work. I have the girls this weekend and the 15-year-old has a full schedule. Plus, I plan to spend some time watching boxing with old co-worker Jeff Kolkey.
One of the avenues continues to move along. I now have a second interview on Sept. 24. The other avenues I have to follow up and keep my name in the mix.
The meeting with Mike Schablaske of Transform Rockford was fun. In this case, I wasn't looking for a job, I was wondering how I could help. Mike and I talked numbers. I tracked a lot of stuff at the Register Star that we stopped using as the paper got smaller and the demands got larger.
It's all sitting there. I'm sure some of it may get used, but most of it is just going to sit there until someone in IT decides they need to clear server space. Mike and I talked about perhaps rebuilding the work I've already done for use by Transform or the chamber or the RAEDC.
I want to stay involved and I want the work I started to continue. It's just a matter of how.
Nothing scheduled for today except busy work. I have the girls this weekend and the 15-year-old has a full schedule. Plus, I plan to spend some time watching boxing with old co-worker Jeff Kolkey.
One of the avenues continues to move along. I now have a second interview on Sept. 24. The other avenues I have to follow up and keep my name in the mix.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Follow up stuff
I have two afternoon meetings today. One at Rockford University and another at Transform Rockford. I'm not sure what to expect at either.
I believe yesterday's telephone interview went well. As many of you know, when I get excited about a subject I tend to over talk and I might have done that in a couple of questions.
There was one question -- name an instance where you saw an opportunity and you just went for it -- that I didn't answer well and then once the interview was over I came up with a better answer.
I feel like emailing the person and saying I thought of a better answer. Can you do that? Should you do that?
Anyway, the company asked for some follow up information on my ending at the Register Star and another matter from 2012.
There's not a lot of other things to report today. Some little things to do and some follow up phone calls and emails to make and send out.
I believe yesterday's telephone interview went well. As many of you know, when I get excited about a subject I tend to over talk and I might have done that in a couple of questions.
There was one question -- name an instance where you saw an opportunity and you just went for it -- that I didn't answer well and then once the interview was over I came up with a better answer.
I feel like emailing the person and saying I thought of a better answer. Can you do that? Should you do that?
Anyway, the company asked for some follow up information on my ending at the Register Star and another matter from 2012.
There's not a lot of other things to report today. Some little things to do and some follow up phone calls and emails to make and send out.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Some strategery
I finally got some professional help today.
Not that kind, although that wouldn't be bad. I talked to the head of a staffing agency for some tips on what to say and not to say in interviews as well as how to follow up. I feel I've done a good job of setting up initial meetings, but I don't really know what's next.
She had several ideas on the follow up. In general, she said I'm handling the initial interviews well although I have to sell myself more and be a little closer to the vest with a few of my priorities.
That can be difficult. Part of the fun of being in journalism was the fact you weren't beholden to anything or anyone. Your job was to ask tough questions and not worry about feelings. Now, I have to worry about feelings and read facial cues to know when or if I should ask questions.
And I have to be persistent. I think the number one adjustment I'm going to have is the fact that people don't HAVE to call me back anymore. Leaving a message won't cut it. I'll have to call multiple times until I get a meeting and then I have to nail the meeting. That's a different mindset.
Well, it's noon and I'm supposed to have a telephone interview any second now. Perhaps I can put some of the advice into practice.
Not that kind, although that wouldn't be bad. I talked to the head of a staffing agency for some tips on what to say and not to say in interviews as well as how to follow up. I feel I've done a good job of setting up initial meetings, but I don't really know what's next.
She had several ideas on the follow up. In general, she said I'm handling the initial interviews well although I have to sell myself more and be a little closer to the vest with a few of my priorities.
That can be difficult. Part of the fun of being in journalism was the fact you weren't beholden to anything or anyone. Your job was to ask tough questions and not worry about feelings. Now, I have to worry about feelings and read facial cues to know when or if I should ask questions.
And I have to be persistent. I think the number one adjustment I'm going to have is the fact that people don't HAVE to call me back anymore. Leaving a message won't cut it. I'll have to call multiple times until I get a meeting and then I have to nail the meeting. That's a different mindset.
Well, it's noon and I'm supposed to have a telephone interview any second now. Perhaps I can put some of the advice into practice.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
And another one out
Yesterday went well. The unemployment insurance telephone interview went as several told me it would. They just wanted to make sure I didn't show up to work drunk and punched somebody.
My 2 p.m. meeting ended with me being asked to submit a resume for a position that's being created. That talk was really going well when I mentioned that part of the reason I stayed so long at the newspaper was the flexibility to pick my daughters up from school. That cooled things a little. The position they are creating is definitely a 9-5 thing.
That's something to keep in mind. I'm trying to maintain as much home-work flexibility as possible. Depending on what is offered that may not be possible.
Today, I just have my court time to temporarily reduce child support. Then I can spend the rest of the day on other projects for my sister's business in Minnesota and trying to wrap up a book project that I now need to get off my plate.
It's also unemployment certification day. I haven't done that yet so that's something new.
Keeping score now: I have my resume out to five different places and to one person who promised to keep me in the loop if he hears of anything.
Tomorrow, I have an appointment with the leader of an employment placement firm. I want to pick her brain to see if I'm missing anything. Then I have a telephone interview with one of the five places I've sent my resume. So that's moving along well.
I made it up in time for Brian Leaf's spin class and he asked if I was doing OK. Basically, looking at Quicken, I have until October 15 before I start getting nervous. If nothing has happened by then I'll have to readjust my thinking.
Today's also a day to refocus. My youngest daughter had a rough night last night so I had to spend some time at my old house. That always stirs up a lot of stuff and it usually takes me a day or so to settle down.
My 2 p.m. meeting ended with me being asked to submit a resume for a position that's being created. That talk was really going well when I mentioned that part of the reason I stayed so long at the newspaper was the flexibility to pick my daughters up from school. That cooled things a little. The position they are creating is definitely a 9-5 thing.
That's something to keep in mind. I'm trying to maintain as much home-work flexibility as possible. Depending on what is offered that may not be possible.
Today, I just have my court time to temporarily reduce child support. Then I can spend the rest of the day on other projects for my sister's business in Minnesota and trying to wrap up a book project that I now need to get off my plate.
It's also unemployment certification day. I haven't done that yet so that's something new.
Keeping score now: I have my resume out to five different places and to one person who promised to keep me in the loop if he hears of anything.
Tomorrow, I have an appointment with the leader of an employment placement firm. I want to pick her brain to see if I'm missing anything. Then I have a telephone interview with one of the five places I've sent my resume. So that's moving along well.
I made it up in time for Brian Leaf's spin class and he asked if I was doing OK. Basically, looking at Quicken, I have until October 15 before I start getting nervous. If nothing has happened by then I'll have to readjust my thinking.
Today's also a day to refocus. My youngest daughter had a rough night last night so I had to spend some time at my old house. That always stirs up a lot of stuff and it usually takes me a day or so to settle down.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Official stuff week
I have my unemployment insurance phone interview this morning. I am not sure if I am supposed to call them or they are supposed to call me. I've been told it's no big deal, but I am a worrier.
At noon, I am meeting a YMCA acquaintance at the county administration building to help her protest her taxes as well as turn in a protest for Karen. I have to fill out another protest for Mike, the owner of my house.
At 2 p.m., I meet with another bank president I've known for more than 10 years. Then I pick up the girls.
So that's a pretty full day. The excitement of doing something new wore off a bit this weekend. I realized that wherever I go there'll be no guarantee of success -- and that was a bit terrifying.
I did move another step along in the process of one of the avenues I'm pursuing. The company required a list of all of the places I've worked the past 10 years. That included any part-time jobs, so it took a couple of hours to look up all the dates and earnings of my various side jobs since 2009.
Running through it I couldn't help but wonder if it helped me or hurt me. I'd like to think it shows I'm a hard worker willing to do what it takes to succeed. But it also showed that I essentially made no upward progress in my journalism career since 2003. Being in the industry I know there was no where to go once the recession hit in 2007, but someone reading an application in another state may not realize that.
I was reasonably confident when I began the application, but by the end I could see why this company might not want to take a chance on me. It just means I have to keep pushing ahead.
At noon, I am meeting a YMCA acquaintance at the county administration building to help her protest her taxes as well as turn in a protest for Karen. I have to fill out another protest for Mike, the owner of my house.
At 2 p.m., I meet with another bank president I've known for more than 10 years. Then I pick up the girls.
So that's a pretty full day. The excitement of doing something new wore off a bit this weekend. I realized that wherever I go there'll be no guarantee of success -- and that was a bit terrifying.
I did move another step along in the process of one of the avenues I'm pursuing. The company required a list of all of the places I've worked the past 10 years. That included any part-time jobs, so it took a couple of hours to look up all the dates and earnings of my various side jobs since 2009.
Running through it I couldn't help but wonder if it helped me or hurt me. I'd like to think it shows I'm a hard worker willing to do what it takes to succeed. But it also showed that I essentially made no upward progress in my journalism career since 2003. Being in the industry I know there was no where to go once the recession hit in 2007, but someone reading an application in another state may not realize that.
I was reasonably confident when I began the application, but by the end I could see why this company might not want to take a chance on me. It just means I have to keep pushing ahead.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Ho hum Friday
Just one thing on the agenda today, lunch with Eric Wilson. Eric was out of work for seven months and I want to talk to him about how he approached unemployment. Were there opportunities he passed up waiting for something better?
Other than that, I am trying to set up more meetings for next week and then spend some time on the IDES job site. I've been told repeatedly that the state tracks that closely. I'm skeptical there's really anything on it for me, but I'll play by the rules.
The first two days of next week include my telephone interview for unemployment benefits and then a motion to reduce child support while this plays out. I'm not overly concerned about either, but of course nothing is guaranteed.
The weird thing so far is how quickly each day seems to be going by. The clock draaaaggggeeedddd the last couple of years at the newspaper. I'm not sure what that means, but so far there's been enough going on each day that 3:15 p.m. seems to come quickly. That's when I go to pick up the girls from school.
Today is my last payday from the Register Star. It wasn't direct deposited. I thought it would be. I really don't want to go down there and pick it up. I'll send an email asking if it is going to be mailed. I don't think I've missed the actual work at all the past two weeks. I had a boss once tell me he knew it was time to be an editor when he didn't feel like there were any more stories to write. I guess I was very nearly to that point. There were maybe two stories left I wanted to tackle. They would have involved lots of research and numbers, stuff I loved to do. The most fun stories were the ones where I went in with a question and could work to answer that question.
The rest. No. I was tired of it. I've been much more energized the past two weeks figuring out what's next.
Other than that, I am trying to set up more meetings for next week and then spend some time on the IDES job site. I've been told repeatedly that the state tracks that closely. I'm skeptical there's really anything on it for me, but I'll play by the rules.
The first two days of next week include my telephone interview for unemployment benefits and then a motion to reduce child support while this plays out. I'm not overly concerned about either, but of course nothing is guaranteed.
The weird thing so far is how quickly each day seems to be going by. The clock draaaaggggeeedddd the last couple of years at the newspaper. I'm not sure what that means, but so far there's been enough going on each day that 3:15 p.m. seems to come quickly. That's when I go to pick up the girls from school.
Today is my last payday from the Register Star. It wasn't direct deposited. I thought it would be. I really don't want to go down there and pick it up. I'll send an email asking if it is going to be mailed. I don't think I've missed the actual work at all the past two weeks. I had a boss once tell me he knew it was time to be an editor when he didn't feel like there were any more stories to write. I guess I was very nearly to that point. There were maybe two stories left I wanted to tackle. They would have involved lots of research and numbers, stuff I loved to do. The most fun stories were the ones where I went in with a question and could work to answer that question.
The rest. No. I was tired of it. I've been much more energized the past two weeks figuring out what's next.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
What is my mind telling me?
I had a bizarre and very vivid dream. I was visiting a friend of mine at his retirement mansion -- in Thailand of all places. This friend actually owns the home I live in now so there's that connection.
I was visiting with a very good friend from high school who I haven't seen or heard from since our last high school reunion. He's not even on FaceBook enough to keep in touch that way. So I have no idea why he was in my subconscious.
Anyway, I was laying on the couch in Thailand watching TV as well as watching the waves in the window. It reminded me of my trip to Lake Michigan this summer where I stayed at a house overlooking the lake. The mansion in my dream was on the ocean. Suddenly, a massive tidal wave rolls in. In my dream, I closed my eyes and felt the house collapse around me. When I opened my eyes, I pushed off a couple of broken boards and found myself surrounded by a washed out house in steamy sunshine. Weird.
I walked around and found my car. How or why I would have taken my car to Thailand for a vacation is beyond me. It was partially submerged, but I was able to start it up and drive it to some safe dry ground.
Then I decided to walk into town to call people and let them know I was OK. I got to the market where I found the friend who came with and then we ran into another high school friend who now lives in California. She just happened to be visiting Thailand as well. The last time I heard from her was a couple of years ago and she isn't an active FaceBooker so I don't know why she was lurking in my brain either.
Then I woke up.
After puzzling over that series of events I headed off to the YMCA for Brian Leaf's spin class. I struck up a conversation with a lady in the class about challenging your home assessment and now I'm going to help her fill out the form. I have time after all.
The only official thing I had today was a meeting with one of my banking contacts. Unlike last week's meetings, this one was with a decision maker, someone who actually could create and offer me a job. It was encouraging. Obviously, I don't have the finance and accounting background that many in banking have, but I do have a vast number of contacts and know how to ask questions and build relationships. So he's intrigued. This could lead to something.
It's similar to all the conversations I've had. I know a little about a lot and I can communicate. There are positions out there that I'd be good at. They all could lead to something, but I still don't have any solid offers and until there are offers I have to keep pushing.
So tomorrow I make more phone calls to set up meetings for next week until one, two or three of these things pop.
I'll send my resume to two more people today. Keeping track, I've officially applied for two openings. I'm sending my resume to a person who wants to have it on hand if he hears of anything and to another who perhaps could fashion a job for me.
I don't know if I'm track, ahead of schedule or falling behind in the unemployment thing. It's all new to me.
I was visiting with a very good friend from high school who I haven't seen or heard from since our last high school reunion. He's not even on FaceBook enough to keep in touch that way. So I have no idea why he was in my subconscious.
Anyway, I was laying on the couch in Thailand watching TV as well as watching the waves in the window. It reminded me of my trip to Lake Michigan this summer where I stayed at a house overlooking the lake. The mansion in my dream was on the ocean. Suddenly, a massive tidal wave rolls in. In my dream, I closed my eyes and felt the house collapse around me. When I opened my eyes, I pushed off a couple of broken boards and found myself surrounded by a washed out house in steamy sunshine. Weird.
I walked around and found my car. How or why I would have taken my car to Thailand for a vacation is beyond me. It was partially submerged, but I was able to start it up and drive it to some safe dry ground.
Then I decided to walk into town to call people and let them know I was OK. I got to the market where I found the friend who came with and then we ran into another high school friend who now lives in California. She just happened to be visiting Thailand as well. The last time I heard from her was a couple of years ago and she isn't an active FaceBooker so I don't know why she was lurking in my brain either.
Then I woke up.
After puzzling over that series of events I headed off to the YMCA for Brian Leaf's spin class. I struck up a conversation with a lady in the class about challenging your home assessment and now I'm going to help her fill out the form. I have time after all.
The only official thing I had today was a meeting with one of my banking contacts. Unlike last week's meetings, this one was with a decision maker, someone who actually could create and offer me a job. It was encouraging. Obviously, I don't have the finance and accounting background that many in banking have, but I do have a vast number of contacts and know how to ask questions and build relationships. So he's intrigued. This could lead to something.
It's similar to all the conversations I've had. I know a little about a lot and I can communicate. There are positions out there that I'd be good at. They all could lead to something, but I still don't have any solid offers and until there are offers I have to keep pushing.
So tomorrow I make more phone calls to set up meetings for next week until one, two or three of these things pop.
I'll send my resume to two more people today. Keeping track, I've officially applied for two openings. I'm sending my resume to a person who wants to have it on hand if he hears of anything and to another who perhaps could fashion a job for me.
I don't know if I'm track, ahead of schedule or falling behind in the unemployment thing. It's all new to me.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Keeping the ideas coming
Off to a slower start today. I finally slept in. For two weeks I've woken up around 6 a.m. and just felt like I needed to get going.
Today, since I don't have to be anywhere until 11:15 a.m., I slept until 9 a.m.
My two meetings yesterday were interesting. One was just an ideas discussion. What else should I consider? Who else should I call and I was given several new ideas.
The other was with someone in a particular industry. I wanted to know what the first year was like. What did she like or dislike about the industry? I was not discouraged at all by what she said.
This morning, I got a call back on a position I applied for last week and it reminded me I needed to keep pursuing that avenue. That position would be fun and it would keep me involved in the community and working with the people I've spent much of the past 17 years talking to.
So things are happening, although at a slower pace this week. I have to remember this may be a marathon and not a sprint.
I have two meetings today, back to back. One I'm seeing how a day works at a particular company. The other is more of a "how to get there from here" talk with an old co-worker.
And the beat goes on.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Keeping up the momentum
Five meetings this week. Two today, two tomorrow, one on Thursday.
Two meetings are with people in the banking industry and two are with financial advisors.
My thinking has been evolving over the weekend. I'm still exploring commercial banking and I'm waiting to hear about the economic development job that I applied for last week.
I'm worried I may have priced myself out of the economic development job, but then again my priority is to find a career where I can concentrate on one thing. As the years of no raises piled up at the RRS I kept taking on more and more side work. I love some of them (and will continue to do them), like some of them and wasn't all that fond of a couple. But I needed the money and it allowed me to stay at the RRS.
I don't want to get into something new where I'll have a big learning curve and have to prove myself and have to work around the various side gigs. So if my price was too high for that position so be it.
The discussions with the commercial bankers have been sobering. There is interest, but I lack experience. And then there's the vacation issue. Would I be able to get enough so that I didn't feel as if I was missing the end of my daughters' childhoods.
The newest path is perhaps becoming a financial adviser. Ironically, 20 years ago I was recruited for this profession when I felt stuck at my job at the Beloit Daily News. I eventually applied with a company but they took a pass because I hadn't really built up enough contacts to make me a good risk.
In the past few years, I've enjoyed writing about personal finance. Coming out of a divorce, I had to value every dime and it was interesting to learn the various tricks to earn more and spend less. One thing I discovered is that this is a very financially illiterate area. I know there are plenty of people out there who need financial advice.
I've never been a risk taker though. Growing up, I rarely tried out for teams I didn't know I'd make. I rarely asked girls out who I didn't already know were interested. I stayed at one job because I knew how much I'd make and that I was good at it rather than exploring other opportunities. I've always calculated odds and taken the safe route. Now, I'm considering selling myself and worry I could be a spectacular failure.
And that's exciting and scary at the same time.
I had lots of time to think about the possibilities. It was a relaxing weekend. I went to see Guardians of the Galaxy with one daughter this weekend. Had drinks with an old friend. Shuttled between two houses because my daughters were dog sitting for Karen. Took the younger daughter and two friends to Magic Waters.
I start this week with the strange feeling that it's been forever since I was working and looking at the schedule and wondering a bit how to fill my time. There are things to do. I have two months to catch up on in doing the books for my sister's business. I have more work I can do on a book I'm doing for a private individual. I have things to clean/fix around the house. I also have this need to make a decision, to get back out there. It's a very strange start to the week.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Taking a breath
Not much time to blog this morning. I have my daughters every Thursday so it's my morning to get them up and off to school. I LOVE Friday mornings even if it's hectic. I would do this every day if I could. I want to do this every day.
In fact, I told a couple people last week that losing a job is nothing compared with going through my divorce. I lost having my daughters every day. That still hurts. The one thing that kept me at the Register Star these past three years was the fact I had four weeks of vacation and could take it in the summer and spend lots of time with them. This summer alone, we went to St. Louis, Lake Michigan, Lake Geneva, Williamsburg, Va., and Washington D.C.
Plus, I had a flexible schedule and can pick them up from school every day. Every day I get at least 20 to 30 minutes with them. I don't feel disconnected at all.
The one time I've gotten emotional during this period was when one of the people I was meeting with said it was going to be hard for me to negotiate even two weeks of vacation and leaving every day at 3 p.m. for an hour -- even if I delayed my lunch -- would be frowned upon. I might be able to work in something where I did it twice a week.
I realized that I think but hearing it hurt. When I told my 15-year-old summers were going to change, she got emotional.
Again I know I can't totally control those things if I start with a new company, but it does have me thinking about a couple of options where I'd have control over my schedule. I'm going to begin looking into those options today.
I have no meetings today other than morning breakfast with Karen, lunch with the 12-year-old at 1:15 p.m., pick the girls up at 3:30 p.m. and then run the scoreboard at Jefferson football tonight. I LOVE that part-time gig. Even if I won the lotto tomorrow -- which is a joke, I don't play -- I'd keep the Jefferson job.
And the Reds beat the Cubs -- despite Jorge Soler, run Billy Hamilton run -- so all is right in my world.
In fact, I told a couple people last week that losing a job is nothing compared with going through my divorce. I lost having my daughters every day. That still hurts. The one thing that kept me at the Register Star these past three years was the fact I had four weeks of vacation and could take it in the summer and spend lots of time with them. This summer alone, we went to St. Louis, Lake Michigan, Lake Geneva, Williamsburg, Va., and Washington D.C.
Plus, I had a flexible schedule and can pick them up from school every day. Every day I get at least 20 to 30 minutes with them. I don't feel disconnected at all.
The one time I've gotten emotional during this period was when one of the people I was meeting with said it was going to be hard for me to negotiate even two weeks of vacation and leaving every day at 3 p.m. for an hour -- even if I delayed my lunch -- would be frowned upon. I might be able to work in something where I did it twice a week.
I realized that I think but hearing it hurt. When I told my 15-year-old summers were going to change, she got emotional.
Again I know I can't totally control those things if I start with a new company, but it does have me thinking about a couple of options where I'd have control over my schedule. I'm going to begin looking into those options today.
I have no meetings today other than morning breakfast with Karen, lunch with the 12-year-old at 1:15 p.m., pick the girls up at 3:30 p.m. and then run the scoreboard at Jefferson football tonight. I LOVE that part-time gig. Even if I won the lotto tomorrow -- which is a joke, I don't play -- I'd keep the Jefferson job.
And the Reds beat the Cubs -- despite Jorge Soler, run Billy Hamilton run -- so all is right in my world.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
And on the seventh day ...
I decided to go golfing.
Yesterday was a full, fun day. Breakfast at Aunt Mary's on East State to let another person I talked to know I was no longer at the Register Star. Then the 9 a.m. meeting, which was more intriguing than I thought it would be. I'm definitely not closing that door. Then a swing by Alpine Bank to let management there know what had happened. Lunch at Greenfire with another person I was seeking advice from and sounding out. Then a trip to the Rockford chamber of commerce for a meeting. A drop in to the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Then a trip to the library for some alterations on a resume that I had to resend.
Finally, I picked girls up from school, sent out a couple of emails to set meetings up for next week, had dinner at Karen's and went to a sales presentation at night.
Home at 8:30 p.m.
It was exciting and sobering at the same time. I'm going down two parallel tracks. There's an opening right now that several believe I'm qualified for and yesterday I had three different people pledging to make calls to lobby on my behalf or actually do it right in front of me. When you do one thing for so long you start to wonder if you can do anything else. Yesterday, everyone I met with said they believed I could thrive in this role. I'm moving as quickly as possible on this one.
The other track, perhaps a move into banking, is going to take many more meetings to see what level I should start at and which organization would be best for me. No one has said I couldn't do it, it's just that my lack of experience and financial background makes me more of a risk. I get that. I wouldn't want to jump in and drown.
The chamber trip opened my eyes to a couple of other opportunities. At every stop, I went through the obligatory "what happened" story. I know I'm going to get that for a long time. Everyone is shocked that I'm no longer at the paper. During the recession, when I would talk to companies or people who'd been let go, I'd react the same way. They'd tell they weren't shocked. They could see the train coming. I feel the same way. I'm not really shocked. At a couple of the meetings we were reminiscing about some of the larger projects I was able to launch and maintain for several years until space, staffing became an issue -- creating an economic scorecard, producing a quarterly real estate map, tracking bank solvency and public company earnings. I look at those projects now as preparation for the next career.
Today, I'm golfing with a former co-worker. We've played hundreds of rounds together and talked through thousands of story ideas. Today, the talk likely will be on what's next. I have to convince him there's life after journalism. I had several ex-journalists tell me the same thing, but you don't really know until you get out there.
When the round is over I have three phone calls to make, hopefully setting up more meetings for next week, and then a couple of days to master the unemployment system before hitting the ground running on Monday.
And the Reds beat the Cubs yesterday -- despite Jorge Soler -- so all is right in my world.
Yesterday was a full, fun day. Breakfast at Aunt Mary's on East State to let another person I talked to know I was no longer at the Register Star. Then the 9 a.m. meeting, which was more intriguing than I thought it would be. I'm definitely not closing that door. Then a swing by Alpine Bank to let management there know what had happened. Lunch at Greenfire with another person I was seeking advice from and sounding out. Then a trip to the Rockford chamber of commerce for a meeting. A drop in to the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Then a trip to the library for some alterations on a resume that I had to resend.
Finally, I picked girls up from school, sent out a couple of emails to set meetings up for next week, had dinner at Karen's and went to a sales presentation at night.
Home at 8:30 p.m.
It was exciting and sobering at the same time. I'm going down two parallel tracks. There's an opening right now that several believe I'm qualified for and yesterday I had three different people pledging to make calls to lobby on my behalf or actually do it right in front of me. When you do one thing for so long you start to wonder if you can do anything else. Yesterday, everyone I met with said they believed I could thrive in this role. I'm moving as quickly as possible on this one.
The other track, perhaps a move into banking, is going to take many more meetings to see what level I should start at and which organization would be best for me. No one has said I couldn't do it, it's just that my lack of experience and financial background makes me more of a risk. I get that. I wouldn't want to jump in and drown.
The chamber trip opened my eyes to a couple of other opportunities. At every stop, I went through the obligatory "what happened" story. I know I'm going to get that for a long time. Everyone is shocked that I'm no longer at the paper. During the recession, when I would talk to companies or people who'd been let go, I'd react the same way. They'd tell they weren't shocked. They could see the train coming. I feel the same way. I'm not really shocked. At a couple of the meetings we were reminiscing about some of the larger projects I was able to launch and maintain for several years until space, staffing became an issue -- creating an economic scorecard, producing a quarterly real estate map, tracking bank solvency and public company earnings. I look at those projects now as preparation for the next career.
Today, I'm golfing with a former co-worker. We've played hundreds of rounds together and talked through thousands of story ideas. Today, the talk likely will be on what's next. I have to convince him there's life after journalism. I had several ex-journalists tell me the same thing, but you don't really know until you get out there.
When the round is over I have three phone calls to make, hopefully setting up more meetings for next week, and then a couple of days to master the unemployment system before hitting the ground running on Monday.
And the Reds beat the Cubs yesterday -- despite Jorge Soler -- so all is right in my world.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
First one down
I have had a couple of people advise me to take it easy at the start of the job search. I see the reasoning and don't disagree, but I feel like the clock is ticking.
I have goals for the winter and next summer -- especially getting in a trip to New York City so my girls can see a Broadway play -- and that'll be difficult to do if this drags on for a while.
And I realize it might. Former WREX TV anchor man Eric Wilson announced this week that he took a position with Rock Valley College. Eric was out of work for seven months. I wonder how many solid offers he received before settling on that one. Or was that best thing out there? Seven months is a long time.
Yesterday's lunch meeting went well. I wanted him to say something along the lines, "hell yes, we want you. Come by the office and let's start talking money."
Instead, it was more of a strategy session. The organization doesn't have an opening right now. How could we convince the powers that be to create one for me? That in itself is encouraging.
I also made another phone call on another opportunity and was encouraged by someone who would be one of the deciders to apply for a position that I originally thought I wouldn't be qualified for. So last night I updated my resume -- which didn't need much updating from when I created it in 2013 -- created a cover letter and sent them in. I like my references. I have really good references.
I continue to get messages from people who have just found out what happened last week. It reminds me of an athlete who suffers a major injury. At first, there's this tremendous outpouring of sympathy from coaches, fans and teammates. Then, after a few days, weeks, people move on and the athlete has to go through rehabilitation alone.
Right now, I'm still in the outpouring of sympathy stage. I know soon enough I'll get into the rehabilitation stage where it's just me and how badly I want to get into a new career.
Today's agenda is pretty full. I'm stopping by a restaurant in the morning to talk to an old friend who is pretty well connected. Then it's off to see about what what me be essentially a sales position. I'll be honest. I don't think I'm a salesman. It's hard for me to ask anyone for money having spent so many years budgeting every penny. I've always been one who connected people. If someone has a need, I know people who can help. I also shouldn't prejudge the job. I really like the person running the office. At the very least, it's another option.
Then it's another lunch meeting at 11:30 a.m., a meeting with the chamber president for a couple of things at 1:30 p.m. I might have time to stop in another office downtown before having to pick the girls up at 3:30 p.m. from school.
Tonight I really should read up on all the unemployment rules, get what's expected of me down, and then start researching the Affordable Care Act. My insurance runs out at the end of the month.
I have goals for the winter and next summer -- especially getting in a trip to New York City so my girls can see a Broadway play -- and that'll be difficult to do if this drags on for a while.
And I realize it might. Former WREX TV anchor man Eric Wilson announced this week that he took a position with Rock Valley College. Eric was out of work for seven months. I wonder how many solid offers he received before settling on that one. Or was that best thing out there? Seven months is a long time.
Yesterday's lunch meeting went well. I wanted him to say something along the lines, "hell yes, we want you. Come by the office and let's start talking money."
Instead, it was more of a strategy session. The organization doesn't have an opening right now. How could we convince the powers that be to create one for me? That in itself is encouraging.
I also made another phone call on another opportunity and was encouraged by someone who would be one of the deciders to apply for a position that I originally thought I wouldn't be qualified for. So last night I updated my resume -- which didn't need much updating from when I created it in 2013 -- created a cover letter and sent them in. I like my references. I have really good references.
I continue to get messages from people who have just found out what happened last week. It reminds me of an athlete who suffers a major injury. At first, there's this tremendous outpouring of sympathy from coaches, fans and teammates. Then, after a few days, weeks, people move on and the athlete has to go through rehabilitation alone.
Right now, I'm still in the outpouring of sympathy stage. I know soon enough I'll get into the rehabilitation stage where it's just me and how badly I want to get into a new career.
Today's agenda is pretty full. I'm stopping by a restaurant in the morning to talk to an old friend who is pretty well connected. Then it's off to see about what what me be essentially a sales position. I'll be honest. I don't think I'm a salesman. It's hard for me to ask anyone for money having spent so many years budgeting every penny. I've always been one who connected people. If someone has a need, I know people who can help. I also shouldn't prejudge the job. I really like the person running the office. At the very least, it's another option.
Then it's another lunch meeting at 11:30 a.m., a meeting with the chamber president for a couple of things at 1:30 p.m. I might have time to stop in another office downtown before having to pick the girls up at 3:30 p.m. from school.
Tonight I really should read up on all the unemployment rules, get what's expected of me down, and then start researching the Affordable Care Act. My insurance runs out at the end of the month.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
OK, now I'm nervous
Monday's tasks went well. I signed up for unemployment and found out it will be out 55 percent of what I was making -- big sigh -- and I still have a telephone interview before I'm approved. That remains scary. Unemployment is the difference between being able to make a reasoned decision on the direction I want to go or taking the first thing I can find.
A friend in the legal field then helped me prepare some child support documents and I was done with all the big stuff by 11:30 a.m.
The rest of the day was doing some research on an intriguing opening as well as making some phone calls to see if I was qualified for it.
I picked Hannah and Emma up from school, had dinner at Karen's and then ... cleaned out my desk.
Some of the gang was there, including Dave Shultz, who started at the Register Star in 1962, seven years before I was born, and still outlasted me.
For the most part I wasn't sad. I was a little choked up at the end because it was night and I remember all the times I'd come in to do extra research or get caught up on a story or in 2009 and 2010 because simply I missed my family and I didn't want to be by myself. I'd spend hours swapping stories with Dave or just sitting staring out at the river.
Some interesting stuff in the desk:
* Lots of my old tax and income records. Basically, the entire financial history of my failed marriage. No reason to keep that.
* All of my awards at the Register Star. There were a few even though I didn't like applying for them. It seemed like busy work and with my family here I wasn't going anywhere. One time, Doug Gass entered stuff for me because I didn't submit anything and I won a state award. Ironically, I won employee of the month once in 2013 and an "Unsung Hero Award" in March 2014. I'd forgotten I'd won that last one. I have an interesting history with March. Some other time.
* Lots of pictures of my daughters. The saddest thing from this past Thursday was telling them I didn't work at the Register Star anymore. That's all they've ever known. As kids, they'd run around finding all the creepy places in the building. My oldest daughter said she didn't go through a single year in school where at least one teacher didn't recognize my name as a writer or remember seeing me on TV as part of the WREX partnership. In my years at the Register Star I met two U.S. Senators, Johnny Bench, my baseball hero growing up, and spoke with Barack Obama for an hour when he was running for the U.S. Senate. I talked on the telephone with Warren Buffet. The girls grew up listening to those stories.
* Ticket stubs from nine of the 10 straight Cincinnati Reds opening day games I attended with Tony Garcia. Surprisingly, the one I was missing was the last one, 2011 against the Brewers. What I have from that game is a picture of my name and Tony's name on the scoreboard for having come to 10 straight openers.
* I took home trophies of Register Star championships in softball and basketball. The golden era of Newshound softball started in 1997. I'll leave it at that.
* And some important stuff. I found my birth certificate and my Last Will and Testament witnessed by Wally Haas and Brian Leaf.
And that was it.
Today, I got up in time for Brian Leaf's spin class. I'm off to get my hair cut soon and pick up a couple of items for crock pot chicken. I have to watch my spending so there won't be too many restaurants unless it's business related.
At noon, I have the first of several meetings set up and this is an important one. It's with a professional I really respect and would love to learn from. I don't have real experience in anything other than journalism so I'm going to need a good mentor.
I was encouraged last night when another business owner I'd talk to occasionally said he'd "sound out" people for a couple of other opportunities.
In the afternoon, I have to get a bevy of items off to the organization that has that intriguing opening. The Register Star let me get back into the computer system to retrieve family photos and some personal files. That included two different resumes. Deep down, I knew this time was coming for me. I'd been somewhat quietly preparing for a while.
Last note. Dorothy Schneider of the Register Star was assigned to watch over me last night. It was awkward because Dorothy was my intern years ago and in the end had to sit through my termination meeting. When she first started full time at the Register Star she told me how excited she was to work with me again. But by then I was sensing my time in the industry was winding down. Times change. People change. The industry changed. I wish we'd worked together 10 years ago. I wish Dorothy well.
A friend in the legal field then helped me prepare some child support documents and I was done with all the big stuff by 11:30 a.m.
The rest of the day was doing some research on an intriguing opening as well as making some phone calls to see if I was qualified for it.
I picked Hannah and Emma up from school, had dinner at Karen's and then ... cleaned out my desk.
Some of the gang was there, including Dave Shultz, who started at the Register Star in 1962, seven years before I was born, and still outlasted me.
For the most part I wasn't sad. I was a little choked up at the end because it was night and I remember all the times I'd come in to do extra research or get caught up on a story or in 2009 and 2010 because simply I missed my family and I didn't want to be by myself. I'd spend hours swapping stories with Dave or just sitting staring out at the river.
Some interesting stuff in the desk:
* Lots of my old tax and income records. Basically, the entire financial history of my failed marriage. No reason to keep that.
* All of my awards at the Register Star. There were a few even though I didn't like applying for them. It seemed like busy work and with my family here I wasn't going anywhere. One time, Doug Gass entered stuff for me because I didn't submit anything and I won a state award. Ironically, I won employee of the month once in 2013 and an "Unsung Hero Award" in March 2014. I'd forgotten I'd won that last one. I have an interesting history with March. Some other time.
* Lots of pictures of my daughters. The saddest thing from this past Thursday was telling them I didn't work at the Register Star anymore. That's all they've ever known. As kids, they'd run around finding all the creepy places in the building. My oldest daughter said she didn't go through a single year in school where at least one teacher didn't recognize my name as a writer or remember seeing me on TV as part of the WREX partnership. In my years at the Register Star I met two U.S. Senators, Johnny Bench, my baseball hero growing up, and spoke with Barack Obama for an hour when he was running for the U.S. Senate. I talked on the telephone with Warren Buffet. The girls grew up listening to those stories.
* Ticket stubs from nine of the 10 straight Cincinnati Reds opening day games I attended with Tony Garcia. Surprisingly, the one I was missing was the last one, 2011 against the Brewers. What I have from that game is a picture of my name and Tony's name on the scoreboard for having come to 10 straight openers.
* I took home trophies of Register Star championships in softball and basketball. The golden era of Newshound softball started in 1997. I'll leave it at that.
* And some important stuff. I found my birth certificate and my Last Will and Testament witnessed by Wally Haas and Brian Leaf.
And that was it.
Today, I got up in time for Brian Leaf's spin class. I'm off to get my hair cut soon and pick up a couple of items for crock pot chicken. I have to watch my spending so there won't be too many restaurants unless it's business related.
At noon, I have the first of several meetings set up and this is an important one. It's with a professional I really respect and would love to learn from. I don't have real experience in anything other than journalism so I'm going to need a good mentor.
I was encouraged last night when another business owner I'd talk to occasionally said he'd "sound out" people for a couple of other opportunities.
In the afternoon, I have to get a bevy of items off to the organization that has that intriguing opening. The Register Star let me get back into the computer system to retrieve family photos and some personal files. That included two different resumes. Deep down, I knew this time was coming for me. I'd been somewhat quietly preparing for a while.
Last note. Dorothy Schneider of the Register Star was assigned to watch over me last night. It was awkward because Dorothy was my intern years ago and in the end had to sit through my termination meeting. When she first started full time at the Register Star she told me how excited she was to work with me again. But by then I was sensing my time in the industry was winding down. Times change. People change. The industry changed. I wish we'd worked together 10 years ago. I wish Dorothy well.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Hey, hey unemployment day
Up bright and early -- well, not early enough for Brian Leaf's 6 a.m. spin class -- to go downtown for my initial unemployment filing.
This is actually the most nerve wracking thing so far. I've read through the paperwork given to me by the Register Star and looked online. I'm not assured I'll be approved. The state could deny it and if it does, depending upon how long it takes to settle into something else, I'll have to burn through my savings.
I've been told by several who have received unemployment that I shouldn't worry and the Register Star's one concession was that they won't fight it. Still, I worry.
After that I have to get over to court to ask for a reduction in child support. A friend of mine who is a family law attorney hopefully is going to run me through the process. I set today aside to finish those two things.
Yesterday, I went to see "The Giver" and it was pretty good, but my mind wandered. Who else do I call? When? How many people should I see per week? That kind of stuff.
There's 401(k) stuff that has to be taken care of as well and then tonight I go in and clean out my old desk. Dave Shultz, who had been working at the Register Star 34 years when I got hired, will be there tonight. He outlasted yet another person! It will be tough to say goodbye. There were lots and lots of nights I'd go in to get caught up or get ahead and Dave would be there and he'd start telling me stories.
It will be the people I worked with that I will miss most. I tried on a couple of occasions to reach Jeff Kolkey yesterday. He was there when I was "taken away" and I want to let him know I will be fine and that we should watch the Mayweather-Maidena fight on Sept. 13.
A great thing about the digital age though is that it is much, much easier to stay connected when circumstances change. Yesterday, Tony Garcia, a former RRStarer, asked me to draft his fantasy football team for him since I "have nothing to do right now."
Tony is a Chicago Bears fan, which meant I drafted no Chicago Bears players. I did get him A.J. Green from my team, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Bengals defense. The only reason I didn't stick him with Andy Dalton was because someone drafted him ahead of guys like Tony Romo and Ben Roethlisberger. I was shocked.
Tony needed a representative because he relocated to Las Vegas after the newspaper let him go. We don't talk every day anymore, but we keep in touch and with FaceBook I can find out what he's doing. I want to figure out ways to hang out with old journalism friends.
This is actually the most nerve wracking thing so far. I've read through the paperwork given to me by the Register Star and looked online. I'm not assured I'll be approved. The state could deny it and if it does, depending upon how long it takes to settle into something else, I'll have to burn through my savings.
I've been told by several who have received unemployment that I shouldn't worry and the Register Star's one concession was that they won't fight it. Still, I worry.
After that I have to get over to court to ask for a reduction in child support. A friend of mine who is a family law attorney hopefully is going to run me through the process. I set today aside to finish those two things.
Yesterday, I went to see "The Giver" and it was pretty good, but my mind wandered. Who else do I call? When? How many people should I see per week? That kind of stuff.
There's 401(k) stuff that has to be taken care of as well and then tonight I go in and clean out my old desk. Dave Shultz, who had been working at the Register Star 34 years when I got hired, will be there tonight. He outlasted yet another person! It will be tough to say goodbye. There were lots and lots of nights I'd go in to get caught up or get ahead and Dave would be there and he'd start telling me stories.
It will be the people I worked with that I will miss most. I tried on a couple of occasions to reach Jeff Kolkey yesterday. He was there when I was "taken away" and I want to let him know I will be fine and that we should watch the Mayweather-Maidena fight on Sept. 13.
A great thing about the digital age though is that it is much, much easier to stay connected when circumstances change. Yesterday, Tony Garcia, a former RRStarer, asked me to draft his fantasy football team for him since I "have nothing to do right now."
Tony is a Chicago Bears fan, which meant I drafted no Chicago Bears players. I did get him A.J. Green from my team, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Bengals defense. The only reason I didn't stick him with Andy Dalton was because someone drafted him ahead of guys like Tony Romo and Ben Roethlisberger. I was shocked.
Tony needed a representative because he relocated to Las Vegas after the newspaper let him go. We don't talk every day anymore, but we keep in touch and with FaceBook I can find out what he's doing. I want to figure out ways to hang out with old journalism friends.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
And here we go
It wasn't until I was 22 and had enough credits to graduate from Northern Illinois University that I settled on a career. I was a political science major simply because I wanted an easy degree and really what careers are out there for political science majors?
In high school, I'd written for a small weekly newspaper and that was fun so Eureka, that's what I'll do. I went back to NIU for a summer of writing for the school newspaper, took a bunch of journalism classes in the fall for a minor -- which I fell short of anyway because of a dispute with a professor -- and then jumped into the working world.
It took me a year to get a full-time sports reporting job in Beloit, Wis. After nearly four years there I was hired by a much larger newspaper in Rockford, Illinois -- and that's where I stayed for nearly 18 years. Then I was terminated this past Thursday.
The first 12 years there were great. The last six were a struggle. I know the industry isn't done contracting.
I can go over that stuff again later depending upon how long this blog lasts. Now, it's time to find a new career.
It's Sunday morning and I'm sitting here realizing I've spent almost zero time by myself the past couple of years. To keep my income up as the years of no raises rolled on I've worked at running races putting up barricades, donated gallons and gallons of plasma, wrote a water quality blog and done the books for my sister's small business in Minnesota, ran the scoreboard for Jefferson High School football and basketball, umpired hundreds of baseball games, worked the grave yard shift at UPS and even tried to run a basketball league.
So now there's a little time to clean and get organized. I'll have mornings to go to spin class -- no basketball though, insurance ends at end of month.
I can't do this long. Unemployment starts Monday. I still have child support to pay. There will be expenses.
I hope I don't have to do this long. I have informal meetings set up with people in the banking industry on Tuesday and Wednesday. I've always been good with numbers. Banking is an industry that won't be eliminated -- for the most part -- by technology.
Friday, I posted on my FaceBook page that my career at the Register Star was over and more than 115 people posted well wishes and shock and outrage. It means I did do some good work and I kept the work place, especially before the recession, fun.
Saturday, I didn't do much. A little shopping. Visited my daughter at work. I did get a phone call from one of the people I want to talk to about changing careers. He called me from New York City, where he's visiting his son. The fact he would take time out from a trip to NYC to call me is encouraging.
Today, I updated my LinkedIn profile and accepted a bunch of invitations and sent more out. Honestly, I've been very neglectful with LinkedIn. Since I wasn't going anywhere I didn't really pay attention. Now, I need some help.
I'm 45 years old and I'm not scared about changing careers. I should have done it in 2011 or 2012 when the newspaper laid off Gary Covell. Gary was a "do everything" guy for us and we paid him well below what he was worth. For me, Gary collected all of the public records I needed to do my job well. He made perhaps one error in the six or seven years he was there. Because of Gary, I would have mountains of data to sort through, looking for interesting nuggets that could make good stories.
I have three meetings this week and I'm excited about what they could lead to. I have calls to make on a couple of other opportunities as well. I'm much luckier than many of my past colleagues who were cut during the recession. Back then there were large numbers of people being tossed aside at a time no one was hiring. I'm just one person now unemployed in an expanding economy.
The possibilities are endless.
In high school, I'd written for a small weekly newspaper and that was fun so Eureka, that's what I'll do. I went back to NIU for a summer of writing for the school newspaper, took a bunch of journalism classes in the fall for a minor -- which I fell short of anyway because of a dispute with a professor -- and then jumped into the working world.
It took me a year to get a full-time sports reporting job in Beloit, Wis. After nearly four years there I was hired by a much larger newspaper in Rockford, Illinois -- and that's where I stayed for nearly 18 years. Then I was terminated this past Thursday.
The first 12 years there were great. The last six were a struggle. I know the industry isn't done contracting.
I can go over that stuff again later depending upon how long this blog lasts. Now, it's time to find a new career.
It's Sunday morning and I'm sitting here realizing I've spent almost zero time by myself the past couple of years. To keep my income up as the years of no raises rolled on I've worked at running races putting up barricades, donated gallons and gallons of plasma, wrote a water quality blog and done the books for my sister's small business in Minnesota, ran the scoreboard for Jefferson High School football and basketball, umpired hundreds of baseball games, worked the grave yard shift at UPS and even tried to run a basketball league.
So now there's a little time to clean and get organized. I'll have mornings to go to spin class -- no basketball though, insurance ends at end of month.
I can't do this long. Unemployment starts Monday. I still have child support to pay. There will be expenses.
I hope I don't have to do this long. I have informal meetings set up with people in the banking industry on Tuesday and Wednesday. I've always been good with numbers. Banking is an industry that won't be eliminated -- for the most part -- by technology.
Friday, I posted on my FaceBook page that my career at the Register Star was over and more than 115 people posted well wishes and shock and outrage. It means I did do some good work and I kept the work place, especially before the recession, fun.
Saturday, I didn't do much. A little shopping. Visited my daughter at work. I did get a phone call from one of the people I want to talk to about changing careers. He called me from New York City, where he's visiting his son. The fact he would take time out from a trip to NYC to call me is encouraging.
Today, I updated my LinkedIn profile and accepted a bunch of invitations and sent more out. Honestly, I've been very neglectful with LinkedIn. Since I wasn't going anywhere I didn't really pay attention. Now, I need some help.
I'm 45 years old and I'm not scared about changing careers. I should have done it in 2011 or 2012 when the newspaper laid off Gary Covell. Gary was a "do everything" guy for us and we paid him well below what he was worth. For me, Gary collected all of the public records I needed to do my job well. He made perhaps one error in the six or seven years he was there. Because of Gary, I would have mountains of data to sort through, looking for interesting nuggets that could make good stories.
I have three meetings this week and I'm excited about what they could lead to. I have calls to make on a couple of other opportunities as well. I'm much luckier than many of my past colleagues who were cut during the recession. Back then there were large numbers of people being tossed aside at a time no one was hiring. I'm just one person now unemployed in an expanding economy.
The possibilities are endless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)