Hobbies?

There are two things I'd like to say about having a hobby you enjoy. First, you should have something you enjoy doing to help you cope with the stress of your regular life. It keeps things in balance.

Second, is there any reason you can't turn your hobby into something that makes money? I'm serious. The guy who owns the Las Vegas Running Company is a running fool -- he has more points in the Las Vegas Track Club sweepstakes thingy than any three other members put together. When I met him he worked for the guy who put on the New Las Vegas Marathon. Boy, there's a soap opera, but long story short, that guy left town shortly before being ridden out on the proverbial rail. So, this guy started his own race promotion and race training company, the aforementioned Las Vegas Running Company, and he is now making a living by completely immersing himself in something he loves, namely competitive running. He's faster than me, too.

And that is my point: be creative. What would you do all day if you didn't have to get paid? How can you do it and still manage to get paid? You don't ever have done it before for a living. Maybe nobody has done what you have in mind. Why not give it a try?

When you get old, and I'm getting there, the things you'll regret are things you never tried to do. Trust me on this: your failures will seem like quaint stories and/or good learning experiences, but the things you never tried will haunt you forever. There's a door open, and it's right under your nose. Gonna go through, or what?

Steve

Dress for Whatever

Sure, the book said "Dress for Success," but that was a long time ago. When I say "dress for whatever" I mean that you need to be aware of the dress code for the organization with which you are interviewing, and dress accordingly. Some places are easier than others. For instance, in Los Angeles it's casual Friday 24/7/365. Unless it isn't, of course. In the Northeast, which includes San Francisco, they dress up a lot more than we do in the rest of the country. Particularly if you're new to an area, you need to ask around, or visit around unofficially, to determine how to dress for the job.

As general advice, I always say that it's easier to dress down once you're there than it is to overcome the negative impression of not being dressed well enough. That is, you can take off a tie, or a coat, but you can't put one on once you've blown it by not wearing it at the beginning. Sad, but true, there is only one first impression. At the same time, some organizations are fiercely casual, and they will be impressed if you match their dress at the interview. Or, maybe not. Oddly, some firms that are fiercely casual still expect to be shown respect by interviewees, by which they mean that the people coming in will dress up in a way they will never be expected to once they're hired.

Confusing? Yes it is.

On the other hand, maybe you don't want to work at a place where they play games like that in the first place. That's your call. You can buy the book (Dress for Success) and you can attend seminars on the subject if you're so inclined. I don't dwell on how to dress very often because it involves fashion, and fashion by definition changes all the time. However, the general rules can be summarized like this:

• Don't shock people.
• Look like you came to work.
• Try to look like you already work there.
• Wear new, clean, fresh clothing to the interview.
• Dress better than the interviewer if you have any doubts.

Some books and some people will give you a list of rules that is a lot more specific. What color shirt to wear, how to tie a necktie, that sort of thing. If you use the rules I've listed, maybe you'll decide that you need further training. In which case, go for it. Or, you may decide that you can clean and press your shirts and go it alone.

Oh, and how can you research how to dress for a particular company? Simple, just be there when the day begins and watch people as they walk in. Or maybe do an informational interview with somebody in the department where you'd like to work. It isn't difficult, it just requires, as I keep saying, some research. I just know you can do it!

Steve
steve@stevefey.com

Work!

This is the one that didn't post on Wednesday. Obviously, operator error. :-)

A topic that comes up in the mind of any job seeker is whether to hold out for the job you really want, or to take a job, any job, if only to tide you over. And the answer is, of course, why, yes, that's exactly what you should do!

Wise cracks aside, everyone has to decide as an individual which way to go. Like having children, there is no manual for how to deal with a job search. But maybe if I list some of the pros and cons it will help somebody make up their mind. Imagine, if you will, that this is a "Ben Franklin" sort of situation, where you list the pros on one side of the page, and the cons on the other. Ben said that doing so helped him make tough decisions. There are worse people you could copy, you know.

THE PROS:

• You are employed, with all of the good stuff that implies. No need to make excuses when somebody asks you what you do for a living.
  
• You get money. Maybe not as much as you like, but for anyone but a very select few (Gates, Buffet) that is also true, so it isn't relevant. As I said, you get paid!
• You have something to do, somewhere to be, in the morning. That's a wonderful way to keep your self esteem up.
• You may be able to use your current position to help you network for one that you really want. It's happened, a lot.
• You might find that you like the business you go in "temporarily" better than the one you were aiming at. In that case, you win, don't you?

THE CONS:

• You have less time to devote to your job search. In effect, you're working two jobs for one salary.
• You may be making little enough money that you are still dipping into savings. This can not, of course, go on forever.
• You may be performing duties you consider demeaning or unnecessary. No work truly is either of those things, but if you feel that way, it will hurt, one way or another.
• You may have trouble landing this job because you are seriously overqualified.

That's my list. You'll have to make up your own to make up your mind. I'd go ahead and do it. You might surprise yourself when you discover that, yes, a job, even a McJob, is the way to go. Or, you may surprise yourself when you notice that working full-time at finding employment is definitely the thing to do.

Either way, you win!

Steve

Thanks a Lot!

I have a telephone interview this afternoon at three. Is it another chance to prove my value, or another chance for them to reject me? Yes, it is.

I noticed that yesterday's post didn't post. I'll redo it for tomorrow. Danged computers. Now, on with it.

Today I want to talk about thank-you notes. Most people don't write them. Especially most techies and other genius types. One thing about being a genius type is that you miss some of the normal socialization that regular people get. A thank-you note is a common courtesy, or so goes the conventional wisdom. But it's more than that. It is another chance to state your case, a way to connect with the person you interviewed, and a chance to show that you are thoughtful as well as smart.

So, in the letter goes what?

• First, thank the person for the interview.
• Then, refer back to some positive thing in the interview.
• Also, name everyone you talked to. Even the receptionist. They all did you a favor, and you are now acknowledging that fact.
• Offer a suggestion. That's what they'll hire you for, after all, is knowing how to solve their problems. So, solve one for free. Why not? Does it cost you anything? Exactly!

Speaking of free, here's a free example. It's for an interview with only one person besides yourself involved, so it's simple. But, it illustrates what I'm saying.

*****

Thank you so much for meeting with me yesterday afternoon. I really appreciate a busy person such as yourself taking time to answer my questions.

I especially liked the tour of your facility. As I was saying yesterday, I think it would be a good thing to consider an additional wireless hub in that back room. I look forward to the chance to help with that installation.

I hope you are well, and thank you again for your consideration.

*****

See that? An honest thanks, a suggestion given for free, and a polite close. You may need a longer note, depending on the details of the interview, but those are the basic components. You'd put the other people's names in the first paragraph, as in "I also want to thank Sue and Ed and Whomever for their time." Something along those lines.

For more, mail me for details about my online course.

Have a good Thursday!

Steve

Keep Them Hard Times Away From My Door

The news is that the economy is starting to turn. Las Vegas is a lagging indicator sort of town, so we may have a while yet before we notice. Real estate investment is back, but this time for cash flow, not for flipping. If you rent for cash flow, you may well do okay, so long as you maintain the property and keep good tenants. All of which is saying that nothing, even the worst of times, lasts forever, and the light at the end of the tunnel may actually be something other than an oncoming train.

But, you still need a job. I read in today's Review-Journal about a woman who took twelve months to find a new job, and then she found three at the same time. She took two of them. Two jobs? Why not, if you've got the time. She said it was nice to feel "useful." Boy, I know what she means. That's why I've listed some of the advice I have previously, because "useful" is a way of describing a reasonably happy life.

So, it's Tuesday and you're rolling for the week. There's a career fair coming up Santa Fe station. If you're not familiar with the Review-Journal and the job seeking help it provides free, you should be. Check it out right here. I have found employment through this source, and you may as well.

The moral of that story is to leave no stone unturned. Sure, network your butt off, but remember that advertisers do want to hire someone, and it might as well be you! Besides, it gives you an excuse to sit at your computer, you geek you.

Steve

Happy Monday!

I trust you had a good weekend. Myself, I attended an Elvis club party and Mayor Oscar Goodman's 70th birthday celebration on Fremont Street. If you're anywhere near Vegas, go see the summer of '69 before it's gone.

So, I did find some new leads over the weekend, that I'm following up on. I hope your luck was good as well. Now that it's Monday, be sure to go over your list of things to do last week and make sure that you did them all. If not, make them #1 on your list of things to do this week. I know this sounds idiotically simplistic, but it will help you to succeed in the long run.

A Question for Readers

If you have a topic or series of topics you'd like to read about here, let me know what it is and I'll try to accommodate your wish. Heck, you can't expect me to think of everything here, now can you? There's still time to change tomorrow's posting, so if you get back to me today (August 3rd) I may be able to start on your request right away. First-come, first-served, of course.

So, on that hopeful note, I bid you good searching!

Steve

Warning and Stuff

I read in this morning's paper about cell phone hackers. Particularly iPhones, if that includes you. Smart phones in general are what get hit. They're relatively easy to hit, and difficult to defend. Just thought anyone whose looking for work, and presumably using your phone quite a bit, ought to know. You could have your phone shut down, or worse, used in some sort of malicious attack against somebody else. Trouble is, with your legitimate and paid for phone, you will be found as the source of part of the attack. That could be bad, given how law enforcement is when it gets on a scent, so to speak.

Well, anyway, how was your week? Get anything accomplished? Myself I found a couple of instructional design jobs at UNLV and thought of an entrepreneurial educational enterprise I might be able to get off the ground. I officially applied at Nevada State College to that I can student teach and get permanently credentialed, too. And I continue to work on the mid-century house we bought in April. Things have proceeded apace for me all around. I hope your week was as good.

As always, write me with questions or to sign up for my course. See you on Monday!

Steve