What Doesn’t Kill You…?

It turns out that there may actually be an Upside to Unemployment and there’s research to back it up!  Losing a job, moving, even divorce – when life comes at you hard you just have to tell yourself “it’s temporary” because new research suggests that the hard times do, in fact, make you stronger.  You will come through this difficult time and be better for the experience.

Going through something difficult, science has found, changes your body and mind so the next time something comes at you sideways you’re less likely to be overwhelmed.  I think this may be why I handled my recent unemployment like a break and a chance to reinvent myself the second time around.  I wasn’t as stressed as I was ten years ago when I was told my by employer that they were “moving in another direction” that didn’t include me.

Be grateful for the difficulties of your past because they’ve instilled coping skills, hopefully you built a network of people you can turn to and lean on and you’ve even experienced “cell growth in brain areas relevant for coping.”  These are all things your next employer will benefit from!

Read more:  http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/13/10138835-the-surprising-upside-to-hitting-hard-times
If your job loss is recent or if you’ve been looking so long you don’t remember the last time you were late to a meeting there’s always an opportunity to make sure you’ve covered your bases and you’re up on the “latest” when it comes to the job hunt, your resume, and interview skills.

Even though I’ve landed a great job I’m still working on my website, looking for ways develop my skills to make more money in my field, and networking.  Networking continues to be the most important thing you can do and there are so many more ways to network then there were just a few years ago.  Social Media is here for good, and because of it, employers now want to see you & sometimes hear from you, in addition to seeing what you look like on paper.

This article on Career Builder has great tips on how to make yourself relevant to the employer in the year 2012!  http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2862-Cover-Letters-Resumes-R%C3%A9sum%C3%A9s-in-2012-Whats-old-whats-new/?SiteId=cbmsnhp42862&sc_extcmp=JS_2862_home1

It’s a new year and you WILL land that new job.  Be open to change.  Be flexible.  Be determined.

Keep the faith!

Corey Dylan

New Year, Clean Slate, NEW Blog!

That stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is especially hectic so this is the first chance I’ve had to write a new blog in weeks!  With the New Year comes renewed hope that our lives will improve and that employers will start hiring again!

Floridians have a particularly tough road ahead with the real estate market gasping for breath, politicians politicking, and too many still out of work.  This is why I didn’t wait around for a hand out.  In this economy you have to be bold and it’s my intention to keep up the push for more work in the coming year even though I’ve landed a full time job.

In a recent survey conducted by the Tampa Bay Times & Bay News 9, more than ½ of us in the Bay Area expect our economic situation to stay about the same.  Last month they called 508 Bay Area residents to ask them how they felt about their economic prospects and the general feeling I came away with after reading the article: we’re nervous.

See the article:  http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1208244.ece

I was nervous too when I was unemployed at the and of last year but I felt like I had nothing to lose by marketing myself and making as much noise as I could about being unemployed.  Ironically, I had everything to lose; house, car, rental, savings, etc.  I guess when you think losing everything is an option you’re motivated to do everything you can to keep it!  Today I am rebuilding: my career, my savings account, and working hard!

The poll also gave residents a number of what they called “remedies” to the situation and the most popular fox was spending tax dollars and financial incentives to bring more jobs to the Bay Area.  Chances are these won’t be the same jobs you may have worked in the past so it’s crucial to market yourself as someone who can get ANY job done.  Focus on the positive and your strengths.

Governor Scott campaigned for months on the slogan, “Let’s Get Back to Work!”  And he promised those jobs would come soon.  I didn’t have the luxury to wait to see if his plan worked or what it might mean.  Like most Floridians I needed work NOW.  I’ve never been the type that relied on someone else for much of anything.  In part, I got lucky, but it wasn’t without putting myself “out there,” in the right places in and in front of the right people.

I’m reminded of that Will Smith movie, “Happyness,” and I was inspired that when he desperately needed to make money he sought out someone who WAS making money and DID what that guy did.  Be relentless.

If you were put out of work in 2011 you have the chance to start a new job with a clean slate. It’s a great opportunity!  And in this economy “opportunity” is what you’re looking for rather than simply a “job.”  Employers are always conservative when predicting hiring needs but experts are optimistic that they WILL be doing more hiring in the coming year.  And I can say that I’m seeing more and more people that were on the sidelines with me get hired too so stay positive!

I recommend reading my past Blog entries and here are a couple articles that should help you as you continue or start your job search in 2012:

8 Job-related Smart Phone Apps

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2850-Job-Info-and-Trends-8-job-related-smartphone-apps/?SiteId=cbmsnhp42850&sc_extcmp=JS_2850_home1

Oddball Interview Questions from 2011

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2011/12/top-25-oddball-job-interview.html

 

Until next time keep the faith!

Corey Dylan

You’re fired. Merry Christmas!

This week’s news was the people that give us the news: The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com reported they were laying off 165 people.  I don’t know why companies lay off workers during the holidays but it hurts to see it, especially in our community that just keeps taking the hits in this Recession.  Among the laid off staffers was 35-year vet and Tribune Media Critic, Walt Belcher. Read more about Mr. Belcher: http://networkedblogs.com/rqCfN

I actually remember a time when people were fired only for “cause.”  These days everyone I know that’s lost their job has been “downsized” or “reduced” due to no fault of their own.  Big brother found someone or some way to do business cheaper and with the stroke of a key orders are given and people are left stunned with the news of their unemployment.  Unfortunately, it’s the world we live in right now and we just have to figure out a way to function in it.

Having very recently been on the unemployment line myself I can’t tell you it’s an easy process.  There are ups and downs and worries and small celebrations.  But what I can tell you is it’s a chance to breathe and reinvent yourself.  Take that moment to breathe and then GO FOR IT.  I kept this Blog during my search and it helped to keep me on track, share my story with those who were in the same situation, and move forward in the most positive way I knew how.  I hope you’ve found it an inspiration and a resource for information that can help you survive your unemployment and land your next job.  I know it meant a lot to me to hear from people that were in the same boat who eventually landed a job!

Perhaps some of my success is due to the fact that I was so vocal about my job loss and very transparent about it by posting the news publicly on all my Social Media profiles.

Today 89% of firms are using Social Media to find candidates, according to Jobvite.  The best time to finesse your  public profiles is before you need to look for that job but if you are looking you must make sure your resume is up to date and your profiles are searchable and visible to employers that may be looking for you.  If you’re not on LinkedIN yet, the site most companies are using to recruit, take the weekend to check it out and see what your competition is doing.  Include your job history since profiles with multiple jobs listed are 12 times more likely to be viewed than those with just one.  Make sure to add a great profile photo too because your click-through rate will increase 7 times!  And don’t forget to add keywords in your summary that are important in your industry so that you’ll come up in employer searches.  I looked to others in my industry to see what they were doing successfully and tried to measure up!

I don’t know how much I believe in “fate” but landing a job at WFLA was probably the best thing that could have happened to me personally and professionally.  AM Tampa Bay is definitely a step up in my career and a chance to do things I’ve never done before!  And with every job I’ve been terminated from I find there’s always something better on the other side of unemployment.  I’m sure there is for you too!  Surround yourself with cheerleaders because you’re going to need them.  Uncertainty isn’t easy and we’re living in hard times but the more quickly you make your new “job” finding your NEXT job you’re going to land it.  Best of luck!!!

I start my NEW JOB tomorrow!

It is with excitement and awe that I tell you that I’ve accepted an offer from Clear Channel Radio to work here in Tampa at 970 WFLA AM every weekday morning on “AM Tampa Bay” from 5am until 9am. With the state of radio on shaky ground, I can tell you News/Talk radio is the perfect place for me to start the next phase of my broadcasting career. I will be sitting third chair to two men whose broadcasting careers are the stuff of legend in this business!

Jack Harris has been dominating the Tampa Bay airwaves for decades. Jack has worked the mic for The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, The Tampa Bay Storm, The Outback Bowl, and WLFA for years. At one point Jack’s career took him to Washington D.C. where he worked along side Willard Scott! He’s an American Vet and a really smart man! I plan to have a dictionary handy when Jack throws out the big words. 😉

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Harris_(broadcaster)

Tedd Webb bleeds everything that Tampa Bay is. Born and raised in Cigar City, Tedd has been worked as a DJ, Sportscaster, and Talk Show Host during his decades in radio and even worked along side the legendary Scott Shannon and Cleveland Wheeler at the famous “Q Morning Zoo.” Tedd is a quick wit, a survivor and a fighter, in the nicest sense of the word.

http://www.teddwebb.com/about/index.html

Both Jack and Tedd are award-winning broadcasters and I expect to learn a lot, and laugh a lot, working with them. Our chemistry seems effortless and I have so much respect for the men they are and the work they do at WFLA. In addition to Jack and Tedd, I’ll be working with Producer Ethan Youker and Program Director Steve Versnick. This is a dream team, as far as I’m concerned!

So what am I doing there? Little known fact: I have a degree in Broadcast Journalism and I bring more than 15 years broadcast experience to the table from TV & Radio News Rooms and broadcast studios – the last 9 years of which I’ve spent in Tampa. “AM Tampa Bay” is committed to the issues the residents of Tampa Bay face on a daily basis and will continue to bring you the information you need to make informed decisions in your community and in your life. Your concerns, your family, and your health and happiness are issues we want to talk about.

I’m humbled by the support I’ve received from so many on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIN and I want you to know how much I appreciate it!!! I hope you’ll join us weekday mornings on 970 WFLA AM from 5am until 9am. Here are the numbers to call us LIVE:

Hillsborough: 813-990-9352
Pinellas: 727-461-9352
Toll-Free: 800-969-9352

You can listen LIVE every day here: http://www.iheart.com/#/live/2823/?autoplay=true

And I hope you’ll follow us on Facebook so that we can get to know YOU: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AMTampaBay

As a side note, I wanted to let those of you that still need the inspiration and resources I’ve shared in my weekly Blog that I will continue to write for you! TheUPsidetoUnemployment lives on until you don’t need it anymore!
Keep the Faith and tune in tomorrow morning for my first day on “AM Tampa Bay” on 970 WFLA AM!!!

Corey Dylan