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Matt Ryan

A journey lugging aspirations and experiences, tools and ideals.

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It’s different this time

by Em Are · May 6, 2014

It’s different this time. 

Just after my position was eliminated in August of 2012 I was angry/ in shock/ hurt/ scared, all at the same time. The first few weeks are still a blur as I try to remember how I pulled things together. I do remember going to a networking event at Penn State Great Valley early on. I walked into a large room, and surprise, saw about 75 people who looked just like me: mid 50’s, somewhat paunchy, deer-in-the-headlights eyes, mostly male, walking around holding a fake leather folder containing freshly printed resumes – trying to make small-talk with recruiters and HR representatives that, for the most part, could have been our kids. Trying to explain how my life skills were still relevant and how they could translate into desirable business skills. Technical skills, forget it. Anything more than 5 years ago was so out of favor that it was now considered legacy and being phased out. 

The biggest step I took was to go to a local support group – Joseph’s People – in Downingtown. I had heard of it before, many years ago, but had never experienced it for myself. That first Tuesday night was very nerve-racking as I arrived. But it was a support group for unemployed and underemployed persons, of any age, without regard to religious affiliation. These were church-going people – how bad could it get. If fact, it was uplifting. It was supportive. It gave me energy, but more than that, it gave me a safe place to practice talking about myself, a place where I could screw up trying to network and have someone nudge me in the right direction. 

So now, unemployed again after only 3 months at this last job, I’m heading back to that safe place. There’s a Joseph’s People meeting in Media, PA tonight. I’ll be there, learning how to do better on phone and Skype interviews (you might be surprised to learn how often you do have to take part in one of these interviews first, before anything else happens), learning how to introduce myself with my personal elevator speech, and accepting the love and support of strangers. Initially strangers, but by the end of the evening, they will be future friends and definitely, LinkedIn connections. 

Connect with me on LinkedIn. My network is fairly large, almost 1700 as of this morning, and I’ll do whatever I can to help you connect with the right person. After all, we are all looking for the right connection that will lead us to that one person who can point us to our next job opportunity. 

Here’s a one-click connection URL – invite not needed. 

 

All the best.

Filed Under: Personal Journey Tagged With: Joseph's People, LinkedIn, networking, Starting Over, unemployed

Another chapter begins, a door opens, [insert moving on cliche here]

by Em Are · May 3, 2014

Hmmmm, just about 16 hours ago, about 15 minutes before it was time to leave the office for the weekend – that would be 4:45 pm – manager IM’s me asking me to step into his office. Note to self – this is a bad omen – prepare yourself. After some light pleasantries, a couple of moments of banter, him writing 1 or 2 more emails and taking the phone call – all while I’m sitting in his office – he turns to me and says, looking above my head, we’ve decided to part ways with you. 

Part ways with me! Are you leaving me? Sounds like a very awkward breakup if you ask me. To paraphrase, it seems like the directions manager gave me last week were incorrect, and the powers that be were not happy with the progress I was making on the items that manager told were not an issue. Manager deflected all responsibility to powers that be. Effective today. Insurance through the rest of the month. No severance. HR will get your PC from you and escort you from the building. By now it 4:55 and most everyone has left. Guess that is good so I won’t make a scene!

Said goodbye to a few remaining souls – two of which were most helpful to me as I tried to learn the company and its direction as quickly as possible – not fast enough, as it turns out. 

Packed up my box of stuff, deleted my password manager from my work laptop, signed out of my cloud storage/work area, handed over my super-special, handy-dandy key fob, aka key to the kingdom. And was escorted out. On the way home realized that I left my prized Phillies magnet on the side of my desk. Damn, I gotta go back next week and retrieve it. Along with a termination letter. Realized the last time around that it is necessary to prove that I didn’t quit – for a number of reasons. 

Fell off the wagon last night. Oh well, it WAS a very stressful event. I’ll climb back on today and start again. 

Back to my networking with a host of new skills. I am now a strong cold-caller, have tripled the size of my LinkedIn network to 1600+, and have gotten used to a daily commute for the first time in years. 

Thanks for listening. I’ll be back. 

Filed Under: Personal Journey Tagged With: LinkedIn, management-NOT, search, unemployed

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