Unemployment is still a dark and looming issue in this country, but as many who were hit in last years layoffs get back on their feet I read and hear more and more stories of personal reinvention and renewal.

In a recent New York Times Magazine, former Editor in Chief of Conde Nast’s House & Garden, Dominique Browning,  shares an excerpt from her new book, Slow Love: How I Lost My Job, Put on My Pajamas and Found Happiness, in which she  details the downward spiral she took after the dissolution of the magazine and ultimately the positive impact it had on her life and her quest for happiness.

The article is witty and anyone who has lost a job they loved will relate to her subsequent confusion and depression.

“Being unemployed is a lot like being depressed. You know how there are millions (O.K., a handful) of things you swear you would do if you only had the time? Now that I had all the time in the world — except for the hours during which I was looking for work — to read, write, watch birds, travel, play minor-key nocturnes, have lunch with friends, train a dog, get a dog, learn to cook, knit a sweater, iron the napkins and even the sheets, I had absolutely no energy for any of it. It made no difference that music and books and nature had long been the mainstays of my spirit. Just thinking about them exhausted me. I had absolutely zero experience in filling weeks — what if it became years? — with activity of my own choosing. Being unemployed meant being unoccupied, literally. I felt hollow.”

The hollowness and depression that Browning talks about is a common theme in the conversations I’ve had with the unemployed over the past year and a half. I’ve written in the past on how losing a job sends people into the same grief cycle as losing a loved one or a relationship. Browning herself mentions the process being much like a divorce.

But the important note to take from the piece (and from her book, I presume, too) is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for many and it often only comes after the introspection associated with cycling through the phases of grief and despair that come with loss.

The article is worth a read as is her website (if you enjoyed House & Garden, you’ll enjoy this too.)

Dear Bev: Are There Job Search “Best Practices?”

By Beverly Weinstein

Absolutely! I talked to a senior level ad agency executive recently who conducted a five-month job search with great success. In my opinion, his search was pitch perfect and worth noting.

What to Look For in a Contact List…(Hint: It’s Not Just Contacts)

Step one in this successful CEO’s search was developing a list of contacts under the broad heading of “anyone that could be helpful” in finding him a job. He also understood that not every contact would be a direct route to his end goal. His conversations always had a purpose, and he stressed the importance of being specific about what he was looking for. It might have been as simple as someone’s opinion on marketplace trends or as specific as help getting in front of someone that was looking for a candidate with his skills. He met with more than 100 people.

Searching as a Full-Time Job

“It’s important to keep your search going each week like it’s your job,” he advised. “It’s hard to dip in and out of search. I did take the opportunity to visit family and take a vacation, but you have to stay at it. You can’t treat it like a part-time event. That’s a dangerous mind-set because you can wake up one day, and it’s been a year that you’ve been out of work.”

Find a Good Coach

Outplacement, which included a personal coach, was part of this executive’s exit package from his previous post. He credits his coach with being instrumental in the success of his search, not only in helping him prepare for interviews, but also in helping him refine his job criteria and make a choice that would best serve his career development.

“I worked with my coach to prepare for interviews, gave him the feedback I received from interviewers, and then he helped assess and refine the way I presented myself,” he said. “On another level, the coach was someone I could turn to if I was feeling down or needed some help to lift my spirits.” He was lucky that his former employer footed the bill for a coach, but didn’t hesitate to say that it was so valuable that it was something he would have paid for himself.

Interview Tips

“When I started interviewing I was way too casual. I relied too much on my past history,” he admitted. “I later realized the importance of going into an interview and being able to provide two or three points where you can add immediate value to an organization.”

In addition to researching the company he was interviewing with online, he tried to have a preparatory conversation with someone from the company so he didn’t walk into the interview cold. “I found most people are willing to take your call and answer a few questions.”

Say More Than Just “Thank You”

After many interviews, this successful job seeker’s feeling was that a “thank you” note without meaningful content was a waste. “Take time to compose something that reflects back on the interview conversation and includes some simple points about how you can add immediate value to the company. A few strong paragraphs will suffice,” he said. He also though follow-up notes should be sent within 48 hours of the interview.

Visibility

He made a point of remaining active in the business community during his period of unemployment. “Stay visible within your industry,” he advised. “Go to conferences, even if you pay out of your own pocket.”  He found value in making a point of scheduling meals and meetings in places where he was most likely to run into people in the business. “If people don’t see you or hear from you, you’re not going to be top of mind,” he warned.

Don’t Be Afraid To Negotiate

This executive’s aggressive job search got him back in the saddle in five months, but he puts emphasis on finding the right job for you and not just a quick fix to unemployment, even if it takes more time. “I was more focused on the job I wanted, rather than a salary benchmark,” he said. “If you’re really looking at the right job, then the salary should be in the right range that’s appropriate with your contribution level and the kind of company you want to join.”

And just because you’re unemployed, he said, doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate. “Being unemployed doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go back to the company and says, I appreciate the offer, but points one and two still don’t fit for me, and these are the reasons why.”

Read the column on Media Post.

With things starting to look up in the new year, many employees who have been too fearful to change jobs in the fluctuating economy of 2009 are beginning to pursue new opportunities. Instead of fearing how to handle being fired, executives are confused as to how they should resign.

Recently the Wall Street Journal published an article with tips on resigning on good terms. According to the story, 60% of employees say they intend to leave their jobs when the economy improves. That’s a staggering amount of people who will be turning in their letter of resignation. The WSJ offers some good advice on maintaining good relations with your ex employer and some more obvious tips like, um, don’t steal office supplies on your way out. Here are some of the highlights:

“Make an appointment. “Be formal and make an appointment with your boss,” recommends Tanya Maslach, a San Diego, Calif., career expert who specializes in relationship management issues. “Prepare what you want to say. Be direct and engaging—and be transparent,” Ms. Maslach says. She also recommends offering to help make the transition easier; ask your boss how you can best do that. After the discussion, put your resignation in a hard-copy letter that includes your last day and any transitional help you’ve offered.

• Stay close. Consider joining an employee alumni association, which often serves as a networking group for former employees. It can be a good way to keep up with changes in the company and industry—and find leads to new jobs down the road. Keep in touch with coworkers you worked closely with; they may end up in management roles.

• Be honest but remain positive. Be helpful during the exit interview but keep responses simple and professional. Don’t use the session to lay blame or rant about coworkers, bosses or the workplace.

• Scrub your digital footprint. Clear your browser cache, remove passwords to Web sites you use from work, such as your personal email or online bank account and delete any personal files on your work computer that aren’t relevant to work. Don’t delete anything work related if you’re required to keep it.”

What shouldn’t you do when resigning? You probably shouldn’t tweet that you’re leaving before you turn it that letter of resignation. Yesterday, Jonathan Schwartz, now former CEO of Sun Microsystems, tendered his resignation in the form of a Twitter haiku saying “Today’s my last day at Sun. I’ll miss it. Seems only fitting to end on a #haiku. Financial crisis/Stalled too many customers/CEO no more.”

An original and very post modern way to quit, to say the least. But today’s Media Post Online Daily Newsletter references Schwartz’s resignation in a cautionary article on using social networking in the workplace, citing more companies cracking down on employee’s web chatter with rules and regulations regarding any company information. In other words, be careful what you tweet.

Happy New Year to all! After a restful holiday hiatus, we return to our regular programming of career and media related advice, news, and commentary…

Unfortunately we’ve been hearing that this holiday season brought more than good tidings and mirth. For many it also brought the unwanted gift of unemployment. (WSJ) A great way to put a damper on the holidays, but don’t let it ruin the new year! While everyone has had big hopes for 2010 to be a better year for media and a better year for employment in general, the end of the fiscal calendar always leaves companies trimming and reorganizing for a new year. You’re not alone and don’t lose hope, because with the new year comes, of course, resolutions!

There are the typical resolutions we all make…read more, exercise regularly, take up a new hobby, maybe lose a few pounds. We’re all concerned with bettering ourselves for a brighter future. So why not look at your job search as an extension of yourself? After all finding that new job is all about a new future. If you resolve to go for a run every day to take better care of your body, why not resolve to take better care of those job search tools too and put your best foot forward both literally and figuratively?

Phyllis Korkki at The New York Times had this same spirit of renewal in mind when she wrote a guide to re-energizing your job search. Here are some highlights and tips:

Your Resume: Korkki says, “When was the last time you took a word-by-word, letter-by-letter look at your résumé? Make sure it’s completely up to date and tailored to the types of jobs you are seeking. (After all, your situation might have changed since you started looking.) Now is also the time to create alternate versions, to reflect different types of positions.”

You may also want to look into hiring a resume writer if the document needs a lot of attention and you haven’t created one in years.

Your References: “If you have not talked to your references lately, call or e-mail them. Make sure they are still in the same jobs, and tell them you’re still looking. This helps expand your network, because references may know of job openings. It’s also a good time to consider whether to add or remove some people as references,” she wrote.

Digital Presence: And we can’t stress this one enough! “Check and update your LinkedIn profile and make sure that it’s consistent with the information in your résumé and any other online presence you have… Hiring managers look at LinkedIn, and any discrepancies could be red flags..Review your contacts on LinkedIn and reach out to new ones. Check whether anyone new can write a recommendation for you on the site. And, while you’re at it, Google yourself and check Facebook or other social networks to make sure that nothing embarrassing shows up.”

These are just a few ways to get serious about your future. Stay tuned for more advice in the coming posts!

Read the rest of Korkki’s tips at the New York Times.

You’re unemployed. It’s a fact you can’t avoid in an interview. But should you broadcast it for all to see on LinkedIn? Or should you conveniently forget to update your profile to reflect the change in your employment status?

It’s a good question. You don’t want to seem desperate by broadcasting your eagerness to find an opportunity, but you also don’t want to seem like you’re stretching the truth about your employment once someone investigates you a little further.

This very topic was tackled by Brad Attig on his blog, MyRetailCareer.net. Brad blogs about careers too with a focus on the retail industry and was also an executive recruiter in the past thus he has the experience looking at resumes and placing candidates to know that honesty is always the best policy. I tended to agree with his point of view which was not to lie, but not to be too desperate, ie. skip the full page ad in the NY Times advertising your availability.

One thing I’ll add that wasn’t really touched upon was that putting an end date to your most recent position in your profile isn’t screaming out that you’re unemployed… unless you want it to. Fellow colleagues and business connections will only see that you made this change if you’re privacy settings are so that any updates or changes you make to your profile are broadcast to your network in the updates portion of their homepage and in periodic LinkedIn updates emails. You can adjust this if you want to in “Account & Settings” section, always located in the top right hand corner. Or you can choose to have it broadcast to those connections so that people see you’re change in situation and maybe want to lend a helping hand on your quest to employment. It depends on which camp you decide to settle in.

As far as recruiters and potential employers checking out your profile, if they’re not connected to you anyway then they wouldn’t be notified of your change in status. They would only be looking on your profile because they found it for another reason. Most likely that reason would be that you showed up in their search results based on your experience and compatibility with the job they’re filling. Recruiters are trying to find the best possible fit for their clients and with so many people out of a job these days, they know that unemployment can mean very little about a candidates talent. What counts is what you can do for their client. Don’t let lying be the first attribute they find in you.

Take a look at what Brad had to say on the topic and let me know what you think about it. Any suggestions on how to ask your network for help without seeming desperate?

Dan Woog gave the following missteps and mistakes for job-seeking networkers to avoid in a piece for Monster.com.

“You wouldn’t wear jeans to a job interview, but do you pay as much attention to job-hunting etiquette when networking? If you’re approaching potential contacts in an offhand way, you may be putting them off entirely. Learn what the most common networking mistakes are so you don’t have to make them.”

Waiting

Woog says not to wait until you’ve lost your job to start networking! “Effective networking means creating contacts and relationships while you’re still employed.”

Being Clueless
Know why are you attending a networking event. What are your goals? What can you offer?

Being Unprepared
“Practice your pitch as well as your answers to questions about your career goals that might arise.” Enough said. Know what you want.

Forgetting Business Cards

Might sound silly, but Woog has a point. No one’s going to remember you without it. They’ll remember meeting you but then say, “Oh, what was his/her name?”

Using a Silly-Sounding Email Name
FirstName.LastName, simple as that. No nick names or confusing combinations of letters and numbers.

Being Pompous
This should be a no-brainer, btu sadly for some it’s not.
“While you’re networking, you need to listen to what everyone else is saying. People help by offering advice. They are not interested in hearing how much you already know.”

Monopolizing Someone’s Time
Make connections, but don’t overwhelm them. Everyone wants to mingle at events so give people space. Reconnect after the even via email or phone.

Dressing Down
“Look sharp at networking events.  A networking event can be a dress rehearsal for a job interview, but no one will help you get your foot in the door if you give the impression that you’ll slouch through it once it’s open.”

Being a Wallflower
Why bother going to a networking event or conference if you don’t make the most of it. This can be harder for people who are more timid by nature, but if you’re on the market for a job, it’s not time to shy. “Be assertive, and act like a leader. But don’t go overboard. You want to convey self-assurance, not obnoxiousness.”

Being Passive
Being pleasantly persistent shows how interested you are in a position or company. Don’t be too pushy, but let your enthusiasm show.

Lying
Liars almost always get caught. Don’t embarrass yourself and burn bridges by fudging the truth on facts about your experience or your acquaintances.
Treating Your Networking Relationships as Short-Term Flings

Don’t forget to follow up and show appreciation for their help. Also don’t forget that networking is a two way street. Don’t use help without returning the favor. Ask yourself what you can offer someone in return, even if they’re not job hunting.

“No one likes to be used. Follow up every conversation with a thank-you note, email or call. Let your contact know whether his suggestions panned out or not. When your job search ends — for whatever reason — inform the person who has helped you. You may think your networking is over, but your paths may cross again.”

Forgetting Where You Came From
Continue the cycle. Help others even once you’re back in a job. Don’t forget how you got back in the saddle.

As the months since the Recession began have rolled by, more and more of the laid off executives who contribute to Wall Street Journal’s Laid off and Looking column have transitioned into the alumni category after finding new work. But today’s guest writer is still working on it and in fact he’s using the mistakes he’s made to construct a more effective plan instead of growing discouraged. Instead of hearing advice about what to do and how to do it, here’s one smart guy who admits he didn’t know what he was doing (something many can relate to), but he’s working on it and in a unique and ultimately gratifying way.

Stan Kaczmarek is an environmental engineering guy. He worked for years at Johnson and Johnson as well as Exxon and at one time owned his own environmental consulting firm. He is the kind of person who wants to make a difference in the world but his first three attempts at acheiving success at it failed.

Here’s what happened:

“On the first path I decided to write a book to fulfill a lifelong dream: making a difference with words that inspire. But it soon became apparent that no publisher would even consider what I was writing unless I already had a platform as a recognized expert and leader — family and former co-workers did not count.

I also began seeking a senior-level environmental position in traditional environmental fields, as well as in a new area I had become adept at: engineering sustainable products for the green marketplace. But companies looking for senior environmental staff either delayed their hiring or couldn’t decide what role they wanted to play in the green economy.

Lastly, though I had initial success getting consulting assignments while waiting for one or both of the above paths to pay off, the consulting field crumbled within weeks of the market collapse.”

Sounds frustrating.

But Stan used these experiences to learn something about the industry he was trying to break into.

“I was forced to look back, re-consider what I really had to offer, balance that against what I still wanted to do, and decide how I could brand myself as significantly different than the growing crowd of writers and environmental experts. In the process I had to admit my career successes were also offset by failure, especially when it came to influencing corporate management to consider proactive approaches to the green economy. An even higher realization was that I failed in this task for the very same reason I could not get published: I lacked a media platform, a powerful voice and a uniquely crafted message. All three would be necessary if I was going to stand above the din.”

So how is Stan overcoming these failures and finding that voice? By blogging of course. He started two. One that focuses on the environment and one about unemployment and his personal journey. He is using the platform to talk about both his passion and career goal as well as his personal thoughts, thus humanizing his digital persona and allowing him to engage with readers and his target audience in a more collaborative way. He is not talking at his audience, but rather conversing with them. These things are key in social media and particularly in branding yourself. Stan seems to be on the right track.

He’s using LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter of course and many other networks to get the word out about his endeavors. His guest spot in the WSJ is sure to help as well.

The lesson he has to teach others in his shoes is that he needed to learn a few new tricks and embracing this learning experience instead of fighting it is ultimately leading to success. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong and fearing new technologies, Stan embraced the fact that he needed to change his strategy and now he’s on a journey he didn’t see coming.

Check out the article, which links to Stan’s blogs, here.

By Beverly Weinstein

A well thought-out communication with or without a gimmick should be effective. But just a gimmick? Not so much.

There’s the taxi cab driver with his resume in full view of his passengers, the sandwich-board-wearing Wall Street job hunter, the college grad with a billboard, and even the anxious wife with a “hire my husband” Web site. They all succeeded in getting media attention, but none have managed to snag a job, according to a recent check. Why? Their messages announced that they needed a job, but didn’t convey why someone should give them one.

There is one gimmick, or let’s call it a unique, well-targeted communication, that a newly minted college grad with a marketing major tried that’s working: a music video cover letter. His name is Alec Biedrzycki, and I talked to him about his strategy. At 22, his approach was better thought-out than older and more experienced candidates I’ve interviewed.

Alec figured out pretty quickly that in a competitive job market, resumes sent to blind P.O. boxes rarely get responses. He also understood that a personal referral or connection provides the best job chances, but he just have many. So he put what he learned in his marketing classes and his musical talent to work.

In mid-July, he wrote and recorded a musical cover letter one Sunday, then posted it to YouTube and Facebook. So far, he’s had over 14,000 YouTube hits and has been interviewed by CNN, Headline News and Fox Philadelphia. He was also featured in an Italian newspaper. The gimmick part got him press coverage. But what about a pay check?

The targeted communication has netted him six solid job prospects and 10 freelance opportunities. He’s also been able to develop a more effective written cover letter. Here are excerpts from cover letters he sent before and after creating the music video:

Before Music Video

As a recent graduate of Bentley University with a degree in marketing, I’ve had much experience working with several different Corporate Businesses that specialize in Social Media utilization. Throughout these positions, I’ve:

• Worked …to develop marketing strategies for a new social media platform that enables consumers to promote, distribute and support brands and charities via social networks.

• Worked …. to create new Facebook application for job search and career advice

Also, being an avid Social Media user, I also have a Twitter account (@albiedrzycki) and blog (http://alecdotes.blogspot.com/), both of which I contribute to frequently.

After

“So that’s the basic work I’ve done throughout my academic and work career. But what about the innovative aspect of marketing? I said that I’m creative and naturally, I like to think outside the box. As an example of this claim, check out the “Musical Cover Letter” that I created to aid me in my job search. (I was interviewed on CNN and Headline News because of it.) You can view it below.

Also, be sure to check out my Web site, too (www.albiedrzycki.com), as it showcases my skills in a more concrete way. So please take a look at what I’ve done and consider what I can do for you. I hope to hear back from you soon!” Here’s some good advice from a 22-year-old that a much-older job recruiter seconds. Know your audience! “I did a music video to relate to what I’m applying for — if I was an accountant, it wouldn’t fly,” he said. “I marketed myself to a marketing job. You have to stay true to what you want to do. Be relevant, and get yourself out there.”

Read the article on Media Daily News.

With the rise in unemployment, one industry that hasn’t been hurting is outplacement. But many laid off workers whose former employers gave them an outplacement package as part of their severance find themselves still unemployed and wishing they hadn’t bothered with outplacement at all.

According to the Wall Street Journal, few outplacement firms offer statistics on success rates and most employers use outplacement for good PR, to avoid lawsuits, and to minimize unemployment insurance payments.

But not because they genuinely want to help the newly laid off?

Apparently not.

One ex-Pepsi admin assistant interviewed by the WSJ says the outplacement firm she was sent to sent out cover letters riddled with typos that she didn’t get to review. The company she applied to received a surprisingly similar letter from another ex-Pepsi job seeker, leading her to believe the firm she was sent to was pumping out templates. [See below]

To make matters worse, the interview advice she received from a coach she worked with at the firm was not to order cranberry juice because it hinted at a urinary tract infection. What?!

Two other executives who remained nameless in the article said they too were chided for interview faux pas including the “immature” choice of ordering a diet soda and not following the interviewer into the bathroom to continue a conversation.

Again…What?!

I’m sure there are exceptional outplacement firms that give individualized attention to clients and valuable career and interview advice. But for a thriving industry that’s seeing revenue growth, shouldn’t they all meet those standards and shouldn’t they have the resources to hire more and qualified employees?

If their business is to find unemployed people jobs, why don’t they hire some of their clients? Just a thought.

Read the WSJ article here.

Image links to interactive graphic on WSJ.com.

“In the aftermath of a layoff, style is critical.”

So says the Wall Street Journal, which ran a story today on revamping your style and adjusting your attitude in the wake of a job loss. One interviewee, Michael Guarini a former president of the health division at Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, says he ditched his usual business casual duds and now wears formal business suits to all networking meetings, even with long time acquaintances.

Why go fancy, you may ask. Shouldn’t your skills speak for themselves? Even the Journal admits that dressing up can cause some eye brow raises and a few “I hope you didn’t wear a suit for me.” comments. But ultimately, Guarini gets noticed. He is remembered for looking polished, professional, and serious. If you’re serious about your job search, you should look the part.

The author of the article, Christina Binkley, delves into the psychological aspects of the post lay-off makeover as well, urging the unemployed to hold their tongue and not bad-mouth their former employers in a reactive rage.  This is something we’ve emphasized in former blog posts and columns as well. But no matter how logical it may seem, Binkley points out that in a state of anger and emotional distress even the most collected business person can lose their cool.

How to avoid a meltdown before it happens? It seems Binkley’s only recommendation is to take some time off before jumping into the “dating pool,” likening a lay-off to a break up. She offers some post-meltdown suggestions and ways to keep your communication direct, but in terms of skipping the damage control, taking a vacation seems to be the best answer to the problem.

This advice is certainly smart and sounds like a logical way to let emotions melt away before contacting people about your job search. But is it really realistic? Not everyone can afford to just take a few weeks off. Not to mention if you’re suddenly unemployed, what are you taking time off from? I think this refers to the job search itself, networking, etc. However, with most job searches taking months these days, stalling the inevitable with a few weeks of down time seems counter intuitive.

Other suggestions for cooling off? Talk to your spouse, your loved ones, an old friend who has nothing to do with your industry. Avoid friends in the same line of work, because as Binkley does point out, many executives think they are venting to friends in the office and then their vented frustration turns into office gossip. Talking it out is healthy and talking to someone separated from the situation will offer a different perspective and allow you to see both side of the equation. That’s what friends and loved ones are for, right?

So, blow off that steam and dust off your suit and dress shoes. A whole new, happier, more stylish you is hitting the job market.