Getting The Gig
True Tips For Rebounding From Unexpected Unemployment
Here is a ground floor look at what experts call the micro-economy; meaning of course what is happening wallet-wise with you and your family and friends.
My circle of decidedly non show business pals have been largely unaffected by the stresses and strains of the economy until the end of last year when not one, but two of my closest pals were both shown the door at the financial firms that they worked for. One friend received the most solid gold of golden handshakes; and while I always think I would be both grateful and appreciative of that kind of good-bye; my friend’s wallet is full to overflowing, but I think he is still hurt and heart-broken at concluding a career not on his own time table.
My other friend is a more interesting example and maybe a good lesson for the rest of us. I think that if (when) I am abruptly fired that I would be pretty shell-shocked and embarrassed and be afraid to tell anyone. My friend, smart guy that he is, told everyone. In a note he distributed everywhere, he said nothing angry or disparaging about his old employers and instead indicated that he was looking for a new challenge and would be happy for any introductions. He joined that LinkedIn site and expand his number of connections from about to dozen, to more than 400.
My pal here has a great resume, super background, MBA, the whole works. But, like me, he is ‘North Of 40,’ and as he told me, “I really thought my window of opportunity was only open for a limited time.” His outplacement counselor and other friends suggested that since he was able to cover his monthly nut for a period of time; he should take some time off, travel and reflect, and pick up a job search in a few months. “That didn’t make sense to me,” he said. “I wanted to hit the ground running.” Among the many frustrations he encountered, that many if not all of the “posted” jobs he spotted on line and elsewhere featured positions that were already filled.
Still he pressed on with a disciplined schedule. Spending an hour or two working out in the morning, and the rest of the day trying to connect with potential employers.
All of this reminded me of a circumstance I shared with this same friend, way way back in the summer of 1991. I had worked as a freelance reporter at Channel 11 for several months and I was desperately trying to get a permanent job there. My friend Mark Thompson, who was the main weatherman at the time, even offered to help train me for the only position that was open at the station, a job to be the weekend weather person. Despite Mark’s efforts, KTTV decided instead to hire a man who sold a stereo system to one of the station’s management team. So I spent the summer of 1991 along with my friend; working out in the morning, and going to the UCLA career center every afternoon trying to get a job.
When I saw the KTLA Morning News premiere in June of that year, watching the show from home, I could tell that the producers couldn’t quite fill the entire two hours. My brainstorm was to try and figure out who was coping with that problem; and it occurred to me it was the producer who was laying out the show overnight. I found out the name of the right guy, and I called him at 2 a.m. in the morning; the exact time when he was laying out the show. “You know what,” he told me. “I get a ton of messages at 4 p.m. in the afternoon, but I have already gone home and I’m sleeping. So the very fact that you called me at 2 a.m. makes me think you must have something on the ball, can you come in and meet with us next week.” That meeting turned into a very good interview; which has turned into a long-standing career for which I am endlessly grateful and appreciative.
Back to my same friend from that summer of 1991. He spent the winter of 2013/2014 making every call and connection he could. He was luckily called in for interviews and in the case of one major company was told that the entire hiring process could take six months. Soon, he received a call from a former colleague, who knew that my friend was “looking,” and suggested a small firm that he was working for may be expanding. A company of about 30 employees total; my friend went for a series of interviews and met with more than half of the company.
He got the good news on Friday. Hired. Even better, his start date isn’t until May 1st, so armed with the security of knowing he has a job up ahead. He can take the next few weeks to relax and congratulate himself on doing everything and anything to get that next gig. Total time unemployed, four months. He considers himself VERY lucky.
I am keenly aware that many unemployment stories don’t have such happy and positive endings. The economic statistic that alarms me the very most, is the number of people who have withdrawn from the work force; simply given-up because there is no indication that things will get better. Many of those people are my peers, and it is a deeply troubling thing.
But I am happy to share the occasionally good economic story, with the reminder that it really is important to be nice to everyone. Because you never know when that former colleague could be the key to a brand new and increasingly precious job.
