Dole Blogger: Hope again

Yesterday, for the most part, was spent with a clenching squiggling stress filled stomach and high levels of nervous tension - which was not at all helped by caffeine overdose.

Today is much better.

Yesterday I put up with the highly stressed me, (at least if it's someone else, you can get away from them), all morning and until mid-afternoon when I decided it was high time to take some seriously affirmative action (I was already doing job applications, it just didn't seem affirmative enough and feeling like a hopeless task in my gloomy and stressed state of being). I got up, left my job application (it'd still be there when I got back, locked up the office (I'm doing my job applications in my old office as per the invitation to do so from my ex employer) and went out to buy some books on applying for jobs and such to give me some additional tips and direction. I had the name of a few written down, but they weren't about, so I studied pretty much everything on the shelf and settled for two which seemed to have some content of use and weren't going to ruin my non-existant budget even more.

A slight diversion into past employment

After all, when I look at my work history, since leaving the Government in 1999 - I have received all of my jobs via word of mouth. This has pretty much meant a letter of introduction summarising my skills (in some cases) and an interview... not so much emphasis on a resume/cv.

If I look back further, I got my job in the SA Government through what was meant to be a short temp assignment that turned into a short-term contract within the government that turned in to moving from one job to another - some applications were required, but there were several jobs that I moved into based on recommendations too.

Prior to that I worked in TAFE in Alice Springs - I was invited for an interview at TAFE (I didn't apply, I just got a phone call asking me to come in for a chat - fortunately I was wise enough to come in with a resume and prepared for an interview as it turned out to be a panel of four). I was invited to interview because I'd impressed one of the members of TAFE in an interview I did for a position in another Department - in those days you had to have representatives from an external Department on the panel.

Before Alice Springs College of TAFE, I worked for Transport and Works, a position I gained through an employment agency whom I was referred to by the Alice Springs Hospital X-Ray team while doing a job for another agency because they were going to put their next contract through the other agency - I didn't end up back in X-Ray as I got a full time position at Transport and Works instead.

And... before that? I left business college and I walked into an employment agency, did some tests and suddenly I was secretary to the manager.

So you see, this whole being with out a job when I have pretty much just gone from one to another without pause and quite easily without having to jump through all of the rings you might have to if you are unknown or do not have a personal recommendation. I've just had to do my job and do it well and I've been fine.

Getting somewhat back on track again

ANYWAY, I used to have quite a few books on resumes, interviews, etc - partly because I worked within an employment agency and it was work related and partly because I seemed to be forever helping others out with their job applications and person specifications.

It turns out I've given away most of these books or they are no longer relevant so yesterday I purchased two books.

It did help. I felt a bit calmer. I flicked through them, but didn't really have time to read from cover to cover as I had a job application to complete. I finished doing that at about 11:30pm and caught a cab home... while winding down, I turned on the TV watched a bit of arrested development and opened one of the books.

I ended up ignoring the TV and reading the book until about 1:40am when I decided it was more than time for bed.

You see, it's all actually quite obvious - but I needed a book to remind me because the unemployment system gives you quotas to meet (10 jobs in a fortnight - one application every week day) which means you simply have to 'apply. apply. apply.' and don't get to take your time or worry about the quality of the application. Which is quite the opposite to what you'd do if you were looking for a job while you were employed - you'd probably take a bit more time to tailor your resume and letter and spend two to three days on an application where time allowed to get it just right. You'd have time to look back on past experience and assess your skills, knowledge and competencies and use these factors to sell yourself.

Anyway, my new approach is going to be to apply for a few jobs that I am so-so about using the unemployment system of 'apply. apply. apply.' to meet the quotas and the rest I am going to approach from the project management angle using the OAAR process - breaking each job, project and task into objectives, analysis, actions and results, identifying competencies and using them in job applications.

Yup... seriously obvious... but when you have quotas and have to undergo the demoralising process that is the unemployment system, you can get caught up in the hopelessness of the system and forget what you'd normally do.

I am feeling much better for taking time out to get some direction and in amongst meeting the quotas, I'll be doing some serious preparation and leg work that will be useful for all future job applications. In the meantime, one hopes my existing applications will improve as a result of the work-in-progress.

Today... a happier dole blogger... now... where's my coffee?

Labels: Career - Job - Work, Employment, Unemployment