Revelations & Epiphanies!

For the last 15 months or so I’ve been wracking my brain on what I want to say in this blog. Do I want to use it as a writer’s platform? Do I want to have fun with food? Do I want to flip out on politics? Do I want to show my art? Do I want to promote myself as a job seeker? Do I want to tell of my love of Des Moines?

How do I find my voice?

Like a bolt of lightning it hit me. Why stop at one blog? Why not have a blog for all of my “voices?” I could write faithfully every day because I would write according to the whims of my… erm. “Personalities.”

I think I’ve unleashed a monster.

Career Expo Disappointing

Excited about attending Net2Work’s Iowa Career Expo yesterday, I left the event unenthused.

I arrived early for the 9am Net2Work “briefing.” A panel of recruitment and HR experts was on hand to advise job seekers on how to get the best out of a job fair. Participants were given sticky notes. One could write a question, and the sticky note was then whisked away by a fair volunteer. This allowed questions to be asked anonymously. My question? Why won’t employers offer internship oppportunities to mid-career level job seekers who have been downsized or laid off, forcing these job seekers to reinvent their career?

Eventually a question about internship  came up. Does a person have to be a current student to take advantage of internships? The answer was a resounding, “Yes.”

I waited, assuming that this would be a perfect lead-in to my question but moving along, the topic changed and several questions later the discussion came to a close. Come to think of it, I’m not sure we ever learned how to get the most out of a job fair.

I will not claim that my sticky note was the only one untouched, but I’ve asked about internships before. Why are they reserved exclusively for college students? Why is this opportunity not available for others who are either interested in or in need of a career change? Mid-career individuals bring experience to the table. If there is anyone out there who can explain this to me, please do.

My main goal in attending the fair was to take advantage of a free resume critique. So; should I join the line of about 100 people waiting to sign up? I decided instead to explore the fair. The atmosphere was like that of the Varied Industries Building during the Iowa State Fair, minus the strollers. Hundreds of people, squeezing through the aisles and lining up for a chance to speak with prospective employers. Participating employers were predictable: The medical, agriculture, and insurance fields dominated. Most available positions were highly specialized. I visited with and left my resume with just two employers/recruiting agencies, ITA Group and the Palmer Group.

Three hours later, the line for resume critiquing was still long, with no end in sight. I decided to scrap the idea for the day. There are other chances to have this done in a less hectic environment.

I left the expo feeling somewhat let down. While I appreciate the efforts of Net2Work, the Career Expo as is does not meet the needs of most mid-career level job seekers. Are employers just seeking a younger, more impressionable employee? One whose work ethics are just beginning to take shape; one that might be molded (for lack of a better description)? Ironically, most of those in attendance were mid-career level job seekers. Those with a specific skill set no doubt had better luck than I, with my degrees of experience over a wide variety of skill sets.

Beginning a new year unemployed – for the second year in a row – was not my plan. The Iowa Career Expo did not meet my needs, so I’m crossing it off the list. I’ll continue in 2011 to seek  better ways in reaching potential employers that will suit my needs as a mid-career level job seeker.

I’m open for suggestions.

Pajamas & Juice; Straight From The Bottle

I’m thankful for today’s blue skies, but that’s doing little to lift my somber mood.

I’ve been unemployed now for three and a half months. My nineteen months as an editorial assistant leaves me with little upon which to sell myself as a writer, but initially I jumped on the networking bandwagon with enthusiasm. A brutal winter soon set in, and I allowed myself to become complacent. I stayed home on snowy days when I should have been out handing out business cards. Which brings me to where I am now: Still unemployed. The early enthusiasm, now a dull sense of isolation.

Obviously, I’m doing what I need to do to keep my unemployment benefits. I send my resume to at least two contacts each week, but it’s hard to think positive when there’s no response. So, how do I break out of this funk?

I’m following Unemployed In Des Moines, Net2Work, and other career-related blogs and websites. I’m getting a lot of information on how and where to connect with potential employers, but I could also use a little emotional support. Staying in pajamas all day and drinking juice from the bottle would have been fun in my 20s; not so much, now.