An Artist By Chance

When I was laid off as the recession set in I never dreamed I’d still be looking for work over a year and a half later. I’ve applied for hundreds of jobs and have gotten considerably less picky as time goes on. And while I’ve had a couple of temporary opportunities come my way there is still no sign of anything resembling permanence. But there is a bright side to my story.

The worst winter of my lifetime began in early December of 2009 and I could have easily gone over the edge had I not remembered the stacks of old magazines in the basement. I pulled them out of storage and began leafing through them one by one. The images of the Vietnam War, the counter-culture, the assassinations of two leaders, the political climate, the fashion and entertainment of the times spilled out of the pages of these old Life magazines and I was overwhelmed with memories and inspired to make something of these old treasures.

I’ve created over 30 works of art since then and am now looking forward to my first showing later this month. Who knows if I would ever have become an artist if I hadn’t been laid off? It’s hard to say, but looking back if someone had told me I was going to have work in an art gallery I’d have thought they were short a few bricks.

It’s a strange position for me to find myself in. What I do for a living is no longer as important as it once seemed and I would be happy to find anything that will pay the bills and fund my art business. Unwelcome change can open new doors. Look carefully for the signs and when life hands you lemons, just make lemonade. Then market it.

I’d like to thank a few people who have been along for the ride. To Cat Rocketship and Monika Agic, thank you for taking me under your wings and giving me a little push. Your Art Sucks rocked, Cat. And Market Day has become a huge success, thanks to you. Monika, managing Art By Magic Studio Gallery in its infancy was been an honor. And you have no idea how awesome it was for you to set up a work table for me to work on my own art while at the gallery. That’s some support there. To Jon Watson, my Facebook friend from Texas, thanks for being my first customer. To Joe Domeier, thank you for hanging in there at the Art Store. The tough economy has been hell for the business and my thoughts are with you. To Erin Bollman, thanks for being the first to invite me into your space and for the wonderful acts of charity that come out of Finder’s Creepers. To Rex Ray, thanks for liking my Facebook page.

And thank you – my friends and family, just because.

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.

Let It Snow

Iowans are bracing for their first major winter storm of 2009. Thanks for nothing, Kansas City. Your current troubles will soon be ours, with 6-12 inches of white “stuff” predicted for tomorrow. I had another “s” word in mind to describe it, but this is a family friendly post. Oddly enough, as I sit at home grumbling many Iowans seem delighted. They’re polishing their skis and snowboards and watching the forecast. I know this because I’m getting their Tweets. Suddenly, I’m seeing snow in a new light. My former office mates will be digging out and heading to work tomorrow morning. Me? I’ll be snug and warm in my new flannel sheets. There aren’t a lot of perks that come with being unemployed, but this is definitely one of them.

The unemployed spend most of our days looking for jobs. There are hours spent on the computer; we read up on companies and update resumes. We send emails, make contacts, and network. Some of the networking gets us out of the house but chances are, most of us aren’t having enough fun; we’re too busy trying to find that needle in the haystack. And worrying. Most of us worry. However, the simple fact that I can stay in bed while many Iowans are brushing snow off their cars and inching to the office feels kind of nice.  It’s a small gift during a rough time that I appreciate.

The snow is courtesy of our neighbors to the southwest, but what about fun? Fun doesn’t have to come at a steep price. I’ll enjoy snowy days when I can hibernate, but I have to get out of the house. So, for the (hopefully brief) duration of my unemployment, I’m going to find one fun thing each week to experience. Experiences will have to meet some criteria:

1. Costs no more than $20; free is even better
2. Good for the body, the mind, or the spirit
3. Unique to Des Moines

I’ll be looking around the Des Moines area and posting on my findings once a week. If there are any Des Moines readers with recommendations, please comment here and I’ll check them out. In between postings, it’ll just be me. No worries; I’ll be generous with tags to make it easy for you to decide whether you want to read or pass on my ramblings.

It’s time to start making some lemonade with those lemons. Or in this case, let it snow.

Unemployed In Des Moines

Great networking group I found today. It was energizing (and that’s not just the latte talking). Good to get out and talk with people who are also unemployed. I met a guy who actually worked for The Iowan in the 90s (when it was owned by the Cedar Rapids Gazette). Small world. He was recently let go from Meredith following the shutting down of Midwest Living.

I think I got some self-esteem back today. I can do this.

http://unemployedindesmoines.com/