We are slightly under two weeks since the event known as Hammerfall 3.0 and one of the biggest challenges has been re-establishing a new cadence.
I say "re-establishing" because I assure you as of Monday 12 December 2023, I had a very different schedule for the month in mind. I was going to finish out my week at The Ranch and work, followed by a week of work here in New Home, then take a week off of work prior to the kick-off of what was going to undoubtedly be a busy work year.
Well, I did get the busy year idea right. I just did not count on a different kind of busy-ness.
The good news - if you can call it good - is that I had already been laid off once this year and so a lot of my toolkit was pretty ready to go. My CV only required a small update (not surprising as I was only at the last company for five months). My tracking sheets - my own personal one and the one I am required to keep for unemployment - could easily be cleared and re-set for another search. My unemployment account was still active and I know now the pitfalls of managing paperwork and expectations in that arena in a way I did not before (which, as it turns out, may be better as I much more need the money now and did not exhaust my benefits or come close to it).
Job hunting, as I might have mentioned before, is much different that when I was a stripling in the industry. Pretty much everything takes place on-line at this point. It is almost always through web-portal submission and more often than not, you may get an acknowledgement of your submission but seldom a notification about the outcome (and if you do, it will be months later).
There are really two kinds of searches. The first is through InterWeb sites such as LinkedOut, which by now is probably the premier listing places for jobs for small and midsized companies. A second one is Indeed.com (which, like LinkedOut, is essentially an aggregator of listings). Between these two, as a recruiter once told me, you will find 90% of listed positions.
The second kind of search is more for the largest companies - in my industry places like Pfizer, Becton-Dickson, Roche/Genentech, Amgen. These are just as likely to just post positions on their own websites.
In terms of the application process, most of them now are simply submitting your CV and answering a few brief questions, mostly about government required things like sponsorship for citizenship, race, veteran status, and disability. A few of the sites make you re-copy all of the information into their form (which, frankly, is aggravating as different companies use the same platform - but you have to re-enter it for each company). And then, you wait. One note here: an unknown number of these positions can be posted as potential positions that go nowhere due to budget cuts (layoffs, I hear, are a thing) or the are posted without any intent of hiring an external candidate - or sometimes, any candidate at all. Just because it is listed does not mean it actually exists.
Honestly, one of the shocking things is (after a bit) how effectively automated it becomes. LinkedOut allows you to set up job searches by industry. by field, by location, by type (on-site, remote, hybrid), and by timeline of posting - so literally one can see everything that is posted in the last 24 hours, which helps weed through things pretty effectively.
So that is part of re-establishing a routine. The other part, of course, is simply all the remaining time.
It is not helpful in that sense that this is Christmas season and so by default, everything is a bit off the norm anyhow - what would be a usually "Monday to Friday" seems a bit out of control in mind, as smack dab in the middle of all of this there are not one, but two holidays which shut things down (including hiring, as it turns out). And some of the urgency that I had in my mornings before has disappeared as, well, my commute is largely to my desk in the morning.
I am still keeping up with my morning routine and once again am able to be present for my workouts instead of trying to fit them in odd places. And I am still on the schedule at Produce (A)Isle at my normal times (my getting a job there after Hammerfall 2.0 looks like sheer brilliance now).
(An interesting sub-note on Produce (A)Isle: We are in the season of 25% house products and we are buying more than we might otherwise - after all, who knows when the next job will come. Better to store up now).
A final note on the potential job I had a lead on from two companies ago, the original job we moved to New Home for. I did indeed speak with both the Hiring Manager and the Site Head, my former boss. On the bright side, there is interest on their side. On the less bright side, the position is not quite as developed as I had led myself to believe. There is a need, but the position has not formerly been requested or approved. Understandably, they are going to pick up the thread early next year.
Which works well, as I told them. I spent a lot of time on Produce (A)Isle earning money to train at the end of January and the trip is completely paid for and by gum, I am going.
So in a (rather lengthy) nutshell, things are fine. A little rough around the edges and still working to establish what the new-new-new-new (maybe four) normal looks like now. And on the bright side, the Christmas lights this year help even more than they usually do at lifting my spirits.
Thanks for the detailed update TB, at least there are folks familiar with you at the Original Job and you are casting your job search net through the automated process. Prayers are in the rotation for you and yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nylon12. Oddly enough, if this works out then this will have been the second job that came about because of contacts I knew. I am not a fan of networking per se, but this certainly has something to recommend it - as well as not burning your bridges when you leave.
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ReplyDelete"Training is that important to you? Would something critical to the prosperity (or lack of want and deprivation) to your family would occur if you didn't train?" Well, I would say that some things are important to one's mental/emotional well-being, which in turn are important to one's family. Training can offer self-discipline, constructive routine, and a sense of normalcy as other things must be adjusted.
DeleteHave to mention that Henri Nouwen's quote reminds me of Elisabeth Elliot. When in doubt, "just do the next thing."
Recreating most of Michael's comment (language and all): "Mental health of lack of funding for essentials seems to be in play Leigh. Maybe he's flush and has a decent awe **** fund (as mentioned) and he can afford to train in money and time.
DeleteMost family troubles come from money problems."
Michael's initial comment here (language scrubbed):
Delete"I ponder your thought here:
Which works well, as I told them. I spent a lot of time on Produce (A)Isle earning money to train at the end of January and the trip is completely paid for and by gum, I am going.
Training is that important to you? Would something critical to the prosperity (or lack of want and deprivation) to your family would occur if you didn't train?
Is there a decent reserve for "AW ****" emergencies in the bank? Simply replacing a few tires from road trash is a pretty solid hit to the wallet (or WORSE Credit Card).
We discussed maturity recently. A few quotes.
One definition of maturity is learning to delay pleasure.
Dave Ramsey
Spiritual maturity is not knowing what to do with your whole life, but just knowing what to do next.
Henri Nouwen
“Maturity is when you live your life by your commitments, not by your feelings.” - Rick Warren
When your outgo exceeds your income, the upshot may be your downfall.
Paul Harvey
Pray for wisdom my friend. I care about you and your relationship with your lady."
Responding to Michael first - There was indeed an Emergency Fund, as well as some level of savings on the side that can (and has) been tapped. Because life happens.
DeleteTraining in Japan: This is three fold. One, training really is that important to me. Second, the money for the ticket is already spent so even if I called everything back, I would still only have a credit, not the cash. Third - and most important to me - is that I committed to going. If I back out now, I look bad, my Sensei looks bad, my dojo looks bad, and my Sensei is responsible for paying for my appearance even though I will not be there (it has happened before and the expectation is that if the reservation is made, it will be paid for by someone). Perhaps most importantly, I disappoint jukucho (the headmaster).
So yes, Iai and the training therein is that important to me. Iai is not just an activity for me, it is a way of life.
Appreciate the prayers for wisdom and doing the best that I can.
(P.S. Also, if you could mind the gap on language, that would be appreciated).
Leigh - Somewhat to my response to Michael above, it really is that important to me. Not only for the experience of training itself, but the fact that if I do not go after the reservation is made, my Sensei will have to cover the cost (and, of course, air fare is only creditable, not refundable).
DeleteWhen I joined the direct student organization of my Iaijutsu branch, I essentially signed a contract in how I would manage myself and my commitment (not as severe as the often-maligned trope "blood oath", but of similar importance). In that sense, I am a man under obligation.
Besides, with the world the way it is, who knows if we will even be able to go next year?
Things have changed so much since my last Hammerfall. Back then, Monster.com was the place to be. I have heard of LinkedOut but wasn't aware that you could use it as a tool to find new jobs.
ReplyDeleteI remember Monster.com as well Ed. Looks like it is still in operation - that said, I think LinkedOut is now considered "the premier" job searching site. That said, it is a tool like any other.
Delete"(My getting a job there after Hammerfall 2.0 looks like sheer brilliance now)". I'd say the true brilliance was in keeping it after you got another "main" job! Maybe normal is that things are constantly changing. At least nowadays. I'm glad that everything is going fairly well. It's probably way less stressful for you because of that.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, I suppose that is something that I had not thought of that way - but yes, keeping it was a good thing as well. While by no means truly difficult, two days of week of what was effectively a 14 hours day plus a full work day on Saturdays' was exhausting - that said, I now wonder that I should have taken more hours.
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