Yes, job search discrimination exists – get over it!

I know the frustration people feel in the job market. It took me nearly a year after Microsoft let me go in July 2009 to find full time employment again. It’s hard not to get depressed when no one returns your phone calls for informational interview requests and the only thing you receive from submitting job applications are form letters.

I began to wonder if all my experience and training was for nothing. How could I support my family working as a hamburger flipper? Is the world just intended for the very young, willing to work for peanuts as they begin their careers? Have I finally hit a wall where my lack of a college degree will prevent me from finding a good job ever again?

One recruiter at a well-known technology firm (who I got to know as a friend through my podcasting efforts) told me there was no point in my ever sending in a job application to his firm even if there was a perfect opening for someone with my background. My lack of a degree would automatically divert my application to the dust bin, according to my friend.

Is life over?

I just wouldn’t let myself dwell on those thoughts. Instead, I would drag myself out of bed every day, telling myself that this could be the day I find a job! I reminded myself that every job I ever had ever found came through roundabout methods. I’ve never led an orthodox life (or career) so why should I start now? When even my friends tell me it is pointless to apply for jobs on-line I simply resolved to go around the gatekeepers and become friends with the hiring managers themselves.

Eventually, my determination finally paid off. I am once again gainfully employed as a program manager at a software firm AND I have built a network of professional connections I wouldn’t have even dreamed possible when I was at Microsoft. Nevertheless, it took a LOT of effort and a willingness to jump into new things with both feet (again and again) to get me here.

The keys to my career salvation were twofold: 1) my willingness to work for free and 2) starting podcast shows as a networking tool.

Instead of sitting on my hands collecting unemployment insurance (and sending out resumes), I would reach out to local cash starved startups and offer to work for free, or for a promise of stock (which almost certainly would never amount to anything). This allowed me to keep my skills current AND to meet interesting people. When I do apply for jobs there is no embarrassing gap in my resume since I can legitimately tell people I have been working, and even go into great detail about the interesting work and accomplishments I have racked up. I was doing more interesting, and innovative, work at these startups than I ever did in my whole career at Microsoft! That alone was a very empowering feeling.

I also made it a goal to make at least 4 new professional connections a week, and my efforts at creating podcast shows helped immensely with this goal. I would invite business people, recruiters, and all manner of people I wanted to build friendships with to be guests on my podcast shows and to my surprise MOST PEOPLE SAID YES! I have interviewed nearly 200 people in the last year and a half, most of whom have become good friends.

Not one of the interviews I have been on came through submitting job applications. All of my interviews resulted from making connections with people in the industries and businesses where I wanted to work.

I know how hard the job market is these days, but I am able to tell people that there IS hope. Creativity and a willingness to work hard can make all the difference.

If you would like to learn more about my strategy for using podcasting to get a job check out my 10 minute video:
http://bit.ly/podintro1

This Week on Bear radio: The conservation of risk and the illusory safety of hedging

In this episode we talk about how financial hedging can actually lead to bigger risks by encouraging imprudent behavior and endowing a false sense of security. The whole AIG debacle proved you can’t always rely on insurance (which is what hedging is, after all). Try as one might, it is simply not possible to eliminate or even minimize risk. You can only succeed in changing where the risk lies. Instead of the risk of an actual crop failure the risk now is that the insurer will make good on a claim. We also debate whether the people movement revolutions sweeping through the Arab world are bullish or bearish for the global economy. It can definitely be said that there is no historic correlation between commodity prices and geo-political unrest. For just one example, oil prices have both risen and fallen (aside from short term spikes on major news) substantially during major periods of upheaval and wars in the middle east.

Download the sound(right click and save as link) : Download

NOTE: Remember to tune into the Optimistic Bear weekly financial round-up every Tuesday at 9:00pm, Pacific Time. You can also listen to previous shows.

Defying European Creditors Iceland says yes to deflation

The Icelandic President's decision to veto yet another attempt to nationalize debts of defunct private banks not only shows that there are at least SOME politicians in this world who listen to their constituents but that a whole nation is voting to stop the inflationary insanity of debt creation in favour of deflation.

Instead of kicking the can further down the road, nationalizing the obligations to British and Dutch depositors of private banks which lent foolishly, Iceland is clearly saying that it is better to just take the hard medicine now and write off the debt.

In big and small ways the world is slowly waking up to the reality that the massive speculative debts built up over the last 30 years will simply have to be purged.

This Week on Bear radio: Commodity prices tell the story-inflation is everywhere

In this episode Brad Rundbaken explains how commodity prices are the canary in the coal-mine pointing to the rising inflationary pressures resulting from all the stimulus and bail-outs. Changing cycles in weather patterns are also exacerbating pricing pressures on food stuffs. Conveniently, policy makers don’t include the prices of commodities in their inflation calculations, making it easy to deny that problems exist. That said, Brad urges caution in the market right now since things seem to have reached an overbought state. We close our discussion by pondering whether the internet age really has made a difference in modern mass revolutions (such as those occurring in Tunisia and Egypt) or whether popular uprisings today are just repeating the same pattern as those done long before the age of Twitter.

You can read more of Brad’s ideas here:
http://trendocracy.blogspot.com/

Download the sound(right click and save as link) : Download

NOTE: Remember to tune into the Optimistic Bear weekly financial round-up every Tuesday at 9:00pm, Pacific Time. You can also listen to previous shows.

EPNW: The philosophy of organic marketing – where marketing and life fit into balance

In this episode Jim Hodgson explains how blogging has helped him find new meaning in life, and focused his thoughts to allow him to achieve previously unobtainable goals. Jim has went from being vastly overweight to a triathlete and outdoorsman (recently trekking up Kilimanjaro). We also discuss Jim’s concept of “organic marketing”, which seeks to pull people in who are interested rather than blast the universe with useless spam. Sharing details on the internet about yourself, or business, can go a long way to winning over customers. Not only do customers want to know about the product, but they also love to feel a connection with the people or businesses they work with.

You can check out Jim’s blog about philosophy and achieving goals here:
http://jimhodgson.com

Information on organic marketing can be found here:
http://hodgsonco.com

Download the sound(right click and save as link) : Download

NOTE: Check out the complete podcast directory of discussions with entrepreneurs. If you would like to be a guest on Entrepreneurs Northwest, to talk about your business venture, contact Michael Surkan.

EPNW: How many impossible things do you do before breakfast?

In this episode Joel Runyon explains how he realized it was only his own fears and excuses that prevented him from achieving his dreams. Instead of using excuses for a lack of money, or time, to avoid pursuing his passions, Joel has begun training for triathlons and pursuing the career in internet marketing he always wanted. Anyone can achieve impossible things if they only try. Unfortunately, most people give up on their impossible dreams before they even start.

Sure, failure is possible (and virtually inevitable on occasion), but if we don’t even try to achieve our dreams then we will never discover that we can do things that are considered impossible.

You can check out Joel’s blog of impossible things here:
http://www.joelrunyon.com/two3

Download the sound(right click and save as link) : Download

NOTE: Check out the complete podcast directory of discussions with entrepreneurs. If you would like to be a guest on Entrepreneurs Northwest, to talk about your business venture, contact Michael Surkan.

This Week on Bear radio: Why health care reform is driving up your medical bills

In this episode Patrick Killelea explains how the US health care reform legislation actually provides incentive for insurance providers to charge even more. Restrictions on the amount of profit that can be made make it attractive to pay more for care and treatment to ensure a higher over-all bill. This might explain why Blue Shield has increased Patrick’s insurance premiums by 73% this year alone. It’s things like this that drive a guy to the streets in protest, which is exactly what Patrick did this week.

You can check out Patrick’s latest adventures in fighting the health insurance companies as well as his excellent financial news information at:
http://patrick.net/

If you are interested in deflation, check out the Deflation Study Group on LinkedIn (open to all LinkedIn members):
http://linkd.in/deflationsg

You can also listen to my in-depth Deflation 101 podcast.
http://bit.ly/deflation101

Download the sound(right click and save as link) : Download

NOTE: Remember to tune into the Optimistic Bear weekly financial round-up every Tuesday at 9:00pm, Pacific Time. You can also listen to previous shows.