Since my last post, I decided to take some time off to focus on my job hunting and some other things. In March I was called back for rehire at my hospital. They were only able to offer me a PRN position, which means "as needed." Basically it is not a benefited position and one that there is no guarantee of hours. I took it as I preferred to have a part time job than draw any more on my unemployment benefits. It looks better to a future employer if you are currently working when applying for a position. AOL Careers section stated that some employers won't consider an applicant if they have been unemployed more than three months. They figure if the applicant was such a wonderful employee they would've been working by now. It is an ignorant attitude of these employers, but a reality.
So now I'm back, now working 3 months at my new part time job. They place me in a different position albeit part time, but the best part of it is it is a sort of promotion. One that holds different responsibilities that I'm enjoying a lot. I am really grateful for that and believe any new experience is priceless. Losing one's job in a layoff and then being called back seems to happen quite frequently lately. I realize though that my situation is not uncommon in today's employment world.
In the mean time, I've been applying for part time positions in different companies hoping both jobs will fulfill my full time need to work and my need for benefits. Living without health insurance is a huge risk that I find very uncomfortable. Until there is a healthform act that assists persons like me obtain affordable medical insurance I have to just fend for myself and hope nothing happens. The Obama plan won't go into effect until 2014.
I plan on keeping up my posts on here, updating the situation as it happens. In the meantime, I'm keeping up on my job hunting skills and learning creative ways to stretch my budget. I've got my friends hooked on my favorite frugal websites and we are enjoying coming up with ways to have fun without spending a lot of money. Friends help fill your life with much more fun and laughter.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
When the going gets tough, the tough get creative!
Even before I was laid off, I always tried to look for ways to stretch my pennies. I'm never one to buy full retail if I can help it. It sometimes means a little homework before a purchase but in the end it may save me as much as 60% on things that I use everyday. Now that I really have to keep a close eye on my budget, cutting back on some things that I can live without, I am constantly looking for ways to help keep my bank account out of the red. As a single parent, it always seems that no matter how careful you are, things pop up that challenges your cash flow. The internet is a fantastic place to find websites that promote frugality, budget tips and coupon deals to help with the every day purchasing. Most are free and just need an email to sign up for them. They usually consist of downloadable coupons, or will scour the weekly local ads and publish the best deals on products.
One of my favorites are http://moneysavingmom.com/. It is basically run by readers who find deals and freebies from all over the country. It also helps with meal planning and budget suggestions. I love how the web site is set up. It's very informative and positive. It includes coupons, recipes and resources for those who homeschool. I just love this site.
Another of my favorites is http://www.ebates.com/. It is basically a website that after you sign up, you do your normal shopping (i.e. walmart, target, etc) through the website. After your purchase, they will rebate you back a percentage (4% or more) and will mail you a check. You can order something for walmart, have it sent to the store if it isnt in stock and you get a rebate back on top of it all. Plus they offer codes to use for extra discounts or buy one get one free deals for the same stores. There are a ton of stores to choose from.
The last deal I got from there was a restaurant coupon from Restaurant.com. For $4 I got a $25 gift certificate to a local italian restaurant, plus a rebate from ebates for 60 cents. Not bad!
If you live in the Kansas City area, there are a couple of locally run websites that offer deals of the day. I'm sure each metropolitan area offers such local sites. The ones I love to use are muncharoo.com and dealbug.com. They mail you each day a different deal from a local business. It can range from a restaurant discount to teeth whitening. It is also free.
One other creative method that works especially for services is bartering. For instance if you know how to cook really well, offer a few dinners to go for some lawn service. Or offer to help do some sewing for window washing. Or offer some tax help if you are good with taxes in exchange for an oil change. Look around. Use your skills in exchange for services. Or if you are really good at cleaning, offer a cleaning session in exchange for a discount for something else. I have a friend who painted her lawyer's house on the inside in exchange for some of the lawyer's fees. Don't be afraid to approach someone you know who can do a job for you and offer a barter. There are also formal barter websites that you can find on the internet. The only thing with those is be cautious and do your research on the quality of the barters.
You just have to be creative. Sometimes during your creative moods, something like an idea might occur that you can actually build a business on. So look at it as a positive outlet to be active on that will also help you during these lean times.
One of my favorites are http://moneysavingmom.com/. It is basically run by readers who find deals and freebies from all over the country. It also helps with meal planning and budget suggestions. I love how the web site is set up. It's very informative and positive. It includes coupons, recipes and resources for those who homeschool. I just love this site.
Another of my favorites is http://www.ebates.com/. It is basically a website that after you sign up, you do your normal shopping (i.e. walmart, target, etc) through the website. After your purchase, they will rebate you back a percentage (4% or more) and will mail you a check. You can order something for walmart, have it sent to the store if it isnt in stock and you get a rebate back on top of it all. Plus they offer codes to use for extra discounts or buy one get one free deals for the same stores. There are a ton of stores to choose from.
The last deal I got from there was a restaurant coupon from Restaurant.com. For $4 I got a $25 gift certificate to a local italian restaurant, plus a rebate from ebates for 60 cents. Not bad!
If you live in the Kansas City area, there are a couple of locally run websites that offer deals of the day. I'm sure each metropolitan area offers such local sites. The ones I love to use are muncharoo.com and dealbug.com. They mail you each day a different deal from a local business. It can range from a restaurant discount to teeth whitening. It is also free.
One other creative method that works especially for services is bartering. For instance if you know how to cook really well, offer a few dinners to go for some lawn service. Or offer to help do some sewing for window washing. Or offer some tax help if you are good with taxes in exchange for an oil change. Look around. Use your skills in exchange for services. Or if you are really good at cleaning, offer a cleaning session in exchange for a discount for something else. I have a friend who painted her lawyer's house on the inside in exchange for some of the lawyer's fees. Don't be afraid to approach someone you know who can do a job for you and offer a barter. There are also formal barter websites that you can find on the internet. The only thing with those is be cautious and do your research on the quality of the barters.
You just have to be creative. Sometimes during your creative moods, something like an idea might occur that you can actually build a business on. So look at it as a positive outlet to be active on that will also help you during these lean times.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Ok so I just lost my job. Now what?
When one is faced with unemployment, no matter how it happens, it is best to jump into the action of finding new employment. It's ok to take a few days and let the shock of a sudden job loss to sink in. But don't let it sit too long, otherwise it will make it more difficult to keep your spirits up and find the umph to keep the momentum going. Make job searching be your full time job. If you have a resume, update it. Use the internet to get ideas on what to include, what not to include, and how to write it to give it that punch it needs to gain attention. If you don't have a resume, get busy and write one up. Pay for a professional service to create one for you if you must. Or just do it yourself. Go to the library and check out some books that give you resume and interviewing tips. There are plenty of sources for resume writing and interview preparing.
The biggest mistake people make once they are unemployed is to ignore the great resources for jobs that are available. One of the biggest is networking. Whether it is through lack of knowlege or pride, people sometime ignore the social networking that is free and available. Relatives, friends, friends of friends, etc should be contacted in casual conversation and mention you are available in the job market. Sign up for job boards such as Monster.com and social networks such as Facebook. Build a profile for yourself that is completely professional and shows that you are intelligent, experienced and ready to work. The internet is a fantastic modern source of available jobs. But just remember only about 30% of jobs are advertised on the internet. The rest are discovered through both pounding the pavement and networking.
Once you have gotten a nice resume ready, signed up for a few job boards and connected with a few business people, then it's time to sit down and write down what you truly want in your next job. Ask yourself questions such as "Do I mind working weekends?" "If I were to hire me, what would I be looking for in an employee?" "Where do I want to be in five years? Ten years?" "Am I willing to relocate?" What sort of benefits do I require?" "What salary am I requiring?" Those sort of questions. This will help you weed out jobs that may not be suitable to what you are looking for.
The job market today is very challenging. So it is so important to present that special, professional image you want to portray to your potential employer. You are basically selling yourself. This means take a few days during the week, put on professional attire and go out to look for employment. You never know what you will find, and first impressions are always important. Even if it is to just walk in and ask if a company is hiring.
Make sure you register as soon as you can for any unemployment benefits you may be entitled to. Most states require at sign up to register with their state's job board and periodic visits to their job development office. This will be a great benefit because it will tap into yet another source of jobs not advertised on public job boards. Also, if some time has passed and you are still unemployed, most states have a re-training program that will pay you to go to school for a new career. It's out there, so take advantage of it.
The biggest mistake people make once they are unemployed is to ignore the great resources for jobs that are available. One of the biggest is networking. Whether it is through lack of knowlege or pride, people sometime ignore the social networking that is free and available. Relatives, friends, friends of friends, etc should be contacted in casual conversation and mention you are available in the job market. Sign up for job boards such as Monster.com and social networks such as Facebook. Build a profile for yourself that is completely professional and shows that you are intelligent, experienced and ready to work. The internet is a fantastic modern source of available jobs. But just remember only about 30% of jobs are advertised on the internet. The rest are discovered through both pounding the pavement and networking.
Once you have gotten a nice resume ready, signed up for a few job boards and connected with a few business people, then it's time to sit down and write down what you truly want in your next job. Ask yourself questions such as "Do I mind working weekends?" "If I were to hire me, what would I be looking for in an employee?" "Where do I want to be in five years? Ten years?" "Am I willing to relocate?" What sort of benefits do I require?" "What salary am I requiring?" Those sort of questions. This will help you weed out jobs that may not be suitable to what you are looking for.
The job market today is very challenging. So it is so important to present that special, professional image you want to portray to your potential employer. You are basically selling yourself. This means take a few days during the week, put on professional attire and go out to look for employment. You never know what you will find, and first impressions are always important. Even if it is to just walk in and ask if a company is hiring.
Make sure you register as soon as you can for any unemployment benefits you may be entitled to. Most states require at sign up to register with their state's job board and periodic visits to their job development office. This will be a great benefit because it will tap into yet another source of jobs not advertised on public job boards. Also, if some time has passed and you are still unemployed, most states have a re-training program that will pay you to go to school for a new career. It's out there, so take advantage of it.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Ready for the adventure
For the past 15 years I have worked in the healthcare industry. Fortunately for most who are healthcare workers, the national trend of downsizing jobs and increased unemployment rates have not really affected the medical field very much. So it was surprising when I was called into work on my day off last week to meet with my department director.
I admit, the first moment I was told that my position was eliminated I thought my director was joking. It was a very surreal moment. I think it actually took a couple of days for it all to sink in. Today is one week past, and I've done a lot of thinking about what to do with myself. So far I've done what most everyone in my situation has done: Applied for unemployment benefits, updated my resume and organized my finances to cover the lean months ahead. Of course, it always seems like when it rains, it pours. The same week my brakes and tires needed replaced, and since I only had ten days left on my health insurance, I got new glasses. The little bit of severance pay I received was now only visible on my car and my face. But, as the ever so eternal optimist, I am thankful I did get any severance pay at all. Otherwise I am not sure what I would've done.
So here I type this blog. I am 40 something, a single mom who is now unemployed. Most would say how much that really sucks. But since I've been thinking about my plans of action lately, I am almost relieved because aside from the fact I will have to live a little lean now, I have the freedom to pursue something new in regards to a career. I now have many options. Going back to school, retraining in a new field. Trying for those positions that have been out there but I never really considered because they were not in my normal job definition. Maybe even working for myself. I just need to be creative. As long as I can keep my cash flow to meet my needs, the world is definitely my oyster.
So this brings me to my blog. I know there must be a ton of people out there in very much a similar situation. Male or female. Educated (whether by institution degree or life), experienced, smart folk who wake up one day to find that their life as they know it has drastically taken a turn. Depending on what the attitude is, it can be a turn of doom or a turn of faith in themselves. I would like to focus on the outlook that what doesn't knock you down makes you stronger. I know everyone has different circumstances to their job losses, but I also think instead of sitting around feeling down and sorry for yourself, there are tons of things that can be done to make this difficult time much more tolerable. You might have to look deep into yourself to find that strength that everyone has to overcome this blurp in life. Life is just stuff to try the soul's strength on. - Anonymous
Be prepared for moments of randomness. Of humor. Of insight. Of observances. Of something I made and wanted to share the recipe to you all. Of cool websites that I've found that might help us all. Of encouragement. Who the heck knows? I'm winging things just like the next person, and hopefully by doing so by writing on here it will make a difference in someone's life.
I wish you all the best of luck in your quest for employment. Cheers!!!!
I admit, the first moment I was told that my position was eliminated I thought my director was joking. It was a very surreal moment. I think it actually took a couple of days for it all to sink in. Today is one week past, and I've done a lot of thinking about what to do with myself. So far I've done what most everyone in my situation has done: Applied for unemployment benefits, updated my resume and organized my finances to cover the lean months ahead. Of course, it always seems like when it rains, it pours. The same week my brakes and tires needed replaced, and since I only had ten days left on my health insurance, I got new glasses. The little bit of severance pay I received was now only visible on my car and my face. But, as the ever so eternal optimist, I am thankful I did get any severance pay at all. Otherwise I am not sure what I would've done.
So here I type this blog. I am 40 something, a single mom who is now unemployed. Most would say how much that really sucks. But since I've been thinking about my plans of action lately, I am almost relieved because aside from the fact I will have to live a little lean now, I have the freedom to pursue something new in regards to a career. I now have many options. Going back to school, retraining in a new field. Trying for those positions that have been out there but I never really considered because they were not in my normal job definition. Maybe even working for myself. I just need to be creative. As long as I can keep my cash flow to meet my needs, the world is definitely my oyster.
So this brings me to my blog. I know there must be a ton of people out there in very much a similar situation. Male or female. Educated (whether by institution degree or life), experienced, smart folk who wake up one day to find that their life as they know it has drastically taken a turn. Depending on what the attitude is, it can be a turn of doom or a turn of faith in themselves. I would like to focus on the outlook that what doesn't knock you down makes you stronger. I know everyone has different circumstances to their job losses, but I also think instead of sitting around feeling down and sorry for yourself, there are tons of things that can be done to make this difficult time much more tolerable. You might have to look deep into yourself to find that strength that everyone has to overcome this blurp in life. Life is just stuff to try the soul's strength on. - Anonymous
Be prepared for moments of randomness. Of humor. Of insight. Of observances. Of something I made and wanted to share the recipe to you all. Of cool websites that I've found that might help us all. Of encouragement. Who the heck knows? I'm winging things just like the next person, and hopefully by doing so by writing on here it will make a difference in someone's life.
I wish you all the best of luck in your quest for employment. Cheers!!!!
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