Today, I was invited to a job site to participate in two hours of testing by human resources at a third-party logistics, transportation, and packaging company that I would really like to work for. The primary factors influencing my desire to work for this company are: proximity to my home and childrens' schools, opportunity to add to my IT experience, on-the-job-training and technical certification opportunities, and permanent role with good benefits. Thanks to God, I did very well on the testing and received a call back from my headhunter within an hour of leaving the site letting me know that the Helpdesk Manager--whom I haven't met yet, but interviewed with on the phone--wants to setup a day-long final interview for next week. I expect to receive a job offer following successful conclusion of that interview.
So far during this job search, I have sent out over 20 resumes and interviewed with two IT departments for a Software Trainer position and a Helpdesk Analyst position. As far as the more promising position as Helpdesk Analyst, I've had the following interactions:
- One pre-interview with my headhunter plus resume workup,
- Interview preparation by headhunter,
- A 35-minute phone interview with the Helpdesk Manager,
- Interview preparation by headhunter,
- Phone interview with Recruiting HR Manager lasting 34 minutes,
- 350-question online personality test which I completed in 30 minutes,
- Test preparation by headhunter, and
- 2 hrs of cognitive testing onsite.
Next week I will meet the Helpdesk team members and IT brass for and expect an offer following the day-long introduction. The managers want to observe how I interact with other team members including lunch. Apparently they've interviewed a lot of other candidates, and we have all been technically proficient, but the manager want to hire people that have good personalities with a strong customer service orientation who also interact well in a team environment.
Just because I can, and also because friends have asked me, "So what are you doing now that you have been laid off? How is the job search going?" I have decided to post updates from the first 15 [business] days of my 2009 job search activities as reflected on my Facebook and Twitter pages. I have not included weekend updates. Enjoy yourselves! February 28 at 3:43am [Day 0] Keto Nord wants to know how I can assist your company. Ask me more & I'll tell you. February 28 at 10:00pm Keto Nord My son asked me "What kind of job are you looking for?" "The paying kind" I said. Ha-ha-ha March 2 at 10:55am [Day 1] Keto Nord is updating my Monster.com account & looking for a job on the Internets, you know that thing that's like a truck w/tubes. Haven't done this in 3 yrs. March 3 at 8:36pm [Day 2] Keto Nord reviewing my girls' homework & spelling words. March 4 at 12:06pm Keto Nord Day 3 of "The Search", anyone know where I can find a "P I M P" job, cuz my profile pic is just pimpin' pimpin'! March 5 at 1:08pm Keto Nord Day 4: I'm taking my wife to lunch during her work day for the first time! Normally I work in Tampa & she's in Lakeland/Winter Haven. March 5 at 1:12pm Keto Nord has telephone interview for IT position today or Friday! Pray I impress b/c job right down street w/major corp & great salary/benefits! March 5 at 2:49pm Keto Nord just finished updating my LinkedIn profile. Too bad LI only allows 1,000 chars in Position Description field. March 6 at 1:42pm Keto Nord Day 5: going to Tampa Bay Job Fair, Quorum Hotel, 700 N. WShore Blvd, Tampa, http://tampa.jobnewsusa.com/JobSeeker/JobFairs/FairDetails.aspx?id=262 March 6 at 10:28pm Keto Nord wife on ladies cruise; taking children to mall to hang out! March 9 at 5:23pm Keto Nord Day 6 of Job Search: Provided references for 2nd round of interviews. Got my tax refund 2day; IRS deducted my 07 tax liability--bastards! March 9 at 5:37pm Keto Nord First things after recvng tax refund: dancing in the streets, brkfst w Shirre @ IHOP, $32.50 for 16 gal gas, shopping & interior deco to follow. March 10 at 12:59am [Day 7] Keto Nord doing an ad run for TheListbyKeto: TB Performing Arts Ctr, Etudes for Violin & Electronix ft DBR, 3/12/09, http://www.tbpac.org/shows/show.asp?showId=2163 March 10 at 2:54am Keto Nord Started Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man by Steve Harvey w/my wife. A must read for you ladies who THINK you know men but rely on WOMEN'S advice about men. March 10 at 3:08pm Keto Nord doing laundry & putting together an ad for Wide aWoke Wed: Why Should I Get Married (Pt 2), 3/18/09 7:30, http://WideaWoke.com March 11 at 1:37am Keto Nord Day 8: Put up a disco ball in Lanay & Jada's room to match the new decor, Reuben doesn't do disco balls, so I didn't go there. March 11 at 2:23pm Keto Nord Day 8: Sending out more resumes to networking contacts. Now let's see the network work! March 12 at 11:02am Keto Nord Day 9: Helping Lanay finish part of her science project to turn in today. We're growing strawberry plants that we bought yesterday UPDATED March 15-March 20 (Day 10-15): March 13 at 10:18am Keto Nord enjoyed last night's Etudes 4 Violin & Electronix Concert w/DBR at TBPAC last night! The event sold out in part due to TheListbyKeto e-marketing! March 13 at 10:20am Keto Nord Day 10: Got recruited for a job as Learning Technology Consultant for IT firm. Submitting my resume this morn. Wish me well! March 13 at 11:40am Keto Nord is learning how to be an open networker w/ http://www.Toplinked.com by suggestion of friend on LinkedIn. March 13 at 12:56pm Keto Nord Job Terms: "Overqualified"--you've got the skills & job experience we want, but we saw your MBA & we don't think we can pay you & keep you happy. March 14 at 6:48pm [Day 10 cont'd] Keto Nord Signed up to be a Standardized Patient for USF Medical Clinic. Should be an interesting process as I participate in medical studies. March 16 at 12:47pm Keto Nord Day 11: Should hear back by Friday on my interview for Learning Tech Consultant role. Continuing my resume sendouts & networking w/friends this morning. March 16 at 12:52pm Keto Nord sending out a presser for WaW 3/18/09: Why Should I Get Married Part 2 | USF Alumni Center-Traditions Hall | 4202 E. Fowler Ave | 7:30pm, http://WideaWoke.com March 16 at 4:45pm Keto Nord is gifting pair tix - advance screening of "I Love You, Man", 3/18 7:30pm, AMC WShore 14. Must be member of TheListbyKeto (e-mail keto_nord@yahoo.com to join)! March 16 at 9:37pm Keto Nord Took BeBe & Jada to optician's to get 1st pair of glasses today. Ah deja vu! March 17 at 1:00pm Keto Nord Day 12: Got a call this morn from IT recruiter. Preparing now for 3pm interview w/HR Recruiting Mgr. My girls will be arriving from school by that time. March 17 at 5:55pm Keto Nord Going to my Homeowner's Assoc, Architectural Review Committee mtg tonight. Infiltrate from the inside, instead of throwing rocks from the outside. Hahahahaha! March 18 at 1:55am [Day 13] Keto Nord Finished a 350-question ASSESS Personality Survey in 30 minutes while eating an apple. March 18 at 11:09am Keto Nord Day 13: Insurance co recruited me. I'll say NO if they ask me re sales job. When I was a kid I couldn't even sell $1 bars of candy. My Mom did it for me. March 18 at 6:59pm Keto Nord C.A.M. in Tampa w/girls wiring money to family in Haiti for school! No such thing as free school back home. March 18 at 8:14pm Keto Nord Took girls 2 Grandmas house, CAM, TriCon, Hlsbrgh farmers mkt & Tamikos optical. Picking up Reuben fr M/W bball practice. March 19 11:15am Keto Nord Day 14: Have a 2-hr interview today. Not bad since some IT interviews/walk-throughs last for 5-7 hours. Definitely got to bring the A+ game & demo my skills. March 20 12:53am Keto Nord Bought sunflowers for Shirre today. Roses, tulips, carnations, sunfl & lillies r wkly tradition I started while we were dating. March 20 2:50am [Day 15] Keto Nord Finished 2 hrs testing=success! Will have final walk thru (c. 5hrs) & lunch w IT dept next wk!
March 20 6:35pm Keto Nord Day 15: Studying for next week by reading business case studies on transportation, packaging & warehousing for third party logistics company.
This morning I was awakened by early morning news on TV. Our local CBS affiliate, WTSP Channel 10 was on, and the anchor was discussing the Tampa Bay Job Fair that would be held today. Well, maybe this is good news. I've been without a job for one week since my layoff from my law firm, and thought maybe I would check out the job fair website for last minute registration and company roster, print out some new resumes, and make my way down to the Quorum Hotel in South Tampa where over 1,000 fellow job seekers are expected.I took the girls, Lanay and Jada, to school, ironed some interview-appropriate clothes, and by 11:00am, I was out the door and on the way to Tampa! I wasn't sure where to find a FedEx Kinko's or other printer in Lakeland so I decided to print out 10 resumes from my flash drive on professional paper at the Downtown Tampa FedEx-Kinko's. The cost was about $4 (.20/sheet); not too bad. Once I arrived at the hotel, I signed in with my name and e-mail address and was given a nice folder by job fair staff with table listings, job ads, and more. I had already checked out the website and was aware of the companies that would be represented: 2020 Companies, Airline Academy, Amscot - Corp Office, Avon Products, Inc., Defense Intelligence Agency, DeVry University, FastTrain, FBI, Flexicom, Gulf Coast College, HCR Manor Care, International Academy of Design and Technology, Keiser University - Lakeland, Kelly Services, Lasalle Computer Learning, LDG Financial Services, Metro PCS, NCO, T & M Acquisitions, University of Phoenix, US Army Recruiting Battalion, and Virginia College Online. Not exactly your who's who of corporate behemoths, but hey beggars can't be choosy right? I had already planned to speak with Defense Intelligence Agency, FBI, and University of Phoenix in regards to IT and business job openings which they were advertising, but the recruiters were there as window dressing and instructed me that I also needed to post my resume on their websites. Most of the other recruiters were either trying to recruit sales people to sell phones or for door-to-door, inside sales, etc. or were trying to recruit students or new instructors for their institutions. One of the schools gave me a free gift certificate for a spa treatment/massage, so I'll give that to Shirre.In the final analysis, today was a good day. I'm keeping my head up because I know I'm a smart, young, highly-marketable MBA with experience working in multiple industries in IT and business functions. I may not have really got any solid job leads or face time with the HR people that I actually wanted to see, but at least I picked up toys and gifts at each table for my children including some clear, red light-up yo-yo's that I know Reuben, Lanay, and Jada are going to love!
Day 0, 2/28/09: Friday morning, I was laid off from my 2 1/2 year position as a Business Operations Coordinator for a leading law firm and public safety/legal marketing firm. Three of us were laid off in what has become a national pattern of lay offs due to the economy. Now I was just one of over 125,677 casualties of the worst economy since the 1970's. In my case, I played an important role in my firm's day to day operations since I managed the billing and accounting functions, was the President/CFO's right hand, and was the primary software trainer for over 500 attorneys nationwide who were members of our legal marketing network. Unfortunately, many of those firms had been affected adversely by the downward trending economic conditions that have already hit hard other industries. As a result many tightened their corporate purse strings and declined to renew quarterly, bi-annual, and annual marketing contracts with my firm.
With a significant drop in monthly revenues provided by such renewals, my firm was forced to lay off several support staff including myself. It was too bad because I had made a number of good friends while working here, and all of us at a private, closely held firm were like family. It would be strange waking up in the morning knowing that I would not be driving 30-plus miles to work from Lakeland, FL to downtown Tampa, FL to interact with co-workers and clients that I had been dealing with the last few years.
The last time I left a firm, I was single, living at home with my mother right after graduating from college, and didn't have to worry about anyone but myself. Now like millions of other laid off American workers, I have a wife and family with school-age children and a mortgage so I know I need to move quickly and utilize the professional and personal network that I have spent years building in order to gain employment and re-enter the workforce as soon as possible.
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Today, I was invited to a job site to participate in two hours of testing by human resources at a third-party logistics, transportation, and packaging company that I would really like to work for. The primary factors influencing my desire to work for this company are: proximity to my home and childrens' schools, opportunity to add to my IT experience, on-the-job-training and technical certification opportunities, and permanent role with good benefits. Thanks to God, I did very well on the testing and received a call back from my headhunter within an hour of leaving the site letting me know that the Helpdesk Manager--whom I haven't met yet, but interviewed with on the phone--wants to setup a day-long final interview for next week. I expect to receive a job offer following successful conclusion of that interview.
