Unusual job-search tip saved me an interview

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Tom Musbach

Checking spam can help a job searchI’ve never been in the habit of checking my email spam folder – until I entered the Jobless Zone.

My job search had progressed nearly three months before I discovered that a week-old request for an interview was sitting in my spam folder. I would never have known if a contact at the company hadn’t mentioned to me that her colleague had never heard back from me.

Key job-search lesson for everyone: Check your spam folder daily.

Since then I’ve had two other important emails related to my job hunt land in the spam folder.

I’m not blaming my email provider. I remember the days before spam folders, and I don’t miss daily weeding through dozens of shady offers for vicodin, cialis, and boosters that will enlarge my manhood.

I guess I just never considered – until now – that those spam filters make mistakes that can jeopardize a job search. It’s an important lesson I learned in the Jobless Zone, and I hope other job seekers won’t make the same mistake.

BTW, I didn’t get that job, but at least it’s not because I blew off the interview.

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Jobless Zone Diet: Clam and garlic linguini

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Tom Musbach
Clam and garlic linguini, the latest cheap healthy dinner in the Jobless Zone Diet.

Are those buildings in my cheap chardonnay?

One of my favorite cheap, healthy dinners is clam and garlic linguini, and it makes a great standby when you’re stuck in the Jobless Zone.

I first made this inexpensive dinner just out of college, where I discovered the yummy combination of clams and garlic on pizza. The pairing also works great over pasta, and you can find countless recipes for it. I’ve seen several versions over the years, and they’ve all informed this easy, low-cost dinner recipe that I’ve improvised on ever since.

Steamed broccoli, for example, goes well with it, making your healthy dinner even healthier! You can cut it up and mix with the pasta, or serve it on the side.

Diners on a budget can’t go wrong with this simple, economical meal. I estimate the cost to make this recipe at about $4.50. (I assume you already have staples like olive oil and basil in your kitchen. If not, they’re worth the extra dough!).

Clam and Garlic Linguini

Serves 2 (or 1, if you’re like me)

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil or butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 6.5-oz. can of chopped clams, undrained
  • ½ tsp. dried basil
  • ½ lb. whole-wheat linguini
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil or butter over medium heat.

2. Add garlic, and let it sizzle for 2 minutes.

3. Add the clams with the juice, also the basil. Heat until it boils, then turn heat to very low. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Prepare the linguini according to package directions in a large pot. Return the cooked linguini to the pot and add the clam mixture. Stir until mixed, and heat through for a minute or so.

5. Serve in pasta bowls, and add fresh pepper as desired.

Jobless Zone Diet featuring clam and garlic linguini, pictured with an urban view of San Francisco. Good cheap healthy dinner.

Oooh, fancypants food styling. Linguini with a view!

More Jobless Zone Diet dishes:

Bonus rice and beans

Meyer lemon pasta

 

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Denzel jolts grads with dose of reality

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Tom Musbach

Denzel Washington (Photo: Jeff Katz)Always on the lookout for graduation speeches to inspire us all, I found a surprise last week. Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington told graduates of an Ivy League school that they should prepare to fail.

“First, you will fail at some point in your life.  Accept it,” he told  graduates of the University of Pennsylvania on May 16.  ”You will lose.  You will embarrass yourself.  You will suck at something.

“That’s probably not a traditional message for a graduation ceremony.” Right. But it’s a refreshing and realistic message that all of us need to hear.

“Here’s my second point about failure:  If you don’t fail … You’re not even trying. My wife told me this expression: ‘To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.’”

I’d say Washington, who said he was “scared stiff” to give this commencement address, would be eligible for an award (“The Commencies!”) if one existed. His speech is a fine example of taking a risk, getting out of the comfort zone, and chalking up another success.

The rest of the speech offers good observations about taking risks and how paths to success don’t come in a straight line. Simple truths, really, but reminders I needed to hear.

See also: Most inspiring commencement speech of all time?

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Jobless Zone Diet: Bonus beans and rice

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Tom Musbach
Bowl of bonus rice and beans

Healthy, filling, tasty, and cheap!

Rice with beans is a great economical dish, but most people think it’s too bland — especially as a main course. So I dress it up a little without adding much cost.

I basically add corn, tomato, and my favorite salsa. But the great thing about this dish is versatility; you can add leftover meat or vegetables or sauces to make it your own. And it’s perfect for being in the Jobless Zone – you can eat well and eat healthy while spending less.

The estimated cost for this recipe, without the bonus items: $6.50. That’s three cheap dinners for me – each for under $2.25. Bonus! By the way, I buy my brown rice in bulk, and my favorite salsa is Whole Foods’ 365 Roasted Chipotle Salsa (medium heat), which cost $2.29 last Sunday.

Bonus Rice and Beans

Serves 3 (as a generous main course)

  • 1-1/2 cup brown rice
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 15-oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup corn (8-oz. can or fresh cooked)
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 1 cup of your favorite salsa

Bonus (optional):

  • 1 cup spinach leaves, julienned
  • 1 boneless chicken breast, cooked and chopped

1. Put rice and water in a large pot. Cover it and turn heat on medium. When water begins to boil, turn heat to low.  Keep pot covered and let rice simmer until the water is no longer visible (roughly 20-25 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the rice. Stir the mixture over low heat until it’s warmed all the way through. Add fresh pepper and more salsa, if desired, and serve in bowls.

NOTE: This is great for leftovers and keeps well in the refrigerator. Before you warm up a bowl of this tasty mixture in the microwave, sprinkle some water on the food to keep it from getting too dry.

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Who are you calling ‘overqualified’?

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Tom Musbach
Circus star walks a tightrope while spinning discs

Don't try this at home.

I try not to apply for jobs I think are beneath my skill level, so it’s a little jarring to hear an interviewer call me “overqualified.”

Often the term is code for “too old” or “too expensive.” I get a bit defensive when I hear it, and that’s not good interview attitude. Some recent reading, however, has given me some new ideas about how to handle hearing the dreaded “o” word.

Address the concern

If a potential employer raises the issue of being overqualified, you have to assume the best. The concern might be legitimate, or the interviewer may have a mistaken view of your background or intentions in applying for the job.

As career expert Elizabeth Wallencheck advised in a recent article, use this chance to offer some reassurance. “This is your open invitation to address and overcome their concern,” she said. “If they seriously thought you were overqualified, they wouldn’t have offered you an interview!”

Connect the dots

After you address the employer’s concern, you can propose an alternate view that ties your job goals and skills with those of the desired job.

Wallencheck offers a great example for bridging into this part of the conversation: “I understand why you might be concerned about that, given my previous position. However, let me share with you why I believe this position is a good fit with my career plans.”

I like this plan. It defuses tension while giving you a chance to show your skills at persuasion and conflict resolution. Or, it gives a chance to explain your change in priorities or focus of concentration in the new role.

I am adding this to my interview prep routine.

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Jobless Zone Diet: Meyer lemon pasta

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Tom Musbach

This cooking segment is a new, recurring feature – but I hope it won’t be too recurring.

Meyer lemon pasta

Like my food styling?

Cutting back expenses can help get anybody through periods of unemployment, but it doesn’t mean you have to subsist on Ramen noodles or mac-n-cheese in a box. I’ve been trying new ways to save money and make tasty, healthful meals. It’s all part of what I call the Jobless Zone Diet.

This first dinner experiment (recipe below) started when I had several Meyer lemons lying around. I’m lucky to have friends with an ever-fruitful tree who often give me bags of fruit they can’t use. (Thanks, Mark and Dave!)

I realize that Meyer lemons may not be available in some parts of the country, so I guess the takeaway point really is this: Find ways to use free leftover food from your friends – whether it’s vegetables from the garden or dry oatmeal cookies their kids won’t eat.

I adapted a recipe I clipped from the San Francisco Chronicle years ago to make my own version. The estimated cost for this dinner: $3 (if you don’t add meat – see note below).

Meyer Lemon Pasta

Serves 2 (or 1 as a main course for people like me)

  • 1 Meyer lemon
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ lb whole-wheat spaghetti
  • 3 tbsp shredded (or grated) Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Use a lemon zester and a little pressure to drag the zester along the lemon, creating as many longish strands of lemon peel as you can. (If you don’t have a lemon zester, you can use a paring knife to slice off thin sections of the peel, and then julienne those sections into very thin strands.) Set the zest aside.

2. Squeeze the juice out of the lemon, reserve and set aside.

3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, sauté the garlic in the oil. Once the garlic begins to sizzle and become fragrant, cook for 2 minutes before removing from heat. Do not let garlic turn brown.

4. Prepare the pasta in a pot of boiling water, according to the package directions. Reserve about ¼ cup of the cooking water before draining the cooked pasta. Drain pasta, and return it to the pot.

5. Put the pot on stove over low heat. Add the reserved water, lemon zest, and half of the cheese. Stir. Add the lemon juice and stir for 10 seconds or so.

6. Divide pasta into bowls (if serving two). Sprinkle with remaining cheese and pepper, to taste.

NOTE: This is an easy, inexpensive dinner by itself. But it’s also a great base for experimentation. I like to add in a small, cooked cod or tilapia fillet. Or cooked chicken or turkey. You could also try adding some spinach or broccoli.

I made this last night, as you can see in the photo. I added a cod fillet and ate the whole thing myself. The Jobless Zone hasn’t had much effect on my big appetite.

Got any tips to share? Please post a comment.

 

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A really promising San Francisco treat

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Tom Musbach
Tower at San Francisco's Ferry Building

Ferry Building

The count-your-blessings exercise really does help, especially when you’re unemployed.

I don’t do it nearly enough, but I got a nice reminder this morning while reading the San Francisco Chronicle online. Who knew I live in the third most opportunity-rich city in the world? Or that my neighborhood (eastern SoMa) is the hot, hot, hot spot for growing tech firms?

Ranking just behind New York and Toronto, San Francisco “plays a major role in one of the most innovative economies in the U.S. It also is at the leading edge of U.S. cities enacting social policies that affect business, which adds interest to its performance,” according to an annual report cited in the Chronicle article.

My home city beat out Paris, Singapore, Chicago, and London. Opportunity is in the air; I just need to take some deep breaths to inspire my continued efforts to escape the Jobless Zone.

Maybe my next gig will be within walking distance. According to another article today, SoMa has become “the place many tech companies want to be, with Zynga, Google, TechCrunch and Mozilla leasing significant space in the district during the last year.” In addition, tech jobs in San Francisco and Silicon Valley are near the 2001 record highs.

I’m very, very fortunate to live here. And today I learned a bonus blessing: Officials are breaking ground tomorrow on the new Target in the Metreon. Next year I’ll be able to walk three blocks to Target!

(I took some city photos this week and added them to my San Francisco set on Flickr, if you want to see more.)

The big bow-and-arrow art installation on the Embarcadero

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Jobless Zone: Laughing at desperation

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Tom Musbach

Jennifer CoolidgeRecently I found myself getting a little obsessive about checking voicemail and email for any message regarding jobs I had applied for. And then I thought, “Uh oh, am I becoming Debbie Sue Linda?”

As played hilariously by actress Jennifer Coolidge, Debbie Sue Linda was a sad sack who grew increasingly desperate waiting for a phone call from a potential boyfriend. (Watch the video below for a laugh.)

Like most Americans, I’m not really good at waiting. But it’s unavoidable in a job search. Since I entered the Jobless Zone nearly three months ago, I do my best to be active – engaging my network, getting out and talking to new people – because I know passively waiting by the phone or computer is not the way to land a job.

Sometimes you feel like you’ve done all you can, and there’s not much to do but wait. That’s when impatience can take over, leading to self-doubt, stress, and desperation, Debbie Sue Linda-style.

And desperation will derail a job search. Nothing makes a candidate more unattractive.

A good way to avoid it is to take a break and engage in a de-stressing activity, like:

  • Cardio workout – running, walking, biking
  • Prayer or meditation
  • Volunteering, helping others
  • Yoga
  • Watching a film or show that makes you laugh

I have worked several of those into my routine during this jobless phase, and they’ve helped. I will miss exercising this much when I’m employed again.  But I’ll be thankful that it helped me avoid a harmful job-search pitfall.

Better to laugh at Debbie Sue Linda than suspect that she and I have anything in common.

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An unlikely TV source for work-life insights

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Tom Musbach

We learn a lot about work from the TV shows we watch. Comedies like “The Office” and “Ally McBeal” help us laugh or even cope with things we hate about work. Others can inspire career moves, like “Friday Night Lights,” “E.R.,” or “The West Wing.”

Josh and BrentHere’s a surprise to add to that latter group: “The Fabulous Beekman Boys.” Currently in its second season on Planet Green, the reality show follows two successful New Yorkers, Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, who ditch Manhattan to become farmers in a small upstate town.

The two men are also a longtime couple, and their many adventures in adjusting to raising goats, fixing barns, and small-town living provide many laughs.

But the show doesn’t hide the tensions of a career change, either, and that may be what makes the show most compelling. Josh still must commute to Manhattan for his corporate job during the week because the historic Beekman farm they purchased is not yet financially self-sustaining.

As a result, Josh often gets frustrated at not being able to work on the farm full-time because of money issues. This gives him a unique perspective on all of Brent’s spending at the farm, which poses real challenges for their relationship.

You may find yourself saying, “Ditch him, Josh, it’s not worth it!” But how can you not admire the laser focus, persistence, and dedication that Brent brings to making the farm work?

Each half-hour episode, while entertaining, doesn’t skirt some of the blemishes, mud, and slights of real life. As Josh and Brent progress in making their career and life dreams possible, I can’t help being inspired to consider my own.

Learn more about the show here, and check out the Beekman farm site for recipes, tips, and the guys’ blogs.

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Best jobs report in 2 years, but…

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Tom Musbach
My television set

It still works.

Today’s good news from the government about the employment situation in March is still not enough to make me confident to spring for a flat-screen TV.

As an active job seeker, I’m very encouraged by the drop to 8.8% unemployment and the net gain of 216,000 jobs. But I’m still worried by several other economic reports this week.

The good news

This report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is no April Fool’s joke. Significant positive developments:

  • The unemployment rate has fallen a full percent since November 2010. Let’s hope the momentum lasts.
  • Finally some significant job growth in sectors other than health care. Roughly 29,000 temp jobs were added, a good leading indicator. Professional and technical service jobs were up 35,000, and even manufacturing gained 17,000 jobs.
  • The unemployment rate for people 25 and older who have a college degree is half of the overall rate – only 4.4%.

The bad news

While some headlines declare today’s BLS data means the economy’s engine is now kicking in, the report shows almost no upward movement in wages. That leads me to this week’s gloomier prospects for the economy:

  • Consumer confidence, as measured monthly by the Conference Board, took a dip in March, the largest drop in a year. I’m not the only one doubting whether to make a big purchase.
  • Housing prices continued to drop in January (sixth month in a row), hitting new lows in some cities since the downturn began in 2007. As a homeowner, I don’t like to see this. And it’s even worse for all my family members who own homes in Cleveland.
  • Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich wrote yesterday an ominous piece about the economy heading for a double-dip recession.
  • Harry Dent, author of “The Great Depression Ahead,” predicts that there will be a major crash in the stock market later this year. To be honest, I don’t know if he merits my trust, but the prediction troubles me a bit.

TV land

And that brings me back to the flat-screen TV. For the past several weeks I’ve been thinking about buying one, since my big 18-year-old box is a relic. But I don’t need a new TV. My remote can’t turn the set on or control volume, but at least it changes the channels.

What I need is a job. That’s the main dent in my consumer confidence, the reason I spend less these days. Bad for the economy, perhaps, but good for me.

I’ve got a pretty good idea how I’ll reward myself once I do land my next gig.

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