"Come to me and I will help you..."

I recently received a letter in the mail from the Department of Labor instructing me to come down to their One-Stop Employment Center for a group orientation.  It's less of an invite and more of an edict, but for good reason.  The Labor Department doesn't want any slackers on the unemployment roll, so the sooner we find work, the better.  The Labor Department is more than willing to help out as far as the job search goes, but we've got to do our part too, and this means paying a periodic visit.

Even though I have been meticulous about sending out resumes, unfortunately, not every job-seeker is as motivated.  So it's actually a good thing the Labor Department holds these periodic get-togethers.  It's a chance for them to monitor the job-searching progress of the unemployed masses, but also an opportunity to showcase all that the Labor Department has to offer job-seekers.  And the Labor Department has an impressive arsenal of resources.  I must say I was quite impressed this morning.  Stop by your local Labor Department to get your job search off the ground and you'll find office equipment (fax machines, photocopiers, and phones), computers (PC and Mac) and computer courses/tutorials, workshops, a career resource library, job listings/job fairs, and most importantly, genuine, positive support from the staff.  The One-Stop Employment Center really does live up to its name as it offers job-seekers all one could ever want under one roof while looking for work.  Best of all, you're surrounded by folks in the same boat, so any unemployment-related shame immediately falls by the wayside.  So what's not to love about the Labor Department?

As it happens, I am good to go with my trusty laptop, reliable printer, and my usually cooperative internet connection.  I have a slew of media-related career websites where I spend much quality time, and I keep my writing skills sharp by continuing to blog.  My focus is firm and my commitment to my job search is undeniable.  I am also highly motivated to find work as I hate being at home and I have too much energy to sit around for very long.  I also need the paycheck, which is incentive in and of itself.  But for folks who are without these resources for whatever reason, the Labor Department is a great place to get started on the job search.  In addition to its stockpile of services, it also offers a supportive environment in which to stay focused.  Sure, you could drop by your local library to use a computer, but while you're there looking for work, you just know temptation will beckon to surf the web or check out a good book.  The Labor Department circumvents this by allowing computer users to access career-related websites only, and the only books you'll find in their library focus on finding work.  So it's a good place to stay grounded in the job search.  And who knows?  It just may lead you to a job!

Staying Motivated

This is for all the lonely job-seekers out there...

It's so important to stay motivated while searching for a job.  It's also incredibly difficult, given the current job market.  Certainly, I've had days rife with discouragement where it's a struggle to send out resumes, knowing that most of them will be immediately deleted from someone's inbox before they're seriously scrutinized.  It's not personal, and it isn't because I'm unqualified.  It's simply that competition is extraordinarily tight, and as good as the credentials on any given resume may be, there's always going to be someone out there whose credentials are even more impressive.  It's an employer's market these days and hiring companies have a range of quality job candidates from which to select.  So how does one stay motivated when it feels like you've been forgotten by the world?  It isn't easy, but it really is crucial to stay in a proper, professional frame of mind.

A positive attitude can carry a job-seeker far.  I know this from personal experience.  When I was laid off in 2008 from a proofreading position that I'd held at a midsize firm for nearly 3-1/2 years, it was en masse, as I was joined by roughly 40-plus of my fellow employees.  As we received our respective pink slips and glumly exited the premises, one of the IT guys -- who'd just lost his job -- called out above the crowd and proclaimed, "Remember, when a door closes, a window opens!"  It was a simple cliche, but it needed to be said and it immediately changed the mood in the room for the better.  We were still shell-shocked about the loss of employment, but we were better able to cope, as we had been given the priceless gifts of hope and comfort.  And this guy really did practice what he preached because he kept a positive attitude all throughout his job search and was the first in our layoff group to find work six weeks later.

Now I'm sure you're thinking that the IT guy had all the right credentials, and since there's a constant demand in the IT industry for qualified folk, he wasn't in any long-term danger of remaining unemployed.  But the truth of the matter is that this man does not have a Bachelor's degree.  He has years of experience, but lacks the educational validation.  But ultimately, the education issue was moot point as his best credential was -- and still is -- his positive attitude.  He has an unwavering belief in himself that he can find work, do the work, and do it well.  And he does, which is why his job search was both successful and short-lived. 

What is your coping mechanism?  If you're unemployed and discouraged about the job-search (and it's easy to be distressed), what has helped you deal with the reality of unemployment?  Or are you still searching for a way to stay motivated?  For me, the real lifesaver has been this blog.  It provides me with a sense of accomplishment, gives me a daily sense of purpose, and it's definitely a good thing to have on a resume.  It's a practical, economical pursuit as it helps keep my writing skills sharp and the only cost is the internet connectivity, which I need in any event so I can search for work and email those resumes -- a positive frame of mind fully intact.

Pressure's On!

It's not easy being the scribe of The Pensive Proofreader.  While I started this blog with the greatest confidence as a commentary on the state of proofreading and all things editorial, the truth of the matter is that I'm constantly in a nervous sweat that there may be errors in my own copy.  Obviously, this is not acceptable.  What's more, what right do I have to point out the proofreading shortcomings of others if my own copy contains the occasional mistake here and there?       

   
It's every proofreader's nightmare.  However, it's also every proofreader's reality.  As difficult as it is to accept, we must embrace the simple fact that we are all human beings with both the potential and probability to err.  It's going to happen, and when it does, hopefully the damage will be minimal.  It may even go unnoticed for awhile.  But when we slip up and the error is eventually sighted (by others, not ourselves), the repercussions can be harsh, irreversible, and potentially career-damaging.  A misspelled word or name, a missing logo or an inaccuracy of any kind can earn us an unwanted one-way ticket to the end of the unemployment line, our dignity destroyed, our professional credibility shaken, and our confidence shattered.        

Proofreading is a unique profession.  There isn't much of a safety net, especially if you're the sole proofreader on the team, and the pressure to produce perfect copy can be intense.  It's somewhat akin to being a goaltender on a hockey team where the position tends to be less about the physical game and more about the mental game.  It's not about how you do something, but rather, what you do, what you see, and what you correct and clarify.  A proper frame of mind is critical.  Proofreaders, same as goalies, must retain mental focus and concentrate intensely on that which surrounds them.  The slightest distraction, be it physical, natural, reactionary or entirely unintentional, can disrupt the proofreading process, throwing it into complete chaos. 

What's a proofreader to do?  We've all been disrupted by the call of nature, a ringing telephone or a litany of assorted distractions which dare threaten the sanctity of our focus.  Unfortunately, there are no easy answers.  Spell checkers, of course, are helpful to weed out certain errors, but we can't trust them to catch everything.  It's our job.  So what we're left with is our focus, our sound judgment, and our common sense.  We must employ these not-so-secret weapons all throughout the process without fail.  Or in other words, in the end all we have is ourselves and the tools with which we started the job, along with our stalwart determination to persevere in our quest for quality proofreading.   

Freelance, Schmreelance

Why can't I get excited over freelancing?  I know it's a perfectly respectable way to make money, yet I continue to shun the very notion of applying for -- or accepting -- a freelance proofreading assignment.  Maybe it's the seeming lack of commitment on the part of hiring companies.  Or maybe it's the lack of long-term commitment on the part of the party who accepts freelance assignments.  Or maybe I just have a bad attitude in general regarding freelancing.  I don't know.  Personally, I prefer the permanence of a regular, full-time job.  It probably has to do with the fact that I enjoy structure, routine, working in an office, socializing on a professional level, et cetera.  But for some, freelancing lacks an anchor they don't wish to be weighed down with and allows for flexible scheduling around other pursuits.

Having never freelanced, I'm really in no position to pass judgment.  So, I figured if I'm going to write about freelancing, I may as well research it first.  So I jumped on Google and (to quote my buddy, Margaret) went "in search of" articles on freelancing and the apparent joys thereof.  My first stop was at http://www.wahm.com/, a website for mothers who work from home while raising terrific tykes, teenage terrors, and everything in-between.  According to their article, An Introduction to Freelance Proofreading Jobs, business is booming for proofreading freelancers.  Proofreaders who work at a good clip can earn up to $20 an hour, your working hours are flexible, and you're more or less the captain of your own ship -- unless your client deems that you must walk the plank for whatever reason.  The downside of freelancing is covered as well, which only seems fair.  Proofreading freelancers must constantly work their own public relations by getting out there and selling themselves, usually as cheaply as possible.  Benefits aren't part of the package, and there's also the business end of freelancing which entails bookkeeping and administrative chores.  I would assume that most proofreaders are people such as myself who tend to be more creative than mathematical, and for whom the logistics of accountancy would be a minor nightmare.

Jan K., author of So You Think You Want to be a Freelance Proofreader, shoots that aforementioned theory to complete hell on http://www.absolutewrite.com/ by unintentionally sliding into the freelance life when she doesn't win the lottery and lands an assignment which requires a combination of accountancy and proofreading know-how.  Fortunately, Jan K. possesses the skill set, having served in the corporate world for well over twenty years when circumstances conspire to send her in a different professional direction rather than the regular, full-time world that she knew so well and for so very long.  She begins her accidental freelance career by signing with a temp agency for a gig with a firm which lasts for nearly a year until she and her husband decide to relocate.  She continues to freelance off-site for that same firm, and eventually builds a freelance client base by simply shopping her talents and expertise around.  It's an approach that she recommends to anyone considering freelance proofreading.  She encourages proofing wannabes to take stock of their surroundings and scan out proofreading possibilities in their immediate area with the help of a little shameless self-promotion.  Websites, business cards, and brochures are her weapons of choice amongst other things, and she believes they should be yours, too.  Patience -- that elusive virtue I'm desperately attempting to master -- is also key.  Jan K. counsels fledgling freelancers to be prepared to wait... to build up a client base... for paychecks... and patiently between assignments when things are slow until the next freelance opportunity turns up.

I am less impressed with the advice I receive at my next stop at http://www.ecopywritingjobs.com/.  Their article, Freelance Proofreading Jobs: The Big Secrets of Sucess immediately rubs me the wrong way as Sucess is misspelled.  How can a proofreader -- or anyone writing an article on proofreading -- expect to be successful if they can't spell Success?  Since spelling is an issue, therefore compromising their professional credibility, I really can't be bothered much with the article.  I understand that proofreaders are human beings and typos are an unfortunate part of the process on occasions very few and far between, but a titular misspelling is unacceptable.  Perhaps the author would've been more successful as a proofreader if he/she had actually proofread their own work prior to publishing it online.  Oh well.  The article does offer some advice on finding freelance work through websites such as guru.com, elance.com, and odesk.com.  I have not yet paid these sites a visit, so I'll reserve comment for the time being.

In my Google travels on freelance proofreading, I have come to learn a few things.  Not all proofreaders are created equal, not all proofreaders should freelance, and some proofreaders shouldn't proofread at all.  As for my own position on freelance proofreading, I'm starting to reconsider.  Maybe someday I'll wade into the freelance pool, but for now, I still think I'd rather swim in the regular, full-time sea.

"In Search Of..."

Whenever my buddy, Margaret, is trying to find something, she usually prefaces her hunt by muttering, "In search of..." and then her voice trails off until she locates the missing item.  In my quest to find gainful employment, I'm starting to think that maybe I should do the same, especially if it'll bring me closer to the job I really want.  Whatever works, right?  Or maybe not.

Prevailing job-search wisdom dictates the following:

• Never apply for a job for which you're unqualified -- under any circumstances.  The unpleasant reality is that this is a waste of everyone's time, especially in a tight job market where even the qualified are struggling to stand out.
• Resumes should always be professional, detailed (without going overboard), organized, and compelling.  If your resume writing skills are lacking, hire a professional or find a talented friend/family member to help you out free of charge.
• Generic cover letters and/or overly personalized cover letters are a no-no.  In other words, no blatant form letters or missives which wax enthusiastically on your love for skiing unless you're applying for a slope instructor position in Vail, Colorado.
• Do not talk money upfront unless a salary request is included in the classified ad.  Ever.
• Kindly refrain from showing up uninvited at the front door of a company which may or may not be hiring -- unless you already have an appointment.  No one likes unexpected company, so do yourself a favor and don't be that person.

And my personal favorite:

• All resumes and cover letters must be thoroughly proofread prior to being sent.

So I'm following the rules with an absolute vengeance, and have netted one interview after almost two weeks of hardcore job-searching.  Considering the current job market, I'm probably doing quite well, response-wise.  Proofreading is a notoriously difficult profession to break into, and because it's so niche-oriented, jobs are scarce.  Fortunately, I have options with respect to the range of jobs for which I can apply.  My undergraduate degree is in journalism, so I'm qualified for myriad positions including copywriting, copyediting, public relations, marketing communications, et cetera.  I also possess secretarial skills, which have come in handy during times of professional hardship, so I am certainly not averse to accepting an administrative position.  After all, it's honest work which pays a decent wage, and while I'd prefer a position more in line with my academic achievements and professional goals, it's important to be practical and remain flexible in today's topsy-turvy job market.  So while I'm always proud to proofread, I'm equally proud to accept any position for which I'm qualified which will enable me to continue paying my own way -- with my head held high and my dignity firmly intact.

The Reality Check is in the Mail

Nearly two weeks ago, I was laid off from my job as a proofreader at a large firm in the Tri-State area -- which shall remain nameless.  Ever since I began my "enforced vacation", as I like to call it, I have ceaselessly scanned the classified ads, searching daily and diligently for gainful employment.  I spend hours on Monster, Mediabistro, and Indeed -- just to name a few sites.  I compose cover letters, I continuously polish my resume, and I work hard at staying positive -- default smile firmly on my face.  So far, my efforts have yielded the following fruit: four rejection emails, countless ignored CVs/cover letters, a minor online back-and-forth with a chronic Craigslist complainer who likes to place rant ads in amongst the classifieds, and... one interview pending.  So the news is not all bad, although it could be better.

I have come to learn that unemployment and patience go hand-in-hand.  I must wait until new classified ads are posted, I must wait for a response to my resume, I must wait to see if I'll be invited for an interview, I must wait to see if I'll be hired post-interview, et cetera, et cetera.  So lots of time is spent in limbo, but with patience being the virtue it supposedly is, I'll assume only good things can come about as a result.  One waiting game which has not been particularly beneficial, however, has to do with my final paycheck from my former firm.  I have been assured that "the check is in the mail", and I'm sure it is.  I don't question the company's honor in the slightest.  However, whatever virtue I'm allegedly acquiring from waiting for these funds isn't helping to buy groceries, make my monthly car payment or satisfy other bills which need to be paid. 

While I wait to learn my fate in the working world (as well as the whereabouts of the aforementioned paycheck), I spend time reading online articles and blogs on the unemployment crisis and how to cope.  I'm counseled to exercise, pursue home-based projects, take up new hobbies, engage in free activities in the community, and to volunteer.  All good suggestions, so in the spirit of spending quality time in post-layoff reality, I trudge to my local boardwalk for daily seaside constitutionals.  I get on a fall cleaning kick and empty my pigsty bedroom.  A longtime vegetarian, I am now attempting a vegan diet and spend many mealtimes trying out new recipes.  A rabid craftsperson, I've decided I'd like to learn to knit, and I am also considering volunteering my time at a local thrift shop.  So I fill my days with resume-expediting, cleaning, crafting, and above all... patience.