I’ve been playing with the title of this posting over recent days. And to be honest with you, a couple of titles I have been especially fond of are as follows:  “What Am I, Your Mommy?” And “No One Wants A Whiner.” But that would be mean-spirited, wouldn’t it?  But I’ve got to tell you, based on, like, 85% of the emails I’ve been getting from readers recently, I wouldn’t be hiring those people either! In fact, based on the boo hoo factor, I don’t even bother to respond to most of them (and you know who you are…that response email that you didn’t get? That’s me.).

Believe me, I’m not pointing the finger at anyone without pointing three back at myself. I know what it means to be completely at sea, not knowing where my place is in the world. I’ve even been accused of self-pity, but that was just because the accuser just like the rest of the world didn’t understand me – or appreciate me or hire me or get me or….. Get the idea?

You know those wonderful moments when the right words at the right time hit you right between the eyes?  A subtle suggestion that you consider the same things but through a different light changes your perspective forever. That happened to me about 10 years ago when I was holed up in a borrowed house on Cape Cod in the depths of one of the snowiest, coldest winters on record. I was flat broke. The few people I knew in this small town shunned me like existential life confusion might be contagious. (One of the shunners is a writer too. And I found myself as a character in one of her published short stories a few years later. She didn’t even bother changing my name. Now that was a bummer. I have the last laugh, though. My Amazon sales rankings are always much better than hers. Not that I’m holding a grudge or anything.)

The previous summer wasn’t much better either. I spent it on the basement sofa of a generous and way patient friend who took me in after I was stranded in Columbus, OH, after a client refused to pay me a desperately needed (and much earned fee) because I refused his advances. See? I can go there with the best of you!

Anyway, back to the Cape Cod house and those right words. It was definitely one of those times that Judy Collins calls the “fallow time.”  But one weekend a friend of mine came up from New Haven to spend a few days on the blustery beaches. And in the evenings we’d sit wrapped in afghans, talking about life, and basically why I thought it, well, sucked. (Normally, I don’t like to use that expression, but in this case, it’s the only one that works.)

I whined (I mean, said):  “I know I need a job, but I can’t bring myself to go around the Cape pleading with people to give me a chance to show what I can do.”

To which my friend, Patricia, said, “It’s not about what you need, it’s about what you can give.”

Thwack! Did you hear that? It’s the sound of an arrow of break-through brilliance leaving its bow and aiming straight between my eyes, which slowly crossed as I said, “ooooohhhhhh.” And suddenly, indulging in my mopes seemed actually selfish.

Did I happen to mention that Patricia is a coach? I think she’s one of the few true coaches who are actually born to the work. Just being around her makes you inspired to lose weight, do a The Firm dvd all the way through, and add another six digits to your annual salary.

Her right time/right words words changed my life (well at least my perspective – my The Firm dvds only get my attention when it’s time to dust. And often not even then). And I suddenly started thinking of my search for meaningful (i.g., paying) work as being an intersection where I can introduce my passion and abilities with real market need out there. How selfish of me to keep holed up and scared in my (well, someone else’s) house when there are people out there who actually need what I can do. And what I can do would actually make them happy.

All of which is to say: It’s completely understandable how in your pain it’s easy to lose sight of who you really are, what gives you true joy and how you can benefit the planet. And suddenly you start talking about yourself in high, squeaky, whiney tones in terms of what you need and your long litany of frustrations. And my all-time favorite expression starts to surface in your mind and escape your lips: “Yeah but.”

Another arrow between the eyes happened in November (I think). I was watching Oprah and Randy Pausch came on to deliver his now-famous Last Lecture. If you haven’t seen it, where have you been? Do it now. No, really, stop reading and do it right this very minute.

You’ll see that among the many brilliant things he says, he makes the point that we each have the choice to be Eyore or Tigger. TIgger spends his life bouncing for joy (a friend of mine has a Tigger cartoon on her fridge that says “no bouncing before breakfast.” Cracks me up every time). Eyore looks at life through one big self-pitying monocle of mope. 

Now I ask you, which one would you like to hang out with? Which one would you prefer to hire? I’m guessing Tigger. Tigger speaks in Woo Hoo!  And, not to rhyme or anything, but if it rhymes, you know it’s gotta be true:  Tigger speaks in Woo Hoo, and so you should too!

Even if things are way crappy, there is always something to bounce about.  Even that little smidgeon of joy is something you can give.  And eventually you’ll be able to figure out a way to sell it, because people will want to have a piece of you and your passion.

(Here’s another link to lift your spirits…it comes from The Secret, and it’s a minute of amazing images to make you really glad to get up in the morning and be standing on this particular planet. )

And so in closing, allow me to just say: Woo HOOOOO!  That is, as they say in the Hoky Pokey, "what it's all about."

A special note from Martha:   If you’re a manager, your company is counting on you to be an engaging leader. But what exactly does that mean? And how do you do engagement? Just because you’re brilliant at your technical skills, that doesn’t mean that you’re a natural at people skills. New managers need a book that can help them figure it out in simple, straightforward ideas.

That’s why I wrote The Truth About Getting the Best From People. It’s a book made up of 49 short, simple truths designed to help new managers understand how their beliefs and behaviors directly impact their employees’ passion factor on the job.

Click on the title and check it out! I hope you’ll enjoy it!

We will have a YP event at The Princeton Club (14999 W. Beloit Rd., New Berlin) on June 3rd from 5:30-7:30pm. Cost of event is $10 for Waukesha County Chamber members pre-registered, $15 for Chamber members at the door, and $15 for non-members.

For more information or to pre-register, visit www.waukesha.org, or call the Chamber 262.542.4249.

Also, the YPs in Waukesha County work with the Emerging Community Leaders of United Way Waukesha for some professional development opportunities. This particular "Lunch n Learn" is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20th from 12-1. $10 gets you lunch and a great presentation by Susan Marshall on "Managing Older Workers" - a topic that is and will continue to be relevant to all YPs! Check out www.unitedwaywaukesha.org for more info and to pre-register.. Maybe I'll see you there!

Until these next few events, if you are interested in Chamber events, we have a Networking After 5 event on May 20th from 5-7pm. See www.waukesha.org for more info on that one!

Hope to see you at one or more of these events!

~CH

Considering that you’ll spend more waking hours on your career than any other activity (with your salary riding on this decision!), it makes sense to thoroughly check out these services.

Ensure that your efforts result in a powerful résumé that opens doors by looking for a writer that offers:

1) - Verifiable Credentials.  Certification is a MAJOR distinction between dedicated professionals and “hobby” writers. Becoming a Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW), Certified Expert Résumé Writer (CERW), or Nationally Certified Résumé Writer (NCRW) requires a candidate to pass a rigorous exam judged by industry experts—with a high failure rate.

Don’t be fooled! Verify CPRW, CERW, or NCRW status by visiting the Professional Association of Résumé Writers at www.parw.com, Career Directors International at www.careerdirectors.com, or the National Résumé Writer’s Association at www.nrwa.com to search for the writer’s name and credentials.

2) - Samples. Look carefully at résumé samples to discern the extent of the writer’s business knowledge. A clear strategy should be evident on each résumé, plus a keen understanding of the industry and career goal.

If the writer won’t show you sample work, consider moving on to another.

3) - Actual Recruiting/Job Hunting Experience.  True résumé experts couple their professional training with REAL -WORLD experience as a hiring manager or recruiter.

You can also look for corporate experience on BOTH sides of the hiring table; former job hunters offer a valuable perspective that cannot be learned in other ways.

4) - Dedication to Ongoing Development. Here’s a tip: writers who achieve the strongest results tend to belong to at least one professional career industry association.

With participation in these organizations, most members avail themselves of continuing development opportunities to learn the latest strategies that will deliver results for YOUR résumé.

5) - Published Work.  If you pick up a résumé book on Amazon.com or at your local library, chances are it contains the work of a select few writers compared to each other WORLDWIDE by the publisher.

In other words, résumé writers who have had work chosen for publication are among the cream of the crop.

6) - Guarantee.  Look closely at the type of guarantee or other verification of quality offered by a résumé writer. Do they stand behind their work? 

If so, this means that you, the customer, will receive an expertly crafted document that is fully tuned to meet a hiring manager’s expectations.

7) - Professional-Level Pricing.  This may seem like an odd criterion, but think about it: writers who charge less than $200 are literally telling you that they either unwilling or unable to devote sufficient time to your project. Many will simply reformat your information without an in-depth consultation.

Make no mistake about it:  a masterpiece résumé that truly markets your strengths requires critical analysis of your goals, PLUS content. A skilled writer will take presentation, keywords, and information placement into consideration, plus possess knowledge of your field. It’s a time-consuming process!

Keep in mind that many excellent résumé writers exist, along with a few who may fall short of your expectations. Your best bet is to check out each source thoroughly—since your future earning power and career happiness will depend on it!

A unique résumé authority and former corporate recruiter, Laura Smith-Proulx, CCMC, CPRW, CIC of An Expert Resume has achieved a 98% success rate landing interviews for fast-track professionals. 

In addition to published résumé work in national career bestsellers, Laura has authored 21 Insider Résumé Secrets to the $100K+ Job of Your Choice , plus two other books on résumé and cover letters. A Certified Professional Résumé Writer, Career Management Coach, and Interview Coach, Laura maintains active membership in the Professional Association of Résumé Writers, the National Résumé Writers Association, Career Directors International, and Career Masters Alliance .

If you're ready to empower your job search, get Laura’s FREE 7-Part E-Course on "The 7 Biggest Resume Mistakes That Can Keep You From a $100K+ Job... And How to Avoid Them.