The Downsized Diaries

Okay, Enough With the Photo Shoot Instructions!

Originally uploaded by kristasphere

…and that’s exactly what I did with my family on Sunday. Champagne brunch. I’m laughing because my sister was trying to be Annie Libowitz Jr. and give me all these posing instructions. It’s all good though. Had a blast. Cheers to another year of life!

NPR’s Planet Money podcast show called again for another podcast check in. Stay tuned. First one is here.

“

I changed my ways, sir!” –Thomas Sams in the movie “Lean on Me”

After all the great comments regarding my Laid-Off on LinkedIn post, I had no choice but to admit the error of my ways and reform. So, with all the contrition of Thomas Sams on the rooftop with Joe Clark in “Lean on Me”, I took the advice of the readership and made my title reflect my laid-off status.  My title now reads:

Web Marketing Strategist w/20 Yrs PC Industry Experience Seeking Social Media Marketing Opportunity at Technology Company or Social Media Agency

(See my full profile here.)

My original post on this subject drew the 2nd larget amount of traffic, and largest number of coments on The Downsized Diaries to date.  I am grateful to all the recruiters and industry professionals who took the time to give me feedback:  Julie Walraven, Lindsay Olson, Leighsah, Susan,and Lisa Creech”Bruiser” Bledsoe.

Here’s Who’s Getting Hired Right Now in Tech – Jobwire

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Had to go in,pack, and remove all my things from my office yesterday, 6 weeks before my scheduled exit. Department is moving to a different building; I didn’t see the point of moving, unpacking, and packing again in January.

It was a weird feeling. I mean I didn’t announce I was coming. I came towards the end of the day. I said hi to several of my teammates who were still there. I guess I thought I’d get emotional or something, but I didn’t. It’s awkward like, I didn’t know what to say, they didn’t know what to say, so we kept the convo neutral.

I don’t intend for this to come off ‘whiney’; believe me I’m not whining at all. I just hope by writing this it’ll help others know what the experience is like, and know it isn’t the end of the world.

I’ve been avoiding changing my ‘title’ on LinkedIn. Technically I’m not “out the door” for another 6 weeks or so, but… I am looking for another job, so I need to make this known on LinkedIn.  My personal hang-up has been, I can tell when someone’s been laid off on LinkedIn because their title has changed to something like:”Dynamic, Experienced  Sales Manager”.  When I see these, my heart kind of sinks because I know the person isn’t employed.  My impression has been some of  these ‘title changes’ come off like a desperate match.com profile.  No disrespect to anyone, I’m just sharing how I’ve perceived this up until now.

So my question is, how do you make your status known on LinkedIn without sounding “needy”?  Leave me your thoughts in the comments.

via North Carolina ranks near bottom in national jobs report – Triangle Business Journal:

Spent  a good part of the day at a friend’s house job searching online. On the way up her steps, I tripped, fell headlong and skinned up both knees pretty bad. I have not done that since childhood, and the pain was so intense at first I had to just lay there for a minute and let it subside. Despite being a good friend I’ve know for years, I didn’t tell her of my spill. Somehow in my mind I equated my fall with a failure, on top of my “failure” in the job world, and I didn’t want to be a pain.  I sat there and “suffered in silence” for 3 hours, praying the blood wouldn’t seep through my slacks. (It never seemed to hurt this bad when I fell off my bike as a kid.)

Without being melodramatic, I think today’s minor embarrassment is a metaphor for the feelings that people can encounter when laid off.  Something happens to you totally out of your control, yet you blame yourself, beat yourself up, do a number on your self-confidence. Rather than reach out for support,you choose to suffer in silence.

To all those out there experiencing layoffs, it is not a reflection of you, its not your fault. It can’t change your character, your nature, your spirit, unless you allow it to.

Off to apply more triple antibiotic cream…

via Social Media for PR Class: Tweeting about layoffs at Zappos

The lights are on at Zappos in terms of Social Media. Transparency at its best.