I’ve been a horrible person. It’s not because I hate you, though I probably do, because I’m a horrible person. How’s that for circular logic? It’s because I’ve been ignoring my blog – the public manifestation of my unemployment. Don’t get me wrong, I love blogging, and have no plans to stop. (And I love [...]
Category Archives: Career Advice
How job sites annoy me… let me count the ways
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Job sites annoy me. It admittedly doesn’t take much, given my current unemployed state. I’ve yet to encounter one that provides the ideal job search experience, if something so oxymoronic even exists. Every job site, from the all-encompassing (Monster, HotJobs), to the industry-specific (American Marketing Association, Media Bistro), to the company-specific (Joe’s Burritos and Plumbing [...]
The recession is over, but high unemployment remains
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Great Recession is over. At least that’s what everyone keeps telling me. The S&P 500 gained 15.2% from April to June for its best quarter since the fourth quarter of 1998. Retail sales rose 2.7% in August. Existing home sales rose 7.2% in July from a year earlier, to a two-year high. Happy days [...]
Another interview leads to disappointment
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
[Ben thought he had a new job this time... until he didn't. His latest experience got him wondering just how his fate can depend on someone who has less experience than he does.]
Ben Breier, 23, was a reporter and web producer for the New York Observer’s Politicker.com, a political news network that suffered massive cutbacks [...]
Don’t let desperation cloud your judgment
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
[Ben continues to fight the good fight, looking for work wherever he might find it. He fell a little short of the promised land in his last post. This time, well, he's even further away and feeling a little desperate.]
Ben Breier, 23, was a reporter and web producer for the New York Observer’s Politicker.com, a [...]
My New York anniversary
Thursday, July 30, 2009
It’s my ten-year New York anniversary. In July of 1999, I moved here on a day a little warmer than today. In honor of the occasion, I’m expecting a gift of tin, as tradition dictates. Aluminum would be okay too, me being the modren man, with parts made in Japan (domo arigato). eHow tells me [...]
A good interview doesn’t always lead to a job
Thursday, May 21, 2009
[Ben's job search goes on, as much as he'd like it to end. The last time we heard from our hero, he was enduring new and exciting forms of rejection (nay, torture) at the hands of his HR nemeses. This time he fights back, a little.]
Ben Breier, 23, was a reporter and web producer for [...]
Jobless and less and more, but also less
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
I wrote the following post for The Wall Street Journal blog “Laid Off And Looking” a little while back…
Getting Help After Multiple Layoffs
The piece discussed the Obama administration’s policy in Iraq and Afghanistan and the political and social repercussions in a nation fighting many battles at home and abroad. Or maybe it explored ways to [...]
Another note to HR… what part of ‘be nice to the unemployed’ did you not understand?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
[Welcome to Ben's second guest post. You may remember this talented yet unemployed media professional from his previous exploits in the job market. This article highlights some of his more recent experiences.]
Ben Breier, 23, was a reporter and web producer for the New York Observer’s Politicker.com, a political news network that suffered massive cutbacks last [...]
Paying it forward – a little help for the unemployed
Friday, April 24, 2009
I’ve received lots of help from lots of people throughout my job search. And I am grateful. Without your support, I’d be unemployed AND feel ignored. Somewhere along the line I would’ve taken to drink to soothe my fragile ego. Alcohol – being the gateway to depravity and debauchery my teachers always claimed it to [...]