Learning 2.0

I'd like to dispel the old belief that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Because you can! Well, at least you can teach a middle-aged dog some new tricks.

As my job hunt continues I have been finding a wider community to help in the job search and helping my job skills. I have also learned from my mistakes.

A friend told me about a resource here in Washington, DC called 40Plus, an organization striving to empower experienced professionals for successful career & life transitions.

They run a four-week Job Search Training Course. I haven't decided if I will take it, but I may - I need to look at the calendar. They provide resume help, interviewing skills (mock interviews that are video-taped), and negotiation lessons. I have to sort out some things before I can commit to that.

In addition 40Plus runs a Monday morning Speaker Series. This week I went to a session titled 7 Mistakes the 50+ Job Seeker Should Never Make that was given by Laura Labovich of Apire-Empower.

As she pointed out - there are no mistakes that one should make - but the seven she talked about are important. I won't rehash the session but among the mistakes to avoid are - not having a plan, not using social media, and Going back to Nixon on your resume. Yeah - she has a sense of humor!

She did mention that while stereotypes abound regarding hiring people over 40 or 50, truth is people over 50 require less training, we are more flexible about our schedules, we're good team players, we're good with customers, we're loyal and we generally need less supervision.

Yea Rah!!

So I keep at it. Finding openings - reaching out to friends, colleagues, former teachers and classmates, attending job fairs and generally being open to what is in store for me.

I missed out on one opportunity - but I figure that means there is something better waiting for me. My sister saw this somewhere - I do perfect work in a perfect way in a perfect job for perfect pay. Okay - it is a little Mary Poppins-esque, but I know the right thing is out there for me - and I do hope it comes along soon!

Calling in reinforcements

I hesitated to do it - but a few things prompted me to take further steps in my job search. So, in addition to the job hunting and Internet searches and prayers - I reached out to my neighbors on our neighborhood Yahoo group.

It can't hurt and it may lead to something. We have a really good community, diverse and people working at all sorts of places. So maybe there's something lurking out there.

A friend of mind also told me about 40Plus of Greater Washington whose mission is

To empower and connect experienced professionals, managers, and executives for successful career/life transitions and lifelong advancements.

I'm going to the next Monday morning presentation. It beats sitting at home that's for sure!

Hi-ho - still not not to work I go...

Today I made the trek to Anacostia - a part of DC I don't get to very often. I got to go past St. Elizabeths's Hospital - a psychiatric hospital and the current home of John Hinckley, Jr. among others who don't have a Wikipedia entry. I happen to have two friends who work there - one is a nurse, the other is the chaplain.

I had been on the campus a few times because of the band I play in. Our marching band rehearsed there one summer and before that a combined band of 120 musicians from around the country rehearsed there prior to marching President Obama's Inaugural parade. Our band was the first openly GLBT group to participate in a presidential inagural parade!!

But I digress...

My purpose for going was in response to an invitation from the DC Department of Employment Services to visit the DC Works! Career Center to participate in the Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) program.

I got there early because, well, that's just how I am. There was quite an array of folks. We filled out some paperwork, they collected other information from us and we had enjoyed a presentation on the services that the DC DOES offers.

Among the services - they have a Resume builder, a job recruitment tool and also have an extensive listing of online learning resources. The staff also provided a list of more job search sites.

To top it all off I got some exercise on the way back to the Metro. I opted to walk the two miles back to further my efforts as The Incredible Shrinking Librarian. Along the way I happened upon this lovely thistle all abloom.



My first thought was of my dear friend Diana Smith - also a librarian and an Anglophile. Then I thought about Scotland - a land she visited on several occasions.

But wait, there's more...

I have been making good use of my Linked-In profile. I happened upon a group on there titled - I Need a Library Job. The women who run this also have a great Twitter feed and a facebook site.

I recommend them highly!!

They post job openings as well as links to really useful articles. Last week when I was really feeling it - they posted a link to an article about avoiding the blues during your job search!! Gave some good practical advice!!

That being said - I'm ending the week on a good note - another day of job hunting and ready for the weekend!

Cheers!

On the job hunt

Well, it has been another week on the job hunt. I'm holding up well, but it is a daunting task.

The good news is that there have been a number of library openings posted in the DC area - some government, some contract and some private sector.

I applied for a Reference Librarian position at the Smithsonian American History Museum - it was posted as an entry-level position with promotion potential. I talked to the hiring manager -- they got 1100 applicants!!! So I won't be hearing from them for a while.

There's another position that I'm keeping up hope for, and lighting a candle or two as well.



It is Friday afternoon before the the July 4th weekend - so nothing more will happen for this week and I don't expect to hear anything until Tuesday or Wednesay.

Happy Independence Day!