Swiftly falls the rain

Attention, please. We interrupt this job-search blog to bring you our experience at last night's Taylor Swift concert.

Ever since Taylor's blonde curls bounced onto the music scene, my husband has been an unabashed fan. So in celebration of his recent birthday, our daughter gifted him with a pair of tickets to the pop star's concert last night at Cowboys Stadium. One ticket for him, and one for me.

Saturday afternoon, our inner 13-year-olds set out for Jerry's shiny, big gridiron palace. Fortunately the rest of us, which is 13 several times over, knows how to drive. We left in plenty of time, our anxiety buttons pushed a bit by media reports of predicted heavy traffic near Arlington's two mega-stadiums, where Taylor would be singing at the same time that the Texas Rangers played Detroit.

We were so early that the nightmare traffic had yet to materialize, and slid easily into Lot 12, waving our $35 parking pass. And because stadium food is pretty much a no-can-do for me and my gluten-free diet, we packed a cooler with a modest spread for our own Taylorgate party.

We watched the parade of fans as we munched. Have there ever been so many girls and young women in short, flirty skirts and cowboy boots?  It's the Taylor fashion look, and most of the citizens of TaylorNation got the memo on what to wear.

Once inside Cowboys Stadium, we joined a line at one of the many souvenir stands. None of the Taylor Swift concert T-shirts had a design appealing to the mid-life male fan, so my husband passed on the shirts but opted for a  "Speak Now" worldwide tour 2012 calendar ($10) and a souvenir program ($20).

Our seats on the top level must have been in section "V", for Vertigo. Once we found them, my husband plopped his center of gravity into the seat and announced that he wouldn't be moving again. That anchored center of gravity proved useful when he extended a hand to help a couple of slender, coltish fans who vaulted up over a couple of rows of seats to ascend to their perch in the seats beside us.

Demographically speaking, there are more slender, coltish female fans at a Taylor Swift concert than you'd ever see at a Cowboys game, or anywhere else. The menfolk, except for a smattering of husbands, boyfriends and granddads, must have been across the street at the Rangers game.

We did the wave along with everybody else while waiting for Taylor's opening acts, and finally, the big show. Taylor's fans went nuts when she appeared in her gold flapper-style dress, singing "Sparks Fly," and the singer looked genuinely wonderstruck at the size and scope of Cowboys Stadium filled with screaming, glowstick-waving fans.

From our seats in the aerie, the figures on stage were tiny, even when I used my opera glasses. But I'm sold on the Jumbotron, which brings every detail of a performer's face into high-definition focus. It is difficult, however, to keep track of the action on stage, where Taylor's band and dancers are putting on a great show, and keep an eye on the Jumbotron at the same time.  So when Taylor comes to town for her next tour, we'll spring for pricier seats with a better view of the stage.

Meanwhile, the video of "Sparks Fly," which you can view at http://www.taylorswift.com/videos does a great job of capturing the essence of the "Speak Now" world tour experience in just a few minutes.

After the show, we spiraled our way down a long ramp to the ground floor, and through the massive wall of glass we saw that the promised traffic jam had indeed materialized, along with some welcome rain. We arrived home just before 2:00 a.m.

Returning for a moment to the original premise of this blog -- job searching --  there is news to report! I have a job offer, and when the details are all signed, sealed and delivered, I'll blog about it in an upcoming post.

Poker face isn't just a Lady Gaga song

It was week 11 of my Career Solutions Workshop, and on the agenda was a hot topic for job seekers: negotiating.

Negotiating has always put me out of my comfort zone, and I suspect I'm not alone. So I welcomed a frank discussion of how to navigate this somewhat slippery landscape. In this post, I'll share a few tips from veteran executive recruiter Maureen Walkinshaw, a Career Solutions board member and presenter.

When you receive a job offer, take a pause. Slip on that poker face. Yes, hide your excitement when you get that offer. Wait, look thoughtful and ponder.

The pause can pay off, says Walkinshaw. If an employer really wants a candidate, they may just throw in a few more goodies during that silence to sweeten the deal.  It's especially true if the employer sought you out, or if the hiring company is a small business that is not entrenched with big-corporation hiring policies.

Think about what kind of leverage you may have going in, and know your value in the marketplace. Do your research on salary beforehand with a website such as Salary.com, so you can evaluate the offer realistically.

Many items are up for negotiation in addition to salary. If the starting salary is less than desired, you may be able to secure an early review, making it possible to get your raise after three to six months instead of a year. Telecommuting, flex time, extra time off...all may be on the table. If you can stay on your spouse's insurance instead of taking insurance from the new company, you might be able to turn that into a signing bonus.

Go from least to most important, asking for the item that is most significant to you last, and it's smart to include a throwaway item or two that you don't mind losing.

Asking for an expanded job description with more responsibility might pave the way for a higher salary, too.

Be sure to express appreciation for the offer, and it's OK to ask for a day or two to weigh this important decision. (Be careful not to offend the employer with a flippant "I need to think it over.")

In this state, it's unusual to get an offer in writing. To make sure you have correctly understood what was offered, it's a good idea to send an email restating your understanding of the offer, to make sure that you and the employer are both on the same page.

In this short space, I can't distill the essence of a three-hour class, which included other topics as well. You've got a chance to take the entire 12-week workshop, which will begin a new rotation starting with Session One on Monday, Oct. 10. Details at www.careeersolutionsworkshop.com.

Entrepreneurship After 40: It Worked for Vera Bradley

For some people, the path to a new career is entrepreneurship.

It worked for two 40-something women named Barbara and Patricia, who started sewing quilted handbags for friends and family in the basement, and ended up as the creators of Vera Bradley, famous maker of all those cute and colorful totes and accessories. (Be prepared to see the word "cute" a lot in this post. It's part of the company culture.)

Monica Edwards, the company's vice president of marketing and communications, told their story to advertising industry professionals at the 2011 Central Region Conference of AAF Friday at Fort Worth's downtown Hilton. I attended with hopes of networking and making good connections with other working advertising folks, and that's exactly what happened. But in this post, I'm going to focus on some of what Edwards told us about the Vera Bradley company and its journey "from basement to branding."

After noticing the lack of cute luggage items for women at the airport, Barbara Bradley Baekgaard and Patricia Polito Miller began cutting out fabric and stitching the pieces into bags on a basement ping pong table. Their initial $250 investment, made 28 years ago,  has turned into a $350 million enterprise traded on NASDAQ as VRA.

The colorful bags and accessories, in distinctive florals and paisleys, are popular with females from 8 to 80, but the typical customer is an upscale woman of 39, who buys the bags for herself, her daughter and her mother. Girls wearing school uniforms enjoy Vera Bradley's colorful backpacks because they bring style and individuality to their daily look.

Edwards shared some funny and touching stories from the company as well as some things you or I never knew about Vera Bradley:

* The company is named for the late Vera Bradley, Barbara's mother, instead of Patricia's mother, whose name was more difficult to remember.

*  There are 3300 Vera Bradley retail partners and 50 company-owned Vera Bradley stores, whose ambience  is modeled after Vera Bradley's home. Dillard's will now carry Vera Bradley merchandise as well.

*  It takes 18 months to create and execute a new design.

* The company mission: To be a girl's best friend.

* Company values: Caring, Creativity, Optimism, Fussy (in a good way, as in caring about the details), Honesty, Humility, Respect and Fun.

* The company's culture includes a number of unwritten rules and courtesies, some of which are: Be nice! Mentor and teach others. Give people your full attention. And be sure you look cute on a plane!

* One of the best ways to build brand awareness for a company like Vera Bradley is called "seeding," and it's simple:  Hand a bag to a cute girl.

* Employees try out new products first and offer feedback.

* Vera Bradley does not delete negative customer comments on social media. They find that much of the time, their own customers will defend their merchandise for them to other consumers.

* The company supports the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer and more than a thousand other organizations nationally.

A final note: To my delight, I won a Vera Bradley tote at the conference luncheon, and I'm doing my best to wear it cute. When I carried it to lunch today before attending The Kaleidoscope of Homes tour, I made sure to wear a blouse that matched the violet petals in the print.

Come September

I was afraid it wouldn't happen this year.

Every Texas summer is a scorcher, by the standards of someone who grew up in the upper Midwest. But during all of my years in Texas, a slight, but noticeable cooling trend has been ushered in shortly after the Labor Day holiday.

Mercifully, it did cool down in Dallas/Fort Worth right on schedule, even with the three months of triple-digit temperatures we've endured.

I also think I see a slight, but noticeable upward trend in the number of open positions of the kind I'm looking for -- advertising copywriters, editors, public relations writers and the like.

I know, it goes against the flat, dismal government job statistics that have Wall Street in a tizzy.

But it makes sense, in my world. Summers were always times to catch your breath, for a moment at least, in the newspaper business. And you needed to take that break when you could, because things always sped up in a big, fat hurry come September.

So even if the economy is wretched, it's still back-to-school time, back-to-serious-business time. And that's why I think I'm seeing more appropriate jobs to apply for, even if some of them are freelance or temporary assignments. I'm open to those as well as "real" work. I found that my last freelance assignment (which was also my first) gave me a certain sense of validation, and satisfaction in flexing my professional chops.

In addition to finding more job openings than usual this week, I also attended a weekly networking event called "Social Media Lab."

Held at a North Richland Hills coffeeshop called "Roots," this group is an ongoing, informal and hands-on-the-laptop discussion on honing your social media skills not only for the job search, but for on-the-job purposes as well. 

It's a small, friendly gathering run by volunteer coaches who ask only that attendees pay it forward by sharing what they've learned with others. Oh, and one more thing...if you go, make sure you thank the folks at Roots by purchasing a latte and something tempting from the bakery case. Go ahead, "Like" them on Facebook. They are awesome to host this event each week.

I'll tell you more about Social Media Lab in a future post. Meanwhile, if you're interested, it is held every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon at Roots coffeehouse on Hwy. 26 in North Richland Hills, just east of NRH2O. Bring a laptop if you have one, but no worries if you don't. Just sit next to someone who has one and look on. It's part of the deal.

Mercenary me

Open up the dictionary to "freelance" and you'll notice that one definition is "a medieval solder who sold his services to any state or military leader."

In other words, a mercenary. Like me. Writer for hire, with sharpened pencil standing in for the lance.

I've just had my first freelance copywriting assignment published, a story of approximately 2,000 words on trends in kitchen and bath design. If you want to see it, head for Central Market or a Barnes & Noble in Fort Worth and buy a copy of 360 West magazine. Turn to page 73 for The Kitchen & Bath Guide.

Or, just visit this handy link to a digital copy of the September issue of the entire magazine, which is celebrating its biggest issue ever.

The best part of the experience was working with some former colleagues from the publishing industry who now work to put together this exceptional magazine every month.

It's beneficial to have a fresh writing credit, as I forge the new direction of my post-layoff career. 

Resuming my resume

A resume is always a work in progress, and never a done deal.

We're advised to customize them for each and every job application, adding key words that will connect you to the job you're seeking. 

Look through your resume for accomplishments that will be most meaningful to a given employer, the experts say, and find a way to highlight them or bring them to the top part of your resume.

Inevitably, as much as you've been tweaking and improving this all-important document, the day will come when you realize a weakness or an error in your resume and think, "I've been sending out that?"

I had a good start on my resume with the help of DBM, the outplacement firm hired by my former employer. But in its latest incarnation, after some in-person scrutiny by veteran recruiter Maureen Walkinshaw of the Career Solutions Workshop, my resume is looking even better.

In the newspaper business, the biggest, most important news of the day is deliberately placed "above the fold."  That means the top half of the newspaper, where the day's headlines and photos might capture the attention (and pocket change) of those who walk by a streetside newsrack or a stack of papers  at 7-11.

Well, hello! A resume is no different. "There's prime rib in there, but it's buried," said Ms. Walkinshaw, after she spent a few minutes looking at my resume. She let me know which statements on my resume would be most impactful to a potential employer, and advised me to move them up to a highlighted location on the top third of the page. She also recommended some deletions.

Now the "prime rib" on my personal menu is spelled out in bullets under "Accomplishments" on the top third of my resume, right before Professional Experience.

Employers are getting a lot of resumes these days, and spend only an average of 10 seconds looking at yours before deciding whether it goes in the "Yes" or "No" pile.

Don't make them look too hard for the good stuff.

Career Solutions Workshop is a 12-week free course for the job hunter. More at http://www.careersolutionsworkshop.org/.

Becoming a foodie, of sorts

Throughout this not-yet-too-terribly-long journey of job searching, I've received one constant word of advice in all of the workshops, outplacement classes and networking events that I have attended.

Job hunting is be hard work, probably the hardest you'll ever have, say the experts...but in your spare time, while you still have some, do spend a little of it volunteering in your community.

And so I am.

Next week, I'm scheduled to work my first session as a volunteer for the Tarrant Area Food Bank. The marketing and public relations staffers there have been kind enough to take a look at their to-do lists to see if there are some projects where my own professional experience can be useful. And while I'm there, I also want to help box up donated food in their quality control area.

As I drove away from the Food Bank today, I felt a definite uptick in my attitude. Now I've got something on my calendar that puts me back working with people on something that's not all about me, getting a job.

And I have to admit, it feels good to get a "Yes" response from an organization for a change.

Visit the Tarrant Area Food Bank, which serves 13 counties, at www.tafb.org.

Body language and the job interview

I tried not to squirm in my seat as our guest speaker, only about four feet away at the podium,  advised us on what our body language might be revealing about us at our next job interview.

I crossed my right foot onto my left knee, bracing myself into a position that provided comfort while allowing me to give the speaker my full, alert attention. 

“When you cross your foot at the knee, you may be perceived as arrogant,” warned our speaker, a professional psychologist. 

Oh, no, I thought. Do I shift to a pose with a bit more humility, or just sit tight? A man at the next table shot me an amused, sympathetic grin.

We were all there for the weekly meeting of the MAG!C  networking group, the Marketing-Advertising-Graphics-Communication offshoot of the Southlake Focus Group. Victoria Pederson was there to speak to the group as it celebrated its second year of helping professionals from these fields network for new jobs.

I’ll share an interesting nugget from her presentation.

What should the interviewee do if asked, “Would you like a soda or some water?”

The dilemma seems simple enough, but it is fraught with peril indeed.

If you opt for the soda, you may be perceived as someone who’ll spend too much time in the break room at your new job.  And the water option has its pitfalls, too.

If you do accept water, hold it in your left hand so that your right hand – the one you’ll shake with – doesn’t become cold and clammy. If it comes in a disposable container, take it away with you after the interview.  Don’t put the interviewer in the position of cleaning up after you.  And if you take just a few sips from a proffered water bottle, take it with you so you won’t look like someone who will waste company resources.

The worst thing you could do is dash into the interview with a parched throat, slugging down that complimentary water like a thirsty camel. It could give the impression that you have health problems.

That would be all too easy to do with the 100-plus temperatures we’ve had lately. So the best tactic, if you can manage it, might be to freshen up in the restroom before the interview, dabbing your sweaty brow and tanking up with water before you go in.

That way you can say, “No,  thank  you,  don’t need a thing” and carry it off.

MAG!C meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. at  1401 N. Main in Euless at United Memorial Christian Church.

The Secret Algorithm of Job Hunting

At my last job, I kept an anxious eye on my former colleagues who were previously laid off, to see how long it took them to land a new position.  If and when I found myself in their shoes, as has since happened, I thought I might be able to get a clue about what the job market had in store for me.

I applauded when a dear friend landed a good job in only four months, with a healthy salary hike.

After this week's session at the Career Solutions Workshop, I think my talented friend, who worked extraordinarily hard at her job search, is also darn lucky.

The Career Solutions Workshop is a 12-week course that is offered in continual rotation at a number of churches throughout the Metroplex. They're all on the same schedule, so if you miss your usual class, you can pick it up that same week at an alternate location.

This week's session focused on the finances of unemployment, and how to stretch those scarcer dollars for the duration of our unemployment. And to start out, our volunteer speaker, a banker from Wells Fargo, helped us figure out the likely length of our job hunt.

Using a algorithm that takes into account such factors as expected annual salary, your personal demographics, self-promotion ability, health and appearance and a number of others, including a mysterious "Market Agitation Factor," each of us came up with our own personal magic number.

 Mine was 13 months. Yikes.

Some of those factors are out of our control, but the good news is that there are things a person can do to shorten their job search.

Being an active volunteer in your community can slice a couple of months off your search time, we were told, because it'll get you out of the house and into positions where you will casually network with potential employers. Two groups that have been recommended to me are Habitat for Humanity and Tarrant Area Food Bank.

Also recommended: narrowing and focusing your search, concentrating on specific job titles and selected target companies.  Telling your contacts that you'll "take anything" won't be productive, because in order to help you, people need to understand and remember what it is that you really do.

Job seekers can jump into a Career Solutions Workshop at any point, as each lesson is self-contained. For more information, visit www.careersolutionsworkshop.org.

55 is not my limit

I astonish myself when I realize that last time I seriously looked for work, I was still in my twenties. Back then, when all resumes were delivered by regular U.S. mail and the term "snail mail" hadn't yet been coined, my phone (a land line, of course) would almost always jingle a few days after my resume hit the mailbox. Getting a job, or at least an interview, wasn't that difficult.

Thus far in my present job search, the only response to my resume has been an automated email from noreply@corporationthatwon'tbenamed letting me know that my online application has been received.

To anyone reading my resume who can count, it's apparent that this job hunter-and-gatherer is from a pre-historic era.

Yet, in my complimentary outplacement classes and according to speakers on the job-networking circuit, I should continue to use the "chronological resume" format that gives away my approximate age, along with  the decades of experience that may overqualify me for some jobs. They're quite firm about that. Employers will think you're hiding something if you go with the "functional resume" format.

You really can't hide your age from many of today's online applications, anyway. Some boldly ask for the month and year you entered college, as well as the month and year of graduation.

So I'll just go ahead and say it. I celebrated a birthday recently, and turned 55. There you go. But 55 is not my speed limit. Nor is it my defining quality as an employee.

At last week's Southlake Focus Group, where they're big on keeping stats on job landings, a speaker noted there was a big difference in the number of landings for those under 50 with "New Economy" skills, and those over 50, presumably loaded down with useless "Old Economy" skills. But on a more positive note, those who stepped up to the Southlake microphone that day to celebrate their landings had that distinguished, polished presence that only "50-plus" can impart. So, I'm far from throwing in the towel.

I believe that networking, maximizing personal contacts, and putting yourself out there in person are going to be an important part of the job-hunt strategy for everyone in this "Bad Economy," but especially for those of us whose wealth of experience, savvy, and good old-fashioned work ethic put us in danger of being deemed "overqualified."

Where's the lake in Southlake?

If you have experience managing a retail store, Dollar General wants to talk to you. This fast-growing chain, which is setting up stores in areas that Wal-Mart hasn't, needs store managers to keep up with their expansion.

If you'd like to become a security guard in a company that might give you a chance to move up, G4S Secure Solutions could be the company for you.

And if you're a virtualization expert -- whatever that means -- some company in Houston has a problem, and they'd like you to come down there and solve it.

How do I know this? From the general announcements at my second session at the Southlake Focus Group last week.

After the orientation I underwent on my first visit to Southlake, I was so tuckered out from the drive, the heat and information overload that I went home and took a nap. But I feel better after my second session at this well-known networking organization, which has received lots of media attention, including nationally. This time, I was able to try my hand at the actual networking process.

The organizers at Southlake have got the logistics figured out, when it comes to putting on this weekly event.  On your first visit, go early so you'll have time to get oriented and registered. Just do what the volunteers tell you, and you'll be OK.

It can be daunting to go to Southlake. The traffic on the road in front of White's Chapel United Methodist Church can tie you up in knots before you ever get there. On my second visit, I found a back way to enter with no problem.

And if you're a bit shy or reticent about meeting new people, brace yourself. Making new connections and sharing information and support are what it's all about here.

Southlake participants are urged to "HOPE" -- help one person every day. You're not here just be on the receiving end of support and job leads. You're also here to be a support to others in the same boat.

For basic information on this meeting, visit www.southlakefocusgroup.com.

Jobless is not the new black

I don't care much for the word "jobless."

It's a term I avoid using to describe my current status. "- less" is not more. Nor is it the new black.

It's a big diminuendo, without the pretty music. Less lunching with colleagues. Less money. In fact, jobless reminds me a bit too much of its separated-at-birth evil twin, homeless.

Both the jobless and the homeless in Fort Worth are catching a few breaks this summer from Tarrant County churches. Before I was downsized, I didn't realize to what extent that was happening.

It's a terrible time of year to be without air conditioning. Just imagine trying to sleep without it. During the hottest parts of the summer and the coldest nights of the winter, a network of local churches invites individuals without a roof over their heads to come inside for dinner, a comfortable night's sleep and breakfast. The program is called Room at the Inn, and I'm happy that my church participates.

I knew about Room at the Inn, but I didn't realize that so many churches also host ongoing programs in support of those of us who are looking for work.

The Career Solutions Workshop is a 12-session, one-night-a-week workshop that is hosted at a handful of Metroplex churches. Thus far, I have attended a session at All Saints Episcopal Church in Fort Worth and was impressed by the panel of three managers who told us the truth about what they like to see in a job candidate.

Learn more about that program at http://www.careersolutionsworkshop.com/. I've been told that the program is being disbanded at the Turning Point location because, it seems, attendance is low because former attendees have been getting hired. 

That's the kind of downsizing I like to hear about.

A card-carrying networker

When I was on the job, I often didn't bother carrying around my business card. I tossed a nearly full box of cards in the trash while packing up my office.

That's all changed. During the outplacement class I took before my last day of work, those of us on our way out the door were advised to get a personal business card so we'd have something with our contact information to hand out while we're out there, networking.

Networking, they say, is the best way to find a job these days. I'm hearing that consistent message wherever I go, and it's advice I am taking to heart.

Anyone can get a free set of 250 business cards from vistaprint.com -- all you'll have to pay for is shipping. That, and any fancy upgrades, such as opting to have the promotional line touting "FREE business cards from vistaprint.com" removed from the back of your card.

I procrastinated ordering my cards from vistaprint.com, and ordered a quick box of 250  from FedExOffice  because I wanted to be armed and ready for a networking opportunity. They're nicely printed and they'll certainly do, but when I run out, I'm ordering my free cards and making some changes based on what I'm hearing from the career gurus.

Here's what they tell me. One phone number is enough, and make it your cell phone, not your home phone. Include your email address, your Linked In address, and your website if you have one.

Oh, and speaking of your Linked In address, there is supposed to be a way to create a shorter URL with your very own name on it. I just haven't figured that out yet.

One caveat: don't put your street address on your card. No one's going to send you snail-mail correspondence these days, so they don't need to know where you live. Not until they hire you.

A deep, dark secret

The summer evenings of my Dakota childhood were lengthy, and we could play outside until nearly 10 if the mosquitos didn't drive us indoors.

One night, I hid inside the tall picket fence that surrounded our garbage cans during a game of hide-and-seek. "They'll never find me here," I giggled to myself, as the evening darkened. The game was exciting and I ignored the call of nature because I was having too much fun. Then something spooked me, and suddenly a warm gush turned my aqua stretch pants to a darker shade of blue.

"I have to go in now," I hastily called out to the neighbor kids, and scooted into the house and down into the basement where the washer was. I wanted to keep my embarrassment a secret, but had to enlist my mom's help.

The next night at dinner I was mortified when Mom announced with a sly look that I had a "deep, dark, dank secret."  Everybody laughed and guessed immediately that I had had an "accident." I blushed and vowed inwardly to keep a tighter lid on information in the future.

That's not the approach that is advised in the job-networking community.

Tell everyone, the experts say, that you are looking for work and what kind of job you're looking for.

A woman at the Southlake Focus Group today said she had kept her unemployment news to herself, until a friend said, "Oh, if only I had known. We had a job that was perfect for you, but we hired someone yesterday."

People are happy and willing to help by passing on tips and leads, but first, they need to know that you're in the market for them.

Summoned to a mandatory meeting

No, not that meeting -- the one where you get the news that you're being laid off.

In yesterday's mail came a letter from the workforce commission folks. Seems I've been selected to attend a mandatory orientation session next week.

It feels a bit like a mild reprimand, because I've already attended 10-plus hours of classes at the center on Bryant Irvin and I-30, and made use of their resource room several times when I was having Internet trouble. In a pinch, I could probably lead a tour of the center myself.

The  resource room is great -- there are many fast computers, and I never had to wait for one like I did at the public library. The job seeker is able to print, fax and even make long-distance phone calls there. There are helpful and very knowledgeable staff members to help you with computer issues or anything else. It's a valuable service and one I would recommend to anyone in the job market.

I'll go to my mandatory orientation, humbly, and work on developing a thicker skin.

Turning a new page

Like so many others who have adored working in the newspaper business, I've been downsized.

For the past month I've been a writer without an assignment. Well, there has been writing and tweaking the resume. The satisfactions of that are, shall we say, limited.

Much more fun has been the face-to-face and online networking that is highly recommended for every job searcher these days. It's only Tuesday, and I've been to three networking opportunities already this week.  There are some wonderful, talented people available for hire these days, I've learned. And yes, some of them  -- a lot of them -- have gray hair.

I am also impressed by the numbers of volunteers who are putting themselves out there to help those of us in Dallas/Fort Worth who are looking for jobs. Their collective wisdom is a gift.

Friends and family sometimes ask, "How's the job hunt going?" So, I've decided to share what I am finding out about today's job market, and perhaps a bit about myself, as I try to locate my next job. Or, as it's called in job-search speak, my "landing."

When I do, I'll let you know, and I'll bring the donuts.