seems to be everywhere, a little self-care is a good idea. Be gentle with yourself. While the challenge before you is not small, your approach can make all the difference. A few ideas? Get off social media for a bit. Doom scrolling and comparing your predicament with others is not likely to make you feel better. Rather than look at finding a new gig and income as a daunting challenge, consider that this gives you a new opportunity. For instance, while writing at The Deal gave me a national and international platform for my stories, it also included a set of style and reporting limitations that sometimes felt like a velvet straitjacket, and I mean that in the best way. While talking about a firing as
Career transitions can be challenging, but they also offer an opportunity to reassess goals, develop new skills and explore unexpected paths forward
And now for the secret sauce. Like any government agency, there is the chance that the EDD may err in their efforts to help you through your transition, there may come a time when you find the EDD to be sluggish and unresponsive, much like my old VW Jetta. If this happens, here is what you do. Reach out to your state assembly member or senator and flip them an email describing the particular issue in detail. “Like any government agency, the EDD doesn’t like to look bad, and they don’t like attention from other government agencies. The EDD is very responsive when other people are asking questions,” my source said. “It becomes a legislative case and that isn’t what the EDD wants.” Gives a whole new meaning to the old saw “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.” Control the Narrative As a journalist, I’m way too familiar with what public relations aces call spin and getting a story out on your own terms. Along these lines, when you have been handed your walking papers, you may want people understanding your side of that oftentimes messy transaction. So, after you get the news from your employer, you may want to tell both colleagues and key industry contacts that there has been a change in your status. I’m not suggesting you share every gritty detail with others, but I am saying it’s your story, get it out first, especially if you are likely to cross paths with others in a job search capacity. One other note of caution. Keep in mind that the difference between spin and lying is the difference between looking out the window and noting that the rain pouring outside may produce a splendid rainbow—and pulling a full-blown Donald Trump, insisting Noah is building that boat for a race on Saturday. Coping… Losing one’s job is one of the most emotionally fraught moments of your life and brings up a wealth of worries, stressors and concerns. At the risk of utilizing a phrase that
Bill Meagher is a contributing editor at this fine publication. His work has appeared on ABC, CNBC, PBS, numerous daily and weekly newspapers in California, as well as several national business publications. No animals were injured in the writing of this story. And so, if you are currently seeking a job, I wish you nothing but success in finding both the position and the company that are perfect fits. Stay positive and Godspeed. And if you are currently employed and have not a worry in the world, good for you. Could you float me $20? g learning curve. Ghost jobs, Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and STAR method are just some of the buzzwords awaiting you in your future job search. Ghost jobs refer to a relatively new twist where a posting claiming to be a new position either doesn’t exist, is already filled or is not meant to be filled quickly. These postings can be used to build talent pipelines or to give human resource departments data to refine searches. The reality is that ghost jobs can make up as many as 20% of job postings and they deeply frustrate those who reply. ATS is software used by employers to screen applicants based on keywords. STAR refers to a way to answer questions during an interview, Situation, Task, Action and Result. an occasion to look on the bright side may seem a little pollyannish, nevertheless the change is a chance to explore the road not taken. The pursuit of your next job should not only speak to the practical but also give your heart some equal time. The Last Word The world of job seeking has changed in ways that are almost unrecognizable for some. The channels where new jobs live are different now. Hell, the jobs themselves have changed and what we expect as well as how employers view candidates have undergone massive change. Today’s job market comes with its own language and
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Where Ideas Are Born 2026
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