Today is busy for 3 reasons:
1. 7am webcast for Finextra PaymentsLive! - This bombed. The streaming feed was problematic throughout - well, at least for the first 30 mins. I dropped from the cast, as it wasn't working efficiently. Plus, the webcast will be available on Finextra in a couple of hours.
After watching the replay, if this is any good I'll blog about it. Stay tuned....
2. 10am webcast for Twitter for Businesses - I know, I know, I've been trashing Twitter for a long time. Ironically, the Finextra webcast used Twitter for questions, comments, etc. Since the webcast bombed, I don't have an opinion on the use of Twitter in this manner. I'm still convinced Twitter is a bomb.....for personal usage. However, there are some uses that may be viable for businesses. None are new, they just leverage the Twitter platform to be more efficient. Examples include: direct marketing (opt-in, of course), customer feedback (like forums, but easier), opt-in public group instant messaging to name a few. In my opinion Twitter may be a good option for businesses, but Twitter should just white-label their services - there's no need for people to know it's 'powered by Twitter'. Maybe more on this later....we'll see.
3. A bunch of follow-ups from the BayPay event last evening. This was a very cool event last evening. It was held at the Google campus - very cool, right up there with the Microsoft campus. There were probably 100 people at this event. I spoke with a handful and was able to do some serious networking - as a result, I have a ton of follow-ups, so my fingers will be aching from my typeing and dialing. I'm back to be optimistic that I'll be able to find something soon - wish me luck!
Cool site of the day: BayPay (probably only 'cool' if you're a Payments geek, like me)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Design the Life You Want
I ran across this article and found it very interesting.
It's short, to the point, and outlines what actions you'll need to take next.
I have yet to take these actions, but it's on my list.....
Here's the article.
It's short, to the point, and outlines what actions you'll need to take next.
I have yet to take these actions, but it's on my list.....
Here's the article.
A Good Day in the City....and Follow-up Today
Yesterday was a city day, so no posting.....but, lots of stuff to follow-up - so today is busy, busy, busy.
I started off with a lunch meeting in the city. The location was Unicorn, which I can totally recommend. The mtg consisted of 2 recruiters, a hiring manager (finally), and me. The discussion was very positive, with good dialogue btwn the 4 of us. The hiring manager seems solid, dynamic, and someone I could work with effectively. However, the end result is the same I heard from my last in-person interview.....they like my resume, the interview went well, but there is not currently an open position - although, they expect one to come along shortly.
I guess the good news is that the hiring manager thought enough of my resume to warrant a sit-down, even without a open position. I just hope that a project or two is approved in the near future, so that the hiring manager needs to bring on someone like me.
I spent the rest of the day taking in the vibe of the city - the faster paced environment helps me to 'stay in the game' and make sure I'm motivated to find that next job. I must have sent myself about 10 emails for follow-up items today: people to call, sites to review, ideas to pursue, etc. I also met with a couple of friends/colleagues to keep in the loop on the goings-on in the payments space. Again, to keep me sharp.
So, I'm closing this week still unemployed. I'm still optimistic, as I feel I'm close and it's just a timing thing now. Keep me in you thoughts!
Cool site of the day: Pimp This Bum
I started off with a lunch meeting in the city. The location was Unicorn, which I can totally recommend. The mtg consisted of 2 recruiters, a hiring manager (finally), and me. The discussion was very positive, with good dialogue btwn the 4 of us. The hiring manager seems solid, dynamic, and someone I could work with effectively. However, the end result is the same I heard from my last in-person interview.....they like my resume, the interview went well, but there is not currently an open position - although, they expect one to come along shortly.
I guess the good news is that the hiring manager thought enough of my resume to warrant a sit-down, even without a open position. I just hope that a project or two is approved in the near future, so that the hiring manager needs to bring on someone like me.
I spent the rest of the day taking in the vibe of the city - the faster paced environment helps me to 'stay in the game' and make sure I'm motivated to find that next job. I must have sent myself about 10 emails for follow-up items today: people to call, sites to review, ideas to pursue, etc. I also met with a couple of friends/colleagues to keep in the loop on the goings-on in the payments space. Again, to keep me sharp.
So, I'm closing this week still unemployed. I'm still optimistic, as I feel I'm close and it's just a timing thing now. Keep me in you thoughts!
Cool site of the day: Pimp This Bum
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
First Networking Event.....
Monday I posted about an event I was going to attend, called ECO TUESDAY. Well, I attended the event last night. I kind of knew I'd be stretching myself with this event, as I don't have any experience, background, etc. in the whole Eco/Green space. However, I thought it might be interesting to explore this area while on my job search - plus, meeting new people can't hurt. Turns out, it wasn't my cup of tea. The audience was very grassroots focused, with many people owning or working for small businesses. I was hoping it would have more of a mix of corporate people, looking to understand how their medium-large business or start-up could become more Eco/Green friendly. I still want to check out this angle, so if anyone know of any groups or organizations meet to network and discuss such topics, please let me know.
Today is a down day - down being a 'less active' and not necessarily 'bad' description. I'm up in San Rafael, working to set-up my day in the city on Thursday. I have an interview lined up, along with a lunch meeting, plus an after-lunch coffee meeting. Hopefully one of these meetings will lead to landing my next job. Wish me luck!
Cool site of the day: Boxee (well, the site isn't that cool, but the concept is)
And.....check out the back and forth btwn some random and Mark Cuban (here's another Cuban link) debating Boxee. This one is right up there with Jon Stewart vs. Cramer.
Today is a down day - down being a 'less active' and not necessarily 'bad' description. I'm up in San Rafael, working to set-up my day in the city on Thursday. I have an interview lined up, along with a lunch meeting, plus an after-lunch coffee meeting. Hopefully one of these meetings will lead to landing my next job. Wish me luck!
Cool site of the day: Boxee (well, the site isn't that cool, but the concept is)
And.....check out the back and forth btwn some random and Mark Cuban (here's another Cuban link) debating Boxee. This one is right up there with Jon Stewart vs. Cramer.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Gearing Up for Another Day in SF
Today was a calm day, as the weekend was busy with fun stuff and tomorrow is a day in the city. So, I figured I would take some time to enjoy the nice weather and prep for a busy day tomorrow. I also decided to walk to pick up my daughter from school, spending a nice 15 minutes with her on the way home, rather than just 2 minutes in the car.
I made a couple of calls in the morning, speaking with 2 new recruiters.
1) The first seems like it might be promising, although I was passed around a couple of times to find the right person. I started with a contact in Phoenix (from a WF colleague who is in Chandler, AZ), who sent me to another PHX contact. PHX#2 sent me on to a contact for their SF office, but she focuses on health care - not my area of expertise. However, after a conversation and 2 email exchanges, she is putting me in touch with the SF contact who handles the FinSvcs sector. Now...it's just a matter of the 2 of us connecting, which will hopefully be tomorrow.
2) The second was not a good fit, as the company is a consulting company but does not have a practice in SF. Hey, maybe I could open one for them - ha ha. However, and this is very cool, the person I spoke with is going to call around to his resources in the SF area and pass my resume around. Very cool, as I'm never met this person before, but he is a good friend/colleague of a friend/colleague or mine. Networking...that's what it's all about, right?
I also confirmed my 2 coffee meetings tomorrow, as well as signed up for a networking event in the evening. This event sounds interesting, it's called ECO Tuesday. The tag line on their home page reads: The Sustainable Business Leaders Networking Forum
This should be an interesting event on a couple of fronts:
1) There are a lot of people now taking GREEN seriously, so I'm hoping for a good representation of companies - the more companies present, the better the opportunity to network, right?
2) There is a lot of interesting stuff going on in this space, so the conversations should be just as interesting, right?
3) And finally, since ECO/GREEN is a different bent than my previous career path, maybe this will be an opportunity for me to explore something new, right?
Check back Wednesday for a recap on this event.
Cool site of the day: ECO TUESDAY
I made a couple of calls in the morning, speaking with 2 new recruiters.
1) The first seems like it might be promising, although I was passed around a couple of times to find the right person. I started with a contact in Phoenix (from a WF colleague who is in Chandler, AZ), who sent me to another PHX contact. PHX#2 sent me on to a contact for their SF office, but she focuses on health care - not my area of expertise. However, after a conversation and 2 email exchanges, she is putting me in touch with the SF contact who handles the FinSvcs sector. Now...it's just a matter of the 2 of us connecting, which will hopefully be tomorrow.
2) The second was not a good fit, as the company is a consulting company but does not have a practice in SF. Hey, maybe I could open one for them - ha ha. However, and this is very cool, the person I spoke with is going to call around to his resources in the SF area and pass my resume around. Very cool, as I'm never met this person before, but he is a good friend/colleague of a friend/colleague or mine. Networking...that's what it's all about, right?
I also confirmed my 2 coffee meetings tomorrow, as well as signed up for a networking event in the evening. This event sounds interesting, it's called ECO Tuesday. The tag line on their home page reads: The Sustainable Business Leaders Networking Forum
This should be an interesting event on a couple of fronts:
1) There are a lot of people now taking GREEN seriously, so I'm hoping for a good representation of companies - the more companies present, the better the opportunity to network, right?
2) There is a lot of interesting stuff going on in this space, so the conversations should be just as interesting, right?
3) And finally, since ECO/GREEN is a different bent than my previous career path, maybe this will be an opportunity for me to explore something new, right?
Check back Wednesday for a recap on this event.
Cool site of the day: ECO TUESDAY
Friday, March 20, 2009
Closing the Week with a Bang
Yesterday was another day in the city, so no blog entry. It seems like too much goes on the days I'm in the city and when I get back home, it's time for dinner, getting the kids ready for bed, and then spending an hour with my wife before it's lights out time.
I was in the city to meet a friend of a b-school friend/colleague. This was a 'let's meet for coffee and chat' discussion that might turn out to have some legs. At least that's what I'm hoping. The woman I met with is in a different department of the organization where I have applied for a couple of positions. However, she has worked with the department that has posted a few of the jobs, so she agreed to speak with the hiring manger for me. I'm optimistic something will come from these steps, as being a hiring manager I recognize the impact it can have when someone internally passes along a resume for an open position. Wish me luck!
Also, when coming home from my mountain bike ride today (more on that below), I received a call from one of the staff augmentation firms I'm working with for contractor positions. It seems like one of the SF companies I am targeting has a position that seems like a good fit. So, I spent some time updating my resume to better fit the specific position description - nothing major, just some tweaks here and there.
I also spent some time starting the process to certify for my PMP (Project Management Professional). If anyone knows of a good SF-based or online company for the education credits, please let me know!
So....my ride. I like about 3 miles from China Camp State Park. The mountain biking trails are pretty sweet. A quick fire-road ride up leads to the old Nike Missile site (check out the view).
From the Missile site, it's a short ride to some pretty cool single-track (of course, most of the really good stuff isn't mapped yet). Along the way, there is a winding trail up a steep ravine - it's pretty darn steep, as you can see this old Studebaker (I think) came crashing down 50+ years ago (again, I think).
Anyway, this was a quick 90 minute ride in the 70 degree and sunny weather here in NorCal - a great way to relieve the stress of the job search.
Cool site of the day: Streaming video of March Madness (you'll need to click "Watch Now" under a specific game)
I was in the city to meet a friend of a b-school friend/colleague. This was a 'let's meet for coffee and chat' discussion that might turn out to have some legs. At least that's what I'm hoping. The woman I met with is in a different department of the organization where I have applied for a couple of positions. However, she has worked with the department that has posted a few of the jobs, so she agreed to speak with the hiring manger for me. I'm optimistic something will come from these steps, as being a hiring manager I recognize the impact it can have when someone internally passes along a resume for an open position. Wish me luck!
Also, when coming home from my mountain bike ride today (more on that below), I received a call from one of the staff augmentation firms I'm working with for contractor positions. It seems like one of the SF companies I am targeting has a position that seems like a good fit. So, I spent some time updating my resume to better fit the specific position description - nothing major, just some tweaks here and there.
I also spent some time starting the process to certify for my PMP (Project Management Professional). If anyone knows of a good SF-based or online company for the education credits, please let me know!
So....my ride. I like about 3 miles from China Camp State Park. The mountain biking trails are pretty sweet. A quick fire-road ride up leads to the old Nike Missile site (check out the view).
From the Missile site, it's a short ride to some pretty cool single-track (of course, most of the really good stuff isn't mapped yet). Along the way, there is a winding trail up a steep ravine - it's pretty darn steep, as you can see this old Studebaker (I think) came crashing down 50+ years ago (again, I think).
Anyway, this was a quick 90 minute ride in the 70 degree and sunny weather here in NorCal - a great way to relieve the stress of the job search.
Cool site of the day: Streaming video of March Madness (you'll need to click "Watch Now" under a specific game)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Global Warming Picts
This is just something I found interesting and thought I would share - it's a slide show of potential and real Global Warming effects.
March Madness
Not much movement on the job search this week. I guess everyone is pretty busy filling in their brackets. My birth-town spirit has me rooting for PITT against USC (my b-school alma mater) in the finals. PITT has a good shot, they just have to get by Nova and then UNC (unlikely). USC may be one man short, as OJ Mayo is playing in the NBA these days - imagine their team if he was still around for his sophomore season!
Anyway, the job search isn't moving foward much this week. I'm still on the lookout for any leads that anyone wants to share.
Cool site of the day: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (they re-use the methane from the natural brewing process and turn it into energy - how cool!)
Anyway, the job search isn't moving foward much this week. I'm still on the lookout for any leads that anyone wants to share.
Cool site of the day: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (they re-use the methane from the natural brewing process and turn it into energy - how cool!)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Another Twitter-bird Shot Down
Looks like Scott Skiles is not a fan of Twitter "Tweet this: Bucks coach not fond of Villanueva's Twittering at halftime"
Way to go, Scott!
By the way, Skiles has one of the best passes in NCAA tourney history. Check it out here (video is grainy, but it's still good!).
Way to go, Scott!
By the way, Skiles has one of the best passes in NCAA tourney history. Check it out here (video is grainy, but it's still good!).
More Competition is Coming......uuuugh!
Today I learned that one of my colleagues from my WF days was laid-off. He is part of the wave of lay-offs that WF is making as part of the take-over of Wachovia. This bums me out for two reasons:
1) He's a good guy, who I hate to see out of work.
2) There's now more competition in the SF market - as WF is likely going to lay-off a couple hundred (or is it thousand) people, many with my same skillsets.
How's my job search going?
Slooooooow.
I keep finding leads, but turning these leads into something meaningful - like a return email or call - is difficult. Does anyone ever respond to a resume submitted via a company's site? Who do companies even let people apply for positions via their web site? Is it an EEO thing?
And the web site with job postings are just as bad. Monster.com sucks and TheLadders is not much better - this is why I haven't bothered to hyperlink either of these sites.
Then again, thinking back to when I was looking to hire for some open positions within C2P, it was all about:
1) Networking
- Hiring a known or recommended person is much easier that someone that is unknown.
- Receiving a resume from a colleague takes a lot of the uncertainty out of the equation.
2) Leveraging recruiting firms
- Given the large # of resumes submitted for any public posting, a recruiting firm can provide value by sifting through the stack of paper and performing the initial vetting of the candidate.
Taking all of this into consideration, I need to refocus my efforts on my NETWORK (including those of you reading this) and continue to press the recruiting firms I have working for me. So, if you know of any openings or have colleagues who may know of someone looking for someone with my skills, let me know!
Happy St. Paddy's day!
Cool site of the day: Fairfax Cyclery
Note: This is less of a 'cool site' and more of a 'cool bike shop'. I needed some work on my bike and went here on the advice of a friend. The staff is friendly, down to Earth, and nothing like the more chain-like stores. Everyone there rides and Gravy has his shop there. Tell 'em Craig with the Cannondale Jekyll sent you and they'll treat you right.
1) He's a good guy, who I hate to see out of work.
2) There's now more competition in the SF market - as WF is likely going to lay-off a couple hundred (or is it thousand) people, many with my same skillsets.
How's my job search going?
Slooooooow.
I keep finding leads, but turning these leads into something meaningful - like a return email or call - is difficult. Does anyone ever respond to a resume submitted via a company's site? Who do companies even let people apply for positions via their web site? Is it an EEO thing?
And the web site with job postings are just as bad. Monster.com sucks and TheLadders is not much better - this is why I haven't bothered to hyperlink either of these sites.
Then again, thinking back to when I was looking to hire for some open positions within C2P, it was all about:
1) Networking
- Hiring a known or recommended person is much easier that someone that is unknown.
- Receiving a resume from a colleague takes a lot of the uncertainty out of the equation.
2) Leveraging recruiting firms
- Given the large # of resumes submitted for any public posting, a recruiting firm can provide value by sifting through the stack of paper and performing the initial vetting of the candidate.
Taking all of this into consideration, I need to refocus my efforts on my NETWORK (including those of you reading this) and continue to press the recruiting firms I have working for me. So, if you know of any openings or have colleagues who may know of someone looking for someone with my skills, let me know!
Happy St. Paddy's day!
Cool site of the day: Fairfax Cyclery
Note: This is less of a 'cool site' and more of a 'cool bike shop'. I needed some work on my bike and went here on the advice of a friend. The staff is friendly, down to Earth, and nothing like the more chain-like stores. Everyone there rides and Gravy has his shop there. Tell 'em Craig with the Cannondale Jekyll sent you and they'll treat you right.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Another day in the city
Wow - yesterday was another day in the city and I wasn't able to do anything on the laptop. I'll tell you what, meeting for interviews, grabbing coffee with colleagues, meeting for quick 15 minute meetings, etc. really adds up. So, no post for yesterday, but a re-cap today.
I had my first official interview. It went well. However, there isn't yet an open position. My read is that this is good news, as my resume and recommendations (thank you to everyone who contributed) appear to be strong enough to warrant a face-to-face interview, in the hopes that a positions does come open soon. Keep your fingers crossed!
I also met up with a colleague I hadn't seen for a while. Honestly, it seems like only a couple of months since I saw him walking the halls of 160 Spear....which, in reality, was at least 3-4 years ago. As the saying goes, I must have been having a lot of fun the past couple of years. Anyway, the meeting over coffee went well. I'm now researching positions at another Bay Area financial services company. This time, though, the company's focus is investments. I'm kind of excited about the opportunities at this company, as there would be a tremendous amount for me to learn from a product perspective. Which company you ask? That will be the subject of another post, once I learn more.
Days Twitter free: I've lost count and don't really care. I don't miss Twitter. Would anybody?
Cool site of the day: Cramer vs Stewart
I had my first official interview. It went well. However, there isn't yet an open position. My read is that this is good news, as my resume and recommendations (thank you to everyone who contributed) appear to be strong enough to warrant a face-to-face interview, in the hopes that a positions does come open soon. Keep your fingers crossed!
I also met up with a colleague I hadn't seen for a while. Honestly, it seems like only a couple of months since I saw him walking the halls of 160 Spear....which, in reality, was at least 3-4 years ago. As the saying goes, I must have been having a lot of fun the past couple of years. Anyway, the meeting over coffee went well. I'm now researching positions at another Bay Area financial services company. This time, though, the company's focus is investments. I'm kind of excited about the opportunities at this company, as there would be a tremendous amount for me to learn from a product perspective. Which company you ask? That will be the subject of another post, once I learn more.
Days Twitter free: I've lost count and don't really care. I don't miss Twitter. Would anybody?
Cool site of the day: Cramer vs Stewart
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Mr. Mom (hopefully not for long)....
My wife and her mom had the opportunity to do a Spa overnight (courtesy of her father's business trip) and since I'm not working I volunteered to watch the kids. I figured I can do anything for 24 hours. Well, I'm now 20 hours into this adventure.....and I'm not so sure of my Mr. Mom skills.
It's not that I've done anything majorly wrong, like leaving the kid at the store or letting them run with scissors. I just didn't realize how much attention goes into the job. At least when co-workers scream, I can ignore them (ha ha).
I'm not sure how to fit this in, but during the last diaper change, my son pee'd on me. Sweet. I know there is a first for everything, but after 3+ months, he decides to do it when I'm playing Mr. Mom. Timing....
Speaking of timing, the latest on my job search is that it's taken a back seat yesterday and today - at least until I'm relieved of my Mr. Mom duty. I had visions of grandeur of sending my daughter to school and hitting the search hard. Then my son cried. Then it was time to feed him. Then I had to change his diaper. Then I had to get ready for picking up more formula and then my daughter from school. Then it was play time with my daughter and son. Then a feeding and another diaper change. Next thing I knew, it was 10pm.
While I may lose a day or two in the job search, I'm now much, much more motivated to get back into the work force. - where there are no diaper changes, no feedings, and co-workers that I can ignore (again, ha ha).
Here's another Office Space snippet, well, because Office Space is genius.
And, finally, the last one - this is a re-deux that is brilliant.
Cool site of the day: Trade Vibes (special thanks to "Q" for this one)
It's not that I've done anything majorly wrong, like leaving the kid at the store or letting them run with scissors. I just didn't realize how much attention goes into the job. At least when co-workers scream, I can ignore them (ha ha).
I'm not sure how to fit this in, but during the last diaper change, my son pee'd on me. Sweet. I know there is a first for everything, but after 3+ months, he decides to do it when I'm playing Mr. Mom. Timing....
Speaking of timing, the latest on my job search is that it's taken a back seat yesterday and today - at least until I'm relieved of my Mr. Mom duty. I had visions of grandeur of sending my daughter to school and hitting the search hard. Then my son cried. Then it was time to feed him. Then I had to change his diaper. Then I had to get ready for picking up more formula and then my daughter from school. Then it was play time with my daughter and son. Then a feeding and another diaper change. Next thing I knew, it was 10pm.
While I may lose a day or two in the job search, I'm now much, much more motivated to get back into the work force. - where there are no diaper changes, no feedings, and co-workers that I can ignore (again, ha ha).
Here's another Office Space snippet, well, because Office Space is genius.
And, finally, the last one - this is a re-deux that is brilliant.
Cool site of the day: Trade Vibes (special thanks to "Q" for this one)
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Rates for Contractors
Yesterday was a busy day. Another full day meeting with contacts in the city, networking, looking for my next gig, etc. I tell you, this job search is just as busy as a full time job!
Then again, I'd be doing myself and my family a disservice if I did not treat this like a full time job.
Anyway, apparently the rates for contractors are sinking in the city. I'm told it's a supply and demand 'thing' - there are now more good people out there than contractor jobs. I find this frustrating, as I remember hiring a project manager contractor at $90-100 an hour 3 years ago. I'm told the realistic rate is now much lower than that....closer to the $70 range.
I can't blame the companies for lowering the rate. What I don't like, though, is when they put a cap on the rate. This doesn't make sense. Sure there is more supply than demand, but if there is someone who is a genius and superb contractor (not necessarily me....but, maybe - ha ha) who deserves something in excess of $70 and the company's policy is firm at $70, that doesn't make sense. Hopefully I'll find a hiring manager that has some latitude in paying market value for my skills - which, I hope, are in excess of $70/hour.
The good news, I hope, is that I've been on the other side - I've hired ~10 contractors in my time. Hopefully this experience will allow me to be able to negotiate a fair rate - not some randomly chosen, capped rate. Wish me luck!
Days Twitter-free: 3
Cool site of the day: www.kyte.com
Then again, I'd be doing myself and my family a disservice if I did not treat this like a full time job.
Anyway, apparently the rates for contractors are sinking in the city. I'm told it's a supply and demand 'thing' - there are now more good people out there than contractor jobs. I find this frustrating, as I remember hiring a project manager contractor at $90-100 an hour 3 years ago. I'm told the realistic rate is now much lower than that....closer to the $70 range.
I can't blame the companies for lowering the rate. What I don't like, though, is when they put a cap on the rate. This doesn't make sense. Sure there is more supply than demand, but if there is someone who is a genius and superb contractor (not necessarily me....but, maybe - ha ha) who deserves something in excess of $70 and the company's policy is firm at $70, that doesn't make sense. Hopefully I'll find a hiring manager that has some latitude in paying market value for my skills - which, I hope, are in excess of $70/hour.
The good news, I hope, is that I've been on the other side - I've hired ~10 contractors in my time. Hopefully this experience will allow me to be able to negotiate a fair rate - not some randomly chosen, capped rate. Wish me luck!
Days Twitter-free: 3
Cool site of the day: www.kyte.com
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Contracting?
Yesterday was a sick day, so no blog posting. I'm better now, so back on track!
Here's what I've learned in my short time looking for employment.
1. The economy really sucks (so what they are saying on CNN and FOX News is true).
2. San Francisco seems to have good companies that are looking for good people - but getting the two together is not so easy.
3. Lining up a contracting gig is probably a lot easier than landing something full time.
So, I'm thinking of pursuing contracting work in the short term (3-12 months). Does anyone have any thoughts, feedback, advice on the whole contractor v. full time employee options?
Also - today I paid a visit to some colleagues in the city. Seeing as I didn't need to be there by any particular time (except for lunch), I decided to ride my bike into the city. I parked my car just north of Sausalito and hopped on my bike. I rode through Sausalito, across the GG Bridge, through Crissy Field, down past the Aquatic Center, through Fisherman's Wharf, and up the Embarcadero to the Financial District. What a ride! It took just over 1 hour and the weather was perfect. I took a video with my Blackberry, but it didn't do it justice (as soon as I figure out how to upload it, I will).
Here's what I've learned in my short time looking for employment.
1. The economy really sucks (so what they are saying on CNN and FOX News is true).
2. San Francisco seems to have good companies that are looking for good people - but getting the two together is not so easy.
3. Lining up a contracting gig is probably a lot easier than landing something full time.
So, I'm thinking of pursuing contracting work in the short term (3-12 months). Does anyone have any thoughts, feedback, advice on the whole contractor v. full time employee options?
Also - today I paid a visit to some colleagues in the city. Seeing as I didn't need to be there by any particular time (except for lunch), I decided to ride my bike into the city. I parked my car just north of Sausalito and hopped on my bike. I rode through Sausalito, across the GG Bridge, through Crissy Field, down past the Aquatic Center, through Fisherman's Wharf, and up the Embarcadero to the Financial District. What a ride! It took just over 1 hour and the weather was perfect. I took a video with my Blackberry, but it didn't do it justice (as soon as I figure out how to upload it, I will).
Cool site of the day: http://www.oddtodd.com/ (an oldie, but goodie)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Twitter?
About a week ago I updated my Facebook status to something to the effect of:
Craig is trying to figure out why Twitter is so cool.
Days later, I'm still trying to figure out why this is such a killer app. Think about it, if this was a Tweet (or Twit) on Twitter, I'd be out of characters to type....with only a partially coherent post.
I've been working in technology for years and I just don't get the appeal. Twitter is like delayed IM/chat. What's the point in sending a quick message if your intended recipient(s) doesn't respond straight away? Is there any real value to receiving a response to a Tweet, especially if it comes hours/days later? Seriously, no clue - can someone explain the value of Twitter to me?
What's that you say? John Stewart might be able to explain Twitter. Well, let's see - click on the link: Daily Show - Twitter
Link to cool site: The "Daily Show - Twitter" link above
Craig is trying to figure out why Twitter is so cool.
Days later, I'm still trying to figure out why this is such a killer app. Think about it, if this was a Tweet (or Twit) on Twitter, I'd be out of characters to type....with only a partially coherent post.
I've been working in technology for years and I just don't get the appeal. Twitter is like delayed IM/chat. What's the point in sending a quick message if your intended recipient(s) doesn't respond straight away? Is there any real value to receiving a response to a Tweet, especially if it comes hours/days later? Seriously, no clue - can someone explain the value of Twitter to me?
What's that you say? John Stewart might be able to explain Twitter. Well, let's see - click on the link: Daily Show - Twitter
Link to cool site: The "Daily Show - Twitter" link above
Monday, March 2, 2009
It's not just what you know....
There's an old saying that a buddy of mine often likes to cite:
"It's not what you know, it's who you know."
While this screams of nepotism, I find it almost accurate. It's 'almost accurate' as it is missing 2 words: 'just' and 'also'.
The way I like to use the phase is:
"It's not just what you know, it's also who you know."
Over the past couple of days, word has spread that I'm looking for a new job. Of course, I had to start spreading the word, but the network effort of people who know other people is taking over. I started by calling, emailing, blogging, updating my LinkedIn account, updating my Facebook account (Hey, why doesn't Facebook buy LinkedIn? - this is a topic for another post). From my efforts, sprung network effects, with friends/colleagues reaching out to people they know and so on. It's really been refreshing to see this work, as people seem to truly want to help.
And, this kind of blows my mind - my 100 LinkedIn contacts, expands to almost 20,000 contacts that are 2nd degree, and nearly 1.8 million contacts that are 3rd degree. Yes, m i l l i o n - now that's a big network that is only a phone call or two away.
Now, my friend who is a fan of nepotism would agrue that this is all I need, a network of people who will help me at the drop of the hat. I don't expect anyone to do anything at the drop of a hat. I need to do my fair share of the work in this job search, which is about 99.9% of what it will take to land my next job. It's this extra 0.1% that my network will help me gain. It's people providing introductions that I can then leverage. It's people passing along my resume. It's people providing advice. It's the network effect.
So, this is the "it's also who you know" portion. What about the "it's not just what you know" part?
Well, this is important, too. Being knowledgeable is very important. This comes from a combination of education, upbringing, on the job experience, and just plain smarts. Being able to perform in a professional or work environment is also very important. After all, it doesn't matter who you know if they don't believe you'll perform. If they believe you'll perform, you'll get the receommendation/help, if they don't believe you'll perform, you won't.
Taking this all into consideration, it definitely is a combination of WHAT you know and also WHO you know. A job search with only one of these 2 components will be much more difficult that if you have both. I've spent a lot of effort my professional life learning the WHAT and cultivating the WHO. In theory, my search should be much more fruitful since I can honestly say I have the WHAT and the WHO in my arsenal.
Only time will tell if it's:
"It's not what you know, it's who you know."
or
"It's not just what you know, it's also who you know."
Me, I'm betting on the latter.
Cool site of the day: http://proimagespa.com/slideshow/superbowl/
"It's not what you know, it's who you know."
While this screams of nepotism, I find it almost accurate. It's 'almost accurate' as it is missing 2 words: 'just' and 'also'.
The way I like to use the phase is:
"It's not just what you know, it's also who you know."
Over the past couple of days, word has spread that I'm looking for a new job. Of course, I had to start spreading the word, but the network effort of people who know other people is taking over. I started by calling, emailing, blogging, updating my LinkedIn account, updating my Facebook account (Hey, why doesn't Facebook buy LinkedIn? - this is a topic for another post). From my efforts, sprung network effects, with friends/colleagues reaching out to people they know and so on. It's really been refreshing to see this work, as people seem to truly want to help.
And, this kind of blows my mind - my 100 LinkedIn contacts, expands to almost 20,000 contacts that are 2nd degree, and nearly 1.8 million contacts that are 3rd degree. Yes, m i l l i o n - now that's a big network that is only a phone call or two away.
Now, my friend who is a fan of nepotism would agrue that this is all I need, a network of people who will help me at the drop of the hat. I don't expect anyone to do anything at the drop of a hat. I need to do my fair share of the work in this job search, which is about 99.9% of what it will take to land my next job. It's this extra 0.1% that my network will help me gain. It's people providing introductions that I can then leverage. It's people passing along my resume. It's people providing advice. It's the network effect.
So, this is the "it's also who you know" portion. What about the "it's not just what you know" part?
Well, this is important, too. Being knowledgeable is very important. This comes from a combination of education, upbringing, on the job experience, and just plain smarts. Being able to perform in a professional or work environment is also very important. After all, it doesn't matter who you know if they don't believe you'll perform. If they believe you'll perform, you'll get the receommendation/help, if they don't believe you'll perform, you won't.
Taking this all into consideration, it definitely is a combination of WHAT you know and also WHO you know. A job search with only one of these 2 components will be much more difficult that if you have both. I've spent a lot of effort my professional life learning the WHAT and cultivating the WHO. In theory, my search should be much more fruitful since I can honestly say I have the WHAT and the WHO in my arsenal.
Only time will tell if it's:
"It's not what you know, it's who you know."
or
"It's not just what you know, it's also who you know."
Me, I'm betting on the latter.
Cool site of the day: http://proimagespa.com/slideshow/superbowl/
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