Friday, October 23, 2015

Where are the jobs? SERIOUSLY.... Where are the jobs??

I guess I'm going to ramble on today and lament about the lack of opportunities for experienced Baby Boomers.   If you're like me, you've completed 'Kool-aid Rehab' .... you're helping others stay far away from that fantasy and at the same time, trying to figure out what to do with your life.  It is odd, having a direction for years and years to suddenly find yourself with a 'what will I be when I grow up' thought.  You're waaaaay too young to 'retire' and who (really) wants to do THAT anyway?  I'm just not ready to play shuffle board and 'pickleball' !    oh, almost forgot, because I'm an older Mom I now have 2 children in college!  (eek!!)   Looking for projects!  Ideas are welcome! www.RetainMyBrain.com



Need to work doing something....not sure what it is;  The 'New' .... 'Public Relations' is and can be 'phone cold-calling work'.... and 'Events' are now defined as 'sampling' products at a grocery store.  All the past terms that I have experienced in a grand way have been reduced to vocations suited for non-trained and non-skilled workers.  What has happened to the real meaning of such a profession?  So odd that Public Relations has now changed into a career that is quite different from the old days. Back when I was winning awards it started with a unique bold creative idea and culminated with needed meaningful content (broadcast or printed) appropriate for mainstream audiences this would then lead to awareness and sales results.   Now the world is fragmented and 'mentions' are fully entwined with product placements and behind-the-scenes advertising/editorial content.  There really is no distinction anymore.... if your product or brand is mentioned there is a deliberate plan.....another motive. (period). and the motive is usually GREEN to the outlet which is 'interested'.   Talk shows and all the yapping are highly directed.... (hmm?)



For 'Event Production' work .... 'Events' can be anything!  The term has been bastardized to interacting with people at a car wash.  The definition now has no meaning....the reduction in status for both of these previous career categories now just cater to the inexperienced.  It's all entry-level semantics they don't even know the difference!



What is left are the fragments of this previous line of work.  Back in the hey-day of business practices.....reputable firms did nothing but produce real events ..... now because of our miserable economy it's much more sporadic resulting with very scaled down staffs utilizing 'freelancers'.  AND.....Those who are lucky enough to land something which remotely looks like a real event are not willing to 'share' the business they are holding onto by their fingernails.  They certainly do not want anyone who could be perceived as more capable than they are.   The idea of helpfulness is long lost in the competitive world of business today.  Helpfulness to the client and helpfulness to the people offering to help.  OVER.... Having experience IS the liability here.



So that's my crabby rant for the day..... Here I sit, talented in 12 different directions with not even an opportunity to interview for positions which I am more than qualified to do.   It is apparently too much of a risk.   I am however available and cheap for freelance gigs.

let's connect!  sarahb579@aol.com 

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Shock & Awe in the world of dumb!

I know it's been some time but that's life of an entrepreneur!๐Ÿ˜ฑ   One new lesson I have learned of many, is when you are soliciting for project work it can be humiliating and frustrating.  People don't like to admit that but in the land of ZERO attention spans, it's true.

 My approach in all this was to get enough projects going to have a steady revenue stream especially while I have TWO children now in college.๐Ÿšฃ๐Ÿผ  Well, like all plans these days, things don't always work out as one would like ๐Ÿ˜ฑ. I then decided as a veteran of 'Kool-aid Rehab' to focus on a 'real' job by utilizing my star-studded background ....(Actually, my whole career)!  The backstory; I made the unfortunate decision to 'parent' my kids when they were little.  This deliberate choice for me now apparently looks like a prison sentence which I mask with bandaids of high profile projects I was fortunate to have gotten but I did not work continuously.  So knowing that, (qualified to be a VP) ... Armed with years and years of experience (domestic & international) I decided to apply for a 'Director of Events' position at a nearby Marriott Resort property.  My background more than qualified me for that position.  To take this idea to a clever level (after all, I'm all about distinct great ideas!๐Ÿ’ก๐Ÿ’ก๐Ÿ’ก⭐️) I decided to circumvent the robo- recruiter and go right to the top (General Manager) I wrote one of my fun and memorable poems (I'm even better than Charles Osgood!) of why they needed me and also (along with my resume) a creative 'menu' of my skills for this high-profile position. I then scrolled everything together with a lovely bow ๐ŸŽ€ and HAND delivered this material on a silver tray! I am not making this up!๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ๐ŸŽ‰ of course, well received and in my blow off letter, GM was kind to tell me they were promoting 'from within' well good for them and no chance I would (or anyone) would be really considered and the legal reason why 'they' post a position like this pubicly ๐Ÿ˜.  The whole effort made me want to puke!

So .....๐Ÿ”ฎ
now fast forward about 4-5 months later, I am tagged for an 'Event Manager' at the same exact property (very close to my house) so I wrote the GM (I'm back!) Again, very nice, but told me to be sure to fill out the robo-application on line and she'll let the director know! With reluctance I promptly did that 1.5 hours - and later that day was flushed into their application sewer. Huh?!I wrote to GM this time (a shock & awe note)  to hear nothing back. Thank you K.Duncan.  Ok now my further sour ๐Ÿ‹continuous saga (I know I'm nuts) I saw this listing AGAIN for  'Event Manager' and I applied AGAIN!! This time, I dumbed-it-down but apparently not dumb enough for them!   One thing for sure...I won't be staying at a Marriott property any time soon!   Conclusion; the job market is horrendous and people who have jobs are barely hanging on.    Best wishes to anyone who can find something which pays a living wage - like panhandling for gold!

About Me- I'm everywhere!

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anywhere and everywhere, USA, Illinois, United States
I'm a sassy, very distracted older mom...with lots of wild stories (and rants) about my family and life...Daughter 20, college student, sassy, unpredictable, violin playing, animal enthusiast...Son, 17 video addict, Chess playing-star / trombone player...husband (old, tired, chronically stressed and impatient, but a good sport nonetheless) The underbelly of life for me; I’m a bright eyed ‘entrepreneur’ – just now completing Kool-aid Rehab a frightening 12 step process to figure out what I am doing with my life. On the home front, we have a gang of animals that keep the place lively too! 'Emma', dirty ungroomed Sheepdog, 'Lollipop' a smart Border Collie/Chow Chow also referred to as 'Daddy's Little Fatty', 2 cats; one eyed 'Winky' and emotionally disturbed- beyond crabby ....'Babycakes' (it's complicated,) 1 bird 'Tutu', and finally 'Templeton' (a.k.a. Little Shit)- a teeny dog who loves to 'run' .... more trouble than all put together and dumb as a stick. but we love him! :)