I spent Thursday and Friday doing something I have been putting off for five years: cleaning up my office. 

I call it my "office" only in the broadest sense, since it houses my desk, PC (memory recently upgraded, amazing how 2 gigs solves those multi-tasking issues), files, books, memorabilia, and artwork. There is an N.C. Wyeth "Cream of Wheat" print, framed old money (e.g., a fifteen shilling note issued in Pennsylvania under the auspices of King George, 1773), and an aberrant art  limited lithograph of Original Sin (395/950) by Barry Kite. I also have a train hand-carved from one piece of Pennsylvania coal (legacy from my father-in-law), a color photograph of one of Grania's castles (this one one Achill Island, County Mayo), and a painted birdhouse and brown-glazed decorated pot, both made by my artistic better half. A golf-themed wallpaper border tops the walls, and a brass golf-bag circling music box ("In The Good Old Summertime"), legacy of my father, reminds me that it is never too cold for golf. 

All of this buried under the detritis of five years of the empty nest becoming full again, and my procrastination in pitching old files, from the last time I was in the no-job dillema. 

So I gritted my teeth, took several Advil, and proceeded to shred (my stuff) or box (family stuff), until I papered three bankers boxes and confettied six forty gallon trash bags, as my venerable straight-cut shredder finally gave up the ghost.

As I looked through the resumes, cover letters, and presentations (oh yes, I did create several presentations which I used in interviews!), it was clear how inadequately I approached the task, by trying to sell my skills and competencies rather than the value I would bring to the right organization. This feeling was driven home when I found the rejection file...a depressing and impersonal anthology of cards and letters, many of which I would never have received if I hadn't been persistent in follow up. 

Memo to self: you will be an afterthought in the mind of a hiring manager who selects another candidate...don't take it personally. Remember, "The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about." (Wilde)

One other revelation: there is no better gauge of how the business has changed considerably over the past seven years, than to look at the research of that time, the era of the Internet  explosion and subsequest deflation as the unsustainable bubble burst. When I look at the infrastructure of business today, it is jamais vu all over again. 

Well, this has been an invigorating week, fighting gray weather, senior traffic, sales pitches, and the common cold. Several positive conversations, some discouragement, and a whole lot of homework to get done.

Homework comes from the first of what should be many meetings at the no-job agency, part of the separation agreement. Around the conference room table, several faces I knew, many that were new, with as many feelings as faces, as varied experiences as seats. Having been through this before with another agency, I was pleased that this time around the process seems more interactive, with clear expectations set that this is a full time job, and that there is a proven methodoly that improves chances for success.

Nevetheless, there were few attendees under the age of forty (my guess), and that seems indicative of the times. Some folks had been in their positions for 30 years or more, and the culture shock of having to create a positioning statement was evident as some had never had to describe their value before...let alone create a resume...

One another note, it's time to get the Christmas lights up!! My neighbors are putting me to shame with new displays (one has a really great electric penguin), which reminds me of the story of the cop on the beat who sees a man walking a penguin down a busy city street. Cop says "Hey mister, you better take that penguin to the zoo" and the man says "Ok officer, I guess you're right, I'll do that right away." The next day the cop sees the same guy walking down the street with the penguin, pokes him in the chest with his stick, and says " I thought I told you to take that penguin to the zoo!", to which the man replies, " Officer, I did, and he had such a good time, today we're going to the ball game!"

This coming week is one of many introductory emails and follow-up phone calls. I spent time organizing my contacts into specific groups, and received many referrals from family, friends, and associates over the past several weeks (for which I am very grateful, keep the cards and letters coming in!). Many of these new contacts are in the business or the supply chain, but I have also received generic lists of recruiters and headhunters, and I have been busy on LinkedIn.
Also, this week marks my orientation at the outplacement agency. I'm a little wary of this, as I have been through it before and had to dig deep to find the value, but here it is: you need to get out of the house and into a setting that forces you to work at the job of finding a job. There may also be opportunities for networking in industries you are not necessarily considering for the future. One thing to be careful of: don't expect them to do the work for you.