According to the New York Times, the nation lost 524,000 jobs in December, capping off a year in which 2.6 million workers were put on the street, for a current unemployment rate of 7.2%. Conversely, that means a 92.7% employment rate, right? Not too bad...

Not really. I think we would all be surprised at the true employment rate (does anyone know where to find this statistic?). The iceberg of unemployment should calculate those who have not filed for benefits, those who are not eligible for benefits, those whose benefits have expired, and those who have given up on the whole thing and are trying to earn piecemeal in the shadow cash economy.

This all makes me begin to feel as though I am part of an organism which is metastasizing while the medical team is looking for a silver bullet. 

I'm not sure that those who are still on the job feel any different. They see their employers in the process of selling themselves, snapping up deals, or filing for bankruptcy, and those rumors are deadly for production and efficiency. 

So how do we get beyond the negativity and find our way back into the 92.8%?

First, get back to basics. Here is my favorite: there are only two jobs in any company: you are either in Sales, or you support Sales. Decide in which half your talent lies, and create the right angle for your story.

Second, follow a Sales process in building your plan. Here are the components of the Sales process:

Pre-approach: research and target who you want to sell to, and just as importantly, who is in a position to buy.

Approach: Use available contact methodologies to reach the buyer: mail, email, telephone, headhunter, social networking, physical networking to get the interview.

Fact/feeling finding: this starts by leveraging the information uncovered in the pre-approach, and building on that with specifics from a job description. If there is no specific job description (which should include a summary, essential job functions, marginal job functions, required qualifications, required skills and competencies, preferred skills, equipment used, training available, and specific location), be wary- that employer hasn't thought it through. Note that "feeling" is just as critical as "fact". The company feelings will become particularly apparent in a behavior-based interview process, and you can also find this out by communicating with current and past employees, if possible. Line up your features and benefits directly to their needs and feelings. Read between the lines during the interview, and be prepared with a series of probing questions of your own (which cannot be answered with a "yes" or a "no"). In fact, why not turn the tables and ask a few behavior-based questions of your own--"Tell me about a time when your market research played a critical part in a competitive assessment. How did you do your research? What did you discover? How did you use that information to better position your product/service? What was the impact on sales and revenue?" 

Close: You are the solution to the company's needs. Their investment in you will provide a return that exceeds their company ROI. How do you find out what the company ROI is? If the company is publicly traded, this is a matter of record. If the company is private, estimate based on your research of public companies in the same general business. How do you calculate your personal ROI? Take the total compensation from your previous job and divide into the revenue or value you claim on your resume: whether you were in Sales or supporting Sales, you must lay a claim to some specific contribution for the work you did. Know your number.

Ask for referred leads: If you land the job, become an inside referral source for your network; if you do not land, ask the prospective employer if he/she is aware of any other opportunities inside or outside the company. Ask them if they will become part of your network, possibly through a LinkedIn or Facebook connection. Note: referred leads bring you back full circle to pre-approach.

As I look at the market, the climate, and prospects, I plan take to heart the motto of General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, U.S Army: "Illegitimati non carborundum".

Yesterday the travelogue roadies packed up plastic storage boxes of Christmas and other holiday accoutrement for the next show (will it be here, in the same place?) and the venue returned to normal. One event during the take-down stands out, though---the last thing to go was the tree, which had been painstakenly selected by the roadie team in the space of five minutes at our favorite tree place, which, we were sadly informed, has played their last waltz and will sell out to the local military-industrial complex in 2009. It was really the home-made wine samples which attracted us to them in the first place, so we'll compromise and bring our own to a different chopper-lopper next year.

As the head roadie and me carried the tree to the curb, we were startled by a ceramic clunk-crash, as an overlooked ornament hit the concrete driveway. This was particularly disconcerting to me, as I had assumably combed the tree and completely removed the eclectic selection of balls, figurines, santas, reindeer, kitchen utensils, fish, angels, animals, boats, superheroes, barbie dolls, sports figures (Muhammed Ali and Joe Namath), and knick-knacks before trashing. 

The unfortunate victim was a Hummel, one of several kindly sent to us annually by our Miami aunt. As I picked up the pieces, I was struck by the implication: I had failed in my attention to detail in clearing the tree. I had not done it right the first time.

No excuses, I just rushed the process so I could get the job done faster. Had I been working for me, I (manager) would have been alerted to subsequently review each and every activity of me (employee) to prevent a future drop, not a very productive or empowering management technique. Although I do believe in the 80-20 rule, (if something is 80% ready to go, and you know the remaining 20% will not materially impact rollout and will be completed within a reasonable amount of time, then go ahead and roll out), it's only valid AS LONG AS YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THE 20%! Last minute surprises require too much high maintenance and micro-management, and losing trust in associates is not good for the leader or the team. 

After careful review of the broken figurine, I realized I could save it with that essential gunk of households and golf bags (use it to seal split fingertips), superglue. It was a well-built solid piece of ceramic, not hollow. Hummel quality. So, I repaired it good as new, wrapped it in paper, and stored it away with its compadres. Had it been shattered in a thousand pieces, I would have rued it and chucked it. Lesson learned: some mistakes can be fixed, and they are easier to fix if they are built with a solid infrastructure, and you have the right expertise and glue to make it work.

So here are two more New Year's resolutions for me: sweat the details when I am responsible for them, and fix what I have broken. 

By the way, I went over the tree again as it sat on the curb. Nothing but branches and needles as I did a final check on my work before the trash truck came. Do it before it's too late.