I've Been Published!

Yes my friends, my pro bono writing gig has "paid" off. My first three articles have been published online!

Click on the headlines below to check 'em out.

Career Planning & Job Seeker Advice:
* Advancing Your Career in Fundraising & Development
* Constituent Today, Staff Tomorrow

Best Practices for Hiring Organizations:
* Hiring Constituents into Staff Roles

All of my articles are available online at the Commongood Careers Knowledge Center. And Advancing Your Career in Fundraising & Development is also available in the archives of The Foundation Center's Philanthropy News Daily (original publication date was November 18, 2009)!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this experience working with Commongood Careers and interviewing hiring managers and senior development professionals from The Ad Council, Bottomless Closet NYC, City Year, Youth Villages, and a number of other great organizations.

The subject I'm currently working on is sort of a wish-fulfillment exercise ... Hired in '09: Stories from the Recession. The article profiles job seekers who successfully found jobs during one of the toughest economies in recent memory. It will give concrete advice and tips for current job seekers to follow. The folks I've spoken to thus far have both relateable stories and a lot of wisdom to share.

It was great to talk to recent job seekers and hear about their triumphs.

It gives me hope, my friends, it gives me hope :)

5 Questions for a New Yorker - 5th Floor Edition

Welcome to the second installment of 5 Questions for a New Yorker.

Today, M shares her New York experience with us. (Full disclosure, M moved out to the 'burbs this summer. But, she lived in the city since the late 90's, during both the Giuliani and Bloomberg eras, so I think she qualifies.)

#1 ... Where was your first apartment?
East 79th between York and East End Avenue. Five long blocks to the subway AND it was a fifth floor walk up.

#2 ... What's your favorite restaurant?
Esca is really good. So is Peasant. Just to prove I go to the other boroughs, Roberto's in the Bronx is great and Grocery in Brooklyn is also excellent. (Ed. note: photo above is of Grocery.)

#3 ... Favorite mode of transportation?
I love the subway. Runs 24 hours a day, doesn't get stuck in traffic!

#4 ... What's the worst part of living in New York?
That smell in the heat of the summer. Ugh.

#5 ... What makes someone a New Yorker?
Fast paced, love to walk places, annoyed at tourists ... when you are trying to walk fast.

Thanks M!

Have a question you want included in a future edition? Leave it in the comments!

5 Questions for a New Yorker

Today is the first installment of a new feature on 79th & Whine ... 5 Questions for a New Yorker. It is inspired by (ripped off from) New York Magazine's 21 Questions on their Daily Intel blog.

B, my old friend, has been gracious enough to kick us off. So, without further ado ...




#1 ... East Side or West Side?
Westside 4 eva

#2 ... Have you ever been to Times Square on New Year's Eve?
No, and I never will!

#3 ... What was the last movie or TV show you saw filming on the street?
Does whatever movie was filming the low flying helicopters all over Manhattan yesterday count? Whatever that was.

#4 ... What's your favorite restaurant?
Tia Pol for Tapas [Editor's Note: see above for photo.]

#5 ... What makes someone a New Yorker?
Frustration with slow moving pedestrians

Thanks B!


For more quintessential New Yorkers, check out these folks 21 Questions ...
* Stacy London, celebrity stylist from TLC's What Not to Wear
* Dick Wolf, uber producer of Law & Order
* Janeane Garofalo, actress, comedienne and 90's Gen X icon
* Richard Belzer, actor (Law & Order: SVU anyone?), comedian, author

No Cost Methods to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Today, if you didn't already know, is Blog Action Day '09. The topic all the cool kids are blogging about is Climate Change.

I thought I'd do a no-cost, laid-off person's list of things you can do, with help from The Pew Center for Global Climate Change, to reduce your carbon footprint and make a (albeit small) impact on the environment & climate.

Oh, and as a plug, I think this center is very cool. Here's what they are all about ...

“The Pew Center for Global Climate Change brings together business leaders, policy makers, scientists, and other experts to bring a new approach to a complex and often controversial issue. Our approach is based on sound science, straight talk, and a belief that we can work together to protect the climate while sustaining economic growth.”

Tips on Curbing Your Personal Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions ...

At Home:
• Turn off (and unplug!) electronics like your TV, DVD and computer when not in use
• Regularly defrost your freezer
• Go paperless for your bank and credit card statements

Out & About:
• Bring along a reusable shopping bag (If you know me, then you've met my ubiquitous L.L. Bean tote bag :)
• Plan multiple stops during one trip instead of multiple shorter trips to save gas (or walk! :)
• Reuse coffee mugs and water bottles instead of buying disposable


For More Ideas Check out these Resources:
* No-Cost Low-Cost Tips for Saving Money & Energy from the Alliance to Save Energy
* Energy Savers Booklet from U.S. Department of Energy (pdf)
* The Power of Green from Con Edison: Tips to Help You Go Green & Save Some Green


What do you do to reduce your own carbon footprint? Share it in the comments!

The Webinar that Went Well

Last Wednesday was the inaugural presentation of my webinar "Effective Strategies for Interviewing/Selecting Highly Qualified Applicants," and I must say I was quite pleased with how it went. (And B, who is a bestie for attending on her lunch hour, was also kind enough to tell me it was effective and interesting.)

There were 45 people registered, 24 signed-in and 23 folks stayed for the entire presentation. The company told me the average attendance is 45-50%, so I'm quite excited that 53% of folks who registered came. And ... I'm thrilled 96% (23 out of 24) of my attendees stayed the entire time! Actually, that was the mark of a success I was looking for - how many people stayed the entire time versus how many folks dropped out. I was quite surprised to see that hardly anyone logged off.

I will admit that the software (WebEx) does not track attention (e.g. whether the attendee is still on the screen with the presentation or are they surfing the internet), but the majority of my content was audio, not on-screen. Regardless, I was quite happy with the turn out. And, I must say the folks that contributed when I asked the audience questions gave shared valuable experiences and information. (And, as an unpaid shout out to WebEx, I think their interactive tools are great. It is a great webinar/virtual meeting software provider.)

Once I get a digital copy from the company I hosted the webinar for, I am going to be post it on my LinkedIn profile page. (I'll let you know when it is up.) Or, if you want to view it now, email me and I'll send you the link to the company's page. (You know, I have that whole crazy anonymity thing going for me :)

I'm in touch with the company to get the results of the attendee feedback survey, and to see when they want me to schedule another webinar, or if they'd like me to tackle a new topic. Eventually, these free webinars are going to morph into virtual classes, but we've got to make a name for the company first (D*mn that anonymity thing!)

Good News Coming for the Long-Term Unemployed?

The Center for America Progress released their findings for September 2009 on Tuesday. Part of a list of signs that America’s economy is still struggling was this highlight …

“The average length of unemployment in September 2009 was 26.2 weeks ... 35.6 % of the unemployed were out of a job for 27 weeks or more. All of these indicators are at their highest level since 1948.”

Media outlets continue to report the difficulties the long-term laid-off are having securing employment. In fact, if you are jobless and looking to feel worse, check out The Wall Street Journal’s online career section. I loved their “Only the Employed Need Apply.” Nice. (Talk about short-sighted and ill-advised. You'd think if hiring managers weren't smart enough to see the flaws in this logic that the WSJ would make the effort to point them out.)

The question becomes … with so many obstacles before them … Is there any good news for the long-term unemployed?

Yes, there is.

#1 Unemployment Benefits Extension Vote Pending
The House passed a bill to extend unemployment benefits for 13 additional weeks. The bill is currently waiting for a vote in the Senate. (The difficulty is that the House’s bill limits the extension to only the jobless in states with 8.5% or higher unemployment. Various Senators are reluctant to sign a bill that will not support jobless Americans in all 50 states.) The bottom-line is that if the original version is signed, 75% of those Americans who would lose their benefits at the end of September will get a much needed reprieve.

#2 COBRA Benefits May be Extended
Earlier this week, the Obama administration announced that they are considering seeking an extension of the law which subsidizes COBRA health insurance premiums for involuntarily laid-off employees. Currently, the subsidy covers 65% of monthly health care premiums for up to 9 months following the employee’s involuntary separation with their employer.

# 3 Student Loans – Initiate your own Deferment or Forbearance Extension
Deferment and forbearance rules are maintained by each loan provider. And federally funded loans have different rules than private student loans. However, that does not mean you cannot negotiate with your loan provider to extend the terms of your deferment or forbearance if you have a financial hardship. The important point is to not default on your loans. Start early and work with your provider to discuss payment plan options. Be ready to wade through a lot of red tape. Be prepared to provide documentation. But above all, be persistent.



Links & Sources:
* Economic Snapshot for October 2009, Center for American Progress, October 6, 2009
* Only the Employed Need Apply, WallStreetJournal.com, June 30, 2009
* Jobless benefits extension hits snag in Senate, Associated Press, October 1, 2009
* Several options can help if you're struggling to pay student loans, USAToday.com, September 21, 2009
* Obama administration mulls extending COBRA subsidy, BusinessInsurance.com, October 5, 2009

Celebrating 6 Months with a Toast

Yep, it's been 6 months to the day since I joined the ranks of the laid off.

While I wouldn't wish unexpected and unplanned life changes on anyone, I am happy to say that I believe I have made the best of a less than ideal situation. I have had opportunities I wouldn't have if I didn't have the time to decide how I wanted to spend it. And I have the luxury of being old enough to have a retirement account I could support myself with, yet young enough to know there is time to save again before I even consider retirement.

I've been lucky enough to get to exercise my writing skills (here, through volunteering and pro bono work), share my professional knowledge through a webinar, volunteer my time to issues I care about, and loiter around the library to my heart's content :) (And there have even been celebrity sightings - how fun!)

And ... I've had what some would call success with my job search - consistently getting interviews (20% success rate!) - although the ultimate reward - a full-time permanent job - has not yet come to fruition.

So, I raise a glass to all my friends out there to thank you for your support. I honestly couldn't have survived without you. Cheers!*

* And let's hope we AREN'T celebrating at 12 months! I'll return to my regular brand of humour on Monday :) Have a good weekend.