Early morning, April 4
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride…
– (Pride) In The Name Of Love by U2
Photo Credit: Photo Mojo
Chris
Laid Off From Your Job? Now What?
In this crazy economy where businesses are tightening their budgets and preparing for lean times, there will be the inevitable job cuts. Unemployment figures from the Department of Labor show a slow trend of lost jobs in almost every industry. Will this happen to you? Have you seen these cut backs already?
So what can someone do who has recently found themselves with some unexpected free time? Plenty. Now is the time to take charge of yourself. You have been performing as your employer has demanded but it is time to do what you want and need to do. Take advantage of this!
- Re-vamp your Resume Hey, thanks Captain Obvious! No, seriously. Update your resume, get a new, clean format. If you haven’t already, be sure to add yourself to LinkedIn and network. Update your profiles here and in Facebook/MySpace too.
- Find Some Contract Work This can help you stay current as well as bring in some cash. HR reps will want to know why there is a potential 3 month gap in your work history. Careerbuilder.com and Monster.com have plenty of employers looking for contractors.
- Up Your Skill Sets This includes not only your soft skills, but your technical knowledge as well. Know HTML? Great, now on to CSS, PhP, whatever.
- Learn Something New Does this include going back to school to get that new degree? A lot of people at this point may consider a career change. Not to be taken lightly.
- Vacate Your Premises Now you have the opportunity to get away from it all. Leave your worries behind for a bit. Reboot your brain by refreshing your surroundings. Either take the family away for awhile or go it alone for the weekend.
- Expose Yourself Please do not make the mistake of holing yourself inside your house, surfing the web, watching infomercials at 2AM and not shaving for two weeks. Get out and attend a seminar with like-minded people. Meetups are a great way to feel better, even if you don’t feel like it.
- Donate Your Time How many organizations & causes could use some of your valuable investment of service? It is true that by giving of yourself, you will be rewarded. This is one of the best ways to stay positive. Find a cause you can believe in and contribute!
- Get A Hobby “I never have enough time to do _________ like I’ve always wanted.’ Well, guess what!
- UnPlugged As a technical professional, you are probably plugged in just about as much as the rest of us. Time to cut the cord, put away the gadgets, turn it off, and walk away. Breathe. You can do this…
- Work It Out Gained a few pounds in that chair behind that desk, have we? No sweat. Actually, go ahead and sweat. Future employers will be sure to size you up by your resume and your appearance.
Got any other suggestions? I’d love to see them. How many of us could benefit from your advice? Please add them to the comments and let us carry on the conversation!
Related articles
- Know What Salary to Ask For in Your New Job [How To]
- Hiring in ’08: Slower but steady gains
- Unemployment rate rises as 51,000 jobs were lost in July.
Audio Mojo
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Week one of the new year’s music list while I’m online.
Taking Advantage
Smart people plan ahead for whatever economic issues are going on. In times of plenty and poverty we should always be thinking of opportunities to generate more income. I am not talking about get rich quick schemes or programs to help you live the life of your dreams. No, what I am talking about will be just enough extra income to have your passion pay for itself. If what you love to do helps you make money and provide value to someone else, why not explore your options?
These are a few opportunities I am looking at as a means to generate income outside of a regular paying gig. By all means, take what you will and make it yours. Heck, feel free to share your ideas here as well. We’re all in this together, right?
- freelance photography,
- citizen journalism
- stock photography
- consulting services
- personalized merchandise
- fine art prints
- ebooks are a big deal these days (if done right)
- affiliate advertising on your website
- downloads such as stock images, desktop wallpaper
- Etsy, Deviant Art
- online courses
- tech support
Its a safe bet that if you use tools that you already own and the savvy to produce it, you can create something of value. Be willing to explore your options and even think outside of your niche for opportunities. I’ve witnessed a few friends earning extra cash just for a minimal investment.
Ask your immediate network of their interest to gauge the needs/wants and expand from there. Market yourself again, using all the tools at your disposal. Try not to be pushy or spammy. The content or service will speak for itself. Do ask for feedback and testimonials as this will go far in establishing yourself as someone who can deliver.
And remember what my mother always told me:
Be prepared to take advantage of the opportunity…
Again, I’d love to hear more ideas if you are keen on sharing them. I’d even consider a collaborative project too if we can swing it. Best regards and much success to you!
Aero Mojo
I was invited by Nicole to cover a story for a future article in Envy magazine regarding adrenaline rushes and met up at SkyDive Houston for a jump.
After Nicole & 4 staff photo/video jumpers had cleared the plane at 15,000 ft, our guide, Todd yelled back to the crazy bush pilot, Bernie to “GIVE EM’ HELL!” Before I had a chance to react, this barnstormer tipped the nose of the plane straight down towards the earth and rotated the plane a few times causing us to experience zero gravity for about 5 seconds. Awesome. I think I was smiling the entire way down.
Many thanks to Todd and the staff for the sweet ride and full access to the drop zone.
My Tweeps
I had the chance to shoot Envy Magazine’s NYE party at the House of Blues and had the added bonus of seeing friends from Twitter!
2009
I sincerely wish that all things go well for you in this new year!
2008 Was Teh Suck…Hello 2009!
2008
2008, upon reflection, was a disastrous year but it will not get me down. After a lay-off 6 months ago, it has been difficult finding a job. The economy taking a long walk off of a short pier didn’t help either. Most corporations have tightened their belts and closed their wallets including layoffs of their own so why hire me?
We moved from Birmingham, Alabama to Houston, Texas in July for job prospects and closer to family. Literally a good move on our part. However, the house in Birmingham is still on the market and sucking away our savings.
2009
I am in charge. Not the economy, nor employers. Neither the winds of fortune. This is all about me and what I will do to not only survive but to become better. I know it sounds like a self-help book in the making but it isn’t.
I am so looking forward to these changes but even though 2009 is a few days away, I am not waiting!
Christmas Vacation
The Denbow family wishes you the happiest of holiday wishes to you and your family. We’re travelling to Tulsa to celebrate with my side of the clan this year. The last time we had Christmas there was 4 years ago. We left home in Birmingham to arrive in Oklahoma 36 hrs later thanks to ice and dying car battery. We were spared from death many times that trip and vowed not to drive that way again if there was a hint of ice! Since we moved to Houston, we can now have a Christmas with my family up in Tulsa again.
Posing will be light from this upcoming Sunday until the Sunday after Christmas. I’ll be documenting activities for Photo Mojo, Video Mojo and more of course.
Have fun, love one another, peace on Earth and try to keep your cool in frustrating circumstances. We have such high expectations and plans that usually fall through so expect setbacks. See what happened to my brother when he told me he ate the last Christmas sugar cookie AND only left a swallow of milk in the carton?
no animals were harmed during this photo shoot. john, however was
Glamour Girl
I’m loving the dramatic look and wind in her hair complete with a classical wardrobe.
Using Your Noggin’
As a fairly new parent to a little girl, I am super protective. Wonderwife and I are allowing Daphne to explore age-appropriate television which is a cable channel called “Noggin”. No commercials, just content. All programs have developmental guidelines in various growth areas and social skills. I can appreciate that but she is still limited to only one hour a day (ideally).
Jack’s Big Music Show
“Are you ready for some music and fun?
C’mon everybody give your foot a tap
C’mon everybody give your hand a clap
Look everybody this is my dog Mel
and my best friend Mary is super swell
Dum diddy dum dee dum day
Dum diddy dum dee dum day
There’s just one more thing we’d like you to know…
You’re always welcome on JACK’S BIG MUSIC SHOW!”
Daphne can watch this show anytime she wants. She is very musical and loves to clap, sing and dance along. With special human guest stars including Jon Stewart and Buddy Guy as well as various puppet animals, these three just want to play music. I find myself laughing at the situations and even singing along (for Daphne’s benefit of course!) This is a very entertaining, funny and intelligent show exposing kids to various music styles ranging from classical to rock.
Yo Gabba Gabba!
A grown man acting as a D.J. likes to play with toys that can dance when you say “Yo Gabba Gabba”. There might be a lesson or two in there somewhere, but I’m not sure. I could only stomach 5 minutes of this. However, it is VERY popular apparently. Thankfully, Daphne has little interest.
Lazy Town
There is a bad guy living in the sewer of this lethargic town who encourages children to embrace sloth. There is another guy in tights watching over the town in a blimp. The kids are stuck in the middle. So many choices! The good guy loves to demonstrate himself with over-exaggerated flips, twists, push-ups, bad costume and a weird mustache. I think he is also the writer, which completes the dude’s self-absorption. Daphne is banned from this show for all time, not for the message, but in the delivery of that positive message. Get off your lazy butt and turn that show off!
What Else Is There?
Parents with older children: please tell me it gets better, not worse. If not, I will have to pull the plug for all of us here at Casa Mojo…
12 Days of Gadgets
Instead of the typical holiday gift guides, let’s change it up a bit with stuff that people can afford and get access to! Here is a list of desirable doo-dads taken from a very un-scientific Twitter poll. Christmas is closing in fast so drop the hints, leave the product’s web page open for the spouse to see, circle the advertisement in nail polish. Whatever it takes for your true love to get you the things you love, right?
To the tune of The First Day of Christmas (you can sing it in your head as you read along)
On the 1st day of gadgets my true love will get for me: A Logitech MX Revolution wireless mouse!
On the 2nd day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Apple iPod Touch!
On the 3rd day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Lost 4.0 on DVD!
On the 4th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: an Eye-Fi wireless 2GB SD card!
On the 5th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Drobo SATA Robotic Storage Array
On the 6th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Adobe Photoshop CS4 upgrade!
On the 7th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Flip Mino High Def video camera!
On the 8th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Battlestar Galactica 4.0 on DVD!
On the 9th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Western Digital 1TB external hard drive!
On the 10th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Targus Travel Power Outlets!
On the 11th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Flickr Pro account!
On the 12th day of gadgets my true love will get for me: Amazon Kindle!
So what is on your list? Add them into the comments!