Reasonable Bias

Generally speaking, I try to stay out of the political arena, even in casual conversations. It occurs to me that people are too quick to jump on or off a bandwagon based on the latest speech, news report, blog post, or unpredictable event; for that reason, I find myself getting frustrated in discussions that I normally get along quite well with. As the end of 2009 approaches, there have been an increasing number of speeches, news reports, and blog posts about the state of the Obama administration and its failure to radically change the national landscape over the past eight months. As amused as I am by the media frenzy surrounding approval ratings and economic indicators, I am mostly just surprised at how many "average joes" out there are simply not using their God-given common sense.

At this point, it's no secret that the legacy of the Bush administration will certainly make liberal use of the word "failure." Americans put up with eight years of bad policy, lying, and disregard for both domestic and international human rights, and subsequently inherited a collapsing economy, an unpopular military campaign spread across two countries, and a revived fear of domestic spying and torture. Now, according to several non-scientific polls, more than 40% of Americans think that President Obama should be further along in his quest to undo years of damage after only eight months in office.

True, Obama has probably bitten off more than he can chew by promising so many things to so many people. True, he has apparently backed away from many of the promises that helped him reach voters across party lines. True, he has missed several of his self-imposed deadlines and backed off of a few issues. I can see all of these things happening, but I'm not nervous about it. Here's why:

• I was one of the hundreds of thousands of servicemen that charged across the Kuwaiti border into Iraq in early 2003, thinking I was doing my part to protect Americans from WMD and terrorists.


• I am one of the college graduates who has, after nearly a year of constant searching, has been unable to secure a full-time job.


• I am one of the 40 million or so Americans who are working more than one job and and are still barely staying afloat.


• I am one of the 40 million or so Americans who can't afford health insurance.


• I am one of the people who have been financially damaged by the ruthless and unfair practices of my creditors.


• I am one of the "average" Americans who is now trapped with more than $10,000 in debt.

Simply put, I fall across several categories of Americans that G.W. Bush didn't give a crap about when he was President. I fall into several categories of Americans that Obama has been trying to serve--working uphill for the most part--since he got into office. I don't care if Obama passes non-emergency legislation without waiting for five days, especially when that would give the credit card company five extra days to screw me over before they have to start devising better business practices. I have great respect for the elderly, but I'd much prefer to see tax relief for myself (making less than $20,000 per year) than for seniors making less than $50,000 per year. Personally, I feel like I can see the progress that Obama is making, despite the opposition that seems to be more in his way out of spite than out of good judgement.

I'll be impressed if it only takes a couple of years to dig out of a recession that took five years to create, and I'm certainly willing to wait an extra two or three months for our troops to come home from a country that has no idea how many Americans have died protecting their democracy. Let's get it together people. Anyone who supported Bush for even one day owes it to their fellow citizens to support President Obama for at least a couple of years.

Good times, good wine

This is more of an update than an actual post, but I'm so fired up that I actually feel like I need to write. Man, I haven't really felt that urge in a long time. Part of the problem I have as a "blogger" is my reluctance to write unless I have something really pertinent to share. I haven't had much time to do research, and I was really starting to feel like a burnt out sucker for trying to start a career at entry-level right after my 30th birthday. It's all good-- a couple of days of heavy wine drinking seems to have helped clear my head. Which brings me to my point....

I've spent about the past 12 hours working on various independent projects related to PR--job applications, website construction, industry research, and some preliminary planning for a potential pr campaign. I feel like crap because I'm finally starting to sober up, but I also feel GREAT about finally having a few hours of my passion back. I did some digging, and I finally realized how I need to get myself out of this funk I've been in:

1. Stop trying to dig up portfolio pieces.

Granted, I've got tons of simulated press releases, strategic plans, media alerts, and press kits (along with some pretty damn good prose) archived somewhere in this hard drive. Unfortunately, most of it isn't even good enough for my standards right now, much less good enough to show an employer. I'll be damned if I take credit for documents with formatting and spelling errors when I wasn't responsible for the mistakes. I can reproduce the same amount of writing by the end of this year with a little research, some blogging, and the same load of volunteer work and "favors" that I've been doing for years. And the stuff I'm cranking out now is way better!

2. Don't try to jump the fence.

Despite what I tell myself, and despite what other people know, there is less than a slim chance in hell that any PR firm is going to hire me above entry-level in this economy. Having been a supervisor for more than half of my employed life, I know that everyone has got to start somewhere. Right now, my job is to get a foot in the door. Once I'm in, they'll see what I've got to offer. That's exactly what happened at every other job.

3. Sweat the small stuff.

Technically, it really doesn't matter if I shave every day, or work out every day, or cut my hair every week. Nobody in my current sphere of influence gives a damn if I'm wearing khakis or jeans. However, I think that doing those things as I would do them under ideal conditions will actually bring me closer to those conditions. I started my last post with a quote from Socrates that has more meaning for me at this moment than it did when I first found it: "The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear." My mind is drowning with memories of people who have been telling me different versions of that for years.

4. Just put it all out there.

Two months ago, I was applying for positions at Walmart, Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc. I had given up on my dream of working in PR, and I had even given up on my backup plan of teaching because that didn't pan out when I needed it to. I dropped the last of my savings to salvage my real estate license so that I could apply with confidence to leasing and property management positions. Still nothing. I'm pretty sure I've applied to over 100 positions since I graduated last December, and I only managed 2 or 3 interviews. What I should have been doing is researching and writing and sending my resume to the people that I really want to work for. Am I a little panicked at the prospect of being rejected by Edelman or Porter Novelli or Weber Shandwick? Hell yes. Should I be? Hell yes. Should it have stopped me from sending them my resume for 10 months? Hell no. Round One, apply to open positions. Round Two, work on the new "portfolio" and send feeler resumes to everyone who isn't hiring. That's it. That's the whole plan. That's all I can afford to do, and it's the best I've got to offer right now.

I'm about halfway done with my personal website, Dris Stephen Online, and I'm excited to see what I can do with it. So many students are turning heads with blogs and Twitter--which I finally have to admit could have been of more use to me this year--there's barely a way to stand out. I would hope that the ability to understand HTML and CSS would be worth something in that world.

So how about it: anybody have use for an entry-level worker with a 15-year work history, military combat experience, management experience, a bachelor's degree, a real estate license, a teaching certificate, two blogs and a website designed and coded from scratch? I'll buy the first round to celebrate!

Back to Basics

"The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear."

Et tu, Socrates?

It's been around four months since the last time I posted, and I finally realize how critical my blogging--or lack thereof--has been to my ongoing failure to find a job. Immediately following my last blog about addressing my weaknesses, I watched my finances crash and burn, along with any hope of moving closer to the status of PR AVATAR. I'm now working two part-time jobs, with a third in the application process; none of them are remotely related to what I want to be doing with my life. With a 60-hour work week, plus my volunteer commitments, there is hardly any time for me to become the me that I want people to see. But things are looking up, I think.

I'm starting to see a few entry-level positions pop up here and there (not in Florida, of course) and I've downgraded my personal panic level from "bailout" to "nervous." It's okay if i don't have time to write every day because I work every day. Oh, and I realized that my pinkies are so screwed up from being broken so many time that I'll never be able to touch type. I use so many skills in the course of a typical day--presentation, research, networking, sales--it's fair to say that I'm still becoming a better practitioner. As for name recognition, I think I'm doing okay with that since I meet 20-30 new people every day. That's a big deal in a town of under 50,00 people.

So, we (the royal "we," the editorial "we") go back to the basics. We read up on the industry. We pay attention to the media. We keep applying for jobs. We build a better resume and a better portfolio. We do what needs to get done until somebody notices. We rebuild the relationships that have gotten lost in the fray and, if necessary, we ask for help.

In a world where reputation is everything, I'm okay with the one I've been working on--literally--for the past ten years. It's just a matter of time before someone sees me for what I really am.

Rebuilding the Avatar

It's been seven months, and few career opportunities have appeared for my grand entrance into the world of public relations. This time has been eye-opening to say the least, and has provided unparalled perspective about what it really takes for a guy like me to become the guy that I try to convince people that I am. I have fought as hard as I could to avoid slipping into depression or being consumed by my desperation; yet I have found myself at the brink of both more often than I am willing to admit. After careful consideration of the circumstances and the facts of the matter, I have come to one undeniable realization: I am not good enough for this game. Not yet.

In my years of studying PR theory and the craft of written communication, I seem to have eiher ignored or overlooked some of the very basic principles that get the job done.

I proudly proclaim myself to be a writer, and yet, in the age of word processors and dynamic deadlines, I have never bothered to learn to type properly. I have written huge papers, prepared professional-quality proposals and drafted client-based strategic plans, and yet I can't break 15 WPM using standard touch typing. Is this a handicap? Most certainly, considering I am a "professional" communicator. Strike One.

"Knowing is half the battle," as we learned from G.I. Joe back in the 80's. But what do I really know about the PR business? I have an understanding of how things work, from the business end to the media side, but what can I actually DO that's worth a paycheck anywhere in that chain? I have no idea, since I've never had the opportunity. In a down economy, who's willing to pay someone to experience how it all comes together? No one right now, apparently. Strike Two.

Relations with the publics. Building bridges. Sustained partnerships based on two-way communication. Sounds like you really need to be a "people person" to get ahead in this game. I suppose I am a people person, but I don't seem to have access to the people that I should be networking with. How am I supposed to launch a career in a relationship business when I can't seem to sustain any productive business relationships? I can't afford to attend the P2P networking functions, and I certainly don't see anyone sticking out their neck to pull me out of the cold and into the inner sanctum. I need to get in the ring with some PR pros, some media folks and some innovators. If it really is about who you know-- which I suspect is actually more than half the battle-- then I'm in trouble. Strike Three.

So, hypothetically, I'm out. But I think I have a plan.

What if I learned how to type, and made sure that I spent a couple of hours each day writing something? What if I did some real research and started freelancing for a few local nonprofits? What if I used the communication assets I already have in place to generate some buzz around my name? If I did all of this, is it possible that I might open one of the many doors that has been closed to me for the past six months? Is it possible someone might actually let me interview for a position? Could my confidence and mental stability be restored to an appropriate level? Could I-- dare I say it-- get a freaking job?

Hmmmm... I suppose we'll see. COMMENCE OPERATION AVATAR PHOENIX.

Don't mind us, we're just a little crazy....

So, after a series of personal meltdowns related to my currently unfulfilled life, I have a new perspective on trying to evolve into a PR professional in a horrible job climate. Well, technically, I'm just reclaiming my former perspective, but trying to modify my approach. I still think that I have more to offer a potential employer than the average recent grad, especially as a writer and strategic planner; what I don't have is the safety net of Mommy and Daddy's money or the time to develop a freelance portfolio. Apparently, this is my weakness. So, here is my rant:

Although many corporate recruiters and professionals have told me otherwise, the results that I have seen over the past year tell me that a 22-year-old with two years of pr internships and no job experience is more likely to get hired than a 30-year-old combat veteran with a 15 year work history and $15,000 in debt. Maybe I'm being dramatic. Or maybe I need to quit both of my jobs, quit volunteering, work 30-hour weeks for free, and accumulate even more debt in hopes of getting my foot in the door. I would love to start at the bottom of the ladder and work my way up, learn from the best, find my niche, and do it all with integrity and class. What nobody has told me yet is how to do that without allowing my life to fall apart.

A few of the gems I have been told and read over the past few months:

1) Keep looking, something will turn up.
2) Everyone is having a hard time right now. It's not just you.
3) Target your resume to specific companies.
4) Make sure you have an attention-getting cover letter.
5) Leverage social media and online archives.
6) Build a professional network.
7) Do some freelance work to build your portfolio.
8) Make sure your elevator speech is solid.
9) Be patient.
10) Talk to your friends.

My responses, adjusted for inflation:

1) I'm still looking. I spend several hours a week looking. I spend time looking
that I could spend blogging or sleeping or eating or trying to salvage my relationship with my alienated girlfriend.

2) I realize that it's not just me. I also realize that A LOT of my competitors can afford to put in the extra effort to find one good job because they aren't busy working two crappy jobs.

3) My resume is about as targeted as they come. I have about four versions of it, emphasizing leadership, communication, innovation and planning experience; what EVERYONE seems to miss is that the past 10 years of my life have been 90% dedicated to earning my Bachelor's degree, which finally happened four months ago. Everyone wants to see writing and media experience; if someone was paying me for that five years ago, I wouldn't have needed the degree!!!

4) I graduated cum laude from USF. I'm a volunteer staff member for a national youth seminar. I'm a combat veteran. I have years of supervisory and leadership experience (and I know what the difference is between the two). I have a teaching certification in English and I'm currently teaching biology. I work 60+ hours a week, not including grading papers and preparing lesson plans. I'm trying to maintain two blogs. I'm willing to relocate. I know a bit of HTML and CSS, and I'm trying to learn more despite not having the time to do so or a project to practice on. Seriously, what does it take to get your attention these days?

5) Considering how much time I don't have, feel free to give me some feedback on how to better use Twitter, VisualCV, LinkedIn, Facebook, Blogger, Brand Tampa, or PROpenMic.

6) Yeah, I'm working on that.... Problem is, it's really hard to meet contacts outside of my current industries (retail and education) when I spend more than half of my waking time working. I thought the whole social media thing was supposed to help with that, except I can't really afford an iPhone right now.

7) Freelance work would fall into the same category as interning, writing, networking, sleeping....

8) This is a valid one, except I haven't even had the chance for a meaningful conversation with anyone who would care in several months. However, if you want to talk about straight fit denim or oogenesis, I'm pretty much good to go.

9) I teach high school biology and I work at an outlet mall. Patience is my middle name.

10) 90% of my friends are either in the same situation I am, about to be in the same situation I am, or in the situation I was in when I joined the military 10 years ago. Not much cooming from them except the same crap that's on this list.

But seriously, I really do need to find a job.

Watching the bottom fall out from underneath....

I'm not 100% sure what the problem is, but I know that the employment situation in my area is doing some serious damage to my self-esteem. At first, I assumed that it was just bad timing on my part and a reluctance to take the financial risk of travelling, moving, etc. Then I regained some of my confidence and suddenly it was the local market's fault for not having reasonable entry-to-mid-level opportunities. Now I'm just plain scared and ready to take a running leap off any cliff where public relations might reside. I actually let the words come out of my mouth yesterday, and I nearly cried:

"I think I'm going to have to give up on PR for a while."

Maybe it won't last. Maybe something will turn up soon and I'll be back on the path to the top. Maybe a sudden windfall will put me in a position to be aggressive with my job search and assertive with my girlfriend. Or maybe I've been right about this whole situation since December and I'm screwed.

Maybe I'll have to work twice as hard to become an English teacher as I worked to get through the USF PR program. I won't even mention the complexity that adds to any consideration of graduate classes.

It's scary watching my career hopes collapse, especially when I'm still at the bottom of the ladder. SIGH...