This week, we’re going to follow the adventures of one man’s journey through the mine fields of the job hunt. Meet Todd Beeby – a creative director who was recently laid off from Leo Burnett.
For the recently laid-off, it’s: “Wouldn’t it be great to be sitting in a real office thinking about when I can get the F out of there?”
AdvertisementOnce you sign the separation papers and get over the shock of being laid off, it feels like a world of possibility opens up. Just think of all the grand things you’ll do, like finish that “Fast and the Furious” meets “Nights in Rodanthe” screenplay. Go into a different line of work like community organizing. Maybe become a reluctant blogger?
When you get a few weeks into your unemployment, the bright luster wears off. Days don’t feel “airy and free” so much as “scary and desperately wide open.” I’m going to take another bike ride around the park, visit another museum, finish another season of ‘227’ on DVD? This is when you realize all you’re really going to do is shamelessly network to find another job you’ll eventually complain about.
Looking for a job, as they say, is a full-time job. And you soon discover there’s a blurry line between networking and other unsanitary pursuits… like prostitution. You’re doing very uncomfortable things with people you wouldn’t normally contact, all in hopes of getting paid.
To get that elusive new gig, you’ll be spending your time doing such things as joining Facebook (if you hadn’t already) to friend all sorts of remote acquaintances and colleagues you never enjoyed working with. You’ll make appointments at agencies all over town for sad-sounding “informational interviews.” You’ll send out loads of emails and check your in-box no fewer than 100 times a day. You may even sign up at CareerBuilder.com for job leads like the gem I got yesterday: KFC Team Member/Supervisor (see above).
The site said it was a “Fair Match” but I think I’ll hold out for at least a “Meh” one.
– Todd Beeby / “Under-Utilized” Copywriter in NYC. If you would like to reach out to Todd, you can connect to him here.
Coming up later this week Beeby will also be getting into:
– The Finer Points of COBRA
– Lean Pockets vs. Hot Pockets
– The Dangers of Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” Functionality
– When the Severance Ends