Living while your between jobs

Despite what your creditors may think, you really can't live on unemployment. I start with this because, despite my best efforts, I wasn't able to keep up with the bills. Fortunately, in November, I joined a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class. Remember, I lost my job in August so I've had virtually no income since then.

Still I was scrambling to pay all my bills.

The FPU course taught me a lot of things. I was still homing in on the all-important FICO score. If I didn't pay, my credit rating will be ruined. The reality is if I kept paying I would have lost my house and my car. Then what? I move into a homeless shelter and learn to take the bus?

So for the first time in my life, I quit paying my creditors. I called them all and told them what was going on (no job since Aug. 7 and bad divorce to a 400-pound hulk who ran up $89,000 on my credit cards — that's a whole 'nother blog). I told them I fully intended to pay but I couldn't do it now. I knew they would call me often and I promised I would keep them updated.

I received multiple phone calls every week from them. Sometimes I'd take them. Sometimes I saw that it was a creditor and I didn't feel like talking to them at that time. I knew they'd call back.

About the creditors, some were wonderful, others were awful, mean spirited and made threats that were lies. Kudos go to Citibank and Bank of America which were also the companies I owed the most money. Kicks in the pants go to Discover and Wells Fargo. Both of the last two harangued, harassed and threatened. On numerous occasions, I would try to explain something and the person on the line would just keep talking over me. At that point, I would say, "I'm going to hang up now" and then I would.

Not paying my creditors did not allow me to sit and examine my belly button. Not only did I have to actively work at trying to find that next job but I needed income that would allow me to pay for other expenses and keep food on the table and clothes on my back.

I sold belongings. I never thought about how much stuff I had (also a topic for another blog). I rented out two of my bedrooms. I signed up to substitute and luckily landed a long-term job for two-and-one-half months. I took a Tobacco and Alcohol Bureau Agency test that allows me to serve alcohol and get a couple of gigs a month. I wrote an article for a magazine. I created a yearbook critiquing form for Ohio's scholastic journalism group and reworked journalism curriculum guides for Texas. I judged high school yearbooks. I started a business with Mary Kay and Ambit Energy.

I believe I left few stones unturned.

None of them were big bucks but it did allow me to put back money for the summer when sub jobs would be nonexistent. It allowed me to not run through all my unemployment and to have it available to me over the summer. I would be OK and my creditors could wait.

Doing what it takes

Aug. 7, 2008 marked the beginning of my journey to find enough money to live while I hunted for my next career placement.

First thing I did was procrastinate on filing for unemployment. I took three weeks to file. Don't wait. My failure to file right away cost me nearly a month's worth of benefits. I also ended up feeling like an idiot because I did something wrong. I have a master's degree and I can't file for unemployment?

Don't feel badly about filing. You have paid into the system. Don't feel guilty about collecting what is yours to collect. The Texas Workforce probably works similarly to programs in most states. They'll tell you how many work contacts you need to make in a week. Included in those contacts is going to networking meetings and to job fairs.

Do both.

You'll find moral support and people who will know contacts in firms where you are hoping to find work. I joined one networking group called Career Connection and had help with my resume, my 30-second commercial , two-minute (elevator) introduction and with the all-important interview. When you go to a job fair, dress for the position you want. You'll hear stories about a man showing up in a suit for a job fair for the trucking industry. Being the only one there dressed for success made him stand out — and that landed him a management position.

Be brazen. Be bold. Call people at places where you'd like to work and ask if they would give you an informational interview. It is just what it sounds like — you're finding out about the industry, the company with which you are doing an interview and making an impression. Ask what the biggest headaches are for management. Ask what they would like in the perfect employee. You've got nuggets of information that you can use to tweak your resume and help with the cover letter.

If you have a company you'd like to target, do the on-line application they want but if possible, find out who the hiring authority is and try to hand carry in an application and resume. Ask for five minutes of his or her time and give your two-minute introduction and ask if there is an opportunity for you to visit with them. You've made an impression as a go-getter and only take that five minutes unless they ask you to stay and visit for a longer period of time. NO MATTER WHAT, send a hand-written thank you to the person immediately. That first impression is so important.

Next: Living while your between jobs

A year of putting it all together

I joined the great unwashed in August of 2007. For the first time in my life, I no longer had a job. It took two weeks for it to sink in. I mean, I've never been someone who didn't have a job. I had my first non-baby sitting job as soon as the law allowed and I've spent much of my life working for several employers at one time.

Now here's where the hard part came in. I've always been a top-of-the-heap kind of employee. If you wanted it done, done right and done on time, take it to Judy. I had innumerable talents — I could write, design, photograph, teach leadership and motivation. People are drawn to me and I'm a great leader. What's there not to love?

I admit it now. I defined myself by what I did. And I assumed that others would be intrigued by my resume that showed so many successes at a number of different schools and by my well-written cover letter. What I discovered is the corporate world, for the most part, didn't consider teaching a real job. And getting RIFed in August is totally awful timing for a teacher. All jobs were filled even if they didn't particularly like the candidate.

Tomorrow: Pulling it all together