Heather Smith

Hello,
Gulp. Here is what I think. If you are taking loans out to go to school but you can go back to your old job. I would definitely go back to your old job. If you can pay your way through school slowly…do that. There is no rush. My husband graduated in 2008 and myself in 2009…both with the same degrees. No jobs here…no wait, we are self…[Read more]

yeah andrew…we took a ride around the big island…but our karma must be lacking. 😉

God,
This is depressing. 🙁 Sorry…I am just DOWN today. Good advice…but we have done this stuff and not even gotten calls back.

We have had nothing but luck with refurbished Dells. Someone told me that they manually rebuild them.

Yes, you are correct that providing food = success. My original post was really about looking for encouragement and we have gotten some great suggestions from this post, including from you. We are/have been successful especially considering starting our own business during the recession in a small area. We meet this standard for success.
I have no…[Read more]

We know that LA may and often does involve long hours…and that clients drive the workload. Jon already has experience with this being a business owner. 🙂
I could redefine BIG to mean impact…not size of a project. We are not afraid of long hours…I am in fact not applying and as I believe it was Mark that mentioned…would be happy with…[Read more]

Could the Treaty Grounds be the Coeur d’ Alene Ale House now?
Good advice on not sending out mass mailings…Jon is very good at studying up on the firms he applies to…then again that takes HOURS away from paying work. Wait, it is middle of the winter in Northern Idaho…haha…not a lot of landscaping going on now.
We do love Moscow…but it is…[Read more]

Hey, you would at least be memorable. 😉 No wallpapering the walls with YOUR resume. hehe.

haha…oh man! I would love to hear other wacky ideas. haha. Can you imagine their faces? I do know of someone who sent a poem with spicy chocolates. 😉 He didn’t hear anything back either. haha. Maybe a singing telegram…someone dressed up like a clown that hand delivers your portfolio. haha.
 

I think you should just use the elfin language from Lord of the Rings…that will definitely highlight your creativity.

Thank you all so much for your kind words. 🙂 It is encouraging.

I really love this idea. Maybe we should draw up some funny sketches and start our own group? We could certainly use a laugh. I told Jon that I thought it would be funny to use landscape architecture terms to name the strips but give them a secondary meaning. I don’t know if that makes sense. haha. Heck, it would be really funny to see the bland…[Read more]

Mark,
 
That is exactly how we feel. We know that if Jon could get through the door he would have a great chance of landing a job. And we also ask ourselves how much personal info. would help to cement the notion that we strive for stability. We have children…and really do NOT want to spend the next ten years moving every two years. That is one…[Read more]

Yes, we did see that and Jon has attempted to send in his info. but something is messed up with the hiring website and so he called…didn’t get a call back. I have a feeling that a classmate of mine may be in line for that one…as she has put in her time with them doing grunt labor. 🙂

The hardest lesson for me during the job search process is to practice detachment after a good interview and focus on the other jobs I was preparing for. This is the hardest part for us as well. The week before the crash Jon had a company that wanted to hire him, and then strung us a long for months saying they had a position for him. This was my…[Read more]

No, I don’t think you are lecturing at all! That comparison makes a lot of sense to me. I am sure that the people who will land jobs are the ones that are constantly retooling and “studying” up for interviews, etc. My husband has reworked his portfolio numerous times, etc. I guess I just needed to hear that we aren’t alone in this…and to keep…[Read more]

Thanks for the laugh, Russel. Someone should draw a comic strip for unemployed LAs…I take it you would be the leper on the corner with the begging cup and a small container of colored pencils? Hhmm…I wonder what our characters would be. haha. Maybe we would be like Oliver Twist…staring through the windows of some beautiful firm…open…[Read more]

I would definitely contact him. Perhaps you should drop an email asking if you can take him out to coffee? Are you local? I think a phone call could be great but I still think an email letting him know you are going to give him a ring could spare you any awkward moments trying to remind him who you are. 🙂 With the tight job market I think you…[Read more]

You mean if I get my Reiki certificate it won’t help me?

Ugh. This whole thread is just…stressful. And I get the feeling I am watching someone on a ledge about to make a bad decision because they don’t get that there isn’t work out there. 🙁 We aren’t being dramatic. It is TERRIBLE and I work in a part of the country that isn’t as bad as some. On one hand it is depressing to me that someone would have…[Read more]