It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. Actually, millions are doing it. I’ve been doing it for a while now. Trying to return to a career 16 years after having a child is probably worse than what the college graduates are facing for the first time.

Left: The IBM System 3 Model 10: The first mini computer which revolutionized the computer industry that I had the priviledge to work on in the 1970s. (It used punched cards!)

Being a technology veteran in the computer industry, you would think that I would have it made in the shade with a job to return to, right? That’s what people told me for years, but you’re only as good as what you’ve kept up with, and everything I knew both in hardware and software have changed so drastically that it’s not even worth pursuing as far as learning it.

The good news is that I’ve chosen to learn everything from scratch about web design and web programming and became pretty good at it. So even though I had to reinvent myself, I’m in a better position than most people with nothing to fall back on. My career is still out there. It’s just that it’s evolving. Some people have nothing because their industry was terminated and will never return and they don’t have a clue as to where to begin. I can’t imagine what that must feel like and I hope I never have to.

I’ve learned everything on my own and that’s the way I like it. I’m not sure if I would call myself a girl-geek because there are so many people that know tons more than I do, but I guess with technology, you never stop learning, and maybe that’s good. I’ve learned that you don’t have to know everything. You can always learn new things as you go along. The trick is to stay open to learning. In technology, you have to. There are new things to catch up on every day. Years ago, when I was a programmer/analyst, you had a few years to feel that you were on top of the world before they announced anything new. And when they did, the company would send you to workshops to learn. Now everyday there’s something new to learn. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but that’s the industry. Actually, it’s the companies that are competing with each other, and the consumer is in the middle.

I’m still adjusting to the way you have to look for a job. I remember getting tons of interviews from reading the newpapers, callling bosses, calling recruiters, and meeting people face to face. You shake their hands, sit down and talk. Now, everything is online from the classifieds. You can’t see who you’re communicating with. You don’t know if you can trust them. Some of them make too many requirements that are necessary for the job. It seems intimidating even before you can manage to set up the interview. I’ve never even heard of some of the stuff they require, but I think it’s their way of being selective over so many candidates. Sorry, Monster.com, I miss the old fashioned phone calls.

I’m finding that being freelance is my best bet right now. I can pick my work, my clients, my hours, and have total control over how I want my work to look. The problem is that there are millions of us, so I must find something special about my work to stand out to attract clients.

If you’re out of work, try to find something you like to do and maybe you can create a career out of it. Maybe you have a hobby that you can develop into a business. Be patient, the economy is still pretty slow even though they tell you on the news that it’s getting better. Just don’t give up.

~ Laurita

deletereply esoterika713 wrote on Aug 23, ’10 My husband and I are both unemployed at the moment. He has gone back to school to take a Computer Graphic Design course but he is still out of work in that field. I have a worm farm that I’d like to make into a career My problem is that I am having difficulty getting the worms out of their poo and I have wetness problems. I would also like to have a farm complete with goats and a chicken house. I would want them to be free run. The city may loosen some of the wild stock laws. Hopefully, we’ll be allowed a goat and some chickens soon. That would be the best because the city is great because you don’ t need a car and it is better for the environment that way.

deletereply msqueenie wrote on Aug 23, ’10 Looking for work is a full time job…I’m looking for work!! Good Luck in whatever you endure.

deletereply sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Aug 23, ’10 Good for you and your great attitude!

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Aug 23, ’10 esoterika713 said My husband and I are both unemployed at the moment. He has gone back to school to take a Computer Graphic Design course but he is still out of work in that field. Keep trying. Technology is always in demand.

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Aug 23, ’10 msqueenie said Looking for work is a full time job…I’m looking for work!! Good Luck in whatever you endure. Same to you, good luck!

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Aug 23, ’10 sweetpotatoqueen said Good for you and your great attitude! Thanks, Sweetpotatoqueen! You have to keep trying to be optimistic. I guess all that Deepak Chopra reading will be finally put to the test.

deletereply sweetferd wrote on Aug 23, ’10 i tell people all the time that unemployed is a full time job! i keep searching online as if something will appear magically. but, i know all things happen in their time.. i guess its just not my time lol. i can remember a high school business machines class when the teacher said, “learn to use a keypunch machine and you’ll have a job for life!” anyone remember the last time they saw one of those? lol trying really hard not to laugh at esoterika and wetness problems.. uhmm.. nope. not gonna laugh!

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Aug 23, ’10, edited on Aug 23, ’10 sweetferd said i can remember a high school business machines class when the teacher said, “learn to use a keypunch machine and you’ll have a job for life!” anyone remember the last time they saw one of those? lol My very first job was on an IBM 059 keypunch machine in the garment district of New York City. They told me the same thing about having a job for life, LOL!

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Aug 24, ’10 The important thing to remember is not to give up.

deletereply skeezicks1957 wrote on Aug 24, ’10 Just my opinion but it often is not what you know but rather who you know. Network, network, network and don’t forget people in your more distant family. A person needs that foot in the door and then work real hard to show what you know.

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Aug 24, ’10 skeezicks1957 said Just my opinion but it often is not what you know but rather who you know. Network, network, network and don’t forget people in your more distant family. A person needs that foot in the door and then work real hard to show what you know. I agree with everything you say! Networking is very important. I was never really into networking, but you need to try. It’s very true that often it comes down to who you know! Thank you so much for your opinion!

deletereply skeezicks1957 wrote on Aug 24, ’10 Often people are more than willing to put in a good word for you and employers naturally would like to hire someone that is a known entity to someone in the company rather than a complete stranger. Even with background checks and that sort of thing, a friend of a friend is often a safer feeling as far as security. Perhaps it is a false sense of safety but nevertheless in my opinion it has an impact on hiring decisions.

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Aug 24, ’10 skeezicks1957 said Often people are more than willing to put in a good word for you and employers naturally would like to hire someone that is a known entity to someone in the company rather than a complete stranger. Even with background checks and that sort of thing, a friend of a friend is often a safer feeling as far as security. Perhaps it is a false sense of safety but nevertheless in my opinion it has an impact on hiring decisions. Yes, that seems to be the way things are going now. You can’t be shy. I guess in a way that’s good for me because it forces me to overcome my shyness and speaking in crowds, especially when it comes to that 30 second elevator pitch! I hate that, but I’m getting used to it. You have to be aggressive and show what you’ve got. Things are so different now. I’m not sure if I like it, but that’s the way it is.

deletereply sanssouciblogs wrote on Aug 24, ’10 Keep on keeping on, Sis! good attitude.

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on Aug 25, ’10 Thanks! A good attitude sure helps.

editdeletereply lauritasita wrote on May 23, ’11 Update: Well, I’m still looking, but at least I’m doing better than last year.

deletereply parsonsblvd wrote on May 23, ’11 I have been looking for over a year now….thanks for this piece. yes it is very timely not to mention well done. : )