Clarifications

Regarding my previous post, I probably ought to clarify a few points bout this blog so as to keep me focused onto my greater ambition, which is the ultimate independence, which is working for myself.

• Being involved with people in nursing homes, I am bound to pay attention to HIPAA privacy rules (the acronym stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). I do not use any names, nursing homes, or medical conditions regarding any individual consumers I work with. So I keep the subject of nursing homes and residents quite bland  
• I keep the names of state agencies unnamed, one of these a very well known acronym. As well as the individuals who act egregiously. 
• There are state employees who have worked professionally, too. So I wouldn’t want to imply that the (union) workers are in the cause of the majority of the workers. 
• Given that anonymous persons and agencies are cited, the situations change slightly in actual context, but not scope. I am not anti-union, nor against bargaining units for the employees. But things like not being able to attend meetings ‘because I couldn’t get a state car’ type excuses are vexing, even if the state car is in the contract…

So I write about what I know in the attempt to keep me focused on the next phase of my independence in career. I want to remember the incidents that will compel me to work for myself, to succeed or fail on my merits, work ethic, on what I did (or failed to do). That’s all.

If any reader remembers the Dragnet TV series (1967-1970) the stern voice on the intro would say something that I have paraphrased as follows: ‘The post you are about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent guilty’  As Sgt. Friday might have intoned to the witness “Just the facts”

Smashing through any doubt...

Breaking through not so insurmountable barriers. Photo taken by Grandpa (Ralph I), ca. 1939

I do not care for much of what I do. I offer an example of how the frustration of the job affect my thinking about said part-time job. There is another state agency (lets call it unnamed II), and one employee I needed to work with who is a non-performer according to some. This person made three (3) scheduled appointments in a three week period. with a client, and didn't show up. The job (TC) I hold is the one where we are taken to task because we are more visible, the state employees who choose not to, well, not so much.

I was advised to contact the supervisor of the offending state employee. I was only able to leave a voice-mail missive, polite but to the point. I even used the term 'unprofessional' (I was advised later to keep opinion out of it. A fine thought, but as I had had it by then, I'll try better next time. It would be nice if all government employees worked as required). A day later without a reply, I contacted the employee and left that person a voice mail missive, polite but pointed. I received a Arrrugh message later that she "didn't appreciate my tone". So be it. This is what I have tired of, the state employee sense of entitlement. Yet I have to work with them - without the authority to make them work...

The baseball shatters the glass with ease. I need to be hitting my own line drives to move beyond my own limitations. I posted two different contractor positions on the local craigslist (here and here), but I need to sell my own abilities - to myself!

Skill Sets

I have missed a few weeks on this blog – and I really missed it! I have such a skill set, yet I am unable to see it in real time. Yet sometimes something clicks and I am amazed that I don’t always recognize it. Could I be a resume writer and/or career counselor? I’d normally say no…

A neighbor friend of ours stopped in yesterday. She had been on the wait staff of a local outlet of a nationally known breakfast chain and was terminated, ostensibly due to age. She needed a resume and had lots of handwritten notes about her career in retail, and she would pay for it. Not to worry, I wouldn’t charge a friend. I asked for Saturday to present a rough draft.

She had to talk, and she said that she was going to go for age discrimination. I said, with your experience, why?

·       Let it go, it will consume you when all you want to do is work

·       I have been through CHRO (Ct. Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities) and I don’t feel that you would get redress anyway

·       The restaurant is having a cash problem and were going to eliminate this position

In fact, I said that when questioned about why you left your job, just say: “the average transaction at the restaurant has fallen due to the economy, and they had to reduce their head count”

Was that me?? It all sounds like sage advice, and I said all this without notes or without memorizing anything. I amazed me, yet should I be? I know a thing or two about jobs, having had a few…

I completed a draft of the resume in about 45 minutes. She wants to go back to retail, where she was years ago pre-kids. It reads well, too. I started with her skill set, written like this:

·       The ability to lead, not merely in the supervision of staff but in the effective motivation and training of new and existing staff.

·       Attentive customer service in a variety of food and retail establishments.

·       Knowledge of restaurant operations either independent or chain operations.

·       A proven increase in departmental sales, enhancing in company growth as well as meriting individual promotions.

·       A thorough knowledge of retail advertising and display merchandising that lead to increased traffic and sales.

·       Complete involvement in proper merchandise ordering, correct inventory levels and reorder points.

·       Setting budgets, with the ability to work at or under these budgets ensuring profitable operations.

·       Managing customer bills and receipts and the proper reconciliation.

Why do I doubt my abilities? This was good, and I do want to work for myself. Could I?