The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ "The Job Scam Report" on Substack! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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by Mark Anthony Dyson

10 Wondrous Ways Your Spouse Can Boost Your Career

10 Wondrous Ways Your Spouse Can Boost Your Career

Marriage is a powerful relationship. Yes, I see and hear the eye-rolling, head-shaking, and let-me-check-my-Facebook-page-on-my-phone people sigh in the “I’m sick of hearing this myth” attitude. I must warn you that this post is a positive marriage post, so if you need to stop reading, go ahead. But please allow me to pontificate because the evidence below is from personal experience and the relationships of many of my friends and a career practitioner. Your spouse will boost your career aspirations, goals, and accomplishments if you let him or her. I will spare you the “what doesn’t kill you” cliché, but the formula hasn’t changed. It takes two selfless, imperfect, and sacrificing individuals to make your career thrive through your spouse.

I don’t know one marriage that has lasted the last ten years without confronting serious career decisions. The divorce rate has risen recently because couples from broken marriages waited out the Great Recession for a better financial situation. We will probably see the divorce rate surge past 50% in the next few years. Although job loss isn’t the sole reason for the marriage’s demise, it is often exposed to problems that do or sometimes are the last straw.

1. Your spouse will likely tell you the unfiltered truth. One of the challenges and blessings of marriage is how your spouse relays the “you’re not doing it right” message. Sometimes, the rough delivery is the wake-up call to take a second look at your approach to anything. In this case, your job search, career goals, professional fashion attempts, and/or relationships could be boosted. Your spouse knows exactly what button to push, and sometimes, the buttons that annoy you the most are the ones that motivate you in the way that moves you to action. It’s also a sign of a good partnership. Sure, there are times when the delivery of the message is painful and, at times, causes a little dissension. But you think about it several times when you realize that person has your best interest at heart.

2. His/her network is your network. You have twice the contacts most wouldn’t have when you were single. For this to be truly effective, when you need to help family members with trivial chores or attend a school play, position them in your mind as networking or career management. Mostly, you will find yourself telling family members what you do and the why, how, where, and when about your career. Don’t lose sight of the goal here, as numbers count, and how deep you dig into your network counts more.

3. He or she can help you rehearse conversations and interviews or proofread. This works if your spouse does any of these as a part of their job. Proofreading is great if your husband is a writer or is doing his graduate work. Or if your wife is an editor or writes herself. But if they are neither, it can get you closer if he or she catches errors. Your spouse can help you with the little communication habits that turn people off or annoy them. My wife drills into me about eye contact. I did a good job before meeting her, but after all these years of hearing about it, I think I’ve been excellent at eye contact since we’ve been together.

4. Encouragement. If you are not the main source of encouragement for your spouse, it is usually not reciprocated. But if you work at it with your spouse, where both of you are competitive and encouraging to each other, it can be a powerful tool.

5. Each other’s coworkers become a significant part of your career trajectory. I have seen coworkers become part of the solution in married life. These days, coworker relationships are more constant than dating and sometimes marriage relationships. If mutual liking and respect exist, these relationships are countless but advantageous.

6. Your spouse can challenge you like no one else. This is a powerful motivation in a positive way in my marriage. If your relationship has the right tenor (in my opinion), no one can move you to action, lift you, or crush you like your spouse. If this dynamic is mutual, it is a sign of a marriage that will strengthen for years to come, and experience continued career success.

7. People are positively motivated when two work as one. There is nothing more encouraging when couples coordinate, promote, and act on the same page. This takes a lot of communication and understanding, but if you’re not, this can be contentious. This means that your efforts together will stagnate, but on the other hand, what is revealed can be rectified if the desire is mutual.

8. When one falls, the other will lift you. When a spouse is conducting a job search, it affects the two of you. All the anxiety, nervousness, and stress are on both of you. It is not recognizable at first because it affects each person differently. It is difficult to see if you are the person who needs a job or a new job. The trap is realized when one doesn’t become what the other needs. Finding ways to serve each other during this time is a balm or remedy. The power comes when spouses are trying to out-serve the other. Then courage, patience, perseverance, persistence, and resilience are installed in each other due to lifting up one another.

9. Your Spouse Is an Expert in Your Talents. The bonus is if they can bring out the best of you. This doesn’t continually transform into career attributes, but sometimes affirmation from your spouse can inject energy and synergy into your job search. This is especially helpful when job leads run dry.

10. He or she can shorten the length of pain and disappointment. The job search is a roller coaster full of ups and downs, peaks and valleys, and, at times, depression is even harder to anticipate. Sometimes, we need comfort, not more strategies, follow-ups, or attempts. Yes, the need to keep going is essential, but the moments of rejuvenation are needed more. From a hug to shutting out the world for an evening will work. Sometimes, we need someone else to let us relax and take our minds away from the grind when it’s a grind. The job search is a hilly, rocky, and muddy marathon. Anything spouses can do to ease the pain is essential.

By no means will a combination of my suggestions fix shortcomings such as specific skills or personal attributes needed for any profession. What it will do is help each spouse endure the challenges that are often faced in today’s complicated job search.  If you need these things in your life, then I know where you can start: You start becoming what he or she needs.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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Filed Under: Marriage and Unemployment Tagged With: Marriage, Unemployment

by Mark Anthony Dyson

If Extended Unemployment Benefits Ended For You Yesterday, Do This Today!

If Extended Unemployment Benefits Ended For You Yesterday, Do This Today!

If you lost unemployment benefits recently, I have a few suggestions to keep you going somewhat. This is hard. I know. Your situation should look different than it does. I hope you’ll keep your head up and create change.

I would recommend doing a few of the following to get you on the road to hope. A few of you saved some money and have been vigilant since the pandemic began. Although there are many open positions, some companies have chosen to take their time hiring. That’s not good for those who didn’t take into account this confusing job market.

There is work done towards extending benefits that do not include the extra $600. Most states claim they don’t have money to offer jobless benefits or even end the program.

Here’s how to get traction sooner than later (but no promises):

1) Sign up for temporary staffing agencies. You can get paid while you’re looking and test drive the companies you’re assigned. You can network with many of the employees and see if the culture is right for you. If not, you can move on. If it is, connect with others on LinkedIn, and if this opportunity doesn’t work out now, it may work out in the future. Those you connect with may refer you later on.

2) Find contract work as a 1099 employee. Unlike a temporary position, you can find two contracts to work simultaneously. W-2 situations can help accelerate paying bills you’re behind on or increase your savings.

3) Volunteer, but do so strategically. Volunteer work can fill resume gaps and increase networking opportunities. Some non-profit organizations will work with your schedule. If you do good work, ask for LinkedIn recommendations or referrals. I’ve seen organizations call other employers recommending volunteers before they apply.

4) If you’re in a bind, consider working a restaurant or hospitality industry job for a short time. If you have previous experience, you could request a higher salary initially since some companies in those industries are desperate to hire.

5) No matter your situation, make job networking a part of your lifestyle and not just something you do when you’re in a bind. You’re networking should include ways you can help others, not just for them to help you. This creates an excellent career ecosystem you can use for life, not just for your next job.

I wish I were talking exclusively to those who have saved enough money for the next six months or more. You have more options and time than those who didn’t. They were laid off or fired, and their former employer failed to set up unemployment insurance.

We are hoping relief will come in mostly offered opportunities from employers through your efforts. The following scenario is your local government will become creative to provide temporary relief. Your only choice now is to start talking to many people, and you become creative in finding jobs, if only for a short time until you discover the right opportunity. 

 

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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Filed Under: Employment, Unemployment Tagged With: Job, Unemployment

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Don’t be a Desperate Job Seeker in 2021

Don’t be a Desperate Job Seeker in 2021

There must be some way for you to find your truth and not get swept away by broad sweeping headlines of millions of job openings. Whether you’re unemployed or employed, hearing people land jobs right now when there are lots of job, when you haven’t yet, can trigger feelings of desperation.  You can appear desperate without meaning to appear that way.

It has already ready started:

From a CEO:

“I interviewed 12 candidates this week… 60% are looking for new roles because their current company is asking them to come back to the office 3+ days/week”

It’s happening

— Chris Herd (@chris_herd) July 3, 2021

It’s sexy to have left your job in May because you wanted to take this job and shove it. You’re not the first. But if you didn’t go without having another job lined up, then you might be feeling anxious and a little desperate. Somewhere at the intersection of your ego, pride, and taking a McDonald’s job is where logic should kick in. You were caught in the spirit of “The Great Resignation” but realize that’s not the spirit you were ready to be baptized.

If you didn’t interview well before you quit, and didn’t take any steps to improve, then it’s likely you still don’t interview well now. A movement where there are many available jobs doesn’t mean employers will be “wowed” by your performance.

If your resume sucked before quitting, unless you received help to correct your grammar, employers would just trash it now.

More available jobs never mean forgiving the lack of basic skills such as interviewing required by the employer.

If you’re feeling desperate at this moment or you’re experiencing intermittent anxiousness, there are a few things you can do to find some sanity and balance. Money is often at the root of anxiety. But that’s not always the case:

  • Ask for emotional support from professionals with counseling experience. Please don’t take this lightly because people commit suicide more often than most of us think because of employment. It could go up if people are not connecting with opportunities when job openings are plentiful. My good friend and mentor, Damian Birkel, wrote a book some years ago about the emotional wave unemployed job seekers feel. It might be worth your time to purchase it for less than eight dollars. 
  • It’s time to productively connect with people who can help you find a job. It’s OK to get a job that’s temporary or contracts. You don’t want to ask for jobs. Ask if they know someone who can connect you to the right person. This way, your network for now and for the future. New relationships can potentially introduce you to potential hiring managers. 
  • If you need food or physical resources, dialing 211 is an excellent resource in some states, and in other states, the service is not active. You can try searching for help at 211.org. The most active organizations in providing food and other resources in many cities are churches.
  • There are times when volunteer work becomes paid. You never know until you ask questions. I know someone who worked for non-profits organizations but started by volunteering for years. And get this, they never needed a resume because they made great impressions at past organizations.
  • Let’s go back to temporary work. There are apps like Wonolo to connect you to temporary work that turns into full-time jobs. Wonolo encourages interested candidates to simply head to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android) and search for the Wonolo app to download. Open the app and submit all your relevant information in a matter of minutes. You can get working as soon as the next day.
  • Right now, the restaurant industry is universally short-staffed. There are many resources with hot industries hiring now, but consider these as bridge jobs until you can find what you believe is desirable. 
  • Career One Stop has a Worker ReEmployment program to train you for new skills and pay you for training. Each state has different requirements for participation, and they have thousands of resources if you feel hopeless. 

There is no quick fix for needing a job tomorrow. There is no one-fix-all strategy for a job seeker feeling desperate. What’s hard to hear, yet, true: stay engaged and keen on potential opportunities even when you have a job. 

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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Filed Under: Employment Tagged With: Employment, Job seekers, Unemployment

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I moderated a panel on Wealth Management for executives by Black Enterprise Magazine in October 2023 in Miami.

I was interviewed on Scripps News show, “The Why!” 4/13/2023

I talked with John Tarnoff and Kerry Hannon of “The Second Act” podcast about job searching after 50 in October 2022.

I was on “The Career Confidante” podcast to talk about “boomerang employees” and “job fishing” in June 2022.

Making Job Search a Lifestyle With “Dr. Dawn Graham on Careers,” SiriusXM Ch. 132, Wharton School of Business May 2021

In May 2020, I talked with LinkedIn’s Senior News Editor Andrew Seaman on “#GetHired” Live.”

Beverly Jones, host of the NPR podcast “Jazzed About Work,” invited me back to talk job scams, job search trends, and AI tools in April 2024

WOUB Digital · Episode 183 : Job search expert Mark Dyson says beware of scams, know AI & keep learning

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