thilly thenny

I’m so incredibly lucky.

I went to a lunch called “Conducting a Job Search in a Tough Economy” yesterday sponsored by the Northern California Penn Club.  Peter Jacobs, a Wharton alum, introduced a framework to help us outshine the competition during job search.  What struck me the most was the age distribution in the room.  More than half were middle aged professional, who has recently been laid off or their contract ended, and they’re not sure where to go next.  One woman had specific expertise in a niche HR and payroll software, which was squeezed out of the market by larger players.  She’s not quite sure what to do next, or how to be competitive in an inundated job market.

The YouTube video above brings light to the stress the economy is having on high school students at Village Academy High School in Pomona, California and was recently mentioned in a speech by Barack Obama.  As their families struggle daily to put food on the table and make rent, many about 4 months behind or have already had their homes foreclosed, the students couldn’t help but worry about their futures.  They’re not asking “How will I pay for college?”  It’s heartbreaking to hear much more short term questions.  “Where will we live?”  “How will my parents support us?”

[The Big Picture, The Boston Globe]

I can’t image being a recent or graduating college student trying to enter a job market with thousands of workers for hundreds of positions, if that.  Or being a middle age or retiring professional with years of experience, forced to compete with younger, cheaper candidates.  Or being a parent wondering how I could support my family and children, while trying to make mortgage and keep my job, if I’m still lucky enough to have one.

I am so incredibly lucky.  To be able to work and put food on the table and money in the bank.  To have enough experience to find a great position.  To be young enough to adapt if needed.  To have choices.  And as a quick plug, to be working on a start up that helps people stand out in this job market by having dynamic online resume profiles and resources like a powerful job search engine and career advice.

Most importantly, I’m so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing support system (thanks, you guys!).

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Also from The Big Picture blog, this is a snap taken in Hefei, Anhui Province in China.  It’s my hometown.

Thousands of job-seekers flock to a job fair in Hefei, Anhui province, China on March 1, 2009. At least 20 million of China’s 130 million migrant workers have become jobless after tens of thousands of labor-intensive export-oriented factories closed due to the global financial crisis, and job training schemes for migrant workers are springing up around China, Xinhua News Agency reported. (REUTERS/Jianan Yu) #