Hi folks,

Week 41...

I'm down to my last two weeks of unemployment benefits and then I'm S-O-L. There are no further extensions. I'll be extending my Starbucks hours and trying to scrape by as much as possible.

Last week was pretty much like every week of my job hunt. I applied to jobs, made calls and all that stuff and cannot make any headway.

On top of everything else, I got a flat tire on my car and had to replace the tire completely. When it rains bad luck, it pours bad luck.

This past weekend was my free weekend so, I went out for a bit to have some fun. Due to my upcoming lack of funding, that may have been the last weekend where I could really let loose and have a good time. I went to see my good friends Stevie, Curt, and Curtiss playing in their band, Stevie Starlite, at two bars. The shows were great as usual. It's always a good time when you hang with these guys. Their shows never disappoint. If any of you ever get a chance to check out a show, do it!

Coming up in two weeks, I'm riding in a charity bike tour for the American Lung Association. 3 days and more than 200 miles of cycling up into hilly Wisconsin. Last year, the tour was fun and challenging, and this year I'm back for more. I've made some modifications to my equipment this year so that it, hopefully, won't be as grueling. For the tour, I have a lot of fundraising to do so, if you can help out, please donate...or else I'm going to have to make up the difference out of my pocket. Click this link to donate online via credit card... Make a tax deductible charity donation for Kevin. If you'd like to donate by mail or with cash, drop me an e-mail and I'll send you details.

Thanks.

Woj

Week 40...

Still plugging away and getting nowhere.

I dropped a line onto the ChicWIT newsletter and asked for "career transition" help. I've received several good responses and am investigating those.

In the meantime, I am also setting up and studying ASP.NET and maybe some VB.NET (...something that I should have done a long, long time ago. Dave Bost suggested I learn .NET when we worked together on the CorSolutions project and I just never found the time to do it. Now, I am paying for that mistake.).

I spoke to a couple of Whittman-Hart guys from days gone by the other day to see if they had any work for me...Roland Lim (K+ Technology Solutions) and Tony Mattucci. Roland and I worked on trying to pitch me for a couple of opportunities at Abbott.

BFN,
Woj

Hi Friends,

This market is killing me...as most of you all know because it's hurt many of you too.

I have just 2 more weeks of unemployment and then I'm out on my own completely. Time is ticking and I can't get anything to close anywhere from a job standpoint.

IF you know of anything, please pass it on my way. ANYTHING at all. Do you need a secretary? I'll be your "guy Tuesday"... :)

If you have job ideas outside of IT that will pay enough for me to live and care for my son, please pass your ideas along.

I appreciate everything you've all tried to do for me so far. I'm just hopelessly mired in the fact that I can't seem to fit anywhere right now.

I worked for Whittman-Hart / marchFIRST / divine for 7 1/2 consecutive years. I started as a simple consultant developer and did whatever jobs the company needed me to do. I was sent in to do different technologies and each time learned what I needed to know. That mentality made it so that I never did the same technology twice. I worked on 18 different projects and they were all completely different. At the time, it felt like I was doing the right thing...be the one guy the company can count on to take on any task and succeed. I was thrown into the fire on just about every project that I did and I always pulled my head out of the flames and got the job done.

The problem with that is that I now have a jack-of-all-trades skillset and everyone wants years of expertise in single areas. To top if off, I moved up into management my last couple years and away from current technologies. Everything seemed cool at the time...I was working on projects as an analyst, project manager, developer, etc. but nothing hardcore development. Well, now I'm pigeon-holed without a single solid development technology to fall back on. The technology skills I do have are a dime a dozen in this glutted marketplace.

I need an opportunity to work on something and show what I can do. I can do anything you throw at me. Just give me a chance!

Frustrated and struggling....

Woj

Good news has finally come my way. I now have medical insurance from Starbucks and can drop my divine COBRA coverage. Yea! That will be a relief for awhile.

Other than that, I'm still plugging away following up on leads and trying to get something working. There have been many ups and downs and me on the short list with one job. But, alas, I haven't been able to get one to say "you're hired" yet. So, on I go...

My unemployment benefits are nearing the end and I may have to accept any old job just to have income coming in again to pay bills and such. If anyone has an idea, I'm open to just about anything. I've been considering postal employee or UPS package handler to start.

Hopefully, one of these days, I can put this Blog to rest and talk about happy things but, for now, life trudges on.

Thanks for hanging with me and supporting me.

Woj