Recovery - When?

Will the job search be easier when the economy shifts from recession to recovery? And maybe even more importantly, how will we know?

I recently came across a website, MarketingProfs.com, that summarizes a great article from Gene Marks in BusinessWeek on this topic. Here are some signs that could indicate a shift to a recovery:

1. An improving Consumer Confidence Measure, released on the last Tuesday of the month.

2. Rising Commodity prices, which reflect an increase in demand for raw materials like steel and copper.

3. "Recovery" vs. "Recession" on Google Trends. "When the number of times 'Recovery' is mentioned exceeds the number of times the word 'Recession' is mentioned," he notes, "that means the media has now become bored with the 'Recession' and instead wants to talk about the 'Recovery.'"

The economy recovered in 1982 following the recession of 1980 - 1981.

Can the recovery for this recession be near?

Check out the entire BusinessWeek article here.

Today's the Day

Today is the 1st day of my blog and day 50 of my job search. I never thought it would happen to me (the job search, that is) but apparently managment thought differently and now here I am.

The world is a different place from this side. I've always worked, so I don't know quite how to accept the idea of getting up in the morning with no place to go.

But I can't look back, I need to look forward.

So I go to work everyday, looking for a job. Looking for a job is not how it sounds. If only it were around the corner, or behind the tree in the back yard.

No, looking for a job is a very different concept, one that's taken me 50 days to start to get my arms around.

Looking for a job is a job.

So that's what I'm doing. I'm quickly becoming connected through all forms of social media. I'm attending seminars, I'm hanging out with the Chamber of Commerce, I'm doing breakfast, lunch, and appetizing to meet the next contact that will introduce me to the next contact that will introduce me to my next job.

Hopefully soon.

In the meantime, I draw inspiration from things I read, or see, or hear about that put a positive spin on the entire situation.

Like the Indianapolis Colts. Take a look at the video on their website. The Colts may not know me by name, but I know they thought of me.

That's inspiring.

Now back to my job.