I’m Supposed To Be Worried, Right?

When I left my job of 21 years as the Operations Manager and Program Director at WHOM and WJBQ, I was the happy recipient of much advice, virtually all of it well intentioned.

Beyond the premise of good intentions, however, the similarities ended. Those of you who have been unemployed in the past or who are now can attest to the sheer volume of “tips” offered by family, friends and former co-workers. They usually fall into one of the three following categories:

1)      Death In The Family- These are the folks who will ONLY offer advice if you bring up the subject. They are uncomfortable around you, not knowing what to say, as if there has been a death in the family. I suppose for some people this is an understandable approach, but not for me. In fact, I have found that kidding about my lack of a job works wonders in loosening everyone up. It’s OK…it really is!

2)      Take It Easy- These are the people who look at unemployment as a vacation, advising the unfortunate slob (in this case, me) to “relax, kick back and enjoy the time off”. Actually applying for work doesn’t usually enter into the conversation.

3)      House On Fire- Related to Death In The Family, these well-meaning folks are all about a full frontal assault on the job market in order to get back into the game ASAP. From giving job leads to contact names to help with resumes and the like, these people are committed to getting you off of the beach.

I love you all! And believe me when I say that I appreciate any and all advice for landing somewhere else.

 My personal approach is really a combination of Take It Easy and House on Fire. I am REALLY enjoying the time off, but am also working simultaneously to “plant the seeds” of future employment.

One thing certainly happens when employment ends---you assess where you are, where you have been—and maybe where you want to go. With a job, the crazy rush of work, family and other obligations made weeks seem like hours and months feel like days.  What did that mean? For me, it meant that many of the important things in life were either not appreciated---or, in some cases, not attended to at all.

This is a mistake I vow not to make going forward. While my former job was all-demanding in terms of being “on call” 24/7/365, I could usually work in family stuff. This, luckily, meant being able to attend school meetings and activities (even during the day) and sports practices and games with my children. Many dads and moms don’t have this luxury---and I am grateful that I did.

However, there were hundreds of times where I was present in body only. There physically, but with a brain totally preoccupied with work. Not optimal.

After some time off, it finally hit me:

I’ve been a damn workaholic all my life.

It all began on Wednesday, December 1, 1971. That was the day I started my first job, delivering the Washington Post in my hometown of D.C. That job was seven days a week, 365 days a year, Christmas, holidays, rain or shine—all starting at about 5am. I worked every single day for nearly five years, until I went off to college.

In addition to school and the paper route, I also work other part-time jobs through high school. In college, I volunteered at the campus radio station at Ohio State, worked  PT at commercial stations in Columbus and in the cafeteria at OSU. I never went on Spring Break to Florida, never took vacation days off---all because I always “had work to do”.

After college, I was working and living at home when my “big break” came—an offer to become Program Director at a brand new radio station—WKSQ in Ellsworth, Maine. That was in 1982. So, with essentially two all-encompassing jobs  in the last 30 years, I realize that life has been one big happy BLUR!

Since May 18^th ( my last day at WHOM and WJBQ), I have been playing golf, doing household chores ignored for years, getting reacquainted with my family and enjoying myself like nobody’s business.

And, yeah, I’ve been applying for work, too.

Knowing that the job market sucks, that radio jobs with humane and reputable employers are far rarer and that the employment “process” is long,  I am settled in for the long haul. I know that any reasonable person should be concerned if not worried, but I am not.

Is it conceit?

Maybe, but I don’t think so. Knowing full well that my next job is likely to NOT be in broadcasting, my resume with 30 years of radio may be scaring some employers off…..that said, I know that I do have a lot to contribute and feel certain that someone, somewhere will recognize it. Irrational, perhaps ,but as  unrealistic as it may be, that’s where my head is at.

I also know from being on the OTHER side of hiring that no response for a week or two can be traumatic to the applicant, but to the hiring manager, it is literally the blink of an eye.

So….I have some laundry and dishes to do. I need to walk the dog and clean the basement and garage. But I will also play golf, revel in my family and take the time to smell the roses.

And after years of NOT doing the last couple enough, I feel it’s high time to catch up! It’s all good—and definitely getting better.

That said, if you hear of a good job, let me know. I AM a workaholic, remember?
:>)

If you’d like my blog in your e-mail, just let me know: timgrantmoore@gmail.com