I am often asked to review clients’ resumes and provide feedback. While I try to accommodate these requests, I do first disclaim that I’m not an expert in resume writing and suggest that anyone seeking those services should hire a professional resume writer. However, what I can do is provide you with some general tips to improve yours right now:

1. Look at job postings online and design your bullet points based on the requirements. If you’re seeking a particular job or industry, it’s important to read as many postings online as you can and use the content to your benefit. The purpose here is to gain clarity on employers’ needs by identifying the main points of the job descriptions. Then make sure the bullets on your resume answers those needs but make sure you use your own words (no one likes a plagiarizer) and always be truthful. It’s more than ok to be creative and show how your skills (both hard skills and soft skills) can contribute to an organization, however, it’s another to flat out lie.
2. Use your resume as a self-promotion tool. If you don’t promote yourself, no one will. This is where many people miss the mark. This doesn’t mean be cocky or arrogant, but I’ve seen it time and time again, highly successful people diminish how valuable they are and how much they are capable of. And by the way, myself included. I recently had a conversation with a headhunter (not for a job… I met him at a friend’s house). He asked me about my professional background, looking for my resume, it seemed. After going through the play-by-play he commented on how impressed he was by how much I’ve done in my career. But if you asked me to sum up what I had told him I might have taken a different route, diminishing my extensive experience. Get the point?
3. Your resume is for self-promotion, but ultimately it’s just a formality. It will not land you any job. Only you will, in person. While you must have a top-notch resume, its purpose is to tell only part of the story. With the job market still tight at best, it’s more important than ever for job seekers to take a creative approach to landing their next gig. Finding a job through a blind online submission is possible but it is almost as likely these days as winning the daily numbers lottery. In today’s market I cannot stress enough how important it is to get in front of the interviewer either through networking, cold-calling, knocking on doors or through a LinkedIn introduction.

It’s easy for college grads to get caught up in the massive nation-wide problem of no jobs and high student loan debt. Deemed a national crisis, this situation has left many feeling hopeless and even paralyzed because finding a solid job that will pay enough to live while repaying exorbitant debt can feel like climbing a steep mountain. The best you can do at this point is to avoid surfing websites that repeatedly cover this topic and start doing what you can to chip away toward eventual freedom. Constantly listening to or reading how bad things are will only make you feel worse. So, here are three things you can start doing right now that will empower you and even build skills that could be useful to you in your career.

1. Be scrappy and focus on what you can control over rather than what you can’t. This might mean working more than one odd job or spending your free time networking and meeting with people who might lead you to a career opportunity. If you think you don’t have a viable network, begin with alumni from your college, older siblings’ or your parents’ friends. You will be surprised by how quickly you can build a network, which will become one of your greatest assets.
2. Come to terms with what you are willing to give to get what you want. Chances are you’re currently living at home with your parents and are not in a financial position to move out. Rather than complaining, think of this time as a means to an end and use it to work as hard as you can at any job, even if flipping burgers or washing dishes. Save as much as you can while still paying off your loan. Time flies when you’re having fun so find joy in this process. Remember, the good news is that you are taking control of your life and from this experience you will walk away with gratification that you’ve paid off your loan, with money in the bank so you can live on your own, and with skills (even if only soft skills) that you can take with you to your next job.
3. Do whatever it takes! Take an internship or unpaid job opportunity along side working the odd job or jobs you have now. An internship is a great way to get a foot in the door, even if unpaid. Yes, I know, you’ve spent the last four years working hard in school and you feel that you should be paid for your time. And you should. But It’s important to get experience, so rather than get caught up in the vicious cycle of needing experience to get a job but needing a job to get experience, offering your time for free will allow you an opportunity to show how valuable you are to the organization. Even if that company doesn’t hire you, you will have experience on your resume for other opportunities.

All the recent talk about college, and the cost-benefit of attending, is leaving many confused about whether or not going to college is really worth it.

To sum it up:

A college degree today is like a high school diploma of yesterday. It’s not necessarily going to prepare students for the real world but it’s a resume ‘must-have’ to avoid being ruled out before you even get a foot in the door of the interview process. As a New York Stock Exchange veteran, I have worked with many successful people who never went to college. Some made it through their careers without boundaries and others hit ceilings once their jobs were replaced by technology.

College is an important piece of the puzzle but it’s a mistake to think that a solid college education will guarantee success in life. High school graduates should not miss out on the experience, but parents should avoid making the mistake of financially overextending because they believe a more expensive college will better prepare their kids and ensure future success. That is one of the greatest myths of our education system.

Rather than focusing on brand-name colleges, it would be beneficial to look for programs that require, or at least encourage, students to gain college credit for apprenticeships or internships that work along side traditional classroom courses. This will not only result in a more well rounded graduate, but it will allow the student to gain practical skills that the classroom cannot provide. And finally, real world experience gives a student the opportunity to get a head start on creating his or her network and on building a track record through performance and contribution to the organization.

Regardless of the latest jobs numbers, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking that it’s still difficult to land a new job. The truth is now is a prime time to make a change if you are smart about it. There are plenty of opportunities out there. All you need is the right mindset.

Here are three things to consider:

1. You could be your own worst enemy. One of the biggest hurdles in making a career change is fear. We all have fear. The question is will you let yours keep you stagnant? In terms of a career change, fear is often based on what you hear from others or a feeling that you don’t have the skills or the experience to have the career you want. This is usually nonsense. You have skills, experience (including life experience) and something valuable to offer. Focus on what you have, rather than what you lack, and the fear will slowly begin to dissipate.
2. Re-think the word ‘job’ and replace it with the word ‘mission’ or ‘purpose.’ Instead of focusing on the hours you will work or how much money you will make, consider what you can bring to a new challenge and how you will contribute to an organization.
3. A new opportunity might be right outside your front door. Open the door to your office or step outside your cubical. Employees often get so fed up with their current company that they fail to explore other opportunities internally. Many large and midsize organizations have openings in various disciplines. This is a great place to start looking for a career change since your experience and track record can be an asset.

And one final note: most professionals fail to recognize their true strengths. There is so much emphasis placed on hard skills and very little on soft skills. Soft skills, such as people skills or the ability to work under extreme pressure is as valuable, or even more so, than hard skills (or that which you learn though school or formal training). When looking for new opportunities, be sure to highlight your soft skills as they are some of your best assets.

The days of looking for a job are long gone. Truth is, if you’ve been chronically out of work or you believe that there are no jobs out there, it may not be the looking that’s the problem. You’re the problem. But the good news is, you’re easy to fix.

Modern day job hunting goes well beyond skills, education, experience and knowledge. Nowadays, companies are doing more with less. Therefore, potential hires have to stand out in a crowd. For you, the candidate, this means fulfilling a mission or purpose rather than thinking you’re only looking for a job.

Scary, yes. Hard, no. Here are some tips for how to change your approach that will lead you to a real opportunity:

First, remove the word job from your vocabulary. Start thinking of your job hunt as a mission assignment. When you look back on your career years from now, what do you hope to have achieved? We’re not talking just about the money you are making.  If you don’t know your mission or purpose, get in touch with your internal voice or tap into your intuition. Deep down you know what you’re meant to do.

Next, identify and understand your clientele. If you don’t intend to start your own business, this doesn’t exempt you from this step. Your potential employer is your potential client, so while networking or interviewing, make sure you ask a question like, “What is one of your pain points that filling this role will resolve?” Then make sure you convey why you are the right person to fill that role.

Finally, start looking for opportunities and stop looking for jobs. If you were your own boss how would you sell yourself differently than you do as a potential employee? Once you figure that out you must use that approach toward finding employment just as a business owner approach potential clients.

The only question left to ask is, do you want to continue to spin your wheels and endure endless frustration or do you want to take charge of your career and become the candidate employers can’t refuse?

Another year has passed and the job market continues to be dismal at best, despite a few shaky glimmers of “hope” from polls, statistics and pundits. Most of us are feeling the pain of this economic nightmare and many fear the uncertainty that has followed us right over the threshold into 2013. If over the past few years you became a high school or college graduate , there is a good chance that you continue to struggle to find solid and appropriate employment. If you are further along in your career perhaps you are unemployed, underemployed, or unhappily employed. If you are closer to retirement age you might have been “retired early” by your longtime employer but you feel that you are not yet in a comfortable financial position to relinquish your place in the work force. Whichever category you fall into, there is a good chance that you are feeling pretty down about or stuck in the current state of your career. You might even be like many who have little belief that the future is bright and you have begun to just give in and accept the “new normal.”

However, I’m here to tell you that it really doesn’t have to be this way despite what “they” tell you! The problem with current condition is that human nature leads us into a group think mentality. This leaves us believing what we hear from the news, from our government, from your employers, from your friends, family and colleagues. You might argue that it is not group think, but rather your reality every month when you have to pay your bills or when you cannot afford to put food on the table or pay your mortgage. That is your reality every day that you awake up in the morning and set out on your journey to a job that you hate, or when you awake up without a job to travel to. Or maybe your reality is applying for countless job openings only to quickly learn that the position has been filled, and not by you. I am not downplaying your struggles, however, I am challenging you because if what you have been doing for weeks, months or even years has not been effective, then maybe it’s time to change course! You do not have to believe what “they” tell you and you definitely DO NOT have to wait for others to fix what’s broken. You do not have to believe that your current circumstances are your plight and that there is nothing you can do to change it. You definitely do not have to believe that “it is what it is.” The truth is that you have probably been on this trajectory for so long that you cannot fathom another way and you have convinced yourself that your view on the situation is REALITY.

Yes, maybe it is your current reality but that can change, ONLY if you want it to.

Ok, so maybe you’re not whining about the state of your life, more specifically your career and financial health as this title suggests. However, if you have said or thought something along the lines of “the job market sucks,” “my job sucks,” “I’m lucky to have a job,” “I don’t know how I’m going to find a job in this market,” or my favorite, “it is what it is” then you are not taking charge of your career. You are letting the views of others rule you!

So as we ring in the new year and make resolutions that we most likely won’t fulfill, I’m here to offer one that you can. In every economic crisis there have been new generations of millionaires born. Why? It’s not because of good luck. What is luck anyway? We make our own luck. Those people succeeded because they saw the opportunities while everyone around them were listening to what ‘they’ were saying and worrying about the “reality” of the situation. These successful people became calmer and more clear-headed while everyone around them was panicking. They succeeded because they believed in the possibilities while others accepted the “reality.” They succeeded because they used out-of-the-box thinking to make things happen rather than whining about what was and rather than believing that anything and everything is difficult. If you make it your resolution to remove this type of limited thinking from your mind and start believing that anything is truly possible, you will find yourself amazed at all the opportunities that will come your way. They are everywhere. The problem is that most of us either miss them as they pass us by or if we do see them, we immediately go to that place of finding excuses and reasons for “why not!”

So as we say goodbye to 2012 and hello to 2013, challenge yourself by making a resolution to believe that ANYTHING is possible so that you are open to new opportunities. Wishing you a wonderful 2013 that brings you many rewards from new beginnings!

I am frequently asked what it means to be an Occupreneur and what it takes to become one. Well, first I can tell you are ALL Occupreneurs, whether or not you know it or not, deep down you are an Occupreneur. If you work full or part time, are a student, a stay-at-home parent, spend most of your time job seeking or are a full time volunteer, you are an Occupreneur. The true definition of an Occupreneur is any person who moves through life from a place of purpose and passion to deliver an incomparable service and realizes success through personal unique branding and perseverance. While I’m not big on one-size fits all formulas (a topic for another day), I do want to share with you a few simple steps for discovering your inner Occuprenur.

• Step 1: Ask yourself, what is my PASSION? Without passion it is almost impossible to be truly successful in life. Even successful people who hate their jobs have some level of passion for what they’re doing. No one said passion had to be of the positive variety. You could have passion for what you’re doing but hate it! Having a positive kind of passion makes the journey much more enjoyable! Maybe your passion has been suppressed for so long that you don’t even know where to begin answering that question. Start by making a list of your interests, strengths and skills. Keep the list with you and add to it over time. Don’t dismiss anything. Write it all down. Something that may seem silly now could be the KEY to unlocking your true passion and ultimately your success!
• Step 2: Discover your PURPOSE: Whether you are currently employed or one of the millions seeking work, chances are that you have spent little or no substantial time thinking about what you are truly meant to do. Ask yourself some questions such as, “how am I unique?”, “when I leave this earth, what do I want to be known for?” “what mark do I want to leave on society?” I can tell you that knowing what you’re meant to do is vital for ultimate success. If you are on the wrong career path each day you probably feel like you’re swimming upstream and getting no where. I don’t care who you are or what you say (even if you SAY you are happy not working or fine in a dead-end job) we all want to feel successful.
• Step 3: Develop your PERSONAL BRAND: This one usually scares people, especially those who do not believe they have an entrepreneurial bone in their body. But before you close your web browser please know that I like to keep things simple, especially when initially identifying one’s personal brand. Personal branding is really about understanding who you are and what you have to offer that is unique. It’s about the perception others have of you and your work. The first step is to become very clear about who you are, what your purpose is, who you serve, why you serve them (ie. what is the need you fulfill), and how you serve them. That service can be done within an organization as an employee or a consultant. It can be provided through your own company. It doesn’t really matter. Everything you do and say adds to your personal brand, either contributing to it or destroying it. Once you are clear be real about what is working and what is not. Making minor changes to what isn’t working can create a major shift in your brand and ultimately your success. Have fun with it and don’t try so hard. Your brand will evolve over time!
• Step 4: PERSEVERE: Early on in my career I was lucky to work for someone who always reminded me that to reach your goals you must Persevere. The definition of persevere according to dictionary.com is to maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty. When you believe you are working as hard as you can but you keep hitting a wall, make sure you’re focusing on the purpose and not the process. The point is to keep your eye on the goal and reach for it no matter what! If pushing through an obstacle isn’t working, try going over, under or around it. Just remember to focus on living your PURPOSE, rather than getting caught up in the PROCESS!

Two final pieces of advice:  1. When identifying your passion and purpose, leave the opinions of and judgement from others out of it! You know deep down what you’re meant to do, which directly feeds your passion. Living someone else’s dream or tailoring yours out of fear of criticism from others will only stifle you from the success that you deserve! True friends will support you along the way no matter what! 2. HAVE FUN and don’t take it all so seriously! I’m not suggesting that you take any of this lightly or as a joke, but a big part of being a successful Occupreneur is that if you’re on the right path then even the most intensive tasks shouldn’t feel like work!

As we congregate with friends and family on this Thanksgiving Day, many of us may feel that it is difficult to find things to be grateful for this year with our wallets tight, employment status uncertain or anything else that is weighing us down. Whether or not we are feeling that way today, all of us can say that we have experienced an uneasiness or uncertainty about something in our lives at one point. It may not be you that is feeling that way today, but rather a relative or friend sitting across the table.

What I wish for you on this day of Thanks & Giving, is that you are able to dig deep to find at least one thing for which to be grateful. It has been a difficult year for many and for our country as a whole. Today is the one day of the year where Americans from the north, east, south and west; republicans, democrats, young, old, rich and poor come together to celebrate that which our great nation was founded. We celebrate how lucky we are to be Americans because despite where you come from, and despite what you believe, you have the freedom to decide where you are going. We celebrate how giving we are as a people to those who need support or a helping hand at home and abroad. We celebrate the choices we really do have even when we say, “I have no choice.” We celebrate that in America there is always a way if you have the will!

I hope that, as you begin your celebrations, you take a moment to really think about what you have to be grateful for and then perhaps share your gratitude with at least one friend or relative. In doing so, you will make the day sweeter and your life fuller. Wishing you and yours a very happy, healthy, safe and peaceful holiday!

Why is it that when a person or group of persons get angry about workplace inequality their best option for dealing with it is to either complain incessantly or immediately lawyer up and file a lawsuit? While I do understand that our cultural practices dictate that taking these kinds of cases directly to the court is the ONLY approach to take, it’s not something we HAVE to do. Taking these issues straight to the courts is limiting and fails to solve the real problem. It increases adversary in the relationship between employee and employer and it leaves the perception of women in the workplace unfavorable. This overhanging threat often leaves men thinking that a woman in the workplace is to be feared rather than embraced because one wrong move and now you’re being sued.

I’m not suggesting we should all take it lying down. That is not at all what I’m implying. However, I am offering that there is another and (in my opinion) more effective way to accomplish the goal which is to be successful and break through the barriers commonly referred to as the glass ceiling. In the almost 13 years that I worked in a male-dominated industry, I can tell you that I’ve been witness to these inequalities. I have found that the best way to work through these challenges can be summed up by the old adage, “don’t get mad, get even!” The way you get even is by being successful!

The best way for women (or anyone who feels they are being discriminated against in the workplace) to conquer the glass ceiling is to take the reigns back on their careers. Start acting like an Occupreneur who is worth being paid what she commands, worth the high level position and able to make a name for herself that doesn’t have threats and lawsuits attached. That is REAL success and if more women took this approach the unequal pay issues would disappear. I’m not suggesting that we all become stubborn, arrogant or think we’re entitled. I am saying that when we are clear about our own value, what we have to offer, and we aren’t afraid to be a true Occupreneur then we become the CEOs of our careers rather than being victims to our jobs.

Here are five steps toward achieving freedom from any glass ceiling and can be used for overcoming any circumstances:

1. REDIRECT THE ANGER! Being angry is ok. It is a normal emotion to have when you feel unfairly treated. But letting that anger fester into something unhealthy that doesn’t propel you forward or add to your life in anyway is unproductive. It actually works against you and holds you back. Instead, use that anger to light the fire that will motivate you towards success. Focus on your goals and not on the fact that your current situation feels unfair. While it might be, remember that where you are today is only your current situation. You don’t have to accept it and you don’t have to stay in it.
2. GET CLEAR ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL BRAND! We all have a personal brand but most people cannot identify theirs. That is the real tragedy because no two people are alike. We all have something unique to offer and it is our job and our duty as members of society to figure that out and then deliver. Put your efforts toward defining your brand as it exists today. If there is something about your brand that doesn’t serve you, change it. On the floor of the NYSE we had a saying that translates into life and especially into building your personal brand. It says, “you’re only as good as your last trade.” That means that as bad as your last trade was your next one and the one after that and the one after that can be better and better. That’s how you change perception and rebuild your personal brand.
3. Don’t accept what ‘they’ are telling you because ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! If you believe you can’t then you can not. But it has been proven time and time again that if you really believe you can then anything is possible. The problem is that most people believe the limitations that others set forth. They believe what the mainstream tells them. They believe what the masses believe. However, if you look at all of the successful people that have ever walked the earth from Lincoln to Steve Jobs it is clear that truly successful people think outside the box and they truly believe in what they are doing! That mentality sells itself to anyone. Just because you hear there are no jobs out there doesn’t mean there are no jobs. There are always jobs for a candidate who positions herself as invaluable!
4. BE NIMBLE! Don’t get caught up in the process of achieving your goal. This seems to be one of the biggest and most common mistakes people make. They decide HOW they are going to achieve something rather than focusing almost all of their efforts on what they want to achieve. When we let go of the HOW and just focus on the WHAT the answers find us. Be open to opportunities that come your way regardless of how they look. If they get you to where you want to go then why not give it a try?
5. NEVER LET YOUR NETWORK GET STALE! Another common mistake that people make when working for someone else is that they tend to get comfortable with the idea that they are employed. The most successful people always make sure their network is growing and they never say no to an opportunity. A client of mine recently got laid off from her job. When we talked about steps she was going to take to find a new job, one of the things that came up was that she had recently received a call from another company who was hiring and needed someone with her skill set. Since my client was employed, she didn’t bother to call this person back because she figured she couldn’t take the job anyway. BIG mistake but one to learn from. Never say no to having a conversation. You never know where an opportunity to position yourself for higher pay or a promotion lies.

A final thought… I’m not suggesting that those who fight inequality in the workplace should stop. That’s their right to do so. What I am suggesting to those who jump on the bandwagon, or those who sit back and wait for others to change the inequalities in their workplace, or finally those who complain and do nothing about it, is that only you have the power to institute real change to your circumstances. The best way to do that is by taking action NOW! Rise above the status quo and take control of your own career, your own destiny and ultimately your own success!

Despite what the labor statistics tell us, we all know fellow Americans who are unemployed or underemployed. The latest adjusted unemployment rate, according to Gallup, shows signs of improvement. However, the true unemployment number that includes the underemployed and those barely holding on to their place in the workforce, because they have all but given up, is estimated at 14.7% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Regardless of the muddy semantics around the unemployment rate, the pain is being felt across the country and I’m sure if you are struggling to make ends meet you are uninterested in what the government tells us about the rate of unemployment or the state of the economy because you feel it first-hand every day.

The current state of our economy and the pending presidential election has prompted a lot of thought for me about the American Dream on which this country was founded. When our early ancestors came to this land many of them came to escape religious or political persecution but almost all were in pursuit of the priceless right of freedom and the great American Dream. How many times have you heard the story of an immigrant who came to America with $10 in his or her pocket but who, thanks to the freedoms of The United States of America, made a great life for his or herself and family? Maybe you are that immigrant or maybe you are the child of that immigrant. Those that created that dream for themselves and their families did so by working hard. They did so by being resourceful. They did so by having a strong, unwavering desire to achieve success and live the American Dream. It was that desire. It was that “failure is not an option” approach that not only brought them success but also built the success of a great nation.

So where am I going with this? The following occurred to me over the weekend:

While many Americans are angry about the state of the economy, the state of their careers, the state of their personal finance and their overall lives, we spend more hours arguing over which candidate is going to “solve” our problems, and finding others to blame for our hardship, than we do taking personal responsibility to change the course of our own lives. While I’m not absolving our government for making poor decisions, I am writing this to challenge every American who feels this way to cut the crap! Stop blaming others for your problems and start doing something about it! Find inspiration in the stories from our ancestors and start taking ownership of your own life and career. Figure out what goods or services people need and then provide it! That’s what being a contributing and successful member of society is all about! Uncover your inner Entrepreneur or Occupreneur™ and find the strength from within to fix your own problems. We all have this strength. Each and every one of us does. No immigrant comes to this country for the American dream just to be taken care of by government. Well maybe some have and many do today but the majority of immigrants have left their nations of origin in pursuit of the American dream with the intent of leaving a government-centric life behind. Now they are in America heading right back to where they started. It’s time people for all Americans to do a little soul searching and figure out what mark you are going to leave on this earth by the time you die. Will you be someone who gives or takes? Entrepreneurs & Occupreneurs™ are givers and those who are comfortable living month after month, year after year on public assistance are takers. If you are a taker don’t fret. You CAN become a giver if you want to, and it can happen overnight if you believe you CAN! And think about how much you will help your neighbor by being the example of what’s possible?

What I can’t wrap my head around is the fact that so many Americans believe that it is their duty as Americans to give those less fortunate than they a monetary handout as their way to ‘help’ that person. While I believe their intentions are good in nature and while I believe there is a time and a place for offering assistance to our neighbors, the way you REALLY help others is through believing in them and their ability. The way you help others is by offering them support and mentoring on their journey towards personal success and prosperity. Despite what people say, collecting a government check week after week, year after year is demoralizing because it sends a message that you are not capable of making it on your own. It sends a message that you are not smart enough, good enough; resourceful enough… it says YOU ARE NOT ENOUGH.

To illustrate this point further, I will equate this approach of “helping” to a parent who does their child’s homework for them rather than with them because it’s easier and because they want that child to get a good grade. Or the parent with an adult child who allows or even encourages him or her to live at home for years after they graduate high school or college (free of charge) because they don’t want that child to struggle. Often those parents don’t require that their child create an action plan with measurable results and deadlines to move his or her life forward and “leave the nest”. These approaches to “help” are not supportive despite intentions. These actions are are actually delivering messages to that child or in this case, to that American, that he or she is not capable of making it on their own. It sends a message that these individuals need someone else to take care of them to survive and thrive. That is a LIE people! Assistance can be a good thing temporarily while you pursue personal achievement. If you find yourself overtaken by your circumstances and feeling stuck then it’s time to make a change in your approach. YOU ARE ENOUGH! You are viable, capable, smart and resourceful. It is up to you to decide now what kind of life you want to live. There are so many resources out there to better yourself and build or improve your skills, but what is even more valuable is finding a mentor or doing some relevant volunteer work. Even if that volunteering is in the form of ‘free’ hours of work for someone who could teach you something. I think we can agree that if you are working for knowledge, rather than money, the value of what you’re getting from the relationship could be INVALUABLE. If you are someone who works full-time or several jobs just to put food on the table, consider setting aside a few hours per week or month for this kind of relevant volunteering. It could be the best thing you have ever done!

We are at a turning point in our nation’s history. Our politicians love to use this phrase but I’m going to use it in a different way. We are each at a turning point in our lives as Americans, as individuals and as members of society. For those of us who are unemployed or underemployed we are at a crossroads with two paths from which to choose.  We can sit idle and wait for others to figure out how to unsuccessfully ‘fix’ our problems, OR we can get up off of our behinds and get out in the world and fix our own problems. I KNOW each of you are capable and all I ask is that you consider what I wrote and then forward this post to all of your friends and relatives who are struggling right now to find a job or who are unhappily unemployed or underemployed. If it makes them angry to read what I wrote then good! It means that what I wrote has struck a nerve. It is my opinion that the majority of people talking about and writing on the topic of how to help yourself do so in a very soft and sympathetic way. As a coach I’m very empathetic to the struggles that people are enduring right now. But that doesn’t move people forward. Telling people that they are right for being angry at others for their plight or accepting the belief that we as human beings don’t have the intelligence and ability to change the course of our own lives is unproductive and could be the downfall of a great nation and the American Dream!