Hello from the North Slope of the Volcano. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, it’s a cool 38 and dropping to freezing and there’s much ado in the studio. December is a full-slate of workshops, art shows, and craft fairs. I have Christmas music on to keep a Merry Noel going while creating. I do a mean fused glass Victorian house to Silver Bells.
This is the financially hardest hit Christmas season I can recall for many people, including me. The economy in Oregon continues to be sluggish however I believe in miracles and am quite sure that one is coming my way. There’s a miracle waiting for everyone, you’ll know it when you feel it.
This year my 2010 list of holiday gifts for the economically challenged includes new thoughts of how to let your loved ones know you love them. We both know that these days it’s not about the desire to work, or how hard you work to find work, it’s about finding the right opportunity at the right time, in the right place and being the best candidate for the job and getting that elusive interview.
My gift list of favorites for 2010 starts in a unique office situated in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Number 1. Job Jenny. Jennifer Foss moved her corporate recruiting business from Detroit, Michigan, to Lake Oswego, Oregon, when an opportunity arrived that she just couldn’t let pass by and I am so glad she did. What Jenny did for me is worth a cool million dollars but it didn’t cost anything near that much.
Knowing my resume needed a trim and independent attention ( I had edited it far too many times to see my voice on the page) Giovanni suggested I contact Job Jenny after hearing the inside scoop from one of his networking teams. With a BA in Journalism, a MS in Management, Jenny is a master of the value of the written word and how to help you make your experience and talent shine its’ light. She doesn’t stop there, her recruiting expertise gives you some tricks for finding the right place for you to search.
Not all industries post their mid-senior positions, not all industries use the same methods for recruitment and Jenny’s insights are worth twice her fee. If you agree to pass it on to people seeking a “Tress” I will be happy to share my new resume with you so that you read the quality of her insight and service. If you have a friend or family member who has yet to find their voice Jenny is now offering gift certificates and if you add “Santa Tress” to the optional info at payment there is an added benefit http://www.jobjenny.com/gift-certificates.
Number 2. If it has been a while since your loved one’s been job-hunting here’s a different vision for a gift certificate. Spruce them up and I’m not talking about planting an evergreen tree. Help give them a fresh fashion look. A pair of earrings, a new blue shirt, a scarf, a blazer (for both sexes) and help them update their look for an interview. First impressions are important and some fun shopping is a great morale booster. Take them shopping, have a glass of wine with lunch, and help get that new fashion groove going. Please note: let them choose the items, they may need a specific “look” that is appropriate to the position they seek.
Number 3. Mobile phone service. If they need a new phone, with some critical apps and all of the content of the internet to help them with extended time and/or access or that updated piece of telephone equipment it’s a valuable tool. Terrible cellular service can mean missing opportunities because they get lost in the ephemera of the invisible mobile network.
Number 4. Simple — gas card with a couple of tanks worth of driving. Don’t drive? Mass-transit tickets or pass, cab fare or bicycle maintenance are also an option.
Number 5. The best one of all… tell them you love them, let them know that you can see their successful future and help them keep sight of the path they are on. Whatever happens there is another road to take, an opportunity to grasp. The best is yet to come and when they arrive there is a big bountiful reward for getting there. Life ain’t easy but it sure can be sweet.
That’s it from the North Slope of the Volcano, Tress
Prefontaine Studio Holiday Schedule: http://www.prefontainestudio.com/xmzs.html
Mt. Tabor, located in Portland, Oregon, is the only US City in North America with a volcano inside city limits.
