GEN members, this email is so good, I'm re-posting it for you to read. It's written by Dave O'Farrell, one of the leaders of JobSeekers of Peachtree City, and, as always, his message is terrific. Here goes:

Helping People Find Good Jobs, Close to Home, in Minimum Time

Get out and about. Come to JobSeekers this week. Bring a friend.

If you're not looking, forward this message to someone who needs it.

In This Issue
1. Inspiration: How to Make Your Job Search 40 Times Easier
2. Success Story: McCutchen Sets Long Distance Networking Record: 4600 Miles
3. This Week's Meeting: The Number One Thing Every Job Seeker Must Have
4. Networking: ABC from 10:15 to 11:30
5. Job Leads: Leads and Links in South Metro Atlanta
6. Contact: Chaplain and Ship's Crew
7. Donate: You Could Help Save a Career, a Home, or Even a Marriage
JobSeekers of PTC Website | JobSeekers of PTC on LinkedIn
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1. Inspiration: How to Make Your Job Search 40 Times Easier
Sometimes I get tired of hearing folks say, "My accomplishment this week was applying for 20 jobs." Here's another one: "Dave, I don't know what's wrong, I've sent out 50 resumes and haven't heard a thing back." Friends, if you "want to hear something back," you'll need to send out about 1,950 more resumes before you do!
AD RESPONSE and DIRECT MAIL PRODUCE ONLY 5% of JOB SEARCH RESULTS!

About 10 years ago I documented the story of a client who tried the direct mail approach to no avail. This happened when I worked for a large career management firm on the north side of Atlanta. The client happened to live in Peachtree City, so we were both 50 miles from home.

Jeff had read Rites of Passage at $100,000 Plus. The author, John Lucht, basically says to wallpaper the country with resumes. Jeff believed this lie and demanded that we send his resume and cover letter to over 2,000 companies. He said he didn't need any of our other services because he'd read Lucht's book. The cost to us was high -- we calculated $1.25 per letter with the stamp, envelope, paper, toner and administrative time -- but we agreed to do it if he wouldn't burden our other resources.

He sent 2,000 letters and got six responses.

Only one resulted in a face-to-face interview; it was in Houston. He didn't make it to the second round. When you think about it, we paid $2,500 for one interview.
You might have better luck than Jeff did, but even if you did four times better, that would still be 500 resumes. If you've only sent out 50 so far, you've got 10 times more work to do!

Make it easy on yourself. Pick up the phone and start networking.

Networking is 40 times more effective than ad response or direct mail. If you are spending more than four or five hours per week on this almost useless activity, Satan has won a victory over you.

The cosmic battle for our hearts begins in our minds. It begins with temptation, negative thoughts or harmful words. Satan's strategy is to get us so distracted, so insecure and so hurt that our job search takes months or years longer than it should. This impacts our self-esteem, our finances and our relationships -- especially our marriages. Ultimately it affects our relationship with God.

Watch out for these three ways the devil gets a foothold:

1. Temptation
Temptation can be so subtle that we don't even realize that we are giving in to our human nature or our sinful self. One definition of temptation is anything that keeps us from doing the good we know we ought to be doing. James 4:17 says, "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." It happens to me sometimes. I go on the Internet to get a company description off of a website, for instance. How long do you think that would take? I'd say two minutes or less. Guess how long I meander on the website? I'd say 20 minutes or more. As an entrepreneur, I’m a permanent job seeker. The price I paid for the meandering was one sales call; one call could be worth thousands of dollars to me, just as it could be to you.
Distractions are one of Satan's favorite weapons. You could make your own list; here are a few things you've reported to me: the Internet in general, FaceBook specifically, TV, errands, chores and projects. When you are wasting time, you are flirting with the devil himself.

2. Negative thoughts
Negative thoughts invade our minds. Fear. Worry. Self doubt. We are afraid of rejection, we're worried we won't find a job before our money runs out; we're filled with thoughts that we are too old, or overqualified, or in the wrong industry. Negative thoughts enter our minds and they roll off our tongues. Negative thoughts lead to negative words, tone and body language in interviews. We don't get the job. Satan wins this battle.

One time I was speaking to a client who'd had a disappointing interview. At the end of the interview, the interviewer said he noticed my client had a negative attitude toward his last two employers. I told him that's great news because now he knows exactly what he has to work on in order to succeed in the next interview. He sent a very appreciative thank you note to the interviewer the next day.

3. Harmful words
Harmful words can send us even farther down the spiral. "We chose another candidate," are some of the most difficult words for us to hear. However, if you look at it in a positive light, you won't have to waste your time on that lead; you can focus on other opportunities. You can look at rejection as one step closer to your goal, or you can look at it as another reason to feel defeated and depressed. The choice is yours.

Harmful words can come from those who love us most. They don't intend to hurt us, but they do; and the consequences can be eternal. For example, when Peter told Jesus he shouldn't go to Jerusalem for Holy Week, Jesus said, "Get behind me Satan" (Matthew 16:21-23).

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Solution: Don't lose heart. Don't lose hope. Don't give the devil a foothold. Recognize the enemy. Submit yourselves to the Lord. Here are three behaviors you can use to make your job search faster and easier:
1. Recognize the enemy.
If you are a Christian, the best the devil may be able to do is make your life miserable -- to steal the abundant life God has planned for you. Recognize these things for what they really are. They are Satan's deceptions. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." -- John 10:10 NKJV

2. Submit yourselves to God.
If you are not a Christian, God is saying to you that there is a better way. He is the way, the truth and the life. He wants you to live an abundant, joyful life. If you are a Christian, walk by faith and not by sight. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you." -- James 4:7-8

3. Fight back.
You want to change your luck? Fight back. Prayerfully resist temptation, negative thoughts and harmful words. Recognize the enemy. Submit yourselves to God. You want to change your luck? Quit surfing the net. Get focused on high pay-off activities. Do something different. Reach out to as many people as you can and ask for help. You will improve your results by a factor of 40.
When people start coming to JobSeekers their "luck" often changes. We have a three-part, 30-second introduction where everyone tells what they are seeking, a little bit about their background, and one accomplishment for the past week. We get an informal survey of what's working and what's not every week. A newcomer learns that the people with the most activity and the most interviews are the ones who are doing the most networking. A wise job seeker is not only a hearer of this advice, but a doer as well.

This week we will learn and practice skills that will make you a more effective networker and job candidate. You will be on your way to making your search 40 times easier (and maybe four times faster).

See you at JobSeekers, where we not only hear God's word, but act upon it as well!

Copyright © 2009 / Dave O'Farrell / All Rights Reserved
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2. Hey Dave,

Remember the last time you did the workshop on the 'Value-Added Reference Sheet?'

I've actually seen that one twice [editor's note: we have a six-month curriculum at JobSeekers], and after the second iteration I was pondering the thorny question of how to elicit the cooperation of "Claudio," my former supervisor at (X). You see, I had brought up the point before but Claudio had not been a model of enthusiastic cooperation. He failed to really get into the spirit of things. He agreed, grudgingly to write a few lines, but failed to follow through. (He wasn't the only one who failed to follow through.)

I eventually got a job at a firm in the same industry without Claudio 's help, but then the economy sort of imploded and I got to go through the same workshop on another Friday morning. And there it was again, the Claudio problem. In point of fact, he was one of the guys who wielded the ax when I got laid off at (X), so getting him to use positive adjectives and a lot of exclamation points was not a trivial challenge. But then, guess what?

As I was checking my email at the library after JobSeekers, guess who called while I was flagrantly violating the library policy on cell phones? Claudio, with two questions. Would I be interested in working for (X) again? And how much would I cost? This began a several month process which ended with a job that I will start tomorrow. Isn't it a first-rate irony that a guy I was hesitant to press for a recommendation wound up be the catalyst for my hiring?

As you know, after you told me for the third time to finish my V.A.R. I did in fact get it done -- without Claudio and it didn't turn out half bad. In fact, I was really pleased with it, and have to wonder if it might have gotten me over the goal line on a couple of prior near misses. Certainly it was a confidence builder, and I went to my interview at (X) with a boost from that and my newly-minted resume. I think the O'Farrell format was excellent because it started off with my core competencies and gracefully worked-around the ugly facts that aside from a job that I only held for six months, I'd been out of the industry for over three years. Ouch.

All in all, the outcome is an answered prayer. I'll be reunited professionally with some people who have worked with before and for whom I have a lot of respect. The billing application itself is excellent. This is very different from my last brief job in Alpharetta where I came to the view that the product I worked with was mostly smoke, mirrors and glitzy marketing. Finally, the compensation is great. I took a pay cut from my last job, but the number I cited to (X) was $25K above the number in the resume blitz. And (X) didn't try to dicker with me.

In closing, I would like to suggest that I may now lay claim to the 'Long-Distance Networking Champion' for O'Farrell Career Management alumni. I got this Atlanta-based job by networking with a person in Sao Paulo, Brazil – over 4600 miles away.

Thanks again to you and to the Crew.

Tom McCutchen
Success Story: McCutchen Sets Long Distance Networking Record: 4600 Miles
We love to hear from you when you land a new position. Please write and let us know how you found your job, what you learned from the experience, and how JobSeekers helped you.

Friends, if you want to make you job search 40 times easier, get your act together and call everyone you know. Tom mentions at the end of this letter that he can lay claim to 'long distance networking champion.' Our old record was held by Kim Carlson; she found a job in Atlanta by networking with a friend in Portland, Oregon – a mere 2200 miles away.

Congratulations Tom!
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3. This Week's Meeting: The Number One Thing Every Job Seeker Must Have
With the economic storms all around us, it's time to refocus and sharpen our skills. Tomorrow I will share additional secrets of how to make your job 40 times easier. I will discuss the recent unemployment reports and how to use this information to your advantage.

The bottom line is this: It's time to stopping complaining about how big the storm is, and to start telling the storm how big our God is. Come for a blessing tomorrow.
Who: All are welcome; the topics are targeted for professionals, managers and executives.
What: JobSeekers is a nondenominational ministry for people who are making a career transition.
When: Friday mornings from 7:30 to 10:00 am.
Where: First Baptist Church in Peachtree City; 208 Willow Bend Road.
Why: We work with you to find a job, and we walk with you on your journey of faith.
Attire: Business casual.
Agenda: 7:30 coffee / 7:45 welcome and devotional / 8:05 introductions and announcements / 8:45 job search training module / 10:00 adjourn to the Atlanta Bread Company
We look forward to seeing you on Friday! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. Networking
Atlanta Bread Company
After the JobSeekers meeting, we go to the ABC from 10:15 to 11:30 for an informal gathering. There's no agenda; we just have fellowship and help each other out.
Newnan First UMC Job Networking Ministry
Come join us at our next meeting on Tuesday 13 October 6:00 PM.
Meetings are always held the second Tuesday of each month in the Parish Hall of Newnan First United Methodist Church. The church is located at 33 Greenville Street in Newnan. You may reach them by telephone at 770-253-7400 or click here and select "Job Network" under "Resources" on the left side of the home page. We look forward to seeing you there.
College Park Job Seekers

Have a family member, friend or neighbor concerned that they may lose their job, and they cannot take time off to attend a job seekers group? Attend the College Park Job Seekers Group which meets the first Saturday in every month from 9:00 am – 11:30 am. The next meeting is Saturday 3 October. This is a community service of Living Hope Christian Fellowship, 5885 Mallory Road, College Park, Georgia 770-306-9922.
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5. Job Leads
For Employers
Our goal is to help our members find good jobs, close to home, in minimum time. Most of our members are salaried employees from the professional, technical and supervisory level all the way up to general managers and other senior executives. If you have a job lead with the three criteria below let us know.
Please send a brief position profile and tell us how you would like to be contacted. We run the lead for three weeks unless we hear from you to remove or extend the listing.

This service is FREE!

1. The position is salaried; or it is a higher-level hourly position
2. The job is located on this side of Atlanta, especially in Fayette or Coweta County
3. The compensation is not 100% commission-based; this includes MLM's
If your job lead meets these criteria, please submit it before noon on Wednesday.
For JobSeekers
Leads are updated each week, or when I get a chance! Please forgive me if they are a little out of date. Click on this link (or copy-and-paste the following one into your browser) to view this week's jobs:
http://jobseekers-ptc.org/js/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=71
For more leads go to: JobSeekers of PTC on LinkedIn; go to the 'jobs' tab.
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6. Chaplain and Ship's Crew
Chaplain
Reverend Howard Tisdale: 678-545-1565
Ship's Crew
Alan Dvorkin: 770-639-9599
Charlene Sibaja: 770-486-3479
Dana Wilcock: 770-328-1524
Dave O'Farrell: 770-486-6289
Dave Rottschafer: 678-364-0187
David Halm: 404-405-0422
Deacon Dave Sandlin: 770-365-4343
Emily Hall: 678-633-0813
Ernie Childs: 770-487-5303
George von Walthausen: 770-486-0704
Jack Wheeler: 770-461-8618
JB Kirk: 404-226-3804
Jim Taylor: 678-471-3381
John Lhota: 678-230-6173
Linda Wells: 404-422-1136
Lucio Petroccione: 404-918-7937
Melvin Ewing: 404-545-4299
Michelle Wrobleski: 678-489-3118
Pat Brannon: 404-271-0445
Ralph McCrory: 770-631-2862
Terry Novak: 678-634-6995
Wayne Gregg: 770-460-0181
Zachary Taylor: 706-333-0173
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7. Donate to the JobSeekers' Ministry
You could help save a career, a home or even a marriage.
Job loss puts stress on our health, our finances, our relationships, our churches, and our community. Ultimately is affects our walk with the Lord and the kingdom of God. Your donations have helped save marriages, health, homes, college educations, and cross-country relocations. You can help alleviate these challenges for someone else by donating to the ongoing ministry of JobSeekers. Please send your tax-deductible donation to:
JobSeekers of PTC
P.O. Box 2124
Peachtree City, GA 30269
There's another way to donate: with the generous gift of your time. We are seeking to add to our Ship's Crew. We need a group of dedicated men and women who can come to most of the meetings on Friday and establish relationships with our new and existing members. Let me know if you are interested.
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Published by:
Dave O'Farrell
O'Farrell Career Management, LLC
Career Coaching and Outplacement Consulting
21 Eastbrook Bend, Suite 217
Peachtree City, GA 30269
www.ofarrell-cm.com
dave@ofarrell-cm.com
770-486-6289 office
770-823-2710 cell
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