Being unemployed can be a huge blow to your self-esteem. If you feel unproductive and useless, you have two options: decide you are doomed and feel sorry for yourself, or find ways to stay motivated.

Stick to a schedule

When you were employed, you woke up at the same time every day and got dressed. Now that you don’t have a set time to wake up, you are free to lounge on the couch all day in your pajamas. While you will certainly have days like this, it should not become a habit.

One of the best ways to stay focused and positive during a job search is to keep a routine. Looking for a job is a full-time job, so treat it like one. This means you should wake up at the same time you’re used to, have your morning coffee, get dressed and start your day at a reasonable time.

Set up a home office

Set up a home office space where you can keep all your materials in one place. If you live in a small apartment, avoid the temptation to work on your bed or anywhere else you associate with relaxation. Working in a coffee shop can be one way to combat loneliness and isolation, and especially if you live in a small space, can be an effective way to get some work done with minimal distractions.

Make to-do lists

Make to-do lists full of specific, short and long-term goals so you can see the progress you are making. Tasks can be s as simple as a list of job boards to visit throughout the day, or even errands you need to run unrelated to your job search. Make sure you are realistic with your goals so you get a sense of satisfaction from checking things off.

Remember to take breaks

If you are starting to feel frustrated, take a break, but make sure you set time limits so you know when you need to return to work. Get outside and go for a walk or get some exercise. Take a workout class, or call a  friend to vent your frustrations.

Socialize

Because making connections is one of the best ways to find work nowadays, make sure you are out of the house and talking to people. While you might hate answering the “what do you do?” question right now, don’t be afraid to tell everyone you know that you need a job. You never know where your next opportunity is waiting, and no one will know you’re looking unless you tell them.

Volunteer

Volunteering, while not a way to relieve financial stress, can be a great way to keep you spirits up and put things in perspective. Find a charity that works for a cause you’re interested in, and seek out opportunities. Getting out of the house everyday

Keep your head up, and good luck!

Have you ever been in the middle of a project, got pulled away by an important email, answered a phone call, and then forget what you were doing?

It happens often, especially when your job requires heavy multitasking.

While searching for remedies to help you remember and avoid the question, “What was I just doing,” we found some great solutions to your forgetful problems that will aid in increasing productivity.

Careerealism says that onions, according to MSNBC, reverse the age related problem of memory loss. Just remember to keep those mints handy!

Life Hack listed 20 delicious snacks that work in your “flavor…” Try watermelon for energy, papaya for rheumatoid arthritis, and carrots for your eyes, which have probably been starring at a computer screen for too many hours!

Bootstrapper defined 100 foods that assist your brain in functioning 100%. Fill up on raisins for energy and your daily dose of antioxidants.  Can you believe that corn can combat stress?!  Opt for some tuna to fend off the Monday blues. Tuna is known to ward off depression!

Business Insider says keep ordering those eggs for breakfast! They contain vitamins that enhance memory and reaction time. And for those Friday afternoons, chow down on some salmon to help you focus until the weekend! 

Click the links above for more food options that help maintain your focus, productivity and overall mood. Bon appetite! 

We love discovering new sites that encourage job seekers to be creative while giving options to publicize their search and brag about their experiences.

Thank you, Eugene Woo, for creating Vizualize.me.  It reminds us of About.me except there are more fields that elaborate on your past work experience and education. The main difference is Vizualize.me focuses on you and your job search instead of just you.

When you first register with the site there is an option to sign in with LinkedIn, which parses all experience listed on your LI profile onto your new Vizualize.me page.  You have the freedom to edit content, color, and layout.

Here are some fun options to play around with; all of which can be parsed automatically upon signing in with LinkedIn:

Content

• Skills
• Interests
• Languages
• Awards & Honors
• Stats
• Recommendations

Themes

• Six themes and layouts to choose from
• Color for layout, theme, and content

One of the features we love most about the site is the option to interact and share your Visualize.me page. There is a “Share” option on the top right corner with option to embed a button on your blog or website.  There are also various social media buttons where you can blast out your new creative and eye grabbing professional profile.

Good luck with your Vizualize.me page. We hope to see you on their soon!

When you are sitting at your desk the last thing on your mind is how your wrist is angled in relation to your mouse.  As you respond to emails you’re probably unaware of your eye level.

Did you know that thinking about and adjusting more than just the aforementioned will help with neck, back, and overall achiness?

According to an article written by Fitsugar, you can make easy adjustments to have an ergonomically correct desk.

• KNEES, ANKLES, AND WRISTS should be at a 90˚ angle in position with your keyboard
• Your BACK should remain neutral, even if it means adding a small foot rest at the bottom on your desk
• Don’t rest your WRISTS on your desk when using your mouse. “Resting your wrists actually places greater strain on the sensitive tendons.” Invest in a “squishy” wrist support.
• ELBOWS should be close to your body for a majority of the day.
• Use a computer riser if your EYES do not hit the first third of your computer screen. If there is no riser available where you work, use a few books.
• To give your EYES a break from the computer screen, look away once in a while to give them a rest.

For additional information about how to be more comfortable at your desk, now and in the future, visit Fitsugar’s article.

In a recent article by Refinery 29, five successful Chicagoans were interviewed on what they think are the best pointers to scoring your dream job. Each person interviewed had varying and helpful answers to the same six questions:

• What is the first step to take when searching for the perfect job?
• What is the wisest piece of interview advice you’ve ever been given/given to others?
• How can readers make themselves stand out professionally among other job applicants?
• What is one job hunt mistake, and how can someone avoid it?
• What are some fashion musts when going on an interview?
• What interview question should all interviewees be prepared to answer?

Try and answer these questions on your own before clicking this link to see the actual interviews.

Some of our favorite points included:

• If possible, gain some internship experience in the field where you’re applying
• Do you research before every interview
• Even if it’s just an exploratory interview, always send a handwritten thank you card
• Understand that there is a fine line between being persistent and being a nuisance
• Try and gauge the dress code of the company and dress accordingly for the interview
• Have answers prepared for the questions – “What can you bring to the table” and “What separates you from the stack of resumes I have on my desk”
• Make sure you emphasize your accomplishments and not your credentials
• Always come prepared with questions to ask the interviewer
• Customize your resume
• Stay positive throughout the interview process – “You’ve got to stub your toe once in a while.”

We hope you enjoyed this post. Have a great weekend!

Most of our posts are about what to do to get the job you want. This post focuses on what not to do after you get the job.

You are excited because this is a new beginning! This is your chance to make a great first impression, work hard, and prove that you are, in fact, the best person for the job.

However, your first day can be very intimidating. We would like to reference Careerealism’s article, 9 Ways to Make the Wrong Impression on Your First Day, to make sure your nervousness doesn’t get the best of you.

Some of our favorites from their article are:

Showing Up Tired

• While this is a “no-no” no matter what day it is on your job, you should remain on point and get a good night sleep for, at least, the first few months of your new job.

Over Sharing (which we blogged about last week)

• Even if you’re the most outgoing person in the world, tone it down in the beginning and observe office interactions.

Complaining

• What are you complaining about?  You just got a new job! If you have something you must whine about, call a friend or family member. DO NOT complain at work on your first day or EVER!

These are just a few first impression blunders to avoid.  Even though this article emphasizes not doing the aforementioned on the first day, we would advise steering clear of these in the long run.

Click here for the additional 6 points on how to make the wrong impression on your first day.

Let’s face it, we all multitask at work. You can also admit that the term “multitask” is listed somewhere on your resume and LinkedIn profile page. However, there are some great benefits to doing just one thing at a time.

One thing at a time?! I bet you’re thinking:

So you’re saying I can’t surf the net, write an email, and conduct a business call all at the same time.

The Harvard Business Review published an insightful article about “The Magic of Doing One Thing at a Time.”

Sometimes we wish we could step away from our email for just a moment to focus on a project. The truth is, with two screens at most of our desks, we’re staring at both, a project and an email. We, at Pyramid Consulting Group, practice great customer service, on both the client and candidate side. That being said, prompt responses to emails are one of our top priorities.

However, The Harvard Business Review writes:

“Stop demanding or expecting instant responsiveness at every moment of the day. It forces your people into reactive mode, fractures their attention, and makes it difficult for them to sustain attention on their priorities. Let them turn off their email at certain times. If it’s urgent, you can call them — but that won’t happen very often.”

We still rely on the small pop up window in the lower corner of our screen alerting us to who is emailing, but if it’s not urgent, we can continue with the project we were working on. This small pop up will help wean us off the constant email inbox stare.

Please visit The Harvard Business Review for a full list of how to focus on doing just one thing at a time.

Some of our favorites include:

• Do the most important thing first in the morning
• Take real and regular vacations
• Encourage renewal

How do you focus on doing just one thing at a time? Or, if you prefer not to, how to you multitask effectively and efficiently? Please comment here.

Happy Monday Mentionings!

In a recent post by Todd Vician at Recruiting Blogs, he describes how candidates who back out of accepted job offers affect business relationships beyond that of candidate and recruiter.

On the inside, a side that candidates don’t usually experience, recruiters interact with their clients on the candidate’s behalf. These client relationships have been built and nurtured overtime.

As you may have learned, interviewing is a long and involved process. Relationships are formed, networking is done, and maintaining a good reputation should be top priority.  It’s hard to continue working with a candidate who has lied, let you down, or backed out of an opportunity that they already accepted.

Like Vician explains to his candidate who went MIA after accepting a job offer with one of his clients:

“I gently reminded him of all the concerns he had expressed about his current company, the opportunity for a fresh start, how our role was more aligned to his stated future goals…etc.  But, he was unswayed and he reneged his acceptance with us.  So, I wished him well but also candidly shared with him that I didn’t expect we could ever come to terms again given that we now had to try to backfill the role we had sold him into with our client and might lose the work and client as a result.  I impressed upon him that it wasn’t a personal issue but that his decision resulted in a very negative experience on our business and in our client relationship.  I also commented that if he had any cold feet, he should have notified us sooner as a courtesy.”

When working with a multitude of parties in your job search be sure to always follow up and keep your recruiter updated. Even if you’ve received a counter offer and dread the inevitable awkward conversation – it’s better to let your recruiter know what is going on so they can follow up on their end with the client.

Think about:

• The other professionals involved in the process
• How quickly you are responding to questions, offers, etc. Take time to think long and hard about your decisions before acting irrationally or rashly
• Ask questions and follow up

If you find yourself in a bind regarding a job search, counter offer, or interview conundrum – please feel free to email sbellow(at)pyramidcg(dot)com with any questions.

Are you sitting at your computer, reading this post, waiting for the phone to ring?  On the receiving end you hope the employer you just interviewed with will be calling with an offer. However, you’ve been holding your breath for weeks and you’re convinced that the call will never come. Discouraged and deflated you are sure you’re out of the running…but wait.

Just because you hear crickets does not mean that your candidacy is not being considered any longer.

Don’t chalk it up to a NO. Here are some reasons why you should be thinking, “YES, I am sure I’m still being considered.”

• The position could be on hold as the “higher ups” reassess their pool of candidates. You can be one of them!
• There is an offer out to another candidate and they are just waiting for an answer
• The employer can simply be interviewing more candidates
• Believe it or not, you are not at the forefront of their mind. There could be a long list of tasks, events, vacations, etc. that must be taken care of before making a decision and calling you with an answer

Don’t get your hopes down. Think positive. There is no harm in following up in a week, no earlier. Be confident; keep searching, and good luck!

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Today’s Monday Mentioning comes from Careerealism’s post on the new movie “Horrible Bosses.”

If you haven’t seen or heard of the movie, it’s based on three men who hate their bosses so much they devise a convoluted plan to dispose of their “higher ups.”

According to Careerealism, “unless you’re looking to spend some time in federal prison,” this is OBVIOUSLY not the solution to your horrid boss issues.

On a brighter and more productive note, the website, lists ways to cope with a boss that gets you down on a daily basis.  Here are some bullet points to summarize the informative post.

• MAKE IT FIZZLE - Throw water on “hot” situations.  If your boss has a bad temper be agreeable and move on.
• DO GO CHANGIN’ – Change the way you behave and react to your boss and your problems may solve themselves.
• DO AS I DO – Set a good example and maybe your boss will see how others respond to you and begin to change in the process.
• CHECK YOUR EGO – Don’t take it personally. It’s not always about you.  Your boss may be having a bad day or personal issues outside of the office. Remember to not let it affect you, your work, or your mood.
• TAKE YOUR TOYS AND GO – Sometimes you may not have a choice. When quitting is your only option…

Have you had a bad experience with a boss? How did you deal with it?