[Clough]

Thanks! I'll be there shortly. Have to check and see what's up in one of the threads that I moderate. Shouldn't take me but a minute...

Thanks!

[JJCH]

So I had my interview today at 10:00am. It lasted until 11:30. I met with an HR rep and then with the IT coordinator. I was honest on my application and I also wrote a letter explaining the details of my conviction and what lead to it. I made emphasis that my supervisor knew what I was doing and didn't have a problem with it and it was only junk I was taking. I also made clear why I did it (to pay medical bills). The HR guy said he appreciated my honesty, the extra time I took in my explanation and seemed cool about the situation. I also have a police officer as a reference and I gave him a business card for him as well. Hopefully that might help. The meeting with the IT coordinator went great in my opinion. We made some small talk, he asked what I liked to do for hobbies, golf, etc. (we had likeness in the fact we like to golf and fish). We went over my work experience and skills and he asked me some of my professional accomplishments; I explained some of the processes for data restoration, imaging and project roll outs I implemented that saved my old company thousands of dollars per year and he said he was very impressed with that. He told me at the end that his over all impression of me was "impressive". That made me feel good. Please pray for and wish me luck...

[JJCH]

Well, got my dear john letter today. Didn't get the job. :(

[Clough]

I'm sorry to learn that, JJCH! But, you'll just have to keep on trying! You will succeed eventually! At least you got some positive feedback, and you did at least have an interview! Just getting an interview is a major accomplishment in itself! Wow, it was even an hour-and-a-half long! Way to go! :)

You might want to give them a call and ask for a reason or reasons as to why you weren't hired. I've done that on a number of occasions when I didn't get a job.

It's okay to do that. You just simply might not have been the best candidate for the job. It might not have been anything about you personally, but just that they felt someone else would be a better "fit" for the position.

When you do write or talk about your conviction, while you're trying to be honest and all, it's best to minimize it and not make it a major conversation item. I'm not quite sure how to put that the best way, but I hope that you know what I mean. You don't want to deny that you did something, but want to emphasize the positive things and continue to try to sell yourself to the company how you can best be of service to them in order for them to meet the priorities and goals that they have set.

Thanks!

[JJCH]

I just took my electrician union apprentice test today... we'll see how that goes...

[excon]

Hello J:

I have good news and bad news. The bad news? Yer not going to get a job... Oh, maybe flipping burgers, but probably not even that these days...

The good news? You have a marketable talent. If you were to simply reorganize your marketing campaign, I think you'll find success...

By that I mean, instead of marketing yourself as an EMPLOYEE, you should market yourself as a COMPANY.

In the first place, you're not going to have to fill out an application. Plus, in most cases, when sub contractors are hired, it's their TALENT that gets them hired, not their background.

excon

[Clough]

I just took my electrician union apprentice test today.... we'll see how that goes...

Thanks for letting us know, JJCH! I've been wondering how things have been going for you!

I wish and hope only the best for you!

Thanks!

[JJCH]

Hello J:

I have good news and bad news. The bad news? Yer not gonna get a job... Oh, maybe flipping burgers, but probably not even that these days...

The good news? You have a marketable talent. If you were to simply reorganize your marketing campaign, I think you'll find success...

By that I mean, instead of marketing yourself as an EMPLOYEE, you should market yourself as a COMPANY.

In the first place, you're not going to have to fill out an application. Plus, in most cases, when sub contractors are hired, it's their TALENT that gets them hired, not their background.

excon

Well that just took the wind out of my sails... lol... why would I not be hired for electrical work? Lots of felons are in the construction trade. They asked about felonies when I applied and I was still selected to test... I don't know...

[Clough]

Hi, JJCH!

You're going to meet all kinds of people with all sorts of different opinions. That's part of what makes the world a great place! Lots of variety and things to think about.

As you and I have already discussed at length over a goodly period, you do have a lot of things to offer whereby you can be making a living.

I do applaud you for taking the test and I'm looking forward to the results!

Thanks!

[JJCH]

Test results are in today... I passed the test... Now I got to wait for a certified letter confirming interview day/time.

[Clough]

Test results are in today.... I passed the test... Now I gotta wait for a certified letter confirming interview day/time.

Now, that's cool! Thanks for letting us know!

[JJCH]

Thanks Craig! On a side note I haven't been getting much in responses to the ads, they are out there, but Im working on re wording them for now.

[Clough]

Hi again, Jason!

I'm just wondering how things have been going with you.

Below, is a quote of an answer that I've given a number of people on this site. I don't think that I've posted it to you previously.

You do need to advertise. One of things that I do for a living is that I am a house painter. I really don't get many calls from my Yellow Page ads. But, most of my new business is from ads that I place on the Internet. The following is from an answer that I have already placed elsewhere on this site.

There are many places where you can have a free website or blog where you could advertise your business or anything else for that matter. Some of them can be found by clicking on the following searches.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=Free+Website

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Free+Blog

Although I am in the Yellow Pages of the local phone book, most of my new business comes from the free ads that I have placed on the Internet in some way. It does take some time to set things up. But, once you have done it, you are set. You just need to keep track of when you might need to renew your ads. Some of them will let you know when it's time to renew, and most of them won't On some free advertising sites, your ads might not need to be renewed for years. For others, it ranges from maybe 14 days to 90 days.

I copy and paste what I have advertised into a message in my Drafts folder in the email program that is my primary one, and that would be Outlook Express. I also have a file in my email program that is titled "Passwords." It includes all passwords used as well as user names. Not all sites are going to let you use the same password, and the user name that you select might not be available on a particular site.

A really important thing to remember when doing online advertising is that it's not necessarily your name or the name of your business that people are going to be looking for, but what you do and where you are located. So, how you word your ad and the additional keywords that you use in it are very important. Google doesn't look for repeated words in site. However, some other search engines do.

There are a host of free advertising sites available. Most of the best ones that get the best exposure are on the following list. I have been doing online advertising for over three years now. It has paid off...

One time, someone found me looking for goats in Iowa. They are an animal rescue. They saw my ad on a site where one of my piano tuning ads was located and decided that they wanted to have their piano tuned.

I love it when people find me by accident! It could happen for you too with your business!

I do also frequently drive around and post my small advertising "shingle" with the pull-off tabs anyplace where I can find a free, public bulletin board where I can post them. These can be places like grocery stores, restaurants, bars, Laundromats, bowling alleys, public libraries, etc.

Here is the list of free advertising websites that seem to get the best exposure when people are doing searches for what they want on the Internet. Some of them are even international as far as where the ads reach, in case there is someone who might read what I have posted who wants to advertise on an international level. There are sites that don't get good exposure and, I don't use them. A person would have to be a member of and frequent those particular sites in order to know what is listed on them. I even post on sites that are located in other countries because the exposure is so good!

craigslist: san francisco bay area classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events

(To use Craigslist, you just find and post on the one that is near you.)

http://www.hoobly.com/

http://www.merchantcircle.com/corporate/

USA - cliQs.com

Everything from Everywhere

DomesticSale - The Effective Free Classifieds

Free Classifieds Ads - Internet Advertising to Sell Online

Vast.com - Search All The Classifieds On The Web

PennySaverUSA Classifieds Online: Local ads in California

Free Classifieds - FinditClassifieds.com

Oodle.com Classifieds - Search local online classifieds

BuySellCommunity Classifieds - Buy & Sell Locally : Free Online Classifieds

Free Classifieds @ Adpost.com

Free Classifieds, Free Ads, Free advertisement, Business Opportunity

Free Classifieds - FinditClassifieds.com

Free Advertising, Free Classifieds, Free Classified Ads, Free Ads, Classified Ads, Free Classified, Bulk Email Advertising, Opt In Email Marketing Services, Email Lists, Classified, Free Ad, Advertising Free, Classifieds, Classified Ad, Free Classifi

http://quadcities.kijiji.com/ You can change the country and city when you list there.

http://www.evelez.net/ Although it might appear to be connected with the one above, it is different. You can also change country and city.

http://www.livetray.com/

http://www.vvnvv.com/index.asp

http://www.alibaba.com/

http://www.alibaba.com/

http://www.hotfrog.com.au/

http://www.kellysearch.com/

http://www.kbclassifieds.com/

http://www.oodle.com/

http://www.olx.com/

http://www.topix.com/

http://www.isell.com/

http://www.kutvclassifieds.com/Main.do

http://www.gumtree.com/

http://www.flugpo.com/

Thanks!