Job Hunting In A Depression

So many Americans are (and have been) unemployed.  We hear these words being thrown around like "recession" and for the most part none of us really understand the political parts to this whole we call the USA. What's the difference between a recession and a depression? If you ask me there are a lot of middle and lower class households that are pretty depressed every time they look at their bank accounts or see the mountain of bills that continue to pile up on their tables.

I know how many people love our president; I'm one of them, however, despite the fact that there have been quoted "thousands of jobs created", why are so many people without work? It baffles my mind that people with degrees are still struggling to find work. Moreover it seems that in a world filled with technological advances, those who are a bit more analog than they are digital are being laid out to die in the upheaval of limited employment opportunities.

Let's face it, if you're 30 and up with no degree and no experience in a technological field you're pretty much a fossilized worker. It is often said that technical trades are an insured way to stay employed as many of our plumbing, electrician, and masonry workers are all of a preceding generation and in desperate need of recruitment.  So I guess you can go to a trade school, learn how to lay some pipe, and venture off looking for plumbing work and be fulfilled unclogging someones drainage.

But what if you're in a position (like most) where a technical trade is just not something you can or want to do for the rest of your life? You have drive and passion and are looking for a truly satisfying career path. Most would say "go back to school!!" Then you realize that in order to go to school, even a community college, you need a small fortune or be willing to go into a small fortunes worth of debt! Other's say "get what you can to pay the bills!" But do you really want to spend the rest of your life JUST working to pay bills?!


I hope you didn't think that this blog was going to have the answer because BAAAAAAABY it doesn't!  This problem is more than me or the Jaye Spot can even FAKE to solve. However I can say that in my experience things work out the way they are meant to; sometimes with a little extra push from...you guessed it...OURSELVES! I know first hand that drive and passion don't pay the rent, if it did I'd have SEVERAL houses!!! Yet you have to be willing to stay true to yourself and not get caught in a job that simply allows you to work to live. Sure we have responsibilities but who said that we had to settle for less than what we're worth or capable of?

As hard as the job hunt is out there today, this may be the time where going back to school IS the answer or to start a business that you've always wanted to start. We know that EVERYTHING has some type of cost attached to it but if that's the case then  God/the universe/whatever has to supply the provision for what you're meant to do, right? Hey they could be simply waiting for your to get off your ass and actually do SOMETHING!!!! In all my days I've never seen a parked car go ANYWHERE!!! Even if in the wrong direction it's able to make a few turns to get back on track but first and foremost the engine has to at least be on.

We may be in a recession (or depression) but I do believe that with all of the advances that many of us don't understand we have all we need to make things happen for us. We're in a time where it's very much a "do it yourself" kind of world.  So why not go out there and throw irons in every fire to see which one truly lights up?!

Branded Behavior: The Do's & Don'ts

As a blogger and online radio host I get a lot of people that want me to support their projects or simply pull them in to do an interview and my questions are always the same:

1) What do you have going on currently?

2) What do you have coming up?

3) What's your following like?

However, for whatever reason, people don't understand how the game of BRANDING works!! Building a brand is much like building a car. It takes a while to get the idea together, gather all the necessary parts, piece it together, make sure it works and then actually get people to trust themselves inside it.  When you're building a brand or any type of business it's going to take people a while to trust it.  Point! Blank! Period!

So if you don't have a huge following, chances are bloggers aren't going to notice you or have much to say. Bloggers, such as myself, aren't blogging about things that aren't reputable.  If we're supporting an idea, project, artist or whatever, we're doing it because we can see the following they have.  One thing about being reputable in today's world is where I can find you online.  Are you Google-able?



71% of bloggers are blogging about brands that are REPUTABLE!!! That means we can find you easily in a Google search, we can look at your Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and see that you actually have people supporting what it is that you're doing.  It's not going to help your brand if I type it in a search engine and nothing pops up.  If you're just starting, that's understandable; however, do the work it takes to get your brand to the next level before seeking the network and promo of professional bloggers.

Here's my advice if you're trying to gain some Internet traction through the world of blogging:

1) Make sure that your Brand is YOUR Brand!! Nothing worse that seeing an idea that someone else has already had, branded and pushing.

2) Work your connections! Get your friends to like you, family members, co-workers, etc.  The more people you have following your social media the more reputable you seem.

3) GET ON GOOGLE!!!  Whatever you need to do to make sure that your brand pops up in a Google search is paramount to having bloggers want to talk about your brand.

I know sometimes it seems like a lot but hey, no one said building a brand was easy!!!

For more info on building a reputable brand click these links:
Forbes
Alison Doyle 

Danyol Jaye Sings I Love You Lord