Today is officially the first anniversary of me being without a “day job” following my last “normal” day of work on June 30th, 2006. It is truly hard to believe that it has been that long already, but the calendar says that is indeed the case. It has been an interesting year to say the least and I’m excited to see what the next year has in store, especially in regards to my business. While there are positives and negatives to both being employed and self-employed, I am truly digging the freedom from a set schedule and the confines of a “cube”. That is something most people will never have a chance to experience and I am grateful that I have that opportunity.

Who would have thunk it…the consensus is that I have an “interesting” resume. Just about every person that I’ve talked to / interviewed with over the past nine months has made a comment that has included the words “interesting” and “resume” in the same sentence.

What they’re referring to is the fact that I list being the “President & CEO” of Watershed Studio, LLC as my most recent job and want to know why it is that I’m floating my resume around. As an employer interviewing a potential empoyee that would be my very first question for numerous reasons, but I do find the common phrasing a bit, ugh, “interesting”.

In my last unemployment related post I hinted at at least one more “Indiana Unemployment Insurance Benefit” post and here it is…

In the past few months the folks who run the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (IDWD) decided to “help” the unemployed by sending them “Indiana Unemployment Insurance Benefit Debit Cards” which they would then in turn deposit your weekly benefits “checks” to. The main reasoning gave for the change was something about it speeding up the process of receiving your benefits, being more convenient and saving you money on check cashing fees. So, lets take a look at this thinking…

Previously they sent a paper check that I’d take to my local bank and deposit into my account. Simple enough, right?

Now my process is:

1. figure out when they have made a deposit into my account
2. drive to a bank different than my own (apparently my bank isn’t on their list OR they would charge me some sort of additional fees)
   AND
   1. request a balance total via ATM (for some reason a teller can’t OR won’t tell you what the balance is), which charges me $0.50 per inquiry
   2. go to a teller and request the remaining balance in cash
3. drive to my bank and deposit the cash

So that is more convenient how? The only way to make the process more convenient would be a direct deposit into my bank account, which of course they do not offer.

As I’ve stewed over this for a while now, the overall logic behind the change just doesn’t make sense and I seriously wonder if there’s some other reason behind this (I won’t even begin to speculate except to say that it is the government). Anyway, here’s the rundown of my additional thoughts:

• What check cashing fees are people avoiding? If you’re making an unemployment claim, there’s a good chance that you’re not headed to the legalized loan shark to cash your check AND that you have your own bank account which doesn’t charge you to deposit checks into your account. Unemployment is not Welfare, but the mention of check fees makes me wonder if someone seems to think that it is. A quick look at the requirements for collecting unemployment insurance benefits would make that fact evident to anyone. These are people who have lost their jobs by no fault of their own…they didn’t quit and they didn’t wake up one morning and say, “You know, I don’t think that I want to work anymore and I’d like a paid ‘vacation’.”
• Direct deposit…what it the world is so hard about that?
• The debit card can be used to buy groceries, gas and what not and you can get cash back, but…
  • you can only spend what is on the card, which is good, but not easy to manage if you don’t know the balance
  • my important bills require payment via check or e-check, not by credit/debit cards
• There is a website which is supposed to tell you about your account for free, but when I have tried to setup the online access it keeps telling me that it “Cannot find any client that matches the given biographical information.” So I called their toll free number to try to get this sorted out and get an automated system and then sat on hold when I tried to get a real person and finally hung up because my time is worth more than the $0.50 I’ll get charged at the ATM. Plus I only have a few weeks left, so I’m not even going to bother.
• The benefits checks are half of your previous salary (at the very best from what I can tell), so most people are not going to be sitting around all day on their couch watching Oprah and eating Bon Bons. The majority of people are going to be busting their tails to find some way to land a decent job or to create their own.
• Unemployment is by no means a paid vacation, at least not in my case. I’m busier now than I ever was when I had a “day job”…now I am never “off the clock”.

So there’s my unemployment rant. Hopefully that will be the last you hear about it.

My 20+ weeks of data gathering have confirmed the following:

1. The job market in Indiana for web development is horrible if you are seeking a full-time position and are not interested in working through a consulting firm. (Outsourcing truly makes sense for most businesses, so that is completely understandable.)
2. The job market in Indiana for web application programming is not so good if your expertise is in open source technologies (such as PHP & MySQL). If you are looking for a job at a Microsoft (ASP, .NET, C#, MSSQL) or Java based shop, there are a few more opportunities, but I still wouldn’t say that the market is good.
3. The job market in Indiana for true marketing related jobs (non sales jobs) appears to be a little better than the computer fields, but without quite a bit of previous experience you’ll be hard pressed to find something.
4. The vast majority of employers do not send letters acknowledging your application nor do they send rejection letters. Of the few that I did get, it was split between formal letters and e-mails. I can only speculate as to why that is.

I’m interested in hearing what other people’s experiences have been, and not just in Indiana. It would be great to know if other people have experienced the same type of thing, or if it is just me.

To answer the burning question, yes, I am still unemployed and am still looking for whatever opportunities are available. But at the same time, I am using every opportunity that I have to focus on Watershed Studio related activities. Business has steadily been picking up and is keeping me quite busy, so that’s an excellent thing…and please continue to send referrals my way, as that accounts for a major sector of my client base.

Also on the horizon…I have learned quite a few things this year in regards to operating a business and plan to begin sharing that with others, along with any new things that I learn, in the very near future. If you’re a business owner yourself, I would love to talk with you, so please get in touch with me.

Resumes Sent and Job Applications: 38
Phone Interviews: 5
Face-to-Face Interviews: 2
Rejection Letters: 3
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 16
Unemployment Checks Received: 12

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

This week I received my third rejection “letter” (actually an e-mail) which was complementing and greatly appreciated since soooo many companies refuse to take the time to do such a thing. C’est la Vie and everything does happen for a reason even though it may not be apparent to us at that particular moment.

In Watershed Studio news it was yet another amazing week on the “peak” which netted some new projects and a heap of other quote requests and new contacts. A HUGE thank you to everyone who has sent referrals my way…and please do not stop!

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Job Applications: 36
Phone Interviews: 5
Face-to-Face Interviews: 2
Rejection Letters: 2
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 15
Unemployment Checks Received: 11

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

This was an extremely busy week for various reasons so I didn’t have a whole lot of time to really think about job prospects. In my “free time” this week Watershed kept me pretty busy with current projects and pursuing potential projects, so that’s a very good thing.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Job Applications: 33
Phone Interviews: 5
Face-to-Face Interviews: 2
Rejection Letters: 2
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 14
Unemployment Checks Received: 11

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

The first thing in the week was a rejection letter. This truly seems to be a lost art because this is only the second one I’ve received. (And the first one was actually an e-mail.) What’s up with that? Are companies afraid of being sued? That’s the only thing that I can figure.

The other major news was the face-to-face two hour technical interview. Overall I felt that it went pretty well, but after I thought it was over I was asked a simple question that I knew the answer to but gave a simple answer that was very wrong (standing at the elevator I realized that). The thing that gets me on that one is that it was a question related to a college class that I achieved 103% in. I could blame the lack of sleep, but hey, life goes on and that’s not the first mistake that I’ve made nor will it be the last.

And finally, it was an excellent week in the Watershed Studio world and I won’t be receiving an unemployment check next week, which is an excellent problem to have. Consulting is a fun gig, but the peaks and valleys are still taking some getting used to.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Job Applications: 33
Phone Interviews: 5
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 13
Unemployment Checks Received: 10

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

The major news of the week is that I have been invited in for the technical interview for the position that I mentioned last week. So that will occur either next week or the following week.

Other than that, I’ve added a few more job applications to the tally.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Job Applications: 30
Phone Interviews: 5
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 12
Unemployment Checks Received: 9

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

This week was a pretty productive on the unemployment front.

First off I had a phone interview which seemed to go quite well and the position is definitely something that I’m more than qualified for. Of all of the job openings that I’ve came across thus far, I’d put this one at the top in regards of being something that fits my skill set AND is realistic in technical expectations. (Don’t get me started on that rant.) Anyway, now I have to sit back to wait to hear back to see if they want me to come in for the technical interview.

Other than that, IU had a job open up that would also be a good fit. And since I have an IU RIF status I know that they’ll at least review my application a little closer. So we’ll see what I hear back from them as well.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Job Applications: 28
Phone Interviews: 4
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 11
Unemployment Checks Received: 8

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

There’s nothing new on the “full time job” front, but it’s getting to the point where I need to sit down and *really* evaluate some things in regards to what is necessary for my employment status and “career path”. I’m starting to wonder if holding down a full time job would actually make it easier for me to balance family time and the numerous internal Watershed Studio projects since I wouldn’t need to take on nearly as many clients by already having a steady income. (That statement will make prefect sense to anyone who has ever run their own “full time” business…to paraphrase a quote I once heard about running your own business, “you only have to work half a day and it doesn’t matter which 12 hours it is”.)

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Jobs Applications: 25
Phone Interviews: 4
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 10
Unemployment Checks Received: 7

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

Nothing much to report this week other than some new Watershed opportunities are keeping me hopping.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Jobs Applications: 22
Phone Interviews: 4
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 9
Unemployment Checks Received: 6

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

I had one phone interview this week, though I’m not really sure why they called since the job wasn’t one I could do “out of the gate” and I don’t think it was even the job I had applied for with that company. But hey, it’s good to at least hear *something* from them since many don’t contact you at all even when you are qualified for a job.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Jobs Applications: 20
Phone Interviews: 3
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 8
Unemployment Checks Received: 5

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

Nothing of note to report this week other than the job market in Indiana for the “tech sector” is horrible. A word of advice to any high school kids thinking about going into “computers”…TAKE A BREATH, TURN AROUND, AND RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!! Unless of course you already either dream (literally) about it AND you like the idea of working on either coast OR you want to freelance. Because once you’re “in”, you will dream in code and speak in acronyms . Once the bug has bitten you, good luck at ever blending back in with “normal” members of society. Trust me. Just ask any of my non-techie friends and family members.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Jobs Applications: 17
Phone Interviews: 3
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 7
Unemployment Checks Received: 4

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

The only real thing to report this week was that the place which I had an interview with in mid-August e-mailed me to let me know that it will still be another two weeks until they make a decision. I assume that’s a good thing since if they weren’t interested at all they probably would have made that decision by now.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Jobs Applications: 15
Phone Interviews: 3
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 6
Unemployment Checks Received: 3

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

This week was the first one which I didn’t qualify for a check due to excess money earned via self-employment (which is a good thing).  The only part of that that stinks is that in order for it to be worth it you really need to bring in about twice of what your unemployment check would have been due to the self-employment taxes that you’ll have to cough up down the road.  If you took anything less you’d probably be better off playing video games for the week (no, I’ve not been doing that…I couldn’t tell you the last time I actually had the time to play video games…maybe I should work that onto my “to do” list filed under “stress relief”).

I also confirmed that by not getting a check this week that my unemployment has in essence been extended by one week, which is why the give you 12 months to claim it, not the actual 20-some weeks which you can receive a check.

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Jobs Applications: 12
Phone Interviews: 3
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 1
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 5
Unemployment Checks Received: 3

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

This week I was swamped with Watershed Studio work and only had a chance to get my information in front of one person, but that did lead to a phone interview.  I also had my first e-mail rejection (not even a formal letter).
As far as checks go, everything is now up-to-date (two missing ones are indeed correct), but the math doesn’t add up as far as the most I can collect for the year (it only totals about 22.8 weeks, not the 26 that it should be…I have to wonder if they deducted the vacation time I was paid).

The adventure continues next week…

Resumes Sent and Jobs Applications: 11
Phone Interviews: 2
Face-to-Face Interviews: 1
Rejection Letters: 0
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 4
Unemployment Checks Received: 2

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

I had my first face-to-face interview this week for a job that actually sounds right up my alley, though I don’t know what the pay range is.

I finally got my first unemployment checks this and found out about something that they call the “Waiting Period Week”…

When you first file for benefits, you actually register for a one-week waiting period. You must meet the same eligibility requirements for the waiting period week as for any other payable week even though the week is non-payable.

…what is up with that? It doesn’t make sense to me that you have to go one week without a paycheck, but whatever. There’s nothing I can do about that.

The adventure continues next week…

Some unemployed workers in Indiana still wait more than three weeks for benefits. 24-Hour News 8 first reported on the delay of unemployment benefits last August. Now the unemployment claims backlog is up again and there is a dispute over what it means. State officials call it a seasonal spike but a former state employee calls it a crisis.

In November the backlog was placed at 8,800 claims, meaning that unemployed workers got benefits within three weeks. The current backlog is 9,800 and that means a four-week wait for some.

The claims are handled at the Department of Workforce development, which underwent reorganization when the Daniels administration took over. It reduced the number of claims deputies from 120 to 76 but centralized the process. The governor declared unemployment problems solved in a news conference last November.

“Before the end of the year and ahead of a deadline I set we’ll be at or above federal standards,” said the governor at the time.

Those standards are not being met now but administration officials call it a seasonal spike.

February 6, 2006 via WISH-TV (read the rest of the story).

We must be back “in season” I suppose. I’m crossing my fingers that a check comes this week, but I’m not holding my breath, especially since that first week should net me nothing because I actually made money that week. But hopefully it will at least be taken out of the review status. Fun, fun, fun…

Resumes Sent and Jobs Applications: 9
Phone Interviews: 2
Face-to-Face Interviews: 0
Rejection Letters: 0
Job Offers: 0
Unemployment Vouchers Sent: 3
Unemployment Checks Received: 0

* The numbers are correct as far as I can recollect.

I’m glad that Watershed Studio is up and running, because if it wasn’t unemployment wouldn’t be a whole lot of fun for the pocket book. (Consulting pay may come in spurts, but at least it does come in and usually in fairly decent sums to make up for the slow times.)

The journey continues next week…