Chip Shot

Chipping away over here. That's all I can say at this point. Chip chip chipping away... as we in the Northeast continue to experience rainy day after rainy day after rainy day. As my man Jimmy Buffett says, ...I wanna go back to the island, where the shrimp boats tie up to the pil'n; gimme oysters and beer, for dinner every day of the year, and I'll feel fine...

And yes I did go to the Buffett show last Saturday, only to get down poured/hailed on for about 3 hours in the parking lot. But I digress.

So last week I had a mock interview on camera with the old CMC. This was very useful, as seeing yourself on film can help get rid of some bad habits when speaking, or interviewing. That is, once I get an interview! Either way, apparently I nailed it, giving me a little dose of confidence, which sometimes is needed these days.

Also spoke the recruiter my friend in the biz was dealing with. Great guy, very professional, with a vast amount of knowledge in the Group Benefits industry. Unfortunately, he generally works with experience Group Reps, not the "life experience hire" as people like me are known. He did say the field I am shooting for might be the best career going these days, so thats nice. Now just a matter of breaking in. He provided me a list of companies to target, who hire more LEH's (life experience hires) than others.

He mentioned the one company I should shoot for is the same company my friend works for down in Philly. However, they recently had an open position in this area. I passed my old resume to my friend to pass to his boss. Figured perhaps I could just get a meeting with the guy. Well the guy wanted nothing to do with me. Apparently he got a "bad feeling" about me. Well f this guy, no one's ever got a bad feeling about me in their life, mf'er! I'm not quite convinced my buddy did a great job "selling" me to his boss, but that's besides the point. My experience is fitting for the position...but if this guy doesn't even want to speak, meet with me and can make a decision based on a piece of paper, well, pardon me, he just may be a _______ (insert profane name here).

But of course, I expect this type of stuff. No said it would be easy. Let's only hope it'll be worth it. I was told a while back that this job search/interview process will go something like this: no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, yes. If that's the case, I've already got a few no's under the belt, so that's a start!

And Ted, see last blog when I say keep your comments to yourself! No, of course, I welcome comments, but remember way back when, we were taught as youngsters, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?"

Yeah, exactly.

Well Hello There

Well, here I am, back in action after a brief hiatus. There was just nothing flowing in the head for a short period of time. Needed some mental time off. Yeah, I know, keep your comments to yourself. But what I have done in the past week or so, I think, demonstrates I have some made some slight progress.

I have decided that I'd like to get into the insurance field. A friend of mine does pretty well in a wholesale role, selling group policies to brokers, so that's what I'm shooting for, but we shall see where I will end up.

I have established a series of different channels through which I am attempting pursue my goal, and at the mean time, get pointed in the right direction. The direction of someone seeing my potential and choosing to hire me.

Last week I met with a family friend who owns an insurance agency. While he was a bit unfamiliar with what type of position I was looking for, he did offer to make a few calls on my behalf and promised to get back to me this week.

My friend in the business is currently working with an insurance recruiter, who has said he will pass my info along.

An old fraternity brother, who I've reconnected with at a recent bachelor party/wedding is an executive at a large, reputable insurance company. We have spoken and are working on this avenue.

I have identified a couple execs at 2 other large reputable insurance companies who I am targeting for the "informational interview" routine. Hope to meet, ask for recommendations, hope they like me and see potential.

I have crafted a cover letter/resume combo targeting these execs. One that I spoke with was impressed by this method of attack. Let's hope others are as well.

Goal for this week is to get some of those execs on the phone and book some meetings. Of course, easier said then done.

Another thing to contemplate is I may have the opportunity to go on a sailing trip next week, heading out of Boston, to Mystic, CT to Block Island, RI, to Nantucket for 4th of July weekend, than back to Boston. This, of course, seems like it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Although given my circumstances (time, money, lack of job, should be looking for one, etc), I'm not sure if I should do this or not.

What do we think?

DSL's

So activity the past couple days consists of attempting to implement my new strategy: use various techniques to get in front of decision makers, or in laymen's term some mf'er who will hire me, hire me to a very lucrative position at that. I have drafted some very nice cover letters, made a phone call or two to figure who to send them to, then follow up. Haven't hit follow up stage yet. I of course, also respond to some job board postings, see if any of my contacts know something or can give me any bright ideas of who to speak with etc; My hope is within a few weeks of doing this consistently we will have some bites.

Yes, it has dawned on me the 4+ months into this sabbatical I am just now beginning to seriously search for something. Let's just say it has taken me a while to get "focused". On a positive note, we now have a new printer! Luckily, I have quite a support team that gives me...support. Now I can print up my own sh*t.

Also updated my LinkedIn profile the other day to align with my new resume, complete with new descriptions under all of the jobs I have had. I also removed the blog link...don't get me wrong I am in no way embarrassed etc; of the blog; however, if someone I am sending a letter to were to go on LinkedIn, see I have a blog, click on it, and see the term "f'n dbag", perhaps that may come off as unprofessional. But hopefully I won't have any "f'n dbags" looking into my actions.

At this point I'm thinking I really want the insurance wholesale gig. Just the way I am leaning. Wholesale is good. Not to say there's nothing else out there, but just they way the heart is going at the moment.

Had a slew of work done to my '06 Infiniti Tuesday. Nearly $500. Cars are awesome.

Watched the movie "Changeling" last night. Angelina looked a bit too skinny for this 1920's period piece...But I bet she could polish the chrome on a trailer hitch very nicely with those DSL's. Oh yeah, there was the line, and I just crossed it. Ooh, boy, Utley, how we digress...

I am contemplating wearing a skinny tie to a wedding this weekend. Not gay skinny, but cool skinny. However, I am unsure the skinny tie pairs well with a 3 button suitcoat. Somebody give me some tips, before I have to google "skinny tie fashion faux paus..." I like to make a statement at a wedding...I'll typically go with a nice suit, shirt combo, sans tie. My thought is I wear a tie every f'n day, why do so for a wedding. Actually, I don't wear a tie every day now, but you get the point. I have utilized the pocket square as well at times. Don't want to look like every other person there, who clearly is not as sophisticated as I am...

Rainy Day Rant

Needless to say, last weeks posts sucked, as I knew, but was reminded when a follower commented and said I was running in circles. Kind of an eye opener. My blogs will generally suck if I feel constricted, am not feeling super about myself, or any other relatable reason. A main reason for this I feel is that over the past couple of weeks, certain circumstances of mine have changed and perhaps I am not feeling as free and relaxed...

And of course my main goal right now is not to pen awesome blogs, but to find a career, and perhaps sometimes I forget that. I also feel I am using the f'n word perhaps too much. On that note one reason I feel the blogs have sucked or been nonexistent relates to a post I saw the other day on barstoolsports.com. There was a post about how the blogger's parents never see him and only follow him by the blog. Well, my blog is nowhere near as smutty or popular, but I understand what he's saying here. Lately I will write a blog and later get an email from my parents saying, "why didn't you go to the networking event?" or "maybe you should spend more time looking for jobs" or "you are a dbag" or things along those lines. Which has taken a bit of a toll on me, but we must work through it. Poor Utley, wah, wah, wah...

I did begin a structured approach to the hunt yesterday...until I had to bring my car to the dealership, only to fail the state inspection. So I have no inspection sticker, 20 days plates which I got yesterday, AND ALSO EXPIRED YESTERDAY, have to go to the shop this afternoon to get brake pads and god knows what else, than go back to the dealership tomorrow to get the inspection sticker, than go to City Hall to register the car, than fork over an exorbitant sum of money for god knows what. All for buying out my leased vehicle.

And I continue to be engaged in battle of the non working printers, but that may all change this afternoon. Its like trying to hammer a nail with a f'n sponge. Just making things that much more difficult.

Oh, yes, the bachelor party. One of the better I have attended, if not the best. Golf, white water rafting, river house, food, alcohol, whores I mean strippers (yes arranged at the 11th hour) and a real good crew. Memorable moments indeed. Phenomenal road trip. End of story.

Things (continued)...

So I didn't attend the big networking shindig down in Boston last night. I know I probably should have. Hey, what can I say I'm not perfect. Far from it. Got tied up doing "things'', see yesterday, and didn't do it. What can I say. We win some, we lose some. The thought of schmoozing, seeing some old dbags from college, and 2 hours in the car just didn't appeal to me last night, considering the busy day and 4 hours in the car I will be partaking in later today. So I told myself if I were to miss this event, I had to be productive about it. I believe I was...

What I did do was fix that printer of mine (75%)...its now printing, however with a large smudge running down the whole right side of the page. Baby steps. I also officially submitted my first resume to a company I'd like to work for. This may be considered monumental, since it's the first of the "new" resumes I have submitted. It is perhaps 1000 times better than the old ones I made up, so we'll see how it goes. I will also follow up with a targeted cover letter via mail. I will attempt to do this regularly as part of a structured regimen that will begin Monday.

I was also contacted by a recruiter (I think) via LinkedIn yesterday and I followed up w/ her. I wonder how people like this find me. Phone tag, you're it.

Laundry was also done, needed for the trip this weekend up to God knows where, Maine. God knows where, Maine, for a bachelor party minus female entertainment. I thought it was kind of a prerequisite. But I guess we shall see...

So Monday starts a new chapter for me. The chapter where I actually approach this thing with some structure, with some goals and strategies. Like a young Vince Lombardi.

Yes, think of me as a young Vince Lombardi, leading my team to the promised land. My team being me, and the promised land being eternal consciousness (aka personally and professionally rewarding career.)

Here we go.

Things...

So I sit here today, writing a blog in my underwear, drinking a nice, hot cup of coffee from my "Life is Good" mug, fresh off the morning workout. Hot topics for today are...

Today I have my last meeting with CMC before the "launch", meaning when I start getting my newly crafted resumes and cover letters out to some targeted companies/individuals, following the marketing campaign that is the point of this whole thing. This is exciting, and also a chance to see if this thing will work.

I am supposed to attend a "Speed Networking" Event down in Boston tonight, sponsored by my college alumni association. I know this is the proper thing to do, as "you never know...", however I just really don't want to go. Stay tuned and I guess we'll soon find out the answer.

My printer has been busted forever and I just can't seem to fix it. It would really come in handy these days, as I should probably be printing up resumes on nice paper, etc;

I leave tomorrow late afternoon to head up down'east Maine for a bachelor party. Golfing, whitewater rafting, male bonding are just some of the things that are on the docket. And just received an email, that due to our rural location, female entertainment has been cancelled. You may discuss this amongst yourselves.

I fired a career low 87 on the golf course last Sunday. At least some things are progressing.

But, in all seriousness, we are making progress here. Just trust me on that one...