Surviving the Divorce and Moving On

Good day to my readers who haven't totally deserted me. Life can be quite tough these days for couples dating and for couples in a marriage. But think about how tough it can be for single people!!! With the difficult financial and employment landscapes of today, going it alone can be incredibly challenging and quite daunting. I won't soon be writing a guide to tell you how to survive a marriage, but I do see that there is a market for that type of book.

This is my segway blog post to help me transition in my writings from the previous to the future. And to offer up an explanation for what the heck I have been doing in my personal life. What I found with my divorce is that things were not as they seemed. I found that I lost many of the friends with which I shared good times during the marriage. After the divorce, those friends seemed to evaporate into thin air. One friend told me "not to worry as those must have been shallow friends." Maybe, but what happened to YOU? He was gone too.

Jaguar Julie is Available! Yeah.

I served the ex with divorce papers on my birthday of all days: July 9, 2010. I do not recommend using your birthday in this fashion. You know, Seth Godin's birthday is July 10th? I only mention that because of how much time I have allocated to his platform of Squidoo; and because I did more of a celebration of my birthday on the 10th.

After some two plus months with the really expensive attorney, I released the high-powered attorney in October 2010. Working with the ex, we came to a divorce settlement, that I now realize, really favored him. I hate that he changed things in the settlement after I released my attorney!! In hindsight, not a smart move on my part. The divorce was finalized on November 16, 2010. But, I'm afraid the ex is going to make me wait until 2018 to pay me what he owes me! That stinks; enough said.

Well whatever! I have officially finished the grieving period for said divorce. In the meantime, I let my poor blog suffer. It is now officially time that I got a move on.

On the dating front: Any peers out there in single-land? Have you recently been divorced? There is hope for us in these trying times. I have yet to pen that personals ad. My friends, thank GOD for my friends, have suggested I try Match.com, PlentyofFish, OurTime and eHarmony. Yikes, dating!!! Have you tried any of those sites and have a success story? Oh ... please tell me about it.

On the employment front: I made a little time this past week to update my two branded websites: Jaguar Julie and Jaguar Julie Designs. On my about me page: "I am currently accepting inquiries from forward-thinking, dynamic companies in the Jacksonville, Florida area."

I am seeking to secure a creative marketing position with a very special company and boss. [in Jacksonville, Florida] I prefer a smaller-sized company with a tight nucleus of professionals. At this point in my creative career, I'd love to be a meaningful part of a team of creative web builders and writers.

I'd thrive on being able to have a creative consultative environment to brainstorm concepts with a creative team of my peers. Writing and editing are two core loves of mine; along with creating unique and clever product fact sheets, product labeling, and newsletters.

Oh, and I hope to work my blogging in there too. That's just the tip of the iceberg of what can get my motor running in any given day.

P.S. There is light at the end of that tunnel for surviving the divorce and moving on. I hope YOU have found your own light!

Job Opportunity -- Uplifting and Inspiring Rejection Letter Writer

I'm thinking the job opportunity headline needs to read something like this: Uplifting and Inspiring Rejection Letter Writer Wanted!  Why this type of "job opportunity" now?  Well ... let me tell you a short story!  It starts on a hot July afternoon in Jacksonville, Florida.

On July 22, 2010, I commenced my online career search, getting my feet wet, in the local career market here in Northeastern Florida; i.e., Jacksonville, Florida.  My first steps involved taking a proactive approach by employing my Google blog, to announce my initiative: Interviewing a Forward-Thinking Company and Boss in Jacksonville Florida.

I am accepting inquiries from forward-thinking, dynamic companies in the Jacksonville, Florida area. I am actively seeking to secure a meaningful relationship with a very special company AND boss(es) who truly understand that harnessing social media today can be a plus for the company’s bottom-line.  That, plus a need for creative and analytical marketing experience!

The next steps involved selecting a couple of "great" companies for which I would love to "work."  I selected a company for which I've actually worked in two different cities.  The other company is a retail establishment which I frequent OFTEN and have spread the word of mouth buzz to my friends; i.e., "Oh my goodness, you really need to stop in and check out the latest 'fabulous finds' at _________!"

So, the very next day, I get a "thank you" letter from the company that I haven't worked for yet, but where I shop on a frequent basis.  What they had to say:

Exhibit A: Letter #1 from Jacksonville Florida retail company: Received within 24 hours of submitting an online application with resume to this retail company.

Thank you for your interest in the _______ position at _________ [our company].

We are in the process of reviewing all resumes from applicants who have expressed an interest in this opportunity. Should your qualifications and experience match the requirements for this position, you will be contacted directly by a member of our recruiting staff.

Best regards,

Human Resources

OK, I thought ... it is good to be acknowledged and know that a "human" is actually reviewing your qualifications and experience to find a "match" you know?

Fast forward to two days later!  Oh no!!!  It is an uninspiring rejection letter.  My first in this career search.  Good thing my self-esteem is solid ... who knows though how that self-esteem might be after 30 days, 60 days, 90 days of these type of letters!  You know?  So, here is that uninspiring rejection letter:

Exhibit B: Letter #2 from Jacksonville Florida retail company: Received within 2 days after receiving the "Thank You" Letter #1.

Thank you for your interest in the _______ position at _________ [our company -- not yours].

At this time we are pursuing other applicants whose qualifications most closely match the needs of this position. However, we encourage you to review our careers website regularly for available job opportunities matching your career interests and qualifications at our company dot com -- [not yours dot com].

Best wishes for success in your future career endeavors.

Human Resources

Hmmm, I should review the company "website regularly for available job opportunities matching your career." That doesn't sound promising to me. Wouldn't that company KNOW that someone like me was available for a very special "marketing" type career?  You know, this rejection letter surely sounds familiar. I do think that in my career lifetime, I have gotten this VERY SAME letter many a time, even at the START of my career oh so many years ago!

Job Opportunity -- Uplifting and Inspiring Rejection Letter Writer. It is time; the time is ripe for uplifting and inspiring rejection letters.  These canned, uninspiring rejection letters are perpetuating a potential loss of self-esteem amongst those potential career candidates for other jobs.  I'm thinking, in my case, that enclosing a 50% off one item in that favorite "retail" company might have been an improvement.

Note to self:  Make some time to creatively write some uplifting and inspiring rejection letters!  Thank you very much.

Interviewing a Forward-Thinking Company and Boss in Jacksonville Florida

Today's special blog post:  Interviewing a Forward-Thinking Company and Boss in Jacksonville Florida!

BULLETIN: I am accepting inquiries from forward-thinking, dynamic companies in the Jacksonville, Florida area. I am actively seeking to secure a meaningful relationship with a very special company AND boss(es) who truly understand that harnessing social media today can be a plus for the company’s bottom-line.  That, plus a need for creative and analytical marketing experience!

The bottom-line on me? Well, I previously would have described myself with something like this:

A conceptually-creative, analytical, and motivated marketing professional with corporate level experience possessing skills in marketing and business plan development; project management; creative and marketing materials development; web site development and management; data analyses and database development; and online content writer and blogger.

But, now I am that and so much more! Over the past 4+ years, I have worked VERY DILIGENTLY to “establish a reputable name for myself online.” I have actively been involved in “social media marketing” and so much more! Hey, why not Google Me for yourself? I would suggest that you Google “jaguarjulie” and “jaguar julie” and keep in mind that I might be a blonde, but I have a lot of substance and brains behind the smile! I am a motivated and enthused kind of person too!

Of course, I also worked VERY DILIGENTLY at a more traditional “job” because I was sought out for my particularly relevant marketing experience for a start-up company that went from $0 to about oh, $7 million or more in annual sales in the course of 3.5 years!

I’m happy to report, that my current employer and I have come to a mutually-beneficial agreement that I should be allowed to spread my wings now. It’s been a 3.5 year working relationship; me = Marketing Director; them = happy partners who are very thankful for all the contributions. It really worked for me and my personality that they transitioned my work environment to be a home-based business = thank you boss(es)! I know that not everybody is disciplined enough to be productive working from a home office, but I did earn that title of WAHWW and WAHW – that would be “work at home wonder woman” and “work at home workaholic!” TYVM!

For them, I conceived of and developed their company logo which brands them worldwide daily. An additional key contribution was the MS Access database I developed which automates product data sheets, product labeling, and product technical charts. They’ve counted on me for a variety of creatives and marketing collateral materials; competitive intelligence; website management; content writing for the company blog; and gosh, so much more! Yep, I do know that they will miss me!

By the way, I also managed, in my free time, to make a name for myself as a Social Media type along with being a prolific content writer, hubster, lensmaster, and blogger. I’ve written on the socially-popular platform of Squidoo, with over 850 lens articles to my name.

Along with that content writing, came some kudos along the way, such as being inducted into the prestigious Giant Squid 100 Club as a charter member in 2007. Serving as a socially-responsible Squid Angel, mentoring fellow lensmasters, being a Squidoo Activist, making a record number of requested feature-suggestions for improvement of the site, and earning some recognition as lens of the day three times.

In 2008, I was selected as the Giant Squid of the Year and earned the title of having the best cooking page, Stuffed Cabbage, that year. Oh, there were many more bright spots to report on Squidoo! We can surely talk about that in person!

Prior to Squidoo, my websites, and blogging, I maintained the top, #1 personal homepage on the popular platform of ThirdAge for more than a couple of years!

Before all that, I’ve had a most meaningful corporate and Fortune 500, traditional past, having provided marketing services, creative and analytical, for such companies as:

• Fuji Hunt Photographic Chemicals
• KPMG LLP
• Millennium Specialty Chemicals
• IBM-Florida Capital Trading Area
• GTE Mobile Communications
• The Prudential Bank

Of course I have the necessary academic credentials that you would expect of someone who has been a Marketing Director. And, I can use a computer quite efficiently too -- I even get asked to troubleshoot computers from time-to-time! We can talk more specifically about all my skills and talents when we meet.

So, are you interested in talking? I’m ready! Why not put my portfolio of talent and skills to work for your company? You can leave me a confidential, private inquiry in my comments and we can go from there! I will contact you immediately!  Thank you and hope to meet you soon!  Let's talk!