I’ve never been much of a truth-seeker, though I have known those who are. They are always finding a way to push them selves to the extreme, whether it is in sports, business, or religion. I imagine they do this to strip away all of the options available to deceive one’s self. For my truth-seeking friends, I have a new extreme sport: After you lose the anchor client of your small business, have an unexpected third child, and move into a new apartment that needs a gut renovation; look for a job during the worst recession since the great depression while your industry is in the midst of a fundamental transformation. In this perfect storm, truth becomes your constant companion. You’ll find out if you married the right woman (I did). You’ll find out if you can project a normal façade amidst unrelenting uncertainty (you can). You’ll find out if you can separate your view of yourself with your success in the marketplace (I’m working on it). The current jobless rating is 9.5 % and getting worse. Some say it is actually 14% and getting worse. In any case, when you apply for a job, there a lot of other talented folks applying for the same position and in these hard times, employers are using an electron microscope to screen candidates. The best strategy for this environment is the truth. Sure there are plenty of jobs that seem to be worth applying for because you are kinda, sorta qualified, but don’t waste your time. That job has plenty of hyper-qualified candidates applying for it. You may feel like this is good time to explore your professorial proclivities. Join the club. The TRUTH is that you are good at something and if you are going to waste your time, do it with you kids. I am an advertising creative director—one of the best. I have some pretty heavy design experience and an extremely eclectic background, but it all adds to one thing: I'm a practitioner of the dark art of persuasion. Right now the industry is dealing with the internet so it wants a certain kind of technically proficient html designer or something like that. This disruption, like all disruptions in the universe will return to the natural order where the guys who are better at the technical side will gravitate toward perfecting and refining that, and people like me, who can turn design into concept and find the customer’s G-spot, will once again be what employers are clamoring for. Just not in this week’s job listings.
