A suggestion for Future Direction of "U.F.F. 2.0"

Hello (new) Admin,

Perhaps you know of me from "U.F.F. 1.0," perhaps you don't. However, many Members of Displaced American Workers United (DAWU) are familiar with worrywart, and a few of them have been kind and gracious enough to say that my *scribblings* are occasionally of passing interest . . .

I have an idea that would be good for everybody (e.g., DAWU, UFF2, and sundry other individuals). In fact, I can't think of anyone who would not either like this idea or at least grudgingly accept it's self-evident sensibility . . .

If you decided to embrace this notion I am going to propose, EVERYONE would value this site, and, eventually, you will get a lot of Members who will check in here almost every day, but only once a day, and only to stay for an average of 15 to 30 minutes per visit. But when I say "a lot of Members" checking in every day, I am talking about thousands eventually - rather than hundreds!

Here's my idea:

Rather than sort of emulate "UFF 1.0," or "compete" with DAWU, what about if you instead had UFF 2.0 specialize in its topicality . . . said topical specialty being "all things related to the job search," ranging from Members' (granular) personal narratives of interviews they've had, to discussions of best-practices for resume formats as a function of skills and experiences, to guerrilla-job-hunting techniques, to discussions regarding retraining options . . . be they offered through the Workforce Reinvestment Act, or self-learning, or by taking student loans to go to college or trade school. The list goes on, but I don't want to overwhelm readers with a 10 page email (e.g., I just did that with a coworker this morning, who'd replied "what about if we just call them ?" [LOL] ).

So, that is my suggestion. Make UFF2 into a serious *school* and resource for grimly determined and purpose-driven job-hunters.

And Admin? I have retained almost all of my materials from UFF1, and I was just about to start several new series I'd had in mind when the UFF1 closed. I have new material.

Serious posts for job hunting decision-support? That's a topic about which I'm passionate - I'm hardcore - "it's what I'm good for!"

Also, if you choose adopt a strategy along these lines, you will have no one (GOP, DEMS, Tea-Party, whoever) who would have a leg to stand on for putting down UFF2.

If you went with such an approach as this, then what UFF2 might end up lacking in easy banter and rapport, would be more than made up for by having UFF2 be widely viewed as a site with a high standard of credibility and utility - for multitudes of people.

Why, I believe that, if you were really willing to apply yourself and UFF2 to this type of venture, UFF2 might even eventually have HR people and headhunters start snooping around for talent-searches. That is why UFF2 might consider advising all new Members to give over 85% of their "Introduce yourself" post to descriptions of their vocational skills and experiences - the better by which Members could then refer each other to opportunities they've observed, but which fell outside the sphere of this or that Member.

Let me proactively answer one question people might have: "why hold two Forums? Why not just have DAWU?"

There is an intelligent answer to that question. . . In the Bible we read that one cannot serve two masters. Certainly, I would say that one cannot serve two masters as well as one can serve a single master! Areas in which DAWU are strong are advocacy, linkage, and socialization. UFF2 would instead be "all about the job search." That provides a more powerful, focused approach, rather than something that tries to be all things to all people and instead ends up being a "mishmosh."

The relationship between DAWU and UFF2 need not be competitive - it should instead be complimentary and reciprocal, with each Forum referring Members to the other Forum as appropriate. Well Admin, what do you think of the idea? Would you - or other readers of my post - like to weigh-in on the idea?

WW

Hi Admin,

One other thing I neglected to mention. Should it come to be that "UFF 2.0" does indeed move in the strategic direction as I have envisioned, it may eventually be possible for me to entice, entreat, guilt or otherwise motivate people who are presently working and who are part of the hiring process to offer up their thoughts. If I could, over time, fashion these into a sort of panel, a long-term goal might be to select from among Member's tendered questions (say 1-2 times a month), and ask the panel to weigh in with their various opinions. For example:

"I am 50, and, though I still have some - waning - resources left to draw upon, I haven't been able to get a job in my field now for over a year. Would I be better off returning to school and incurring a student loan, or doing some kind of a start-up garage-repair business with one of my neighbors? I am scared to incur a student loan when I don't even know if that'd make me employable by the time I am 53 years old. On the other hand, I've never been self-employed before, and though I do know something about garage repair, I really don't know what all I'd be facing if I tried to run a business. What do you suggest?"

Questions like that. . . . Just another tidbit to chew on : - )

WW

Thank you Worrywart. The other forum was afraid of loosing you. Please post there, you are missed.

I think you have a valid point. It is a shame what happen this week. Anywhere people unemployed, underemployed, part time, exhaustee/99er and semi-retired (force to take early Social Security) can get the help and support is needed. What we don't need are trolls. Having been doing this since 2004, with many contract assignments, also posted on Monster.com forums. Many people are upset and don't know where to go for answers.

We all need answers. We don't need someone to tell us to go get a job any job.

Keep doing what you know best. I have helped many people on forums. I am not one to send out many emails, faxes or phone calls to politicians. I try to find a solution and keep focusing on that. Until I have a better answer. One thing I do know that works is you have to stay focused. To apply to everything is just spinning your wheel and going nowhere.

My latest theory on resume is that it needs to be more of a book cover from a marketing standpoint. There are many people confused right now. With over 15 million out of work there is a need to give people good answers or opinions.

Hi TR11005,

Well bless your soul for your kind words and affirmation. I like where you are coming from - even if it is from *Ohio* (LOL).

Yes, I am in wholehearted agreement with your observation:

". . . I try to find a solution and keep focusing on that. Until I have a better answer. One thing I do know that works is you have to stay focused. To apply to everything is just spinning your wheel and going nowhere."

That is why I am hoping that we can convince the new Admin of UFF2 to give very serious consideration to evolving UFF2 into a very serious job-hunter oriented Forum. Pick a focus and go with it - that is 100% where I am coming from, and, the way I figure it, people can already find plenty of other sites that focus on extending employment benefits beyond the current limits, and on how rotten someone's spouse is treating them because they don't have a job, and so forth.

Provided that the new Admin will try this venture, I will, on my part, be willing to give over some of my time to help jobseekers as my stewardship - even though this is my busiest month of the year (LOL). In fact, I took today off from work in order to feel out whether or not there would be interest in developing a Forum such as suggested in my earlier post.

"Marketing yourself" is a very good topic - just splendid! And, you are so right! When you have 15 million people out of work, you'd better be able to sell yourself. A thread of that nature would be a great idea.

WW

I think that is an excellent idea WW. I have always benefited from your posts and a forum dedicated to all things related to getting a job is a great idea and will help so many.
Good to see you WW, we have all been looking for you

Worry wart Check you PM's

I think this is a great idea!

Hi Laramel!

Good to have you here !

Thank you very much for the thumbs up. If the Admin is willing, I am going to start really building up posts on Saturday with my old UFF 1.0 job-hunting threads, and then I will also introduce a new one . . . something along the lines of Networking/Networking Groups.

It is good to have some of my midwest-folks here. In fact, I think I will privately email Chicagogal next . ..

WW

Great idea!
Just remember I am only an email away if you need any help!

Nice to see your name on posts again!

Hi laramel,

Thanks so much, and I probably will do that very thing and email you very soon. I'm going to call it a night soon. . .

I may re-post a couple of my old UFF 1.0 job-hunting threads here late Friday night, so I will "see" you then or on Saturday evening. Now it's time for sleep and a long day on the hamster-wheel tomorrow. Until then,

Peace be With You : - )

WW

SUBJECT: "Retraction, Regrets, and Redirection”

To UFF 2.0 Members

cc: DAWU Members

When the original UFF closed on 2/12, and DAWU opened that same day, and then UFF 2.0 opened on 2/16, I sensed this to be a situation which could be either mutually destructive or mutually beneficial - the determinant of which it would be whether or not the two Forums could eliminate any overlapping redundancies between them.

Therefore, I envisioned the reforming of UFF 2.0 into an entirely professional environment, in order to achieve the following three goals:


ONE. To avoid a mutually destructive competition between DAWU and UFF 2.0

TWO. To have UFF 2.0 focus exclusively and in-depth on boosting job-hunter success in landing more interviews, converting more interviews into job offers, safeguarding newly hired LTU; and, helping the underemployed to strategize ways and means to increase their employment to living-wage FTE.

THREE. To provide a proper professional setting conducive to inviting employed HR professionals and other hiring executives to post informed expert opinions on topics concerning best-practices for marketing one’s candidacy and so forth. I had planned to entreat members of the HR Department for my very large employer to provide some philanthropic job-hunting decision-support to UFF 2.0 Members.



Yesterday, I was notified that UFF 2.0 will endeavor to substantially recreate the format of the original UFF, instead of revamping 2.0 into a wholly professional Forum for job-hunters to increase their job-search effectiveness and to better market themselves.

Of course, a site with any social (e.g., “Vent”) or political/advocacy (e.g., “Tier 5”) sub-forums would not be appropriate for hiring professionals to visit, and to assist job-hunters with bolstering their candidacies. Such professionals would - of course - shun a site which smacked of controversy and/or non-professionalism . . . as well they should !

Therefore, in light of these changed circumstances, Goal THREE is now unobtainable. A site with distracting social or political overtones must also be considered a suboptimal environment to nurture Goal TWO. Also, without some rapid joint-communique issued by the Administrators of UFF 2.0 and DAWU, the redundancy between the two Forums may also derail Goal ONE.

I feel as though I have - defacto - misled Members of both Forums. It was unintentional. There appeared to me to be (prima facie) broad-based support for my concept (e.g., Member comment: “Finding a job that pays a livable wage is a top priority”), and, therefore, I had not foreseen a scenario in which this proposal would not be adopted.

At least some Members of either Forum will attest that I have always sought to do my best by everyone, both in my stewardship for the original UFF, and also in my attempt at stewardship following the closure of the original UFF'.

So, as for me, my next step is to reconnect with a Chicago-area Christian online employment ministry to offer them my stewardship. It is a professional site, and very distraction-free, for there is no open-registration. Job-hunters who wish to open an account must attend one of the ministry's in-person meetings and provide proof of their identity . . . before they will be assigned a login by the ministry's Administrators. I am already a member there for over two years, and I had been considering offering them more support (prior to my discovering the original UFF in 7/10).

I am tonight offering my stewardship to this Chicago-area Forum. I take commitments I make very seriously, so this final post should not be viewed as a not-so-subtle means of manipulation by which to pressure the Administrators of UFF 2.0 (or DAWU) to diverge from their respective inclinations.

Having said that, I will leave my member accounts active on UFF 2.0 and DAWU, from tonight until Thursday (February 24th at 10pm CST), in order to proffer and/or receive farewell PMs, and, also, in case Chicago-area Members of either Forum want information about my “new digs” so to speak.

I wish you all well,

WW

I think those are very great ideas. But I also think that, as a community, that we should also retain some remnant of the old UFF, meaning, some of the area specific forums.

While I'll be looking at various ideas, I was hoping for a peaceful existence between UFF and DAWU but it seems that some members are ... how can I say this without sounding overtly negative ... very upset and angry that these forums were created here. I just can't understand why there is such hostility as there is definitely room for both sites to exist and that each community can benefit from each other.

It's like Star Trek websites or Star Wars websites. They all exist together, in peace, celebrating their love for their respective shows. I still think everyone can work together and I'm open to working with DAWU and creating a symbiotic relationship where "unemployment advocacy" is concerned. But, that takes representatives from each side coming together and forming a mutual agreement.

WW, UFF is so well known. It had 10,000 members and it shows up in Google searches and as links on multiple sites. I think the forum needs to remain true to its roots so that all the old friends and guests who register feel at home.

Good luck with your venture and hope to see you here when you are able to be here. Do you feel comfortable sharing some of your expertise?

http://monster.prospero.com/monsterindex

This is another forum I continue visit for the last 6 years and try to help people and get advice. They to have had problems with trolls. I came to UFF, because the people were generally unemployed and wanting to offer advice. Mainly. because they were friendly and many still are. There was a cause and news for extensions. Monster did not fill that need for latest news and constantly had fights back in 2006 and on. It became obvious to many that unemployed and people working contract assignments the economy was getting worse. Many long term unemployed constantly being picked on, even attacked by HR managers who had no clue. One worked for the State of Washington. New_Wave_Princess was one of the members at the time, she knows what I am talking about.

What works for them is they have an area for venting, help with resumes and job help. There is a need in all areas. Monster has been doing this for years. You don't necessary want to copy what they have. I feel there is a great void that even these two forums can't even fill. Most people who are unemployed or searching and have not yet become successful are in search for information. The so called State's One Stop Centers are a joke and vastly underfunded these days in many states. My State of Ohio does not even have local Unemployment offices.

I feel there is a need for both new forums. Perhaps there is a workable solution. Nobody thought that in 2008, many of the same people are still out of work. We all need to vent and get the latest information. Continue on a job search and advocate for additional weeks. Myself, although going to collect early SS benefits soon, but need to work. I see the Contract Assignments will be my solution to help me sustain living. I have two pensions and can't collect a dime before 65. I have collected another small pension when I was 60. Many others will have the same problems. I think that helping people to market for Contract and Self Employment Work is greatly needed. These are the jobs that will come back before Permanent Positions. Today, peoples resumes are in shambles, because of this economy. There confidence and self esteem is almost destroyed.

HR people need to step up to the plate. They need to include all workers, instead of weeding out workers for unjustified reasons. That is another HOT BUTTON area which people are very emotionally about.

I didn't need to make it this long, but needed to give you WW and kemcha needed information.

Thanks, TR. You're absolutely correct. I'm just trying to play the middle ground and to get members of both sites to work together. There's some hostility about this site and how it's being run and while they may have reasons for feeling that way, we just want to be able to have both communities working toward the same goal: getting Congress to extend unemployment to 79's, 99ers or exhaustees.

We're all fighting for the same thing and that should never divide us.