Project HOPE, or The Job Search Program, When Your Unemployment Rate is 100%

Last week while in Austin I saw this article: Utah unemployment rate dropped to 2.8% in June.

Well, isn’t that nice. This is an economic indicator that gives politicians warm fuzzies. “Our policies are clearly working!”

But last week I spoke to six job clubs, to over 300 people who’s personal unemployment rate was 100%. Some have been in the job search just a few weeks. Others have been in the job search almost (or over) a year.

I think it’s important to measure and track the unemployment rate. However, it’s also important to understand what it means, and what it doesn’t mean. Unfortunately, when you are unemployed, or long-term unemployed, the unemployment rate can mean very little. Or it can mean “what’s wrong with me, if it’s such a good economy… why can’t I get a job??”

That’s how my job search was in early 2006. The economy was amazing, but I was “that guy” who couldn’t land a job. I was 100% unemployed and felt like a 100% loser.

This is why I created The Job Search Program (internally named “Project HOPE”). This is a program designed to help job seekers, whether you are new to your job search, or have been looking for too long, get traction and make progress.

Job-search-program-day-1

The program centers around informational interviews. I teach you what they are and how to do them. My emphasis is actually talking to humans. This is much more scary than applying to jobs online, or doing whatever non-human interaction you have been doing that is getting you nowhere.

It’s a little scary. But I start you off gently. Maybe too gently. One alpha tester said “slow down… this is too much too early.” But other alpha testers said ABSOLUTELY NOT, this is not too slow.

Look, you are on a countdown. I don’t want you to learn it all and then apply it. That could take days, weeks, or months before you start. I’ll teach you as you go. This is on the job training and I’ll help you each step of the way.

You start out gently, talking to people you are comfortable with (maybe close friends and family). It’s easy, and it’s a safe place. As you get better, as you practice, as you grow more comfortable, you start to talk to people in your industry or profession. Within a few weeks you are ONLY talking to people in your industry or profession, and getting referrals from people in your industry or profession.

When I was in my job search I didn’t want to learn for weeks and weeks. I wanted to END my job search. That’s what this program is designed to do.

Ready to stop spinning wheels? Ready to get serious about this “network into your next job?” Let me walk you, day by day, down this path.

This is the culmination of thirteen years of learning and thinking and observing… and I’m giving it to you for $197.

Still want to use a coach? GO FOR IT. I recognize that you may need more and customized help. But I bet that my program will be the most effective supplement to a job search coach.

Don’t have money to pay a coach? Then find $197 to invest into the Jason Alba Job Search Program. Get ready to invest yourself, your time, and ditch your ego and fears. Sound scary? It might be. But even scary is being unemployed for a year. That is ridiculous.

Let’s do the right things to get you the right job. Who knows, you might even have fun along the way.

The best way to start is to login to your JibberJobber account and then click the new icon in the top-right, and then choose the Job Search Program icon:

Job-Search-Program-menu

You’ll have to set up a Job Search Program account, pay $197, and then you are ready to start.

This JUST launched, and we already have a list of enhancements. We’d love any and all feedback. We are committed to enhancing this a lot over the next 6 months based on feedback. But more important than what we can fix or improve, make sure you work this program every day.

Let’s do this thing!