The the “power of networking” (thanks to Alan Iacobucci of API Consulting, Inc.for the introduction) I spoke with Wayne Gru, a very interesting fella who’s been “in transition” for quite some time now. As part of our wide-ranging conversation, Wayne mentioned that had been wanting to blog about what it’s like to be out of, and looking for, work.

Since the first step is often the hardest, I invited Wayne to post his very first blog entry here at GottaGettaBLOG! To his credit, he accepted my challenge.

So, ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to … Wayne Gru:

Well, first my thanks to Barry for allowing me to post to his blog. This is my first blog contribution anywhere and I’m excited to have this opportunity.

I met Barry only recently, by phone, through a networking referral from a long-time mutual friend; someone we both did business with in a previous life.

I much enjoyed our conversation as I am currently “in transition” and am always eager to meet other quality people and continue building my network. Barry and I share many common views, it turns out, on personal and professional development, the job search process, relationship building, etc.

He was nice enough to point out my positive outlook at this stage of my life notwithstanding the current hurdles that baby-boomers (and non-boomers) are facing.

An upside-down market is no fun on so many levels. But, it is what it is. I have always had that positive perspective, thankfully, and have been fortunate to share that optimism (sometimes cautious optimism) with others who are in a similar state today much as I would in that once-upon-a-time world of being gainfully employed.

That positive mental attitude is something that always came natural to me. I always recall my youthful experience of not successfully completing my initial foray into college. I then got a pretty basic full time job doing nothing very special but making a reasonable wage that I learned to save for the most part. Every week as I made my savings deposit, I would wonder what I would wind up doing with my life. I remember as clear as day always telling myself “I don’t know what we’re going to be but I KNOW we’re going to be successful”. (Subsequently, I made a successful return to college.)

The job hunt for me at this point is more down than up, notwithstanding positive prognostications for an economic recovery. But I do a lot of volunteer work to keep my skills fresh and do what I do best, which is “helping people get better.” I always believed that helping people get better was central to not only their own success but ultimately to the success of any organization. My activities currently include:

• Facilitating a weekly job search work team (accountability group) of professional people, and
• Working with a state/county non-for-profit organization helping others (from all walks of life) organize their job search and identify their skills, talents and abilities that can be shaped into effective job search tools.

Both are profoundly fulfilling for me personally when you can literally see the “light-bulb” go on during these sessions and even better, when I hear of their successful landing with a new employer. That, in turn, helps keep me focused and positive, knowing that the current market notwithstanding, I do have great skills and experience to offer.

I supplement these activities by doing some modest one-on-one work arranged solely by word-of-mouth. And in a related way, I also volunteer in a mentoring program at a local suburban college, which is a wonderful experience.

So, the long and short of this posting is that my attitude; that positive perspective, combined with a strong desire to help people get better, still burns brightly and will continue to guide me to that as yet undefined next opportunity.

My chat with Barry has also inspired me to get on with doing my own blog; something I have been vacillating on for a while but, no more. My blog is currently under construction, no doubt to be followed by my own website where I hope to be able to share with others the earned wisdom of my experience to do with as they please. More to follow.

Thanks Barry!

And thank YOU, Wayne. Thank you VERY much!

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Wayne Gru is a Senior Operations Executive with proven leadership performance, transforming business operations. He has demonstrated experience in leading organizations through rapid change, and his strengths include: Strong communication and servicing skills and building customer-centric, multi-disciplined teams that exceed objectives.

Wayne is able to rapidly create an atmosphere of trust and simplify complex issues into manageable components. His diverse expertise includes building effective teams, due-diligence, integration; relationship management, financial operations, compliance, internal controls, project management and business systems.

Wayne Gru can be reached at waynejgru@yahoo.com or 815-355-4381. He’d appreciate hearing from you — even if it’s just to hello!

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