Yesterday was an exciting day. Unemployment numbers were better than expected, and I was interviewed by Adriana Hausner on CNN en Espanol to give my views on it. We had a five-minute interview, that got magically edited into a 2-minute segment. Adriana is a fantastic journalist who made me feel at ease since the moment I first saw her.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be featured on a segment on "oh not so negative" unemployment numbers. Although 8.9% unemployment represents almost 14 million individuals out of work, the pace of unemployment is slowing down, and that is something to be happy about. It means that waiting time to get a new job is getting shorter. Because unemployment is a lagging indicator, one can interpret that the end of the recession is closer, and companies could start hiring earlier than anticipated.
 
A few minutes after the interview aired, I was being contacted by friends across Latin America, some of whom I had not seen or even spoken to in years. It was awesome to reconnect thanks to the magic of CNN!

So, here is the video. If I you and I met at some point in our lives, get in touch. You can reach me at rfiguera@thetalentcircle.com. I would love to hear from you.

The story of how Marlo Scott baked herself a happier career.    
                                                                    
Marlo Scott can’t stop smiling today. How could she? In January 2009 she spent an afternoon with Martha Stewart making cupcakes for an upcoming show.  Being chosen for this segment was amazing and beyond anything she ever imagined.

If you ask Marlo for the recipe of her Crimson and Cream Cupcake, she will gladly share it with you as she recently did for Fox5 Good Day New York, to celebrate Valentine’s Day. She is also more than glad to give you her recipe for a happier life. Like many people on a career track, Marlo thought she had the ingredients for success. But after an MBA at the University of Michigan and three layoffs, she discovered that her original recipe had a certain aftertaste that she needed to eliminate. So with a few ounces of inspiration, a splash of networking and lot of hard work, Marlo baked up the idea for a cupcake, wine and beer bar and a happier existence.

Marlo thought she had it all. Even after being laid off from two different jobs, she still thought she was on the right track and considered her career a successful one. She had a great job in business development within Time inc.; she was motivated, well-liked, and up for a promotion. “Life just doesn’t get better than this,” she thought. And she was right, it didn’t. In fact, Marlo’s professional life took a nosedive from that point on.

After delivering outstanding results and successfully leading a business group, her reward was the deferral of her promotion for 9 months. Marlo was underwhelmed and disappointed, and she came to the conclusion that Corporate America just wasn’t the place for her. She soul searched to sort out her next steps. “The hardest thing was to figure out what I wanted, where my passion was. Once I did that, things started coming together”.

Marlo eventually discovered that her true calling was, in fact, very sweet. Everyday on her way to work, she passed by a popular New York cupcake bakery. Marlo observed its operations and after months of due dilligence – and a few extra cupcake pounds – Marlo came to the conclusion that the famed bakery had sweet cupcakes but an even sweeter horizon if given an opportunity to differentiate. “I would pass by every day and think what I would do differently. I started to brainstorm on my concept and I looked for opportunities to educate myself on the industry”. She signed up for restaurant administration courses and began networking with entrepreneurs and restaurant owners. She spent countless hours in the kitchen, perfecting her cupcakes and writing recipes from scratch.

In January 2007, she was laid off along with 200 others at Time Inc. The news came as a shock but mostly as a relief. She knew instantly that fate was intervening, and she was being given the opportunity to add sweetness to her life. “Getting laid off gave me a chance to put life in perspective. It allowed me the freedom to take a bet on myself. I felt empowered to go for it – to build a business and a brand that would offer a sweet environment for me, the good folks that work with me and for all my lovely patrons”.

Marlo opened Sweet Revenge in July 2008. The upscale, world-inspired cupcake, beer and wine bar has already made a mark.  Fox5’s morning should and Martha Stewart are not the only ones clamoring on her door. Time Out New York Magazine named Sweet Revenge the “Critic’s Pick” and is among the contenders for the 2009 EatOut Awards for Best New Bakery (results not yet published/known as of March 4, 2009). The Feedbag.com, Brides.Com, CupcakesTakeTheCake, and New York Metro, among others have profiled her.  She was also distinguished by New York City's Department of Small Business Services as an NYC Business Solutions Success Story.

“My life is unbelievable. Two years ago I was laid off, and almost to the day, I was baking my cupcakes with Martha Stewart”. Marlo smiles, “The best advice I can give to people wanting to change their lives is to have confidence and take a bet on yourself. It’s the safest one you can take and the most rewarding one too.”

Edited by Ignacio Villanueva

Have your own recipe for career success?  Share with us and inspire others.

Making each other laugh by creating a fake “Survivor” show ad in Photoshop with the pictures of the remaining team members is one of the ways Amber, Daniel, Susan, and Patricia keep their spirits high.  After surviving five rounds of layoffs at a Manhattan-based high-end design firm, and despite tremendous increase in job responsibilities, the team found ways to bond. 

Just about one year ago, a firm was expanding at the speed of light, hiring people constantly, and turning residential projects down left and right while focusing only on larger scale ventures. The times have changed and after downsizing thirty percent of the workforce, the firm is, well, still hiring.  However, the new hires are mostly highly qualified interns willing to work for no pay. In addition to tremendously larger workload, the possibility of losing the job to interns keeps the surviving team members awake at night.

The team of survivors did not let their fears get the best of them.  Instead, the remaining bunch turned to each other for support. They found themselves collaborating and building strong bonds.  “It’s a challenge to go from entry-level position to managing workload of four people, but the team makes me get through my day", says Amber, a workplace divorce survivor who just went from junior designer to designing a major Las Vegas club by herself. We have also gotten to know each other better, Amber continues, "I did not talk to Susan at all before but now we are close.” Daniel, the only smoker of the group, and the only surviving architect on the floor is touched that his co-workers take turns to go on the breaks with him for support.

“In the old days we did not take much time to get to know each other. There were feelings of fierce competition, and I felt intimidated. Now we take lunches together, poke fun at the situation, collaborate on work projects, and motivate each other to stay strong.  I truly feel as a team member,” Susan, a workforce divorce survivor admits. 

Their growing support of each other doesn’t seem to end at work.  Frequent get-togethers with laid off team members are held often to keep the team spirit alive, and they have made a pact with each other to take a trip to Costa Rica if worse comes to worse and the rest of them lose their jobs.

Written by Olya Artman

Survivor yourself?  Tell us your story and help inspire others

“We usually have our status update calls on Fridays; we discuss our progress, leads, best practices and have a bit of a team venting session” Justin tells me over lunch. He is not referring to a work meeting, however; he is talking about a new trend with those that have been recently laid off: support groups.

Until recently, Justin used to work at one of the top management consulting firms. He was part of a group of people that lost their jobs due to cost cutting across the company. After the initial shock and mourning period, many of them got together and asked themselves “now what?”

I saw how determined and excited he was about this group so I decided to dig a little deeper and find out: does misery really love company? As it turns out, it does. But it goes beyond group therapy: “we keep each other motivated and action oriented – we try not spend too much time complaining” – said Brian, another former employee.

The downturn of the economy came very suddenly for some, and being a part of a community of likeminded people helps you make sense of the events. Whether you are sharing through the phone, in person or on a blog, this exercise can also make you feel more engaged and integrated.

Once the emotional wounds have healed, groups have also found that keeping in touch with other can be useful for their career search. “By sharing job search stories, tips and market color, we keep each other focused and on track” – explained Julie. And for those who are considering a career change, they have found a supportive sounding board that encourages them to try new things and makes them more comfortable with risk. “If you’ve ever thought about leaving finance to become a chef, now might be the time to do it!” –concludes Justin, with a big smile on his face.

Written by Adriana Roche

Share your own story with us: How do you deal with laid off blues?

I was at a networking event last night and, unsurprisingly, the conversation turned to work and the recession.

An old friend told us that she was stressed out and that she now does her job and the jobs of those who've gotten laid off.  A feeling of doom and gloom now permeates her office. Someone else dismissed her and said "Hey, at least you still have a job!"  That little phrase has become all too common today.

We think that the ones who have stayed are the lucky ones: people who still have an income and can maintain their lifestyle.  But the truth is not as rosy when we look closely. Some people get tough when the tough gets going, but many others are suffering from what is called post-downsizing stress-syndrome. Typical symptoms include: irritability, trouble concentrating at work, health-problems, feelings of mistrust, absenteeism and hopelessness. 

Even more worrisome for corporations: a survey published in December by the Institute for Corporate Productivity claimed that theft in the workplace had actually risen by 18%. So, if your employees feel stressed, abandoned and swamped with more work than ever, there is a good chance that they'll leave when the economy picks up.

What can you do to prevent this? For starters, you have to show that you care about the employees that you want to retain as much as you care about those who've left. A few things to keep in mind:

-          Communication is a must, so acknowledge what your employees are going through;
-          Keep them informed with newsletters, blogs and/or meetings;
-          Have them feel involved by including them in the design of new management practices;
-          Encourage teamwork and collaboration to avoid a dog-eat-dog attitude; and
-          Invest in their development with training or a coach

What will be the result of this counter-attack? It will result in happier and more committed employees who will be more efficient and help you navigate through these white-water times with success.

Share your story with us: How are you battling the survival blues?

Written by Adriana Roche

As I was reading the New York Times today, a very interesting  story on the front page caught my eye. Out of the thousands of jobs that have been lost since the beginning of the recession, 82% were held by men. I guess this does not come as a surprise as we keep hearing stories our guy friends and husbands losing their finance jobs left and right while tales of women getting laid off are less common.

The Times attributes this to the fact that men are employed in industries that are all but being wiped out by the financial crisis, and that women work mostly in less cyclical industries like healthcare and education.  Although is it certain that the most hit areas are male dominated, it might also have to do with the fact that women are willing to work longer hours for 80% of the pay.

Will this shift in breadwinning responsibilities bring us closer to bridging the pay and presence gap for women in the workplace?

We want to hear your thoughts!