The Katrina Effect

By Raymond Sahley

First off let me say how much compassion I have for all the participants of the devastating Hurricane Katrina. I don't like the word victim because that implies a guilty party inflicting harm on another and whom can you blame in this case? Certainly not W or do the "evil republicans" have a hidden weather machine targeting minorities?

As a restaurant management recruiter in Atlanta, I have seen first hand how this disaster has left its mark on the citizens of the region. There are 2 types of candidates that I have tried to help in the last year and a half: the "Why Me" and the "Survivor".

The "Why Me" has a negative mental attitude about everything, their lost possessions, their former job, their flooded house, their missing family and friends...every single thing that has ever touched their life. They feel as if they are the targets of misplaced punishment, rage or unjustified action against them. They feel that life is out to get them and because they made it through a horrible event everyone owes them something. The worst thing is they focus all their energy on what has happened in the past.

They waste time on something that cannot be changed and do themselves even more of a disservice. Unfortunately, this behavior leads most times to an employer giving him or her a second chance to which they oblige by revisiting old wounds and the negative mentality. Their goals are not positive in the long-term range and they wish to exploit the situation in the short term, only to get what they feel is due to them now.

Let me set this straight once and for all. The world is not currently, in the past or in the future ever going to be a fair place. Fairness is something an author came up with to pass the time and entertain children. It does not exist. If you wait for a fair world you will be dust before that dawn ever arrives. The world owes you nothing! Let it go! To be blunt get this through your thick head and lose the ego and you will be on the right path in no time.

I can tell you that by using a positive mental attitude and long-term goal setting you can do anything humanly possible. If you focus your energy on making your situation better, instead of dwelling on the negative things that have plagued you, you will be in a better place because of it. This has been proven throughout time, but as human beings we always take the hard route and have to prove things to ourselves. We do not learn from history well and many of our mistakes have been documented over the years.

We are very stubborn and egotistical creatures of habit and often those habits are bad.

Because of this, I love helping the "Survivors". These are the few who have been to hell and back and ask what's next? They will not falter and they can handle anything that comes at them. They will succeed no matter what! Instead of absorbing all the negative energy and letting it misdirect their goals, they reflect and reshape it into a positive mental attitude and a new vision of themselves.

They take what life has sent their way and learn from it. They expect nothing in return, know what it takes to get where they must go and prove themselves again and again. They will accept nothing less than success and know it will be theirs if they try hard enough, have persistence, resilience and a strong foundation of faith.

As much as I try to send people down the right path and redirect their energy, I am not always successful. You have to truly want to let someone help you to complete your journey. No one can force your acceptance; it has to come from within.

So the next time a tragedy befalls you, will you choose to let it alter your whole life and spoil your core or will you get back up triumphantly and bloodied after getting knocked to your knees?

From a hiring managers perspective, who would you rather hire...a "Why Me" or a "Survivor"?


More Resources

Active Listening Skill Tips for Interviews
During a job interview, a potential employer asks, "Can you take on more than one project at a time?" If you respond, "Yes," you may want to rethink that answer. According to Dynamic Listening: Interview Skills, a computer based training module from Mindleaders in Columbus, Ohio, you should avoid one-word or one-sentence answers.
Handing in Your Resignation and Serving Notice
Have you made the right choice? Before deciding to resign from your current position and move to a new employer, you should weigh up as objectively as possible all the relevant factors: remuneration, working environment, location, travel demands, training and development opportunities, promotional prospects, and your future bosses.Consider also what impact a job with the new company would have on your resume.
Job Hunting Tips: Taking Care of Yourself
Looking for work is generally a miserable undertaking. No matter how much education and experience you have, you are in a powerless and vulnerable position.
Seven Steps to Making a Successful Career Change
My first job was secretary to Moses. Having to transcribe and make 2,430 copies of the Ten Commandments convinced me I was on the wrong career path! OK, maybe I'm not quite THAT old.
Feng Shui Your Desk for Career Success
Have you used feng shui around your desk? It's a great way to "test drive" feng shui, to see how well it works for you.In feng shui, we work with a 3x3 grid called a bagua (said "bagg-wahh").
Back to School for a Career Change
Q. I hate my job as a computer consultant.
Tips for Building a Successful Career
1. Develop excellent work habits - for example, meet deadlines and don't procrastinate.
Behaviour To Climb The Stepping Stones To Career Success
The heading of this article could just as well have been "How to position yourself for promotion" or "How to position yourself for career advancement" or "How to climb the success ladder" or something similar.What behaviour will improve your chances for success? Behaviour which can be described as good work ethics.
My Landscaping Business is Better Than Your Lanscaping Business...
Yesterday I was having a discussion with Mary who I know from a mother's group that I attend with my daughter Sammi. Through previous conversations I have determined that this woman is very talented in the areas of landscaping and interior design.
Staying In Shape
Why Lawyers Should Eat Bananas by Simon Tupman is a book that caught my eye both because of its unusual title and because I coach lawyers who are growing their practices. The book cover says it gives "Inspirational Ideas for Lawyers Wanting More Out of Life"Much of what Mr.
The Art of Selling Yourself!
To "sell" oneself on paper is not easy. Creating a resume is a design and construction job and a test of your writing skills as well.
Five Qualities Employers Want
More than ever, employers want employees who can produce results! Here are five qualities employers seek in such employees.1.
How To Take The Pain Out Of Performance Reviews
The Painful ApproachFor many years, "performance management" was of an annual event dreaded by both the management and the workforce. For a week or two every year the manager would virtually isolate himself and ponder the stack of review forms staring him in the face.
Just a Series of Choices
Steve's a pretty regular guy - wife, 4 kids in their blended family, 12+ years of engineering experience, a degree, mortgage, car payments, some debt? and feeling depressed because he waited to look till the end. Last time he transitioned was 5 years ago for more money and he liked some of the people and it was simple?this time he's heard some in his professional association have been looking for almost a year.
Should You Lie On Your Resume?
Warning: Lying on your resume could cost you your job and your freedom.Picture this.
Working in Dubai
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is one of the world's fastest growing employment hotspots in the world. Up to 20 new companies establish themselves in the emirate's free trade zones every week and since 2002 some 650 companies have registered in the Dubai Media City free trade zone alone.
Creating a Feng Shui Power Office: 6 Easy Tips to More Successful Surroundings
More and more people are looking to gain an edge in their working environments. One method that business people are increasingly turning to is feng shui.
One Step at a Time in the Job Search
What is the first step to take in a job search?Let's start with "Who Am I?" If the job seeker can answer that question easily, then the rest of what to do, comes easily.It is often the hardest thing to do in a job quest, or anything else in life.
Unlimit Your Life!
Do you have a tendency to think in absolutes?Is everything good or bad, black or white?This type of thinking can severely limit your options. Or worse, prevent you from getting an accurate picture of what'spossible.
Job Dissatisfaction
Job dissatisfaction is a driving force behind individuals seeking employment elsewhere. When evaluating your employment it is important to distinguish between the work you do and your workplace.

More Careers & Employment Information:

Related Articles

Stand Out From the Crowd with Simple Marketing Methods
Although today's job market can be very competitive, many job seekers overlook simple techniques that will catch potential employers' attention. Apply these eight ideas to stay ahead of your competitors and get hired now!1.
Job Search Blurts
I coined this word to draw attention to the nervous and apprehensive way of saying something in the job search that makes you feel like a buffoon. A "blurt" is a catchy way of saing: Gaffe.
Make Your Résumé Sizzle with Success Stories
In today's competitive job market you can't afford a résumé that fizzles. Power up your résumé with solid success stories.
Do You Have What it Takes to be a Successful Petite Model?
Want to break into the petite modeling industry but wondering if you have what it takes to succeed? There are lots of magazine and commercial modeling opportunities for good modeling jobs. Take this quiz to find out if you qualify to be the next top face in the petite modeling industry.
The Pros and Cons of Telecommuting - As Seen Through The Eyes of a Seasoned Telecommuter
Janelle Delacorte has been happily answering calls for the Home Shopping Network and various infomercials since November 2004.Several nights out of the week she tucks the kids in to bed, turns around, takes 20 or so odd steps, and arrives at the office.
Ten Things To Do When You Really, Really Hate Your Job
1. Begin focusing on what you want instead of how much you want to escape.
Your Job Search -- a Marketing Campaign?
The successful job search is really just a personal marketing campaign. And the same techniques used in infomercials and junk mail can help you get hired, too.
Job Interviews: Plan Your Appearance to Make a Great First Impression
Your personal appearance is a critical component of that all-important first impression when you walk into the room for your interview.So plan ahead!Some people don't think about what they're going to wear until the morning of the interview.
Job Interviews: How to Answer the How Do You Handle Stressful Situations? Question
When answering the "How do you handle stressful situations?" question during an interview, the best strategy is to give some examples of stressful situations you've dealt successfully with in the past.Everyone faces some form of stress on the job now and then.
Tell Me About Yourself
The need to tell people about yourself may present itself during an informal conversation with a colleague, on the Little League field with a neighbor, on the phone with a past acquaintance, or in a face-to-face meeting for a job opportunity. "Tell me about yourself" is a favorite question that has befuddled many an unsuspecting candidate.
The Top 10 Mistakes Job Seekers Should Avoid In Contacting An Employer
There are numerous tools and resources available to guide job seekers through the steps of a career transition. These tools are very useful and suggest much that you should do.
Searching for an Executive Job
A job search for executives is far less complicated today than it has been in the past. Anyone who is looking for an executive job can simply look to the Internet where there are hundreds of employment websites, with many specifically geared towards executives.
How to Terminate an Employee and Live to Tell the Tale
1. Employee Backdrop in AustraliaThe whole arena of Industrial Relations and the interaction between employer and employee is conducted within the complex framework of various statutes, state and federal, regulations and rulings and common law.
The 6 Stages of Modern Career Development
Career experts say that people will change careers (not jobs) 5-7 times in a lifetime. This being true, career management is an important life skill to develop and cultivate.
Necessary Psychological Skills When Working in the Executive Protection Field
The "hard" skills necessary for an executive protection specialist (EPS) and/or personal protection specialist (PPS) are often perceived as being that of a policeman or (elite) soldier. Though there can be certain similarities i.
Sweeping Up Worms
With the opening of a new venture and numerous reporters arriving in an hour, it felt like one of those "chickens with heads off" days. We were close, but not ready.
Settling Successfully Into Your New Job
The euphoria of getting a new job can sometimes be overcome by apprehension about what comes next. After all, you're "the new kid on the block," and there's much to learn--about your new job duties and much more.
5 Things Every New Caterer Should Know
It has been over twenty five years since I started a small catering company that specialized in International Tapas, tiny silver trays of finger foods to delight the eyes and satisfied the stomach. These little morels were tasty, light and filling.
Three Myths About Resume Writing
Your perspective on resumes - what they are and how they function - will doubtless influence how well you can write your own. To create an outstanding resume, begin by questioning and replacing some of the commonly held assumptions about resume writing.
You Are Lucky in Your Career!
You Are Lucky in Being Satisfied in Your CareerJust for fun let's you and I, reader, considerthat you are satisifed with your current career.It's good to find out why.