What follows is an excerpt from my soon-to-be-published book, Always Be Job Hunting.  I would love to read your comment, please let me know what you think, and what you’re going through in your job search.

I’ve done a good job of finding work in hard times, of staying one step ahead of companies being shut down, sold or reorganized (all common occurrences in today’s workplace and in my work history). I’m very proud of the fact that in my 35 years of working, I’ve only been unemployed for roughly a month and half – and this came early in my career.  when the newspaper group where I worked was sold.

My goal is to give you a handbook you can use in your career and in your job-hunting quest. Learn from my mistakes and my triumphs – and learn from the pro’s advice. Know through it all that you are a valuable human being who has a great deal to contribute to the workplace; temporary employment setbacks don’t change that fact.

The chair I used to sit in, emtpy now.

If you’re honest about your capabilities, if you keep current with the ever-changing skills needed in your profession, and if you stay open to new possibilities, I think you can’t help but succeed.

So with all that said, what about this new job I have? I’ve recently agreed to become editorial director of two trade magazines related to the food business. They’re based in suburban a Chicago and were once part of a magazine group where I worked from 1993 through the end of 1995.