Category: Uncategorized

48 Lessons Learned in Job Search: How to Find a Job and Yourself along the way

I wrote a lessons learned document after my job search last year. With so many new people looking for jobs because of the pandemic, I’ve updated it here: 48-lessons-learned-in-job-search-by-james-warda. The document, entitled 48 Lessons Learned in Job Search: How to Find a Job and Yourself along the way, now includes lessons learned from “the other side... Read more »
By James Warda,
Thursday at 2:55 pm • 

A House Divided during Crisis... by Oreos

A House Divided during Crisis... by Oreos
It’s getting tense in my house. I don’t have to tell you how being so close for so long with so much stress feels. What to watch, what to have for dinner, how to find time alone are all likely flashpoints. But, lately, I’ve found the biggest cause of friction is…. Oreos. Yes, that magical... Read more »
By James Warda,
April 10, 2020 at 8:37 am • 

I won't make fun of people buying toilet paper anymore

I won't make fun of people buying toilet paper anymore
Driving to the grocery store early on Saturday, I saw a woman driving a Jeep packed with toilet paper. When I did, I chuckled to myself. Then I pulled into the parking lot, which was already full. It had never been like that so early in the morning, even at the holidays. As soon as I... Read more »
By James Warda,
March 16, 2020 at 11:41 am • 
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Six Feet of Separation: Connecting in a time of Coronavirus

Six Feet of Separation: Connecting in a time of Coronavirus
Don’t shake hands. Stay 6 feet apart. Be “socially distant.” Be careful of “them.” Isolation. Quarantine. As we all go through this season of coronavirus together, we’re finding that the very thing we, as humans, most need, being closer, can actually be a bad thing. Which made me realize that less “high touch” forms of connection,... Read more »
By James Warda,
March 11, 2020 at 11:20 am • 

Hey, Cubs Fans, was the party worth the hangover?

Hey, Cubs Fans, was the party worth the hangover?
So, fellow Cubs fans, was it worth it? I remember writing a column back on October 30, 2016, an open letter to the Chicago Cubs. It started this way: “Dear Cubs, I know you’re busy. I’m guessing you’ve got several things going on today as you prepare for the fifth game of the World Series.... Read more »
By James Warda,
February 22, 2020 at 7:28 pm • 

Paying it sideways (in the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru)

Paying it sideways (in the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru)
  She smiled, too. Sitting at a Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru window this morning near my house. The employee’s uniform shirt said, “Fueled by Positive Energy.” And, he most definitely was. He smiled, cheerfully commented on the weather then asked how I was — which made me think about how many other employees I’d been served... Read more »
By James Warda,
February 19, 2020 at 1:32 pm • 
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Time flies (especially when it's our children)

Time flies (especially when it's our children)
When my middle son was a baby, I remember sometimes holding him in the middle of the night to help him get back to sleep. I’d be watching some infomercial or other early morning TV offering and every so often glance down. When I did, I’d notice his tiny hands with their tiny wrinkles and... Read more »
By James Warda,
February 8, 2020 at 1:46 pm • 

Where are we going so fast?

Where are we going so fast?
Back in 1998, I heard a voice. It said, “Tell them they’re loved, they’re not alone, and not to be afraid. And tell them the answer is in moments.” At the time, I’d been married a few years, had young children, and was working at a corporate job — but was also a writer and... Read more »
By James Warda,
January 31, 2020 at 5:00 pm • 

In a world of stealing signs, we need you... relentlessly

In a world of stealing signs, we need you... relentlessly
It’s your relentlessness that we need. Right now. Actually all of ours. Relentlessness in pursuit of our passion, in service to our purpose. In service to the purpose. Relentlessness in our compassion, in understanding just how hard it can sometimes be just to be human.  Relentlessness in our creativity, in our innovative vulnerability, in taking at least a... Read more »
By James Warda,
January 27, 2020 at 1:59 pm • 
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The only shame I would ever feel about job search

The only shame I would ever feel about job search
People ask why I still write about the job search now that I’m back working. “Aren’t you worried about how it will affect your brand?” — they say, meaning well. “Aren’t you concerned that it could impact your future?” — they continue, as if being a job seeker were a scarlet letter. But, here’s the... Read more »
By James Warda,
December 19, 2019 at 3:13 pm •