Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Career Coach Counselor Answers Viewer Email on Job Searches; Ways to Make Your Christmas Environmentally Friendly.
Aired December 14, 2008 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN BAGHDAD CORRESPONDENT: Now, there's something to say about this incident, the man who threw this is actually an Iraqi journalist, working for an Iraqi television network. And it appears he became so outraged at something that he threw these shoes, hurled them at President Bush's head.
Now, not only is that obviously a statement that translates into any language in terms of the frustration and the pent-up anger here in Iraq about the occupation, but in this part of the world, in this country, it's the height of insult to throw your shoe at someone. I mean, it's beyond imagination to convey this to the non-Arab world.
Normally, such an insult is only reserved for the most despised, like after the invasion when the statue of Saddam was pulled down and the Iraqis leapt upon it and slapped it with their shoes. Or we just saw a few weeks ago when tens of thousands of Iraqi took to the streets in an anti-American demonstration and took off their shoes and hurled them at what? An effigy of President Bush, perhaps somewhat prophetic -- Alina?
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get to what the -- just incredible. I want to get to what the president was actually doing there today, because his fourth and final trip to Iraq as president since the war began. He was outside the Green Zone today. He did a lot, including sort of celebrating a security pact that was recently signed. What's the significance of that? And what -- practically speaking, what will that do?
WARE: All right. Look, this is going to do enormous things. I mean, unfortunately, this incident of the shoe-throwing is going to become an icon of the war in Iraq. People are going to remember this forever and it overshadows all the other purposes of President Bush's fourth visit here to the country. Now, foremost, he wanted to thank the troops for their ongoing service. But as he himself says, he wanted to celebrate these new agreements between Washington and Baghdad.
Now, these agreements, effectively, are the beginning of the end of America's war here in Iraq. President-elect Obama campaigned on ending the war, but the Bush administration has already cut the peace deal, has already struck the agreement. Now, under the agreement, U.S. forces have to be off Iraqi soil within three years. No negotiation, no question, no extensions. You're gone, is the Iraqi position, and that's in this internationally-binding agreement.
Now, also, we have the U.S. forces here on the ground, still more than 130,000 of them, under this agreement, they don't operate as U.S. forces as much anymore. Everything they do, any combat operation, they had to go and coordinate with the Iraqi government. To search a house looking for Iranian Kurds force officers who are killing Americans, they had to go and get an Iraqi judge to give them a warrant.
So, this wraps the American military up in operational knots. So, in so many ways, by signing this agreement, America has surrendered much of its capacity to wage war here in Iraq. Indeed, many officials in the mission here on the ground, both military and diplomatic, have said more than 4,000 deaths, the expenditure of so much from American taxpayers and for what, for this agreement? It does not preserved American interest, according to this people here on the ground working for President Bush himself, Alina.
CHO: Michael, so interesting, your insight into all of this, but I do want to talk about what you alluded to earlier, which is that this shoe-throwing incident, really, is likely to overshadow...
WARE: Yes.
CHO: ... so much of sort of the practical work that they're trying to do in Iraq. And I want to get to the president's reaction, what he said. I mean, he really joked about it. And let's listen to his reaction. You can react on the other side, Michael.
I believe we have that reaction from the president. Here we go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES: So what if a guy threw his shoe at me? I consider it an important step on the road toward an Iraq that can sustain itself, govern itself, and defend itself. But let me talk about the guy throwing the shoe. It is one way to gain attention. It's like going to a political rally and having people yell at you. It's like driving down the street and have people not gesturing with all five fingers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: You got to hand it to him. He did take it well, didn't he, Michael?
WARE: Yes, he did. You really do have to give it to President Bush. He didn't lose his composure, he moved like an athlete, and then tried to turn the situation around by making this rather embarrassing incident as positive for starting (ph) it as an example, as you heard him said. Essentially, a free expression, a forward march of the democratic process here. But that's, on size, just simply outweighed by the resonance of this statement.
I mean, apart from the theatrical drama of a journalist standing up and physically hurling his shoes at the head of the most powerful commander in chief in the world, the leader of the free world, it's the statement that it says to Arabs. It's an expression of how Iraqis or a large section of the community are feeling and it will play so acutely in the Arab world.
Through one journalist, it's, you know, the feelings of so many have been expressed. And indeed, you have to point out that perhaps in a much more muted way, it's also the feelings of so many Americans given the fact that President-elect Obama was brought to power with such an enormous mandate from the American people themselves, Alina.
CHO: Michael Ware, our man in Baghdad -- Michael, as always, thank you. Great to see you.
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is facing corruption charges and not resigning, at least for now. CNN's Brianna Keilar is watching it all from Chicago and what we're hearing about today.
Brianna, the "Chicago Sun-Times" is reporting that Governor Blagojevich is, maybe as early as this week, going to make some decisions that he was blindsided by all of this. He needed some time for all of this to digest. What are your sources saying about what might happen?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, some here in Chicago are saying that could happen. And, obviously, some who are calling for the governor's resignation are hoping that it does happen. Lisa Madigan, the attorney general for Illinois, fits both of those categories. Listen to what she said this morning on "Meet the Press."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, NBC, "MEET THE PRESS")
LISA MADIGAN, ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: We have heard that there is a possibility that tomorrow he will make an announcement that he will step aside. I don't know if that means he will resign or take another option that's provided under the Illinois Constitution where he can voluntarily recognize that there's a serious impediment to his ability to carry out his duties and therefore temporarily remove himself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: But that's really one side of the story. I was going back-and-forth on e-mail today with Lucio Guerrero, spokesman for Governor Rod Blagojevich and he said, in response to that contention that we heard from Lisa Madigan that, "I can tell you that is not true, he," meaning Blagojevich, "is not resigning tomorrow." And then I asked him, maybe, is he stepping aside, is he stepping down, is he doing something temporarily, and Guerrero went on to say that he knows of no event or action that the governor is doing today or tomorrow. So, obviously people in the governor's office refuting this, Alina.
CHO: Certainly so, but President-elect Obama among those calling for his resignation. Certainly, a lot of people, effectively, acting like it has already happened. I know the Illinois general assembly tomorrow will hold a special session to talk about the possibility of a special election. I mean, traditionally, the governor is supposed to make the appointment for Obama's Senate seat, but they're talking about making some changes, right? KEILAR: Well, yes. You can see where there's some difficulty in some of these goings-on and these ideas about how to move forward and maybe to call or maybe to force the ouster of Governor Blagojevich. When the general assembly meets tomorrow, some of the things they're discussing, not only maybe impeachment, but also this idea of a special election. That's something that, currently, Governor Blagojevich would have to sign off or veto. That could take, you know, maybe days, 60 days, I believe, up to two months.
So, this is something that really draws on and on. And at this point, the quickest thing to happen to move forward with appointing a successor for Obama would be for Governor Blagojevich to step down. But at this point, Alina, we just don't know what the official word is on that.
CHO: Boy, it could be a very eventful coming week. Brianna Keilar watching it all from Chicago -- Brianna, thank you.
Turning to weather now, three days after a crippling ice storm, much of New England remains paralyzed and powerless. A storm some are calling one of the worst ever is keeping much of the region reeling and shivering. Maine's governor says it could be next week before they restore electricity to everyone. Not much better out west, where blizzard warnings are posted for parts that have already gotten a foot of snow, making travel hazardous to say the very least.
Oh, my goodness. That SUV just turning over like that.
Our friend in fair weather and bad, meteorologist Karen Maginnis tracking it all for us in the CNN weather center.
My goodness, those pictures are incredible, Karen.
KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Alina, this is really such a broad system and such a wide area that is affected by severe weather. The Canadian Border States, the Pacific Northwest, and New England, are still feeling the affects of the ice storm.
We've got some iReport photos to show you. Take a look at how dramatic these are. These are from David Zweier. He's in Sussex County, New Jersey.
Now, this is beautiful, but it is potentially deadly and it is life-threatening. There had been trees that are falling down on homes. He said that he hasn't seen electricity since Thursday. Probably won't see it until this upcoming Thursday. He did see some trees on power lines, also on some homes.
And I just checked some of the power outages. I looked at New Jersey and New Jersey has about 200,000 people that are reporting no electricity. So, they're still getting some ice across this area, not nearly like we have seen.
But look at the windchill and the current temperatures. These happen to be current temperatures. Everybody in North Dakota is seeing single or double digit below zero readings. But look at these windchill factors -- 30 plus degrees below zero and, Alina, it looks like the winds are going to be blowing at about 50 miles an hour, very dangerous conditions. Everybody is advised to stay indoors and the west is going to see some terrible weather over the next 24 hours as well. Back to you.
CHO: Karen Maginnis -- Karen, thank you.
In New York City, a family demands justice. Jose Sucuzhanay was attacked last Sunday. His family says three men beat him while shouting homophobic and anti-Hispanic slurs. They apparently believed he was gay. The Ecuadorian immigrant, a father of two, died late Friday.
New York police are treating it as a hate crime. No arrests in the case just yet. They have, however, issued a sketch of one potential suspect. There it is. The FBI says Hispanics are increasingly becoming the target of violence and bigotry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DIEGE SUCUZHANAY, VICTIM'S BROTHER: The race has been always an issue in the United States for a long, long time. And I think we learn a lot through the years, but I think education is important and we definitely have to speak out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: There was a vigil in New York this afternoon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: We know a lot of you are struggling in this recession. You've either lost a job, or you're looking for one, or you're trying to make sure that you have one, or keep the one that you have. And we want to help. We want to talk to Maggie Mistal. She's a career coach in New York. She has her own radio show. Her advice can be heard on the weekly radio show, "Making a Living with Maggie." And she will be with us coming up after our break. And we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: We promised we'd get to it before the break and now we have it. We know a lot of you are struggling in this recession. You've either lost a job, or you're looking for one, or you're trying to make sure you keep the one that you have right now. And we are going to help you.
Maggie Mistal, she's a career coach in New York. Her advice can be heard on the weekly radio show "Making a Living with Maggie." Now, that's a great title.
Maggie, great to see you. Thanks for being with us. Hey, I want to know, because there are so many people out there who have lost their jobs, nearly 2 million, a lot of them in the last three months, what is your best advice right now that will get them back on track? MAGGIE MISTAL, CAREER COACH: Well, I would say, Alina, do not panic, because ultimately, there are still a lot of opportunities out there. There are growing industries such as healthcare, education, oil and gas, green power. So, don't think that just because your past opportunity has gone away that you don't have any future opportunities. You still have skills, you still have talents, and you really need to focus on what's available to you, not what you've lost.
CHO: Yes. And, Maggie, beyond sort of not panicking, what's the next step then? Polish up your resume? And also, for those people out there who still have a job but who might be concerned, I mean, they should really be polishing up their resumes, too, right?
MISTAL: It never hurts to have a polished and updated resume, Alina. You hit the nail in the head. What I also encourage people to do, though, especially clients, is to do some bit of soul searching first, because sometimes we find ourselves going after jobs we don't even want. We focus a lot on the paycheck which is an important part of it, but what you want or ought to do is focus on where your passions and talents lie, things that are really good fit for your strengths and make sure you do a soul-search as well.
CHO: Yes, in fact, you specialize in that, in sort of helping individuals find that passion and maybe, you know, there's a silver lining for these people who have lost their jobs. Maybe it's time for a career change, right? Get out there and do what you're passionate about.
MISTAL: Yes, I couldn't have said it better myself, Alina. That's exactly what the point I'd love to make with my clients and to be able to see this as a blessing in disguise. I myself went through the Arthur Anderson/Enron debacle years ago and it created the opportunity for me to get into career coaching. I found it so valuable that I want to become a coach.
So, what I encourage people to do is to recognize that this could be the perfect opportunity, especially if you get some kind of severance package, to use that time, to use that money to go after something you really want. And I do have clients right now who are in that very situation saying that not necessarily, "Thank God I got laid off." It's "Hey, wait a minute, there could be some real good in this and maybe it's time for me to do something else."
CHO: Well, you know what's interesting, there's actually somebody at CNN -- who shall remain nameless -- is wonderful at what this person does, but has actually said to me, "You know, I'm great at baking, maybe I ought to consider opening that bakery. It's always been a dream for me." So, you know, a lot of people certainly are talking about it. Now, having said that, you know, networking, networking, networking.
MISTAL: Right.
CHO: That's what people talk about when you're looking for a job. But there are many, many ways to do it, right? Just log on. MISTAL: Oh, absolutely. I mean, Linkedin.com, even your own alumni association Web sites now for any college or university that you have attended. There are a lot of ways to network online.
And what I tell people is, don't just mass market yourself to your entire network, but really focus in on what is it that you want? Are you looking for a job? And if so, in what industry and at what level? Are you looking to make a career change and do you need to do some informational interviews? You know, and who would you love to talk to?
And don't be afraid to reach out to your network especially if you've been laid off at this point. It does not carry the same stigma that it used to and instead you really can leverage. I mean, Linkedin is amazing as one of the tools, Linkedin.com. You can actually search a company by name and see who in your network is connected to people working there which is a great tool and a way to become more than just a resume.
CHO: Yes. I've got to learn how to use that Linkedin.
MISTAL: I can give you a tutorial.
(LAUGHTER)
CHO: Will you please?
MISTAL: Of course.
CHO: Maggie, we're so thrilled that you're going to be with us through the entire hour to answer your questions. And so, I want to reach out to all of you out there. Send us an e-mail at Weekends@CNN.com, and please include your name and city. Maggie will be with us throughout the hour to answer your questions.
Maggie, thanks. We'll check back with you later.
MISTAL: You're welcome, Alina.
CHO: Red and green are the colors of Christmas, of course. Today, we're going to concentrate on the green part. In the first of two green Christmas reports, CNN's Kara Finnstrom takes a look at ways to cut down on holiday waste.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Heaps of waste. It's nothing we want to associate with the holidays, but the government says every holiday season, while we're enjoying all of this, we're generating more waste than we do during any other month of the year -- about 5 million tons more waste.
(on camera): So step one in greeting your holidays is cutting the waste and we brought you here to a nursery because one way you can do that is foregoing the fresh cut tree and the artificial tree which will have trouble breaking down when it's ultimately thrown away, and opting for one of these, a potted tree.
Joining us now is Tom Johnsey with Armstrong Nursery.
What's involved with getting one of these?
TOM JOHNSEY, ARMSTRONG'S GARDEN CENTER: Well, first thing, you want to do a little planning before selecting the tree. You want to know what you're going to do with it afterward. Some of these trees can get quite large like, we're looking at Alipo pine here. We have Monterey pines. Some of the smaller one here, this little dinky guy there is an Italian Stone pine. It gets 35 to 40 feet tall when it is full (ph) spread.
FINNSTROM: How popular are these then?
JOHNSEY: These have been very popular. The living trees come in right before Thanksgiving and we typically sell them very quickly before Thanksgiving and through now, actually. We just sold one a couple minutes ago.
FINNSTROM: Two other ways to cut the waste, instead of using wrapping paper, put your gifts in decorative reusable bags or wrap them in brown paper bags or even your kids' drawings. And considering sending at least some of your holiday greetings by e-cards. The government estimates that every year, enough of these paper holiday cards are sold in the U.S. to fill a football stadium 10 stories high. You'll not only help cut down on that waste, you'll also save yourself some money in cards and postage.
We'll have more tips coming up later on greening your holiday.
Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Stick around. This is something you simply do not want to miss. The sign of the times. A laid-off banker slips on a sandwich board and hands off resumes on Park Avenue in New York. Guess what? It worked. Find out how. He and his new employer will join us live in the NEWSROOM -- next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back. Ever lose your luggage on a trip? It's happened to me. Well, they say it could be a lot worse. And if you aren't careful, you could be a target for identity theft.
Melissa Long has some precautions to take when you're "On the Go."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA LONG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It can be a secret agent's or a traveler's worst nightmare. Your wallet is gone. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have I.D.?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not really.
LONG: Even Jason Bourne in "The Bourne" movies couldn't escape the red tape to reclaim his identity. But there are ways to stay in control.
SARAH KANTROWITZ, TRAVEL + LEISURE: Before you leave, first e- mail yourself a copy of your itinerary so you have all the important information. The second is to buy comprehensive insurance coverage that covers you in case you lose your wallet and passport.
LONG: If the unthinkable does happen, act fast.
KANTROWITZ: Cancel your credit cards immediately and be sure to let the credit bureaus know. And in addition, go to a U.S. consulate, prove your identity with additional forms of I.D.
LONG: But you're Social Security card is something you should leave home without.
KANTROWITZ: Make a copy of your health insurance card so you will have all of your important information. But be sure that it doesn't have your Social Security number on it. And if it does, black it out.
LONG: Travel under the cloak of secrecy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Now a quick look at what's happening right now.
Certainly, something you don't see every day. President Bush has left Iraq after an unannounced farewell visit. But not all the good- byes, as you just saw there were warm ones. A man threw two shoes at the president during a news conference. The president managed to dodge both of the shoes and says he didn't feel the least bit threatened. He even joked that the shoes were a size 10.
A spokesman for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich denies reports that the governor may resign tomorrow. Federal prosecutors have accused Blagojevich of corruption, including alleged attempts to sell an appointment to President-elect Obama's old Senate seat.
And officials suspect arson in a fire that damaged Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's home church in Wasilla last night. Damage to the Wasilla Bible Church is estimated at $1 million.
Well, it's a dismal economic headline. Almost 2 million jobs lost this year and the second week of December saw still more job losses. Bank of America announced 35,000 job cuts. Sony, 8,000. And another 4,000 jobs are going away at Wyndham Worldwide, a hotel group.
So I want to bring back our career coach counselor, Maggie Mistal, she's joining us from New York. And our own Josh Levs.
Josh, you've been reading some viewer e-mails and finding out what people want to know about this, right?
JOSH LEVS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. I'll tell you what's going on. We've been getting so many e-mails right now. We've been collecting them throughout the hour. And people want a lot of advice. Fortunately, we have a person with us to give us that advice.
There you are. Hey, Maggie.
MAGGIE MISTAL CAREER COACH COUNSELOR: Hey, how are you, Josh?
LEVS: Good.
Think of this as a speed round. We're going to go through some of these e-mails, give them the quality information and help people find those jobs that you say are out there.
Let's zoom in on the Board. I want to start off with two that symbolize what a lot of people are writing us.
Russ says, "Where are jobs for a mature worker? I was downsized in January. I'm 59 years old."
Patti Peoples wants to know, "How can middle-aged people, who have returned to school, try to compete with these younger generations out there."
How can someone with 20, 30 years experience get a job now?
MISTAL: In fact, sites like AARP are really great for identifying the top employers for people who are over 50. And companies are actually searching for workers with more experience.
One of the best things you can do if you are an older worker who is looking for work is point out what makes you different. You don't have to compete with younger workers. What you want to do instead is point out how your work ethic and your level of experience adds value to the bottom line of that organization and how they can't afford not to hire you. I think sometimes it takes doing some homework.
LEVS: I would talk to you that alone for about an hour. But I want to keep going. A lot of people writing the same thing.
I pulled up this one from Aaron in Philadelphia. "I keep being rejected for being over qualified."
He can't get the better jobs because of competition, but he's over qualified for the other jobs. What should he do?
MISTAL: I would love to do is talk to this individual and say, what would you really love to be doing right now? When doors keep closing on you, it's because there is truly a better opportunity out there. You have to take a step back, reflect on what would you do, if you knew you couldn't fail. Would it be starting your own business? Opening a freelance consulting business? If you have years of experience in business and have that knowledge, it is still valuable to companies. You just need to do it as a consultant as opposed to as an employee.
LEVS: And, Maggie, in this economy, you actually recommend that. You think that's a good idea, offer yourself as a consultant?
MISTAL: I absolutely think it's a great idea, especially people who have been job hunting for a long time and aren't able to find opportunities. It's a great way to fill that gap on your resume and keep money coming in. And it bolsters your confidence, which is the biggest issue I have with the job losses. You hear it in the emails. People are really scared, thinking it's their age or other issues. As a career coach, I say, no, you're targeting in the wrong way.
LEVS: That's actually leading us into one more here.
Let's take a look at this one from Chuck in Tennessee. He wants to know, "What do you tell job hunters who have been turned down so many times that they're feeling disillusioned.:
I know you would say, keep up that energy, but they need pragmatic things to do to feel that there's something out there for them. What do they do?
MISTAL: One of the best things you can do is work your network from a personal standpoint. What I find for folks that are in this situation, they've been using just the resume drops online, which can be, unfortunately, a black hole if you're trying to apply for jobs. I say to those folks, really work your network. Retail to friends, family, prior colleagues, your alumni association from your college or university, and let people know specifically what you're looking for. And get informational interviews. If you can't get job interviews, start with informational interviews because, often times, those turn into great repartee between individuals and job opportunities.
LEVS: You just answered another one as well in telling me that because some people ask me, how do you network, if you don't know that many people in the field you want. Informational interviews, always a good answer.
Keep them coming, weekends@cnn.com.
And obviously, Alina, you can tell...
CHO: Informational interviews, Josh? If you can get in the door, jeez. You've got to really hone your search, as Maggie pointed out that. Great stuff.
Josh, Maggie, thank you very much.
Maggie will be with us throughout the hour because lots of people certainly want to know what to do when they lose a job.
All right, desperate times call for desperate measures and few can attest to that better than Josh Persky. He is the out of work banker turned barker with a sandwich board. Look at that. He got worldwide attention, headlines for his unusual effort to find a job. Well, guess what? Persky is one of the few, the proud, the recently hired. And unemployed no more. We want to talk with Josh and his new boss, Eliot Oglunick. Both join us live from our New York studio.
Josh, this is incredible. How do you feel, first of all?
JOSHUA PERSKY, RECENTLY HIRED: I feel great. It's been a wonderful two weeks.
CHO: Take me back. You lost your job at an investment bank in December. You and your wife really were mulling over your options. And it took until June. What was the light bulb that went off that made you do this?
HURSKI: Just the networking and telephoning and e-mailing wasn't working. The economy was failing. The markets were tanking. Companies were going out of business. And I just needed to do something a little more creative, a little more aggressive and a little different from my previous approach.
CHO: Now, I understand that when you and your wife talked about this, you nearly didn't do it, right? Because you were so embarrassed by this. And there was a bit of rain out there. So it almost didn't happen, right?
PERSKY: That's right. That Monday morning, it was raining. And I told my wife, I'm not going out in the rain. And she said, you better get a job, so you go.
(LAUGHTER)
CHO: I understand that your wife and two children actually moved to Nebraska to be with her family during all of this. Is that what happened?
PERSKY: That's correct.
CHO: And are they back with you now?
PERSKY: They'll be visiting this Friday for two weeks. But they're going to finish out the school year in Omaha.
CHO: Well, that's a good idea to have some consistency there and then bring them back.
Eliot, I want to find out how you found out about Josh.
ELIOT OGLUNICK, PERSKY'S NEW BOSS: I actually found out about Josh through an executive search firm. At first, I really didn't know about the antics of Josh marching up and down on Wall Street, on Park Avenue.
CHO: When you found out, what did you think? This guy is resourceful? OGLUNICK: I was a little bit concerned because we always want to protect the firm and the brand. Josh went through a very rigorous interview process, a month long. And Josh was hard, because he's very analytical, he has excellent communication skills, and most of all, he has great business sense.
CHO: A lot of people looking for advice out there. So what was it that most impressed you about Josh, Eliot?
OGLUNICK: I think it's just his background and experiences and being very worldly, easy going, and again, just having great business sense.
CHO: So tell me, Josh, exactly what will you be doing in your new position? Has the career changed slightly, or is it about the same job?
PERSKY: It's very similar to what I was doing before, evaluating businesses and investments. We work with high-net-worth individuals valuing closely held family businesses, family limited partnerships and do some estate and tax planning.
CHO: OK, great. I want to talk a little bit more about just exactly what you did. First of all, how long were you out there on the streets before this job offer came about? And second of all, what kinds of things did you hear from people out there?
PERSKY: I've been unemployed until I was hired by Wiser. I was unemployed for 11 months, but I was actually out on the street only for two hours a day for five days.
CHO: And then that happened. I mean, I'm sure people came up to you and said things. What were some of the more interesting, memorable things people said to you?
PERSKY: It was just an overwhelming positive response. Good luck, we think that's great what you're doing, oh, you're so creative. People were very helpful.
CHO: A lot of empathy out there?
PERSKY: There is.
CHO: If you had to do it all over again, I imagine you would do it again?
PERSKY: It's been a very positive experience for me.
CHO: Eliot, is that something you would consider doing?
OGLUNICK: Me personally, yeah, I thought it was really innovative. But in the end, we got to know the man behind the sandwich board, which was important to us. And we think Josh will make a great addition to the team. And we're looking forward to great things to come. CHO: Listen, if you're looking for another position, there's a New York cabbie who has posted his resume inside his car. I'm sure you read about that in all of the New York papers. Just a thought, if you're looking for resourceful people. Josh isn't only one out there.
OGLUNICK: Right.
CHO: Josh Persky, Eliot Oglunick, we thank you for joining us from New York.
Congratulations, Josh. A year in the making.
And, Eliot, congratulations for hiring a great man.
PERSKY: Thanks.
OGLUNICK: Thank you so much.
PERSKY: Thanks for having us.
CHO: Thank you.
Well, someone who can emphasize with Josh is a woman named Kelly Kenney. She has her own unique way for looking for work. Take a look at this. She decided to wear her resume on her T-shirt. Talk about standing out in the crowd. She spoke to our own Don Lemon yesterday. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DON LEMON, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: What kind of leads are you getting, if any?
KELLY KENNY, JOB SEEKER: A lot of sales lead. People are asking if I want to sell their merchandise or I should become a salesman with my marketing skills, but nothing really solid. And that's surprising me as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: And we will let you know if and when, because it will be when, Kelly gets a new gig. Good luck to you, Kelly.
And keep your e-mails coming. Our conversation with career counselor, Maggie Mistal, continues after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Now, as promised, another green Christmas report. Another look at ways you can have an environmentally friendly holiday.
CNN's Kara Finnstrom checks on the Christmas feast.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Having yourself a green little Christmas even means rethinking of what you put on that holiday table.
Joining us now is Urvashi Rangan with "Consumer Reports."
First off, we're not talking about messing up that holiday meal. Just looking closely at what you buy and where you buy it.
URVASHI RANGAN, CONSUMER REPORTS: Actually, it can be really easy to be green for this Christmas and there's lots of ways to do it. Buying organic is something that's good for the environment, it's often good for our health as well. And you can buy turkeys and produce that are organic.
Another option, also, is to shop at farmer's markets. Not only can you sometimes get organic there, you can sometimes get them local. And that saves on transportation, saves on energy. It's good for the environment, and it can be good for us too.
FINNSTROM: Many families end up buying lots of hams and different flavored drinks during the holidays. How can we cut down on that?
RANGAN: A huge way to cut down on waste is making your own natural sodas. The way to do that is by getting citrus fruit, ginger, zesting these and boiling them in sugar water, straining it, and you've got a base you can dilute with seltzer, water, or alcohol too.
FINNSTROM: And they sound good too. All right, any final tips for the cooks in the kitchen this holiday?
RANGAN: There are. When you go shopping, consider bringing canvas bags. They're really sturdy. You can put more in them. And they save on an enormous amount of plastic waste. Some estimates say Americans use 100 billion plastic bags every year.
And also think about reducing the amount of disposables you use at the table. While it may seem convenient, it actually wastes a whole lot of energy when you just throw all those things out. Think about cloth napkins, for example, instead of paper. It's a really nice way to make your table look pretty. and it's also a greener way to go.
FINNSTROM: And your classy as well. Thank you, Urvashi.
RANGAN: Thank you.
FINNSTROM: Some simple ways to make your holiday truly green.
Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back. Out of a job? Looking for work? Want to know how best to keep the job that you have? Top career counselor, Maggie Mistal, host of her own radio show, is back with us. Hey, Maggie.
MISTAL: Hey.
CHO: Also, Josh Levs, he's here to answer your e-mail questions. Well, he's here to dish them out, actually.
Hey, Josh, what do you have?
LEVS: It's really interesting. One of the questions that we're getting from a lot of people is kind of what people see as a fly in the ointment here, in one of the prescriptions we're getting.
Maggie, let me toss this at you. We'll zoom in on the board. It's this. This is one example from Maria. She has, "I have no work experience. How can I find a job when at least every position requires at least two years of experience?"
This hour we've been talking about there are fields that are growing, but a lot of people are saying, when you look into those fields, you have to have experience. So what should they do?
MISTAL: One of the best ways, Josh, to gain experience when you don't have it is to volunteer. It's one of those missed opportunities that people don't look to. There are nonprofits all over this country that are looking for support.
For example, I recently had a client who wanted to do marketing and communications who didn't have it on her resume. So right now, she's leading the efforts of a non-profit right here in New York City to launch that non-profit as a communications director. That is something you can put on your resume.
CHO: Maggie, are you saying that maybe they can volunteer, maybe intern in some cases and also collect unemployment, because people really are in dire straits. They want to be able to pay the rent. They want to be able to pay their mortgage.
MISTAL: Absolutely. You can't necessarily volunteer full-time if you don't have that kind of availability. But you can do a weekend project. Even if you have to take a job that you don't enjoy, that's in your current field, that you don't want to stay in, but you're taking it in the short term. Even if you can do a project at a non- profit, it's a great way to get experience and a testimonial or a reference, which is also important.
One of the things, when you're looking at experience or looking to get into a new field -- that circles back to informational interviews. You need to understand, here's my resume. How do I make the transition? Only people in that field really know and can support you in that.
I heard you say earlier, how do I get one of those informational interviews?
(LAUGHTER)
One of the best things you can do is make it about the individual you're speaking to.
Alina, I have to do, what you do is really interesting to me, and I would love to talk to you about it at some point.
It's really true and honest. If you're honest with somebody, just like I was there, and say, hey, I'd love to hear how you got to where you are today, they will share with you their career story and then share advice for how you can be successful too.
CHO: In fact, one CNN executive producer I was talking to said, you know what I liked about this candidate we just interviewed was that she sent her resume directly to me. She didn't go through other avenues. And she liked that sort of, you know, putting herself out there, that personal touch, going directly to her, directly to the source and it works in some cases.
MISTAL: Yes. And there are some companies still hiring. If you can get your network to indicate somebody who's working at the organizations you want to work at, you can get your resume walked into H.R., so that you're not a piece of paper, you're more than that. You're all the great things that person has to say about you. And that resume really comes alive.
LEVS: Actually, Maggie, we have someone who wrote in who specifically said, sometimes when she keeps looking at these jobs, they say no drop-bys, only mail or e-mail your stuff. She's heard that if you ignore that, and you show up anyway, it may actually benefit you. What's your advice on that one?
MISTAL: It does depend on the company. I know hiring managers who that really does ignore. There's a reason why they put that stuff in there. Get somebody who's already working there to do that for you. That kind of drop-by is actually, in most companies, rewarded. Because they hire their employees, they know these folks know what it takes to be successful. And they're excited when they get a resume or a candidate that's been recommended.
LEVS: I want to show you another e-mail question. Might be a bit of an emotional one. I don't know if you can help him, but it's an important one. I want to show you. It comes to us from Jason. I'll summarize it. He's at the end of his Army enlistment and he has to decide whether to enlist for another three years or get out. He's really afraid about the private sector right now. And in three more years in the military has all the risks, but it has a job. It pays for his family. Can you give him any advice? What does he have to look at?
MISTAL: It depends where he's trying to go with his career and what the goal is. We are in a tough economy. I'm not going to sugar- coat it. So if re-enlisting gives him stability and his family, it's not a bad option.
I have a client right now that's in Iraq. They don't recognize how well their skills translate into the private sector. Even at Arthur Anderson, we had many employees who were former officers. If you can focus on informational interviews to demonstrate to employers what you can bring to the table, you may see opportunities that you don't right now.
CHO: And, Maggie, this is an opportunity for a lot of people who may have lost their jobs too to pursue that passion. And this is your specialty. You talk to a lot of people about this. So what do you tell them? How do you coach them?
MISTAL: Yes. What I do, Alina, is I actually get them to reflect on what they'd love to have happen, if he could control the world, if they had all the resources, all the time, all the energy, what would they do if they knew they couldn't fail. It was one of my favorite questions to ask. What I'm always surprised by is how creative and valuable and interesting the responses are.
And oftentimes, Alina, it's more so people's fears or concerns or lack of faith if their own abilities that hold them back.
What I often do -- I had a travel writing client just recently, same situation. I said, why don't you take a course and get a professional's opinion on the quality of your writing before you write it off and say, I can't make a living.
We live in a time -- I know it's difficult. But if you look at all the interesting ways people are not only landing jobs, but the creative ways people are making a living, there's really no limit. The only limits we put on ourselves are the problem. That's where I really try to encourage my clients to not only see the idealistic but start to make it realistic with a plan.
LEVS: Your positivity -- Alina, isn't she awesome? Nobody is as positive about the job market.
CHO: She brings up a great point. Fear is a funny thing. That will hold you back in many cases. You really have to put yourself out there and do what you are passionate about if you can.
MISTAL: You can. We all can.
LEVS: Maggie, I know our emailers are happening. Let's end with a yes or no because that will take no time at all.
MISTAL: OK.
LEVS: Someone was hired for a position, lost it within two months because they shut down within two and a half months because they just got rid of the position. Do you list it on a resume, yes or no? Then we're done.
MISTAL: Yes, it is a real job and you do have references from there.
LEVS: Thank you so much. And our e-mailers, thank you.
And, Alina, like I'm saying, the positivity is just very unusual these days.
CHO: It's great. Josh, thank you.
LEVS: All right.
CHO: Maggie, thank you very much. Come back very soon.
MISTAL: Thank you, Alina. Anytime.
CHO: A financial fantasy comes true during the worst economy in decades. The winners of a mega jackpot next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Well you saw that, a new video into CNN. We could not resist. If you look closely -- hopefully we'll zoom in -- Barack Obama, president-elect with daughters, Malia and Sasha, and an unidentified friend picking out a Christmas tree. We understand a selection was made. And that the tree will be delivered later today or possibly sometime after that. But if that tree vendor is smart the tree will be delivered today. We understand that the tree -- the tree farm is in the Hyde Park area. He got there at 2:42 -- sorry, left at 2:42 was at home by 2:45. Just a short walk.
DON LEMON, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Must be just around the block, yes.
CHO: Very, very close. The Obamas getting their Christmas tree.
LEMON: Did you get yours yet?
CHO: No, hard to fit one in the Manhattan apartment, you know what I mean?
LEMON: Do what I did. I did a silver aluminum one when I lived in New York.
CHO: Oh, darn.
LEMON: Yeah, why not? Why not?
Listen, we have been watching this video you had on first. This shoe.
CHO: It's incredible.
LEMON: President Bush gets shoes thrown at him at a press conference in Iraq. Where was the secret service? Look how long it took them? We'll ask CNN security analyst, Mike Brooks, about that. He has interesting information he will add.
Also, suffering in silence as the holidays approach and the economic situation darkens. A lot of people are depressed this time of year. And especially with the staggering job losses and what have you. Christmas is going to be tough.
CHO: How do you buy gifts and all that stuff? LEMON: We're going to get some free advice. We'll let you can talk to a clinical psychologist, get on a couch, lay back, talk to Dr. Gloria. And send us your questions. We're taking them at Twitter, at Facebook, at MySpace.com and iReport. We will get your questions and get them answered for Dr. Gloria. Ask Dr. Gloria, coming up at the top of the hour.
CHO: That's a great photo.
LEMON: A little old. I had more hair then.
CHO: You look marvelous, Don. We look forward to it. I'll be watching.
LEMON: All right.
CHO: Well, we spent much of this hour focusing on jobs. With that in mind, we're hazarding a guess here, but there may be job openings in a town in Piqua, Ohio. The one and only ticket sold for Friday night's $207 million, mega millions jackpot was sold at a Piqua grocery store, a Krogers. The mayor says he knows who won, a group of city workers who pooled their money. They will share that big jackpot. The store, by the way, as always, hit big too, earning $100,000 for selling the winning ticket.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KURT EVANS, KROGER MANAGER: It is always nice to spread the wealth around. From what we hear, it is around a little over $9 million each after taxes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: For now, the new millionaires want to stay anonymous. We all know that doesn't happen for very long. They will probably come out soon, publicly.
I'm Alina Cho. Thanks so much for joining us on this Sunday. Don lemon is up next with more of the day's headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Duck and cover. President Bush in a war zone when a reporter takes a parting shot. How could this have happened?
Cold and dangerous. Avalanches. people trapped, ice storms, blizzards, thousands in the cold and in the dark right now.
Watching and waiting. Illinois governor huddled with his lawyers. A special session to force him out of office just hours away.
Plus, more and more Americans need someone to talk to as they get more and more anxious over a deepening recession and record job losses. You talk to the doctor, live, this hour.
