Sick of dealing with Chase Bank

I am sick of dealing with Chase Bank. My wife has a credit card, which has been closed, that is grossly past due. I've tried my best to work with Chase. I requested a payment plan and was told by a representative that they would put the account on a plan, but then I received a letter that the request for the plan was denied. When I complained, I was then offered another plan for $10 more a month and I accepted, but I received another letter that the request for that plan was denied. I issued a complaint to the Better Business Bureau. Chase responded with a message that they would not speak to me because the account belongs to my wife. They have no problem talking to me about making a payment, so what is their problem about talking to me about the complaint. I just spoke with another person from Chase that constantly pressed me for payment but would not accept that I will not make any payment until someone in authority calls me directly and addresses my complaint. She definitely advised me again that the account will be charged another fee if payment isn't received on time. I'm sick of transfers to departments and requests for programs. I believe I need a bailout from Chase's monotonous, inflexible, and inconsiderate financial stronghold.

Personalize your LinkedIn invitations

I recieve many LinkedIn invitations from people I don't know that simply contain the standard text provided by LinkedIn, "Since you are a person I trust, I wanted to invite you to join my network on LinkedIn." This invitation doesn't make any sense if I don't know you. How can you trust me if we have never met? I like to build constructive relationships and believe this activity requires authenticity. Standard introductions do not reflect authenticity.

volunteer contributions and recommendations in LinkedIn

The Triangle Networking Group just had its Career Transition and Expansion event yesterday, and I believe it was a success. Many people expressed their appreciation. I believe many people came to the event without a plan of action, but they left with a plan of action. The event couldn't have been a success without contributions from many volunteers. I want to acknowledge the great work these volunteers contributed, but how can this be done in LinkedIn.

LinkedIn has the ability to write recommendations for the various positions with companies under Experience and various institutions under Education on my profile, but how can I be acknowledged for my volunteer work. I found that I could create a position named "Volunteer" at a company named "Various Organizations". I chose “philanthropy" as the industry because I volunteer to help others. Similarly, people can do the same and list their activities as a volunteer. Other people can then recommend them based on their volunteer work.

My focus with the Triangle Networking Group is on achieving professional success. I believe many factors contribute to professional success including character. I believe emotional intelligence is important (e.g. your ethics, values, habits, and morals). These attributes don't come through in a resume. However, they can through digital media such as LinkedIn (e.g. volunteer contributions and recommendations).

Unemployment and Mitigating Debt

I discussed investing in yourself during unemployment in my last post, and I believe the best way to invest in yourself is developing streams of income that will deliver without your direct attention, even after you find employment. However, even the employed folks out there can take advantage of the following proposal.

Another reason for developing this avenue is mitigating debt. During a prolonged period of unemployment or underemployment, you will accumulate debt. I am speaking from experience about unemployment. Debt will really start accumulating when the unemployment insurance payments stop. Yes, you may ween yourself down to the bare essentials. However, you still have obligations like the mortgage, your family, the car payment, and the utilities that must be maintained. Therefore, accumulating debt is most likely unavoidable. Developing a stream of income may not totally replace your lost income, but any income will mitigate your debt, i.e. you borrow less to pay for your essentials. When you do acquire employment, use the income stream to help pay off your debt.

Dave Ramsey has a great plan in his book, The Total Money Makeover. The plan includes a method called the Debt Snowball where you devote all available income to pay off debts in an ispiring way. Your alternative stream of income can help you build the snowball.

Invest in yourself while unemployed

In a past post, I advised people to invest in themselves while unemployed. This advice is even more pertinent now given the current recession that I heard officially announced on the news tonight. I've seen many layoffs in the triangle area of North Carolina over the past several months, and it will get worse over the next several months. The job market will be an employer's market because it will be saturated with unemployed job seekers. I experienced this state when I was unemployed back in 2003 to 2004.

I am building the Triangle Networking Group to assist businesses and professional during this time and have been recruiting volunteers. One unemployed professional I am recruiting stated to me today that she was just so busy trying to find employment 24/7 that she hadn't had a spare moment. I imagine people will go crazy if they spend 24/7 looking for a job because there are only so many stones to turn over, and open positions will be bombarded with a multitude of candidates. Therefore, you should create leverage for yourself that allows you to turn over stones while adding other value. Like in billiards, why not pocket two balls with one shot or make shots that align for the next shot. Spend some time to increase your value like learning, volunteering, or developing an alternative stream of income.

I mentioned in a past post that I have an alternative stream of income and offer the opportunity to others with no financial commitment on their part. I believe investing your time in this option is worth it. The period of unemployment will probably be more than expected. I was unemployed for a year during 2003 to 2004 and applied to about 600 job posts. A little extra income would help during this period and you may even make up your lost income. Furthermore, building an alternative stream of income that will deliver income without your direct effort increases your leverage. When employment is finally offered, the salary will probably be lower than expected. After all, it will be an employer's market. A stream of income that doesn't require direct effort while employed at the new job will supplement the lower salary. Furthermore, a safety net will exist for future unemployment. As I mentioned in a past post, North Carolina is an "at will" state with skewed legislation. Employers can fire employees within 90 days without reason.

However you invest in yourself, just do it. Don't focus all your efforts in increasing a potential employer's value. Your value should count, so don't devalue yourself.

Consistency and Authenticity: Do as you Say and Say as you Do

I believe consistency and authenticity are important traits for successful people. I've recently been reading about these traits in a book entitled "Speaking the Truth in Love: How to Be an Assertive Christian" and see commonality in what I've read about enduringly successful people in the book entitled "Success Built to Last: Creating a Life that Matters."

Truly successful people believe in something and assertively act. They don't act aggressively such that they push beliefs or agendas, but they act and react with situations in ways that promote success. They speak honestly and act consistently with what they say. They authentically relate with people. They act, assess, and adjust if necessary.

As an avid networker and professional, these traits are important to me in relationships. I want to work and deal with people that are honest and speak authentically. They do not act inconsistently with what they say. I realize that factors may change outcomes such that people are unable to deliver what they say. However, a true professional should communicate this change. I believe it is proper etiquette because the lack of this communication weakens relationships. This integrity adds value to the relationship because they accept accountability. Therefore, I respect people that do what they say and honestly say what they do.

Keep Going and Adjust: the Train is Coming

My faith keeps me going. It's taken me a while to let go of burdens and realize the nonfulfillment or unintended results of my plans are not ultimate failures. There are various factors, many of which are unknown to me, beyond my control. Instead of stressing over what I cannot control, I continue to focus on what I can control. I control my actions, not those of others. I cannot make someone hire me. I cannot make someone believe my ideas. I cannot make someone support my business ventures. I can plan and be ready when the opportunity is available. If something happens, I reassess the situation and adjust. It’s almost like I don’t have a train yet, but I can lay the track to the destination. I come upon obstacles like mountains. I assess the situation and either go around or through it.

The Prosper loan I created to personally focus on building the Triangle Networking Group didn't work. The bidding closed with only 1% funded. This is surprising considering I created a blog article stating my intentions and emailed about 450 of my LinkedIn connections requesting assistance getting the word out about what I'm doing. I know many of the 2700+ TNG members see value in the organization and many verbally support what I'm doing.

It is easy to feel distressed and neglected. However, a friend reminded me that I don't know all the factors. I don't know how many people read my email nor had the time to investigate what Prosper is. Many people may have misunderstood what I was doing. As a friend recently told me, and I have observed repeatedly in the 3 years I have led the TNG, people probably will not act if what you’re asking is not easy to understand.

People, especially professionals, will not take the time to investigate if the value is not apparent. This reluctance to investigate will hinder professional success. Have you ever heard “if I had only known it was that easy” or “I didn’t know you could do that” before from someone that didn’t take time to investigate something?

Ironically, one of my objectives for the Triangle Networking Group is to reduce the “investigational” burden on professionals through the leverage of a network. I want to support my professional community, but I need the support of my network and professional community to do so.

I will continue to lay the track in anticipation of the train. The passengers need to get to their destination.