President's Message

These days, trying to keep out heads above water has become tougher and tougher. Many of you are experiencing the heavy hitters on the most stressful list.

Being Buddhist, we try to put our suffering in perspective and play the cards that we were dealt. Just because some of us were dealt lousy cards, doesn't mean that we can't do anything about it.

Several months ago, I met John Arima, a member of the Mountain View Temple who was recently laid off at the same company that laid me off ten years ago. Going through several months of paid reemployment training wihout results, he ended up at Promatch, an EED volunteer employment group. It was through Promatch's mantra of networking or interdependency that proved to be the best way to reenter the working job market.

Heading his story reminded me of the endless hours of searching job sites, writing hundreds of resumes, and preparing for only a handful of job interviews. Being a strong supporter of networking and hearing that he and other Mountain View/Palo Alto job searchers started their own group, I invited John to make a presentation at our last Board meeting and to help up to jump start a networking group in San Jose. There are members of the Board who have shown an interest in participating and creating a networking group in San Jose.

I hope to have more information and contacts available in the office within the next couple of weeks.

Gassho,
Steve Ichinaga