by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Ever fantasize about quitting your corporate day job to make movies and hang out with celebrities? Tony Moody and Rob Malkani did just that. And this weekend, their film Day Zero, which stars Elijah Wood and Chris Klein and made a splash at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, will open in New York City.

If you’re in New York, support two fellow corporate escape artists by checking out Day Zero at the Anjelika this weekend. The film imagines New York City after the draft has been reinstated (a premise that is frighteningly not terribly far-fetched) and follows the reactions of three NYC draftees — a corporate lawyer played by Chris Klein, a neurotic writer played by Elijah Wood, and a cab driver played by Jon Bernthal.

I met Tony and Rob when I was sent to review Day Zero at the Tribeca Film Festival. When I read their press kit bios, I noticed that both were corporate escapees and knew I had to meet them. I was even more impressed when I saw that the movie was actually good.

I ended up interviewing both Tony and Rob for my upcoming book, Escape from Corporate America, and found their stories to be pretty inspiring. Both walked away from prestigious corporate jobs to follow their dreams. Tony was a senior trader at one of the country’s top brokerages before becoming a film producer. Rob was a corporate lawyer and then a highly-paid investment banker before quitting to focus on a career as a screenwriter and producer.

Both saved up their money when they were earning big corporate paychecks to create escape funds that paid their bills when they were getting started in the film business. Although their finances are still a lot less predictable than during their corporate days, both Tony and Rob say they are much happier because they are doing work they love.

If you’re looking for an engaging and thought-provoking film this weekend, I highly recommend Day Zero. After all, all of the advance reviews say Cloverfield is a monstrous disappointment and 27 Dresses is mostly warmed-over chick-flick cliches.

When I saw Day Zero at Tribeca, everyone left the theater buzzing and debating. Get tickets for Day Zero at the Angelika. Catch the 7:45 Friday show and stick around for a Q&A session with Tony and actor Jon Bernthal (if you don’t know his name yet, you will).

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Forget about all of the pilgrim crap. The best way to think about Thanksgiving is as a time to express gratitude for all of the great things in your life — your friends, your family, your health, your access to massive quantities of poultry and pumpkin pie.

And don’t forget to say a little thanks to the universe or your deity of choice for your job. You’re probably rolling your eyes right now if you’re stuck in a corporate job that doesn’t make you happy. Or if you’ve been recently downsized or restructured or otherwise unceremoniously shown the door by your corporate overlords.

But trust me, there are plenty of things to be grateful for if you really think about it:

Give Thanks for Your Paycheck — If you’re collecting regular paychecks or severance payments, you’re doing better than a lot of people. That’s not to say that you should settle for a job that’s only about the paycheck or avoid taking risks to find more fulfilling work. You can have both a paycheck and a meaningful career. And you will.

Give Thanks for All That You’ve Learned — Your experience in Corporate America has made you wiser. You have learned valuable business skills, developed a network of helpful contacts, and built a resume.  You’ve also learned a lot about what you DON’T want to do for a living. All of these things will come in handy in your dream career — whether it’s starting your own business, becoming a third-grade teacher, or writing the Great American Novel.

Give Thanks for the Fire Under Your Ass — Sometimes, people need to be miserable in order to find the motivation to change. If you know anything about Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey or have seen a few Hollywood films, you know that the hero must go through crisis in order to achieve victory. A wise woman in one of my writing workshops put it this way — "a character doesn’t change unless you light a fire under his ass." What this means for you is that you will probably never take a leap until you feel flames on the seat of your pants. That fire could be the burning passion for your new career or it could be the slow, smoldering misery and/or frustration of a job that doesn’t inspire you. Whatever your inspiration, if you find yourself giving thanks for a brilliant new career by next Thanksgiving, you have that fire under your ass to thank.

Give Thanks for a Day Off — Most good corporate citizens in the U.S. get a paid day off for Thanksgiving. Many even get two (say thanks twice in this case). And if you’ve been laid off, look at it this way: You can do whatever you want for Thanksgiving and you don’t have to clear your plans with any boss this year. Take a break from the job search and do what so many terminated executives say they’re going to do — spend more time with your family. Or ditch your family if they’re a pain in the butt and spend time with people who are more supportive. Eat well and wear loose-fitting clothing.

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

The first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882. The holiday was established by the American labor movement as a yearly tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Today, many of us see Labor Day primarily as a much-anticipated three-day weekend, a last hurrah of summer. We American workers certainly deserve it after a year of hard work and long hours.

But Labor Day is also a good time to reflect on work and your career path in general. Are you happy about how and where you’re putting in all those hours? Does your current job allow you to use your talents and contribute to the well-being of our country (and yourself) the way you’d like to? Does the idea of spending another year laboring in your job inspire feelings of excitement or dread?

Take some inspiration from all of those schoolkids going back to class with fresh notebooks and pencils and big dreams for the future. Make a fresh start this fall.

Hiring managers are also coming back from summer vacation and getting serious about filling vacant positions. If you’ve been contemplating the idea of making a career change, or looking for the best career for future entrepreneurs, then pick up one of those notebooks at a Back to School sale near you and start jotting down ideas for the next phase of your brilliant career.

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

A majority of small business workers love their jobs, according to a recent survey. iContact, a company that provides email and survey services for small businesses, reached out to 1,124 men and women employed by small companies and found that 75% said they would rate their jobs an 8, 9, or 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. Less than 3% rated their job a 3 or below.

Compare those numbers to general job satisfaction survey results, which say that upwards of 50% of workers are actively dissatisfied at work.

What’s so great about working for a small business? While researching my book, I talked to several people who left the corporate ladder to take on roles at small companies and start-ups. Most were attracted by the opportunity to play a more active role in building a business they believed in. Many also cited fringe benefits like greater work/life balance, freedom from bureaucracy, and better relationships with managers and co-workers.

Most importantly, all of the people that I spoke with were having a blast. They were passionate about their work. Of course, it didn’t hurt that many of them worked at cool companies like Kidrobot and Word World.

Working for a small company certainly isn’t for everyone. Salaries tend to be lower than those offered in Corporate America, though small companies often try to compensate with ownership stakes and other benefits. Small companies also offer less structure and support. There aren’t a lot of extra budget dollars for administrative support, company cars, and team-building retreats.

And there are plenty of mismanaged and misconceived small companies out there, so it’s important to do your due diligence. During the dot com bust, many of us learned firsthand what can happen when incompetent and/or clinically insane CEOs get millions in venture capital to throw around.

What do you think? Would you rather work for a start-up or a big corporation? Why do more small business employees love their jobs?

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

When office life is getting you down, block out your boss’s yammering and the tortured noises from the next cubicle with the sweet sounds from your iPod. Here are some song picks to add to your rotation.

Songs for Wallowing in Your Misery

Songs for Daydreaming About Leaving

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

I’m back! I took a bit of a sabbatical from blogging. I’ve been busy writing and researching my book, getting projects done for my clients, and generally keeping up with life.

But I decided I had to make time for blogging again. In the course of researching the book, I have found lots of great info to share. I have been running around the country meeting interesting people who left corporate jobs they hated to start companies, establish nonprofit foundations, and accept great jobs at smaller companies and corporations that "get it."

So my sabbatical from blogging is over. Stay tuned for more inspiration, information and stories about escaping from Corporate America.

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Do you fantasize about leaving the rat race to pursue a passion? Andrea Beaman’s story might provide some inspiration. Andrea went from cubicle to national TV after she decided to follow her dream.

 Career Makeover: Andrea Beaman

Former Occupation: Executive Assistant

Current Occupation(s): Natural nutritionist, chef, reality TV star. Andrea has a thriving nutritionist practice and is appearing on Bravo’s new reality show "Top Chef." Her TV exposure has led to other opportunities — including a recent appearance as a guest nutrition expert on "The View."

Andrea’s Story:

Andrea had a corporate day job that many would envy. She was an executive assistant to a big shot at MTV. That meant attending a lot of cool parties with rock stars and flying around the country with her boss. Andrea didn’t mind her job, but there was something missing.

Her perspective changed after she was diagnosed with thyroid disease. She immersed herself in the study of nutrition to find a way to heal herself. After radically changing her diet, Andrea regained her energy and conquered her thyroid problem. Then she took a look around and decided that it was time to make some career changes as well. She realized that her true calling was in teaching people about the dramatic benefits of healthy eating.

"At my old job, I felt completely empty at the end of the day," Andrea says. "I felt like I did nothing of any consequence in the world. I had no passion."

She was afraid to trade in a secure position for a new career she knew little about, but a little voice kept nagging her that the time had come. Eventually, Andrea summoned up the courage to make the leap.

"The more I focused my energy on what I loved, the more opportunities opened up," Andrea says.

She studied nutrition and built a thriving business as a nutritionist, author, and healthy chef. There were some lean months and some sleepless nights along the way. But Andrea persevered and is now living the life she’s always dreamed about. She has shared her healthy eating philosophies with millions of TV viewers and spends her days doing what she loves.

Andrea’s Advice:

"Find  something that you love to do and then go toward it with wild abandon and always be open."

Visit Andrea’s site at http://www.andreabeaman.com