Since the late 19th Century, when our forebearers began the transition from animal and human-powered transportation (think oxen or horse-drawn carriages and bicycles) to the earliest cars, the automotive industry has seen a tremendous amount of change. Nearly every aspect of the way cars are designed and manufactured has undergone near continuous transformation. Through all…
We are now entering Graduation Season. A Rite of Spring that conveys completion, accomplishment and change. So let me say: Congratulations on your graduation. May it be the first step on your way to achieving your goals and dreams! But let’s get real. Whatever your circumstances, whatever your goals, getting where you want to go…
While waiting for a friend in a hotel lounge recently, I had the chance to speak with the in-house staffing manager prior to his meeting and interview with a prospective employee. The manager, Randall, had been actively recruiting for a new sales manager to bring in more convention business and to oversee catering and meeting…
While visiting a friend in Hong Kong in 1979, I was invited to tour the refugee camps that were occupied by the Vietnamese “boat people.” After the fall of Saigon in 1975, over 200,000 immigrants barely arrived in Hong Kong from Viet Nam on mostly insanely overcrowded, rickety vessels, having upended their lives and livelihoods…
Since the recent U.S. presidential election, there’s been a fair amount of speculation about what the employment picture will look like under the incoming administration. As of this writing, there are no guarantees about how jobs will be affected. And the speculation will likely continue for the immediate future only because any actions taken by…
With across-the-board worker shortages in the health care field at an all-time high, the strain on existing staff degrades patient care. This is evident in the staffing of hospitals, private medical offices, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, etc. Also of note, since the COVID pandemic, the costs of good childcare have increased substantially while access…
Recently, while in the company of a handful of young adults, of course the topic of job search came up. Four of the five were gainfully employed, while one was “exploring his options.” Believing it would ok to inquire, I asked, “How long has it been since you last worked?” Apparently not interested in discussing…
Frequently in this space you have been encouraged to be brief in your responses to interview questions, on resumes, etc. The encouragement continues! It is important to be clear and concise in your written and verbal communication with potential employers. You want to retain their interest, not whack them over the head with too much…
Looking for a job and doing all the requisite document planning and interviewing is no fun. It’s not supposed to be. In fact, the process of job search is mind-numbing and repetitive. Thankfully, you survive after putting yourself through all the emotional changes and anxieties – even when you don’t succeed at getting the job!…
One of the most important aspects of customer service is the ability to actively listen to customers and their concerns about your business, service or product. This responsibility falls to everyone in every company! However, the inability or refusal to listen and effectively respond to the concerns or complaints of customers can be the death…
If you’re ever driving Highway 1 along the California central coast, a great place to stop, stretch and enjoy the scenery is the Pigeon Point Light Station. It juts out prominently over the water about 50 miles south of San Francisco. People from all over the world stop here to take in the magnificent views…
Many of today’s employees will never know the attachment of working for the same company for 20 + years. That kind of longevity with one firm is not as attractive to the younger generations who have demonstrated a proclivity for job hopping in hopes of improving their stature, salary, benefits, work challenges, and myriad other…
On a commuter bus recently, a father and his teenage son sat in the seats immediately in front of me. Unavoidably able to hear their discussion about college applications and homework, it was easy to determine the father had a loving interest in his son’s scholastic achievements. The father began talking about his son’s grades…
What are two of most common phrases uttered by most people? Before you answer this question, stop and think for a moment. As you formulate your answer to this, or almost any question, if speaking out loud, chances are you will pause for a millisecond before opening your mouth, and then, what’s the first sound…
There’s an awful lot that can be said about the value of a college education and advanced degrees! But there is also a lot about higher education that doesn’t get said frequently enough: A college education is not for everyone! Indeed, higher learning can be of benefit for attaining a vast array of professional and…
Among the industries most affected since the Covid 19 Pandemic began is healthcare. Not just doctors and nurses, but everyone who support them in a wide variety of related fields. These include: supervisors, administrative personnel, technicians and lab workers, pharmacists, physical therapists, technologists, maintenance and janitorial support and many more. People willing to fill so…
Not too long ago at a modest dinner restaurant in a small coastal town, I encountered a waitress named Shelly. Full of energy and a desire to provide quality customer service, Shelly was friendly but completely professional from the first interaction to last. It was apparent that she took her job seriously and was dedicated…
When we think of larger cities and our most populated urban centers, among the first things we envision are the tall buildings, traffic, population density, congestion and the hopefully thriving businesses that draw us there. To live, to work, to explore, to experience. But lately those visions include urban blight, empty storefronts, over-crowded streets and…
Do you have any idea how much the world of work has changed over the last few generations? It really is a bit mind-boggling when you think about it. It really wasn’t until around the Second World War where the idea of a career started to take hold. Before then, yet well into the first…
Among the many business-related side effects of life during the Coronavirus Pandemic have been the attempts by businesses to minimize humans coming into contact with items that others have touched. As effective or ineffective as this approach may have been in reducing the spread of the virus, it has turned into a lingering trend that…
