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…
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…
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!…
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…
The previous post, Is It Art? was about the creative process and its importance in our lives. Although I wasn’t originally planning to, I decided to carry the discussion a bit further, in part inspired by an article in my favorite business magazine, “Entrepreneur” (link at the end) that I received after that post, and an event I…
How many people do you know who have gotten every job for which they applied? Very few, I would imagine. I’m not sure I know anyone who has received an offer of employment for every application they have submitted. For the most part, job search is a numbers game that necessitates applying for far more…
In job search circles these days much attention is paid to the tech, administrative, healthcare and bio-tech industries. And why not? These are growth areas with opportunities for advancement. But not everyone is a programmer, tech-head, numbers-person, or test tube gazer, nor should they be! There are many other industries that don’t have the “cache”…
One of the eternal questions that all job seekers, and frequently the population in general, ask themselves is: Am I good enough? Questioning the value and quality of one’s skills and life are important because doing so encourages us to think about what we can do to be better people; how we can improve…
No Contract, No Service! One of the things that has been bothering me of late is the number of service providers who believe they are too important or too good to speak with prospective customers before a contract is signed. In other words, no contract, no service! “No, I can’t give you an estimate…
All over the country things are starting to open up. Coronavirus cases have dropped dramatically thanks to those who have gotten vaccinated and followed recommended health protocols. But so many employers – in almost all job categories – are complaining they can’t find qualified applicants, and blame the worker shortage on extended unemployment benefits…
There are a lot of positive signs that we will soon see the light of day and the other side of the pandemic. This is good news no matter who you are and what you do for work or play. And while the future is starting to look like life post Covid will be similar…
One of the topics I think needs more coverage and more solutions, is the shortage of women and minorities in tech jobs. If you look at a graph of people who hold tech jobs, women and minorities are represented in the valleys and white males represent the highest peaks, hence we have a tech chasm.…
Talking with some imminent graduates the other day, I asked, “When do you start your internship?” The quizzical look on their faces spoke volumes. One said, “Once school is over, I will start looking.” Another said she hadn’t given it any thought, believing that her newly minted degree would assure her a position in a…
Recently a friend told me she was returning to her former place of employment. “Why would you want to be going back there?” I asked. “I thought you wanted to be going forward in your career?” The idea of her returning to that employer was a bit of a surprise because when she left her…
It’s hard to believe that the year 2013 is over. It went by quickly and hopefully productively for you. If not, like many, you are still looking for that right employment situation that matches all your needs. Well, hopefully with this list, you’ll remind yourself of a few things not to do, and move forward…
