I wanted to share this interesting look at the employment projections for 2016. Trends are not all that different than I would have expected except that positions related to Information Technology seem to be trending upward. Here is the link to check out:
http://www.boston.com/jobs/2013/12/23/the-year-the-fastest-growing-jobs/GGDo2PVgihmpsurdiPGUhO/story.html
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Some Thoughts Inspired by Black Friday
2013 is winding down and I am personally hopeful that 2014 will bring much greater opportunities in the job market. As I wandered through a half empty shopping mall at 8:00 AM on Black Friday, feeling quite good that I dodged temptation and did not head out at 8:00 PM on Thanksgiving helping deprive retail workers of the time they should have been allotted to spend with their families, I started thinking about a variety of topics.
First, I was very impressed by the energy some of the retail associates demonstrated that day even though many of them were either awake all night or up many hours before sunrise. Two young men in particular stood out as they handled multiple customers with skill and worked their stockrooms to identify merchandise that was absent from their sales floors. Several of these individuals are destined for success and hopefully many will be offered management positions when they are available.
Second, I noticed that people were buying more essentials such as linens, pillows, sweatshirts, winter jackets and less jewelry, glitzy clothing, and overpriced toys. We are definitely still being exceptionally cautious with the precious few dollars available to us. I certainly hope manufacturers realize that is where to put most of their investments and leave the more frivolous products for another time when perhaps their will be more ready cash on hand.
Third, the average age of the employees in many of the larger stores seemed significantly older than in recent years. With unemployment still at near record highs, it is easier to find seasoned professionals ready to take holiday jobs as their unemployment benefits and 401K plans run out. It is sad to see this happen and think of all the teens and college students who will struggle to fund their educational plans because they could not obtain seasonal work. Personally, I have noticed in recent weeks that several engineers, chemists, accountants, etc. who are in my LinkedIn network have announced they are working in seasonal retail jobs. I am happy they are working but disappointed it has come to this.
Being eternally optimistic, I am glad that many people are back to work at some level, putting cash in their wallets and giving them some positive energy to build upon. I am equally happy that many retail prices seem to be the same or even lower than last year which might make it possible for merchandise to sell a bit better, creating some new jobs along the way. While not at all easy, we definitely need to keep finding new ways to produce lemonade!
First, I was very impressed by the energy some of the retail associates demonstrated that day even though many of them were either awake all night or up many hours before sunrise. Two young men in particular stood out as they handled multiple customers with skill and worked their stockrooms to identify merchandise that was absent from their sales floors. Several of these individuals are destined for success and hopefully many will be offered management positions when they are available.
Second, I noticed that people were buying more essentials such as linens, pillows, sweatshirts, winter jackets and less jewelry, glitzy clothing, and overpriced toys. We are definitely still being exceptionally cautious with the precious few dollars available to us. I certainly hope manufacturers realize that is where to put most of their investments and leave the more frivolous products for another time when perhaps their will be more ready cash on hand.
Third, the average age of the employees in many of the larger stores seemed significantly older than in recent years. With unemployment still at near record highs, it is easier to find seasoned professionals ready to take holiday jobs as their unemployment benefits and 401K plans run out. It is sad to see this happen and think of all the teens and college students who will struggle to fund their educational plans because they could not obtain seasonal work. Personally, I have noticed in recent weeks that several engineers, chemists, accountants, etc. who are in my LinkedIn network have announced they are working in seasonal retail jobs. I am happy they are working but disappointed it has come to this.
Being eternally optimistic, I am glad that many people are back to work at some level, putting cash in their wallets and giving them some positive energy to build upon. I am equally happy that many retail prices seem to be the same or even lower than last year which might make it possible for merchandise to sell a bit better, creating some new jobs along the way. While not at all easy, we definitely need to keep finding new ways to produce lemonade!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Have Your Resume Updated Even if You Are Employed
Most people who are gainfully employed tend to
neglect the fact that everybody should have a current resume. Rule of thumb is to update it annually unless
your job description changes dramatically at a shorter interval. When I recommend this practice to employed
individuals they frequently look at me like I am speaking in a language which
they do not understand.
Why do I need a resume if I am working? I love my job and my company so writing a
resume seems like a waste of time. No
one else at my company knows my job so I am there till I retire. So many people in my industry know me that I
would never have trouble landing a job by word of mouth if I needed to find a
new one.
Let’s see if we can poke holes into each of these
statements. My objective is not to make
fun of anyone who feels very secure but rather to prepare you for the right
hook to your cheekbone when you least expect it to hit you. I am going to attack the aforementioned
points in reverse order just because I feel like doing it that way as they are
all important.
Industries tend to go into large slumps in
clusters. By that I mean that if one
company in a field begins to struggle, others will likely follow suit
quickly. Do you remember when our area
was blessed to have B. Dalton, Barnes and Noble, Brentano’s, Borders and a
plethora of lesser known book retailers.
Thanks to nooks, kindles, and other e-readers it is getting hard for
booksellers to keep their doors open and I believe the only one left standing
locally is Barnes and Noble. Telecomm is
another industry that has shed thousands of jobs in Central Jersey. Even if you knew dozens of strong contacts in
either of these fields locally, there is a pretty strong chance that many of
them are now job hunting as well.
The theory that uniqueness in job description leads
to long term job security no longer is terribly accurate. Numerous companies have obviously merged or
been purchased by huge multinational organizations who really do not give a
crap about the individual worker. They
are all about numbers and bottom lines.
More than likely, your very unique role is being filled by others in a
different part of the world making your role expendable when budgets are
reviewed.
The first two points I made earlier blend together
fairly well. You might very well be
gainfully employed today and absolutely love your job but, that is today. The world is so volatile right now that we
never know what tomorrow might look like.
Companies are shutting doors at amazing rates and management teams are
being shifted around all the time which could take your status from having a
job for life to filing for unemployment overnight.
After saying all this in a rather blunt and bleak
way, I will soften it a bit by saying that if you are gainfully employed and
happy where you are, do everything possible to stay gainfully employed and
happy where you are. The point I am
striving to drive home is we should never close our minds to the eventuality
that we may have to make a move and be prepared for it.
There are other reasons to have your resume current
at all times. You never know when you
may be presented with an opportunity to apply for an internal promotion. Promotions are not necessarily simply handed
out. Sometimes, you have to make a case
to higher authorities to justify their decision making process. The challenge is that the window of time for
preparing yourself might be very short and to take a resume that has not been
dusted off for several years is not as easy as it looks.
My rule of thumb is to pick a date on which you will
annually review and update your resume.
Some people pick their work anniversary whiles others might select their
birthday or wedding anniversary. It
really does not matter as long as you remain consistent. There is no need for a complete overhaul but
be sure to add any new skills or responsibilities you have acquired in the past year as well as any new
certifications, degrees, seminars attended or special accomplishments. Make sure that you read the finished product
and ensure that it still flows nicely and is easy to read. Ask a friend or family member to review it as
well. This way, if opportunity knocks,
internally or externally, or if a situation arises where you must begin
searching for a job, you will be ready to go!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Patience!!!!
Several components go into conducting a successful job search such as having a great resume, remaining organized throughout the process, developing great interview skills, proactively following up on job leads and interview results, maintaining a current list of solid references, etc. A lesser known component for success, one that is becoming increasingly significant, is developing a high level of patience.
Recently, I coached an individual who had been out of work for quite some time due to a combination of a staff reduction at her company and a long term disability. She sent out countless resumes and went on a decent number of interviews to no avail. This alone tested her patience but was only a table setter for her final frontier in the job search world.
An employer contacted her for a position a step or two below where she hoped to land but the company has a great reputation and a decent benefits plan. She went to the interview, met with four people for about an hour then was told that two others were part of the hiring process but not available that day. Naturally, she figured this was a way of brushing her off. As she drove home, she got a call to come back the next day! This meeting with two people lasted a total of 20 minutes and she was told someone would get back to her.
Four or five days passed with no further contact and the candidate called me for advice. I suggested she call the original person who invited her to the interview and ask for an update on her status. She had to leave voice mail and was very frustrated but did not give up hope. She received a call two days later with an offer contingent on a background check which she submitted all required forms for immediately. A week later, she was told to go for a drug screening. Another week later, she was told the results were inconclusive due to a testing glitch and she had to retake the test. Finally, 5 days later, she was officially hired.
From time of submitting her resume to the actual date of hire was a span of almost two months. Countless times, she was ready to give up but really wanted the job and kept pushing forward. The key here is that patience got her the job offer. Today, hiring processes are slower than i have seen over the past 30 years. If you are impatient and anxious and give up quickly, you are cheating yourself..Patience is an acquired quality for many of us but I strongly suggest you find a way to be patient in order to succeed!
Recently, I coached an individual who had been out of work for quite some time due to a combination of a staff reduction at her company and a long term disability. She sent out countless resumes and went on a decent number of interviews to no avail. This alone tested her patience but was only a table setter for her final frontier in the job search world.
An employer contacted her for a position a step or two below where she hoped to land but the company has a great reputation and a decent benefits plan. She went to the interview, met with four people for about an hour then was told that two others were part of the hiring process but not available that day. Naturally, she figured this was a way of brushing her off. As she drove home, she got a call to come back the next day! This meeting with two people lasted a total of 20 minutes and she was told someone would get back to her.
Four or five days passed with no further contact and the candidate called me for advice. I suggested she call the original person who invited her to the interview and ask for an update on her status. She had to leave voice mail and was very frustrated but did not give up hope. She received a call two days later with an offer contingent on a background check which she submitted all required forms for immediately. A week later, she was told to go for a drug screening. Another week later, she was told the results were inconclusive due to a testing glitch and she had to retake the test. Finally, 5 days later, she was officially hired.
From time of submitting her resume to the actual date of hire was a span of almost two months. Countless times, she was ready to give up but really wanted the job and kept pushing forward. The key here is that patience got her the job offer. Today, hiring processes are slower than i have seen over the past 30 years. If you are impatient and anxious and give up quickly, you are cheating yourself..Patience is an acquired quality for many of us but I strongly suggest you find a way to be patient in order to succeed!
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The Other Guy Did It
This entry is my first in almost three months due to a very difficult time period experienced by my family. Now it is time to get back in gear and bring my blogging up to speed!
Customer service is crucial to survival at any time but especially in our current economy. It plays a major factor in which businesses will thrive and which will disappear. At the same time, anyone dealing with the public at any level, be it in person, on the phone, or electronically, is constantly under a microscope. How you present yourself definitely impacts your current and future levels of success.
Over the past several months, I have observed various levels of customer service from commercial airlines, airport service staff, home health aides, hospice care professionals, clergy, charitable organizations, etc. The range I witnessed has been all over the charts. Whether it was in NJ, North Carolina, Florida or over the phone, I saw everything from exemplary to efficient to absolutely awful.
My reaction is that the amount of experience one has on a job does not necessarily equate to the quality of service provided. Passion for the task at hand, a genuine interest in making other people's days better, a desire to provide excellence all the time, and a hunger to be perceived in a positive manner all can make up for a lack of experience.
Recently, I experienced a lack of all of the above. A local diner, which has been in existence for at least 50 years, was purchased a few months ago by one of the top diner families in NJ. When I heard the news, I was excited that this establishment which had barely survived for the past many years due to mediocre food and deplorable customer service might actually come back to life! I waited anxiously for the transition period to end before convincing my wife to give the place a try. Last week, signs went up announcing the grand re-opening under new ownership so we stopped by for dinner.
Needless to say, our experience got off poorly when the waitress came over to greet us (with a smile) and said that she was chomping on ice since it was her first day and she was tired and kept crunching while telling us that even though new owners took over, the menu and food were pretty much unchanged. This did not bode well. We asked her about some of the menu items and she proclaimed that all she had tasted was the cheesecake and knew nothing about the food. She also forgot to bring an order pad and tried to memorize our requests which came out of the kitchen wrong. First, she asked me if that was what I ordered, then blamed the chef! Once the order was corrected, she stopped by and asked me how I liked the 'bad boys' on my plate and told us she would be disappearing for five minutes. When she reappeared, my wife commented about the stench of tobacco in a smoke free establishment. She had trouble finding our check but did thank us nicely for coming in.
The manager was working the cash register. He took our money and said thank you without asking how our meal was so I decided to engage him. I told him the food was good but customer service was shaky at best. He asked me if I meant the waitress had a big mouth and I said that was part of the problem. He did not ask me what else went wrong so I did not bother to tell him. His only reply was that he did not hire her, the other guy did it.
One of my biggest issues with customer service is that a little training goes a long way. Had the manager wondered around instead of sitting at the counter for over an hour (place was half full at best), he would have picked up on the problem and perhaps given some on the job training. No matter what line of business you are in, how the public perceives you will determine your future success!
Customer service is crucial to survival at any time but especially in our current economy. It plays a major factor in which businesses will thrive and which will disappear. At the same time, anyone dealing with the public at any level, be it in person, on the phone, or electronically, is constantly under a microscope. How you present yourself definitely impacts your current and future levels of success.
Over the past several months, I have observed various levels of customer service from commercial airlines, airport service staff, home health aides, hospice care professionals, clergy, charitable organizations, etc. The range I witnessed has been all over the charts. Whether it was in NJ, North Carolina, Florida or over the phone, I saw everything from exemplary to efficient to absolutely awful.
My reaction is that the amount of experience one has on a job does not necessarily equate to the quality of service provided. Passion for the task at hand, a genuine interest in making other people's days better, a desire to provide excellence all the time, and a hunger to be perceived in a positive manner all can make up for a lack of experience.
Recently, I experienced a lack of all of the above. A local diner, which has been in existence for at least 50 years, was purchased a few months ago by one of the top diner families in NJ. When I heard the news, I was excited that this establishment which had barely survived for the past many years due to mediocre food and deplorable customer service might actually come back to life! I waited anxiously for the transition period to end before convincing my wife to give the place a try. Last week, signs went up announcing the grand re-opening under new ownership so we stopped by for dinner.
Needless to say, our experience got off poorly when the waitress came over to greet us (with a smile) and said that she was chomping on ice since it was her first day and she was tired and kept crunching while telling us that even though new owners took over, the menu and food were pretty much unchanged. This did not bode well. We asked her about some of the menu items and she proclaimed that all she had tasted was the cheesecake and knew nothing about the food. She also forgot to bring an order pad and tried to memorize our requests which came out of the kitchen wrong. First, she asked me if that was what I ordered, then blamed the chef! Once the order was corrected, she stopped by and asked me how I liked the 'bad boys' on my plate and told us she would be disappearing for five minutes. When she reappeared, my wife commented about the stench of tobacco in a smoke free establishment. She had trouble finding our check but did thank us nicely for coming in.
The manager was working the cash register. He took our money and said thank you without asking how our meal was so I decided to engage him. I told him the food was good but customer service was shaky at best. He asked me if I meant the waitress had a big mouth and I said that was part of the problem. He did not ask me what else went wrong so I did not bother to tell him. His only reply was that he did not hire her, the other guy did it.
One of my biggest issues with customer service is that a little training goes a long way. Had the manager wondered around instead of sitting at the counter for over an hour (place was half full at best), he would have picked up on the problem and perhaps given some on the job training. No matter what line of business you are in, how the public perceives you will determine your future success!
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Keep Your Shirt Tucked In!
From the title, you might think this article will be about dress codes and interview apparel. One might also assume I am giving my opinion on current trends in business casual attire. Anyone who knows me realizes that fashion statements will never have a home in this blogger's world!
By keeping one's shirt tucked in, I am referring to avoiding comments or statements on interviews which can cost you a job offer. A hiring manager does not need to know that you are only available to work from 7:30 until 3:30 daily because your girlfriend insists you arrive at home no later than 4:00 PM! The fact that you went through a divorce and had to leave your job because your father-in-law owned the company is not something to share at a first interview. Mentioning that you are changing jobs because the police in the town where you most recently were employed do not like you and follow you around is probably not going to give a warm and fuzzy feeling to the recruiter sitting across from you at the interview.
By now, I anticipate that a number of you think I am making this up as entertaining reading to brighten up a rainy Saturday morning! I guarantee you that this is not the case. What you have just read makes up a very small sample of the things I hear from candidates I have sent on interviews over the last 25+ years. Many of the stories come from the interviewers but a lot of it has been told to me straight from the candidates. As cable television and the internet have made us less formal than ever before, what people will share about themselves has gotten terribly out of control
I do not care if the interviewer seems very relaxed and casual. I do not care if the interviewer airs their dirty laundry in front of you. I do care that the candidate must remain professional at all times. Sometimes, you are being led into a huge pile of quicksand by a very sneaky interviewer. Keep your shirt tucked in at all times and you will succeed!
By keeping one's shirt tucked in, I am referring to avoiding comments or statements on interviews which can cost you a job offer. A hiring manager does not need to know that you are only available to work from 7:30 until 3:30 daily because your girlfriend insists you arrive at home no later than 4:00 PM! The fact that you went through a divorce and had to leave your job because your father-in-law owned the company is not something to share at a first interview. Mentioning that you are changing jobs because the police in the town where you most recently were employed do not like you and follow you around is probably not going to give a warm and fuzzy feeling to the recruiter sitting across from you at the interview.
By now, I anticipate that a number of you think I am making this up as entertaining reading to brighten up a rainy Saturday morning! I guarantee you that this is not the case. What you have just read makes up a very small sample of the things I hear from candidates I have sent on interviews over the last 25+ years. Many of the stories come from the interviewers but a lot of it has been told to me straight from the candidates. As cable television and the internet have made us less formal than ever before, what people will share about themselves has gotten terribly out of control
I do not care if the interviewer seems very relaxed and casual. I do not care if the interviewer airs their dirty laundry in front of you. I do care that the candidate must remain professional at all times. Sometimes, you are being led into a huge pile of quicksand by a very sneaky interviewer. Keep your shirt tucked in at all times and you will succeed!
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Get Out of the Box!
Thinking outside the box is a term we hear associated with many topics. Usually, I don't jump up on a soapbox or join the crowd but this time I will promote creative thinking when it comes to the job search process. There are many professions that are fading away, leaving a huge number of seasoned professionals with useless skill sets, or so it seems. Whether you have been out of work due to a layoff, disability, or family leave, the fact is the job you used to be great at may not be readily available to return to now or in the future. This is a very tough realization for many of us to make. I remember my high school guidance counselor telling me to become a lawyer as there will never be unemployment in that profession. Over 30 years later, she has definitely been proven to be wrong!
How do you step out of the box and redirect your career is probably the question many of you are asking. Let's take an example of an Urban Planner with a BS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Public Administration who has spent the past 20 years helping small municipalities develop transit centers. With funds for massive projects drying up, this person can no longer find sufficient consulting work in their profession. After 2 years of fruitless resume submittals and a handful of unproductive interviews, we came to have a discussion recently. I asked this individual about her experience and learned that she has done a lot of proposal writing and of course a ton of research as part of that process. She really likes writing and feels she is very good at this. When writing a proposal, it is part instructional guide and part marketing brochure. We talked about which direction she feels stronger pursuing and she is now grabbing freelance assignments for tourism bureaus, engineering firms, municipal governments, colleges, etc. writing promotional materials on their behalf. The money per project may not be as much as she received doing urban planning but the workflow is much more regular so there was a good trade-off.
Finding a new direction is not easy. Some careers transition to others in better fashion while some of you will have to really dig deep to find that new path. It is not impossible but you will probably need to sound out many folks to help come up with the best ideas. Think about this for a moment. If you have been unable to find gainful employment in your field for a very long time, wouldn't it be better to find a way to use some of your talents rather than continue moving in the wrong direction?
How do you step out of the box and redirect your career is probably the question many of you are asking. Let's take an example of an Urban Planner with a BS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Public Administration who has spent the past 20 years helping small municipalities develop transit centers. With funds for massive projects drying up, this person can no longer find sufficient consulting work in their profession. After 2 years of fruitless resume submittals and a handful of unproductive interviews, we came to have a discussion recently. I asked this individual about her experience and learned that she has done a lot of proposal writing and of course a ton of research as part of that process. She really likes writing and feels she is very good at this. When writing a proposal, it is part instructional guide and part marketing brochure. We talked about which direction she feels stronger pursuing and she is now grabbing freelance assignments for tourism bureaus, engineering firms, municipal governments, colleges, etc. writing promotional materials on their behalf. The money per project may not be as much as she received doing urban planning but the workflow is much more regular so there was a good trade-off.
Finding a new direction is not easy. Some careers transition to others in better fashion while some of you will have to really dig deep to find that new path. It is not impossible but you will probably need to sound out many folks to help come up with the best ideas. Think about this for a moment. If you have been unable to find gainful employment in your field for a very long time, wouldn't it be better to find a way to use some of your talents rather than continue moving in the wrong direction?
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Recovering From a Mental Block!
My blogging took a short sabbatical for a variety of reasons. Work, volunteer commitments, dreary weather, family time, sequestration all sound like good excuses to fall back on! Quite honestly, I hit a mental block and did not feel like writing an entry that was meaningless.
Here are excepts of some of the topics I considered writing about but never got motivated to complete. They are not presented in any order of priority, rather just as they came to mind.
While the job markets in my home state of NJ looks rather dismal still, states such as North Dakota, Arkansas, and Nebraska are showing some energy. From talking to clients out in the Missouri plains region and most of Minnesota, these are not great places to search for jobs today.
Salaries being offered to new hires are still running anywhere from 30-50% or worse than they were in 2008. Like it or not, we appear to be settling in on a disturbingly low new normal.
Work-from-home opportunities appear to be declining in number as more and more employers are emphasizing the need to see their team members on a regular basis. One exception to this is the call center world. I am noticing that some very large firms are allowing virtual call centers as a way to better provide 24/7 coverage.
Finally, is it just me or do we seem to be experiencing a massive mood swing? From 2008 until late year, many among us (including myself) seemed very troubled by the economy, job market, cost of living, etc. In recent months, that concern seems to have shifted into disinterest and indifference. My concern is that people are simply giving up and letting things happen without weighing in with their opinions or personal efforts any longer.
Wow! Getting all those topics off my chest (or perhaps off of my hard drive) felt good and will hopefully lead to more productive articles soon!
Here are excepts of some of the topics I considered writing about but never got motivated to complete. They are not presented in any order of priority, rather just as they came to mind.
While the job markets in my home state of NJ looks rather dismal still, states such as North Dakota, Arkansas, and Nebraska are showing some energy. From talking to clients out in the Missouri plains region and most of Minnesota, these are not great places to search for jobs today.
Salaries being offered to new hires are still running anywhere from 30-50% or worse than they were in 2008. Like it or not, we appear to be settling in on a disturbingly low new normal.
Work-from-home opportunities appear to be declining in number as more and more employers are emphasizing the need to see their team members on a regular basis. One exception to this is the call center world. I am noticing that some very large firms are allowing virtual call centers as a way to better provide 24/7 coverage.
Finally, is it just me or do we seem to be experiencing a massive mood swing? From 2008 until late year, many among us (including myself) seemed very troubled by the economy, job market, cost of living, etc. In recent months, that concern seems to have shifted into disinterest and indifference. My concern is that people are simply giving up and letting things happen without weighing in with their opinions or personal efforts any longer.
Wow! Getting all those topics off my chest (or perhaps off of my hard drive) felt good and will hopefully lead to more productive articles soon!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Fix What First?
Fix it first, three words uttered by President Barack Obama in his 2013 State of the Union Address, got me thinking after I took my nap during his final 10 minutes and woke up in time to witness Senator Marco Rubio's Big Gulp! There are many things we need to fix first and bridges may or may not be at the top of the list.
In no particular order, here are some items that could top the list in an attempt to get our economy and employment market back in gear:
In no particular order, here are some items that could top the list in an attempt to get our economy and employment market back in gear:
- Utility companies need to be compelled to make their grids up to date across the nation so the debacles of storms like Katrina, Irene, Floyd, and Sandy do not keep repeating themselves. Imagine all the jobs that will be created including design engineer, field engineers, computer programmers, line technicians, etc!
- Public schools, colleges, and universities need funding to restore programs lost in recent years since we will not rebound without proper education being taught. Partnerships should be struck with all the financial companies the federal government previously bailed out to put some of their riches into education creating jobs for educators as well.
- Contracts placed out to bid by our government for the purchase of just about every possible item one can think of should be open to all interested suitors from within the U.S., not just those on pre-approved vendor lists created by a select group of politicians. Open bidding will reduce procurement costs and ultimately lead to more jobs.
- The length of time a patent for a prescription drug may be protected needs to be dramatically reduced. As someone who has to take some relatively new medications, I can assure you the drug makers and insurance companies are out of control. Opening up competition earlier for the producers of generic drugs will put more money back into our pockets to spend elsewhere and also should result in job creation.
- Mass transportation in many parts of our country is pitiful. A program to upgrade and expand public transit is desperately needed and will again result in new jobs.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Hess Oil's Layoff Plan
Hess announced plans to shut down its Woodbridge, NJ refinery resulting in a loss of about 150 jobs. This is not a good sign as we try to rebuild an unstable economy:
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20130128/NJNEWS/301280038/Nearly-200-Hess-workers-lose-their-jobs-under-plan-close-Woodbridge-refinery
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20130128/NJNEWS/301280038/Nearly-200-Hess-workers-lose-their-jobs-under-plan-close-Woodbridge-refinery
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Opportunity Knocks!
There are times when opportunity might knock at your door in unconventional ways and it is up to you to respond accordingly. Not too long ago, I came across a former neighbor who had transferred out of the area to retain his job of 20+ years. After a few years, he was again forced to relocate to save his position and, eventually, he was laid off as part of a huge reduction in workforce.
Luckily, he received the maximum amount of severance pay possible and had a nice amount of funds from his 401K plan and pension so he and his famlily were able to make ends meet. Unfortunately, the cost of Cobra cut into their reserves and he started keeping his eyes open for a new opportunity. One day, my friend took his car into a local auto dealership for service and overheard they were in need of someone to wash cars.
Beingsomeone who loved hanging around cars, this former corporate manager took a minimum wage level job washing vehicles several days a week. After a few months, the service manager asked him if he would like to shuttle cars between their different lots and also help prepare them for delivery to customers. He accepted this new job, overachieved and was approached once again. The person who oversaw the staff who prepped all cars when sold had quit and they needed a new team manager. The last I heard, he was now a manager of car prep, working 5-6 days a week, making a nice salary to supplement his needs and having a great time as well.
Way too many of us have had doors slammed in our face over the last few years, many of them padlocked shut. It is essential to make sure that any door that is opened up for you to explore is given the deepest consideration before you consider closing it. You never know what great adventure could be awaiting you!
Luckily, he received the maximum amount of severance pay possible and had a nice amount of funds from his 401K plan and pension so he and his famlily were able to make ends meet. Unfortunately, the cost of Cobra cut into their reserves and he started keeping his eyes open for a new opportunity. One day, my friend took his car into a local auto dealership for service and overheard they were in need of someone to wash cars.
Beingsomeone who loved hanging around cars, this former corporate manager took a minimum wage level job washing vehicles several days a week. After a few months, the service manager asked him if he would like to shuttle cars between their different lots and also help prepare them for delivery to customers. He accepted this new job, overachieved and was approached once again. The person who oversaw the staff who prepped all cars when sold had quit and they needed a new team manager. The last I heard, he was now a manager of car prep, working 5-6 days a week, making a nice salary to supplement his needs and having a great time as well.
Way too many of us have had doors slammed in our face over the last few years, many of them padlocked shut. It is essential to make sure that any door that is opened up for you to explore is given the deepest consideration before you consider closing it. You never know what great adventure could be awaiting you!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Playing All Four Quarters
The college football season has finally come to an end! Nearly 4.5 months is just too long and I pretty much stopped watching about 2 weeks ago but not before I got an inspiration for a blog entry! The Rutgers Scarlet Knights provided that motivation but I promise you this is not a sports article.
Rutgers was well on its way to a season of historic milestones in total wins, making their first BCS bowl appearance, and perhaps having an outside chance at contending for a national championship. All of a sudden, things took a downward swing for them and their final three weeks, including a dismal performance at the Russell Athletic Bowl, were disappointing on many levels. For some unknown reason, the team that powered through opposition week after week, could not keep up their push beyond the second quarter of each of their last three games. They came out like gangbusters, leveled off in the second quarter, and simply faded into the sunset after halftime.
Over the years, I have seen this pattern with many candidates who I assisted in finding new contract employment situations. They entered their new job with a full head of steam, overachieving in every aspect of the job. After about 3 or 4 weeks, the word on the street is they seemed to lose energy and, while still competent, were not excelling any more. After a few months, any chance of converting to permanent has been eliminated, and the contract was not extended.
Why does this happen so frequently? I tend to go back to my least favorite word, entitlement. All too many people seem to believe that once they are in the door and work hard for a short period they are entitled to all the perks available to them without continuing to go that extra mile. Gainful employment, whether it be as a short term temp, contractor with potential to go permanent, or as a full time employee is granted as a privilege at the will of the employer.
Unless you are are willing to demonstrate a willingness to do excellent work at all times, every single day, you run the risk of losing that privilege. This has always been the same general rule to succeed, but the need to play hard for all four quarters is even more critical in a challenging economic environment.
Rutgers was well on its way to a season of historic milestones in total wins, making their first BCS bowl appearance, and perhaps having an outside chance at contending for a national championship. All of a sudden, things took a downward swing for them and their final three weeks, including a dismal performance at the Russell Athletic Bowl, were disappointing on many levels. For some unknown reason, the team that powered through opposition week after week, could not keep up their push beyond the second quarter of each of their last three games. They came out like gangbusters, leveled off in the second quarter, and simply faded into the sunset after halftime.
Over the years, I have seen this pattern with many candidates who I assisted in finding new contract employment situations. They entered their new job with a full head of steam, overachieving in every aspect of the job. After about 3 or 4 weeks, the word on the street is they seemed to lose energy and, while still competent, were not excelling any more. After a few months, any chance of converting to permanent has been eliminated, and the contract was not extended.
Why does this happen so frequently? I tend to go back to my least favorite word, entitlement. All too many people seem to believe that once they are in the door and work hard for a short period they are entitled to all the perks available to them without continuing to go that extra mile. Gainful employment, whether it be as a short term temp, contractor with potential to go permanent, or as a full time employee is granted as a privilege at the will of the employer.
Unless you are are willing to demonstrate a willingness to do excellent work at all times, every single day, you run the risk of losing that privilege. This has always been the same general rule to succeed, but the need to play hard for all four quarters is even more critical in a challenging economic environment.
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