tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49575031366302783932024-03-27T02:37:57.610-04:00Work, Career & Jobs @ 40+Creating a great career when you are over 40 requires a little help from your friends. This blog is home to inspiration, ideas, techniques and the hope you need to make your 40+ career everything you want it to be.Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-52437524947831529602017-07-10T02:04:00.001-04:002017-07-10T02:04:17.568-04:00Blog on a Break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While I take a break from blogging, please visit the bi-monthly Boomer@Work column in Indy Boomer Magazine. The magazine is available at Kroger Supermarkets in Central Indiana on the magazine rack in the store's foyer. Outside of the Indianapolis area, please visit:<br />
www.indyboomer.com and see the Boomer@Work column.<br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-31523221164809526142016-05-23T00:11:00.001-04:002016-05-23T00:24:17.710-04:003 Tips to Manage Your Midlife Career<div style="text-align: center;">
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Have you been on your job more than 4.6 years? If the answer is yes, you are bucking a trend.</div>
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.6 years is the avearge job tenure in America in 2014—the most recent data available. The combination of midlife + career in search engines results in page after page of “changing you midlife career” and “midlife career crisis.” </div>
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One career expert, Alison Doyle, estimates the average person changes jobs ten to fifteen times (with an average of 12 job changes) during his or her career. Many workers spend five years or less in every job, so they devote more time and energy transitioning from one job to another. </div>
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Whether voluntarily changing jobs or being forced to find a new career because of circumstance, stress is inevitable according to experts. Rather than making a move as often, try these three tips maintain your job as an experienced worker:</div>
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1) <b>Maintain your perspective</b></div>
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We all have tough days, bad years and challenging co-workers or bosses. When you have 20+ years of experience, you can look back on how you handled the less than perfect times previously. One medical device employee told me, “I had a boss who was a nightmare and he was rapidly advancing through the company. I knew he wouldn’t be my boss for more than 2 years at most. He spent most of his time managing to higher ups-we rarely saw him. Me and my co-workers decided we would focus on doing our jobs excellently. Fortunately, in 15 months he was gone.” The next department manager was markedly better according to the worker who now has been with her company for 11 years. As long as your manager is not abusive or harassing, remember your survival instincts. Do your job exceedlngly well and and seek internal opportunities first. It also helps to develop a strong network of positive people inside and outside work, Remember: This too will pass.</div>
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2)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Keep learning</b></div>
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Never utter the words, “this is the way we have always done it.” Just because you run a report one way doesn’t mean the information could not be processed differently. Even if you have to learn on your own—go online, take a workshop, find your own mentor or coach, watch YouTube videos to update your skills or knowledge. If your company sponsors courses or training—remain open. One manager discussed his employee’s change in attitude, he’s coachable and it is great working with him. It was a pleasant surprise.” Remember all the information, processes and technical information you’ve learned over your long career. You’ve got this!</div>
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3)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Attitude is Everything</b></div>
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U.S. life expectancy is 80 years and moving up annually. So those of us born in 1957, the largest year of the baby boom, have at least 21 years ahead of us if we remain healthy. Experienced workers may work longer due to economic necessity, a desire to remain productive or for the social interaction. According to an American Psychological Association study, 80% of the people 55+ say they’re remaining on the job with their current employer because they enjoy the work they do. Many mature workers want to extend their careers and cannot because of health reasons or changes at the company. Optimism is a learned trait. Remember, if you work in your later years by choice, foster an attitiude of gratitude. You choose to work, found work and have an opportunity to expand your horizons.</div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-79056692582883188262016-01-06T00:18:00.000-05:002016-01-06T00:18:24.180-05:00Letters from the Mail Bag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You have questions and I have opinions. These are the top 5 questions from the last few months. If you have ideas, you are welcomed to share.<br />
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<b>Why are Boomers expected to conform to Millennials at work and not the other way around?</b><br />
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Dear Boomer:<br />
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While more Baby Boomers (born ages 1946-1964) tend to be in leadership roles and management; the Millinnials are responsible for doing the work. In 2015, the Millennials (born 1982-2000) became the largest generation in the workforce. 28% of millennial responded to a recent survey saying they are already in supervisory/management positions. A full two-thirds say they expect to be in management by 2024 according to a recent study. And yes, there are often generational stle clashes. I hear of more issues when Boomers report to Millennials than the other way around. The oldest GenX members turned 50 in 2015. As long as everyone stays focused on the organization’s goals, you both win! It is important not to label people—this answer was filled with descriptions to define the generations.<br />
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<b>How can I update my LinkedIn profile without all my connections, including my co-workers seeing that I am improving my profile? </b><br />
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When you are on your LinkedIn profile, go to your photo in the upper right corner and tap. In the drop down menu, choose “ manage privacy and settings.” Under Privacy Controls, Choose whether or not to share your profile edits. Voila you are ready to fully update your LinkedIn profile to draw the attention of recruiters. Make sure to add a professional photo. If you need more LinkedIn assistance, I can confidently recommend Wayne Breitbarth’s book, The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success. He’s a good guy, the book easily will become a reference book and he offers a lot of free online information.<br />
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<b>Where can I find Social Security projections? </b><br />
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Dear Pre-Retiree:<br />
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I like to go to the source: https://www.ssa.gov/retire/estimator.html is an encrypted site from the Social Security Administation.<br />
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There is also a social security calculator on the AARP.org site:<br />
http://www.aarp.org/work/social-security/social-security-benefits-calculator.html<br />
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Talk to a certified financial planner about what is best for your personal situation in claiming your Social Security benefits.<br />
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<b>Now, I hate long-time job and I am scared to leave because I am not sure I can earn the same salary if I start somewhere new.</b><br />
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Dear Unhappy Employee:<br />
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I always go back to the old Tony Robbins quote, “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” You have to ask yourself what about your job do you now hate? Maybe that will change and you can stay as long as you like the work. Is it a new boss, new company owners, something change in your personal life or your job duties? If you are actively job-hunting, there are ways you can research the salary if the time is not right to discuss it with the recruiter or hiring manager. There is salary.com (I hear groans from the HR readers), glassdoor.com is another site to explore and your professional organizations may have offer salary ranges based on location. You might also consider finding a local career coach to help you manage your next step.<br />
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<b>How can I have enough money to live through retirement? </b><br />
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Dear Future 90-year-old:<br />
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Can you imagine being a vibrant 90-something? If I knew the answer to your question, I’d be very rich or in a minimum security government facilty somewhere warm. Outliving our retirement savings is a concern even for those of us with defined benefit pension plans to supplement social security. If you read the blog posts, you’ll see that I am a proponent of “encore careers” and doing something you love after your primary career ends. I have a friend who started a successful winery, Chapin Family Vineyards in Temecula, CA after a 25-year career in medical sales. Another friend brings in extra cash during retirement as a photograher focused on weddings and babies. Some work part-time a couple of days a week.<br />
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Share your responses!<br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-52630990058798203602015-12-28T00:33:00.000-05:002015-12-29T20:59:47.397-05:00Reach Your Career Goals in 2016!Monday Morning Pep Talk<br />
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It is the most wonderful time of the year. Champagne, resolutions, good intentions and promises that 2016 is going to be different. What’s on your career menu? A new job, developing a retirement strategy, securing your current job or researching starting a business?<br />
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How will you make 2016 different from other years when you thought—this is the year, something has to change! Try these three steps to make 2016 the year of your professional breakthrough.<br />
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<b>Commit to Action: </b>The difference between the person who dreams big and the person who makes that dream come true is action. Years ago, I worked for a guy who managed by spreadsheet. He had a tracker for everything—an expense tracker, an attendance tracker, a pending sales tracker, a daily sales call tracker—his team was so busy filling out Excel spreadsheets very little else was done. Since the trackers only mattered to him because the organization was focused on results; he was my manager for a very short time. A classic case of analysis paralysis. This is not to say that you haven’t planned to change jobs or dreamed of your exit plan from work; you may have been doing that for years. If taking the action step is hard for you—create or join an accountability group, enlist a career coach or work with a trusted mentor. At the very minimum, every day take step toward your dream no matter how small.<br />
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<b>Inspire Yourself:</b> Did Nelson Mandela dream he could be President of South Africa while he spent 27 years in prison? When J.K. Rowling was an unemployed single mother on public assistance and her manuscript was consistently rejected for over a year; did she think Harry Potter would make her the first billionaire writer? Ursula Burns is not a household name but she’s the little girl who grew up in a New York housing project with a single mother working two jobs that became the first Black woman in America to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company. She has led Xerox for the past five years. Do whatever it takes for you to become inspired- visit with inspiring people, listen to motivational speakers or music that pumps you up. I have podcasts of interesting TED Talks I listen to in my car, audio books and of course, great collections of music. Who or what inspires you and how can you tap into that energy?<br />
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<b>Have Fun: </b>Life is short, I am constantly reminded of that and 2015 was no different. Celebrate small achievements: you didn’t miss any meetings of your Master Mind group; you took PTO to “shadow” someone in the career you’re interested in pursuing or you watched a YouTube video or webinar to move you closer to your goal. Maybe you discovered your goal needs a tweak- make adjustments. Smile- research studies show smiling activates neural messaging that benefits your health and happiness. It also activates the release of neuropeptides that work toward fighting off stress plus smiles are contagious. It’s kind of fun to watch other people smile back at you. Gratitude is terribly underrated, so everyday, I find something to be grateful about; it keeps my life in perspective.<br />
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Have the best year ever!<br />
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“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ---Toni Morrison</div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-54165826502432356792015-10-24T20:20:00.000-04:002015-10-25T02:43:38.019-04:00OWN Your Career (Part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week I’ve been inspired by two dear friends that have taken action to manage their careers. If you have not had a chance to read part one, please do.<br />
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http://workinglater.blogspot.com/2015/10/you-have-to-own-your-career.html<br />
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I received an e-mail this week from someone who has had it! She is done, she is through, she’s worked hard to make a difference at her organization and you know what?….it is time to move on! That is career management and owning your career. It is knowing when it is time to stop trying to save an organization that doesn’t want to make changes and when you have to take Mahatma Gandhi’s advice personally, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”<br />
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There comes a point in a career when making a move is a better answer than beating your head against a wall. I have been there. I have done it. It is scary and SO worth it. Even if the move is temporary and you have to make an additional career move; you gain confidence by taking action to stand up for yourself at work. If you have children, you show them the example maintaining self-worth in their careers like they would in a personal relationship.<br />
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This individual added me to her ‘circle of trust’ as she makes her escape to a better job situation. She is working on her resume, updating her LinkedIn profile, doing selective networking. It is all about taking constructive ACTION—she is working, updating, doing. She’s not expecting the organization to change; she’s not waiting for someone to save her career and she’s not just going to sit there and let something happen to her. Hint: None of those things work. Even if you wait to get laid off and get a severance, the emotional will impact your confidence to interview for a better job. The severance is never enough money.<br />
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People ask me how do you know when it is time to move on. Tony Robbins puts it like this, “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” Here are some other signs when you need to do the hard work to make a job change:<br />
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1—<b>You are moving toward something, not running from a bad current job situation. </b>You are looking for an opportunity to learn something new, to move into a leadership position and expand your experience or to learn a new skill.<br />
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2— <b>Going to work makes you sick, literally.</b> I know a person who had migraines that usually started Sunday evening or Monday morning. Some Sunday nights the back of his neck was so stiff he could barely move his head from side to side. His body was trying to tell him something.<br />
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3— <b>From a personal business perspective there’s no compelling reason to stay. </b>You have reviewed options for health benefits, you don’t have to repay tuition reimbursement or relocation benefits if you leave now. You are not weeks away from being vested in a company pension, 401(k) plan or receiving an annual bonus. If you can, do not leave any money on the table when you leave your present company.<br />
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4— <b>You are being put in a compromising position.</b> I received a telephone call from an executive assistant I met at a career talk several years ago. Her boss repeatedly asked her to lie to his wife when she called while he managed several affairs with other women. My advice to her was to get away from him as a boss ASAP. She found another role in the company. Anytime you are being asked to do something illegal or you experience illegal behavior toward you—tell HR. They are obligated to investigate. If the offensive or illegal behavior is part of the company or department culture—it is time to find a new role—out of the company or department.<br />
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5—<b>Nothing you do is right. </b>You may have done the job for years, but now it is not good enough. Your performance appraisals or other documentation (warning notice, performance improvement plan, suspension or occurrences) put you at risk for being terminated with cause. Your manager tells you verbally your work is poor; your work is returned to you for a re-do or worse yet, it is given to co-workers for a do-over. Unless that manager leaves, it is seriously time to consider a change.<br />
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-25688996652547193972015-10-24T19:53:00.003-04:002015-10-25T02:47:29.141-04:00You Have to OWN Your Career!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You brush your own teeth, try to make healthy food choices and take vitamins. Take responsibility for your career in the way you manage your health. I can’t take enough spoons full of liquid fish oil to help you realize the benefits of Omega 3s. Expecting someone else to manage your career for you is like asking your spouse to get a knee replacement to alleviate your knee pain.<br />
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Two interesting things happened this week. I took a couple of days of PTO to reconnect with friends and was totally inspired by two career stories.<br />
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The first is about a friend who put together a business case to ask for a raise. That in itself is career management and owning your career. How many people think they deserve to be paid more? Most. How many people can put together a business case that shows that above and beyond performing their job in an excellent way—they presented a plan to save their organization a lot of money and have helped another department meet their goals? Very few. My friend called her meeting with her boss an “Epic Fail.” She wanted a merit increase or a substantial bonus. Instead she received a one-time (4-figure) bonus after meeting with her manager.<br />
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I don’t consider this an Epic Fail at all. My friend doesn’t realize her conversation was probably a genius move. First you have to understand how organizations work (sadly, this does not apply to family-owned businesses). No matter how much power, clout or bravado your manager has-their hands are generally tied in matters of compensation. The HR professionals that read this blog will confirm that “Comp” is 80% science and 20% art. Compensation is benchmarked with similar roles in the market, industry and region. There are minimums and maximums your salary must land in or you find yourself in the unenviable position of being paid more than your range. If you receive a flat one-time payment when everyone else receives a 1-5% merit increase—you’ve maxxed out of the range. The only way to stop that madness is to be promoted to a “Senior” title in your current role or increase a step like moving from a Scientist II to a Scientist III or make a lateral move that puts you in a different classification. If your organization does business with the federal government, paying employees random salaries can land them in BIG TROUBLE with an acronym that strikes fear in the hearts of HR professionals across America—the <b>OFCCP</b>.<br />
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Why is it Genius Move? Her boss now knows more about what his employee does which could help at merit time. If she can do her job, identify organizational saving strategies and help another department while performing her job highly—maybe it is time to leverage her skills in the next level job. No matter what happens internally, it is time to update her LinkedIn profile incorporating these new accomplishments. Her options are to stay put if she’s happy and look around if she’s not—she’s given herself options. That is career management at it’s finest in my opinion. (Read About the Second Story in Part 2).Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-2446542083194644472015-09-07T10:14:00.002-04:002015-09-07T16:01:34.845-04:00The State of the Experienced Worker: Labor Day 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The short answer is despite your personal situation, overall the environment for workers 50+ is improving. I base my optimistic observation on 5 megatrends that have occurred since 2011, the first year when 10,000 Baby Boomers would turn 65 everyday for the next twenty years and the year this blog was launched:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>There is a conversation about aging in the workforce that didn’t exist previously. </b>Millennials, GenXers and others didn’t want to have a conversation about working Baby Boomers, basically they just wanted us to retire and go away quietly. In June 2015 there was a special Senate Hearing, “Work in Retirement: Career Reinvention and the New Retirement Workscape” chaired by a bi-partisan coalition studying issues of working past age 65. In April 2015 AARP commissioned a study conducted by AonHewitt , “A Business Case for Workers Age 50+: A Look at the Value of Experience 2015.” In March 2015, Money magazine published, “The Suddenly Hot Job Market for Workers Over 50.” CNBC, radio talk shows and other media have shined a light on the opportunities and challenges of our multi-generational workforce.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Baby Boomers are becoming career development do-it-yourselfers.</b> Working at something we love past traditional retirement age and not tapping into social security benefits early at age 62, requires early planning. Well-meaning blog readers counseled me on moving the blog target demographic to 50+ attracting advertisers and readers in the senior market. Your 40s are the perfect decade to start planning the second stage of your career--so, I'm committed to Work, Jobs &Careers@ <b>40+</b>. We have all realized the need to become DIY on training, networking and creating alternatives to what you do today if you don’t love your job. It is a personal accountability, like managing our health. No one else can do this for you and more Boomers get this now. I ask you the question today that I’ve asked groups, “what are the first five things you would do if you lost your job tomorrow?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Corporate culture and how experienced workers are treated by management is more transparent than ever.</b> Potential employees have to sort through the noise and scam messages online. However, sites like glassdoor.com, Indeed.com and others can shed light on management philosophy and practices. There are industry oriented sites, company specific sites and forums on job search sites.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Corporate America is (slowly) waking up to the potential of experienced workers staying in the workforce.</b> In January 2015, the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) surveyed 1,913 HR professionals who rated experienced workers highly in knowledge, work ethic, professionalism and reliability. However, only 24% of the HR professionals saw the brain drain of knowledge leaving their organizations as a problem and 4% viewed it as a crisis. Some industries are more impacted than others. 39% of the American Airlines workforce is 50+ while 37% of the employees at Delta and United Airlines are 50+. The Federal government workforce is composed of 30% employees 50+. These organizations will have to face the challenges of losing their knowledge base before other companies.</span></div>
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<b style="letter-spacing: 0px;">More organizations are focused on next steps for emerging retirees.</b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> There are free resources for 50+ workers at </span><a href="http://encore.org/" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">encore.org</span></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">, the Center on Aging & Work at Boston College have years of research for individuals and human resource professionals on their website and AARP has online resources on their website. Managing the Older Worker: How to Prepare for the New Organizational Order, Peter Cappelli’s 2010 book has ideas for leaders working with experienced workers. Excerpts of his classic have shown up in many 2015 magazines.</span><span style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></span><br />
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The experienced worker is top of mind this Labor Day!</div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-5917953763384234552015-08-10T00:45:00.000-04:002015-08-10T20:59:53.360-04:00Improve Your Career in 21 Minutes<br />
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21 minutes. Seriously.<br />
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I’ve included the link that will improve you career or enhance your job search. If you are the suspicious type and a certain percentage of you surely are, I will also provide the most effective terms for your favorite search engine.<br />
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Most professionals consider themselves good communicators. In my LinkedIn profile, I profess my skill in written and verbal communication as expected. A couple of recommendations vouch for my ability to provide a valuable yet entertaining presentation. Among some in the resume-writing community, listing communication skills on a resume is a non-no. At a certain job level, writing and speaking well are expected and now considered wasted resume words.<br />
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There is a communication gap that seriously affects many professionals and the busier you consider yourself the more likely you are to suffer the affliction. It is ineffective nonverbal communication. Your words say one thing, and as your eyes dart all over the place, down to your cell phone; your message is lost. There is no connection with the person in front of you and you can’t get it back.<br />
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Business literature on the subject of body language and nonverbal communication is extensive. Bad behavior in nonverbal communication is not only an issue for younger workers though they are the usual suspects. According to the Center for Global Leadership, “Gen Y has developed less skill than previous generations reading nonverbal cues…” The article goes on to elaborate that due to undeveloped communication skills younger generations are not well-equipped to cope with navigating the political dynamics in the workplace.<br />
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How many businesses equip their managers to facilitate cross-generational communication styles among Baby Boomers, Gen X and the Millennials (aka Gen Y)? Even though business continues to increase electronically, work is still a personal experience. BBC Capital reported, “millennials would rather send an instant message than walk a few feet to speak directly to a colleague.” Their report goes on to explain that workers in the 22-35 age range lack the face-to-face interactive experience and failed to learn how to present effectively, listen attentively and read body language. In response, business schools are beginning to require communication courses. Experienced workers are on their own unless writing courses, presentation skills and nonverbal communication skills training are provided by their employer. Employees who have been in the workforce for many years may think they are beyond communication skill training, but like a classic car—tune-ups are necessary. Maybe it is time to download the 1990s classic, How to Read a Person like a Book.<br />
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Spend 21 minutes with Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk on Body Language and Nonverbal Communication. It is the most watched TED Talk since 2014 with over 27 million views. You can search Amy Cuddy TED talk or copy and paste this link:<br />
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-_Mh1QhMc<br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-25910964366058000582015-08-01T23:52:00.001-04:002015-08-03T00:59:19.955-04:00Career Management IS Urgent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am often asked what is career management. Career management is the steps you take while you are employed to insure that if you are suddenly unemployed or in an unacceptable situation, you can bounce back quickly with a great new job. Those steps include face-to-face networking with key contacts in and outside your organization; updating your resume, managing your profile and presence on LinkedIn, actually attending local meetings of your professional organization and maintaining certification. At that point, most people tell me that with their family and home to manage, kids, grandkids, pets and aging parents, they don’t have time to do their job at work and do that career management stuff.</div>
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The comment bubble over my head says, “well, join the club!” What comes out of my mouth is, “wow, you’re really busy.” </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdO6OtrCA544iSwiIDDwQeblaxsZY3SW1gao40HOyvtIxZFGcfqUFCeB4ad9gw9PLKUDTvPugsxO2bYulkLDwVBtor4QJ1-YAwfBZtnK2Xne57kOgtKWYAzkWToAwB6Cfit3tz-ZDRA/s1600/final+comment+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdO6OtrCA544iSwiIDDwQeblaxsZY3SW1gao40HOyvtIxZFGcfqUFCeB4ad9gw9PLKUDTvPugsxO2bYulkLDwVBtor4QJ1-YAwfBZtnK2Xne57kOgtKWYAzkWToAwB6Cfit3tz-ZDRA/s200/final+comment+box.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="text-align: left;">Could you manage being unemployed six months or more? That’s the question you have to answer for yourself if you decide not to proactively manage your career. The situation for 40+ workers is that it takes longer to rebound from an unexpected career transition. That’s how it happens-suddenly, unexpectedly, shockingly fast. Here’s what happened to me.</span></div>
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Memorial Day weekend 1997, I was enjoying a cook-out with family in the Chicago suburbs. A family member came outdoors and said, “Don’t you work for Boehringer Mannheim Corporation?” (badly butchering the Boehringer part) “On CNN they said the company was just sold.” As a member of the human resources leadership team my manager reported to the CEO and I worked closely with the executive team. This made me confident my relative heard it wrong. So, I went inside to listen since CNN cycled the same stories repeatedly on the slow news days of a holiday weekend.</div>
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“In a deal exceeding 11 billion dollars Roche Group of Switzerland purchased the German entity, Boehringer Mannheim GmbH in a move that caught industry analysts and experts by surprise.” Everything said after that was a blur. What did it mean? How was I going to be affected personally? Where is my boss? I called his home, no answer. (No cell phones or texts back then.) Finally I reached an HR colleague on the phone. We were both stunned.</div>
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My story ultimately had a happy ending. The acquisition was an opportunity to learn a lot about HR very quickly since I had just come to the function from sales a year before. There were more opportunities to learn about global issues. Four years later, because of contacts made and experienced gained, I was able to launch an independent human resource consulting firm. It didn’t have to work out that way and many times it does not.</div>
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Managing a career does not have to be a time-consuming activity. You can exchange resumes with a friend and share critiques over a quarterly face-to-face catch-up. Once a week I spend 10-30 minutes managing LinkedIn connection requests, deleting connections trying to sell me anything, hiding inappropriate posts, reading articles and using the “settings” feature to prevent connections from being notified of my maintenance. Once a quarter, I try to enroll in a free webinar, attend a workshop or attend a professional talk. Arizona State’s, ASUx has free courses online and MOOCs (massive open online courses) are offered by many colleges. Over the course of a month, it is a couple of hours at most.</div>
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Proactive or reactive, it’s your choice. It’s your career.</div>
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<br />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-22165967078732362602015-04-17T01:02:00.001-04:002015-04-17T01:06:38.522-04:00The New Workforce- Why Freelancing is for YOU<div style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tiffany Harris, a friend of the blog and creator of the start-up, Plan Your Second Act, offers information about the career trend of freelancing full-time. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Forbes recently predicted that 50 percent of the workforce will be freelance employees within the next five years.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Currently, an estimated 53 million Americans are freelancers and companies are beginning to embrace the potential of freelance employees.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Consequently, corporations are making big investments to effectively manage this labor market. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How can you enter this market and successfully compete? Like other avenues of finding a job role, a freelancer needs to first have great presentation of their background, skills, and prior work experience. Beyond the foundational requirement of presenting compelling and descriptive profile, there are 5 ways to successfully compete as a freelancer. </span></div>
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<li style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As a freelancer, you are the CEO of your own business. As such, be prepared to advocate for yourself by first understanding your strengths and abilities. Know how to sell your talents in order to be selected for the project or role. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Work on projects or select roles that you will enjoy. It is important that you work on projects that will bring out the best in your tool box of skills and abilities. Your clients will see you for the talented professional that you are, which could lead to future work. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Go the extra mile for your client, but manage your time wisely. In the freelance market, you are often bidding on a defined scope of work. Depending on the terms and conditions of the final contract, you may not have the opportunity to ask for more hours or money to complete the work. Therefore, estimate the job appropriately, but don’t be afraid to go above and beyond to build the important relationships with your client.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Be open to learning new skills. Since this a newer and growing marketplace, the individuals that will be the most successful will likely be those with broad skills in a particular knowledge base. If you are a great writer, learn about different writing needs and types of writing projects such as copy editing, grant writing, publishing, dissertation writing, and the like. You will find yourself able to bid on a wider array of jobs and have a larger clientele for future work. </span></li>
<li style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Finally, nurture the relationships once the job is done. Follow up and see if any additional work is needed. For the jobs you don’t get, don’t be afraid to follow-up later down the line to see if other opportunities are available. </span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The freelance market is growing and you can use this type of work as an option to supplement current income, leverage skills and talents not being used in your current day job, or begin to transition into a full time freelancer. To explore options as a freelancer, check out the three most popular companies: Freelancer, ODesk, and ELance (which is now merging with ODesk). All three companies have a long term presence in the freelance marketplace. Since the early years of the twenty-first century, they are leaders in the breadth and depth of freelancers, equitable fee structure, and a responsive support team for clients and freelancers. This time is an excellent opportunity to be part of a new labor force that will undoubtedly change other employee markets. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Tiffany Harris is professional with over 15 years of experience with Fortune 500 companies.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Tiffany is starting an exciting new company, Plan Your Second Act, where she is dedicated to helping small businesses and individuals succeed in the ‘second act’ of their careers.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">She offers services to help with starting a new business, improve the execution of a current business, and plan business events.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Her services are growing and her extensive consulting career makes her well versed in delivering communications, training programs, and improve business processes.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Tiffany can be contacted at, </span><a href="mailto:planyoursecondact@gmail.com" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0433ff; letter-spacing: 0px;">planyoursecondact@gmail.com</span></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> for more information. </span></span><span style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-61509959076590787592015-03-30T02:19:00.000-04:002015-04-02T00:30:32.628-04:00Career Wisdom from the Experts, Part One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOBHXe-tV_ys3Ww4MS3LTzAKiaj3yu5JBqgocMFgtfuxG_Vr0DFW2l-hGDHDn4N72g8wJypXUWROXSYgGmLOU58wzCdRmH6AzVX7t7audWfNIrrjT9o6sJrT1UgTlIirBXzi1AZav_A/s1600/college-grads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOBHXe-tV_ys3Ww4MS3LTzAKiaj3yu5JBqgocMFgtfuxG_Vr0DFW2l-hGDHDn4N72g8wJypXUWROXSYgGmLOU58wzCdRmH6AzVX7t7audWfNIrrjT9o6sJrT1UgTlIirBXzi1AZav_A/s1600/college-grads.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">"This is a time in your life when you can take your time and be picky. Weigh all options and choose wisely. Talk to people who have the job you want. Ask how they got there. The route may be unconventional." (employee with 20+ years experience)</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">In six weeks newly minted college graduates will begin entering the workforce and according to </span><a href="http://usatoday.com/" style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">USAToday.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"> this year they have a higher chance of finding employment. If it is true, it’s great news because seven of ten college seniors will graduate in debt. The amount ranges from </span><a href="http://usnews.com/" style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">USNews.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">’s estimate of $27,666 to $28,400 from the Project on Student Debt. </span><a href="http://theladders.com/" style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">TheLadders.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;"> is currently providing tips for recent grads searching for their first career on their site. The experienced friends of Work, Careers and Jobs @40+ offer career advice for 2015 graduates in this two-part blog post.</span></i><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">#1: Keep a positive attitude. EVERYONE wants to have and keep people around with a good attitude. A good attitude can get you through even some tough early learning experience. And get everything in writing prior to starting a new position. (employee with > 20 years experience).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">#2: Advice...be your authentic self. First you have to figure out who that is as an adult, but once you do, answer this question: How does my authentic self fit and how can I contribute to this company's goals? Once you are "in" observe the organization and determine if it is a fit for your personality, professional and personal goals, your current skill set, your passion, and your future desires. This is something that you should do periodically, because your needs change and so does the organization. Observe the leadership and find someone you admire that you feel you can develop an authentic mentor/coach relationship with. If it feels forced then it isn't right. It is great to have peers that you have relationships with, but it is equally if not more important to develop relationships with leaders that you can learn from. (employee with 16 years at the same company-practically unheard of these days)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">#3: Do research on a company BEFORE interviewing with them. Have an appropriate email address on your resume. Use professionals as references like a Professor or previous Supervisor. (human resource professional)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">#4: Use proper grammar and punctuation along with speaking clearly and not mumbling. Drop any ego or attitude you have. No job is below you when newly hired. You need to work your way up like everyone else does and you're not smarter than anyone there. Say good morning to everyone in the morning, it makes big points. People will remember you. Never stop asking questions. You will always learn something from someone at every level. (20+ years work experience)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">#5: Appearance counts during the interview and on the job. Even if the job is behind the scenes, dress for the job you aspire to no matter what position you start at in the company. Understand the company culture and job you are applying for and dress accordingly. (retired, 30 years telecommunications experience)</span></div>
Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-60006747753686326192015-03-30T02:07:00.001-04:002015-03-30T08:51:41.398-04:00Career Wisdom from the Experts, Part Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">"Be willing to put in the work and also if you have a deadline that you don't think you will make, don't wait until the date passed to communicate where you are. Over communicating is always better, especially early in your career." (16 years in the corporate workforce)</span></div>
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<i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Millennials often make the argument that 40+ workers gained their experience during a booming economy, without social media pressures and in a less competitive business environment. According to a new survey from Michigan State’s College Employment Research Institute, hiring for new college graduates with Bachelor degrees is expected to increase by up to 16%. It is important for newer graduates to remember, the hiring managers and leadership of companies are generally 40+ years old. While their experience may be from the 70s, 80s and 90s—they are the managers new grads will interview with today. Their perspective counts. This is part two of advice from experienced workers to newly minted graduates in a project initiated by </span><a href="http://theladders.com/" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">TheLadders.com</span></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> to provide tips to new college grads about to enter the workforce.</span></i></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">#6: During the interview process, new graduates should attempt to be more open, relaxed and honest. It is important that they don’t try to “oversell” their skills and abilities. (retired, 30 years experience including HR and recruiting)</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">#7: After interviewing new grads, I would advise them to carefully consider the companies they are interviewing for. Not to jump at the first offer if the fit isn't right. There is more for a new grad than "just a job" and the culture, the opportunity and the experience can sometimes outweigh that first paycheck. (hiring manager, 45 years work experience)</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">#8: After a 25 year career, I switched to a nonprofit where I have worked the last 9 years. At my nonprofit, we had Americorp VISTAS for 3-4 years, six at a time. It pays a poverty level stipend. They all worked in different departments, working on a variety of projects. They gained real work experience, sometimes gained a clearer career direction, gained contacts. Many chose assignments in their home towns to lessen the affects of their low salaries. Some Americorp VISTA participants chose cities new to them. Many obtained jobs in their fields afterwards. Not all assignments are what you might think. (34 years of work experience)</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">#9: Never underestimate the value of early experience. Finally, I have my dream job in my 50's. It was a combination of related basic job skills experience I learned in my 20's, plus contacts and friendships I made in a completely unrelated field in my 40’s. (30 years of work experience)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">#10: (a) Once on the job, be a team player and go the extra mile. (b) Keep your mouth shut, eyes open, listen and don't expect "to get," earn it. (a working couple with 40 and 41 years in the workforce)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">#11: Be realistic about what job you get/want, what your responsibilities will be and how fast you will progress. Use this realistic perspective to ask informed questions during the interview to gauge the business culture of the organization to see if it aligns to your immediate 0-5 year goals. (15 years of work experience)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; letter-spacing: 0px;">#12: I'm responsible for the grads and interns at my company and I see how some young people act once they have the job. Many believe they still hold the same value of being new, young, energetic without adding any additional value to a business. Some expect unrealistic super assignments, special accommodations, etc. Companies may provide this if the new grad provides return on the company’’s investment in them. Younger workers need to appreciate their value beyond their youth and make a tangible contributions to the organization. (hiring manager, corporate mentor, 30 years work experience)</span><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-54601579788626020462015-03-05T11:48:00.003-05:002015-10-14T11:44:00.604-04:00Job Interview Tips for Experienced Workers<br />
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<i>Repeat of the most read post from 2012:</i></h4>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4;">Interviewing for a job in your 40s, 50s, and 60+ is not the same as the interviews of our youth. Part One of this guide is for the elements that are the same, like not bashing your former employer or boss. Part Two focuses on the high tech changes because video interviews are here to stay! Please read Part One even though it is a refresher, Part Two is video interviewing and will be posted soon. Part two is especially important if you haven’t interviewed in the past five years. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">First, congratulate yourself because your resume won you a chance to move to the short list of candidates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The Basics Are Still Worth Repeating:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Even if someone on the interview team talks badly of your current or former company because they have worked there and know how bad it is, DO NOT speak badly of your boss, the company or senior management. Focus on the job you are interviewing for and how excited you are about this opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Be on time. Leave early, allow for traffic and plan ahead. However, if you are at the interview “stalker-like early” just sit in the car nearby until 15 minutes before your appointment. Arriving two hours early and wanting to sit in the lobby or being in the parking lot before the company opens smacks of desperation (and it scares people).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Dress appropriately. Even interviews at health clubs deserve attire you wouldn’t work out in while you are trying to win the job. A man can never go wrong in a suit that fits great. A visit to the tailor for alterations can update an older suit. I always err on the side of conservative dress for women, but <b>NOT</b> the interview suit of the 1980s—remember the navy or black skirted suit with the white shirt with a bow tie? A visit to the free personal shopper at a high-end department can help you put together an ensemble worthy of an interview with today's C-suite executives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Avoid being patronizing to younger people on the interview team or women. Recently, I heard from a female business owner that a 40ish man she was interviewing referred to her as “dear” and “my dear” several times during the interview. He didn’t get the job. I have also seen 40+ interviewees act dismissive toward 20-somethings that are either human resource professionals or members of the interview team. Balance being professional and respectful to administrative staff with being obnoxious. (Note: To the guy who was doing magic tricks for the secretaries; they thought you were a weirdo. If you want to work again, stop the magic tricks.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">5)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Practice Practice Practice! Find someone to role-play with and practice how you will answer the basic behavioral interview questions—the ones that begin with “tell me about a time when you…”<b> </b>The interviewer is expecting a succinct response to how you solved a work problem in the past. These types of interview questions are asked under the premise that what you’ve done in the past predicts how you handle situations in the future.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">6)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Above all else, don’t talk too much—it seems the older we get, the more we enjoy talking. Stay focused. Answer the questions add appropriate SHORT examples, insure you’ve addressed the issue by asking and be quiet. At the end of the interview, “CLOSE” for the job! <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This link goes to another blog post on interviewing: </span><span style="line-height: 1.4; text-indent: -0.25in;">http://workinglater.blogspot.com/2011/11/winning-job-interview-part-one.html</span><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-76911727562754300222015-01-27T07:45:00.000-05:002015-01-27T07:55:26.000-05:00 Clearing The Career Fog Without Overdriving Your Headlights<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
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<b>Career direction not quite clear? Friend of the Blog, Michael Scott offers this wisdom:</b></div>
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One of the most common frustrations I hear from transitioning professionals is about their lack of clarity relative to a career path. In acknowledging the saying "If you don't know where you're going, anyplace is fine," many of us find ourselves stuck with our emergency brakes on, unable to proceeed forward in a meaningful way towards our highest goals and endeavors.</div>
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A number of years ago I driving late at night through the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina, scared out of my whits by a dense fog that had literally cut my visibility to zero. It became acutely aware to me that my headlights were of little use, particularly as I attempted to pick up the pace in hopes of finding a convenient exit sooner rather than later. It's here where I began to realize that I was engaging in a practice affectionionately known as "overdriving ones headlights" or driving too fast in the dark. Basically, because my headlights only shined so far ahead, I was frightened by the prospect of not not being able to see dangers ahead in time to react.</div>
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All of this speaks to the dilemma that many of us face when confronted with an uncertain career direction. On one hand we recognize, particularly when there's an urgent need to earn a steady income, that forging a path in the shortest amount of time possible is vital for one's survival. Yet we simultaneously recognize that making a decision in haste can have adverse consequences in terms of our long-term career trajectory.</div>
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Below are a few of my ideas on how to address this quandary</div>
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<b>1. Pump The Breaks:</b> Mashing on the proverbial accelerator in order to clear through the career fog faster can have dire consequences. It's better to be deliberate and thoughtful in pursuit of your options. This may involve employing the help of a career coach to keep you accountable and grounded amid the process. Reading, journaling and quiet contemplation are also valuable activities. To this point, consider picking up the book Unique Ability by Catherine Nomura and Julia Waller. You'll find it a must read for forging a sense of clarity in a deliberate yet productive way.</div>
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<b>2. Try Out Multiple Gears:</b> The overriding message here is to try on multiple hats or options for determining what might be the right fit. Identify your perfect picture opportunity and work backward. Vary your experiences by attending Meetup Groups focusing on topics or experiences that are unfamiliar to you. It's through this latter idea that I discovered the Colorado Bitcoin Society and a subsequent gig writing blog posts for Bitcoin. Go Figure!</div>
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<b>3. Relax: </b>As was the case with me on that foggy evening in North Carolina, uncertainty can cause one to stress out and clench up behind the steering wheel. So find ways to relax, have fun and clear your brain. Putting your career pursuits in neutral from time to time can reduce strain on your bodily engine. Another Tip: Be sure to maintain peak energy levels by drinking copious amounts of water and through Glutathione supplementation. A healthy body results in the fuel to proceed forward with clarity. </div>
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<b>4. Maintain Your Line Of Sight</b>: While it's OK to look in the rearview mirror of life from time to time, your primary focus should be centered on what's in front of you. Like a good mindfulness practitioner, stay present in the moment with what's right in front of you versus getting distracted by the past. In the same way that proceeding too rapidly can create pileups, driving your career ship too cautiously and in a distracted way can cause it to aground. </div>
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<b>5. Embrace A "Forward Thinking"</b> Attitude: Navigating through career fog can be grueling and lead to negative thoughts. Whenever you find yourself headed down this path, be reminded of the fact that thoughts play a key role in determining your outcomes and direction. So avoid or limit the time you spend with those friends and family members who moan and complain about the life struggles mode they're experiencing. Watch what you are listing to, viewing, or reading--avoiding those things that run counter to a positive state of mind. As was the case with my trek through the fog, self talk focused on my intended direction was much more productive than a "woe is me" mindset that could lead to smaking into the backend of a semi. </div>
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<b>Michael Scott's passion is in helping emerging professionals become profitable, productive and strategically aligned with the New Economy. For a complementary 30-minute discovery session with Michael, feel free to connect with him at either <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4957503136630278393" target="_blank"></a><a href="mailto:neweconomyiq@gmail.com">neweconomyiq@gmail.com</a> or on LinkedIn <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/orgbrain?_mSplash=1" target="_blank">http://www.linkedin.com/in/orgbrain?_mSplash=1</a></b></div>
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<br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" />Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-29985227815159684032015-01-07T00:23:00.000-05:002015-01-07T00:39:34.259-05:00Baby Boomer's Secret Career Weapon<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What is the most important tactic a Baby Boomer managing their career or seeking a new job can implement in 2015? Developing a LinkedIn strategy is the step every Boomer can use to improve their image at work or trade in their current job for a better one. A recent Jobvite survey shows:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">According to Wayne Breitbarth, author of The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success, “your unique experience combined with your unique relationships plus LinkedIn equals the power.” The power of LinkedIn is it’s 332+ million users. However, Breitbarth suggest that not all of these connections are equal. “It is no different than going to a networking event in person, says Breitbarth, “it is important to have a connection strategy to determine who you are trying to get in front of to move your career forward.” He says most people network with their friends, people they know from church, co-workers and neighbors. Instead, people managing their careers should proactively seek connections from target companies and join industry groups. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Breitbarth, an accountant and entrepreneur, was reluctant to use LinkedIn initially. Since he connected to LinkedIn in 2008, Breitbarth transformed himself into the “LinkedIn Guru” to those who attend his training classes and talks and his book has sold over 70,000 copies. As a Boomer himself, he understands the reluctance to LinkedIn is often generational.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“For sure, no question it is generational. You grew up with much more privacy. Lack of privacy is something 20-somethings take for granted and that really is a fact,” says Breitbarth. Baby Boomers are also less likely to have a photo or summary on their profile. He explains that people in their 50s and 60s are concerned about bragging about themselves or appearing boastful. It even extends to not having a profile photo. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“People on LinkedIn without profile photos and summaries are asking for nothing to happen,” says Breitbarth. He explains that corporate recruiters pay fees for access to all 332 million LinkedIn users. “Recruiters can fully view profiles even without relationships or being part of a group. Hiring managers can see your profile, presentations and recommendations,” according to Breitbarth. He acknowledges that most people freeze when they see an empty box for a summary that may contain up to 2,000 characters. “People need to take the opportunity to tell their story on LinkedIN,” says Breitbarth.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wayne's book "The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success: Kick Start Your Business, Brand and Job Search" is available at his website <a href="http://www.powerformula.net/"><span style="color: #4787ff; letter-spacing: 0px;">www.powerformula.net</span></a>. Also while visiting his website be sure to sign up for his very helpful free weekly email of LinkedIn tips and strategies. </span><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-32210894752293227792015-01-06T23:41:00.000-05:002015-01-06T23:41:30.756-05:00How Your Resume Gets You Interviews! <br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>Did you know the busiest hiring season of the year is here? Now through the end of March – employers fill more positions than during the other months. This means that if you are thinking about changing jobs, or are currently in a career transition, NOW is the time to get your resume up to a “10” and send it out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br />Your resume MUST be superior to those of your competition. Companies often get hundreds of resumes for every opening, and they look for any excuse to hit DELETE to screen you out of the competition. So, with your competition as strong as it is, and with the economy still sluggish, it is more important than ever that your resume shows your unique value and is technically perfect in order to survive the scrutiny of the reader. You have only 10 to 20 seconds to capture the reader’s interest – make it count!<br />Your resume has to get through three critical points – the HR department, the company database and the decision maker – before you are likely to get asked to interview.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /><strong>How does your resume measure up?</strong><br />• Is it concise, yet shows optimum value? Results and strategic impact need to be shown on one or two pages rather than three or four.<br />• Does it show a specific focus as to what type of job you want?<br />• Does it contain the right key words so it will be pulled up from a company database?<br />• Is it formatted so it is easy to read and flows well?<br />• Do you have supporting documents that highlight your value proposition, such as a one-page resume, a testimonials page, or an executive biography?<br />• Does your resume show your brand so your uniqueness stands out?<br />• Do you have a lot more accomplishments listed, than you do responsibilities? ACCOMPLISHMENTS SHOW VALUE AND GET YOU CALLS FOR INTERVIEWS, responsibilities don’t.<br />Your resume must convey to the reader what makes YOU unique. It must showcase your credentials and expertise, so that the reader can see why you are the best candidate for the job. It must have strong content and a good visual presentation. Information must be focused on job requirements, presented in the most easy-to-read way, and must contain solid documentation of achievements and education. How does your resume stack up? Is it a “10” or could it use help?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /><strong>Ask yourself this question</strong>: With the huge investment in time and money for your education, your solid career credentials, your noteworthy accomplishments and salary expectations of $30,000, $60,000, or more, do you want to be represented by an amateur resume? Our careers are very important to us. Is it worth having your resume be anything less than it can be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /><strong>When you have a resume that works</strong>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Your job search is much shorter<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Your resume and cover letter is far superior to 99% of your competition<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">You understand the specific value you bring to the table, so you can share that value with prospective employers – especially in the interview, and show them how you can meet their specific needs<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">You will have a career expert to support you and guide you so that you don’t have to struggle alone through the whole process<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">You will get calls to interview for the types of job you really deserve, have a choice of positions, and you won’t have to sit around waiting for the phone to ring<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">You’ll receive higher compensation in your new position, so that you know you’re getting paid what you’re worth</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Bottom line: When your resume is a”10,” your job search is much shorter, you get interviews for the type of job you really want, and you get paid the money you deserve – why? Because your VALUE comes through effectively.<br />If your resume is not a “10,” it’s a waste of time to send it out!<br />If you are not getting interviews, consider our resume writing service. If you can speed your job search up three days, you paid for the resume. Imagine the payback for a month or more!<br /><br />Contact Don on LinkedIn to learn more about his services.</span></div>
Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-46928827611844887582014-12-15T00:51:00.000-05:002014-12-17T22:10:02.189-05:00The Acceleration of Career Angst<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Monday Morning Pep Talk<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Anecdotally, I have observed people are worried about careers at an earlier age. When the idea of blogging about aging in the workforce first came up; I consulted a variety of people and one consideration was should age should I target-- 40+ or 50+. Initially, I wanted to align with AARP’s age of 50. However, feedback prevailed that earlier career management gave workers more options in their 50s and 60s. The 40-year-old age also aligned with protections offered by the Age Discrimination Act. Work, Careers & Jobs@40+ was born!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now employees in their early-40s are having the types of job issues that were once reserved for workers in their 60s. I wanted to focus on experienced workers in their 40s and older; then 37-year-olds started telling me about the problems they face with Millennials in their workplace trying to push them out. This week the I was stunned at an encounter with a very intense 14-year-old concerned about his “career.” Returning from a professional conference, I sat next to the high achiever and his parents in the airport boarding area. The young man struck up a conversation because my (free) laptop case is emblazoned with the name of the pharmaceutical company I once worked for and he may be interested in a career in drug research and discovery. Both parents were involved in healthcare and it was obvious they supported their son’s brilliance. Without my asking, they volunteered their son was assigned a gifted/talented track at a private school in third grade. He was allowed to take 3 days off school to attend the conference we attended and had assignments related to his experience. The son was trying to decide if medical school had better ROI than medical research—at 14!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Younger Americans are down on themselves, the economy and the country in general according to a study by the Institute for College Access & Success. To them, the American Dream has become more elusive and unobtainable than at any time in the past 80 years. Tax firm <b>H&R Block</b> surveyed American young adults and teens, and what they're worrying about financially and eight of every 10 teenagers (ages 13 to 17) are worried about finding a good job as an adult.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It is not just a U.S. problem, the career angst felt by younger workers is global. Work and career distress by young adults in the United Kingdom is well-documented. Having angst and becoming anxious won’t help, mature workers from any country will confirm. According to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), nine million Americans took a full week off in July 1976, with July traditionally being the most popular month for summer vacations. <a href="http://beta.bls.gov/dataViewer/view/timeseries/LNU02007031"><span style="color: #242424; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In July 2014, just 7 million did</span></a></span><span style="color: #242424; letter-spacing: 0px;">, </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. That’s especially startling considering the fact that 60 million more Americans are employed today than in 1976. So, this week plan some time away from work for 2015 and realize the younger employees you work with are stressed out and maybe even more than those of us that have been around awhile.</span></div>
Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-18727432350823380582014-12-08T00:09:00.002-05:002014-12-08T00:23:39.235-05:00What is Success?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Monday Morning Pep Talk<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Money. Power. Fame. Lives in service to others. Giving back. Are career success and personal success two totally different paths or are they intertwined? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The January 2015 issue of Essence magazine surveyed readers on their definition of success. The top 7 answers were:</span></div>
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<li><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Living a happy life</span></li>
<li><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Having financial independence</span></li>
<li><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Being spiritually fulfilled</span></li>
<li><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Having no debt</span></li>
<li><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Being able to afford things important to you</span></li>
<li><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Having a successful career</span></li>
<li><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Being in a fulfilling relationship</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Defining success is one of those elusive ideals similar to defining happiness, love or pleasure. Each one of us have a different answer and our answers change through the lifecycle. I worked with an executive (early 40s at the time) who faced a life-threatening disease and after surviving made health a priority, almost an obsession. Prior to that, his focus was work—sometimes more than 70 hours a week. Billionaires Bill Gates, Warren Buffett along with 125+ others including former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, movie director George Lucas and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg have entered into the “Giving Pledge.” The pledge is a commitment to contribute most of their millions or in some cases billions to charity. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When you enter the term “the most successful person in America” into one popular search engine, the first result is The Richest People in America at <a href="http://forbes.com/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">forbes.com</span></a>. Of course search engines are hard-wired with SEOs (search engine optimization, keywords, labels or tags). However, the third entry is about fame. Is success all about Keeping Up with the Kardashians? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Psychologists have a theory, don’t they always? It is called <i>Social Comparison Theory</i>. Here’s how it works. You look at others lives whether you know them personally or from your favorite guilty-pleasure-TV show, social media or hear about the person from a friend. Then you make a judgment about the quality of your life either based on an upward comparison—people who appear to have it better than you: more attractive, fancy cars, Louboutin shoes, more influence, 20 sports channels—whatever. Downward comparisons are people you observe and they seem to have it worse than you- still driving the Pinto hatchback, you get it. This theory basically says others define our success because we stack our lives up against friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers or celebrities and make evaluations. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tony Robbins has the <i>Ultimate Success Formula</i> and a 35 minute YouTube called, “The Keys to Massive Success.” Then, there’s the Ted Talk by Richard St. John, it is only 3 minutes. However, he doesn’t define success; St. John just tells what 8 concepts lead to success. Spoiler Alert: Passion, Hard Work, Focus, Push Yourself, Serve Others, Have Ideas, Persist and Get Good at What You Do. Success Magazine’s tagline is “What Achievers Read.” It appears that while success is personally defined and changes throughout our lives—it is also a multi-billion industry with books, magazines, life coaches and reality TV to help us all figure it out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; letter-spacing: 0px;">So this week we all have the same 168 hours to pursue our version of success, no matter how you define it. Enjoy!</span><br />
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-51072537616346262892014-12-01T02:23:00.000-05:002014-12-01T02:25:00.112-05:00Encore Careers in Unlikely Places<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NbEI3ntAVFklVqXJiguw3-1WxahWf16EHkdhCSQVvY1o6zrclKb6MwKcBPdTfD5Ps0yg1ahg6EdDcG2xaK9YhQtnfYcjSptcfAzzkFCEm13JYrXgv7uHYlxcjyOQMJScttWY4D8I_g/s1600/Bald-Eagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NbEI3ntAVFklVqXJiguw3-1WxahWf16EHkdhCSQVvY1o6zrclKb6MwKcBPdTfD5Ps0yg1ahg6EdDcG2xaK9YhQtnfYcjSptcfAzzkFCEm13JYrXgv7uHYlxcjyOQMJScttWY4D8I_g/s1600/Bald-Eagle.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Monday Morning Pep Talk<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Working past the age most people retire improves the chance that you won’t outlive your money. 70 is the target age to stop working according to a study from the Center for Retirement Research and was reported in the most recent issue of Money magazine. One of the big questions I am asked both online and at presentations is, “who will hire me at 64 (insert any age 50+)?” Actually there are jobs for older workers and as the economy continues to improve more and more people who dropped out of the workforce are finding there way back. Here are suggestions and if you know great careers for experienced workers, please share. I would love to hear about them.</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Work for Yourself: </b>You don’t have to begin Kentucky Fried Chicken like Harlan Sanders did when he was 65. You could turn a hobby into a business or use your business expertise to provide consulting. I know a couple in their mid-50s who quit their corporate jobs to start a promotional item/event planning business that carried them into a more secure retirement over the next 15 years. If you have the good health, energy and risk-tolerance to start a big business, go for it! Remember my friend chronicled in this post who began a vineyard after a 25 year career in medical sales? </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span id="goog_858548574"></span>http://workinglater.blogspot.com/2011/11/turning-your-passion-into-career.html </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> <span id="goog_858548575"></span></span></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’ve heard real estate, professional organizers and home stagers are new favorite encore careers that will require certification and/or licensure to be competitive.</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Teaching:</b> Yes teaching! It is not what it used to be. There are so many options. With a Master's degree you can teach at the community college level in your area of expertise. Many time your students are also non-traditional, so you are interacting with people who <i>want</i> to be in class hearing the knowledge and experiences you have to share. You can also teach online in your bunny slippers and no one will know. One of my “retired” neighbors teaches a few days a week at a preschool and she loves the interaction. Visit <a href="http://ccteach.org/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">ccteach.org</span></a> to learn more about teaching at higher grades.</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Health Care: </b>While some positions in health care are being downsized, there are entire new health care job functions being created. Jobs for patient navigators or patient advocates are worth looking into if you like the idea of helping people and have an interest in health care. There are certification programs to make you more competitive. You can learn more by visiting the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy Consultants.</span></li>
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<li style="font-family: Georgia; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Government Work: </b>Am I crazy? No, I am not. Check <a href="http://usajobs.gov/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">USAJobs.gov</span></a> to see which agencies are hiring in your area. I met a woman who mid-career decided that a government position would provide her the pension that none of her corporate jobs had offer even thought she spent 18 years in the workforce. So, she transferred her corporate training skills into a position with a federal agency and transferred to the Department of Homeland Security when we met. That agency didn’t even exist when she moved into the public sector. Since its inception in 2002, the Department of Homeland Security employs 240,000 with an annual budget of $60B in fiscal year 2013. Oh yeah, and that pension…they still have them through the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).</span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Think creatively about encore careers especially if could not imagine doing your current job until age 70. You may want to go back for certification or training earlier (in your 40s or 50s) to make yourself more competitive and prepared for a new career when you are ready to make your move. Also, watch out for scams offering training, certification or education that sounds too good to be true.</span></div>
Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-6558379884609582662014-11-17T00:28:00.000-05:002014-11-17T10:55:12.624-05:00Combining a Paycheck with Your Passion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cXQ0mbOBYztlVkMjk0By30fwBfIYM4NZP0Fr6Osf46YULic_FsBbkDg2tDQVzE6aAWzxH4btmVtED47_g3ucd3wIwx90TBomKsxczlXZ5ricHuRM1UWFwq9__cbBq9a1HkluVYV9fg/s1600/shutterstock_53794126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cXQ0mbOBYztlVkMjk0By30fwBfIYM4NZP0Fr6Osf46YULic_FsBbkDg2tDQVzE6aAWzxH4btmVtED47_g3ucd3wIwx90TBomKsxczlXZ5ricHuRM1UWFwq9__cbBq9a1HkluVYV9fg/s1600/shutterstock_53794126.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Monday Morning Pep Talk<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The nonprofit sector may offer experienced workers a second career combining passion, social interaction and a continued income. The thought of “doing well by doing good” may not have been a possibility early in a career, however the idea of finding work with meaning is often of high importance choosing a second career. According to the Urban Institute, from 2001 to 2011 nonprofit jobs grew 25% while new jobs in the for-profit sector rose half of one percent.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As mature workers consider moving from for-profit organizations to nonprofit work, here are three major misconceptions to be aware of when making the career change to a nonprofit:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Myth #1:</b> <b>Working in a nonprofit is less complicated than corporate employment.</b> The reality is that nonprofits have the same complexities and organizational structures as corporations. Nonprofits have the additional burden of constant fundraising and the transparency required to donors insuring their contributions are primarily directed to programs supporting their mission. Nonprofits also require the same infrastructure of any corporation including information technology, human resources, accounting, legal services, communication strategists, purchasing and project management along with a dependence on volunteers. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Myth #2: Nonprofit employees spend all their time focused on their cause. </b>The reality is while a nonprofit is not focused on shareholders and stock prices, the organization needs a revenue stream to maintain their programs and services. Fundraising and funding again becomes a focus. Whether the revenue stream comes from the government, businesses, individuals in the community or a mix of these sources, time is required to build and maintain relationships with funders. There are fundraising events to plan, grants to be written and after action reports due explaining to donors how their gifts were utilized. In the nonprofit setting employees wear many hats, so “that’s not my job” is not an appropriate response.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Myth #3: Everyone working for nonprofits is “nice”.</b> As a donor, board member or volunteer people see nonprofit employees at their best. Many employees in the nonprofit sector are passionate, mission-driven individuals focused on their cause, however, all people have their flaws and that’s true in the nonprofit arena as well as corporate America. Work stress and burnout from difficult co-workers, office politics, a poor work environment or negligent leadership happens at nonprofits just like any other organization. The same skill sets used to manage challenging relationships in earlier jobs will help in the nonprofit environment.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Before making the switch from the for-profit world to the nonprofit sector, do your homework to insure the organization you plan to join is legitimate and a good steward of donor contributions. This can be done by consulting resources including <a href="http://www.guidestar.org/"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">www.guidestar.org</span></a>, or the Better Business Bureau Charity List or Charitynavigator.org.</span></div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-49643729328229431292014-11-10T00:24:00.002-05:002014-11-10T00:42:00.820-05:00Job Burnout: Your Co-worker's ProblemMonday Morning Pep Talk<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-j0z1ygLjpXLyQiiqfcZbNmaERzjaZ17KMc1SVrFFUjHw2pmaQfrLUnIS3eJvy0FkEuoOrk62CkGSrsbe5dx2sn3Wp0aOFKDBynRi8of1BoweVcs9o52S3PpBrYUuTHdJcHMxeQykQ/s1600/elephant-in-the-room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-j0z1ygLjpXLyQiiqfcZbNmaERzjaZ17KMc1SVrFFUjHw2pmaQfrLUnIS3eJvy0FkEuoOrk62CkGSrsbe5dx2sn3Wp0aOFKDBynRi8of1BoweVcs9o52S3PpBrYUuTHdJcHMxeQykQ/s1600/elephant-in-the-room.jpg" height="145" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><br /></b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>It’s the elephant in the room. </b></span></h3>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After nearly a decade of layoffs, mergers/acquisitions, constant corporate change and cutbacks, threats of unemployment and volatile 401(k) values putting retirements at risk; is it any wonder that some of your co-workers are experiencing burnout?</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The medical profession is ripe for career burnout and the incidence is well-documented in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Archive of Internal Medicine and other professional journals. What about the employees of companies outside the medical field? </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mayo Clinic offers these questions your co-worker can ask themselves:</span></span><br />
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<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, backaches or other physical complaints?</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply feel?</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you feel disillusioned about your job?</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Have you become irritable or impatient with with co-workers, customers or clients?</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started once you arrive? </span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Have you become cynical or critical at work?</span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Do you lack the the the energy to be consistently productive? </span></span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Have your sleep habits or appetite changed? </span></span></li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are many factors that contribute to job burnout. It is a root cause of declining employee engagement, declining productivity and increased health care costs human resources is trying to reverse in the workplace. Corporate America didn’t need the 2010 Gallup study by Harter to tell them lower job satisfaction foreshadowed decreasing bottom-line performance. Back then Gallup estimate $300 <b>Billion </b>annually lost to employee disengagement.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In the past three years, one of the most consistently viewed blog post I have written is about losing self-confidence as one ages in the workforce.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">http://workinglater.blogspot.com/2012/07/where-did-my-confidence-go-i-know-its.html</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Experienced workers face a host of challenges and this includes pressures at home to compound doing more with less at work. So this week, practice patience, tolerance and being human to your colleagues. Help is available confidentially through Employee Assistance Plans, health care professionals and through your trusted support network. <u><span style="color: blue;">Take some time to enjoy yourself over the next 168 hours!</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Check Out: </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Positivity by Barbara L. Frederickson, Ph.D.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Flourish by Martin E. P. Seligman</span></div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-42075947272411479112014-10-27T00:11:00.000-04:002014-10-27T00:56:25.332-04:00Employability: Finding a Job When You Need One, Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The ability to find a job that covers your current expenses and leaves a cushion for savings and fun is my definition of employability. As an experienced worker it is an evaluation we should make before the time comes that it has to be tested. Working past 62 enhances your retirement security more than you might think. The case for staying employed doing part-time or even short duration (temp) jobs past 55 or 59 ½ when I see some workers leaving the workforce angry, forced-out or burnt-out is critical to their financial survival for a lifetime that can easily last to age 90. The point of this blog post is not to convince why you should stay employable; it is how to find a job as an experienced worker. Here are two of my five best tips. The other 3 tips are in Part II. Add your ideas as a comment to this post:<br />
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#1: Networking correctly works. This is not becoming a LinkedIn LION or having 500+ connections or writing a blog that has 10,000 viewers per post. These accomplishments are impressive, but they will not help you find you a job when you need one in a hurry. To network correctly, you should know who will take action on your behalf and not just who knows you. Before you need it, try to develop a network of at least a dozen connections that will (a) make a phone call on your behalf to introduce you to someone; (b) send an e-mail or LinkedIn to a connection to “introduce” you to a hiring manager or recruiter; (c) act as a reference when you need one for a job; (d) forward your resume, so the hiring manager will “ask” the recruiter to pull it out of the applicant tracking system. These types of connections are built over time and require trust, contact and knowledge of your work.<br />
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#2: Take Care of Yourself. 20% of people in their 50s and 60s have a health issue or disability that makes it nearly impossible to work according to a business television show I watched recently. I’m not sure of their source, but I do know that in a competitive corporate environment absence does not make the heart grow fonder. Look like you can do the job. When you are constantly off sick for a variety of maladies, I know it is not your fault. From a corporate perspective, if management figures out the work gets done while you’re gone three months—it is not helpful the next time layoffs roll around. What can you do? Do your best to stay healthy, be lively and energetic at work so your vitality comes through. Do Not discuss your aches and pains with your co-workers; tell your doctor or your relatives, not your boss. Don’t be a martyr and come to work sick and risk everyone else’s health because you need the money. That’s kind of an oxymoron to what I’ve said above, but everyone will remember you for the wrong reason if your germs undermine your co-workers and their families. Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-67243636786003684662014-10-27T00:00:00.000-04:002014-10-27T00:57:58.049-04:00Employability: Finding a Job When You Need One, Part 2<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The ability to secure work as an experienced worker doesn’t begin in your 50s and 60s. The relationships you create with your managers, suppliers, co-workers and subordinates decades earlier in your career will help you later. Part I focused on networking with the “right” people and keeping yourself in the game physically. In Part II, my final three components of employability are listed and I’d be interested in yours as a comment on the blog:</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">#3: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Play Well with Others:</b> At a certain point in your career at 50+ many of your company’s senior leadership team and your direct manager may be younger than you. I had a manager twenty-one years younger than me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not just a different generation; it is a different mindset and he had a perception of mature workers (it wasn’t good).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll repeat what you already know—the dynamic of Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964), Generation X (born 1965-1981) and Millennials (1982-2004) in the workforce with a smattering of “The Greatest Generation” ( a term coined by Tom Brokaw) brings a clash of values to the workforce Corporate America is ignoring. While there are stereotypes for each generational cohort, from my Boomer perspective, “the boss is still the boss.” So, I treated “Boy Wonder” (a derogatory name coined by my friends) with the respect I treated previous managers and worked hard to dispel the myths that someone my age couldn’t master new software programs, perform my job duties or working with me was like working with his mother. I endured him and like they often do; he finally went away. (Hear me breathing a sigh of relief)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">#4: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Leverage Your Experience:</b> In a US News & World Report 2010 blog post advised that if you make money or save money for a company, it protects your job. “It would be silly to let go of somebody who is making you money…” their post continues. Everyone 50+ knows it happens, a lot. A typical example is an employee who was the number one sales representative in a division of a Fortune 50 company whose combination of high base salary and long tenure found her surprisingly laid-off in the company’s first wave of reductions in force. Highly compensated non-management employees are an issue for companies when they have to provide lump sum raise annually instead of the average 3% merit increase in 2014 because their base salary has topped the range or band for their role. Try to protect yourself from sudden unemployment by finding and accepting a new role within the company that moves you into a different salary grade or broadband, if you currently receive lump sum annual increases. You might also try to expand your duties to move into a position so your salary is not in the upper deciles.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">#5: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Maintain a Professional Image:</b> Humans are primarily visual beings with some researchers claiming 90% of the transmitted information in the human brain is visual. There are hundreds of studies of about physical attractiveness bias in business. While most 40+ and 50+ workers would look ridiculous dressed like a college student, men and women should keep the clothing they wear to work, their hair and anything about their visual appearance updated. Department stores often have free personal shoppers to help you create your perfect look for an important interview or meeting. Aim for styling yourself so you feel confident.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Use these five tips along with whatever skills and attitudes are unique to your workplace to be successful where you work today and able to get a new job if needed in the future.</span></div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-82773488900916052812014-09-14T23:21:00.002-04:002014-09-14T23:21:57.656-04:00While You Weren't Looking....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Timing is everything. It is used by the most strategic communicators to insure their message doesn’t hit a busy news day and is drowned out by other stories. Johnson & Johnson’s announcement Thursday that they are suspending their defined benefit pension plan for employees who join the firm after January 1, 2015 was a timed release. Thursday was September 11, Patriot’s Day in the United States and a day of remembrance when the news media, even the business media was focused on what happened in America thirteen years ago. It was the perfect day for the world’s biggest maker of health care products to release <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> news to media. On September 10, J&J management presented a rosy, yet cautious picture at the Morgan Stanley Health Care Conference. On September 11 you tell your workforce the pension plan won’t be there for your kids when you get them hired. Timing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, this is the part of the blog post, where I share in full transparency that I am an early retiree of J&J. At this point, I know from the scant news coverage this story garnered, that current retirees (like me) and active employees are not impacted. This action is for new hires and re-hires after 1/1/2015, I know that because I read it on the Internet. I probably have a letter coming from J&J’s benefit service center’s HQ in Lincolnshire, IL explaining I am not impacted at all. That letter hasn’t arrived yet. Timing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am certainly not surprised J&J’s defined benefit plan went away. I came to work for the company primarily because they offered the plan. In my 21 years of work prior to joining the health care giant my previous employers only offered 401(k) or defined contribution plans. In 401(k) plans you pay and the company matches. In defined benefit (DB) plans, the company pays 100% and you are guaranteed* a set amount for life or in J&J’s plan design until you are 90-years-old. I’ll figure out what to about 90 to death when I get there. According to a report by Towers Watson, an employee benefit consulting firm, about 24% of Fortune 500 companies offer “DB” plans to new hires in a considerable decline over the years. </span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">Hopefully, you read the previous blog post: Pension Smoothing, Potholes & Pork. I highly recommend it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">http://workinglater.blogspot.com/2014/09/pension-smoothing-potholes-and-pork.html<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt;">DB plans are notorious for being underfunded (aka not having enough money to pay the amount of money owed). J&J is no different. From a J&J public website on strategic framework—oh forget it, I’ll just let corporate communications speak for themselves:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">“</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #00b050; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">At the end of fiscal year 2012, the projected benefit obligation was $21,829 million, and the fair value of the assets equaled $17,536 million, for a shortfall of $4,293 million. Discretionary contributions are made when deemed appropriate to meet the plan’s long-term obligations. For more information, see Note 10 in our 2012 10-K Annual Report.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">All I know is when I do get ready to tap into my DB money, I hope there is a big pile of cash with my name on it and the plan is not “short” (aka underfunded, broke, busted…). Timing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16408927639743987486noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4957503136630278393.post-7142780747579778912014-09-02T08:35:00.000-04:002014-09-02T08:41:21.427-04:00Pension Smoothing, Potholes and Pork<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Generally I keep politics out of this blog. Then I heard about pension smoothing. It is the latest sleight of hand trick in government and don’t worry, it is equally loved by all political parties and even many labor unions. On the surface it appears to be a victimless maneuver only affecting the millions of people counting on a future pension payment from American companies. So, what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">pension smoothing</b></i>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Simply put, pension smoothing allows companies to defer making mandatory contributions to defined benefit pensions plans in order to use that money for any reason they choose. Pension smoothing was added to a recent transportation bill that covers repairs to highways, bridges and subways saving the Highway Trust Fund from bankruptcy. Just to make the entire situation more complicated, in addition to funding the highway work, this bill also saves 700,000 American jobs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here’s the risk: To solve the short-term issues of maintaining the nation’s road infrastructure; companies do not have to fully fund their pension plans which may mean more plans won’t have the money to meet their obligations to pensioners later. According to a survey by Pensions & Investments, a money management newspaper, the largest 100 U. S. pension plans were underfunded by $122.3 billion in 2013 and that was an improvement! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Companies today put much of the retirement burden on the employees by focusing on 401(k) plans where workers cobble together a DIY strategy to save for the future. However, there are millions of employees counting on employer-paid defined benefit plan payouts for at least a portion of their wealth when they are too old to work. Pensions are in trouble as city and municipal workers in Detroit, Stockton, CA along with Pennsylvania school districts and other public employees across the country realize. Private sector pensions are no better as the retirees of Hostess Brands, who bring us Wonder Bread, Twinkies and other goodies, learned in 2012 when the company filed bankruptcy. The PBGC, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, a government agency had to step in and rescue their plan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The concept of the PBGC is itself an oxymoron. The same Congress that is encouraging companies to delay funding their pensions has a safety net for 44 million workers covered by defined-benefit private pension plans, the PBGC. When private sector firms cannot meet their liability, the PBGC pays an amount less than the company-promised benefit, but it is something. The problem is that in their July 3, 2014 annual report, the PBGC says it is “90% likely to run out of funds in 2025.” The biggest birth year of Baby Boomers will be 68-years-old in 2025 with plenty of life ahead of them, but maybe not as many job prospects.</span></div>
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