Packing for a Trip

My wife, Ann, and I are taking an extended trip from March 8 – April 1, 2010. Since we will be visiting several countries with a wide range of temperatures, we have a challenge in deciding what to pack. Restriction on luggage weight adds to our problem. Good or bad, I must take a month’s supply of my daily regimen of prescription medication.


While we are gone, I will do my best to describe the job situation at our various stops. Our first stop is Honolulu, and the last stop is Beijing.


If you have any travel advice to share in this blog, please do so.


Thanks! Glyn

Do You Have a Personal Strategic Plan?

I have been teaching strategic management courses in MBA programs in universities in the Dallas Metroplex and online for many years. I often ask my students if they have their own strategic plan. In most cases the answer is we have a plan, but it is not documented.
For readers who have taken business classes, the acronym SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) is a familiar term. For all readers, I encourage you to take a blank sheet of paper, divide it into four quadrants, and label the quadrants with the SWOT terms. Next you identify and record in the appropriate quadrant at least four each strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat. Your task is to:


1. Identify areas of opportunities that take advantage of your strengths


2. Identify areas of weakness that need to be avoided or strengthen


3. Begin activities that will increase your strengths


4. Begin activities that will reduce your weaknesses


Please share feedback in this blog about this exercise. Is it a waste of time or does it focus your job search activities? In a subsequent blog I will discuss development of objectives.


Thanks! Glyn

Trained Job Seekers Enter the Workforce

An article in The Dallas Morning News in its February 21, 2010, issue, “Career Curriculum Gets with Times” by Karel Holloway on page B1 discusses how vocational curriculums for high school graduates are changing to keep up with new technologies and job opportunities.


Job seekers that are considering career changes might review the following vocational clusters:


1. Architecture and Construction: Construction management and interior design


2. Art s, A/V Technology and Communications: Fashion design, graphic design, and illustration


3. Education and Training: Ready, Set, Teach!


4. Finance: Banking and financial services


5. Health Services: Cosmetology and Dollars and Sense


6. Information Technology: Digital and interactive media


7. Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security: Law enforcement and Security services


8. Manufacturing: Retailing and e-tailing, Sports and entertainment marketing


9. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: Concepts of engineering and technology, Engineering design and presentation


10. Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics: Collision repair and refinishing


Since high school graduates will be competing for jobs in the vocational areas listed above, existing job seekers should consider refreshing or upgrading their skills. Job seekers should be aware of competition for jobs from new entries in the workforce. The result may be a downward pressure of salaries. Please share your success in a career change with readers of this blog.


Thanks! Glyn

Culinary Schools – Good News for Diners

I was watching Fox News this morning, February 18, and viewed a piece about a culinary school. As you know, many out of work people are going back to school to upgrade and/or learn new skills. Yesterday, I interviewed a student who is attending an aviation maintenance school in Dallas. There are government student loans available, and schools and colleges are very effective in getting such loans funded. I just want to remind students that these student loans must be repaid. You should develop a financial plan to repay these loans out of your pay hopefully from a higher paying job that takes advantage of your new skills and education.


I am looking forward to dining at restaurants staffed by newly educated cooks!


If your schooling has enabled you to become employed, please share your experience with others in this blog.


Thanks! Glyn

Making a Temporary Stint Stick

An article in The Wall Street Journal in its February 9, 2010 issue, “Making a Temporary Stint Stick” by Melissa Korn on page D6 states that “With provisional jobs on the rise, becoming a full-time hire takes some effort.”


Jody Miller, chief executive of Business Talent Group, a Los Angeles interim-executive placement firm, says she saw 50% increase in request for temporary talent in 2009 over 2008. Examples are included in this article describing how individuals have obtained permanent positions from temporary slots. Keys to their successes are clear: prove yourself to be a performer and let the bosses know that you would like to have a permanent job!


I encourage temporary workers to become irreplaceable. If you are a temporary worker who has become a permanent employee, please share your experiences with others in this blog.


Thanks! Glyn

How to Succeed in the Age of Going Solo!

An article in The Wall Street Journal in its February 8, 2010, issue “How to Succeed in the Age of Going Solo” by Richard Greenwald on page R1 is very informative for individuals working as consultants or freelancers. Here are some of key points discussed:


1. THINK LONG TERM – You may be on your own for a long time – prepared for a marathon not a sprint: get your own business cards, launch a web site, get a business cell phone, establish a home office or rent an executive suite.


2. PICK THE RIGHT SKILLS AND KEEP THEM FRESH – technical skill and expertise that or too expensive and too infrequently used, attend workshops and training courses and consider teaching at community colleges.


3. JOIN A NETWORK – most successful consultants are in a network or community of consultants.


4. HAVE YOUR OWN SPACE – home activities and family sounds do not lend themselves to a professional environment – consider renting or sharing an executive suite.


5. THINK LIKE AN ENTREPRENEUR – Develop a business plan including mission, measurable objectives and strategies to accomplish the objectives.


Since many organizations need more employees but do not want long-term labor commitments, there is an increased demand for temporary workers and consultants. If you are a consultant or freelancer, please share your experiences with others in this blog.


Thanks! Glyn

Have You Stopped Looking for a Job?

I am thinking that many job seekers are discouraged and have stopped looking for a job. An article in the Dallas Morning News in its February 7, 2010, issue suggests that the sooner you work through your feelings, the sooner you will be back to work – somewhere!


You may be spending too much time looking back with regret; however, your future job is not in your past!  I suggest that you spend some time listing your strengths and mapping your strengths to organizations that can take advantage of them. Further, once such organizations have been identified, you should activate a strategy to get in front of the organizations’ hiring managers.


For those job seekers who have not given-up looking for jobs, please share your words of encouragement with others in this blog.


Thanks! Glyn

Trends for 2010

The Dallas Morning News in an article on page 1J in its January 10, 2010, issue, “Make Yourself Indispensable in the Workplace” lists the following trends that companies hope to bring in 2010:


1. Strengthening the work force – employers hope to replace their lower-performing jobs with higher performers.


2. Focusing more of social media to improve a company’s brand.


3. Bringing back laid-off employees and trainees.


4. Reducing benefits and perks.


5. Providing flexible work schedules including telecommuting, job sharing, and compressed workweeks.


6. Finding freelance and contract workers.


7. Adding green jobs.


8. Hiring bilingual workers.


9. Decreasing business travel.


After reviewing the above list, what job-seeking strategies come to mind? If nothing comes to mind, then perhaps you should rethink your present job-seeking strategy.


Please share your job-seeking strategies with others in this blog.


Thanks! Glyn

Job Fairs Again

The Dallas Morning News in an article on page 1J in its January 31, 2010, issue, “How to Get the Most from a Job Fair” by Cheri Butler lists tips to job seekers attending job fairs. While other postings in this blog indicate that job fairs are a waste of time, I think that if you are looking for a job, all avenues are open.


Here are some of the tips:


1. Dress for the occasion


2. Identify companies you want to contact before going to the fair


3. Prepare a 30-second personal introduction


4. Using a map of the fair, develop a plan to maximize your time


5. Get business cards at each booth for subsequent follow-up


6. Move through the fair alone and not with your buddies


7. Carry a nice portfolio and not a briefcase


Please share your job fair experiences with your fellow job seekers in this blog.


Thanks! Glyn

Put Up Your Own Shingle!

Recently there have been many articles published concerning temporary jobs and consulting positions including postings in this blog. Since organizations are reluctant to hire permanent employees because of economic and governmental uncertainly, the demand for short-term workers has increased as organizations’ need for additional personnel as increased.


Several years ago when I was unemployed looking for work, I decided to open my own business. While I am not Bill Gates or Michael Dell, I was relatively successful with my own small business. Consequently, I encourage job seekers with an entrepreneurial spirit and drive to consider putting up his/her own shingle!


As a volunteer with SCORE – Counselors to Small Business, I have opportunities to meet and discuss with clients their dreams of opening their own business. There three basic strategies to follow when your objective is to open a business:


1. Buy an existing business


2. Buy a franchise


3. Start your own business from scratch


Space in this blog does not permit a detailed discussion of these options; however, a SCORE counselor will be pleased to provide you assistance at no cost. If you are considering opening your own business, I suggested that you review the information on the SCORE website: www.score.org.


If you have tried one or more of these strategies to open your own business, please share your experience in this blog.


Thanks! Glyn