Beach Days and Childhood Memories

Today, a friend and I spent the day at the beach, reminiscing and catching up. Our conversation drifted back to our childhoods and teen years, and we were surprised by how many shared memories we had of growing up at the New Jersey beaches.

I spent my summers at Takanassee Beach Club in Long Branch, while she went to Sands in Sea Bright. Back then neither place was anything fancy. Even though we belonged to different beach clubs, we realized that you don’t need a specific spot to feel connected to those memories.

Here are some of the things we laughed about. Chances are if you grew up on the NJ beaches or went to a public pool and are of a certain age, you'll have similar memories!

Bathing Caps

• Wearing a bathing cap in the pool was mandatory. They had chin straps that snapped at the jaw and they had this weird rubbery smell.
• Our moms wore them too—but theirs were decorated with big, colorful flowers.
• As we got older, we graduated to racer caps. They were definitely cooler.

The Snack Bar

• The snack bar was the heart of the club. I can still smell those burgers and hotdogs. Fries, ice cream cones, paper-wrapped push-up pops, frozen Milky Ways—it was all there.
• Once you were older, you hung out there with friends, played cards, or just waited out rainy days.
• The floor was like a boardwalk, and if you dropped your change, it was gone for good—straight through the cracks. Little kids would crawl underneath to collect coins and buy ice cream.
• When it rained, everyone huddled under the snack bar awning. It was the place to be.

The Hangout Area

• As teens, we drifted away from our parents and stuck with our friend group. We only circled back when we needed snack bar money.
• Our parents didn’t worry about us much—every now and then they’d look up to check, but mostly, they let us be.
• The locker areas became unofficial hangouts too.

 The Pool

• Mornings meant swim lessons in icy water. It was miserable—but we learned to swim.
• During adult swim, all the kids sat impatiently at the edge, waiting for the whistle so we could dive back in.

The Ocean

• We both had blow-up canvas rafts to ride the waves. Hers was blue and yellow and mine was blue and red.
• There were roped-off areas for swimming. I used to sit on the rope and do backflips into the water, dodging clumps of green seaweed.
• As little kids, we stayed in the water so long our lips turned blue—and we didn’t even care.

Biking to the Beach

• Once we got older, we rode our bikes to the beach on our own.
• Every so often, I’d get a ride home on someone’s handlebars—usually a crush. It was terribly uncomfortable, but I never complained.

Whether you grew up going to a beach club, a public beach, or your local pool, these kinds of memories stay with you. They remind us of the freedom of childhood summers—and how much we all really have in common.

Lessons in Learning and Development from a Viking Tour Guide

Reflections Inspired by a Viking River Cruise Experience

 

We recently returned from a Viking River Cruise—the Lyon and Provence itinerary—and while the journey was absolutely amazing (a photo-filled post is coming soon!), I wanted to focus this post on something different: learning and development skills, specifically those demonstrated by our exceptional tour guides. I was deeply impressed by the professionalism and skill of all our tour guides, especially our Avignon guide.

At the end of our tour, a fellow guest asked the guide how she became a tour guide for Viking and what she did to prepare. If you've ever experienced one of these tours, you know how knowledgeable and engaging the guides are. Their expertise doesn’t happen overnight—it’s the result of serious preparation and practice.

As I listened to her response, I was struck by how closely her process mirrors what we do as Learning & Development (L&D) professionals. Here's are the key steps she shared, in my own words—and how they align with effective L&D principles:

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1. Become a Subject Matter Expert

Immerse yourself in the content. Study it from every angle until you deeply understand it. Anticipate the questions your audience might have, and carefully curate the content you’ll present.

2. Find a Mentor

Shadow an experienced professional. Observe how they present, engage, and manage a group. Ask questions and absorb their methods—but don’t simply copy them. Develop your own voice and style, even while covering the same core material.

3. Create Compelling Content

Make your presentations engaging and memorable by:

• Sharing stories and real-life examples

• Incorporating visuals whenever possible

• Actively engaging your audience

4. Practice, Practice, Practice

Rehearse your material multiple times until it flows naturally. Confidence comes from preparation.

5. Seek Constructive Feedback

Ask for feedback on both your content and delivery style. Learn how effectively you’re answering questions and how well your message is being received.

6. Admit When You Don’t Know

If you're unsure about something, be honest. Take the time to research the answer and follow up. Your credibility increases when you show humility and follow-through.

7. Make It Interesting and Fun

Avoid being dry or monotonous. Keep your energy up and your delivery dynamic—your audience will stay engaged and retain more information. Our guide was warm, funny and enthusiastic!

8. Get Certified

In some cases, certification is required. In others, it enhances your credibility and demonstrates commitment to your craft.

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These principles aren’t exclusive to tour guiding or L&D—they're universal and relevant across many professions. What’s key is staying current in your field, being open to new techniques, and sharing what you learn. Whether you’re leading a group of travelers through ancient cities or facilitating a training session, the fundamentals of great content delivery remain the same.

Always be curious. Always be learning. Always be evolving.

The Eagle Pose and Change

Today in yoga, we practiced Eagle Pose—a posture where you wrap your arms and legs around each other while balancing on one leg. It’s a powerful pose that challenges your balance, focus, core strength, and stability. It’s not always easy! After holding it on one side, you unwind and repeat on the other.

Some days I can lift off and stay steady; other days, like today, I couldn’t even get my foot off the ground.

On the drive home, I kept thinking about Eagle Pose—how frustrating it can be, but also how it represents change. It requires moving in a way my body isn’t used to. Then, just as quickly, I return to what feels normal.

That got me thinking: in life and work, we’re often asked to do things differently—to stretch ourselves in unfamiliar ways. And while it can feel uncomfortable or awkward, if we don’t make those changes, we stay exactly where we are. When we stay where we are, we stop learning. Our productivity can stall, and we risk slipping into a rut.

Growth often begins with discomfort. Whether it’s on the yoga mat or in our daily routines, leaning into that challenge is what keeps us moving forward.

Volunteering Yourself Into a New Job

I started helping job seekers in 2009. It was during the height of a great recession when the job market was reeling from job loss and resulted in a sky-high unemployment rate. One of the issues I addressed with clients and in my job search training classes was volunteering – specifically volunteering in an area to sharpen existing skills or work on developing new ones.

Today, I was looking at volunteering activities for me. I wondered if I wanted to continue to help with life skills such as job search or seek something totally different like volunteering in a hospital. As I scanned the opportunities (google “volunteer opportunities near me”), I came upon an organization that has been around for years, SCORE. SCORE helps entrepreneurs start, grow or successfully exit a business.

I scanned the volunteer write up and read that the organization looks for people with valuable business skills to help local entrepreneurs.  Here is an example of what one chapter was looking for.

“You might be able to sharpen your email marketing, networking and social media skills while helping your local business community. If you are interested in aiding a local chapter with data and analytics, pulling reports, helping with local events, or serving in other capacities that will make your local chapter more effective, let us know.

Examples of chapter support roles include Community Ambassador, Partnerships & Fundraising, Media Contact for National and Local PR, Marketing, Chapter Administrator, Webmaster, and more.” Learn more at www.score.org/volunteer.

What better way to assist a local organization while developing and refining your own skills. This looks great on your resume as it shows that while on your job search you are giving back to the community and staying current in your field. It also boosts self-confidence, networking, and gratification.

So, check out volunteer opportunities in your field. It may lead to great things.

Navigating the New Job Search Landscape

Have you re-entered the job market and wondered if anything has changed? Have you recently lost your job and don't know how to start your job search?

While some things have changed in the new job search landscape, some things have remained the same.

Let's take a look at both.

Keep Doing This

1. Network with friends, neighbors, community groups, professional groups.

2. Create a job-focused resume that highlights your accomplishments (not a to-do list of job responsibilities.

3. Prepare for an interview by studying the job description and practicing responses to questions that may align with the job responsibilities and skills described. Think STAR (Situation or Task, Actions Taken, and RESULTS). Prepare responses to common interviewing questions, Strengths, Weaknesses, Why Us, Take Me Through A Day. Througherly research the company.

4. Create a thank you email.

5. Create a LinkedIn profile. 

Now Add This

  1. Leverage AI and Automation

• AI Resume Optimization: Tools like Jobscan can help tailor your resume to specific job listings by analyzing job descriptions and suggesting keywords to improve your chances with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
  

• Chatbots & Virtual Assistants: Some companies now use AI-powered virtual assistants in the recruitment process, allowing you to interact, apply, and even schedule interviews directly through AI chat interfaces.

2. Network through Social Media & Professional Platforms

• LinkedIn Networking: LinkedIn continues to be one of the most powerful platforms. New features like LinkedIn Open To Work and LinkedIn Career Pages allow you to connect directly with hiring managers, recruiters, and companies, making networking more active.

• Twitter & TikTok for Job Seekers: Especially for younger generations, platforms like Twitter and TikTok are becoming valuable tools for job search. You can engage with companies, follow industry leaders, and even share your career journey and achievements creatively.

3. Personal Branding

• Build a Personal Website/Portfolio: Having a personal website or portfolio showcasing your work is becoming more common, especially for creatives or tech professionals. It’s a great way to stand out and demonstrate your skills.

• Video Resumes: For roles in media, marketing, or any position that benefits from showing off personality and communication skills, video resumes can help you present yourself in a more engaging way.

4. Direct Outreach

• Instead of solely applying to posted job openings, direct outreach to hiring managers or recruiters via email or LinkedIn messages is becoming a more effective strategy. Crafting a personalized message expressing your interest and how your skills align with their needs can help you get noticed faster.

5. Remote and Hybrid Job Search

• As remote and hybrid work have become the norm, searching specifically for remote-friendly roles or companies with flexible working arrangements is a key strategy. Use websites like Remote.co, We Work Remotely, and FlexJobs to find such positions.

6. Freelancing & Contract Work

• More people are considering freelance or contract work, even in fields traditionally dominated by full-time employees. Platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal have made it easier for job seekers to land projects without the long-term commitment of a full-time role.

7. Skill Upgrading (Microlearning and Certifications)

• Continuously upgrading your skills is essential. Microlearning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning offer bite-sized courses and certifications that can boost your employability. Many job seekers are using these platforms to stay competitive and learn emerging skills like AI/ML, data science, or cybersecurity.

8. Targeting Companies Instead of Roles

• Instead of just searching for specific roles, focusing on target companies can help you tailor your approach. Researching companies you're passionate about and finding roles that align with your career path can give you an edge. This strategy allows you to align your job search with a company's mission and culture, leading to a stronger fit.

9. Job Search Communities and Groups

• Joining online job search communities on LinkedIn, Slack, Discord, or Facebook can provide support, job leads, and advice. These groups often share job openings not posted elsewhere and can be a great way to network with others in similar fields.

10. Video Interview Preparation

• As virtual hiring becomes the norm, preparing for video interviews is essential. Practicing with video tools like Zoom or Google Meet and making sure your setup (lighting, camera position, sound) is professional can give you an edge over other candidates.

By staying up to date on these new strategies and leveraging the right tools, you can enhance your job search and increase your chances of finding a great opportunity.

 

Grace Under Fire

 Yesterday watching Carrie Underwood calmly and professionally manage a difficult situation brought me back to my own uncomfortable moments at work. If you didn’t watch the Inauguration of President Trump, you missed the part where Underwood was to sing America the Beautiful accompanied by piped in music. Something went wrong and the music wouldn’t play. After a few uncomfortable moments, Carrie Underwood asked the audience to join her as she sang the song a cappella. Talk about pressure under fire.

If you’ve been in a similar situation (not that you are called to sing in front of millions of people), you totally understand the stress of the situation.  Seconds can feel like hours.
Carrie’s situation reminded me of something that happened to me many years ago when I was a young, junior Learning & Development Specialist with the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. 

I was asked to make remarks to a class of students who were graduating from our computer studies school. It was an outdoor late afternoon ceremony with over three hundred invited guests including family, instructors, and members of the Chubb executive board. It was a big deal. My job was to explain the program to the audience and introduce our company CEO.
All day long we were outside testing the equipment. Our administrative staff had extra batteries for the microphone although we didn’t think that we would need them. We shifted chairs, arranged the dais, and did everything according to plan.

Four O’clock rolled around and the guests and graduates started to arrive. I was especially nervous because I’d never addressed this many people before, and I wanted to make a good impression. In addition, one of my peers was recently promoted and my manager explained to me that I needed more polish and experience before I was promoted. 

As soon as I kicked off the ceremony, my microphone died. I thought it was because we used it so much to practice but I later found out that our Admin forgot to use fresh batteries. I froze and here again, the seconds felt like hours. Everyone was watching to see what I would do. I finally realized what was happening and knew that I had to do something. I passed the microphone to the admin who ran up to the stage and I stepped down into the audience. I walked down the middle aisle loudly saying my remarks. As I walked back towards the dais, I was handed the working mic, and I was able to end my presentation and introduce the CEO. Thank goodness, the mic worked properly for him. Overall, the rest of the ceremony went well, and the world and my job didn’t end.

I learned so much from that day, especially to always double check the equipment. I learned that a sense of humor can sometimes break an uncomfortable situation and that it’s critical to have a back up plan and to think on my feet. 

Since that day, I’ve had other mishaps but got through them with humor and what I’d like to think of as grace. So, bravo Carrie Underwood. Those of us who have had mishaps at work truly understand and applaud your professionalism.

Diversity in Style, Politics and the Thanksgiving Table

The holidays are quickly approaching and with them, especially this year, bring discussions of politics. Experts have suggested that people have a solitary Thanksgiving if they don’t care for the way their parents or other guests around the Thanksgiving table voted. OK, that’s the good thing about our country; we all have the right to say and do what we please. People are hurting, concerned, scared, anxious, confused, etc. about the election results and therefore, want to skip visiting the family members or former friends who don’t quite see things their way. Again, OK, that’s their right.

In my corporate Human Resources days I used to give Leadership and Teambuilding training classes. Human behavior type as well. One of the concepts that I clearly remember is this. The world/ companies/departments/communities/families cannot exist if we were all leaders or if we were all followers. In other words, if we were all the same. If that were the case, the leaders would be setting goals or planning strategically without anyone to do the actual work. Conversely, if the world/companies/etc. were exclusively followers, nothing would ever get done because there would be no focus, no planning, and no direction. In between the leader and the follower are other types of people and behaviors and when all of them are combined, great things happen. Goals are met. It’s diversity of style and it’s what make people, "people" and not “cookie-cutter” mannequins.

This same concept holds true for personality types. Usually there are the leaders, the communicators, the worker bees, and those that ensure that the work is done properly. Here again, without all four types, plans wouldn’t be made, targets wouldn’t be reached, and things would generally be a mess. Everyone needs to work together to make things happen.

To get back to Thanksgiving. What will refusing to speak with your family or friends who don’t think like you, get you? It gets you absolutely nothing but more hurt. You have an opinion and so do they. Your opinion doesn’t make you a bad person but neither does their opinion make them bad. This is where civil discourse comes in. Voting one way does not automatically put a person in a box (the leader or the follower the right or the left). Without their (or your) train of thought there could not be discussion, teamwork, listening, understanding and love. 

So, as we say in yoga, “You do you.” Your family or friends may be bewildered by your choice of not being with them this holiday but hopefully there will be a next year and another reason to get together, forgive one another (and yourself) and move on. Hopefully. Life is too short. 

Ben Rector The Thanksgiving Song  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwaxNPY5nIY