A Few Words on Networking

The other night I gave a class on career assessment; I thought I’d tell you some of the things that I shared with the class participants on figuring out what you want to do. I realize that today, many people can’t be choosy and for now will take whatever job comes along just to pay the bills. I also know that there are others who are unhappy with their current careers and yearn for something more. So what do you do?
1. Take a few career assessments. Don’t just take one and think that the results are carved in stone. Take a few and then decide if they make sense. I have several free assessments on my website, Blackbird Learning Associates.

2. Weed out the career options that make absolutely no sense. If you are 62 years old and the assessment suggests you pursue a medical degree, think about what that will mean in terms of money, time and career opportunities. Ask yourself if there are other ways that you can seek out career opportunities in this area but in a different role.

3. Get feedback. Discuss career options with friends, family members and perhaps former co-workers. Is it something that they can see you doing and enjoying?

4. Visit a professional group or LinkedIn group and get some feedback on the role. Ask questions. Network.

5. Consider money, training, time and family considerations and make your decision. There are a number of other steps including assessing your skills, interests and values.

If you see a pattern in your skill set strengths and interests, perhaps it might be worth your while to consider investigating a certain career direction.

My Memory of September 11, 2001

Eleven years ago I was in Monmouth Medical Center in NJ looking out of my mother’s hospital room window at the sparkling ocean to the east and the billows of smoke to the north. There was a boat not far from the shore line and I remember wondering if the driver realized that the world we knew a mere thirty minutes ago would never,ever return.

My mother was just given her own death sentence. The day before she had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in her colon and was told she had 6 to 18 months to live. We were devastated as we watched the events of 9-11 unfold from her small hospital room television. As the towers imploded she said, “What I am going through is nothing compared to what is going on across the river.” The television quickly turned to the Pentagon and we watched the flames and horror in Washington D.C. Then, like so many others, we heard about the battle in the air over Shanksville, PA.

The hospital was cleared of all non-critical patients to make room for the victims of the terror attack. We were told that they would be arriving by ferry and then by ambulance. We bundled up my Mom and drove her home, all the while listening for the ambulances that would never arrive.

May God bless all the courageous souls that were lost that day and may God continue to bless our great country. May the Freedom Tower rise up to display to the world the continued strength, tenacity and resilience of the American people.

Unemployment Numbers for the Young Adult

Like anyone, the unemployment numbers worry me. I realize the financial complications that high numbers bring but I look at them as a job search instructor, coach and resume writer. I look at them with an eye towards the growing number of unemployed and underemployed citizens. No matter how great a resume or how prepared for the interviews, if there are no jobs, well, it just won’t matter.

Yesterday we took our son back to college to begin his sophomore year. This summer he heard me talk about the rising unemployment numbers for young people. We also spoke of about the college majors that don't have a very high rate of employment (psychology and communication). Today I wanted to take a look at the hard numbers for young adults. Here they are.

On August 21, 2012, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that from April to July 2012, the number of employed youth 16 to 24 years old rose 2.1 million to 19.5 million. This age represents teens through young adults in high school, college and the recent graduates.

The number of unemployed youth in July 2012 was 4.0 million, little changed from 4.1 million a year ago. While the national unemployment rate for July, 2012 was 8.3%, the youth unemployment rate was 17.1%. In July, 2012, the breakdown for youth was:
• The unemployment rate for men was 17.9 percent
• The unemployment rate for women was 16.2 percent
• The jobless rate for whites was 14.9 percent
• The jobless rates for blacks was 28.6%
• The jobless rate for Asians was 14.4%
• The jobless rate for Hispanics was 18.5%
• The national unemployment rate is 8.3%

As a mother I worry about my son finding work when he is finished with college in three more years. As a citizen I worry about people feeling as if they just need to find a job to pay the bills. I worry that the excitement of designing a career path may be a thing of the future. Does it worry you, too?