A Crystal Ball – Skills for Now and the Future

A research report from Apollo Research Institute gives us a crystal ball for looking towards 2020.  “Future Work Skills 2020” I like the way this report takes the major global trends and matches them with the skills workers need to thrive now and going forward. Its very useful for  the many people needing to re-skill,Continue reading “A Crystal Ball – Skills for Now and the Future”

“Future-Proof” Employee

In IBM’s report from interviewing over 1700 CEOs around the world three main themes emerged for the most successful organizations. At the highest level, none are news to us. But going deeper there are some critical nuggets worth exploring. I’m focusing on “Build future-proof employees.” Because emerging capabilities are hard to define, hiring and equippingContinue reading ““Future-Proof” Employee”

New Course for Career Professionals Working with Mature Job Seekers

Marvin Adams and I have teamed up to create a professional development course for career professionals, “Winning Strategies for the Mature Job Seeker,” at CEUOnestop.  This self-paced, online course looks at the unique issues that older clients face as more and more people are looking for work. Career professionals will find information, resources and links toContinue reading “New Course for Career Professionals Working with Mature Job Seekers”

Rallying the Trades

People on the TV program “Dirty Jobs”  look like they are having such a good time.  They get constant feedback all day  – cleaning a cement truck, picking up roadkill, catching bloodworms – so they know how they’re doing without having to be told. Did you know some of these people are millionaires? As weContinue reading “Rallying the Trades”

Critical Skills for our Future

The more I learn, the more I need to learn.  And it doesn’t all take place in a formal educational setting.  As I watch our global economy and read Freidman’s latest book, “That Used To Be Us,”    it is clear that the Knowledge Sets are shifting.  Employers need people with the technical skills toContinue reading “Critical Skills for our Future”

Learn to Learn

When I keep doing what I always do, why do I think it will have a different result? This bit of insanity applies to  many aspects of our lives. But let’s look at just one. We do our jobs well and manage the constant winds of change. Like a sailing a boat we know howContinue reading “Learn to Learn”

Job Search – 24 Ways to Be More Visible

LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are just a few of the social networks surfed by recruiters and employers.  Whether they find you there or look you up after they hear about you, looking good in the social media could make a big difference in your job search.  24 Ways to Be More Visible on my websiteContinue reading “Job Search – 24 Ways to Be More Visible”

21st Century Skills for Boomers

Employers are managing costs by hiring people as contingent, temporary or project-based work. So they look to people who have both a breadth and depth of skills. Boomers bring judgment and knowledge of how to get things done…especially when the computers are down.  But what Boomers may not have is the skills to be theContinue reading “21st Century Skills for Boomers”

Change Success – Initiate more conversations

When there is an organizational change, a systems upgrade or change in policy/procedures or leadership, a common mis-belief is that if we give people the facts, they can handle the change.  Facts are important to answer the “why” question.  But it doesn’t get to a personal level – and that’s where the change must beContinue reading “Change Success – Initiate more conversations”

Network How-to

In her blog, “How to Build Your Network in 12 days“ Debra Feldman points us to the specific actions we can take to  develop an effective career network.   Some are basic, others are more advanced. All of the tips help us get beyond our current contacts and create more visibility of what we can andContinue reading “Network How-to”