Wiser Worker Blog

It’s the and well that will get you in trouble, every time. Over the last few months I have come up on this topic in both my professional and personal life. It seems that the line gets blurred between right and wrongs so often that it’s socially acceptable to live in the world of grey. I was watching a news show and the topic was this very one, where the line between right and wrong goes astray. The person being interviewed contented that he didn’t lie because he left out the specifics of the story and therefore he was telling the truth.

The reason I bring this very topic up, is when in the workplace we are often left to judge right and wrong and make decisions for our organizations. You may even find yourself in a situation before you even get the job. The most important point to remember is this: in the workplace there is NO grey only right and wrong. You have to hold yourself and your coworkers to high standards to honesty in the workplace because dishonesty has no place at work.

It starts at the interview you will be asked questions in the interview and also may be asked to fill out an application. You need to fill it out as completely and answer questions truthfully. If you are fail to answer any and all questions honestly you may find yourself in deep water and most probably unemployed.

Really when we get to the end of the day honesty is the best policy.

Well maybe not return as a student but as a leader, one of our very special clients Corinthian Colleges is looking for a very special person to fill their open position as leader of their schools the official title is a Vice President.  However the title doesn’t really fit they type of person they are looking for, they are looking for a person who likes no LOVES to work with people.  Someone who is bright, energetic and motivated and has a desire to make a difference and change lives.

This position was made for someone who has the drive to make changes and make a difference in the community they live in. This job is the perfect job for someone who may be reentering the career world.  This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to begin an exciting and rewarding second career! 

Good Luck!

Did you know… In the U.S. alone, more than 10 billion donuts are made every year and every year the donut industry cranks out $3.6 billion dollars in sales.

National Donut Day is celebrated on the first Friday in June and this year that falls on June 5^th!  I learned that National Donut Day started in 1917, when Salvation Army female volunteers known as “lassies” prepared thousands of fresh donuts to the homesick soldiers that served in France during World War I. National Donut Day was officially established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to raise much-needed funds during the Great Depression.

In honor of National Donut Day many national retailers are handing out donuts and you know how much I love free stuff……

Dunkin Donuts: will give every customer a free donut of their choice, with the purchase of any beverage, limit one per customer.

Krispy Kreme is offering one FREE donut per customer, no purchase necessary.

LaMar’s Donuts –will be giving a complimentary Ray’s Original Glazed donut to customers in honor of the founder, Ray Lamar. No purchase necessary.

Grab a donut to enjoy on while searching for a job on WiserWorker.com.    

I was trying to think what instantly makes me feel better? It’s a smile. Doesn’t matter where I see a smile or who has it the smile on it just makes me feel better, I just like them…smiles that is.   Whatever was ailing me suddenly goes away when I get a glimpse of a smile.  Smiles can also draw people to you, especially when you are meeting a person for the first time perhaps in an interview?  A smile spells confidence and makes people just what to know you.

Still need a reason to smile?

It makes you all the more attractive and certainly studies prove it makes you look younger.

Changes your mood and the mood of the people around you.

Smiling is contagious and a great epidemic!

Believe it or not it reduces stress.

Gives you the aura of success, people will want to know what you know.

Keeps you positive.

Still need a reason to Smile?  Orlando’s Search for the World’s Greatest Smiles is the best reason I can think of.

Orlando Convention Bureau is running a contest called the 67 Days of Smiles. Win a chance to experience every attraction in Orlando over 67 days, the amount of time it would take to experience the more than 100 attractions offered in Orlando, sharing your smiles along the way with the entire world. The winning couple gets to spend 67 days in Orlando expense free and they will pay you $25,000 to be away from home. Holy Cow what a DEAL…..They will pay you to be on vacation! Click here for more info!

Confidence can be a hard thing to come by, easy to lose and all too often hard to hold on to. Confidence comes and goes with passing situations; it’s possible to be confident in one area of your life but lack complete confidence in another say job search. It’s not uncommon for people to be weak in the area of confidence when searching for a job.  However if there was a time when you need confidence it’s then.

I like to think of confidence as an old friend who comes and goes in your life based on how they are treated. When you are good to confidence it will stick close by and never let you down but if you mistreat confidence it will be gone and down the road before you know it.  Treat yourself well and you will find that you and most likely you will never be short of confidence.

When searching for a job; know with confidence that you are the best candidate for the job.  If you lack the confidence the interviewer will surly see. I found a great article for the folks over at Mind Tools on confidence and it’s worth a glance.  Even if it’s just a refresher your after.

Here’s a quick list to start your road to better confidence:

1.    Dress Sharp when you look good you are sure to feel good.

2.    Walk with Purpose know where you are going and head that way.

3.    Keep your shoulder up and look people in the eye when you speak to them.

4.    Speak your mind in a thoughtful way and be heard!

Good luck on your road to self confidence and treat yourself well.

I wanted to reach out to you with an opportunity for multigenerational families.

A major cable network is looking for multigenerational families. This could be a great opportunity for a family, because they are willing to pay the family’s mortgage for several months!

Major Cable Network Search: Multigenerational Families Living Together

A MAJOR CABLE NETWORK wants to know how your family is coping with the economic downturn and PAY YOUR MORTGAGE!

How has the economic downturn affected your family? Have you moved back in with your folks or taken up residence with your adult children?  If you are a MULTIGENERATIONAL family (or willing to be one), we want to hear your stories!  Tell us how you have adjusted your lifestyle during this difficult time and inspire the country. 

If your family fits this description, or you know of a family that does, please email me a current picture of the family and house and briefly tell me about the situation ASAP.

The key thing is that they want a family that has or is planning to take up residence together specifically as a result of the recession – i.e. job loss or cut back hours, mortgage crisis/house loss or in danger of losing a house, loss of retirement savings etc.

Now you might think because I manage a job board in this fast paced world I might be somewhat adapted to change.   Well that couldn’t be further from the truth, in fact truth be told I usually fight change kicking and screaming, and I never win.  Change Happens. However, as I age I’m getting more comfortable with change but sadly I’m not sure I will ever accept it with open arms. Baby Steps……right? I especially like when people quip that the only constant in life is change, oh boy does that get me excited!

My point today is that change is going to happen regardless and the only way to lessen the effect is expect change and accept it.  The biggest and scariest change happens is when you discover you have to look for a new job or perhaps a new career.  Especially if you are looking at a career change, where do you start?  Never fear you have tools to get you navigate through the task of finding your new employment home.  

AARP Foundation WorkSearch -Whether you’re looking to re-enter the workforce or upgrade from your current job, AARP can help you.

WiserWorker.com- Job Board designed for older workers, easy to navigate and find a job in markets across the country.  

You’re not alone in the quest to seek out a job and don’t worry to the best of my knowledge change has never killed anyone and in fact after change is over I am always happy with change. It’s getting and living with change that will make you stronger.

Good Luck to you and give me a shout out if you need help!

Have you ever been truly wowed?  Have you even met someone that was so full of energy and excitement that it wore you out?  I mean the type of person who literally saw no boundaries? The type of man who has never met a task too great. If he took on a project you knew that not only would it be completed but the outcome would be beyond your expectations?  I have and his name was Dave Harmon.

I looked forward to national meetings because I knew Dave would be there and he always made the event more interesting and well…..just more fun. He had the ability to light up a room by simply walking in, and YES he was always surrounded by people.    Many times I would call Dave to seek advice on a project or idea, or more often just to say hi because he always made my day brighter.

Our Employment Guide Family today is a little smaller but I know we will always carry the memory of Dave with us, because he was a big part of our family. I hope Dave knew the impact he made on The Employment Guide, our family of products and the people who make them run. My only regret, I don’t know if I even took the time to tell Dave what a great man he was to me and my vision.

Don’t cry because he’s gone. Smile because he was here.  Dave Harmon….Thank you for the contribution you made and for being the man you were.  You will be missed and never replaced.  

Older Worker…what does this term mean?  Does it infer age, experience or maybe a segment of a marketplace? Perhaps it means all three of those combined?  What it shouldn’t do is turn you off.  To me the term older worker should be looked at as a badge of honor, it means this particular employee has fought the employment battle and has the expertise to prove it; it’s a trait every employer should be seeking in a candidate.  

Still it’s a constant point of conversation when you bring up any fraction of the word old; rather it is old, older or oldest.  So when we ventured in this quest to create WiserWorker.com. I was a bit timid at first because we really are serving the older worker, however what to call them? So the research. Began I started with talking too many and I “mean many” people about what term really fits the target market. 

What do the people who we are targeting (older workers) react to?  You might be surprised to know the only people who turned their noses up at the term older worker really don’t fit into the category!  The people who do fit into our demographic didn’t really seem to mind.
Moreover, I found it was a case of “call a spade a spade!”

You see what I found out is getting old can be one of two things an adventure or a death sentence. You can boldly accept the fact you are going to age because whether you accept it or not it’s gonna happen….then accept with it with grace!  Being older is a badge of honor; it’s a sign of distinction.

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you were?  ~Satchel Paige

When you enter a interview….it’s a question your likely to encounter and goes something like this: What are your expectations for this position if you were to be the candidate chosen? Stop and think how you would answer this question, and before you speak realize there isn’t a right or wrong answer. What your response can indicate is how much time you have invested into determining if this is the right position for you.

Ideally before you interview for any potion you should have a clear picture of what you expect beyond your weekly paycheck. Some of my expectations of my job at WiserWorker.com are as follows:

Clear expectation of what my career path looks like both now and in the future.

What’s expected of me by my superiors.

What my customers expect from me - both internal and external.

What and how I will be compensated.

I have a clear understanding of my schedule.

So take a deep breath and decide what you want out of what your next job. Find out if they can and will meet your expectations and if you can meet theirs. It’s important to set those expectations from the very start because if you don’t you run the risk of being let down or even worse letting your employer down.