Woman Around Town’s Editor Charlene Giannetti and writers for the website talk with the women and men making news in New York, Washington, D.C., and other cities around the world. Thanks to Ian Herman for his wonderful piano introduction.
Before we observe Veteran’s Day on November 11, Woman Around Town continues a series by career expert Jason Veduccio interviewing experts who help returning warriors re-enter the workplace. This week, Jason talks with Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Joseph C. Barto III (Retired) who is the Founder and President of TMG (Training Modernization Group) that offers customized solutions to top international corporations looking to increase productivity and performance.
Part II – Helping Vets Help America’s Businesses
Veterans already in the workplace are in the best position to help their fellow veterans, but they cannot do it alone. Corporate America must pitch in to help. The result would be a win-win: corporations will benefit from employing veterans who are highly trained, loyal, dedicated, driven, courageous, and adept at problem-solving, while the veterans will find meaningful, well-paying jobs that can help them transition back into civilian life.
That message was emphasized during my conversation with LTC Joseph C. Barto III, a gentleman with as much confidence as cordiality. He spoke to me by phone during a break in his hectic schedule, and though he hadn’t any previous knowledge of my questions, his answers were focused and genuine and he spoke with the essence of a man who knew exactly what it was he wanted to say. (Please see below for a more complete bio of LTC Barto.)
When did you first consider a life or work in the military?
I was an Army brat in Atlanta who happened to be a pretty good basketball player. I was recruited by the United States Military Academy at West Point and attended where I was in the first recruiting class for a new young head coach there named Mike Krzyzewski. (Krzyzewski is the now legendary coach of the Duke basketball team.)
When did you begin to think that helping Veteran’s find work was something that needed someone’s attention?
When I was a kid I asked my Dad about his life after World War II when he had returned from the European Theater. He said that he went home to Bethlehem, PA after he was discharged and went to Bethlehem Steel and asked for a job. They told him to come back the next day ready to work—good enough for our country good enough for us. I thought to myself, that’s how it should be now – and not because it’s right, but because if these corporations understand the value of an employee who has served in the armed forces, then it simply becomes a good business decision.
What were some challenges you saw in Veteran’s finding work?
Vets have come to expect good 1st Line Leadership, to be taught what they are expected to do for the very beginning, to feel like they are a part of a team they can be loyal to, to see a future with the business, and to have at least the salary they had in the service with full benefits. Many companies will not or can not provide this environment which makes this about our businesses more than about the Vets.
Were there many groups out there helping in this area?
Yes, there are and some are great. The issue is that many are focused on the Veteran’s themselves, by tutoring them on resumes, showing them how to dress, even teaching them more skills, and in reality we should be focused on the companies. They must pull the Vets into the business as opposed to pushing Vets into the workforce and hope something good happens.
What types of companies are you speaking of?
In some ways all of them but more strategically, 80% of businesses are hiring very few employees each year, maybe one or two, while the larger corporations, those with 1,000 or more employees, they usually have more extensive yearly hiring commitments. The key is identifying those smaller businesses who want to hire and retain Vest but they just don’t know how.
What are some things that TMG is doing to help?
TMG serves corporations with the best solutions for Leader Performance and Workforce Productivity systems. Through TMG we have developed a Vet Pipeline system that we customize to specific company circumstances. We branded it Vet-STRONG. The Vet-STRONG system is designed to help companies across America successfully recruit and retain military Veterans.
What are some of the qualities of the Vet-STRONG Initiative?
We offer a process to hiring and retaining Veterans that focuses on training the company to see the value in this type of employee. After a company has shown interest they complete a Vet Ready Self-Assessment (VRA) to determine if they want to move from being Vet Friendly to Vet STRONG. After TMG conducts a VRA on-site, and analysis is used to design a more focused model, at that point TMG customizes a Vet Pipeline for said company’s Vet-Strong program. After a pilot period TMG hands off the Vet-STRONG Program to the company who now has a valuable channel for finding and retaining these employees.
How do you classify these companies?
We do it by size, from small, medium to large and then enterprise-size companies which tend to hire 500+ people per year.
What types of things do you think companies would benefit from knowing about Veterans?
The first thing I tell them is that companies in the private sector really have no understanding of what a Veteran even is, for instance there are so many different kinds, with different skill sets and yet for many, they all are seen as this one grouping of “Veterans”. Vet is a really big word. Secondly I tell them about the military’s recruiting system and how our system already disqualified only 1 out of 4 youths between the ages of 17-24 so you should take advantage of the quality young people available. Lastly I try to explain a bit about the lives of these Veterans: how they may have moved 3 or 4 times in just a few years, or how they might have spent over half their time overseas, or that many are used to promotions and value the responsibility that comes with it. It is through an understanding these nuances that can help make the relationship more organic.
Is there anything people reading this can do to help?
Well first of all yes we can all do something. Spreading the word is a start. But it’s not helping people like me. It’s about helping these Veterans and at the same time, corporate America. If we could get people on board to train companies, better describe the challenges of the workforce to Veteran’s, and finally reach out to more Veterans in a more consistent manner, we would make a lot of head way. And if corporate America is out there listening, please contact someone to learn about these incredible people who can help make your company better. Hire and Retain a Vet… it will be the best business decision you will ever make.
Read the first part of Jason’s series, an interview with Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Eric Furey (Retired), who helps finds veterans looking for work, mostly in the defense industry as contractors.
If you would like to contact LTC Barto please send your request to jason@in1concepts.com and it will be forwarded.
LTC Joseph C. Barto III (Retired) has created and led TMG, Inc. to consistent, near perfect business performance since it’s founding as Training Modernization Group in July 2002. A values-driven Program Management Services company, TMG’s high level of performance has been recognized by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2009 for Excellence in Practice with partners across America. TMG analyzes, designs, develops, pilots, implements and transitions Leader Performance and Workforce Productivity systems for companies such as Northrop Grumman, ESCO, Ball Metal Beverage Packaging, BAE Systems Ship Repair, Liebherr Mining Equipment, Lifetouch Studios, Aera Energy, L3 Communications, and North Florida Shipyards.
A retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, Barto graduated and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Armor at the United States Military Academy in 1978 where he was an Army basketball player for Coach Mike Krzyzewski. During Operation Desert Shield and Storm he was the Chief of Operations for the 25,000 soldier 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) and the Executive Office for Task Force 2-4 CAV which led the division into the Euphrates River Valley attacking the Iraqi Republican Guards. He is the author of Task Force 2-4 CAV: First In — Last Out, a study of leadership in the most challenging, stressful, and demanding leadership environment—combat. He was a Special Assistant to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and the primary author of the June 1996 Joint Training Manual.
He holds a Master Degree in Public Administration (Organizational Theory and Leadership) from James Madison University, was a Charter member of the United States Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative, serves on the Southeast Region Board of Directors for the Association of Manufacturing Excellence and is a long time Director of the New Horizons Regional Education Center Foundation. He is on the Steering Committee for the Hampton Roads Quality Management Council and the Chair, Workforce Development Committee of the Virginia Offshore Wind Coalition.
In 2008, Barto was diagnosed with vocal chord cancer and with the help of his family, his medical team and his college friend and basketball teammate, Krzyzewski, he is now cancer free. He has been married to Tricia for 34 years, and they have four sons of which the two oldest and Tricia are a core part of the family business.
You’ve heard that thinking like an entrepreneur can make the difference between success and failure for some people in today’s workplace. Entrepreneurial employees are becoming more valuable to employers not because of the way entrepreneurs work, but because of how they think. (Read my previous piece on the importance of knowing your value.)
Not everyone is going to be an entrepreneur but anyone can to start to think like one. And once you start it has a way of gaining momentum.
Thinking like an entrepreneur starts with an attitude.
Your instincts tell you that to be more productive, to be a better leader or to get that new job you need to do something. Work harder, longer hours maybe, or do more networking and learning. The truth is that yes all of those things will help. But here’s the secret to thinking like an entrepreneur: it starts with an attitude.
Entrepreneurs are people who see opportunity everywhere. Never mind the half-full, half-empty nonsense. Some I’ve met are optimistic types, believing they can change the world with their actions. But others I’ve met are not. They are cautious in their approach, taking calculated risks, always making contingency plans. What they have in common is an ability to see opportunity even in the face of tremendous obstacles.
You can see opportunity everywhere if you have the attitude that you can affect change. If you do not believe you can do anything to change your surroundings it is difficult to maintain that attitude.
I believe we all have this attitude to some degree but many lack the belief they can change their surroundings. So here’s a few small ways to jumpstart yourself in thinking like an entrepreneur.
Clean Your Workspace
If you have a messy desk with papers everywhere then strip it down to nothing, even if for one day. If that’s not possible, change some photos, put away the stapler, get a new pen holder if you have to, just do something that is noticeably different. If you already are neat and tidy, put up that photo of you from the Halloween party. Yes that one.
Get to Work Early
If you can get to work even 10 minutes earlier each day, what would happen? You might get started earlier, or you might stumble upon something new, maybe meet a coworker you never speak with. You don’t even have to work, just get there and sit. The point is you’re not running to make someone else’s deadline, now you’re getting there when you want.
Make a List of Ways to Improve Your Company or Organization
Don’t show it to anyone–yet. But make believe you’re the CEO and make a list of improvements. When you list something here, present the problem and then a full solution. If there’s a cost to it, then estimate it, and where you would get the money from to achieve it. Make a timeline and who would need to be involved. Don’t show this to anyone yet, but if you do this, there may come a time to express it. The important part is it is helping you to think.
These aren’t difficult things to start doing. Some of you may be able to do even more to affect your surroundings in a positive way. If so go for it. All of this is designed to give you some of the habits that can lead to the attitude you need to succeed.
Jason Veduccio is the author of The New American Dreamer: How to Land That Ideal Job in a Nightmare Economy. Click to buy.
Three weeks before we observe Veteran’s Day, Woman Around Town launches a three-part series by career expert Jason Veduccio interviewing experts who help returning warriors re-enter the workplace. This week, Jason talks with Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Eric Furey (Retired) who spends his personal time assisting fellow veterans looking for work, mostly in the defense industry as contractors. These assignments allow veterans to use the knowledge they gained fighting a war to assist companies who produce defense-related products or provide personnel services.
Part I – Helping Vets Find Jobs as Contractors
Americans cherish freedom and understand that the country’s all-volunteer armed forces deserve credit and loyalty for protecting those freedoms. During their service time, soldiers may be in charge of scores of people, handle millions of dollars worth of equipment, and devise complicated strategies for multiple teams around the globe. Yet many will return home and have difficulty finding work.
Veterans already in the workplace are in the best position to help their fellow veterans, but they cannot do it alone. Corporate America must pitch in to help. The result would be a win-win: corporations will benefit from employing veterans who are highly trained, dedicated, driven, and adept at problem-solving, while the veterans will find meaningful, well-paying jobs that can help them transition back into civilian life.
I spoke with LTC Eric Furey of Virginia, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel (Green Beret) who served as a Red Team Leader, as part of the first Red Team to deploy with the Special Operations to Afghanistan from July 2008 to January 2009. These days LTC Furey puts his abilities to good use away from the battlefield, working in his spare time helping veterans find work mostly as contractors within the defense industry. I spoke with LTC Furey on the phone recently as he was driving through Virginia, where he now finds himself working for a defense contractor. (Please see below for a more complete bio of LTC Furey.)
Where did the idea of hiring veterans as contractors come from?
When the draft was discontinued after Vietnam and the military became more sophisticated, it also became leaner and as such many specialized jobs that before went to military personnel started getting contract workers to perform them.
Who were these contractors?
Many were veterans since they knew the terrain and the way in which these jobs needed to be done. They also understand how demanding this work can be.
Do you find that many want to do this work or is it more that they lack opportunity here at home?
It’s both really. There are some that go to these places on tours of duty and really integrate with the culture as part of their mission and then after their tour they want to return, to be with their colleagues helping in some way, with their family of military brothers. Others are not able to find work back home in the U. S. and they are forced to take these jobs to support families in the U.S.
Do you have success in finding them work?
The success rate really depends on the individual’s personal motivation. But I tend to see the gamut of people who may have suffered traumatic war injuries or Post Traumatic Stress and so they can get discouraged as well, and what’s worse is many have found that when they return many people have made promises that they just don’t keep.
Do you work within a corporate structure or on your own?
I work on my own in my spare time. I simply help them network. I started just because I wanted to help veterans. It wasn’t this organized effort on my part it just came to me when a friend or colleague needed help; it was just doing it one by one. It’s about helping people just like someone would who works in publishing or construction, where you might see someone you think is talented or needs a break and you just help by making some calls or finding them the right people to talk to.
Have you ever thought to start an organization?
Yes, but there are already many out there. For me I want to hook up veterans with other veterans with similar needs so they can inspire each other, even beyond getting them jobs. Imagine if we could pair veterans that are doing well with children who are in trouble and let them push and inspire each other.
Are there any organizations or people helping that we should know of?
There are all kinds of people helping. There are many organizations out there doing great work. And some individuals too. You never know who is doing what because many do it quietly. Did you know that Martha Raye a.k.a. Colonel Maggie was a Nurse, Entertainer and Honorary Green Beret out in the field during her visits to Vietnam with the U.S.Special Forces? People are out there doing incredible things that we just don’t know about. (Professional Golfer) Phil Mickelson does incredible things behind the scenes for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. At the Fort Bragg, N.C. Airborne & Special Operations Museum (above) you would see all that John Wayne did including helping to fund the Green Beret statue of “Bronze Bruce” (the Special Warfare Memorial Statue) dedicated in 1969. But then there are people who aren’t celebrities and who do things all the time. Much of it is done quietly.
What is demand like for these contractors?
People don’t realize that even when we are not at war; it doesn’t mean we are at peace. And that means we need not just the military but also these contractors that support them. So there are always needs for workers, but when the military makes cuts, usually these jobs are among the first to go.
How much can a contractor make?
The contractors who go overseas to combat zones can make six figures, which might sound like a lot, and is a lot for someone who may not have attended college, but these jobs are demanding and highly dangerous. And the time hired is limited so they need to stash away much of this money because there is no long-term guarantee. The problem is that the government’s spending is elastic and it expands and shrinks depending on what engagements we are involved with, but these workers have lives and families and want some sense of security.
Do you help any particular branch of the military of all personnel?
Sometimes each branch likes to work with like-branches, such as the Special Forces Association and the Green Beret Foundation, but for me I like to just help anyone who wore a uniform.
How long are these contracts?
Contracts are usually for a year. The problem is there is if a contractor gets hurt they do not have access to the same resources as those in uniform unless it is life or death. And contracts can be harder to come by as the military downsizes in order to be more efficient.
If there are some veterans out there interested in this type of work or better yet, some companies looking to hire veterans can they contact you?
Absolutely. I hope more companies outside of the defense industry will step up and many are to see that these veterans are superb workers and leaders, able to learn complicated operations. Veterans also happen to be among the most loyal workers you will ever hire.
If you would like to contact LTC Furey please send your request to jason@in1concepts.com and it will be forwarded.
Lieutenant Colonel Eric Furey (Retired)
When he was ten, LTC Furey’s father took him to the Savoy in downtown Boston to see The Green Beret, a film starring John Wayne. He doesn’t remember exactly what he said after the viewing but he knew that it had changed his life. After high school he decided he wanted to be a United States fighter pilot. From there he attended Norwich University, the Military College of Vermont. After a brief stint as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, LTC Furey received a direct commission from the U.S. Army Reserve in 1984 whereupon he fulfilled his dream of becoming a Green Beret in 1985. By 1999, he was recalled to active duty to teach as an Assistant Professor of Military Science at Northeastern University. However, shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, he led a Massachusetts National Guard team dedicated to responding to potential domestic attacks involving chemical, biological or nuclear weapons in the New England area. Thereafter he would serve the next eight years serving in every aspect of the Global War in terror to include a deployment to Kosovo as an Infantry Battalion Commander.
In 2008 he became part of the first Red Team to deploy with Special Operations to Afghanistan where Red Teaming brings external creative and critical thinking into the strategic and operational military decision making process. Red Teamers offer alternative perspectives, play the role of devil’s advocates and assist key leaders in preventing problems in planning associated with cognitive biases such as tunnel vision, group think, and cultural missteps, all techniques that LTC Furey says work just as effectively in the private sector when leveraged as a corporate executive decision tool.
With his fellow Red Teamers and essential input from U.S. Army Special Forces Operational Detachment – Alphas, better known by the moniker ODA’s, stationed along the Afghanistan and Pakistan border, LTC Furey developed the concept and wrote the plan for the Tribal Engagement Initiative, utilizing aspects from the unwritten, ancient, Pashtun tribal ethical code called Pashtunwali. Their initiative would become the genesis for subsequent local engagement activities in Afghanistan.
We don’t need studies to show us that being unemployed can affect you emotionally. When people aren’t working they tend to be depressed, even with no clinical history of depression. But this can make finding a job harder, especially if you’re not aware of how it is affecting your behavior.
Is there anything you can do to prevent depression when you’re unemployed? Let’s look at options that may help your mental state–even after you get that new job.
Without a doubt, unemployment can affect your mood. We’ve probably all been there, even if for only a short time, feeling discontented as we’re struggling to overcome a difficult situation. For a few, it can become more serious and lead to deep depressions. And for others, it affects confidence and outlook enough to put you off course if you let it.
What to do if you feel seriously depressed.
If you are dealing with work issues and you feel hopeless about everything, get help. I’m not going to give you a list of symptoms for clinical depression, let a therapist decide. Call your local hospital or doctor to find free or sliding scale clinics near you. If you are religious ask your local leaders, or contact your town or city hall for more information. It’s out there, don’t take no for an answer.
What to do if your job search is taking a mental toll.
For others who may not have a medical issue but certainly have a serious problem, look at these as a few options, however there are many more ideas and lots of great things to read about on this subject.
Talk to someone because there’s nothing wrong with you. If you’re not working then normal mental stressors are going to come up–that’s reality. A few people handle these stressors easily, while they can trip up most of the rest of us. You may not need therapy, but if you’re human, you may need to vent, talk, or just let it out once in a while. Do this once a week to a friend, community leader, or trusted source.
Hire yourself. After all if you won’t, why should they right? You now work for you. Your job is to get a job and your pay is a bowl of oatmeal and a mile walk each day. Sorry, this job doesn’t pay well but that’s your best offer. What I am saying here is to treat the search as if it is your job, set times you work and only take breaks as you would in a real position. If you’re entire job is to get a job you have one focus–go after it. How does this affect your mood? It gives your days a purpose. (And might help you find a job.)
Nourish yourself. I’m going to try to not sound all Self-Helpy here but here’s the deal: Science has shown that eating right and exercising, can make a huge difference. Eating right and working out on a barely-there budget? Are you kidding? I’m not, I know it’s hard but use what you have to buy only healthy foods and if you can’t join the gym, not to worry you don’t even need one. Walking is a great way to spend time thinking and working out without weights in your living space can actually be beneficial.
Give. Volunteer. It’s an amazing experience and does so much even in small amounts. And it helps you to meet people! Socializing can keep your mood stable but it also can lead to finding work. Volunteering can also give you a deeper gratitude about life in general, and that helps in many ways.
Am I trying to be blindly positive even when it’s not possible? No, I know there are some devastating stories that are not made for happiness. Those are the people we all need to come together to help. If you know someone like that reach out.
For the rest of us, there are ways to get through a job search without losing your mind. These tips may not make you a happy dancing fool, but they can give you just enough to get through to better times.
This is a topic that has many aspects. Being this was just a quick overview of some options, we need to revisit this to see how your mood and attitude can actually affect the job search itself. For now, try to relax.
How to Put This Article Into Action:
Contact a friend.
Drink a gallon of water each day.
Walk for at least 30 minutes.
Volunteer.
Jason Veduccio is the author of The New American Dreamer: How to Land That Ideal Job in a Nightmare Economy. Click to buy.
As the economy shows signs of improvement with gains in employment numbers, more of us are interviewing for those jobs. Interviews are the single most important factor in getting hired. But are you ready?
There are many aspects to a great interview but today we look at 5 things you need to know before walking into your audition.
Recruiting is becoming more intense as HR departments develop more tools to separate the wheat from the chaff. If you think the interview is all about you, then think again–you need to know more about them than they know about you.
Know their website inside and out. Read their Mission Statement. Review the About Us section. Then go deeper, because most other candidates won’t.
Know their social media presence. Check out each platform and look at the number of people following or liking, know what types of postings they create and most importantly, follow or like them.
Know where the interview is and how long it takes to get there. Know what route you need to take, know where you plan on parking, and factor in any possible traffic issues. Plan enough time and then add 30 minutes. It’s always better to spend time sitting in your car rather than being late.
Know the job description. Understand each bullet point and know what they seek. Better yet, know what you will say if they ask you about your capabilities–these should sound like the ideal match for the posting.
Know the people you are meeting! Do I really have to say this? Yes! It’s surprising how many people don’t Google the person they are meeting, the CEO and other major players at the company, and even the HR department heads. Don’t tip them off to your looking them up, just have the info and use it to your advantage. (For example, say you find that you share an alma mater with someone. Conveniently mention your own schooling and let them bring it up!)
There’s a lot more that goes into a good interview but if you don’t know these 5 things, you are already behind before you even walk in the door.
Jason Veduccio is the author of The New American Dreamer: How to Land That Ideal Job in a Nightmare Economy. Click to buy.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest job numbers on Friday, October 3rd, and it tells two stories.
The first is that more people are finding work. The unemployment rate dropped from 6.1% to 5.9% in September. The second is that more people are stopping their job search. What does it all mean for you?
I always say stop watching the news if you’re looking for work. The reason is that we are likely to hear reports and expect to see the world change tomorrow and that’s not always the case. It can also simply take the air out of your sails if you hear any negativity.
However it is helpful to know what’s going on at a glance and to let the good news sneak in when it’s out there.
This jobs report is in many ways just that: good news. Yes wage growth (the aggregate or average amount salaries went up for a particular group) is stagnant and many of the long-term unemployed are dropping out of the work force, but there are new jobs out there being filled, 248,000 of them last month alone.
Segments that added jobs were employment services (34,000 added), management and technical consulting (12,000 added), architectural and engineering services (6,000 added).
This tells us the new jobs being created are in need of re-trained workers.
Technology has a huge impact on the economy and the addition of computers everywhere means fewer people are needed to work in the old way, and the people who are needed now must know how to work with computers. Think of how robots are being used on assembly lines in manufacturing plants for one example.
Want a job? Learn a computer skill. Almost any will make you a more attractive candidate and here’s some free or inexpensive places to learn:
What is an entrepreneur? And why would you want to be like one? Everyone’s saying they’re an entrepreneur these days, but what’s the fuss about? So what you ask?
This is just the first in a series of articles that take a look at the reasons why EVERYONE should be an entrepreneur.
The word entrepreneur comes from the French and roughly translates to “one who undertakes something”. It also traditionally encompasses a loose reference to leadership. These are definitely key attributes but perhaps most importantly, an entrepreneur usually has little resources so they must focus on value in all of its many incarnations.
Value Trumps Cost
Providing value is not something that is ever finished. It’s ongoing and ever-changing. Value changes with the needs of the times so businesses must adjust and the good ones do. Why do you think McDonald’s rolls out “Value Meals” with new offerings every few years? Just being affordable is no way to sustain a business or a job. What determines “value” changes but the need for it doesn’t.
Generally speaking, value is what something is worth as a whole, with costs being only one piece of the puzzle.
What companies won’t tell you is that they view employees much like they do their vendors, suppliers, and other cost-based resources. They ask themselves–what value am I getting?
Compensation to Revenue Ratio
Compensation to revenue ratio is just one way a business might look at an employee’s value. Compensation to revenue ratios are the amount of money spent on salaries, bonuses, benefits and anything associated with keeping you at work, in relation to overall revenue.
Compensation to revenue ratios vary from industry to industry and are expressed as a percentage. If a company has a 37.9% compensation to revenue ratio it pays $37.90 to employees in order to make every $100.00, just as Goldman Sachs did in 2012.
It’s not important that you know your compensation to revenue ratio, what is important is that you understand it exists.
Entrepreneurs have little resources much of the time, so delivering value is essential. Likewise an employee has skills, talent, and labor, but they must produce results that are sometimes many times more what is being paid to them.
Ways To Be Valuable
Here are some ways in which to bring more value to your job each day:
Be more efficient. Being efficient reduces costs, and sometimes this is as easy as streamlining a process or batching tasks together. Determine what impactful way you can be more efficient at work.
Tap into your network. You don’t have to walk into your bosses’ office with a bag of money. If you know people that can help grow business all you need to do is set up a meeting and watch as your boss actually smiles once in a while. Think of people you can introduce to each other that may spark a relationship.
Learn somethin’. You would think I owned a chain of schools they way I promote learning as an answer to most anything. Well it is. Learning new software or a new production technique can increase productivity and help you become more valuable. What class are you taking this year?
Value is only going to become more important as the internet opens up the marketplace to more competitors. Learn what it is that makes you valuable and go with it.
Jason Veduccio is the author of The New American Dreamer: How to Land That Ideal Job in a Nightmare Economy. Click to buy.
Using data to create employment projections for the next American workplace.
Many Americans are trying their best to navigate the current job market and need to keep their focus on today. Who can afford to be making long-term plans in difficult times? Hard to believe but times like these are often the best opportunity to take a look ahead.
In 2012 the U.S. Department of Labor put out Employment Projections for the ten year period of 2012 to 2022. Using this data we can paint a broad portrait of the future job market but remember–don’t get too hung up on it.
Healthcare and construction show promise.
The 30 occupations with the largest projected increases in employment from 2012 to 2022 will account for nearly half of the total projected employment growth. Of those 30 occupations, 14 of those are in healthcare and 5 are related to construction. Software developers, salespersons, and management analysts are also expected to see high percentage increases in job growth.
Something for everyone.
Nineteen of the 30 occupations projected to grow the fastest will require some postsecondary education but two-thirds of the 30 occupations with the largest growth projections will not.
Boom Time.
Due to the growth of the baby-boomer generation over one-quarter of the workforce will be made up of those 55 and older.
What does all this mean? It just gives those considering options more information to make a decision. Everyone knows healthcare, construction, finance, insurance, and law are all good bets for future job seekers. But what if those aren’t your thing? As always look inward when asking the important questions.
Here’s how to stay (sanely) in the moment while steering toward a destination.
Do what you want. Following your passions over the long haul will almost always be the right road. After reading the rest of this article, write down what you want to be doing 5 or 10 years from now. THAT is your map.
Know data is not definitive. Don’t let it rule you. Let it inform you.
Go after a skill, not a title. Think of what it is you can produce or provide. What value you bring is more important in the future than the title on your door.
Jason Veduccio is the author of The New American Dreamer: How to Land That Ideal Job in a Nightmare Economy. Click to buy.
What are some things that TMG is doing to help?
LTC Joseph C. Barto III (Retired) has created and led TMG, Inc. to consistent, near perfect business performance since it’s founding as Training Modernization Group in July 2002. A values-driven Program Management Services company, TMG’s high level of performance has been recognized by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2009 for Excellence in Practice with partners across America. TMG analyzes, designs, develops, pilots, implements and transitions Leader Performance and Workforce Productivity systems for companies such as Northrop Grumman, ESCO, Ball Metal Beverage Packaging, BAE Systems Ship Repair, Liebherr Mining Equipment, Lifetouch Studios, Aera Energy, L3 Communications, and North Florida Shipyards.
