"Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work"

I recently read an essay entitled "The Case for Working with Your Hands" based on this forthcoming book by Matthew B. Crawford, which will be soon published by Penquin Press. The essay, like the book, puts forth the premise that many of our young people, in their parents' quest to provide them with future "success" are hustled off to college and pointed at "cerebral" professions rather than allowing attention to be paid to natural tendencies for "hands on" work. Therefore education and work become "abstract and distant". The author makes quite a case for his theories.

Nothing in this essay surprises me. As a coach who has spent lots of time assisting adolescents in making post secondary choices, I have been aware for years of the disconnect in our American culture between what is seen as "real" work and hands on work. Mike Rowe, the star of "Dirty Jobs", a popular television show on the TLC network, has stated that Americans have declared war on work, or "hands on" work. Parents, before you begin talking to your children about post secondary education, which I agree all young people need, make sure that in your desire to do the best for them, you allow their personalities, interests and abilities to help drive their choices. A four year degree from a college or university is not the only answer, and in this day of outsourcing and massive layoffs, a young person who is equipped to earn a living with both his brains and his hands can indeed do very well in life.

Creating a Career Transition Plan

Have you ever done anything of major importance without developing a plan of action first? People who are buying a home, getting married or taking some other big momentous step in their lives usually try to insure their success by making a plan of action first, and then sticking, more or less, to it. Surely this must also be true in making a career transition. When you are ready to look for the answer to the question "What will be my next career step?", try making a plan of action first! Assess all aspects of yourself, update your resume, research, pay very close attention to networking and not just Facebook or Twitter, develop and set short and long term goals, and be flexible enough to make adjustments along the way. How can you do all of this? With the assistance of a career transition professional, of course! Don't think you can do it all yourself! You hire a realtor to help you select a home, you partner with a wedding planner to give a wedding; why not find a career coach to help you take that next very important career step? You will be glad you did.

Education as Your Next Career

Almost every day I see another article full of recommendations about entering Education as a career field and as an answer for those who have lost jobs as a result of the US recession. As an educator myself (years of teaching in public secondary schools, adult education and university level) I certainly encourage anyone with both the interest and desire to go for it. The US Department of Labor is calling for a shortage of workers in education within the next five years. However, be aware of the following: a general shortage of teachers will not happen everywhere...for instance, in many New England states where the population is aging rapidly, teachers who retire will generally be replaced only in the cities where the immigrant population will be the only population showing growth; real shortages exist now in special education, secondary mathematics and science and that will continue..if these specialities are not your forte, then chances are you will not make the cut. Finally, it is a fact that half of all new teachers, no matter what their ages or preparation leave the profession within the first five years. Culturally, we are not a society that values teachers, not in respect nor in salary.

If you plan to become an educator, go into it with your eyes open. Shadow a teacher, do informational interviews, volunteer in the classroom setting if you can. Make sure you understand what you are getting into. Do not enter education, or any other career for that matter, unless your personality type, interests, values and transferable skills match that of the field. There is a lot more to teaching than "summers off"; you and our children deserve better.

Australian career education project calls for greater career awareness for young children

A recent top news story in the Australian press reports on Principals Australia, a career education project sponsored by the federal department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations which calls for career development concepts to be included in a new national school curriculum in that country. The article termed this "career counselling" and this led to an outcry from various sources calling the idea presented by the project "crazy stuff", among other very negative comments.

The projects sponsors countered by citing research showing that children as young as six can identify what they thought they wanted to be upon growing up. Since children identify with their parents and their parents' careers at young ages, the sponsors feel that explicit exposure to career developments ideas, etc, would be helpful to encourage children to see that there is a wide range of careers out there, beyond what their parents do.

As an educator and a career coach, this is far from "crazy stuff"...in fact, I recently served on a committee that awarded mini grants to teachers teaching at as young as the kindergarten level to fund career exploration projects. It is never too early to gain more knowledge about the world of future..especially about the world of future careers, and that indeed applies to all ages.

Half of Life is Showing Up (and Being on Time)!

I volunteer at a local job and career assistance organization where I teach a once per week resume writing workshop. Every week the staff overbooks my class just so a reasonable amount of people will show up...usually it is half. Why don't people come? I suspect that these folks have not yet learned that half of success in work life (and also life in general) is showing up! Some people also do not understand the importance of being on time. Frequently, I have latecomers...I allow those folks in a few moments late, but after five minutes, no one is admitted. The other half of success in work life (and also life in general) is appearing on time. Perhaps this is why your polished resume did not get you an interview. Did you submit it by the deadline date? Might your colleagues at work be upset with you because your share of the latest project was not in on time? Was a reason why you were denied a promotion because you have to be chased for items due..and everyone else around you resents that? Being on time is a necessity in the American workplace these days. Just something as seemingly slight as being there and being there on time can make a world of difference.

Personal Branding

I have been reading so much about personal branding lately. Articles on it are everywhere; there is even a blog on it! While as a career coach/consultant and a professional I well understand the importance of developing a personal brand in this economy, my concern is that in trying to forge that "personal brand" in resume writing, we miss out on the importance of showing skills and abilities in all aspects of the career/job that we are targeting. Remember that employers want well-rounded employees first and foremost. Your resume should contain about 50-80 keywords, not 20 or 30. Make sure that you can truthfully "comment" on most of the items in the job description in front of you as you write. Then concern yourself about how you are unique, and how you can communicate bringing added value to the employer.

Using the Internet for Your Job Search

The Internet has become the single biggest tool that most Americans use when searching for a new job, and it is a wonderful tool...but it is just that...a tool, and how you use that tool will have a huge effect on how successful your job search will be. First, you must do your homework and find out which one of all those job boards posts the most jobs that you are qualified for, and with the salary that you feel you can command. While social networking sites like Linkedin and Twitter are all the rage, nothing beats face to face, one on one contact, so do not ignore old-fashioned ways of networking. Tips from friends, a mention of something available from a web contact to whom you have offered help ...this is the way to tap the job market. Talk to everyone, even if you cannot fathom how that person might be able to help you...you never know.