Career Opportunities with Douglas E. Welch

It is graduation time again here in the US. College graduates, high school graduates and, in the case of my own son, a graduation from Junior High and into High School. Where graduation usually brings a feeling of exhilaration for most, it can also bring a heavy dose of fear in today’s job market. The old ways of work are changing, but the new ways haven’t yet found their stable center. Job seekers today are just as likely to face old-fashioned resume review and interviews as they are to encounter new methods of hiring. It can be a stressful time, made all the more stressful for all the unknowns. That said, I think we are moving into a time of greater flexibility and opportunity for everyone. We aren’t stuck with the old ways of doing business and we should seek out those opportunities that look to the future, both in their hiring practices and the work environments they offer. Listen to this Podcast   Subscribe to Douglas' YouTube Channel Visit the video archives and see when each new video is uploaded Also, visit the Career Opportunities playlist -- the home for all my career-related videos   Like Career Opportunities on Facebook You still need a resume Much as I hate to say it, you still need a paper resume in today’s job market. In some cases, companies may rely solely on this printed document to judge your skills and abilities. This doesn’t mean you can’t also make a resume for the 21st Century, though. Digital tools and online resumes allow you to customize your resume to highlight experience for each particular position. They allow you to share more information than would ever fit on the traditional 1-page paper resume. You can then use this longer, digital resume to create whatever traditional resumes you might need. Additionally, you need to think hard about the types of companies where you apply for work. An archaic, chaotic or overly bureaucratic application process could be a red flag. If a company can’t move into a new way of hiring it could mean that their other work processes will be just as out of date. Jump through their application “hoops” if you must, but keep a keen eye out for how the company is managed overall. You might find some very ugly business methods within. You then need to decide if you can live (and thrive) within such a structure or if your forward thinking ideas will be met with derision or disdain. The hiring process can be very illuminating about how a company operates as a whole Seek out those who use new hiring methods While you are sure to be faced with old hiring methods, don’t be afraid to try out some of the new job search and application methods. I look forward to a world where work comes looking for you instead of you having to go out and find it. My watch phrase has always been that you need to tell the world “what you do and how well you do it!” This is the first step in changing how we find our life’s work. Through the use of blogs, social media, podcasting, audio, video and more you can let people know who you are and what you do. Why would you want to do this? Simply so that when a company is looking to fill a particular position they already have you in mind for the job. Imagine what a change that would be. They might think, “We really need someone who can do X, Y, Z. Remember that excellent blog post, article, video etc we saw about that topic from Douglas? Why don’t we talk to him?” Hopefully, you can see how powerful a change this would make in the job market. Instead of waiting around for someone to hire you, you will be actively out there making connections -- both online and face-to-face -- that could benefit you greatly in the future. You will surely have to face a lot of old-school hiring practices as you look for work, but do yourself a favor and seek out those who are seeking a new way of hiring. Reward those companies that offer a better, faster, clearer path to getting hired with your best efforts of time and energy.

In this Career Tip - You should be learning something every day in your work and in your life. If you aren't, it could be a sign that you need to find a more challenging job. If you aren't learning at work, you also need to take the initiative to reach out in your own life and make learning a lifelong goal. Don't see the video above? Watch "Career Tip - Learning Every Day" on YouTube   Subscribe to Douglas' YouTube Channel | Watch the Career Opportunities YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Career Opportunities podcast via iTunes  

Douglas presents what he has learned about troubleshooting over nearly 25 years of computer consulting and how it can be applied to many life situations outside of technology. If you enjoy this recipe video, please click Like and/or subscribe on my YouTube channel. Can't see the video above? Watch "The Fine Art of Troubleshooting Anything" on YouTube.   Subscribe to Douglas' YouTube Channel | Watch the My Word YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the My Word with Douglas E. Welch podcast using iTunes

“CHAPTER XXII -- CONCERNING THE SECRETARIES OF PRINCES The choice of servants is of no little importance to a prince, and they are good or not according to the discrimination of the prince. And the first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of his understanding, is by observing the men he has around him; and when they are capable and faithful he may always be considered wise, because he has known how to recognize the capable and to keep them faithful. But when they are otherwise one cannot form a good opinion of him, for the prime error which he made was in choosing them.” -- Niccolo Machiavelli Listen to this Podcast Subscribe to Douglas' YouTube Channel Visit the video archives and see when each new video is uploaded Also, visit the Career Opportunities playlist -- the home for all my career-related videos   Like Career Opportunities on Facebook Even as far back as the Renaissance -- and probably before -- people have known that good people attract other good people while evil, avaricious, greedy, mean people attract those with the same failures and vices. You can be, and will be, judged by the company you keep, but few people seem to understand or remember this very useful part of human nature. Worse still, even when people understand that the company they keep is damaging their career and life, they remain in their company simply because leaving it -- quitting a job, finding another, moving schools or homes -- is simply too much trouble. This column is a reminder that the damage you do to your career by associating with the wrong people is far worse than the inconvenience you will face in trying to change it. When my wife and I hold our annual parties, one comment we hear again and again, is about the friendliness of the people we attract to us. No matter how old or young, what they do for a living, how rich or poor they are, our friends all have a certain quality that makes it fun to be around them and share their lives and engage in conversation about the world and our place in it. Over our 26+ years together, my wife and I have often commented on how lucky we are to have found such a wide variety of amazing friends. Then again, perhaps it isn’t just an accident that this happens. We, like I would advise you, are very careful to bring a particular type of person into our lives and into the life of our son. Like us, they should be marginally optimistic. They should love a good conversation, regardless of what the topic might be or where it might go. They should be as comfortable grabbing a quick bite at Henry’s Tacos as they are attending a concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA. They should have hobbies and interests that they like sharing with others like our friends who belong to the local geology club, are docents at the LA Zoo, share the archery field with us or those who get a kick out of camping at the beach. Why do we look for people like this? Because they are the people we are ourselves -- or least, strive to be. We look at our friends and hope that others see us in the same light. Our friends are a reflection of ourselves and over the years this has proven to be a very good thing. We have developed many deep and long standing relationships based on our underlying -- even unspoken -- methods. Now, take a look at your friends, your co-workers, your business partners. These people are a reflection of you, your dreams, your values. Do you see in them what you would most like to see in yourself? If not, why not? If you are surrounded by those who skirt the law, take advantage of others only to better themselves, or abuse those around them, why are you there? Surely you must know that when seen from outside, these people reflect directly on you. You become one of them, whether you like it or not. Surround yourself with those people you respect and you will find the respect of others. Find those people that are successful without being evil and you will find the same path for yourself.

Douglas E. Welch offers his career "prescriptions" - actions that every careerist should be doing to "build the career you deserve." These prescriptions include blogging to share "what you do and how well you do it", selectively using Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites and maybe even producing your own "show." Recorded at Tuesdays with Transitioners in Northridge, California. (http://tuesdayswithtransitioners.ning.com) Don't see the video above? Watch "Career Prescriptions" on YouTube   Subscribe to Douglas' YouTube Channel | Watch the Career Opportunities YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Career Opportunities podcast using iTunes

Working at Java Groove Cafe in Van Nuys [Flickr]

Valentine's Day 2007

After the show...

After the show...

A chat with fellow ComputorEdge writers and more

A chat with fellow ComputorEdge writers and more