I went to an interview last week for a job I truly believe I could do; I didn’t get the job but that is not stopping me from believing in myself and what I can accomplish, I will continue looking, I will continue fighting and I will continue preparing myself . Indeed I don’t have a job, I don’t have money but I have time and that’s all I need right now. 

Today I woke up, made myself a coffee, enjoy my coffee, read the news, made myself breakfast, wrote an article about a book I just finished reading, read a chapter of a payroll/accounting book I’m reading. I said to myself: I have time! yes, I have time to study; I am preparing myself for my future career challenges, I have time to speak with my mom on the phone, I have time to sleep a siesta after lunch; time for another coffee, time to study for 3 hours in a row, time to do my laundry; organized some books, go to the supermarket, do some cleaning, read for an hour, make dinner; time for a 30 minutes work-out; time to watch a movie; time to give myself a “homemade” facial and paint my nails. Time to think, to dream, to work on my dreams and goals, to enjoy the “little things “ in my life, time to keep working on my future…

You know those days when the wheels just churn and there’s always one more thing to do? This is one of them – but I suddenly stopped to ask myself if it was going somewhere.

Oh sure, the laundry and vacuuming are done, the dogs have been exercised (a couple of times *grin*) and fed, and I’ve balanced the check book and contacted the prescription service to find out why the heck they didn’t let me know they weren’t going to send one of my vitamins – prescription strength – just because they don’t cover it under our insurance plan. I’ve also requested a refund for the item for which I was over billed this past weekend–

All of which has nothing to do with my writing or writing career.

Still, it had to be done and someone had to do it. Right?

My daughter delights in saying she was born to be rich. Someday I’m certain she will be.

I, on the other hand, was born to have a billionaire in the closet (pays the bills without question and is neither seen nor heard *wicked grin*), a fantabulous cook who feeds me wonderful food that keeps me healthy and slim but who also allows me into the kitchen at my whim, and a nanny (aka Executive Assistant *grin*) who is paid a truly handsome wage by the closeted billionaire (the cook, too) to keep track of me and do all those little piddly things (calling the online pharmacy) that I’d

Rather Not Do Ever Again.

Yes, that was a lament. *grin*

Why would I rather not do that stuff?

Because it’s far more fun and interesting and productive and Career-wise to

work on the book I’m writing
or
do research for the book I’m writing
or
print out map sections and tape them together for the book I’m writing so I can put it up on the wall and actually visualize where everything is in the city my characters live in
or
prepare a lesson plan for the novel-writing class I plan to teach this fall
or
do some yoga with the Evil Queen of Puppydom
or
write this blog
or
write the Query Letter
or
outline the next book
or

Read a book.

In other words, anything that maintains the groove of the WIP, keeps it moving forward, page by page.

That’s the kind of busy-work that’s worth it.

Terey

My career coaching focus is on those with postgraduate and professional degrees looking into career transitions and development, and those looking to escape underemployment situations. To make use of my background in qualitative and quantitative research, and psychometrics, and to serve my current and future clients better, I’m beginning a series of surveys and interviews centering on a number of personal and career issues particular to this group of people.

I’ve just launched my first short survey: Career Issues Faced by the Highly Educated and I would love your input. Please forward this link to anyone you know finishing or currently holding a masters, PhD or professional degree.

Again, according to Abi Sina, a child at the age of 14 should be given choices to choose subjects for his/her career.

For children who are now 13 or fourteen years old, what matters as career are the employment (jobs/self-employment) opportunities that will be available for them after six or eight or ten years.  What could be the challenges for them when entering the practical world as a beginner?  Would the nature of jobs be the same in ten years as it is now?

In Pakistan, what is commonly understood by career opportunities is the job that can provide them with all luxuries of life and they typical professions, such as doctor, engineer, pilot, bank manager, hotel manager, professor or lecturer, modeling, acting, singing, drama writer, etc.  All degree and diploma holders dream to find a job where they can enjoy turning sides on a revolving chair in front of a big table covered with computer, printer, telephone, intercom, bunch of pen and markers, note-pads and a peon to serve them with tea, coffee and snacks.  They don’t want to work in villages.  They don’t want to work at low level.

For self-employment, the common dream is to gain 100% profit along with bossing around and with no loss and no expenditures at all.  We don’t do maintenance which can create many jobs.  We don’t modify things or premises.   That increases self-employment.

Growing up with this wrong concept of progress and prosperity, everyone looks depressed and unhappy with what he/she is doing.

If career-based education at the age of 14 is made second level and student in 9th and 10th Grade are expected to gain some professional skills along with basic knowledge of most subjects – then for the third level, new professions can be introduced as career.  (This is not a new idea, most countries are already doing this and that is why they have low unemployment rate and capacity to adjust immigrants from under-developed countries).

Pakistan is blessed with all seasons, all kind of geographical features, almost all kind of natural resources.  We have more suitable circumstances of doing research, development and investment.  Our beaches are ruined, our rivers are polluted, our forest are destroyed, our agricultural lands are spoiled, our botanical capabilities are still undiscovered, our animals are endangered,  our fishing industry is lost, our humans are abused and misused.  The things needed to fill the environment are “understanding the change”,  ”innovation”, “try different”, “try in a better way”, “developing theories or hypothesis based on own observations or experiences”, etc.

The reason for no research in Pakistan is said to be the lack of funding.  The government seats are always occupied by the non-eligible politicians backed up by wicked bureaucracy.

What about the fundraising, donations, charities?  We have thousands of welfare homes collecting money for charity purpose.  They can buy a land with this money, use it for farming, botanical, fishery or other money generated projects along with research facilities and employment as well.  They can invest in building beautiful sites, landscapes or other attraction for tourism (even inter-cities tourism can produce good income.

So for me, the reason for no or low or slow research in Pakistan is the lack of interest and passion to achieve some goals.  Pakistan, on both government and public level, is not a poor country.  It is just that both of them don’t want to distribute wealth according to Islamic laws.  Both of them don’t acknowledge the rights of other eligible elements in their income.

For Example:

Karachi is the main center of economical activities in Pakistan.  It serves as the land of opportunities for citizens of other provinces.  Now take a look around for career or employment opportunities in Karachi in next ten years.

Most of the land is used for residential or official purposes.  That provides more accommodation to humans.  Thus, Karachi’s economic life is mainly based upon services.  The high birth rate in country would result in increase in city’s population, therefore, would require more power and water and planning for proper sewerage – and obviously more food.

How can public parks, wildlife conservation parks and sports centers be maintained to serve better in next ten years?

It is also an industrial hub so it manufactures products.  Service sector requires food, cement, wood, steel and iron, fabric material, wool, leather, handcrafts, glass, rubber, plastic, metals, minerals, gas, petrol, etc.  Out of these, food, wood, cotton, wool, leather, rubber are renewable items – Do they grow in Karachi or are imported from other places for industrial use?  Others, even if they are available in Karachi right now, they might become scarce in future for being non-reproducible.

What would be the sources of power and energy in future?

Karachi has a long coastal line, main seaport and fishing harbour.  How can these features provide career-based employment of international standard or any levels of jobs in next ten years?

How would the government and people of Karachi deal with landfills, bad environmental condition and health issues for the next decade?

Karachi

Are you planning for your next career?   When do you think you’ll start planning and learning about your next career?

The might economic upheaval from the past couple of years should have taught American workers that stability and long-term employment at anyone company is largely a myth.   The predicted changes in the global economy are bearing fully on many of the working class.   Many of those in the working class have found that there are no jobs for the skills they have and that the skills they do have are not readily transferable to other careers.

The demand for lower prices is causing a shift away from American shores to countries where labor prices are low and where workers are highly skilled. 

So, what does one do when they are displaced by economic and technological factors?  

In today’s world the best bet is to find areas where there is positive economic growth and seek training and employment in those areas that match your talents and strengths.   Don’t assume that because you made a shift to a new career field that it will be long lasting.   Assume that you will need to retrain yourself for another career.   It won’t be easy to balance all of life and then focus on increasing your value by seeking out where technology and the jobs are going.

High rates of growth will be experienced in

1. Elder care

2. Health care

3. Green technologies

 New service industries are likely to sprout up as a number of people are shifting from traditional employment to self-employment.   Contract employment will increase reducing a large financial burden from employers (medical costs, and others) and fundamentally reshape employment as we know it.  

To keep pace in this new economy:

1. Keep abreast of what is happening in the job markets.

2. Prepare for you next career

3. Start now, don’t wait.  Pay for your own education.

4. Keep adding value in whatever you do.

5. Be flexible

6. Add continuous career development to your life

Four Chaplains

Today is Memorial Day. My husband and I will attend a service for our fallen where he will be a guest speaker. Bill is a retired Navy Chaplain who never has really retired from sharing with others on this day the dedication of our service men and the story of the Four Chaplains who linked arms and went down to a watery death, after giving away their life jackets, on the USAT Dorchester in the North Atlantic during World War II.

As a wife, I am always proud of my husband’s service to his country. As a woman and mother who knows how difficult it is to raise a family to have values and goals that will make a difference, I dedicate this writing to one woman who beat the odds, met the challenges in her own career, and instilled in her family not only the desire to serve their country, but to honor our country with their life choices.

 I think you will find this video a joy to watch. Happy Memorial Day from Boyer Writes!  
Click on this link

Life is One Big To-Do List addresses many important issues in a way readers will find humorous and relatable. Women over 40, as well as women and men of all ages, are sure to benefit from the author’s candid, cleverly-written text. Ryan poignantly ends with: “My goal is to live each day as if it was my last and keep a stock of pens and paper handy for my to-do lists, knowing that when I quit writing them, my life is over. I would urge you to do the same.” Well said.

For more info: http://terrileeryan.com/

Over half of the American workforce experiences feelings of dissatisfaction, anger, fear, hopelessness, under appreciation, mistreatment, dishonesty, lack of communication, and a number of other unpleasant feelings of dread.

Michael McLaughlin of “Gorilla Marketing for Consultants” and Management Consulting News fame conducted a fantastic interview, part of the Masterminds Series, with author and Management consultant Patrick Lencioni.

Lencioni’s The 3 Signs of a Miserable Job:

1. Anonymity: “People need to be understood and appreciated by someone in a position of authority”.

Analysis: As Lencioni states, most people are taught to separate their work and home lives. This separation often makes it difficult for management and employees to become more personally acquainted and this results in fewer instances of honest communication, words of praise, or expressions of appreciation for an employee’s solid work.

2. Irreverence: “Everyone needs to know their job matters to someone”.

Analysis: People want their work to be recognized and valued. Ultimately they want to feel purposeful or on purpose.

3. Immeasurement: “Employees need to be able to gauge their progress and level of contribution for themselves”.

Analysis: “Is this my purpose and am I doing what I am on this planet to do–my life’s work?

Indeed.com – A GREAT job search website – updated by the minute.