Are you a salesman?

Contributed by Jim Lutz (Owner: Arena Graphics, Inc. | www.arenagraphics.com)

As a small business owner I have my hands in a lot of things.  Primarily sales, marketing and client relations, but also production, administration, finance, management - all of these on a small level.

One thing a very successful friend told me years ago that is so true - very few kids go to school wanting to be a "salesman."  We all have this picture of what salesmen look like - like the guy trying to sell used cars or selling cleaning detergent door-to-door.  Who wants to go to college to be a salesman??!!  But most men absolutely must have "salesmanship" to be successful in their careers.

I'm part of this Business Leadership Group that is hosted by Nelson Cooney (along with Chip Grange, Pat Ennis, Michael Winn, Eric Newquist, Paul Switzer).  I am learning so much from these men.  And one of the things I notice about each one of them is their "salesmanship."  Others might call it something different, but that's really what it is.  And the other thing I hear them mention A LOT is how the companies they lead are always in need of people who can be successful at "business development."  That's just a fancy phrase for someone who has good salesmanship and knows how to find new business opportunities, who knows how to interact with clients, who knows how to serve clients, etc.  Reality is, in many companies the highest paid people are the sales people. 

I've tried to teach all of the young guys I've worked with the importance of being able to interact with not only the other folks in the office, but also with clients and vendors.  I'm somewhat amazed at how little priority is placed on this skill while kids are in high school and college.  If nothing else, it's a skill they need to develop to successfully interview for most jobs.

I have a desire to see the young people I work with learn how to do a better job interacting with people in the workplace.  I see this skill diminishing among the next generation as they are busy on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.  And this is a skill that the men in my Business Leadership Group are having a constant need for in their own businesses.

2nd Annual USA Science & Engineering Festival

Aspiring Scientists and Engineers should keep your eyes open for this annual event:  http://www.usasciencefestival.org/

USA Science & Engineering Festival

www.usasciencefestival.org

The 2nd USA Science & Engineering Festival will inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers with school programs and nationwide contests throughout the 2011/2012 school year, and culminate with a finale Expo in Washington DC on April 27-29, 2012

Career Pavilion for High-school Students Attention high-school students: explore tomorrow's hot careers in areas such as renewable energy, robotics, space tourism, nanotchnology, virtual reality, clean technology, genetics, education, and many other exciting fields! Four different kinds of activities will take place in the Career Pavilion: Encounters with Scientists and Engineers - Allows students to personally meet real-life role models in STEM. STEM Programs Exposition - Opportunity for students to find out about internships, menorships, scholarships, and after-school programs. College Fair - Students meet representatives from some of the leading colleges and universities focused on STEM. Job Fair - Gives students and others the chance to meet some of the companies now recruiting for STEM-related professionals.

Are you on the straight and narrow vocational path?

As you consider the vocational direction for your life, remember to stay on the straight and narrow path as reminded by Ray Stedman in the post below:  

>>>>>Taken from Ray Steadman daily devotional https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/?shva=1#inbox/136d92b2da55c339

From the start, the Scriptures take pains to point out to us that there are only two ways to live. There is the broad way, which many are taking, which looks so logical but leads to destruction; and there is the narrow way, which begins at the point where an individual stands alone before God and must make a decision, the narrow way that leads unto life, as God intended life to be lived (Matthew 7:13-14). Which way are you taking?

Matthew 7:13-14

13 g“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy1 that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and hthe way is hard that leads to life, and ithose who find it are few.

Young people are facing the siren call of the world, with its appeal to luxury, comfort, ease, achievement, and acquisitiveness. It is not that Christians cannot use these things. Paul tells us we are to use, but not abuse, the things of the world (see 1 Corinthians 10:23ff.). 

1 Corinthians 10:23 Do All to the Glory of God

23 m“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

But throughout the Scriptures we are warned,Do not love the world or anything in the world (1 John 2:15). 

1 John 2:15 Do Not Love the World

15 vDo not love the world or the things in the world. wIf anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Do not make anything in the world the center around which you build your life. If this is all-important to you, you are doomed. Jesus said that if you try to save your life on these terms, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for His sake, you will save it (Matthew 16:24-25).

Matthew 7:13-14

13 g“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy1 that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and hthe way is hard that leads to life, and ithose who find it are few.

Let God heal the sickness of the human heart with its hunger for self-centeredness and self-exaltation through the working of the gospel, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; then you can begin to live. It is the way that leads to life—life as God intended it. It may be that this life will not include in it luxuries and comforts, but they are down the line somewhere. God has these in mind for all His people. All that the heart hungers after will ultimately be supplied in Jesus Christ.

Lord, I choose to take the narrow path—the one that may not be the easy way, but it is the way that leads to life.

---

Life Application: The broad career choices for  people seem more bewildering than ever. Do we believe and know and rest in the Life that abundantly provides all we need?

How to get a job in the Federal Government

Maria Martin has passed on the below post about finding jobs in the federal government.  Though the legislation has been executed related to streamlining the hiring process, it appears the individual agencies are still trying to start up their individual programs to execute the directive...and this will take some time as is typical with the government (I am a government employee so I can say this)... but it is good to keep an eye on this initiative as it develops for possible internship opportunities that can more easily turn into full time employment for recent college graduates.

Maria has many excellent posts on her blog that are helpful in  finding internships which are key stepping stones in starting a career.  For more posts, go to:

http://scholarshipcheerleader.blogspot.com
  

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Posted by Maria Martin  @ http://scholarshipcheerleader.blogspot.com

How to Get a Job in the Federal Government . . .help for students

The recruitment of students is high on the list for the government. The process for applying requires patience and perseverance but may yield a rewarding career in the end.

This is a long article but very good information provided if you are trying to navigate the hiring process for the federal government.

http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=699&sid=2481545

OPM outlines students' fast track to government jobs

Thursday - 8/4/2011, 5:06pm  ET

 Listen

Emily Kopp, Reporter, Federal News Radio

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By Emily Kopp
Reporter
Federal News Radio

The Office of Personnel Management's proposed regulations for the new Pathways Programs would let agencies bypass the competitive hiring process when recruiting students and recent graduates. Agencies would be able to tap into a pool of young, talented candidates in exchange for complying with certain criteria and monitoring designed to limit the program's scope.
OPM will issue the 82-page proposed rule in tomorrow's Federal Register.
"What the research has shown is that inexperienced workers have a difficult time getting federal jobs through the regular competitive hiring process," said OPM senior policy counsel Rob Shriver in an interview with Federal News Radio. "These programs would be a helpful way for [agencies] to bring entry-level talent into their organizations, try them out either as interns or recent grads and see if there's a good fit."
Shriver called Pathways "simple and streamlined." As outlined in the regulations, there would be three ways for students and new graduates to start federal careers:

• A paid internship program for current students that would replace the existing intern program
• A new two-year program with training and mentorship for people who had graduated within two years from a college, university or vocational school.
• An expanded Presidential Management Fellows Program for advanced degrees students and recent graduates that would fit into the academic calendar.

Successful interns and fellows could continue on to competitive service positions without having to go through the regular hiring process. President Barack Obama signed an executive order in December abolishing the popular Federal Career Internship Program .
The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) had sued the government to end the program. It had accused agencies of using it to limit the pool of candidates for jobs and bypass competitive eligibility rules.
Shriver would not comment on the ongoing litigation, but said, "The president's exec order makes clear that [the Pathways programs are] to be used as a supplement to the regular competitive hiring rules and not a substitute for that."
Agencies would have to meet the following criteria under the proposed regulations:

• Transparency: Agencies would post Pathways opportunities on USAJobs.gov.
• Limited scope: OPM plans to monitor agencies' use of the Pathways program to ensure that they continue to use the normal competitive process for most hires. If necessary, OPM would cap the number of people hired under Pathways who could be converted to positions in competitive service.
• Preference for veterans: Eligible veterans still would be at the top of the list of candidates for jobs.
• Oversight: Agencies would have to sign a memorandum of understanding with OPM before using Pathways and would have to report annually to OPM on their usage of the programs.
• Career development: Agencies would have to provide training and career development opportunities aimed at inspiring Pathways participants to continue their careers in government.

In a written statement, NTEU voiced skepticism that the oversight measures would be enough to limit the program. It said it would submit comments during the 60-day public-comment period after reviewing the proposal.
"The new programs have an unfortunate similarity with the FCIP--namely that they would be an exception to competitive service. As such, they must be very narrowly drawn," said NTEU president Colleen Kelley. "Whether these proposed OPM regulations meet that key requirement has yet to be determined."
But at a time when the number of federal employees could decline sharply through retirements and budget cuts, the Pathways programs could let agencies match quickly young, motivated candidates to open positions.
"With the aging federal workforce, it's important for the student population to see and experience the value of public service," said former OPM Director Linda Springer, who currently is executive director of Ernst & Young's government and public sector practice. "If these three programs have addressed the concerns of the unions, then they have the potential to be very effective."
Shriver said OPM expected to issue final regulations early next year. It would issue guidance to agencies on moving their current interns to Pathways so that those interns do not miss out on opportunities during the transition, he said.
RELATED STORIES:
OPM lays new path for intern, hiring programs a>
Three-track system to replace Federal Career Internship Program
NTEU files motion to end internship program


(Copyright 2011 by FederalNewsRadio.com. All Rights Reserved.)

Occupational Outlook Handbook

The Occupational Handbook found at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ is the Nation′s premier source for career information! The profiles featured cover hundreds of occupations and describe What They Do, Work Environment, How to Become One, Pay, and more. Each profile also includes BLS employment projections for the 2010–20 decade.

The Trades May Be For You

Taken in it's entirety from:  http://www.worldmag.com/articles/19323

The trades alternative

EDUCATION | Parents are reluctant to hear it, but college may no longer offer the best path of opportunity for a great many young people | Joel Hannahs

PHOTO BY TRISTAN SAVATIER/GETTY IMAGES

IOWA and ILLINOIS—The conventional wisdom says a 21-year-old should have a college degree to have the best shot at landing a job in a tough job market. But today's unemployment landscape is hardly conventional. It may be that your high-school classmate who tinkered in the garage and became a mechanic might have been on to something.

The sweet spot in a sour jobs market can be found where targeted education meets grime on the fingers. The marketplace's natural balance of supply and demand is at work, bringing back an old alternative to college: learning a trade. Skilled trade workers are in demand, and that demand is set to rise.

Testifying before the U.S. Senate last year, Mike Rowe—the rugged host of television's Dirty Jobs—said nearly a half million trade jobs are out there for the taking across the United States. That sets up a huge dichotomy in a struggling economy: People can't find jobs, and yet, good jobs can't find qualified people.

With national unemployment at 8.3 percent, these are unfilled jobs that demand trade skills and certification, not a liberal arts education. As Rowe said, "We're surprised that high unemployment can exist at the same time as a skilled labor shortage. We shouldn't be. We've pretty much guaranteed it."

Despite reminders about other avenues to a good living, many high-school students and their parents still tend toward the college option, no matter the student's aptitude. Mary Gibb has been at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, for 14 years, and heads up the counseling department. In this relatively affluent area, she sees many students ignoring tech courses, and she frets that students who don't get a hands-on opportunity to try skills such as electronics might never realize they like the field: "I see the problem getting worse before it gets better."

Aaron Haunhorst, one of the owners of Professional Labor Support in Illinois, says the shortage of skilled labor is no myth, yet most recent high-school graduates are not aware of the possibilities. Haunhorst notes that highly skilled welders of alloyed materials, or top industrial electricians at major manufacturing plants, often clear $100,000-plus yearly incomes.

Alicia Martin, CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Illinois, represents 325 non-union employers in the state: She says contractors are steadily looking for and hiring qualified people for needed trades. Her association is in the mix, offering its own certification and apprentice program for a journeyman's card, and often matching up workers with member contractors.

For a trade-minded teen or young adult, it's a route to steady pay for a lot less time in class and far less tuition cost: "Our program is a bargain," Martin says. "[These skills] are going to be a big need. We are an alternative to college, and we want to get the word out to high-school guidance counselors." Companies like Professional Labor Support use the ABC training program to supply skilled labor to contractors.

Students who complete one of the 130 vocational programs at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) are also in good shape, says Jacki Boldt, student employment specialist: "These students typically have jobs before they graduate." DMACC's one- and two-year training programs lead to certifications for various electronics specialties, along with diesel, welding, and tool and die jobs. Placement is often with businesses hiring one or two workers at a time, but major employers like John Deere Co. also come knocking: Graduates with two or more related skill sets are particularly desirable.

Growing interest in trade fields is not news to Gary Senff, welding instructor at Central Community College in Columbia, Neb. The college added another welding teacher last year, and added classes two more nights a week to accommodate growing interest. Employers call him "all the time," he says: "It's a growing career. I believe the wages are going to go up. People are retiring out, too." Rowe of Dirty Jobs emphasized that changing of the guard in his congressional testimony: Many "baby boomer" tradesmen are getting set to hang up their tools, and not enough young people are stepping into these trades to replace them.

Pointing young people toward a skill set they can enjoy and use to find work is a niche many schools seem unable to fill. In Des Moines, the Freedom for Youth ministry (winner of WORLD's 2010 award for Effective Compassion) reaches some 200 middle- and high-school youths. "We teach them work skills," director Mark Nelson emphasizes, in a way that's "centered on Christ. He has given you gifts and abilities. Let's see what those are and get after it."

Young people job shadow, visit DMACC vocational classes, and get to work at welding and other tasks. Middle-school kids build "chopper" bicycles and take them home, with the creative process of making a bike opening their eyes. They begin to learn what Nelson emphasizes: "God never said one job was better than the other."T

Discover Engineering Family Day

 Taken from:  http://www.nbm.org/families-kids/festivals/discover-engineering-family.html

Discover Engineering Family Day

Become an engineer for a day!

February 16, 2013   10:00 am - 4:30 pm

2011 Discover Engineering Family Day on Fox News Find more National Building Museum video.

Every February, the National Building Museum and the National Engineers Week Foundation invite you to debunk the myths of engineering and discover how professional engineers turn an idea into reality. Celebrate National Engineers Week by participating in this free, hands-on, and fun-filled festival.
Discover Engineering Family Day is a FREE, drop-in program. $5 donation suggested. Program and activities are most appropriate for children ages 5 to 13 with adult supervision. Registration is not required.
At Discover Engineering Family Day visitors can:

• FLY Become a rocket scientist and explore aerodynamics
• BUILD Learn to build a suspension bridge using only basic items
• EXPLORE Discover the concepts of mechanics and motion using a wind tube
• MAKE slime and learn the properties of a "semisolid"
• DESIGN and construct a structure to help protect from a tsunami
• INVENT a pop-fly lever and see how high it launches a ping pong ball 
• WATCH PBS Design Squad Nation hosts demonstrate a life sized dance pad! See how it gets assembled and learn the technology behind this sound and light show.

A boy explores robotics at the annual Discover Engineering Family Day.

Photo by F.T. Eyre

Scouts

Activities at the Festival may assist Scouts in fulfilling some requirements for the following Badges:

• Tiger Cub Scouts: Make a Model
• Wolf Cub Scouts: Family Fun, Spare-Time Fun, and Machine Power
• Bear Cub Scouts: Family Fun, Build-a-Model, and Aircraft
• WEBELOS: Craftsman, Engineer, and Scientist
• Boy Scouts: Engineering
• Brownie Girl Scouts: Building Art, Science in Action, Listening to the Past
• Junior Girl Scouts: Aerospace, Science Discovery, Discovering Technology, Sky Search, Careers

Scout groups are encouraged to RSVP for this event to receive a badge worksheet in advance.
Visit the Engineering Week website to learn more about the festival. 

Sponsors

Major funding for the Discover Engineering Family Day is provided by the National Engineers Week Foundation, IEEE-USA, Northrop Grumman Foundation, and ASME. Additional support is provided by the Semiconductor Industry Association, The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, Bechtel, and the National Science Foundation; with local support provided by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics-National Capital Section, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Nation’s Capital Chapter, American Society for Engineering Exucation, LEGO Systems, Inc.,  and the National Nanotechnology Intiative.  Media Sponsor is FAMILY Magazine.