Nick The Navigator
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Nick the Navigator

2/1/2020

3 Comments

 
NICK THE NAVIGATOR 

Hey Navigators

Have you ever thought about..."what do I believe and why do I believe it?"
Well, some people say "I'll believe it when I see it" and others say "I'll see it when I believe it:|"

​
 
February already?  Where's the cold?  Where's the snow?
 
Hope you've been doing well.  I heard a great perspective the other day that got my attention...
 
"We're as far away from the year 2050 as we are from the year 1990...Wow!  In the year 2050, I'll be 97 years young!  My goal is to live to be 100 years old, so this works perfectly with my plan...LOL...the good Lord willing...we'll see
 
I received a great job opportunity...see below...NTN
 
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Nick
 
Our shop is looking for a new CFO/COO and the link to the position is below. We want a diverse candidate pool so if you know of anyone who might be interested please share the link. Thank you.
 
Michael K. Kirk
General Counsel
Legal Services
Administrative Services Group
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation
100 Witherspoon Street
Room 5625
Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396
(502) 569-5278 (direct)
(502) 569-8033 (fax)
(502) 777-5296 (cell)
mike.kirk@pcusa.org
 

 
Overview
With national offices in Louisville, Kentucky, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) focuses on the national and international mission work of the church. It serves and works with congregations, presbyteries, and synods as the central provider of resources that enable individuals, congregations, and governing bodies to carry forth the mission of Jesus Christ in the world. The work at the Presbyterian Center is carried out by approximately 400 staff members in several national entities: Office of the… [more]
Job Skills / Requirements
1. Provides management and oversight to all finance functions, including financial reporting, accounting, banking, tax, compliance and budgeting. Serves as the key point of contact with external auditors, works to assure ‘clean’ audits and acts effectively on any audit exceptions or recommendations.
2. Provides management and oversight to Information Technology, Building Services, Mail and Print Services, and Presbyterian Distribution Services/Hubbard Press.
3. Responsible for optimizing investment of the organization’s funds through sound management of short-term investments and maintaining an effective working relationship with the Presbyterian Foundation, which manages PMA’s medium and long-term investments.
4. Implements an enterprise risk management framework that provides appropriate management of uncertainty and responses to risk.
5. Serves on the ASG Leadership Team and in a variety of other ways across the PC(USA) agencies and entities. Provides leadership which fosters a spirit of collaboration and responsiveness will be critical to demonstrating the value of open communication and collaboration.
6. Serve as the management liaison to board and audit committees; effectively communicate and present critical financial matters at select board of directors and committee meetings.

Requirements
- Master’s degree in finance, accounting or business or equivalent combination of education and experience. CPA preferred.
- Ten+ years in progressively responsible leadership roles with at least five years serving as a member of senior management.
- Previous experience in a Chief Financial Officer role
- Leadership responsibility for Finance/Accounting and other support departments such as Information Technology, Building Services, etc.
- Experience working in a faith-based or non-profit environment strongly preferred.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to set vision and develop strategic plans. Must be able to interpret strategic vision into operational tactical plans and build consensus to execute strategy.
- Experience gathering and evaluating financial information and making actionable recommendations to senior leadership.
- Effective communicator at all levels in the organization, with strong oral and written skills and a willingness to share information.
- Ability to present complex financial materials in clear, concise, and understandable ways.
- Well-grounded management skills, with proven experience in successfully running internal operations in a transparent and accountable organization.
- Knowledge of PC(USA) structure, history, and culture.
Helpful Skills: Proficiency in the English language and one or more additional languages very helpful.
Competencies
- Demonstrates inclusiveness; values diverse groups, ethnicities, genders, communities, cultural constituencies and points of view.
- Models diplomacy and sensitivity yet knows when to be firm and resolute.
- Highest level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation.
- Values relationships with client partners and staff.
- Strong service mentality.
- Strong problem solving and creative skills and the ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions based on accurate and timely analyses. Can make hard decisions for good reasons and withstand criticism.
- Occasional travel required. This position will travel domestically several times a year and may travel internationally, by air and other means of transportation.
- Ability to communicate and converse verbally. This position frequently speaks and makes presentations to small and large gatherings of people.
- Requires the ability to work evening/weekend hours on occasion.
Additional Information / Benefits
We believe a balanced life, with time for work, leisure, and spiritual nurture, makes us healthier and more productive colleagues at the Presbyterian Center.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) offers a competitive benefits package including:

Medical, Dental, Pension Plan, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending accounts, 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan

Vacation Days, Sick Days, Paid Holidays

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Candidates from Presbyterian communities in the global south and other historic Presbyterian Communities of Color, preferably with theological training and fluency in languages other than English, are encouraged to apply.

Individuals living with disability encouraged to apply.
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Okay, let's get started...
 
Here are the 7 Biggest Challenges that businesses are facing this year, so get ready employees...
 
1. Scaling Without Compromising on CultureAsk any business, whether big or small, they will tell you that they want to expand their business operations and enter into new markets.
They want to launch new products and attract new customers from different parts of the world.
What they don’t realize is that there are somethings that are more important than scaling their business and one of them is company culture.
You don’t want to be growing your business at the cost of your company culture.
Viven Shen, CEO of Juni Learning, a coding startup agrees to this notion. Here is what she had to say,
“Day in and day out, I’m constantly putting out fires which makes it a challenge to stay focused on the big picture, especially when it comes to building and maintaining our company’s culture.” She further adds, “As a fast-growing company, we know that the level of service and engagement we provide could easily be compromised. I’m making it a priority to ensure that we hold ourselves accountable every step of the way.”
2. Increasing Your Sales Without Spending Too MuchMost business thinks that increasing their sales is the primary objective that they have to achieve to make it big.
After all, they are in business to make profits, right.
For this, they do everything in their powers including spending tons of money on marketing, recruiting more sales reps etc.
Well, everyone can boost their sales numbers with a big marketing budget at their disposal. The real challenges businesses will face in 2020 will be to increase sales while staying lean.
Here is what CEO of Dibs, fitness tech startup has to say,
“We sell to small and medium-sized businesses, so we can’t afford to have a huge sales force. That means that our offer needs to sell itself. We have to communicate really clearly and iterate constantly to ensure we’re making it easy for busy business owners to understand the value of our service.”
3. Tweaking Your Company MissionBusinesses are evolving with each passing day.
What was once an integral part of your business strategy is no where to be found today.
In such a dynamic business world, how can you succeed with a static and fixed mission?
Well, you can not.
As your business evolves, you should make changes to your mission statement as well.
Karla Monterroso, CEO of Code2040, is the big advocate of this changing your mission with the business environment. Sharing her experience, she said,
“Code2040 is really evolving. We are going from being a pipeline organization to one that addresses the structural barriers to inclusion. It’s going to be my job that our community understands the importance and urgency of the shift.”
4. Limiting the Use of Communication ToolsShocked?
I don’t blame you.
Most people you meet online and offline, will tell you the benefits of communication tools and they are right too.
Communication tools have their advantages, but if you go overboard with its use, they will start to cast negative shadow on your productivity.
That is where a smart task management software can come in handy.
How can you keep using communication tools without hampering productivity?
Falon Fatimi, CEO of Node.io, an AI startup has a solution. According to her,
“Defining effective guardrails around communication across tools like Slack and email is especially critical as we grow, so we don’t impact productivity–and ensure healthy and direct communication is happening via appropriate channels.”
5. Make People Believe in Your CauseProbably the most daunting challenge for businesses would be to convince their customers and make them believe in philosophies they believe in.
No matter what cause your business support, you will find it difficult to find support from the people because there is a lack of trust.
You will have to build trust and establish a stronger connection with your customers in order to get them onboard for a positive cause.
Michelle Nunn, CEO of Care shares the biggest business challenge she is facing,
“As the CEO of a poverty-fighting organization, my biggest challenge will be maintaining the momentum we’ve gained in the war against poverty and injustice around the world.”
Despite the odds, she advises business leaders to push their weight behind good causes as it is their corporate social responsibility.
6. Delegating Work to OthersInstead of micro managing your employees and giving them a message that you don’t have faith in their capabilities, it is better to delegate work to others and stop micromanaging them.
The more freedom you offer your employees, the more they will showcase their talent and achieve their true potential.
Hussein Fazal, CEO of SnapTravel find it tough to wear different hats but he loves to take on the challenge. He said,
“I need to spend more time working on strategic initiatives–which are often outside of the office–versus working in the day-to-day weeds in the business. I love being a hands-on business operator, which makes this shift quite challenging.”
7. Complying with RegulationsLast but certainly not the least is complying with standards and following all the rules and regulations.
No one can deny the fact the screws are being tightened as far as regulations are concerned.
Regulatory bodies are implementing strict rules on companies to ensure that they don’t dwindle away from the path.
Things get even worse if your business operate in a dark industry.
Michael Steinmetz, CEO of Flow Kana, a cannabis startup said,
“The cannabis industry has so many challenges that our team and industry are navigating every day, from banking to a lack of external services to aggressive regulation. The reality is, this is the business we are in, so we are equipped to handle those types of challenges. What we need to be laser focused on is ensuring that Flow Kana is scaling as fast as possible to meet the consumer demand–and we are growing in the right type of way, prioritizing quality, people, and community.”
So there you go...be ready for 2020...NTN
 
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Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.com Not only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
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Quote of the Month
There are no secrets to success.  It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure...Colin Powell
 
Navigator Humor
Best "Knock-Knock" joke ever...
 
"knock-knock"
 
"it's open"
 
Well...maybe the worst knock-knock joke!
 
Have a great month!
 
 
Onward and upward,
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
 
Navigator
 
                                                
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                                Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
TDM RESOLVE - TEAM Services - helping businesses manage their technology expenses and assets
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - JANUARY 2020
Navigators
 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
 
It's 2020 and we should all have "clear vision" this year.
 
Here's some interesting information to start your year off correctly...
 
The Time Square New Year's Eve Ball came about as a result of a ban on fireworks.  The first ball, 1907, was an illuminated 700 pound iron and wood ball adorned with 100, 25 watt light bulbs.  Today, the round ball designed by Waterford Crystal, weighs 11,875 pounds, is 12 feet in diameter and has 2,668 Waterford crystals.
 
40 - 45% of American adults make one or more resolutions each year.  The top ones are...
Weight loss
Exercise
Quitting smoking
Better money management
By the second week of January, 25% of the people have abandoned their resolutions
 
Best ways to keep your resolutions...
1. Mentally prepare for change - it takes 21 days for form a new habit...so hang in there
2. Set a goal that motivates you...not negatively, but positively motivates you
3. Limit resolutions to a manageable amount - if you change one item in your life, each year...you are much more likely to be a changed person in 3 - 5 years
4. Be specific - use the SMART goal process
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic/Relevant
T = Timely/Time-sensitive
5. Break big goals into smaller goals - break your goal(s) down to monthly, weekly, daily increments...remember, it will take at least 21 days in a row of doing this to form a new habit
6. Write down your goals and "chart" your goals in order to see your progress
7. Share your goal with someone else...accountability is a great motivator
8. Automate where possible - with technology and apps it's much easier these days to track, remind, schedule etc., with alarms or whatever means you're used to tracking your ToDo list
9. Review your resolutions regularly - track your progress
10. If you fall off track, get back on it - if weight loss is a goal and you mess up and get a bag of fries, chocolate, whatever...don't throw in the towel and give up...start over
FINALLY...if you decide to lose weight (as an example) medical experts say that 1-2 pounds per week of weight loss is "safe"...but imagine 1/2 pound per week...by this time next year, you'll be 26 pounds lighter...now there is a realistic, achievable goal!
 
Let's get started....
 
THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR TO GET A NEW JOB/CAREER
January is the biggest hiring month of the year.  Budgets have been approved and are implemented January 2nd.  So the money is there to hire new people.  Also, because most businesses are on a January - December fiscal year, getting new employees started in January is a psychological positive for job seekers.  Example...tax season ends April 15th so if you are a tax preparer, you can be hired, trained and ready if you start in January.
 
And because we live in Louisville, work the "Louisville Network".  It's crazy but we still get to know people by asking "where did you go to school" (elementary, middle, high school) or in "what neighborhood did you grow up?"
 
Everybody knows somebody who went to school there or lived in that neighborhood and making connections is easy here.  Use LinkedIN as a tool.
 
Create a great profile for LinkedIN by "googling" "How to create a great profile in LinkedIN" and get started
 
Also, you can always contact me, Nick the Navigator.  I have a Louisville Network of over 4,000 people, along with more through LinkedIN.  You've heard of the "6 Degrees of Separation" well for me, it's about 2-3 degrees.
 
Also, interview with the decision makers for the career you want.  Again, this is a networking strategy.  Don't chase job opportunities down with "sending resumes" to unknown email addresses.
 
Finally, for the second year in a row there are more jobs available than there are people to fill them.  There is a population shift in the workplace as "baby boomers" retire everyday and the next generation...the "Generation X" are 20% less in numbers of people.
 
So...how do businesses fill the 20% gap?  A couple of ways...artificial intelligence, robotics, technology...but the most prevalent strategy is to get good employees from other companies.  So...MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE...get out there and network.
 
In Summary...
1. It's the best time of the year
2. There are more jobs available to fill than people to fill them
3. Businesses are looking for employees anywhere they can find them
4. Be proactive
5. Let your passion show
6. Sell yourself
7. Make sure your resume showcases your value to the company
8. Research the job and the prospective company
9. Be likable
10. Be positive
 
Old excuses don't work anymore...they're myths
-I can't find a good job...well...there out there, a lot of them
-I'm too old...the Wall Street Journal reported that experienced 40 and 50 year old people are highly sought after
-I don't have enough education...people with high school education can earn as much money as more educated people in certain industries...research them, find them...there are a lot out there...also, a lot of businesses will provide you with education benefits, classes, even help you get your degree
-No one wants to hire me - here are the Top 10 Reasons why "You can't find a job"
1. Perceived indifference - for some reason, your behavior projects as though you really don't want the job.  Perhaps you got a voicemail from a recruiter or hiring manager, but you didn't return it promptly enough
2. Carelessness - you have a misspelled word on your resume.  Make sure your documents...job application, resume, cover letter are free of typos and grammatical errors.  Get someone else to proofread your documents
3. You look flighty - if your resume shows that you hop from one job to another.  Unless you have a good narrative to explain your spotty history, leave off any jobs lasting fewer than 3 months.  The key thing is to demonstrate that you are not a flight risk
4. Poor presentation - if you show up scruffy and unshaven, with rumpled clothes, or worse, you didn't shower, then that could explain things.  Take out your piercing, wear long sleeves over your tattoos and comb your hair.  Act professional and people will assume you can be treated and hired as such.
5. You're overqualified - if you have a lot of fancy education, skills and experience on your resume and you're applying for jobs well below your paygrade, that might explain the lack of response.  Don't apply for entry-level jobs, if you're beyond that, no matter how much you may want the job
6. Smoking - there are companies that won't hire you if you smoke
7. Bad attitude - it might not be your fault if you're depressed or frustrated, but it is your fault for showing it in an interview situation.  Keep your anger about your job search frustration, or layoff or your bad former boss to yourself.  Be pleasant and positive.
8. You didn't pay attention - do exactly what you're asked to do in the application and interview process.  Follow directions to the letter and prove to your potential boss that you can carry out whatever task she/he gives you, without having to be told twice.
9. Poor communication - you talk too much or too little.  The interview has to coax monosyllabic answers out of you.  You stray off the topic in question.  Beef up your communication skills.
10. You're not prepared - you didn't do your homework.  You have no idea what the company does.  You haven't thought through why you are the perfect fit for this job and what you can do for the company.  If you don't know what industry they're in and you don't have a good list of questions to ask your interviewer or good answers to their questions...well...get prepared.
 
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Whew!  That's a lot of information, but now is the best time to find a new job/career. 
 
********************************************************************************************************************
Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.com Not only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
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Quote of the Month
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.  The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time...Thomas A. Edison
 
*****************************************************************************************************************
Navigator Humor
 

 
HAVE A GREAT YEAR!
 
Onward and upward,
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
 
Navigator
 
                                                
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                               Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
TDM RESOLVE - TEAM Services - helping businesses manage their technology expenses and assets
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - DECEMBER 2019
Navigators
 
What a special time of the year...Christmas.  Oh, I know, there are a lot of other celebrations, as well, and that's great.  Whatever your heritage, belief system or faith, it's the most wonderful time, of the year.  Enjoy your family and friends.  Personally, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, so Christmas is a great time of celebration and reflection.
 
I remember my father-in-law, Sam Brown, retired minister (he passed away several years ago) once said "if we measure time in holidays, like Christmas, how many times will we get together with family, before someone we love, has gone to heaven?"  Once, twice?  I lost my Mom and Dad almost 20 years ago now and my brother Tom, over 6 years ago.  I'm not trying to be a downer here, but to point out the significance of celebrating with family and getting together as often as we can.
 
Christmas is a celebration of God's birth, but so many times it brings up thoughts of who was here last year that's not with us this year.  The solution?  Embrace and engage with your family this year.  If you can, spend some one-on-one time with each person and let them know how much you love them.  Let them know you care about them.  And just in case they're not here next year...well, they know and you know that you loved one another.
 
So whether it's Happy Hannukah, Ramadan or whatever you believe...take time to spend time with your loved ones...look them in the eye, give them a hug and tell them you love them.  Merry Christmas...Nick the Navigator
 
And one more thing...go help somebody or be generous with an intentional act of kindness...(I don't believe a "random act of kindness" is possible).
 
Here's a real life example...
Last year, on Christmas Eve, I went thru the drive-thru at White Castle and when I arrived at the window to pay, the cashier at the window said "The person ahead of you has paid for your food"  And they followed that statement with "would you like to pass that on to the person behind you and pay for their food?"  
 
They said that 37 people in a row had extended that generosity...so there was no way I was going to break that record...so I paid for the person behind me...Merry Christmas...it can be that simple
 
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Let's get started...
 
Here's an interesting point of view...
 
DO WE REALLY NEED 40 HOUR WORK WEEKS?
In recent news, Microsoft changed up the standard work week in Japan. For the month of August, it reduced the working days to just Monday through Thursday and kept the normal eight hour work days and full compensation. This test was part of its larger experiment coined Work-Life Choice Challenge, which was implemented in an effort to boost creativity and productivity all while improving employees’ work-life balance. The results were eye-opening. In this brief, one-month experiment, productivity rose by 40% compared to August 2018 numbers. 
Now, the concept of shorter work weeks is not a novel idea. Back in 2016, Amazon piloted a 30-hour work week for salaried employees and allowed them to receive the same benefits, but with a 75% reduction in pay.
How did the 40-hour work week become the standard expectation for employees in the United States? In 1940, Americans worked anywhere from 80-100 hours each week. In the 1920s, Henry Ford discovered that employees were only slightly more productive and burned out quicker when they worked more than 40 hours. Then in 1940, the U.S. government passed the Fair Labor Standards Act that limited employees to work 40-hour weeks unless they are paid overtime. 
Global workplace practices and expectations vary from the U.S. standard. Sweden-based digital marketing agency Brath offers employees full pay and benefits for working six hour days, and they observe higher retention rates and productivity. In fact, compared to 18 European countries, American employees increasingly work more each year — spending more time at the office and taking fewer vacations.
Perhaps it’s time the United States reconsider our 40-hour work week that was set as the standard nearly 80 years ago.
Here's a little Nick the Navigator logic, relative to this article... To put this in perspective, I want to share with you this observation about how much we work and the impact it has on our lives and relationships.
 
When we say "40 Hour Work Week", let's look at the details...
 
8:00am - 5:00pm tends to be the standard 40 hour week, but wait a minute, 8:00am to 5:00pm is actually 9 hours x 5 days = 45 hours.  Oh I know, two 15 minute breaks and a half-hour for lunch, but if you did have an extra hour each workday, would you really spend it at work?
 
Then, of course, you have to get to work in the morning and back home in the evening.  Usually, two 30 minute trips...so now we're up to 10 hours a day or 50 hours a week.  Wow...where's the 40 hour work week?
 
Finally, I've been employed for almost 50 years and it is rare, that I don't get to work a few minutes early and more often than not, stay late.  Is work consuming our lives?
 
Well, here's some perspective for you to consider...
 
Are you working in a career that is fulfilling, engaging and is alignment with your purpose in life?  If so, then the extra time may be worth it.  If not, maybe it's time to look at your career and your purpose in life.
 
Gallup reports that only 31% of all workers in America are actively engaged at work.  So 69% are just "going through the motions?  Biding their time?"  What a waste!
 
Imagine your world at work, where you're doing what you were created to do?  To fulfill your life through the purpose you were designed for...now we're talking!
 
Let's say, for discussion purposes, that the world we live in is a billion years old (I know, it's way underestimated...but stick with me)
 
And the average person lives 100 years (I know, a little overestimated, but it's easy math)
 
Then, you can't even measure your time on earth with a snap of your fingers...you're here, then you're gone in a flash.
 
Here's the point...find a career that allows you to live the life you want to live, that fulfills you every day, that your excited about and at the same time, allows you some balance in your life for your family, friends and even yourself.
 
If we sleep 8 hours a day and work 8 hours a day (we know this isn't true) then our life outside of sleep and work, is it 8 hours?  I don't think so.
 
Jack Nicklaus once said..."I firmly believe that people will do their best at what they truly enjoy"
 
So evaluate where you are in your life...it's the end of another year, so take some time to reflect on "what kind of life you want to live while you still have time to live it?"
 
Have you always wanted to be a ...???  Then go do it!  Get a new career, start a business, go get more education that will qualify you for what you really want to do, really enjoy.  If you do...
your boss will be happier with you
your co-workers will be happier with you
your customers will be happier with you
your spouse will be happier with you
your children will be happier with you
your friends will be happier with you and
"you" will be happier with you! 
God created and designed us for a specific purpose...seek and ye shall find!
 
Don't be a "I'll find a job and try to cram my life into it" type of person...instead, decide to follow what you are created and designed to do and then find a career/or business that will allow you to do it!
 
Tick...tock...Tick...tock...Tick...tock...
 
Nick the Navigator... 
 
***********************************************************************************************************************
Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.com Not only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
*********************************************************************************************************************
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
3 At one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.  We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.  4 But when the kindness and love of our God and Savior appeared  5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit  6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,  7 so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life...Titus 3:3-7...the Holy Bible
 
**********************************************************************************************************************
 
Navigator humor...
 

 
Onward and upward,
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
 
Navigator
 
                                                
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                                Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
TDM RESOLVE - TEAM Services - helping businesses manage their technology expenses and assets
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - NOVEMBER 2019
Navigators
 
It's already November and the temperature is getting colder, where does the time go?  Turkey, family, tradition, American Holiday...it doesn't get any better than this time of year...let's get started!
 
Here is a series of interesting articles regarding "how to attract to talent in business"...
 
Attracting talent with transferable skills from outside your industry
With certain industries already struggling to find skilled people and a growing number of baby boomers retiring, recruiters have no choice but to look beyond the ‘borders’ of their industry to find people.
 
So rather than looking for relevant previous experience, recruiters will increasingly focus on transferable skills and hence (considerably) expand their potential talent pool. 
 
Here are the skills to consider...
Problem Solving                   Communications                 Financial Literacy                 Critical Thinking
Creativity                               Teamwork                             Digital Literacy                     Presentation Skills
 
Embracing the flexible workforceFor most organizations, their workforce already consists of a combination of full-timers, contractors, freelancers and everything in-between.
 
In the US alone, 36% of all workers (around 57 million people) are in the gig economy, a number that is likely to grow even more this year.
 
Independent workers like the fact that they can work anywhere they want, when they want and are often happier than ‘traditional’ employees.
 
In fact, satisfaction levels for independents have never been as high as they are right now: 74% of independent workers say they are highly satisfied.
 
Technology, of course, is a big enabler of this kind of freelance work: people can use their smartphones, have free internet available in a lot of (coffee) places, and freelance platforms like Upwork, PeoplePerHour and Fiverr match freelancers with projects.
 
Especially when companies need to find skilled people urgently – and in an industry where talent is scarce – they’ll have to turn to freelancers, contractors, etc. to meet their needs.
 
On a positive note, working with freelancers can be a good way for a company to find out if they’d like those people to become full-time employees: if there is a mutual click, you may have found yourself a great new hire!
 
Building and sharing your missionDo like Nike did, basically. 
 
The American sportswear giant took a stand last year when it used a black and white photograph of NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a part of its advertising campaign to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ slogan.
 
Kaepernick caused quite the controversy back in 2016 when he kneeled during the national anthem to show his support for people of color in the United States and to bring attention to police brutality.
 
More than two-thirds of consumers believe that it’s important for brands to take a stance on certain political and social issues – a number that is probably going to increase even more with the next generation of shoppers.
 
So, even if it meant they’d lose customers – and people did indeed boycott Nike following the Kaepernick ad – Nike chose sides.
 
It’s the same for employers.
 
Today’s workforce is on the lookout for mission-driven employers.
 
People want more than just a paycheck from the organization they work for, they want to have a sense of purpose in their job.
 
And, just like today’s consumers, job seekers often want their own values to align with those of their company.
 
2019 will, therefore, see an increased focus of companies building and sharing their mission, taking stands and creating their own version of Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ to attract talent.
 
Hiring Gen Z
They’ve been entering the global workforce for a while now, although so far, mainly in internship and entry-level positions.
 
Slowly but surely though, Generation Z (the cohort that comes after the Millennials, born somewhere between the mid-’90s and the mid-2000s) is now finding its way into the workplace.
 
If your knowledge about these Digital Natives is a little rusty, you might want to bring it up to speed again, because this year the recruitment of Gen Z will, without a doubt, accelerate.
 
A few elements to keep in mind when it comes to hiring Generation Z are:
·         •  They are one with their smartphones.  Gen Zer's "touch" their smartphones over 6,000 times each day, so if they sleep 8 hours and are awake 16 hours, then they touch their phone every 9.6 seconds
·         •  Adapt to their (short) attention span.  It is what it is.
·         •  It’s all about video.  Their preferred way to learn
·         •  Don’t forget about health & wellness.  It's their lifestyle
·         •  Think about their growth.  They do want to grow, improve and have a great quality of life.
·          
To succeed in recruitment in 2019, make sure to consider these points when creating your recruitment strategy.
 
Gen Zers will form a major part of the workforce in coming years, that’s why recruiters need to understand their needs and wants.
**************************************************************************************************************************
*Nick the Navigator is not endorsing what Colin Kaepernick did in kneeling during the national anthem...I disagree with his method of getting peoples attention to a very serious problem in our society. If I had advised Mr. Kaepernick on how to draw attention to that cause, I would have suggested that he "stand up on the bench" in other words "stand up against police brutality"...just a thought...NTN
 
Fascinating article...
 
***************************************************************************************************************************
Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.com Not only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
************************************************************************************************************************************************
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars or sailed to  an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit...Helen Keller
 
NAVIGATOR HUMOR


Have a great Thanksgiving!
 
Onward and upward,
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
 
Navigator
 
                                                
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                                Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
Business Technology Advisors...specializing in multi-location businesses for all your technology needs.
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - OCTOBER 2019
Navigators
 
I just returned from a long vacation out West...16 states in 26 days.
 
A little Nick history...Over 40 years ago I was a hot-air balloon pilot and flew all over America, (before I got married; I hadn't even met my wife yet)
 
48 states to be exact, so this was a revisit to a lot of those areas.
 
So on this recent trip, I can tell you this...the USA is a beautiful country, with great people and so many things to see...national parks, odd and unusual places, amber waves of grain, purple mountains majesty, the whole 9 yards. 
 
If you've never been to every state, like I have, do yourself and your family a huge favor. 
 
GO SEE AMERICA! 
 
Land of the free, home of the brave...God's country.  There's no other way to explain it...it may be the greatest vacation you've ever experienced...Nick the Navigator
 
************************************************************************************************************************
 
Let's get started...
 
Here is a series of interesting articles related to "Current Recruiting Trends in Hiring"
 
RECRUITING TRENDS - OCTOBER 2019“HEY GOOGLE, FIND ME A JOB”Job seekers and candidates are now able to apply for jobs at McDonald’s through the company’s new McDonald’s Apply Thru™ integration. Amazon Alexa users simply ask “Alexa, help me get a job at McDonald’s,” and the device will ask them a few questions to begin the application process.
Not only that, but employees are able to use applications like Ceridian’s Dayforce Assistant, that allow them to trade shifts with other employees, set meetings and communicate with team members all through voice assistant apps like Alexa and Siri. 
Job seekers and candidates are now able to apply for jobs at McDonald’s through the company’s new McDonald’s Apply Thru™ integration. Amazon Alexa users simply ask “Alexa, help me get a job at McDonald’s,” and the device will ask them a few questions to begin the application process.
Not only that, but employees are able to use applications like Ceridian’s Dayforce Assistant, that allow them to trade shifts with other employees, set meetings and communicate with team members all through voice assistant apps like Alexa and Siri. 
NAVIGATING GEN ZERS IN THE WORKPLACEWhile millennials have gained the reputation for being disloyal to employers, lazy workers and fiscally irresponsible, Gen Zers are stereotyped for ghosting employers, being dependent on technology and preferring job security over high salaries. 
Due to their experiences growing up in families where parents and siblings struggled during the 2008 financial crisis, Gen Zers are heavily concerned with job security and future employment. They also are more interested in working for companies that offer mentoring and growth opportunities than high-paying roles. 
And while they value job security, Gen Zers are not afraid of setting even higher standards for employers than previous generations, going so far as to ghost employers when better opportunities arise. It also helps that unlike millennials, Gen Zers entered the workforce when unemployment rates reached all-time lows and employers have upped their perks and benefits packages to retain talent. 
Gen Zers are also known for supporting brands that align with their personal values. Similarly, when it comes to applying for jobs, they’re interested in working for companies whose employee value proposition aligns with their personal values.
In terms of recruiting, younger candidates are not looking at newspaper ads for job openings. They’re searching for employer brands on social media and utilizing tools like voice assistants to apply for jobs. With each generation, the recruiting sphere changes drastically, which is why it’s important to stay in tune with your target candidate audience and how their needs and wants evolve over time.
 THE GROWING NEED FOR SENIOR CARE BENEFITSMore than one in six employees also support elderly loved-ones outside of their normal job. Their roles can vary from providing transportation to administering vital medicine and such support may be needed for months, if not years. For full-time employees, these additional responsibilities can bring stress, depression, absenteeism and burnout. 
As people have fewer children and life expectancies grow longer, the need for elder caregivers is rapidly growing. For families that can’t afford to fork out between $20-90k per year for caregiver services or senior care facilities, taking on the responsibility of caring for a loved-one is often the only option.
On average, employers lose nearly $13.4 billion each year in health care expenses as a result of employee burnout due to performing caregiving duties outside of work. Not to mention the loss in productivity for employees who need to take on average 6.6 days off/year or who are unable to perform at work due to caregiving-related obligations.
Just 17% of employees have access to paid family leave (which covers parental leave but not necessarily other family medical leave), and while 89% of workers have access to unpaid family leave, covering the costs of caregiving as well as their own expenses while progressing in their career is extremely difficult on a zero-income budget. 
Employers can play a significant role in supporting employees and their families by offering benefits that allow them to balance work and their personal lives. Such benefits include:
  • Resources for geriatric care specialists and home adaptation
  • Insurance plans with low-cost in-home care
  • Flexible/accommodating work schedules
  • Discounted long-term care insurance
  • Employee assistance programs
  • Dependent care assistance
  • Employee resource groups
  • Counseling services
  • Support groups
  • Care subsidies
  • Respite care
IS YOUR COMPANY CULTURE INTROVERTED OR EXTROVERTED?You answer should really be both because introversion and extroversion are opposite ends of a spectrum. For reference, introverts tend to prefer quiet, low-stimuli workplaces and interacting with small groups, whereas extroverts tend to prefer background noise, higher-stimuli and regularly interacting with colleagues. 
In workplaces that gear more toward one type of work-style, employees with opposite personality traits may become stressed, disengaged and burnt out.  
If you’re unsure of the type of ‘personality’ your company culture has, ask your employees to take a personality questionnaire that can provide insights into their personal and work preferences. You may even notice some trends, where people with certain personality types gravitate towards certain roles or departments, which can help you make broader accommodations rather than individual. 
As part of your diversity and inclusion initiatives, know that you undoubtedly have both introverted and extroverted members on your team, but if your culture caters to one or the other, it won’t be inclusive for different personality types. Know that most people are a mix of both, so it’s important to provide a spectrum of environments, communication-styles and meeting types.
Fascinating stuff!  Nick the Navigator
**************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.com Not only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
******************************************************************************************************************************************************
Navigator humor...

Quote of the Month...It is better to fail in originality than to succeed at imitation
Have a great October!
 
Onward and upward,
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
 
Navigator
 
                                                
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                                Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
Business Technology Advisors...specializing in multi-location businesses for all your technology needs.
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - SEPTEMBER 2019
Navigators
 
Fall has arrived!  Football, leaves, cooler weather...bring it on!
 
Let's get started...
 
*******************************************************************************************************
 
If you or someone you know is looking for a new career, here are some great seminars for you to attend...
 
Career Transition Seminars
 
Wednesday October 2nd 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
“Discover Your Strengths”
Presenter – Nicholas G. Gardner
Classroom ATCR Room 207
 
Wednesday October 9th 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
“Networking for a New Career”
Presenter – John Zeydel
Classroom ATCR Room 207
 
Wednesday October 16th 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
“Job Search and Interviewing for a New Career”
Presenters – Tammy Johnson & Connie Millay
Classroom ATCR Room 207
 
Wednesday October 23rd 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
“Social Media & Job Search”
Presenter – Denny Dillman
Classroom ATCR 207
 
*all seminars are open to the public and there is no cost
Childcare is available
Seminar location...
Southeast Christian Church
920 Blankenbaker Parkway
Classroom ATCR 207
 
You may sign-up in advance or just show up
To sign-up in advance go to southeastchristian.org and once you get to the website, search for “Career”...you’ll see the seminars
 
Hope to see you there!
 
Nick the Navigator
 
 
New Executive position open...
Spina Bifida Association of Kentucky is seeking qualified candidates for the position of
Executive Director. The full-time Executive Director will be responsible for leading and
managing the SBAK chapter by implementing the policies, goals, priorities and
procedures developed by the Board of Directors.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
● Fund Development
● Fiscal Management of $250,000 budget
● Strategic Planning
● Personnel Management
● Board Relations
● Program Management
● Representing SBAK in the Community
Required Qualifications:
● Bachelor’s Degree in a related field
● Minimum 5 years related professional experience
● Significant expertise and demonstrated success in fundraising
● Strategic planning experience
● Competency in organizational fiscal management
● Strong verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking
● Program and staff management experience
Desired Qualifications:
● Successful experience as a nonprofit Executive Director or Development
Director
● Master’s Degree in relevant field
● Knowledge of Spina Bifida or experience with disability groups
● Experience working for and with a board of directors
● Background related to national organizations and chapters/affiliates
To apply, submit the following to SBAK.applications@gmail.com:
● One page cover letter
● Resume
● References
● Salary requirement
 
 
This just in...If your company is interested in enriching and enhancing your company culture, then you need to contact the “Culture Docs”.  Jeff and Al have been helping businesses for years “providing the tools and processes for organizations to build and sustain healthy workplace cultures”
 
If you’re interested in finding out more about “Culture Docs” contact Jeff or Al 502-817-4706 or check out their website culturedocs.com
 
 
Hey Nick
 
I’m sending this to you all in hopes you can spread the word. We’ve moved and are trying to sell our 3 bedroom, 2 bath (one totally remodeled) bath at 2514 Kings Highway in Kingsley. If you know anyone wanting to downsize or move to the only ranch available in 40205 right now, please have them call Louise Venetozzi at 502-592-1098. It’s a cute corner house, with a pond of goldfish, lush landscaping, 2 car garage and all appliances except for the washer/dryer remain. Please share this with your friends and colleagues. Thanks.
 
*****************************************************************
Former Governor John Y Brown once said "if you don't look good on your resume, rewrite it". 
 
That's true, but where the action really happens and the hiring takes place is in the interview process...here's some great information about interviewing trends in today's marketplace...
 
-Traditional interviews don’t have the best reputations. In fact, some research even suggests that interviews can actually do more harm than good, if not managed appropriately. 
In a LinkedIN Talent Solutions report, Richard Nisbett, professor of social psychology at the University of Michigan, went so far as to say that "when it comes to choosing a candidate, [traditional] interviews are as much use as flipping a coin."
As a recruiter, I'd like to think that the odds are a bit better than a coin toss. But I can see where Nisbett is coming from.  If left unchecked, unconscious bias, a lack of structure, and poor interview questions can make selecting the right candidate extremely difficult.
To address these concerns, my team has provided interview training to reduce bias and revamped our evaluation process to drive consistency and objectivity. 
In addition to these solutions, many organizations are exploring new ways to improve their recruiting processes.
LinkedIN surveyed surveyed 8,815 talent acquisition professionals and hiring managers from around the globe and identified five new trends reshaping the candidate experience. 
1. Soft skills assessments 
One of the major limitations to traditional interviews is the ability to assess candidates' soft skills (i.e., grit, curiosity, and teamwork). If well prepared, candidates can easily over-embellish these abilities or, on the flip side, they can be ruled out if they don't articulate their capability in these areas. 
To measure intangible abilities, organizations are taking a look at soft skill assessments. For example, Citi uses Koru (provider of predictive hiring technology) to provide a more complete view of their candidates' strengths. 
Courtney Storz, Citi's head of global campus recruiting, is convinced that soft skill assessments are here to stay: 
We all want information to make better hiring decisions, to better understand who is most likely to be successful at our firms, and who is most likely to stay. These assessments are meant to do just that, hence our interest in testing and learning.
In my organization, we utilize a tool called the Predictive Index (PI) (*See below for Nick the Navigators preferred assessment tool). The PI helps us uncover individual work styles (soft skills) to better understand the motivators behind employee behavior. These motivators and strengths can be leveraged to increase employee productivity and effectiveness. 
Soft skill assessments provide organizations with additional information that can help you make better decisions while positioning employees for success. 
2. Job auditions 
I loved the metaphor LinkedIn referenced -- "NFL coaches don't ask a prospect to describe catching a football -- they watch them catch a football." 
Similarly, many organizations are switching to "auditions" rather than traditional interviews. Citadel, for instance, has designed all-day job auditions in which students compete for cash (and jobs) by solving real business problems. 
In the process, Citadel recruiters assess the candidates' troubleshooting capabilities, see how they perform in high-pressure situations, and reduce unconscious-bias risk by measuring actual performance instead of interview skills. 
3. Casual settings 
When it comes to assessing character, formal settings leave little room for personalities to shine through. Character is so important to Charles Schwab CEO Walt Bettinger that he invites candidates to breakfast and asks restaurants to intentionally mess up their orders: 
Are they upset, are they frustrated, or are they understanding? Life is like that, and business is like that. It's just another way to get a look inside their heart rather than their head.
Casual settings in general help candidates relax and elicit more natural responses. 
As part of our interviewing process for internships, my organization offers prospective interns the opportunity to network with our employees through coffee chats, lunch, and informal Q&A sessions with former interns. 
4. Virtual reality assessments 
Can a candidate really do what they say they can? This is a common fear among recruiters and hiring managers. Virtual reality (VR) solves for that, says senior recruitment manager Arbi Rai from Lloyds Banking Group: 
Using virtual reality to assess candidates has helped us predict real life behavior more accurately. By revealing authentic ability rather than practiced responses, it's leading us to better hiring decisions. 
As part of their final interviewing process, Lloyds Banking Group candidates are immersed in a virtual world that allows them to put their problem-solving skills to the test while an evaluator simultaneously rates their performance using standardized metrics. 
5. Video Interviews 
Traditionally, phone interviews serve as your first interaction with a prospective employer. Without the ability to see and read each other's body language, phone interviews make it difficult to "jump off the page" and engage your audience. 
To improve the experience, KPMG is turning to video interviewing technology. Nikki Harrison, KPMG's head of people and culture transformation, said offering video has been a huge help. "These more relaxed videos help us assess candidate impact, communication skills, and answers to behavioral interview questions."
While it might have been difficult to assess a candidate in these areas before an onsite interview, it can now be done through live and pre-recorded videos, further streamlining the recruiting process. 
I don't think organizations are ready to give up on traditional interviews just yet. However, there are definitely areas of the recruitment process in need of a makeover. These tools can help you streamline and improve the candidate experience while enhancing the quality of talent you hire.
********************************************************************************************************************************************************
*Nick the Navigator preferred assessment tool is Gallup's "Strengthsfinder".  Easy to do, easy to understand, direct correlation for the best industries and jobs based on your strengths, and it's a consumer-based product...just the price of a book.  To learn more, contact Nick the Navigator nick@nickthenavigator.com
****************************************************************************************************************
Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.com Not only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
***********************************************************************************************************
Quote of the Month
If you don't build your dream, then someone will hire you to build theirs...
 
Navigator Humor...
 

Have a great September!  Nick the Navigator
 
 
Onward and upward,
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
 
Navigator
 
                                                 
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                                Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
Business Technology Advisors...specializing in multi-location businesses for all your technology needs.
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - AUGUST 2019
Navigators
 
It's Kentucky State Fair time, kids go back to school...life goes by very quickly...
 
Here's some interesting information about "hiring and new careers"
Many companies are restarting hiring efforts that may have stalled at the end of last year. But that doesn’t mean hiring will look like it did in 2018. As CareerBuilder CEO Irina Novoselsky explains, recruitment trends are impacted by many factors–from unemployment rates to technological innovation and beyond.
The unemployment rate is going down, allowing job seekers to get behind the wheel and to be picky about their opportunities. In turn, this results in higher competition and a longer process to fill a cubicle seat. Novoselsky adds that a growing digital and remote working landscape continues to redefine the professional sphere. Generations that adopt the gig economy mindset and are able to take their job anywhere they please force businesses to think differently about employees, contractors, and what success looks like. As we move through 2019, leading recruitment executives predict hiring trends to prepare and plan for:
COMPANIES WILL UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY TO STREAMLINE THE INTERVIEW PROCESSAnyone with access to a computer can technically apply for any job out there–regardless of whether they are qualified or not. In response to this free-for-all, many recruitment firms and databases have created ways for employers to streamline their hiring process using technology to field applications. The CEO and founder of ABS Staffing Solutions, Ariel Schur, explains that rather than wasting anyone’s time with several in-person meetings, online features will allow hiring managers to send out personality, writing, or functional tests an interested professional must complete before moving forward. This saves headache–and heartache–on both sides of the process. “There is nothing more frustrating than falling in love with a candidate you believe would be the perfect fit only to discover that they are a terrible writer during the final hiring process,” she adds. In addition to these virtual quizzes or run-throughs, Schur also predicts most companies will conduct several rounds of Skype interviews before inviting candidates into the office, to save on commuting time and cost.
SOCIAL RECRUITING WILL BECOME MORE PREVALENTThough LinkedIn is a no-brainer tool for seeking applicants, Schur explains there are several untapped platforms that most companies haven’t yet considered. From Twitter to Instagram, social postings can go beyond an update, and can offer more to lure in the right candidate or find the ideal job. “Both employees and employers can utilize these platforms to build relationships, vet opportunities, and make employment decisions,” she says. This might look like running social ads for a position you’re hoping to fill, or reaching out to influencers in various industries to see if they are open to contract work. No matter how you use it, there are thousands of connections you likely already have that you aren’t considered. “Recruitment marketing is the process of trying to attract new individuals for organizations using different methods and to think outside of the box. Companies will be smarter with how they utilize their social sites to attract candidates,” she continues. “They’ll want to be more competitive and sexier and tap into what people want.”
COMPETITION WILL BE FIERCEThanks to low unemployment, higher productivity, and a growing consumer confidence, Novoselsky predicts strong job growth will extend throughout 2019, not only for full-time professionals but for temporary workers, too. Because there will be more jobs created, naturally, industries will become more competitive, and she says employers will need to respond with an aggressive approach to financial compensation, cultural perks, and other incentives. Because of this, she thinks more companies will increase their focus on diversity to attract an even wider pool of applicants, and perhaps be open to more modern ways of working. This might include remote work, consultants, and other novel ways of looking at what it means to be a professional.
TECHNOLOGY WILL CONTINUE TO BE INDISPUTABLEThough Novoselsky does predict STEM-related occupations will dominate fast-growing occupations, with a big quest for software and app developers, as well as IT specialists, technology isn’t only in these fields. In fact, she explains, outside of traditional tech, jobs like registered nurses, postsecondary teachers, accountants and auditors will increase in demand, and people in these roles will encounter tech more regularly during their day-to-day tasks. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 69% of employers said every job is essentially a “tech job” because some part of the responsibilities is dependent on their ability utilize various technologies. “This shift will push companies to create upskilling and reskilling opportunities for current employees to make sure that they remain competitive, and will require job seekers to pursue skills and educational opportunities to meet growing demand for high-wage jobs that involve tech,” she explains.
CANDIDATES WILL BE HIRED ON POTENTIAL CAREER TRAJECTORY–NOT THEIR DEGREEAs new generations of entry-level-age workers are emerging without a degree, companies are pushed to reconsider the importance of an expensive diploma. Novoselsky believes that in the coming months, candidates will be selected based on their potential career trajectory and not necessarily what they did or didn’t achieve educationally. CareerBuilder actually doesn’t require a degree for its openings because they don’t want to lose out on great talent who didn’t decide to take the traditional route. “Employers will invest more in providing competency-based training to develop potential talent and have them grow with the company, offering upskilling opportunities almost immediately upon a candidate’s hire,” she predicts.
 
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Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.com Not only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
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Quote of the Month...Be who you are and say how you feel, those who mind won't matter and those who matter won't mind...
 

 
Have a great month!
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
 
                                                
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                                Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
The question isn’t, “Why would you work with TDM?”
The question is, “Why wouldn’t you?”
 
Expert guidance for Your Competitive Advantage
 
TDM Business Technology Experts
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - JULY 2019
Hey Navigators
 
Wow...summer is flying by...I mean...swimming by...we've had a lot of rain!
 
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Here's some interesting information...
 
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the economy is continuing its march deeper into full employment due to declining unemployment and accelerating wage gains.
 
Average hourly earnings have increased by 2.7% (go check your paycheck)
 
Here's a topic you may find interesting...
 
Texting has finally made its way into the hiring process.  More and more recruiters are now turning to text messaging as a means to engage with potential job candidates.  But it can be confusing as a job candidate to take a form of communication traditionally reserved for friends and family and begin using it in a professional manner.
 
So...before you hit send on that text, there are a couple of things you should consider:
 
BE AWARE OF YOUR OPTIONS - a recent survey from recruitment media company Nexxt found that 73% of job seekers say they want to receive targeted jobs via text messaging.  However, if texting with a recruiter makes you uncomfortable or texting is just not your preferred method of communicating, you should feel empowered to simply opt out of communicating this fashion.
 
Do not feel an obligation to text with a recruiter.  Just explain you would prefer to be reached via email.
 
BE PROFESSIONAL - although recruiters are there to help you find a new career, they are not your friends - this is a professional interaction.  If you do decide to text all the same rules apply for manners and etiquette.  Professional also means no "emojis" or abbreviations.  It also means texting only during regular business hours.
 
BE PREPARED - recruiters are not the only members of the hiring process that have begun texting.  Some companies have begun using cloud-based reference checking solutions that allow job candidates and their references to communicate and facilitate reference check requests via text messaging.  References who use a mobile device submit their feedback 18% faster that references who use a computer.
 
There are tangible benefits to using texting in the recruiting and hiring process and some companies have begun conducting interviews via text...so get ready...here comes the future...today.
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Here's another interesting article...Nick the NavigatorHIRING IN THE DIGITAL AGE:  3 MODERN RECRUITMENT TRENDS TO ADOPT1. Targeted recruiting adsHave you ever searched for a specific product on one of your devices, then saw an advertisement for it on another device while scrolling through Instagram later that day? If so, you've been targeted – but don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds.
Our devices know a lot about us, from our interests to our location. And while that might seem invasive, it's the price we pay for being so digitally connected and reliant today. Because of this, marketing efforts can reach more applicable consumers rather than random ones.
For instance, if you're a bookworm who follows profiles of book reviewers on Instagram, purchases novels on Amazon once a week and searches book quotes on Pinterest in your free time, then you might see more targeted ads for book-related products. This tailored process benefits both brands and consumers.
The same goes for recruiting ads. Job searchers of a specific industry will want to see career opportunities relevant to them, and you can increase the likeliness of this happening by using the right keywords, job descriptions, and details on your ad.
Many recruiting software applications and services help you target candidates, placing your ads in front of the right people with the right skills and experience. Targeted ads are seamless, save time and create opportunities for both the hiring company and the job searcher. 
Artificial intelligence (AI)With AI on the rise, companies should consider investing in technologies that simplify the hiring process. AI can eliminate time spent reviewing cover letters and resumes, sending out job postings, sorting through applications and on other applicant-tracking processes; it can also make their openings more accessible to the public, according to Danny Shteinberg, CMO of Gloat, an anonymous recruitment platform.
"Corporations, SMBs and even sole proprietors looking for freelancers in the gig economy are increasingly relying on AI to streamline the hiring process," added Keith Johnstone, head of marketing at Peak Sales Recruiting.
According to Forbes, AI has the power to "assess everything from innate empathy and politeness to attention to detail and cultural fit," thanks to its natural language processing (NLP) and machine-learning algorithms.
"Hiring managers are able to make better-informed decisions as AI tools are capable of assessing thousands of candidates almost instantaneously, selecting the most suitable person for a specific role and the company," said Shteinberg. "Hiring is becoming smarter, making recruitment easier and more effective. As opposed to HR managers spending the bulk of their time sifting through cover letters and application forms, they can concentrate on other HR matters, such as employee retention."
However, this is not always without fail. Just as AI can adopt human behaviors, it can also adopt human prejudice, whether subconscious or not. Johnstone noted that using AI for recruiting sometimes leads to bias, which prevents diversity in the recruitment stage.
According to Johnstone, if recruiters went by some AI algorithms, many accomplished individuals, like Steve Jobs and Anna Wintour, would be weeded out due to their lack of degrees.
In other words, AI can make recruiting more black and white than gray, going only by the books. To benefit from AI, you should invest in the latest tech that, as Forbes noted, uses NLP and advanced algorithms, and ensure it is programmed without discrimination or back-end politics playing a part, said Shteinberg.
"While AI in recruitment is being rapidly adopted, hiring managers and human resource teams should begin by first educating themselves on the technological options available, then start asking the right questions," added Johnstone.
He recommended asking yourself these questions:
·         What problem am I trying to fix?
·         What does success look like?
·         What does failure look like?
·         What are the unintended consequences?
·         Do I have the time, energy, and resources needed to implement, manage, and scale these programs should they work?
"If the technology makes sense, slowly integrate it following a test-and-learn approach," he said.
Search engine optimization (SEO)There is more garbage on the internet than there is gold. You don't want your job postings to get tossed in the bag just because you didn't invest your time evolving like other companies.
Improving your SEO increases the visibility of your recruiting ads. There are many simple ways to do this, but one of the most important is making sure your website is mobile-optimized.
Many job seekers opt to apply from their mobile devices. In fact, according to Indeed, 78 percent of millennials, 73 percent of Gen Xers and 57.2 percent of baby boomers have used mobile job search as of 2016. If your application process isn't optimized for mobile devises, you miss out on quality candidates simply because you failed to adapt.
Another way to achieve better SEO is by utilizing social media, which is not only a place to connect with your friends – it is your friend.
Capitalize on the various tools each platform offers, such as Facebook for Business and LinkedIN Recruiter. You can also simply focus your attention on building your brand and its digital presence by interacting with consumers and sharing content that reflects who you are and what you believe in.
Have one of your employees take over Instagram Live for a behind-the-scenes look at their job or an event they're attending. Actively respond to your Twitter followers in a manner that attracts attention to your page. (Ever read Wendy's feed? You'll thank me.) Share Snapchats of new products.
Even if you focus on one single platform, it's better than lacking presence altogether. This traffic will boost your ads and encourage the right applicants to want to work for you.
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Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
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Quote of the Month
Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.  Don't wish it was easier...wish you were better
 
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Navigator Humor

 
***********************************************************************************************************************
Have a great month!
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
 
                                                
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                                Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
The question isn’t, “Why would you work with TDM?”
The question is, “Why wouldn’t you?”
 
Expert guidance for Your Competitive Advantage
 
TDM Business Technology Experts
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - JUNE 2019
Hey Navigators
 
Summer's here...enjoy the outdoors!
 
Hey, to get us started, I have a good friend who has invented a new product and he's trying to spread the word and attract some investors...here's the story...
 
Jay Stewart, a friend of mine invented a razor shaving and maintenance system for consumers.  It's called Razor Keep.  Here's a link to his Kickstarter campaign.  Everything is explained at the link...
 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/razorkeep/razorkeeptm-worlds-best-razor-maintenance-system
 
So...if you want to help a Louisville inventor get his product in the marketplace...check it out...he'll appreciate it.

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Looking for a new career?
 
Here are some great seminars that will help you find the perfect career opportunity...
 
CAREER TRANSITION SEMINARS – This four-part seminar series will help you on your journey to a new career.
 
Here’s the series

  1. Discover Your Strengths
  2. Job Search and Interviewing
  3. Networking for a New Career
  4. Using Social Media to find a new Career
The first seminar is “Discover Your Strengths” – find out what your strengths and talents are “before” you start looking for a new career.  Nick Gardner will guide you through the strategic process of discovering which industries and jobs best compliment you in order to find a new career...this is a two-part seminar taking place on two consecutive Wednesdays
 
Discover Your Strengths
Wednesday May 29th
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR 207
 
Job Search and Interviewing
Wednesday June 5, 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR 207
 
Networking for a New Career
Wednesday June 12th, 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR – 207
 
Using Social Media to find a New Career
Wednesday June 19, 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR 207
 
All seminars take place at...
Southeast Christian Church
Blankenbaker Campus
Free childcare is provided
There is no cost to attend
 
Seminars presented by proven professionals in the industry of career acquisition.  These seminars are repeated, three times a year...Fall, Winter and Summer
 
For more information, please contact this website https://www.southeastchristian.org/groups/southeast/generous-living and scroll down to “Career Transitions” and you can sign up online or just show up...as always, feel free to call me, Nick Gardner (Nick the Navigator) 502-238-1096 or nick@nickthenavigator.com
 
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Let's get started...
 
A great article about the state of hiring talent in America...
 
Hiring for Soft Skills and Potential
In 2019, employers will entice applicants by hiring for soft skills and potential, offering more-flexible work options, and being more open about pay.
When surveyed by LinkedIn for the professional networking site's Global Talent Trends 2019 report, more than 5,000 recruiters and hiring managers in 35 countries identified these three trends, among others, as creating the greatest change in the workplace.
Workers expect more from employers—more transparency, accountability and trust, said Mark Lobosco, vice president of talent solutions for LinkedIn. "And you need more from your employees—not only their technical skills, but also their ability to think creatively, collaborate effectively and adapt quickly."
 
While hard skills are important, competencies like creativity, adaptability and ability to learn on the job are crucial for successful hires. They are also among the most difficult traits to accurately measure.
"Soft skills can make or break a hire—and they can also make or break a company," Lobosco said. "As automation and AI [artificial intelligence] continue to reshape entire industries, companies and jobs, strong soft skills—the one thing that machines can't replace—are becoming absolutely vital."
Ninety-two percent of respondents told LinkedIn that they value soft skills as much or more than hard skills upon hire. But while companies agree that soft skills are valuable, most struggle to assess them accurately. Just 41 percent have a formal process in place to measure them. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said the main way they judge soft skills is by observation during interviews.
"Employers should be looking for soft skills more and training for hard skills, but we struggle with that," said Tim Sackett, SHRM-SCP, president of HRU Technical Resources, an engineering and design staffing firm based in Lansing, Mich. He is also author of The Talent Fix: A Leader's Guide to Recruiting Great Talent "Organizations still post jobs that are hard-skills-based, because they don't truly know how to interview for soft skills," he said.
Evaluating candidates' technical background is still a priority at Ernst-Young (EY), depending on the role, said Larry Nash, the director of U.S. recruiting for the consulting firm. "If they have experience, we look to see what their technical background is because that's what our clients are looking for—expertise," he said. "But technical skills are not solely what we look at. We look at the full picture of competencies and skill sets that a person has, including critical thinking, teamwork, a global mindset, diverse thinking. If we're hiring straight from school, in addition to a candidates' field of study, we consider soft skills like listening and the ability to build strong relationships."
Despite the importance of soft skills, interviewers aren't sure how to measure for them, usually relying on behavioral-based questions and observations of candidates' body language.
"Interviewers struggle with pulling out someone's personality, especially because everyone shows up in interview mode," Sackett said. "You need an extended period of time to really find out who someone is, or you could give them work samples, which are hard to manage and expensive to produce. Personality assessments don't really deliver what we're looking for in terms of soft skills either."
Courtney Storz, head of global campus recruiting at financial services firm Citi, said her team uses problem-solving case studies and group exercises to showcase candidates' collaboration, communication and leadership skills, as well as an AI-powered soft-skills assessment, which measures a candidate's strengths and weaknesses. "Putting a premium on soft skills has allowed Citi to significantly expand its entry-level talent pipeline beyond the usual core schools, creating a more diverse workforce and reducing bias," she said.
Those efforts are also helpful to the employers who are hiring for potential when candidates lack experience. Due to the low unemployment rate, experts believe that employers will continue to loosen educational and experience requirements to fill open positions.
Scott Gutz, the CEO of global job site Monster, suggested filtering applicants to ensure they meet the minimum requirements for a role, then searching for the best possible fit based on more flexible criteria. "In a tight labor market, you can't only consider candidates who meet every single requirement," he said. "You also need to consider candidates who might not meet every single one of the requirements but have high potential for impact."
Nash said that as the talent pool becomes more competitive, EY doesn't "shy away from [its] standards but also sees where things can be learned instead of bought." The company offers its employees a talent development program called EY Badges, focused on emerging skill sets like robotics, AI and data analytics.
Offering Work Flexibility
The squeezed labor market will move more employers to increase wages and offer creative benefits, such as unlimited paid time off or flexible work schedules, to differentiate their brands and create a more attractive workplace.
"Work flexibility is becoming the norm," said Jason Phillips, vice president of digital HR and global chief of staff at computer technology firm Cisco. "The challenge is how fast can organizations provide it. Those that can are going to be in a far better position to [attract] and retain top talent over the next three to five years."
Technology has taken work beyond the traditional 9-to-5 office hours. And as the younger generations become a larger presence in the workplace, employers will have to adapt to those workers' preferences for nontraditional work experiences. Greater flexibility to work where and when they want has become a top priority for candidates, and employers are increasingly promoting their flex options in job posts. Since 2016, there's been a 78 percent increase in job posts on LinkedIn that mention work flexibility.
A recent Indeed survey found that nearly half (47 percent) of employees say remote work policies are an important factor in choosing a job, and 40 percent of employees whose employers don't currently offer remote work say they would consider taking a pay cut for that option.
"Across most industries, companies have started to adapt to a more agile work environment and offering greater workplace flexibility has become commonplace," said Jodi Chavez, group president of Randstad Professionals, a staffing and recruitment provider of finance and accounting talent. "It's now common for employees to engage with social media during work hours and do work during off hours," she said.
Nash said EY "offers a full array of formal flexible work arrangements like remote work or reduced schedules." He added that more importantly, the idea of flexibility is baked into the culture. "It's OK to talk about flexibility among teams, so people don't feel like they can't talk about it. We embrace flexibility."
He added that flexibility is also about acknowledging that people at different stages of their careers prefer different types of work relationships, so the company created a site listing project-based work opportunities to make it easier for those seeking gig work to find it.
Being Transparent About Pay
As it becomes easier for people to see and share salaries on sites like PayScale, Glassdoor and LinkedIn, more companies will choose to own the conversation by sharing salary information.
But the taboo of talking about salary is hard to break, and employers are concerned that disclosing compensation will encourage talent poaching and limit their ability to negotiate.
Seventy-five percent of the respondents to the LinkedIn survey who work at companies without pay transparency say it would ignite salary disputes.
In 2017, EY decided to stop asking about candidates' salary history—and basing compensation on the applicant's last job—but "we're not at the point where we publish salary in our job descriptions," Nash said. "There are a lot of factors that go into compensation that would raise more questions. Maybe that will change over time."
Lobosco said that employee pay has always been a confidential topic in the workplace, "but leaving people in the dark can make candidates uneasy and employees distrustful because most people incorrectly believe they're being underpaid relative to their market position."
A majority of organizations (73 percent) are still not ready to share salary information during the hiring process, according to LinkedIn. Of the 27 percent of respondents who said their company is transparent about pay, 67 percent share salary ranges with candidates early in the hiring process, 59 percent share ranges with employees, and 48 percent share ranges publicly on job posts. "Those who do share salary ranges cite many benefits—especially when it comes to speeding up the hiring process," Lobosco said.
In addition to streamlining negotiations and filtering out applicants who would eventually drop out of the process, job posts with salary information will get more traffic than the same post without salary information, Sackett said. "Google is saying that if you want your jobs to show up higher on search results, you better have a salary in a structured data field," he added.
Finally, advocates believe that salary transparency helps ensure fair pay across the organization.
"Right now, transparency is a competitive advantage for us—it's the right thing to do, and employees and candidates want it," said Jeremy Tolley, chief people officer at CareHere, a Nashville, Tenn.-based company that manages more than 200 employer-sponsored health and wellness centers in 26 states.
Tolley said that CareHere adopted a three-year pay transparency plan in 2017 to build the company's employer brand and boost retention. "Despite their above-market salaries, employees often assumed they were being paid unfairly—concerns that managers didn't know how to address," he said. "In 2018, we started telling employees the salary range for their own role, sharing ranges with candidates, and training managers to discuss salaries. By the end of 2019, CareHere hopes to have open salary ranges for all roles internally and on job posts. Most importantly, we want employees to have open, honest discussions with their managers about pay—especially if they're thinking about leaving."
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Great information...the need for great talent will continue for at least 12 more years...Would you like to know why?
 
Here's why...Baby Boomers were the largest population of workers in the history of America.  Baby Boomers are a generation of people born between 1945 and 1965.  Now, Baby Boomers have been turning 65 years old and retiring, 15,000 every day, from the workplace for the past 8 years and will continue to do so for the next 12 years.
 
So what?
 
Well, the generation behind the Baby Boomers, the Generation Xer's, are 20% less in population.  This is due to birth control, that hit the American marketplace in 1962.  After 2 years, 1.2 million American women were on the pill and it continued to grow, exponentially.
 
So, where are the other 20% of workers going to come from?  Well, you can't make any more Gen Xer's.
 
Two choices...Millennials or businesses are trying to lure Baby Boomers, back to work with money or other incentives.
 
So, there's a drought of leadership and management, along with technicians for that matter, in businesses today and for years to come. 
 
Pay attention to the places you go to do business.  Grocery stores, restaurants, shopping, you name it...there are fewer and fewer people working and the quality of work, sometimes suffers, because businesses are so desperate for employees, they don't necessarily provide the must need teaching and training new employees need.
 
Also, the wants/needs and desires of the Gen Xer's and Millennials is different than that of Baby Boomers.  There's nothing good or bad or right or wrong about having wants/needs/desires different than previous generations...it's just different. 
 
By the way, Millennials are the most educated generation in the history of America and the Gen Xer's are the most independent generation. 
 
So these are smart, independent people in search of a different life and a different experience at work...and businesses need to take notice, or get left behind, even go out of business.  Nick the Navigator
 
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Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
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Quote of the Week
 
Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability...Sam Keen
 
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Navigator Humor
 

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Have a great month!  Nick the Navigator...
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
 
                                                
                                                 One Navigator…
                                                                Two locations
 
                                      
7608 Highway 146                                                                                 3017 Bushmill Park
Suite 300                                                                                                  The Loft Suite
Pewee Valley, KY  40056                                                                    Louisville, KY  40241
mailto:nicholasg@tdm.cc                                                                  mailto:nick@nickthenavigator.com
Direct 502-238-1096                                                                             Direct 502-238-1096
Mobile 502-295-8143                                                                           Mobile 502-295-8143
www.tdm.cc                                                                                           www.nickthenavigator.com
 
The question isn’t, “Why would you work with TDM?”
The question is, “Why wouldn’t you?”
 
Expert guidance for Your Competitive Advantage
 
TDM Business Technology Experts


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - MAY 2019
Hey Navigators
 
The weather's great, the sun is shining, life is good...a great time of the year!
 
Let's get started...
 
Looking for something different at lunch? 
Let TDM “Take You Out to the Ballgame!”


 
Join TDM for Beers and Baseball
Louisville Bats vs Indianapolis Indians
Wednesday May 22, 2019
Special Game Time: 11:00 am
Food and Drinks provided
 
To register, click on the link here. 
 
Presented by

   
 
 
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Looking for a new career?
 
Here are some great seminars that will help you find the perfect career opportunity...
 
CAREER TRANSITION SEMINARS – This four-part seminar series will help you on your journey to a new career.
 
Here’s the series

  1. Discover Your Strengths
  2. Job Search and Interviewing
  3. Networking for a New Career
  4. Using Social Media to find a new Career
The first seminar is “Discover Your Strengths” – find out what your strengths and talents are “before” you start looking for a new career.  Nick Gardner will guide you through the strategic process of discovering which industries and jobs best compliment you in order to find a new career...this is a two-part seminar taking place on two consecutive Wednesdays
 
Discover Your Strengths
Wednesday May 22nd
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR 207
 
Applying Your Strengths
Wednesday May 29th
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR 207
 
Job Search and Interviewing
Wednesday June 5, 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR 207
Networking for a New Career
Wednesday June 12th, 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR – 207
 
Using Social Media to find a New Career
Wednesday June 19, 2019
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Room ATCR 207
 
All seminars take place at...
Southeast Christian Church
Blankenbaker Campus
Free childcare is provided
There is no cost to attend
 
Seminars presented by proven professionals in the industry of career acquisition.  These seminars are repeated, three times a year...Fall, Winter and Summer
 
For more information, please contact this website https://www.southeastchristian.org/groups/southeast/generous-living and scroll down to “Career Transitions” and you can sign up online or just show up...as always, feel free to call me, Nick Gardner (Nick the Navigator) 502-238-1096 or nick@nickthenavigator.com
 
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FORGET CULTURAL FIT AND LOOK FOR CULTURAL IMPACT
Here's a great article from Entrepreneur Magazine...
Each and every person you hire can profoundly impact your company's culture. As you grow your team, remember that directly related experience is often not the best way to predict success. Consider instead a candidate's potential to impact the culture -- and the business.
Diversity among leadership, for example, has been shown to directly benefit a company's market value and profitability, according to new research from Harvard Business School. To cultivate the diverse team that will help your business thrive, look for people who align with your company's core values and weigh that in the balance with the experience they bring to the table.
This may mean rethinking your ideas of your company's culture and of what it means to fit in. We know that company culture is critical to employee engagement and that higher engagement translates to better employee retention, increased productivity and greater financial success. At the same time, only 34 percent of employees are engaged at work, Gallup reports. In an effort to improve engagement, many leaders make the mistake of hiring people exactly like the ones already on the team.
Instead of hiring people on the basis of similarity in age, gender or ethnicity, deliberately hire people with diverse ideas, experiences and backgrounds. If people from different backgrounds are having trouble "fitting in," then the problem is probably with your company's culture. The solution is to hire those who have the potential to positively impact the company; meanwhile, work on making your company culture ever more inclusive so that every member of your diverse team can thrive.
Cultural Impact vs. Cultural Fit
When someone has the potential to positively impact the culture, direct experience becomes less important. Despite my lack of marketing department experience, for example, a Fortune 10 company I worked for saw my potential to impact the culture and offered me a marketing leadership role in its headquarters. I represented the field culture: I had managed sales and operations in the field and understood our customers. The hiring manager recognized that I could positively impact the home office culture by bringing the field perspective to HQ. That manager was right: The company’s market share climbed from third place to first during my tenure.
Along those lines, there may be times when you don't immediately see the potential for cultural impact but when the company needs the experience a candidate brings. If your startup needs to develop a platform unique to your business, quickly hiring a good software developer -- or two -- will mean prioritizing experience and expedience over cultural alignment. Cultural impact is also a secondary concern for remote employees whose exposure will be more peripheral.
The Core Values Hiring Playbook
While hiring for culture fit is often the go-to move for startups, it tends to stifle diversity because it allows unconscious bias to take the lead. To create an inclusive workplace, focus more on how hires will impact the culture than whether they "fit in" right now. Research shows that the team you build will be more diverse -- and more successful -- as a result.
These steps will help you determine who you need and how to evaluate them throughout the hiring process:
1. Assess your priorities.
You need a clear understanding of whom you're looking to hire. As a first step ahead of interviews, outline the common attributes of people successful in the position.
To assess alignment, everyone involved in the hiring process must first clearly understand what you mean by culture and values. You might even develop and enforce a standard rating system as a team -- a strategy that gets everyone on the same page.
When value alignment is key, your ideal candidate doesn't need to have experience that exactly matches your job's description. A candidate with a master's degree but little job experience, for example, may lack the track record with the specific job requirements but may bring an abundance of "soft skills" -- critical thinking, analysis, research, collaboration -- that will prove valuable to your company over the years.  Research suggests that a focused, hands-on education may even prepare a candidate better for a job than comparable work experience.
2. Go beyond the pleasantries.
Finding employees who align with your culture is difficult because smart candidates may be familiar with a company’s mission statement and core values and may weave key phrases into their interview responses. But a candidate saying the right things doesn’t automatically mean he's aligned with your values.
Craft interviews carefully to ensure they go beyond the superficial. Ask questions that call for specific examples of how candidates have worked within similar cultures. Don’t let them get away with vague or general answers.
The team's assessment should also probe more deeply than whether the candidate has equivalent experience. The questions Jeff Bezos kept in mind for hires as Amazon grew provide a useful template. Some are more specific, such as "Will this person raise the average level of effectiveness of the group they're entering?" while others, like "Will you admire this person?" and "Along what dimension might this person be a superstar?" are more nebulous. Questions like these give the team a window into the ways a candidate might impact the company's culture.
3. Give them room to stumble.
Go beyond pat questions and answers. Give candidates a problem similar to what they will face on the job so they can talk about how they would approach and resolve the situation. Ask about challenges they have faced and elicit details on how they resolved those problems.
In both scenarios, listen closely for words, feelings and actions that align with your company's core values and the needs of the position. Listen even more closely for things that don’t. For example, if collaboration is crucial but the candidate’s description is full of “I” statements, the candidate may not be a fit. Don't ignore red flags like a candidate communicating inappropriately to the situation or avoiding your follow-up questions.
4. Get outside the box -- and the HR department.
Don't limit your recruiting efforts to the recruiter and the manager -- get the team involved in the interviews. Candidates can meet with peers, direct reports and other colleagues. Your current employees are good at identifying who will be a strong fit.
While you're mixing up the interview structure, also find different settings for these conversations. Engaging with candidates over a meal, via Skype or in a conference room provides additional information on how they react and interact in different settings.
To make this approach work, everyone involved will need some training to prepare. Discuss at length what this position entails and requires. Give the team specific criteria so they don’t fall back on nebulous feelings that replicate age-old hiring discrimination problems. For example, research shows that we tend to shy away from hiring people with longer commutes -- a seemingly innocent bias that actually perpetuates racial and economic inequality.
Though experience may sometimes drive your hiring decisions, knowing when to prioritize values will let you build a diverse and thriving company. People can learn the job -- it’s their ability to impact the culture that makes a difference.
Great stuff!  Right out of the Nick the Navigator.  If you've ever attended one of my seminars, then you recognize this strategy - NTN
 
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Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 
I hope I breakeven at the racetrack.  I need the money...Mel Brooks
 
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NAVIGATOR HUMOR

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Have a great month!
 
 
 
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
 
 
​

NICK THE NAVIGATOR - APRIL 2019
Hey Navigators
 
It's Spring and on our way to warm weather, Easter, Derby and a great time of year...Enjoy!
 
To get us started...March Madness and the Final Four are about to end and it made me this of a great article about John Wooden, Hall of Fame basketball coach from UCLA...hope you like this
 
Legendary Coach John Wooden
Seven Point Creed that his father had given him as a graduation gift from elementary school...
  1. Be true to yourself – Are you living someone else’s plan for your life?  Nothing can stifle creativity like conformity and uniformity.  What’s “your thing?” – your unique ability?  Nobody is here by accident.  Everybody was placed on earth for a purpose.  Be comfortable in your own skin and chase your dream.
  2. Make each day your masterpiece – It almost sounds like a cliché, but everybody has the same amount of time each day (24 hours, 1,440 minutes).  Do you treat it like a rare gift?  On average, over 150,000 die every day.  Don’t take these hours for granted.  The late Bil Keane, creator of the Family Circus cartoon, once poignantly observed, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery – but today is a gift, that’s why we call it “the present”.  Don’t waste the day.
  3. Never leave until tomorrow, what can be done today.  Charles Dickens once called procrastination the “thief of time” – and he was right.  WE so often think tomorrow is going to be an extension of today, but it’s usually not.  Rather than treat time like a blank check, think about it in finite terms – because today is all we’ve got.
  4. Help others – Narcissism is destructive.  Care about others and practice blessed self-forgetfulness.  As Dr. Tim Keller says, “Don’t think less of yourself – just think of yourself, less.”  Call a friend, visit someone in the hospital, pick up the trash in your neighborhood or volunteer in your community.
  5. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.  The late pastor Dr. Adrian Rogers used to say, “What does down in the well, comes up in the bucket.”  Be mindful of what you’re reading and watching.  The apostle, Paul, probably put it best of all when he advised, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things and the God of peach will be with you.”
  6. Study friendship and make it a fine art.  It’s been said we become the product of the five people we spend the most time with.  If that’s the case, are you picking your friends or letting your friends pick you?  The popular writer, C.S. Lewis, wrote about the origin of enjoyable company.  “Friendship...is born at the moment,” Lewis noted, “when one man says to another “What!  You too?  I thought that no one but myself...”  We are living in an age of daily miracles and many of us don’t even realize it.
  7. Pray for guidance and count and five thanks for your blessings every day.  Cultivating a discipline of prayer and a spirit of gratitude will transform your life.  It was Albert Einstein who once opined, “There are only two ways to live your life:  as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.”  We are living in an age of daily miracles and many of us don’t even realize it.
 
As the curtain fell on his near century-long life, Coach Wooden reflected that while he tried to live up to his father’s creed, he had nevertheless fallen short, saying he was more like the guy who once said, “I am not what I ought to be; Not what I want to be; Not what I am going to be, But I am thankful that I am better than I used to be.”
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Okay...let's get started
 
Here's an article from Inc magazine - "Best Ways to Source for New Talent for your Business?
 
This time of the year -- just after the new year and bonus season -- is the most popular time for changing jobs. For many companies, this transition brings with it expansion plans, a whole pile of newly vacated positions -- and quite a bit of head scratching.
With jobless rates at multiyear lows in the U.S. and many other countries, finding talent is becoming a bigger task. Overall employment is expected to grow year on year at 0.7 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the prior decade, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
Employers will need to step up and become more creative at finding great talent now. As the founder of a startup, I recommend casting your net as wide as you can, using all the avenues available to you when searching for those superstar employees (especially when you are battling against big businesses with even bigger bucks).
Below are nine ways to help your company source some great talent:
1.   Referrals. Try looking at the people who are already around you. Employees often have extensive networks to tap into. Remember the old adage: "I get by with a little help from my friends." With a whopping 48 percent of businesses saying that their quality hires come from employee referrals (according to a 2017 LinkedIn report), this tactic makes a lot of sense!
2.   Career sites and job boards. Love them or loathe them, online career sites and job boards are a sure-fire way of getting as many eyes on your job posting as possible. Make sure you choose the right sites for your business, as some search sites have a reputation for focusing on certain industries such as tech. An index by Jobvite shows that an enormous 43 percent of job seekers search for positions using a job board, while 32 percent use career sites.
3.   Social networks. Hiring managers are increasingly sourcing talent from social media networks. In fact, 95 percent of companies surveyed said they successfully hired from LinkedIn, while 24 percent pointed to Facebook and 16 percent credited Twitter. Social networks are also a great way to forge meaningful relationships with passive candidates. One of our most recent hires came from my own social media network.
4.   Attend events and constantly network. Your talent pool can be dramatically expanded when you spend time in the right places. I have met some extremely talented people at meet-ups. These nonpressurized surroundings are a great way to meet people in the right industry and to promote your business. Naturebox co-founder Gautam Gupta agrees with the importance of networking: "You've got to cultivate your network" so whenever you have a hire to be made, you can reach out to people who have worked with those types of folks before and fill that role very quickly."
5.   Become an employer of choice. Candidates are drawn to a positive company culture and mission. Cultivating a progressive and lively company culture can help employees approach you. By focusing on core values, Poshmark CEO Manish Chandra maintains that a company will "find people who are symbiotic and synergistic with your mission", and who really connect to your mission."
6.   Consistent communication. While some companies issue an automatic reply to every job applicant, more than 40 percent of recruiters don't respond at all. This will leave a negative taste in a job candidate's mouth. If a candidate proved to be unsuitable for a particular role but showed some promise, keep the channel of communication open with them as there might be a more fitting job down the line. Fifty-five percent of candidates reported that they already had a relationship with the company before applying.
7.   Leverage your current employees. Letting potential employees know the calibre of talent who work in your company can be highly beneficial. After all, talent attracts talent. Social media posts, video interviews, and employee testimonials can raise the exposure of your company and help the wider audience get to know your brand. Employees make great brand ambassadors. Glassdoor says 76 percent of candidates want details on what makes the company an attractive place to work.
8.   Expand your candidate pool. If you are struggling to find talent in your local area, try expanding your job search area. Hiring remotely opens up a whole host of talent outside of your competitive job market. With recent advances in technology, it's never been easier to work remotely. Don't lose out on outstanding employees just because they aren't located in the same city as you are.  Randi Zuckerberg, the CEO and founder of Zuckerberg Media, has a very positive experience with a remote workforce. "I have on my team a mother who has to work from home because she has a child with special needs, and she has to be home with him. Normally someone like that wouldn't have the opportunity to get back into the workforce, but "thanks to the incredible tools we have...she is my right-hand woman."."
9.   Headhunters and recruiters. For really hard-to-fill positions, headhunters, recruiters, and employee placement firms are the way forward. Many of these firms have done a lot of the hard work for you and have gathered an extensive pool of talent to choose from. Expect to pay 20 to 35 percent of the cost of the new recruit's annual salary. Leave this option for only highly skilled workers.
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Wow...great stuff!
 
FOR ALL COMPANIES LOOKING FOR TALENT...feel free to send me the available jobs/careers you have and I'll post them in this email
 
FOR ALL YOU LOOKING FOR A NEW CAREER...feel free to send me the jobs/careers you're looking for and I'll post them in this email
 
When a match is made, I'll connect you...Nick the Navigator
 
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Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 
That's what I do now:  I lead and I teach.  If we win basketball games from doing that, then that's great, but I lead and teach.  Those are the two things I concentrate on...Mike Krzyzewski
 
NAVIGATOR HUMOR

 
Have a great April!
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - MARCH 2019
Hey Navigators...
 
Hopefully, the weather changes to warmer rather than what we've had and sunnier as we move toward spring...I like our four seasons, I also prefer some to others...bring on spring!
 
I'm going to add a new feature to my monthly emails...in tribute to the place I work, TDM.
 
TDM is a 20 year-old company specializing in "trusted advisor" evaluations and recommendations for businesses technology. 
 
Think of us as "where Consumer Reports meets Amazon". 
 
We continually evaluate the best providers of technology and give your company the best advice as to what the best solution is for your needs. 
 
As a "master agent" to over 500 technology partners, TDM then provides you with the best vendors and best solutions for those needs.
 
We are vendor agnostic, like Consumer Reports, with no pressure to recommend any particular vendor...just the best one's for your business.
 
We also have a product or service solution partner for every situation your company may need, like Amazon.
 
From Cloud Technology, to IT Security, from Telecommunications to Multi-location Networks, from everyday situations to abstract solutions, TDM is all you need.
 
PLUS, our outstanding Customer Service, Resolve, has real-time help and assistance to keep your business working, when technology hiccups and outages happen.
 
Located in our area and employees of TDM, not some out of USA call center, TDM Customer Service Resolve associates, take your service challenges over and let you get back to work and continually provide you with updates as your problems are resolved.
 
It doesn't get any better than this when it comes to technology.  So you'll never have to call 1-800-ATT or Spectrum or anyone else for that matter, just call TDM.  Your total, turn-key solution for technology.
 
For more information, call me, Nick the Navigator at 502-238-1096 or email me nicholasg@tdm.cc or visit our website www.tdm.cc for more information.
 
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Here's a great article on what the latest hiring trends are in 2019...
 
With the holidays over, many companies are restarting hiring efforts that may have stalled at the end of last year. But that doesn’t mean hiring will look like it did in 2018. As CareerBuilder CEO Irina Novoselsky explains, recruitment trends are impacted by many factors–from unemployment rates to technological innovation and beyond.
The unemployment rate is going down, allowing job seekers to get behind the wheel and to be picky about their opportunities. In turn, this results in higher competition and a longer process to fill a cubicle seat. Novoselsky adds that a growing digital and remote working landscape continues to redefine the professional sphere. Generations that adopt the gig economy mindset and are able to take their job anywhere they please force businesses to think differently about employees, contractors, and what success looks like. As we head into a new year, leading recruitment executives predict hiring trends to prepare and plan for:
COMPANIES WILL UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY TO STREAMLINE THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
Anyone with access to a computer can technically apply for any job out there–regardless of whether they are qualified or not. In response to this free-for-all, many recruitment firms and databases have created ways for employers to streamline their hiring process using technology to field applications. The CEO and founder of ABS Staffing Solutions, Ariel Schur, explains that rather than wasting anyone’s time with several in-person meetings, online features will allow hiring managers to send out personality, writing, or functional tests an interested professional must complete before moving forward. This saves headache–and heartache–on both sides of the process. “There is nothing more frustrating than falling in love with a candidate you believe would be the perfect fit only to discover that they are a terrible writer during the final hiring process,” she adds. In addition to these virtual quizzes or run-throughs, Schur also predicts most companies will conduct several rounds of Skype interviews before inviting candidates into the office, to save on commuting time and cost.
SOCIAL RECRUITING WILL BECOME MORE PREVALENT
Though LinkedIn is a no-brainer tool for seeking applicants, Schur explains there are several untapped platforms that most companies haven’t yet considered. From Twitter to Instagram, social postings can go beyond an update, and can offer more to lure in the right candidate or find the ideal job. “Both employees and employers can utilize these platforms to build relationships, vet opportunities, and make employment decisions,” she says. This might look like running social ads for a position you’re hoping to fill, or reaching out to influencers in various industries to see if they are open to contract work. No matter how you use it, there are thousands of connections you likely already have that you aren’t considered. “Recruitment marketing is the process of trying to attract new individuals for organizations using different methods and to think outside of the box. Companies will be smarter with how they utilize their social sites to attract candidates,” she continues. “They’ll want to be more competitive and sexier and tap into what people want.”
COMPETITION WILL BE FIERCE
Thanks to low unemployment, higher productivity, and a growing consumer confidence, Novoselsky predicts strong job growth will extend throughout 2019, not only for full-time professionals but for temporary workers, too. Because there will be more jobs created, naturally, industries will become more competitive, and she says employers will need to respond with an aggressive approach to financial compensation, cultural perks, and other incentives. Because of this, she thinks more companies will increase their focus on diversity to attract an even wider pool of applicants, and perhaps be open to more modern ways of working. This might include remote work, consultants, and other novel ways of looking at what it means to be a professional.
TECHNOLOGY WILL CONTINUE TO BE INDISPUTABLE
Though Novoselsky does predict STEM-related occupations will dominate fast-growing occupations, with a big quest for software and app developers, as well as IT specialists, technology isn’t only in these fields. In fact, she explains, outside of traditional tech, jobs like registered nurses, postsecondary teachers, accountants and auditors will increase in demand, and people in these roles will encounter tech more regularly during their day-to-day tasks. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 69% of employers said every job is essentially a “tech job” because some part of the responsibilities is dependent on their ability utilize various technologies. “This shift will push companies to create upskilling and reskilling opportunities for current employees to make sure that they remain competitive, and will require job seekers to pursue skills and educational opportunities to meet growing demand for high-wage jobs that involve tech,” she explains.
CANDIDATES WILL BE HIRED ON POTENTIAL CAREER TRAJECTORY–NOT THEIR DEGREE
As new generations of entry-level-age workers are emerging without a degree, companies are pushed to reconsider the importance of an expensive diploma. Novoselsky believes that in the coming months, candidates will be selected based on their potential career trajectory and not necessarily what they did or didn’t achieve educationally. CareerBuilder actually doesn’t require a degree for its openings because they don’t want to lose out on great talent who didn’t decide to take the traditional route. “Employers will invest more in providing competency-based training to develop potential talent and have them grow with the company, offering upskilling opportunities almost immediately upon a candidate’s hire,” she predicts.
 
Interesting...let's get started
 
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In last month's email, I posted a couple of positions...Belle of Louisville Event Salesperson and Courtyard Marriott Salesperson...both jobs were gobbled up immediately.
 
This speaks to the proliferation of Nick the Navigator emails and there reach...so...if your company is needing new talent, this is the place...there are thousands of business owners, business executives, recruiters and others who receive my monthly emails or go to my website www.nickthenavigator.com to find talent.  Send your job information to me nick@nickthenavigator and I'll post them here for you...thanks Nick
 
 
New Career Opportunities
 

 
 
 
Director of Government Procurement
 
 
Warren Technology Inc. is a Women Own company that has been in business for 26 years.  Headquarters in Louisville, KY we work in multiple states.  KY, IN, OH, TN, AL, GA, NC, SC and FL. We are seeking qualified person with 3-5 years’ experience in the telecommunication/ IT industry.  A knowledgeable person in IP, Networking, Structured Cabling, CCTV, Access Control and AV is a plus. Past history should have been completed in all verticals, healthcare, financial, government, education and manufacturing/industrial.  Job duties would be to build out the services using the Software package /portal to mine the data and analytics that show the purchasing tendencies. This person should be professional, self-starter, able to work well in a team environment as well as by oneself.  We would plan to add more team members after initial phase. 
 
Financial package would include:
Salary will be based on candidate experience
Two (2) weeks’ vacation, seven (7) holidays
Simple IRA (after grace period)
Individual Insurance after first of the month, 60 days from start
 
If you’re interested in applying for this position, please reply to nick@nickthenavigator.com
 
DO NOT CONTACT WARREN TECHNOLOGIES
 
Any information you send to me, Nick the Navigator will be kept Strictly Confidential
 
 
Part-Time Position available
Nearly New Shop, located in the lower level of the Mid City Mall
 
Help Wanted/ Now hiring Part time three day position:
Truck driver /Store maintenance person to pick up donations for the Nearly New Shop and provide routine maintenance around the store. Must have clean driving record and able to lift 40 pounds. Must be dependable and organized. Flexibility in schedule may be discussed. 
 
Please call 454-6633 and ask for Jerene or stop by in person to fill out application.
 
 
Looking for a new career?
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
 
*******************************************************************************************************************
Quote of the Month
 
Failures...repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement, one fails forward toward success...CS Lewis
 
Navigator Humor
 

 
Have a great month...
 
 
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
 


NICK THE NAVIGATOR - FEBRUARY 2019
​
Hey Navigators
 
Happy Valentine's Day...eventually
 
If you or someone you know is looking for a new career, then you will benefit in learning about the latest trends and exactly how to position yourself for your next career.
 
There is a series of seminars available to you to help get you started...
 
Who:    Open to anyone
When:  Wednesday February 6, 2019 thru Wednesday March 6, 2019
            6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where: Southeast Christian Church
             920 Blankenbaker Lane
What:  This is the first in a series of 5 seminars...we cover the following topics...
Week 1 & 2 - Discover Your Strengths - learn about what industries and jobs best complement your strengths
Week 3 - Job Search, Interviewing and Resume Writing
Week 4 - Networking for a new Career
Week 5 - Using Social Media to find a new Career
 
Cost - there is no cost and we have childcare available
 
So, beginning February 6th and meeting each of the next 4 weeks, you'll be ready and prepared to find that new career...
 
This series of seminars happens 3 times each year...Winter, Summer and Fall
 
Please either RSVP this email or you may just show up...hope to see you there
 
********************************************************************************************************
Here's a great article for those in search a new life through a new career...enjoy
 
The New Year has begun and it’s time for us to make our resolutions.
Change is in the air and it’s exciting!
New beginnings and a chance to change directions are all swirling around us here in early January 2019.
Some of you are latent entrepreneurs and you haven’t scratched that itch just yet.
Maybe you are currently working in a "safe" environment, perhaps a large organization that seems stable and secure.
But I have news for you.
Entrepreneurs always have a rock in their shoe.
Always.
If you are an entrepreneur or long to be one you know what I’m talking about.
The still small voice that whispers that you could do this better, whatever it is.
And, the “If I were in charge” dialogue you have with yourself pops up more and more often.
Every day that you don’t step out on the ledge and start your own business is a day that feels at least a little uncomfortable and unfulfilling, no matter how much you accomplish or how many awards or pats on the back you receive.
There’s a theory out there that says that there is an entrepreneurial personality type that we have somehow missed.
For these people, the world looks very different.
They are high intensity and driven and usually very kinetic.
They typically struggle in the traditional school setting, and they are constantly thinking about ways that they could improve the process.
Sometimes, like Richard Branson, they overcome dyslexia and other hurdles to soar.
He tells the story about how he couldn’t read his own financial statements even after he was one of the richest men in all of Europe.
After several years in business, one of his lieutenants took him aside at a board meeting and helped explain what net income means by drawing him a picture of the ocean and putting a net in the middle of it filled with fish.
The ocean was gross income.
The net was, well, net income from the ocean of revenue.
Branson got it.
What’s interesting to me about that story is that he had been wildly successful without knowing everything.
Not knowing didn’t affect his decision to take the leaps he took.
That’s another entrepreneurial trait that is hard to explain to non-risk takers.
They minimize their risks as much as possible and then they jump, knowing they will never know it all or be able to play out every eventuality.
For a long time Branson thought he was broken. Society had told him so.
He was a very poor student.
The headmaster at his school told him on his last day there that he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire.
In spite of those rocky beginnings he has somehow changed the world in his own way.
The list of great entrepreneurs and their quirks is endless.
Interestingly, when you compare them to the rest of the world they are very different.
But when you compare them to each other they are very much alike in many ways.
For one thing, they are unafraid of failure and they actually see failure as a stepping stone.
Somehow losing is not cumulative for them.
It’s learned from and then they move on without any baggage at all.
That is why they can attempt such bold gambles like going to space or inventing an electric car or boring a tunnel under Los Angeles that will likely become the next generation of mass transit.
Does any of this describe you?
If it does, take heart.
You’re not crazy. 
Don’t shut off your dreamer. 
It’s OK if it idles a while so you can contemplate and plan your big adventure.
But don’t turn it off entirely.
And, don’t let the inevitable naysayers snuff out your dream.
Go get it.
One step at a time, one day at a time.
I’ve done this.
I have worked for large companies in big roles and those were very satisfying.
They were great learning experiences.
They prepared me to captain my own ship.
I am grateful for every day I spent in those roles.
But, they never quieted the hum of entrepreneurship that I have always heard and still hear to this day.
At some point I knew it was time to start building my own enterprise.
As scary as it has been sometimes I wouldn’t change a thing.
So, as the New Year gets underway, find a quiet place where you can really think.
When you do, listen carefully.
If you hear the call of starting your own business, get started.
 
**************************************************************************************************
Let's get started...
 
Here are some available jobs in our community...
 
Hey Nick
 
Shelter Roofers is hiring a part-time or full-time salesperson looking for a new opportunity. The job is for inside and outside sales to generate leads for a roofing company. Experience in sales is required. Training and some leads will be provided. For more details, send your resume to Jason@ShelterRoofing.com. Do not call. Please be detailed in your sales experience.
 
*If you do want more information about this opportunity, feel free to call Nick the Navigator...502-295-8143
 
 
Hello Nick,
I hope you are well.  I would be happy for you to share this with your network. 
The Courtyard Downtown is seeking qualified candidates for the sales coordinator and sales manager role.

Overview
The Sales Coordinator will assist in the execution of the administrative process, service, detail and efficiently communicate to all departments the group needs from time of booking through check out date.
 
Execute the non-selling functions of the department in order to allow sales staff maximum time for soliciting and securing additional business for hotel.  Efficiently perform all assigned sales duties including processing incoming leads and executing sales reporting requirements. Ensure all deadlines are met, perform assigned duties, maintain sales data files and act as liaison between hotels and clients
 
Overview
Grow your career at the Courtyard Louisville Downtown!
 
We are currently hiring for a Sales Manager at the Courtyard Louisville Downtown. The ultimate mission of this role will be to solicit, sell, and contract rooms for assigned market in coordination with transient demand patterns and existing group business in order to maximize hotel room and related revenues. To accomplish this the Sales Manager will be responsible for maintaining and growing relationships with existing accounts and soliciting for new group sales accounts.  

--
Myra Campbell
 
 

 
 
MYRA CAMPBELL
Director of Sales
o 502.562.0200  Direct 502.907-3119
Courtyard (Louisville Downtown)
100 S. Second Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Myra.Campbell@marriott.com
www.marriott.com/sdfdt

    
 
 

 
 
Remember, previous Nick the Navigator emails are located on my website www.nickthenavigator.com
 
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
 
 
LinkedIn contacts: Bellarmine University now has a “New” 1-on-1 private job search/career change coaching program. Appreciate if you would pass this information along to someone you believe could use this assistance. Bellarmine University is offering this new program for individuals who prefer having private 1-on-1 job searching/career change coaching with a flexible meeting(s) schedule, versus attending scheduled group sessions.
Contact the instructor, Harry Hinkle, if you have questions. (Ctrl + Click) Here (email)
Instructor’s background information on LinkedIn. (Ctrl + Click) Here
Bellarmine University is now accepting registrations.
Information on programs:

Harry Hinkle, ECCP, CPM, SPHR, MBA
(502) 807-3413
hlhinkle@twc.com
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-hinkle/
Website: http://jobsearchandcareercoachlouisville.com/
 
*****************************************************************************************************************

 
Have a great month!  And don't forget your sweetheart on Valentine's Day...

*****************************************************************************************************************

 NICK THE NAVIGATOR - JANUARY 2019
Happy New Year Navigators...
 
Wow...another year...a year of great opportunity and change.
 
Nick the Navigator will be changing as well.
 
I’ll be 66 years young in April of this year...I’m not retiring, but changing priorities and using my time differently.
 
I’ll still be working with TDM...I don’t see that changing for the next several years, but, my time commitments with TDM will be changing...thanks to all my team, especially leadership at TDM for their support during this change.
 
I’m not sure of the exact date, but very soon I’ll be working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week and pursuing different interests on Monday and Friday
 
You may know that when I crossover these thresholds of my life that I need to be intentional in my strategy and execution of that strategy.  If not, I tend to wander...rather than wonder.  In my life experiences, wondering versus wandering, has always served me best.
 
It’s a different type of navigating...so, with the Lord leading the way, my wife by my side, my family cheering me on and a whole world of people to meet, I’m excited about Nick the Navigator 3.0...let me briefly explain
 
Nick the Navigator 1.0 was my early years...believe me there was a lot of wandering going on in my past.
Nick the Navigator 2.0 was the time I stopped wandering and began wondering...wondering what God had planned for the purpose of my life, meeting and marrying the most beautiful, wonderful, intelligent woman I’ve ever known...and loved.  (She was actually my first girlfriend) and having my fantastic daughter and now her husband and two incredible grandchildren...along with the ups and downs of working and living...the Lord has blessed me beyond my comprehension. 
 
So, Nick the Navigator 3.0 is the next journey, the next way of “helping people find their way”
 
So, lead the way Lord...”who is the next person that you place on my path”...Nick the Navigator is ready
 
Let’s get started...
 
The next “Career Transition Seminar Series” will be taking place in February...here’s the info
 
WHAT:       Career Transition Seminars – a 4-part series of seminars designed for people looking for a new career.  You may have a job and are looking for a new one, you may be unemployed or you may just be out of school looking for your first opportunity, anyone can attend.
 
WHEN:      
-The first seminar “Discover Your Strengths” takes place on Wednesday February 6th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm
 
-The second seminar “Applying Your Strengths” on Wednesday February 13th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm
 
-Next is “Job Search and Interviewing” on Wednesday February 20th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm
 
-Followed by “Networking” on Wednesday February 27th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm
 
-Finally, “Social Media and the Job Search” on Wednesday March 6th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm
 
All of these seminars take place at...

Southeast Christian Church
920 Blankenbaker Parkway
Room ATCR 209
The seminar series is entitled “Career Transition Ministry”
It is free and there is free childcare provided
 
All of the presenters are business professionals specializing in career transition assistance and have a wealth of knowledge, wisdom and experience in helping people.
 

 
As business professionals we all know and understand that our businesses have been focused on the “customer experience” in the past few years or “customer-centric”.  Instead of product and service driven, we’ve been molding our business strategy towards improving the experience of our current and future customers.
 
At first glance, you interpret this as our customers “outside of our business”...in other words, literally “customers”, the people we do business with.
 
You’re going to see that Trena continue, but in 2019, businesses are going to focus on our “internal customers”...our employees and employee engagement.
 
Here’s a great article that explains this...
 
For 2019, employee engagement has emerged as a top area of focus for employers everywhere. With increasing adoption of technology and innovative workforce management strategies, leaders can now focus more on keeping their talent happy and engaged.
As organizations ride the wave of digital disruption, employee engagement continues to be the top issue on the minds of business leaders worldwide. It is estimated that each disengaged employee costs their organization a whopping $2,246 in revenue per year. Only 15% of employees globally are engaged in the workplace, according to Gallup.

However, there is always hope. Organizations and HR leaders have prioritized employee experience and engagement as a business agenda. Armed with technologies like artificial intelligence, conversational interfaces, and powerful analytics suites, companies are taking definitive steps to improve engagement levels and increase employee output.
  1. Employee experience to take center stage 
Employee experience is the sum total of an employee’s experience at an organization. It encompasses all the narrower aspects of how an employee perceives each day at the workplace. As more and more organizations discover the impact of employee experience on their customer experience, we can expect to see HR teams put employee experience at the top of the agenda. Companies that lead in customer experience have 60 percent more engaged employees.
When most people think about a great customer experience, they typically only consider the customer touchpoints. However, what’s equally important is the experience of the person servicing the customer who will have to deal with the back-end systems and processes they use to help service the customer and their needs.
Organizations will increasingly need to focus on their culture, professional development opportunities, rewards and recognition, and team relationships. Solutions like pulse surveys and sentiment analytics will lead to a better understanding of talent and what keeps them engaged in 2019 and beyond.
  1. Continous Learning 
The 4th Industrial Revolution is upon us. Artificial intelligence, augmented reality and digital everything means the future job market and skills will experience rapid shifts. This will have a serious impact on the employee-employer relationship. Learning and development programs will become key to taking employee engagement forward. A culture of continuous learning improves employee resiliency and drives innovation.
A sense of shared investment in the future of an employee, as well as the organization, fosters loyalty and as a result, increases retention rates. A 2016 Deloitte report stated how learning opportunities are among the largest drivers of employee engagement and building a strong workplace culture. We can expect to see a sharp spike in organizations offering on-demand tailored learning experiences over multiple devices, especially mobile.
  1. Performance Management
Work and performance assessments which are aligned with organizational goals have long been recognized as key drivers for engagement. Unfortunately, many organizations are still employing old and ineffective performance management techniques and processes. Employees and managers are still going through the motions to complete the required performance evaluation forms, but these practices don’t have a real impact on the performance of the overall organization.
As more organizations turn to data to inform their business decisions, there has been a marked increase in the use of real-time feedback tools and the adoption of data-driven performance management processes. This trend is only set to grow next year. When employees and managers both have a good understanding of the reasons behind what they are doing, and how their contribution impacts overall business performance, they will get onboard setting and achieving goals that can help the organization reach its full potential. 
  1. Diversity and Inclusion
Study after study has made it clear that diversity and inclusion can positively impact employee performance. Diverse and inclusive teams are more innovative, engaged and creative in their work. But what accounts for the correlation between diversity and engagement? Researchers have found that “trust” accounts for a major part of the relationship between diversity practices and employee engagement. A culture of inclusivity fosters trust in the organization and internal teams. Organizations looking to improve engagement over the next year will need to take a hard look at their diversity and inclusion practices and bring the optimal solutions onboard.
Conclusion
It will be exciting to experience the predicted widespread change in the way employers view engagement in the workplace. As the future of work becomes more “employee-centric”, these engagement trends are sure to catch up.
Employee engagement isn’t an overnight fix, rather it’s a strategic organization-wide cultural matrix to engage, recruit and retain the best employees. 2019 promises to be a big year for employee engagement as organizations build high-performing cultures with these trends.
So...as we’ve seen the business world change recently (in 2018, there were, and still are, more jobs available than people to fill those jobs) the pursuit of talent and the development of that talent will be of utmost importance.
 
Bottomline...there has always been an argument in business...”what is more important?  Money or people?
 
It has a little “chicken and egg” answer, but in the old ways of doing business, money was always the focus.  But, we now know that people make the money...money is the bi-product of people’s success.  And the more you invest in your people, the better the employee experience and the better the employee experience, the more profitable a business becomes.
 
So, if there are not enough people to fill jobs, then businesses will be enticing and luring employees away from other companies and the businesses with the best “employee experience, including employee engagement” will win everytime. 
 
Once a business decides to be employee-centric and improves/develops their employee experience, then everybody will win...and the money will flow.
 
So get ready business world, you have already entered the “Year of the Employee”...
 

 
Here are some available jobs in our community...
 
Hey Nick
 
Shelter Roofers is hiring a part-time or full-time salesperson looking for a new opportunity. The job is for inside and outside sales to generate leads for a roofing company. Experience in sales is required. Training and some leads will be provided. For more details, send your resume to Jason@ShelterRoofing.com. Do not call. Please be detailed in your sales experience.
 
*If you do want more information about this opportunity, feel free to call Nick the Navigator...502-295-8143
 

 
Hello Nick,
I hope you are well.  I would be happy for you to share this with your network. 
The Courtyard Downtown is seeking qualified candidates for the sales coordinator and sales manager role.

Overview
The Sales Coordinator will assist in the execution of the administrative process, service, detail and efficiently communicate to all departments the group needs from time of booking through check out date.
 
Execute the non-selling functions of the department in order to allow sales staff maximum time for soliciting and securing additional business for hotel.  Efficiently perform all assigned sales duties including processing incoming leads and executing sales reporting requirements. Ensure all deadlines are met, perform assigned duties, maintain sales data files and act as liaison between hotels and clients
 
Overview
Grow your career at the Courtyard Louisville Downtown!
 
We are currently hiring for a Sales Manager at the Courtyard Louisville Downtown. The ultimate mission of this role will be to solicit, sell, and contract rooms for assigned market in coordination with transient demand patterns and existing group business in order to maximize hotel room and related revenues. To accomplish this the Sales Manager will be responsible for maintaining and growing relationships with existing accounts and soliciting for new group sales accounts.  

--
Myra Campbell
 
 

 
 
MYRA CAMPBELL
Director of Sales
o 502.562.0200  Direct 502.907-3119
Courtyard (Louisville Downtown)
100 S. Second Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Myra.Campbell@marriott.com
www.marriott.com/sdfdt

    
 
 

 

 
Remember, previous Nick the Navigator emails are located on my website www.nickthenavigator.com
 
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
 

 
LinkedIn contacts: Bellarmine University now has a “New” 1-on-1 private job search/career change coaching program. Appreciate if you would pass this information along to someone you believe could use this assistance. Bellarmine University is offering this new program for individuals who prefer having private 1-on-1 job searching/career change coaching with a flexible meeting(s) schedule, versus attending scheduled group sessions.
Contact the instructor, Harry Hinkle, if you have questions. (Ctrl + Click) Here (email)
Instructor’s background information on LinkedIn. (Ctrl + Click) Here
Bellarmine University is now accepting registrations.
Information on programs:

Harry Hinkle, ECCP, CPM, SPHR, MBA
(502) 807-3413
hlhinkle@twc.com
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-hinkle/
Website: http://jobsearchandcareercoachlouisville.com/
 

 
Quote of the Month...
 
"Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability."
 
Navigator humor...
 
I read in the newspapers they are going to have 30 minutes of intellectual stuff on television, every Monday from 7:30 to 8:00 in order to educate America...they couldn’t educate America if they started at 6:30...Groucho Marx
 
Have a great month!

NICK THE NAVIGATOR - DECEMBER 2018
​Hey Navigators
 
Merry Christmas and all the other celebrations this month.  A great time of year for family, friends, peace on earth, good will towards everyone!
 
Here’s a great organization that needs your help to provide a great experience for kids...
 

 
West Louisville Chess Club…Louisville Urban League - Request for Funding
Our mission is the intellectual empowerment and character development of Louisville youth through the sport of team chess.
Our vision is to become the most successful urban chess program
 
WHAT                                                  The Queen City Classic
WHEN                                                  March 15 – 16, 2019
WHERE                                                Cincinnati, Ohio
WHO                                                    Over 500 chess athletes and teams from around the mid-West
CREDENTIALED SPONSOR                Chris Collinsworth ProScan Fund
PURPOSE                                             The West Louisville Chess Club (WLCC) has the opportunity to compete in the Queen City Classic in March 2019.
      Last year the WLCC won first place in the Grade 4-6, rated, under 800 team section and four of their athletes won place trophies.
CHESS CLUB GOAL                            Winning 9 Individual Place Trophies and 3 team trophies
FUNDING NEED                                 Tournament Entry Fees and other expenses for 20 young men and women on the team
                                                                Hotel and Meals for 2 days and 2 nights
                                                                Transportation for team and coaches
TOTAL $1,200.00
 
Please make all checks payable to and mailed to …
The Louisville Urban League, attention: Youth department
West Louisville Chess Club
1535 West Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203.
Or use the West Louisville Chess Club GoFundMe page...here’s the link   
https://www.gofundme.com/the-club-membership-campaign?teamInvite=DP0wlbDdkYXh81WzboKZ9DDKs8u4RIagngRuweQ9tJSn9HZkNJxTw6XO4AW2za52
Please enclose a note that your donation is specifically for the West Louisville Chess Club.
 
 
Here’s an interesting article about searching for a new career for individuals and for companies looking to hire new talent...
 
What The Latest Hiring Trends Mean For Job Hunters
 
If you hope to get a job soon, you’ll be encouraged by the upbeat forecast for job hunters:
The job market is hot, employers are having a tough time finding talent and more companies want to recruit a diverse workforce.
So, what does a tight labor pool mean for your job search?
The job market is sizzling hot (for most Americans).
The unemployment rate overall just dropped to 3.8%, the lowest in 18 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
That’s even lower than what we saw during the tech bubble. There is now a job opening for every unemployed worker.
But when it comes to the job market, national figures can be a little deceptive.
The unemployment rate is considerably higher than the U.S. average in places like Rochester, N.Y. (recently 5.4%), and much lower than average in others like San Francisco (2.7%).
Likewise, the unemployment rate is a lot lower for people with a college degree (2.0%) than for those who didn’t complete high school (5.4%).
And the unemployment rate is still nearly twice as high for blacks (5.9%) as for whites (3.5%).
Also, there are still 1. 2 million Americans who’ve been out of work for 27 weeks or more; they make up about 19% of the unemployed, but roughly a third of people 55 and older who are unemployed.
And people age 55 to 64 who are unemployed have been out of work for an average of about nine months compared to those age 25 to 34 who’ve been jobless for just over five months, on average.
The labor market should remain tight for the foreseeable future, said Kolko, due to the strong economy, an aging labor force and more restrictive immigration policies. Tech is the wild card.
Technology both creates and destroys jobs, and that could impact this forecast.
But wages are only rising slowly.
Employers are raising wages to gain a competitive edge, though not at the rate typically associated with a tight labor market.
Average hourly earnings have increased 2.7% over the past year, up from 2.4% in the first quarter of 2017.
What 3 Hiring Trends Mean for Job Hunters
Here are three recommendations for improving hiring outcomes:
1. Adopt blind resumé screening to hide biasing information. A majority of companies are now using software hiding at least some information that’s prone to bias (an applicant’s name, address and college), while preserving other hiring-relevant information in place.
-This is a welcome trend for women, people with ethnic sounding names and other candidates who have traditionally been marginalized during the initial screening process.
2. Use diverse teams to make hiring decisions. Having a team that represents a blend of ages, races, gender and experience should help check the unconscious bias of any one hiring manager.
More employers are doing this, to the advantage of some applicants.
At Cisco, the introduction of diverse interview panels increased the odds of making it through the interview process by 50% for Hispanic women and 70% for African American women.
-It could mean you’ll face more panel interviews when you go out for jobs.
More companies need to include older workers in talent acquisition roles, which are typically filled with younger people.
3. Attract alternative candidates with alternative hiring paths. Traditional resumé-driven hiring paths can lead employers to overlook great candidates with untraditional backgrounds.
But some firms lately have been avoiding this mistake.
Indeed.com eliminated the college-degree requirement for 3,000+ positions after internal research showed a degree was not essential for success in those roles.
The cloud-based computer platform company, Compose, has banned resumés and instead asks candidates to write a short story about data, spend a day working on a mock project and complete an assignment.
-When you’re job hunting, you can now expect to be asked to complete more tests, assignments and mock projects as part of the screening process.
There are screening tools that companies use for things like real-life simulations and skills tests to help employers screen candidates.
What Job Hunters Want: Flexible Hours
According to the latest research, searches for jobs using terms like “remote,” “telecommute” and “work from home” are up by a third over last year.
And 51% of job seekers say “flexible hours” is one of the top three factors that would attract them to a new job (after good pay and good location).
Let’s hope employers respond to this news by offering more flexible scheduling options. That would be a welcome trend, indeed.
 
 
Interesting article...something else to keep in mind this time of year – new budgets go in place January 1st, so between now and the end of March in the Greater Louisville area, it’s a great time to look for a new career.
 
 
Hey Nick
 
Shelter Roofers is hiring a part-time or full-time salesperson looking for a new opportunity. The job is for inside and outside sales to generate leads for a roofing company. Experience in sales is required. Training and some leads will be provided. For more details, send your resume to Jason@ShelterRoofing.com. Do not call. Please be detailed in your sales experience.
 
*If you do want more information about this opportunity, feel free to call Nick the Navigator...502-295-8143
 
 
Hello Nick,
I hope you are well.  I would be happy for you to share this with your network. 
The Courtyard Downtown is seeking qualified candidates for the sales coordinator and sales manager role.

Crestline Jobs
Overview
The Sales Coordinator will assist in the execution of the administrative process, service, detail and efficiently communicate to all departments the group needs from time of booking through check out date.
 
Execute the non-selling functions of the department in order to allow sales staff maximum time for soliciting and securing additional business for hotel.  Efficiently perform all assigned sales duties including processing incoming leads and executing sales reporting requirements. Ensure all deadlines are met, perform assigned duties, maintain sales data files and act as liaison between hotels and clients
 
Overview
Grow your career at the Courtyard Louisville Downtown!
 
We are currently hiring for a Sales Manager at the Courtyard Louisville Downtown. The ultimate mission of this role will be to solicit, sell, and contract rooms for assigned market in coordination with transient demand patterns and existing group business in order to maximize hotel room and related revenues. To accomplish this the Sales Manager will be responsible for maintaining and growing relationships with existing accounts and soliciting for new group sales accounts.  

--
Myra Campbell
 
 

 
 
MYRA CAMPBELL
Director of Sales
o 502.562.0200  Direct 502.907-3119
Courtyard (Louisville Downtown)
100 S. Second Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Myra.Campbell@marriott.com
www.marriott.com/sdfdt

    
 
 

 
 
Remember, previous Nick the Navigator emails are located on my website www.nickthenavigator.com
 
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University
LinkedIn contacts: Bellarmine University now has a “New” 1-on-1 private job search/career change coaching program. Appreciate if you would pass this information along to someone you believe could use this assistance. Bellarmine University is offering this new program for individuals who prefer having private 1-on-1 job searching/career change coaching with a flexible meeting(s) schedule, versus attending scheduled group sessions.
Contact the instructor, Harry Hinkle, if you have questions. (Ctrl + Click) Here (email)
Instructor’s background information on LinkedIn. (Ctrl + Click) Here
Bellarmine University is now accepting registrations.
Information on programs:

Harry Hinkle, ECCP, CPM, SPHR, MBA
(502) 807-3413
hlhinkle@twc.com
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-hinkle/
Website: http://jobsearchandcareercoachlouisville.com/
 
 
 
QUOTE OF THE MONTH...We should never have to apologize for Christmas...if in fact, Jesus Christ is who he claimed to be, and I believe it to be true with all my heart, mind and soul, then a celebration of his birth isn’t offensive or discriminatory to other beliefs, it’s truth, in love for everyone.  Jesus Christ was the most inclusive person ever on the earth.  His love and salvation is unconditional and available to everyone...who else in the history of the world can make this claim?  So...celebrate Christmas!
 
Navigator humor...
 

 
Merry Christmas!
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator


​NICK THE NAVIGATOR - NOVEMBER 2018
​Hey Navigators
 
Turkey-time!  Get ready for family, friends and food...good ol’ American holiday...can’t wait
 
Here’s the latest on trends in employment, hiring, HR and all that stuff...
 
The future of work won't be about college degrees, it will be about job skills
  • According to the survey Freelancing in America 2018, released Wednesday, 93 percent of college-educated freelancers say their skill training is more useful in the work they are doing now than their college training.
  • Sixty-five percent of children entering primary school will end up in jobs that don't yet exist, reveals the World Economic Forum.
  • The result is a proliferation of new, nontraditional education options.
Stephane Kasriel, Upwork CEO
Published 7 Hours Ago  Updated 3 Hours AgoCNBC.com
 
Twenty million students started college this fall, and this much is certain: The vast majority of them will be taking on debt — a lot of debt.
What's less certain is whether their degrees will pay off.
According to the survey Freelancing in America 2018, released Wednesday, freelancers put more value on skills training: 93 percent of freelancers with a four-year college degree say skills training was useful versus only 79 percent who say their college education was useful to the work they do now. In addition, 70 percent of full-time freelancers participated in skills training in the past six months compared to only 49 percent of full-time non-freelancers.
The fifth annual survey, conducted by research firm Edelman Intelligence and co-commissioned by Upwork and Freelancers Union, polled 6,001 U.S. workers.
This new data points to something much larger. Rapid technological change, combined with rising education costs, have made our traditional higher-education system an increasingly anachronistic and risky path. The cost of a college education is so high now that we have reached a tipping point at which the debt incurred often isn't outweighed by future earnings potential.
Yet too often, degrees are still thought of as lifelong stamps of professional competency. They tend to create a false sense of security, perpetuating the illusion that work — and the knowledge it requires — is static. It's not.
"Too often, degrees are still thought of as lifelong stamps of professional competency. They tend to create a false sense of security, perpetuating the illusion that work — and the knowledge it requires — is static. It's not."
 
For example, a 2016 World Economic Forum report found that "in many industries and countries, the most in-demand occupations or specialties did not exist 10 or even five years ago, and the pace of change is set to accelerate."
And recent data from Upwork confirms that acceleration. Its latest  Upwork Quarterly Skills Index, released in July, found that "70 percent of the fastest-growing skills are new to the index."
Expect the change to keep coming. The WEF one estimate finding that 65 percent of children entering primary school will end up in jobs that don't yet exist.
These trends aren't just academic to me. It's influenced the advice I give my children. While my father had one job throughout his life, I've had several. And I tell my children not only can they expect to have many jobs throughout their working lives but multiple jobs at the same time.
It is therefore imperative that we encourage more options to thrive without our current overreliance on college degrees as proof of ability. We need new routes to success and hope.
New, nontraditional education options
The future of work won't be about degrees. More and more, it'll be about skills. And no one school, whether it be Harvard, General Assembly or Udacity, can ever insulate us from the unpredictability of technological progression and disruption.
As a leader of a technology company and former head of engineering, I've hired many programmers during my career. And what matters to me is not whether someone has a computer science degree but how well they can think and how well they can code. In fact, among the top 20 fastest-growing skills on Upwork's latest Skills Index, none require a degree.
Freelancers, the fastest-growing segment of the workforce, realize more than most that education doesn't stop. It's a lifelong process, and they are nearly twice as likely to reskill.
More and more, companies are catching on. Last year PwC began a pilot program allowing high school graduates to begin working as accountants and risk-management consultants. And this August, jobs website Glassdoor listed "15 more companies that no longer require a degree," including tech giants such as Apple, IBM and Google. "Increasingly," Glassdoor reported, "there are many companies offering well-paying jobs to those with nontraditional education or a high-school diploma."
Google, for example, used to ask applicants for their college GPAs and transcripts; however, as Laszlo Bock — its head of hiring — has explained, those metrics aren’t valuable predictors of an employee's performance. As a result, Bock told The New York Times a few years ago that the portion of non-college-educated employees at Google has grown over time.
And second, new nontraditional education options are proliferating. Often laser-focused on the most in-demand skills, would-be college students can now enroll in campus-based, project-focused institutions, like the Holberton School (where I'm a trustee) or online programs such as e-learning sites like Coursera or Udemy.
To be sure, I'm not saying college is a waste of time and money for everyone. But if there's one takeaway, it's this: The future of work won't be about degrees. More and more, it'll be about skills. And no one school, whether it be Harvard, General Assembly or Udacity, can ever insulate us from the unpredictability of technological progression and disruption.
But one thing can: The fastest-growing segment of the workforce — freelancers — have realized more than most that education doesn't stop. It's a lifelong process. Diploma or not, it's a mindset worth embracing.
— By Stephane Kasriel, CEO of Upwork
So...maybe only having a high school degree doesn’t hold you back...hmmmm...Nick the Navigator
 
I can tell you this...know your strengths, build on your talents, develop your skills and work hard...that will lead you to success!
 
Strengths
+Talent
+Skills
+Hard work

SUCCESS      ...and by the way, money is a byproduct of success...it doesn’t necessarily define success...many great people of history achieved great success and didn’t really make any money...Famous people without college degrees...Ellen Degeners, Ted Turner, Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, Rachael Ray, David Geffen, recently deceased Paul Allen, John D. Rockefeller, Dave Thomas, Henry Ford, Anthony Robbins, Joel Osteen, Mark Zuckerberg, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Thomas Edison, Richard Branson, Ray Kroc, Steven Spielberg, Bill Gates, Colonel Sanders, Muhammad Ali, Ralph Lauren, Mary Kay Ash, Walt Disney, Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Princess Diana, Tyler Perry, Rush Limbaugh, Frank Lloyd Wright, Malcolm X, Helena Rubinstein, Madam C.J. Walker and obviously a lot more...and remember, there are a lot more very successful people who DID get their college degrees...so here’s the point...if you have a burning desire to be successful, probably the only person standing in your way is YOU...
 
Let’s get started!
 
Remember, previous Nick the Navigator emails are located on my website www.nickthenavigator.com
 
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University

QUOTE OF THE MONTH – Strive not to be a success, but rather, to be of value...Albert Einstein
 
NEW FEATURE...Nick the Navigator Joke of the Month...why did the chicken cross the road?  To navigate...I know, it’s bad, but it’s a start
 
Have a great month!
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
​Hey Navigators
 
NICK THE NAVIGATOR - OCTOBER 2018
October…cooler weather, changing season, colorful leaves…Autumn is here
 
Here’s an interesting article on getting a new career…
 
“How long will my job search take?”
My answer is almost always, “It depends.”
I tell them that a really short job search is three months. It takes almost three months for a company to decide to hire someone, post the job, interview candidates, make an offer, and then make the hire.
What factors affect how long the job search will take?
·         Depth of experience and perceived salary requirements
·         Your network
·         Geographical demand for your skills
·         Time of year
·         Age discrimination
Depth of experience and perceived salary requirements
The more experience you have and the greater perceived salary requirements, the longer it will take. Notice I wrote perceived salary requirements. Yes, I know you say you will take less money but…no one will believe you!
The reality is, the higher the perceived salary requirements, the fewer and fewer jobs there will be. After you get over a 6 figure income, the number of jobs decreases in most job markets.
The more money you make the longer the job search will take.
Your Network
Your next job will likely come through a referral. That referral will come from one of three several types of relationships:
·         An existing relationship
·         A stale relationship that you will re-energize
·         A new relationship you strategically create
If you follow the Target Job Search Strategy you will be strategically building a referral network.The stronger your network the shorter your job search.
Geographical demand for your skills
Are your skills valued in your local job market? For example, if you have an oil and gas background and you are looking for a position in Central Texas, well…it will be a tough and long job search. However, if you move to Houston, you will find your skills much more valued.
If you have a certification, is it valued in your local market? The varies greatly by region!
If your skills or credentials are in overabundance or are not valued in your local region, you need to extend the length of your job search or expand your geographical search zone.
Look for people who are like you to determine whether your skills are in demand. Search LinkedIn for people with your level of experience, certification, and skills to determine the demand in your region. Who employs people who look, taste and smell like you?
Time of year
Like every other business process, hiring goes through cycles. A lot of hiring occurs after annual budgets are approved. Look at financial statements of each target company on your target list and determine when the fiscal year begins. Some companies start their fiscal year in October and others start in January.
Hiring usually stops from late November through the middle of January. This is an excellent time to network but little hiring occurs during this time.
Similarly, hiring slows down (but does not stop) during July and August when many people go on vacation. It only takes one person in the hiring process to go on vacation for everything to grind to a halt.
I highly recommend you follow your local business journal. If a company gets a big order, funding from a venture capital firm, investment from private equity or received a local or federal grant, this is the time pursue the target company. These kinds of investments will follow a calendar cycle and you need to track when each kind of investment tends to come in the calendar year.
Age discrimination
Age discrimination is alive and well. You need to factor this into the length of your job search. You have to be realistic and find employers who value your skills and experience and will not discriminate based on your age. I am working with a client right now who is part of the long-term unemployed cohort, and she is targeting government positions. For her, it is a numbers game, but she will be treated fairly in applying for government positions.
For those of you in the 2nd half of life, are your skills and age a barrier?  With a general unemployment rate hovering just above 3%, the unemployment rate for those over 50 years of age exceeds 12%. Even if your skills are in high demand, being over 50 will increase the length of your job search.
So how long will my job search take?
I tell my clients to plan for a minimum of 6 months to 2 years. If you are employed, it really depends on the amount of time you can dedicate to the job search.  You should plan on starting your job search 18 months after you start a new job and plan on that search taking 18 months. That means you will be prepared to changed jobs every 3 years. That does not mean you will change jobs every 3 years, BUT you will be prepared to do so.
If you follow the strategy that jobs are never permanent and you always are looking for your next position, your job search will be much shorter should you become unemployed.

Remember, previous Nick the Navigator emails are located on my website www.nickthenavigator.com
 

 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.
www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University

FACT
Did you know this about Nick the Navigator
 
I have traveled to all 48 states (Hawaii and Alaska are on the Bucket List) along with most of the provinces of Canada…
 
Quote of the Month…
 
The problem with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat…
 
Have a great October!
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
NICK THE NAVIGATOR - September 2018

​Hey Navigators
 
It’s Labor Day, Autumn around the corner, football…life is great!
 
Remember…previous Nick the Navigator emails are located on my website www.nickthenavigator.com
 
Contact me if I may be of help to you or your business…remember, Nick the Navigator’s mission is “helping people find their way”.  So if you’re unsure of where you are and you’re a business owner or a member of the leadership team, contact me.  If you’re unsure of where you are in your personal life or have no personal “mission, vision or purpose” specifically to the life you want to live…contact Nick the Navigator.
 
Here’s the latest and greatest information about careers and what you need to do…
 
8 Career Advancement Tips From 8 Wildly Successful PeopleCareer advancement is a tricky subject, but something every career-driven professional will be focused on throughout their career.
How do wildly successful people rise to fame and fortune in their respective industries? What qualities or habits do they possess that allowed them to accomplish such feats in a short period of time?
This article will be discussing the answers to these important questions.
1. How you make it is more important than how much you makeWorking in an industry or under a job position that you don’t like for the sake of higher salary, job stability or better employee benefits is the wrong way to advance your career.
Remember, you only have one life thus you must pursue a career that genuinely interests you. If you do not enjoy or live for what you truly want to accomplish, you’ll never be able to advance to the top of your career ladder since there will always be internal resistance pulling you back.
You just need to be practical and self-aware. Because 30, 40, 60 years from now, you’re not going to regret the few extra bucks you could have made. You’re going to regret not focusing your time and energy around the things that could have made you have a fulfilled life.
2. Determine where you want to beDo not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress. You cannot accelerate your career advancement if you don’t know what it is in the first place.
Determine what industry and what job title you want to earn and work hard for. Don’t just chase whatever the latest career fad is or whichever pays most.
This is an important life decision that will affect you for the remainder of your existence. Imagine yourself working for a company for the next 10 to 20 years. Will your future self be happy, content, engaged and fulfilled?
3. Work for the futureShort-term goals will get you there, but always have a long-term perspective of what you want to accomplish. Advancing your career for the sake of a pay raise or for the added glory of a job title are temporary pleasures in life and are bound to wear off as your ecstasy.
Work towards something more important than worldly possessions. Whether it’s to fund a remote village in a third-world country or to spark innovation in an important industry, always have a long-term goal.
As the successful billionaire, Warren Buffet once said, “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
4. Take command of your shipMichael Jordan, one of the best basketball players in history, said, “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
You, and only you, are in charge of your ship. If you live life everyday full of negative thoughts and material pursuits, then you’re steering your ship to the wrong direction.
Don’t wait for your company to notice your efforts and value.
Instead, charter your own career route, network outside the company, take classes and workshops, apply to positions that are light-years away from your skill level and experience.
5. Eliminate inefficient practicesIn any business or office setting, there tends to be inefficiencies and flaws in the system, which cuts down productivity and growth and can drive your customers crazy.
So, what practices exist in your office that should have been long gone?
It can be pretty scary to go against the grain, but as Mark Twain said, “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”
Before changing these practices, make sure to propose it to your management beforehand.
6. Never stopMoving forward can feel pretty slow at times, but you must remember to never stop going.
This is what famous Chinese philosopher Confucius advises people. In his own words, “It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.” Make it a habit to build on your dreams every single day, whether it’s through networking, picking up new knowledge or honing your existing skill set.
Don’t settle for a 9 to 5 mindset or a 40-hour work week schedule. Work extra hours per day, not stopping until you’ve actually achieved the milestones you’ve set out to achieve.
7. Don’t be afraid to failIt sounds like a broken record, repeated endlessly by so many successful people.
You should never fear failure when trying to advance your career, even more so if you want to do it more rapidly.
To quote Oprah Winfrey, “Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” If you fail, keep moving as the previous tip suggests. Do not fear failure, but rather fear not trying at all. Of course, it’s natural to fear failure, but successful people who’ve been there suggest doing it anyways.
8. Keep questioning the worldOne of the most revered geniuses of this century, Albert Einstein, said “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” That last bit of the quote implies keeping yourself curious about the world and what it has to offer.
Use your past experience to achieve things for your present life and to direct your future self. If you repeat this kind of routine every day, you’ll have a faster time advancing in whichever career ladder you choose to pursue.
Rapid career advancement should always be interspersed with moments of enjoyment otherwise the risk of burnout is high. Taking care of yourself is as equally important as any of these eight tips aforementioned.

Let’s get started…
 
Here is the list of the best websites to look for new career opportunities…
 
 
www.indeed.com Picks up openings from other sites.
 
www.usajobs.gov Openings with government agencies.
 
www.simplyhired.com Openings not seen elsewhere.
 
www.careerbuilder.com  What can I say, very popular and ties into other engines, etc.
 
www.net-temps.com  For contract opportunities, temp, and full-time positions.
 
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/wbc For starting a business.


www.rockportinstitute.com-Would have rated higher if it wasn’t trying to sell services so hard. Recommend purchasing their book at a local bookstore, use eBay, or library. “The Pathfinder”
                                                   
www.monster.com Mostly free resources.  Click on career center. 
 
www.theladders.com  $100,000 jobs.
 
http://escapeartist.comNot only does it provide a job search, but goes into considerable detail on living conditions, housing, etc.
 
https://regionalhelpwanted.com/louisville-jobs/  Free resume posting.
 
https://careers.ky.gov  KY government positions
 
https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new  Variety of jobs in the Academia area.
 
www.greaterlouisville.com Some positions are placed here versus other sites.
 
www.bls.gov/ooh  Volumes of information on careers
 
http://louisville.edu/hr/employment/jobs/  University of Louisville
 
www.bellarmine.edu/hr/jobs/  Bellarmine University


************************************************************************************************
 
CHARITIES FINDING THEIR WAY TO VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS
 
The Bside U for Life annual banquet will take place on Tuesday October 2nd at the Omni Hotel.  Go to www.bsideuforlife.org to buy tickets, become a sponsor…all kinds of ways to help this great organization. 
 
 
The Atherton High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame banquet for 2018 will take place on Thursday October 11th at 6:00pm at the Olmstead.  Go to www.athertonalumni.com to get more information and tickets.
 

FACT…
DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT NICK THE NAVIGATOR?
I am a licensed, commercial hot-air balloon pilot.  Early in my career, I traveled the North America, Caribbean, Mexico and other locations flying corporate hot air balloons.  It’s part of my Nick the Navigator moniker…but, no, I don’t fly anymore…I SOAR!!!!
 
Quote of the Month…

  • "The politicians say 'we' can't afford a tax cut. Maybe we can't afford the politicians." Steve Forbes
Have a great month!
 
Onward and upward,
 
 
 
Nicholas G. Gardner
Navigator
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