Monthly Archives: March 2009

Author : Donald Mitchell

I remember looking for a job just before I finished graduate school I poured over lists of companies that were located where I wanted to live, and I dreamed a lot about what it might be like to work in different industries

I was reminded of when several my friends graduated with MBA degrees the preceding year and the goals they had

One handsome, tall fellow wanted to become a vice president of an airline I asked him why, and he told me that you could become a vice president of an airline at an earlier age than in other industries Smiling, he also mentioned that as a single man he liked that there more unmarried young women working for airlines than could be met in most other industries

A married couple had more modest ambitions: to get jobs in the same city that would provide opportunities for challenging careers If the city was a nice place to live, that was an extra benefit When both gained jobs in Seattle, Washington, they were thrilled

Another man had spent a lot of time as a sailor on a nuclear submarine before graduate school: Any job that didn’t involve working underwater was welcome to him

All of that career planning sounds pretty reasonable, doesn’t it? Little did I know that we were aiming very low

A recent MBA graduate helped me see that much higher goals can be set It was quite an eye opener Let me tell you his story

Ramesh Venkatraman was born in a beautiful village in a part of southern India that is well known for entrepreneurship in exporting products around the world Accompanying his father on professional trips expanded his geographic horizons at a young age His early schooling, college, and graduate studies were undertaken in a semi-urban setting renowned for its textile exports Having absorbed so many influences, you might think that he entered a career that connected back to those origins, but that was not the case

After completing a master’s degree in science, Mr Venkatraman was preparing to join a Ph D program; however, he joined the Indian space program instead, expanding his perspective on what can be accomplished You are probably expecting to read that Mr Venkatraman then became an astronaut but that’s not what happened

Instead, his focus turned earthward and outward: He entered the information technology (IT) industry and began work in the United States, gaining important skills in IT at firms like KPMG, FedEx, Compaq, BvOI, and ABN AMRO Bank Supremely talented, his quickly rose through the ranks from project manager to program manager to vice president

In the corporate world, he came across many talented individuals who caused him to raise the bar on his dreams and aspirations, directly and indirectly tapping into his hidden talents

One fine day, he learned that a highly respected colleague was an MBA and a Ph D student at Rushmore University The colleague shared that he would soon be moving into a strategic management function from a technology management position, and the colleague became head of strategy and planning for a leading financial institution

Encouraged by that example and wanting to build on his IT success, Mr Venkatraman decided to earn an MBA degree He hoped his studies would add the skills and knowledge he would need to become a generous entrepreneur, one who would share any wealth gained with employees and other stakeholders

He also selected Rushmore, primarily because he would have more freedom there to tailor his studies and courses to meet his personal objectives The freedom he gained provided lots of motivation to learn, and Mr Venkatraman graduated a little more than a year later

Asked just before his graduation what his goals for using his MBA degree were, he reported that he now wanted to found a billion-dollar business in a short amount of time Wow! What a contrast that goal was with what my friends and I had thought about at the same stage in our business training

Curious about the shift, I asked Mr Venkatraman to tell me more about how he decided on this new direction He responded that the course work at Rushmore made him realize that greater things were possible than he had considered before Wanting to help others, he also began to appreciate that the more successful he was as an entrepreneur, the more people he could help as a philanthropist, a role he hadn’t thought about playing before

He now feels confident that he can accomplish that aggressive goal and is working hard to achieve it He is also considering earning a Ph D from Rushmore

Naturally, few people accomplish the full scale of what they hope to achieve Often, they accomplish quite a bit less

Even if Mr Venkatraman falls far short of his new goals, he will probably accomplish more than he would have by merely fulfilling his pre-MBA goals By learning the power of thinking carefully about what he wants to accomplish, his education served him better than mine did

What are the lessons for you?

Are you insisting on the best from your career? If not, why not?

Ask yourself what the best could be for your career if you shoot for the top Then get busy!

Donald W. Mitchell is a professor at Rushmore University, an online school. For more information about ways to engage in fruitful lifelong learning at Rushmore to increase your success, visit

http://www.rushmore.edu .

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Author : Anita Web Weaver

There is a lot of hidden damage being created by today’s economy Like free radicals that damage our organs and cells, the fear racing through our world psyche is causing people to pull back, hunker down, and put their dreams away

That’s as true for the person who has lost their job as it is for the person who has decided to stay put, and not go for their dream career

Our psyches are invaded by the fear parasite We tell ourselves that now is not the time to go for that dream career Or, instead of focusing on getting meaningful work, we focus on just getting a job – any job

It’s the wrong approach in a fearful time

Think about it – what happens to the rabbit when he freezes as the hunter sees him? That’s right He’s dispatched to rabbit heaven – pronto!

What happened to companies like C W Post when, during the Great Depression, they pulled back on marketing? Right again – they lost market share and customer trust They never again regained their market position, especially relative to their main competitor – Kellogg

The story of the Kellogg Company is very different

Kellogg increased their marketing and outreach efforts during this time As a result, they increased their market share and customer brand loyalty – which continues nearly 80 years later

Proctor and Gamble created their biggest growth ever during the Great Depression They sponsored shows on the new medium of radio and, at one point, were sponsoring over 21 programs Their primary product was soap, and today’s ‘Soap Operas’ are a direct descendant of those early, serialized radio programs

As an aside, P&G’s sponsorship led directly to the growth and popularity of radio as the major entertainment medium of the time

What’s the point?

The point is that pulling back on your efforts to develop a meaningful career during economically stressful times is exactly the wrong thing to do Here’s why

When you allow fear to dominate your life, you become fearful of going forward, you play small You’re afraid to look for new ideas, trends and possibilities; you may find yourself ‘sucking up’ to the boss you dislike just so he won’t think of you first if the time comes to reduce staff

Or, you may be afraid of trying new things at work You basically hide out, hoping no one will notice you, so your productivity suffers

You may experience increasing stress that manifests in headaches, stomach aches, more colds, lethargy, increased fatigue or sleeplessness

Finally, you begin to feel that your dream of purposeful work and a dream career are not within your reach – and you give up How sad is that?

But there’s another way

I’ve often said that action trumps fear – every time!

If you want that meaningful career, take action!

If you hate your current job, take action!

If you want a work purpose that matches your values and vision for your life, take action!

Think about this: during every time of stress, downturn, difficulty, there are also hidden opportunities, needs and problems to be solved Those who survive best, and even prosper in difficult times, are those who look for the opportunities – and take action on them

Here are some things to consider

Let’s say that you’ve lost your job and your area, say warehousing, is becoming increasingly consolidated Ask yourself, “What are my other talents and abilities? What other areas am I interested in? Should I look into additional training or schooling? Where are the resources that could help support my getting additional training?”

During difficult times, the government offers MORE, not LESS support through funded programs and training Find out where they are in your community Use them

What if you are in a job you dislike Does that mean you need to stay there – stuck until the economy recovers?

NO!!!

Instead, look at the problems and needs created by this economic situation What skills, talents and abilities do you have that could meet the current needs?

What contribution do YOU want to make that will make you feel that your work has purpose and meaning? What legacy do YOU want to leave? How do you want to be remembered? Start from these questions and then begin to take action to move in the direction of your dreams

In 1981 Bill Gates said, “”I think there is a world market for maybe five computers ”

Even Bill Gates didn’t always see the potential in computers What potential do you have, do you see that could make a big difference?

Greater problems and greater challenges mean needing people who can solve those problems and address those challenges

There’s plenty of room for you

My niece just last week received three job offers Her husband was astounded, but I wasn’t She has developed her talents; she wrote down the description of her ideal job and she got it – even to hours that would accommodate her young family

It’s out there Look Take action Believe in your career dreams! Don’t let them die Live your life from the potential of that life, rather than from the fear of it

Here’s to your career dreams

Anita Web Weaver is the owner of Design to Shine Consulting, offering coaching, mentoring and speaking services to help people shine, no matter what, in their career, their life and their health.

Get her FREE Audio: Busting Through Fear to Get Your Dream Career

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Author : Kris Koonar

Collision repair technicians or automotive body repairer’s careers involve collision repairs, and repairs to damaged vehicle bodies and parts Specialists in heavy equipment collision repair undergo specific training in order to gain the skill need to repair damage to individual sections of a range of automotive and heavy equipment They have the expertise to a use a variety of tools to perform repairs at all levels This would include using hammers and anvils for removing dents; using sophisticated hydraulic or pneumatic metal cutting tools, and using welding equipment to remove and replace damaged sections Collision repair also includes complete restorations of all types of equipment

A trainee collision repair technician requires to undergo instructional modules on computerized frame measuring, and covers computer technology for assessing frame changes on sustaining damage, shrinking and stretching metal including sheet metal, alignment work on hoods, deck lids and doors, spray painting technology and equipment, computerized paint mixing, frame straightening and alignment and many other related skills

Collision repair training focuses on equipping candidates with sufficient knowledge and experience to suit the demands of the job market The incumbent should be prepared to work as a heavy equipment repairer Programs provide an opportunity for developing basic skills needed for auto body repairing and refinishing They provide in-depth exposure to underlying theoretical and technical aspects of collision repair, and impart practical training so that adhering to proper repairing, and servicing procedures is assured

Collision repairers need to possess good reading ability and have strong fundamentals in mathematics such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and percentage calculations along with computer skills and be able to interpret printed and digital technical manuals Reasonably good physical abilities, like proper eye-hand co-ordination and motor skills are other attributes desirable for a career in collision repair

Automotive technology these days are sophisticated and applicants who undergo formal training program in automotive body repair and refinishing have greater demand compared to those with just hands on experience For rising to levels above entry-level workers, a national certification is usually required especially for working in urban areas

Acquiring certification to become a certified collision repair technician is valuable as it opens the gateway to a range of job opportunities To gain entry into this field, a GED or a high school diploma is generally sufficient Many high schools or post secondary vocational schools also offer collision repair programs Students who have studied physics, chemistry, electronics, computers, mathematics, and English are considered ideal for pursuing a career as a collision repair technician A certified collision repair technician may comfortably fit into many positions like auto body technician, body shop/paint shop helper, fiberglass technician, automotive refinisher, sales positions in paint and automobile body supplies, auto body shop manager, insurance appraiser and many other positions related to this field

A typical certification program is of two years with a one-year stint in apprenticeship The usual workweek of a collision repair technician is forty hours The remuneration varies according to the specific job, the size of the workshop, and the size of the town or city where the shop is located During mid 2006 median earnings of automotive body and related repairers inclusive of incentive pay were at $16 92/hour For such repairers working in automobile and equipment dealerships earning was approx $18 an hour

Heavy Equipment Careers are easier when you work with the right training company. National Training has over 35,000 graduates and is fully DETC accredited. To learn more and hear from real graduates working and earning money visit: http://www.earthmoverschool.com

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