Topic: Career

So, Let's consider – Interviewing yourself 0

Posted by on in Career, Family, Friends, Life, Making Life Better, Self Improvement





So, Let’s consider – Interviewing yourself

Of all the stuff I read and have to read, I find that a good interview is amongst the most interesting, enjoyable and enlightening types of articles. I read interviews in things as diverse as Parade, business and trade journals, food and social journals and there’s always the gold standard of interviews – Playboy.
Now interviews can vary in terms of focus from a profiling, business centric, solution centric and may other ways that the author/interviewer is attempting to skew the direction of the article. The ones I enjoy the most are the ones that profile a person and tell me about them, their history, likes, dislikes, priorities, goals, etc. They can also make one think about their own directions, values, history, decisions, etc.
Now chances are, very few of us are ever going to be interviewed for a magazine article, but I was wondering what it would be like to interview my self and how I might answer the questions I see being asked others a lot. Frankly, I’m going to cheat a bit, I’m only going to ask the questions and let you answer the questions for yourself, as if you were being interviewed. If you like this idea and some of the questions, you may find this concept useful at a party or as an ice breaker for a social event.
So here goes and I hope you come up with the right answers:
How did you end up in the occupation or line of work that you’re doing?
What skill sets would you like to acquire or improve on?
What’s your favorite part of the day?
What is the largest lesson you’ve learned in your life?
The game I still play is?
The best gift I ever recieved was?
What one thing can you not live without?
Who has had the greatest impact(s) on your life and the decisions you’ve made?
What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current occupation? Why aren’t you doing it?
What would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
What trends are most impacting your life?
What is your most favorite word?
What is your least favorite word?
What is your favorite curse word?
What’s the first thing you do when you get home each day?
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
What profession would you not like to do?
What’s the first thing you do when you get to the office or work place each day?
What do you like to hear? What’s your favorite sound?
What is your idea of earthly happiness?
To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Who are your favorite fictional heroes?
Who are your favorite characters in history?
Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
Who are your favorite fictional heroines?
Who is your favorite painter?
Who is your favorite musician?
What quality do you most admire in a man?
What quality do you most admire in a woman?
What is your favorite virtue?
What is your favorite occupation?
Who would you have liked to be?
What’s the one thing that most people don’t know about you?
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Did you follow it? Did it work?
If you had infinite money, what would you buy? Why?
Who’s your favorite composer or musical artist?
The last movie you saw was?
What was the Best movie you’ve ever seen?
What’s the best book you’ve ever read?
Where would you like to live?
What’s your guilty secret pleasure?
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
If you were stuck on a desert island, what three items would you want?
What’s the nerdiest thing you’ve ever done?
What do you value most in your friends?
The biggest trend affecting what I do is?
What are the biggest challenges that you are facing?
What accomplishment are you the most proud of?
Who are your favorite fictional heros?
What do you like to do in your spare time?
What natural gift would you most like to possess?
What’s your favorite part of the day? Why?
Where do you see your life going?
What will be your next “big thing”?
What historical figures do you most despise?
What event in military history do you most admire?
What was the best decision you ever made?
What was the worst decision you ever made?
What is your favorite color?
What is your favorite flower?
What is your favorite bird?
What decision in your past would you like to have a “do over” on?
What place would you like to visit and haven’t?
What do you like on your pizza?
Boxers or briefs?
Favorite ice cream? Least favorite ice cream?
What person in history would you like to have lunch with? Why?
How would you like to die?
How would you like to be thought of?
Where would you like to be buried?
What should they write on your gravestone?
Think of a few I missed? I’m sure there’s many. Add them to your list and see where the answers take you.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.


So, Let's consider: the right career or trade for you 0

Posted by on in Career, Family, Trades, work





So, Let’s consider: the right career or trade for you

OK, so I’ve been doing the same gig I’ve been doing for most all my life. I’ve done a little university teaching as well and frankly I wish there were more of it out there as I kinda like it more than the normal gig. But then, this week I needed a plumber. I can’t believe how much those guys get an hour! I’m talking quotes of $150/hr and more! That’s a lot of green stuff! An then there’s electricians, carpenters, masons, etc! Did I make the right job decision back years ago?
More frequently the decision of going to college to get your degree and then find work is being called into question by the trades. And offering shop class in high school is DEFINATELY being called into question as to why it was removed from availability in the first place! It’s a given that we need workers that know the trades and frankly if I had any idea these guys were going to be making that kinda of money and not have to wear a tie all day I would have given it serious thought long ago!
With this column I’m going to try to concentrate specifically on trade vocations, but, you can extrapolate much of what I’m talking about and use it in your searchings for what you want to do in and with your life.
So, chances are your parents did some kind of work. You may have helped them at their jobs. Did you like it? Maybe you were lucky enough to take shop in the few high schools left that offer it. Was there something you enjoyed? Carpentry? Masonry? Welding? Or maybe they did office/business work and you just really hate the idea of being stuck in an office! So, let’s look at what things you may be looking seriousely at.
What about this kind of work interests you?
Trust me, if you have a line of work that pays good cash, that’s nice. It’s A LOT NICER if you enjoy what you do. So take some time to think and answer: What is is about this gig that I like? Would I enjoy doing this for a long time? Do I know someone else doing the same gig? Would I want to be like them? Are they making the kind of money that I think I should be making?
With trades, as in any line of work, the earlier you get into the one you like and develop your expertise base in it, the better you are going to be and the more in demand your skill sets will be.
What are your interests and what’s important to you?
Here again, you need to take some self inventory time. If you don’t like working with sewer pipes, then chances are plumbing may not be for you. If you have a fear of getting shocked, either grow out of it (easy to do) or remove electrician from consideration.
Are there any global causes that you find of interest? SPCA for instance is in regular need of people that like to care for animals. The park service likes people that enjoy working the outdoors and natural preservation. Trades extend into health care, veterinary, horticulture, agriculture and the list goes on…
What skill sets and experience do you offer?
Make a checklist of what skills and experience you bring to the table. This is important. And keep it updated.
Many trades have apprenticeship programs that will help you develop these skill sets. Many of these are offered through the trade unions. Most of groups are looking to develop a skill set that you have already developed some form of aptitude for or have a special interest in. Classes in high school, trade school, community colleges, etc., offer great cirriculums as well in getting the book knowledge, but more importantly the hands on experience, that you will need as your career develops.
Explore, play and learn while you decide
An old baseball pro once said “you can see a lot just by watching…” So, go watch. If you’re thinking something in the line of construction, find a foreman that will let you watch what’s going on at a construction site. Same thing goes for working at a nursery, animal shelter or vet office, etc. If you haven’t already had exposure to what you may think you’ll like, go get some. Ask questions. Find out how they learned what they did, who taught them, how, when, where… Go talk to your local trade schools, vocational schools, even perhaps high school career counselors and shop teachers. Learn how to strike an arc and burn a bead…frankly, welders are making a heckuva lot more nowadays than bean counters are!
Am I saying that time spent in college is wasted? Well, it depends. If you’re sitting in classes that are any of the many esoteric liberal arts classes that basically only your teacher and a handful of others have ever heard of the subject matter, then, yeah, there may be reason for question. But, if you’re looking to build your future by understanding how to run a business, communicate with future clients, understand their businesses, or build your knowledge of your trade then taking that class might be a good idea.
The world has enough people that can quote Shakespeare…and frankly his quotes are about as dead as he is. We are in need of people that know how to keep our houses and businesses together and build infrastructure. Chaucer and Shakespeare, well, not so much. We also need people that know how to care for plants and provide food, as well as those we can go to when we need some medical help, build things and many more of the more skilled based hands-on types of work. We call these the trades.
All the best as you think and explore where you want to be in your life.
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.