Kay Stout

Tattoos Hurt - your career

This article was written by Susan Simpson with The Oklahoman.  It appeared in the Sunday, Sept 26th edition.   First impressions count.

Midwest City police detective Carissa Southern is reminded of an act of teenage rebellion each time she gets dressed.

She has to make sure her clothing or a bandage covers a 6-by-6 inch tattoo of an eagle above her right breast. Like many employers, the police department does not allow visible tattoos.

So Southern, who paid $150 about 17 years ago for the colorful tattoo, now is paying thousands of dollars to have the ink removed through painful laser treatments.

“Looking back, it really was a rebellious act,” Southern said of the tattoo that doesn’t fit her lawenforcing lifestyle. “I don’t think the public would expect a police officer to show up with a tattoo.”

Tashonda Dixon, coowner of Body Trends medical spas in Oklahoma City, said more people are seeking tattoo removal to further their careers. They’re finding that a visible tattoo can be a barrier to getting a job, she said.  

“I think you can get the wrong idea about somebody if they have a tattoo,” Dixon said.

Most tattoos can be removed safely and without scarring, said Dixon, who has been educating potential customers at a booth at the Oklahoma State Fair.  The laser treatments, which gradually disintegrate ink from the body, usually take multiple visits over many weeks. The treatments cost about $40 per square inch per visit.

 Southern was undergoing her fifth treatment at Body Trends last week.  “I’m at a point in my career that it’s advantageous to get it removed,” she said.

In a competitive job market, visible tattoos can be a strike against job seekers, said James Farris, a job search consultant and president of James Farris Associates.   “The job market is tight enough that people are starting to think about first impressions,” Farris said.

Employers can require that workers cover tattoos, much like they can enforce a dress code to ensure workers reflect their company’s image.

Ryan Croft, an Oklahoma City freelance writer, said he was required to cover his forearm tattoos when he worked at Starbucks.  "Employers, coworkers, friends and strangers have openly judged me for the subject matter of my tattoos as well as just for having them,” he said.

But other tattoo-bearers say they chose to place their body art on places they could easy cover.   Matt Johns, an admissions counselor at Oklahoma Christian University, has three tattoos.   “I got them in places that I knew I could cover up for work purposes,” he said.

Bill Crye, a former parole officer, said he didn’t realize his many tattoos would be a problem until he started looking for a new job.  “Little did I realize how hard it would be to get a job if I did not keep my work covered,” he said. “My bachelor’s degree in education meant nothing. My MBA meant just as little. All I was to a potential employer was a guy with 14 years experience in corrections and scary tattoos. 

http://tinyurl.com/2fpadck

 

 

Family Owned, Publicly Owned, Privately Owned

Identify the make-up of the company where you work, i.e. family owned, publicly owned, privately owned.  Next identify the culture - - each company has a unique culture and you are more likely to be successful (and happy with your career) when you enjoy, or at least accept, the nuances of the company culture where you are currently employed.

Looking for a new position - keep the above statements in mind as you interview.

Family owned companies.  The family (including spouses, children and distant relatives) get special treatment.  The set of rules for them usually, in no way, resembles the rules that govern your work.  If this bothers you - you have 2 choices:

#1)     Look for another job;

#2)     Get over it - do not let it affect you and your happiness.  You have a choice.

This may help:  Think of your family get-togethers.  There are always those who step up-to-the-plate, do their fair share and are fun to be around.  And there are those who always have excuses to not do their share, are constantly in the middle of a crises and, generally, are considered high-maintenance.  Family owned companies are no different - the get-together is 5 days a week for at least 50 weeks a year!!!!

Publicly owned companies.  Think of the NFL, MLB, MLS.  The companies are driven to win, to be #1, to give the greatest return back to investors.  They're always either on the hunt or they're being hunted.  And your contribution (or job security) is up for review at least once a year, but usually quarterly, based on what the CEO predicted to Wall Street (remember Enron?).  Good luck - - what's being reported may (or may not) reflect what is actually happening.

Privately owned companies.  These can be the most fun and with the least amount of job insecurity.  No, you won't have stock options, but you will probably have bonuses that will give you an opportunity to invest your  money your way.  There can be opportunities for advancement - and it will usually be an environment where you know your contributions are making a significant impact on the company's bottom line.

Stay tuned for the 2nd part - where I talk about your personal balancing act.

TED - the next Harvard

I've always enjoyed reading FAST magazine.  The recent copy had a story on TED - the next Harvard.  Read it.

Amazing things are happening when brilliant people get together in one place.  Add technology - it can be watched around the world - and suddenly you can have an immediate (and life-changing) effect that spans the globe.

It is a fascinating and wonderful time to be alive. 

Behind-the-Mike - - tonight @ 8:00 CDT

This month’s special edition of the show, Ideas For A Challenging Economy, will deal with the issue of outsourcing. Many people believe that outsourcing employment has taken a lot of jobs and it has. But we will discuss a theory of insourcing and this could lead to a jump in the amount of people seeking a way to start a home business. Kay Stout joins the program for an evening of career advice and the latest trends in the job market. Kay stops by each month to offer the service along with us for the listeners. If you have any questions regarding looking for work or looking to further your current career, just call us and ask.

 

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Jobs - it all about jobs

In Oklahoma, the Prosperity Project is about voter education - - jobs, the economy - - our future.

If you live in Oklahoma, know of someone who does, have them check out the site and read this article

Kevin Durant - Sam Presti - long time investment

Kevin Durant and   Sam Presti have a mutually beneficial relationship within Thunder basketball.  But the rest of the story really began when Presti was in San Antonio with the Spurs and he watched (and learned about) Kevin Durant.  Presti describes Durant  as hard working, unassuming, selfless and team-oriented.  These are attributes most employers will tell you they are looking for in an employee.

What the story also tells you is you never know when someone is watching you and where it will lead.  Kevin has come along ways from his days at the University of Texas.   His skills and abilities  were observed by Sam and not forgotten when he got to the Thunder franchise.

The lesson to be learned for employees is you never know when someone is watching you at work (or in a public setting).  How you conduct yourself, how you dress, and how are are remembered can play a key role.  This was brought home to me today at a network luncheon.  While it was certainly business casual - - there were a few women who either

a) Did not understand business casual

b) Wanted to be remembered - but not in a professional way

or

c) Are clueless about what is appropriate.

I'm not sure why women, especially, seem to be so challenged when it comes to appropriate attire for work, but I do know that a full-length mirror and a good friend who will be honest are a must - - especially if you frequently miss the mark when it comes to business casual.

Regardless of whether you play professional sports or work for a company, you will be remembered for your performance.   Basketball players would never go out on the court out-of-uniform; why, then, can't employees observe what others are wearing at work and dress appropriately!!!!  PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1  

Harvard - MSNBC - Elections - what's the connection???

I've always enjoyed figuring out the lesson behind the story.  While the headlines grab my attention, it is only after reading the story and thinking about it for awhile that I can put my finger on the "lesson-behind-the-story".  Two that recently caught my attention include: Harvard Hoax,  (Adam Wheeler seems intent on getting his way regardless of the truth - or the consequences);   Blumenthal Misleading Voters?  (the Connecticut Attorney who did not serve in Viet Nam).

The connection is simple - it doesn't pay to lie.  With today's connectivity - someone will find out the truth and the fall out can change lives for either a long time or forever.  Whne it comes to your career, the same can be said about what you put on your resume and what you do (or do not) say during an interview.  It can be difficult to reign in enthusiasm and a loose translation of %'s, bonus $$$$, and improvements to bottom line. when you are trying to stand out during an interview, to be remembered and, hopefully, get a job offer.  However, while some stretching of the truth may get by - it is far better to error on the conservative side - than to stretch the truth elastic until it breaks.  The snap-back hurts.

 

 

 

Recruiters - Referrals - Times are Changing

Changes in the world of recruiting have begun.  This article from BusinessWeek, while written several months ago, gives advance notice.  When I company like Heidrick & Struggles  says, in writing, that search confirmations were 20% below expectations; that is a wake-up call to recruiters and to the professionals who have relied on recruiters to find them a new position.

There will always be a need for high-level "C" recruiters - those who find the right executive to lead a large, complex organization.  However, for the mid-level management positions, and the smaller companies who need someone as a CEO, COO, CIO or CFO - - more and more positions will be filled  without the use of a recruiting firm.  What I see as a new trend is a "referral fee" for finding/pre-screening candidates.  These referral fees are much less than a "recruiter's fee" - - but they also allow for more flexibility in finding candidates who have the skill set to do the job - they may not be a square peg for a square hole, but they are a malleable peg that will will fit nicely in a new position. 

It is true that few things ever stay the same.  A career as a recruiter is one that will evolve as technology continues to evolve.  This was brought home to me yesterday, when  a colleague got a call from his mother in Austria - no telephone operator involved.  I realized I couldn't remember the last time I needed an operator to help me complete a call.  It won't be long before the same thing can be said about traditional recruiters.

All data is linked - so someone can find that right connection - or the right person - to fill a job without the help of a third party.

YouTube - Wins Again

It is said that truth is stranger than fiction.  This story certainly comfirms that statement.

Joel Reindersbecame a member of the Browns football based on a YouTube video.   Here's the link:  http://tinyurl.com/28o8mkc.  So for those who say what they put on YouTube and Facebook  shouldn't matter when it comes to their careers - - think again.  If a YouTube video can make your dream come true - -it can also bring it crashing down around your feet.

I never cease to be amazed at how naive people are when it comes to the internet.  Right now, I'm sitting in the privacy of my home - typing words on a screen.  However, once I hit the "enter" button it's as though I've invited the entire world into my office.  What I've written can now be read by anyone - - absolutely anyone - around the world.

The same holds true for pictures and opinions.  All data is linked.  You do not have to like it, but you cannot change the reality.  I'm not sure Tim Berners-Leehad any idea what would happen when he invented the World Wide Web (as a contractor), but people like Joel Reinders (and so many more) can thank him for helping them be discovered. 

The good news is - you can be found  - like Joel Reinders.  The bad news is - you can do something that's not too smart and it will cost your a job offer.

Ethics - a word with many definitions - finding the right one - - a challenge

Most recently the news has had  frequent articles on the actions that were a part of the Goldman-Sachs role in the meteoric rise and fall of the mortgage lending business.  Subsequent conversations with a diverse group of people and an opportunity to hear Greg Mortenson speak (author of Three Cups of Tea) led me to the famous source for information - wikipedia

Much is written about ethics.and it is a frequently used word on talk shows.  The reality, though, is that the meaning of the word varies amongst people, cultures and nationalities.  For many people, they've been caught in a quandary, while earning a paycheck, when they've had to make a quick decision that strains their definition of what constitutes an ethical decision.

If you've ever worked in sales or finance for a company, there have probably been times when you told them facts/figures that you could substantiate and someone higher up in the corporate food chain told you what they were going to report on your behalf.   This usually makes you uncomfortable for a few minutes, then you go on to the next challenge.  Now imagine your position is closer to, or is a part of, the C-level of a major corporation.  Your definition of "ethics" may look entirely different than it does to the person who is quite far down on the organizational chart.

If you mix in international differences, companies that are headquartered in a different country with a different set of rules and a culture that poses unique challenges, the boundaries for the word "ethical" become fuzzy, distorted and almost out-of-focus.

Somewhat like statistics, there is no one definition for moral - - and learning how to navigate the complex world of business and make an "ethical" decision becomes more challenging every day.  Especially when you add instant access to news and information on a global basis that can be sent electronically around the world in seconds.

We are in the middle of a fast-changing world and I'm not sure anyone is moving fast enough to truly be at the helm of any ship.  It is going to continue to be an interesting, challenging world in which we live.  Yet I believe there are solutions to ethical questions that can be acceptable  - - finding that gray area of acceptability is the biggest challenge of all.