Julie Kampf on the Shifting the Atmosphere Radio Show, with Frederica Peterson.
Not long ago I looked at my younger son's phone while he was playing Pokémon Go and saw a screen filled with Chinese text. For the uninitiated, this means he was downloading the newest game hack. Pokémon Go asks you to hunt down virtual monsters by traveling around with your smartphone, and my sixth-grader had managed to reach the insanely difficult Level 31 while actually going almost nowhere. He felt proud.
September means fresh starts, and no season brings more overall job search opportunities than the period right after Labor Day. If you haven't explored the job market lately, here's some good news: this year, more than any in recent memory, a tightening labor market has put strong executive candidates in the driver's seat. Whether you're actively searching or just considering your next move, here are my favorite four steps for making the most of the Career New Year.
One of my best lessons about the workplace came from a three-year-old. Justin was enrolled in the preschool where I worked during college, and he basically defied every request we made of him. He refused to nap, never sat down to listen during story time, and constantly frustrated the teachers with his behavior. Then one day I asked him to do an exercise that proved challenging for the other children. I sat down with him, took my time explaining the exercise and made sure to give him my full attention. Then Justin truly surprised me. Not only did he cooperate and listen, but he got all the answers correct and quicker than his classmates. Even better, when I congratulated him for doing well, he wanted to keep going and continue learning. At that moment I realized Justin was actually very smart and just needed to be reached in the right way.
