How To Quit Your Job
My last blog gave “10 Tips On Starting A New Job.” I think it’s a good idea to address the flip side. Some of you reading this may already have a job and are looking to leave in order to embark on a career in the plumbing, heating, cooling, or electrical trades. Or, maybe you’re […]
10 Tips for Starting a New Job
Congratulations. You convinced someone to hire you as a trainee. It’s your first day on the job and you know little about what you will be doing. But you want to make a good impression. Here’s how, in 10 simple steps. Be prepared. Learn as much about the company and co-workers as you possibly can. […]
The Skilled Trades Are Surging
A front-page article in the April 2, 2024 edition of the Wall Street Journal addresses a point I’ve made repeatedly in this blog. It describes the growing attraction of trade careers to members of what’s become known as Generation Z, generally defined as those born between 1995 and 2012 – which I suspect includes many […]
Are You Ready For A Career Change?
When the Covid pandemic was raging during 2020-21, an unexpected phenomenon came with it that some labeled the “Great Resignation.” The number of people quitting their jobs in the U.S. reached an all-time high. Partly it was due to government funding that paid many people not to work, and that gave them a chance to […]
Beware Of The Peter Principle
“The Peter Principle” is the title of a book published in 1972 that, in my opinion, is one of the most insightful business books ever. It refers to the fact that many people in the business world tend to be promoted beyond their level of competence. We see it in most types of business, even […]
Mind Your Manners
Politeness is important when it comes to any career, especially the plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical trades. Many people besides myself have noticed a general decline in good manners in recent times. In the trades or any other job for that matter, manners or lack thereof have a way of leaving an impression.. People are […]
What I Learned From Shop Class
I want to revisit a blog I wrote six years ago for this website. (Click here to read that article.) A key passage went as follows: “Even though I was a klutz mechanically, the mandatory shop classes taught me to handle tools better than I could before then. Even more important, they gave me a […]
How To Sell Yourself
You may not think of yourself this way, but no matter what you do for a living, at various times you will have to be a salesperson. You may or may not ever be charged with selling products or services, but at the very least you will have to sell yourself and your talents. You […]
College vs. Trades: Why Not Both?
Some of you may be debating about whether to go to college or embark on a trade career. In fact, it is not an either-or proposition. It’s not unheard of for college students or even graduates to find out they like working with tools better than whatever white-collar job their education landed them. It happens […]
College Gets More Thumbs Down
It skipped my attention for a while, but I recently became aware of a Gallup survey published last July that showed only a little more than a third of Americans expressed confidence in the value of a college education. As recently as 2015, 57% of Americans said they had “a great deal” or “quite a […]