Salespeople know that if you keep asking someone to buy something, they will eventually purchase. Does that hold for getting a job from an employer to gain a new career opportunity? I don’t know of any successes with that method, but there is another way to be persistent that does work: Continually add skills and keep an eye out for career doors that are about to open.
Life is full of career uncertainties and surprises. You can tell that by checking to see how many youngsters who wanted to become television stars, professional athletes, doctors, firemen, and concert pianists actually did so. Most youngsters fail to appreciate the limitations of their choices at the time, and many change their minds about what they want to do when they learn more about the field that first attracted them.
I learned this lesson about career surprises from one of my best friends. Let’s call him Jake. His father was a well-respected physician who practiced as a specialist in urology. My friend followed in his father’s footsteps, actually taking over his father’s practice.
But I could tell that medicine wasn’t in Jake’s blood. Jake loved the outdoors and craved new intellectual challenges. He spent more time reading nonmedical works than medical ones.
I wasn’t surprised when my friend Jake announced that he was retiring from medicine at a young age to be a house husband for his wife, another physician, who had just accepted a challenging management position in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) located thousands of miles away.
Soon bored with going to the beach, my friend enrolled in an MBA program. After graduating, he was quickly sought after for his medical-business perspective.
After two successful stints in private companies, Jake retired again . . . this time to climb mountains. He’s reached the summit of many of the world’s highest peaks, despite having begun serious climbing in his fifties.
My friend explained to me recently that whenever one career door closed or his interest a career waned, a new and better opportunity seemed to open up almost immediately.
I was recently reminded of Jake’s experiences and observations while corresponding with one of my former students, Dr. Manuel Evans, a physician who is an MBA graduate of Rushmore University. Unlike Jake, whom I met as a teenager, I became acquainted with Dr. Evans in his late fifties as he was about to retire from his medical post at age sixty after long years of distinguished service in the United Kingdom, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia.
Like Jake, Manuel also found nonmedical fields appealing. He loved numbers so much that he once considered becoming a mathematician. In high school, he began writing and still provides medical articles on a regular basis to several publications.
Dr. Evans was particularly fascinated by the opportunity to combine medical and business perspectives to provide improved health care that emphasized maintaining wellness. Part of his medical work at the time included working with private medical institutions which exposed him to the concept of earning a profit while providing health care. With that opportunity in mind, he enrolled for his MBA studies to learn how to develop care facilities to improve wellness after his “retirement.”
After graduating with much praise from his business professors, Dr. Evans made final preparations to launch his new business in Nigeria. Alas, business and political conditions dramatically worsened so that his wellness concept was no longer economically feasible. Clearly, that career door had closed . . . at least for the current time.
What should a good doctor to do? He kept practicing medicine, taking on short-term assignments while he reconsidered his options.
Very soon his MBA degree opened a new door. He became deputy medical director of a Clinical Research Organization (CRO) that helps develop new medicines for pharmaceutical companies. This kind of multidisciplinary work greatly appeals to him, and this job will make good use of his great medical education, clinical experience, and many personal interests. The credibility of his MBA degree helped him make this attractive career change at age 61.
In an MBA course Dr. Evans examined the opportunity to write a book and looks forward to opening that door with part-time writing. The last time we corresponded he was off to a writers’ conference to explore opportunities of working with agents and editors.
Clearly, Dr. Evans has found that when one career door closes another career door will open. He also learned that having the right education is important to ensure that the new doors will open the way to bigger and better opportunities, ones that fulfill your heart’s desires.
Instead of giving up on those youthful dreams, perhaps you just need to fine-tune them to aim at doing what you now know you love. With your improved career goal in mind, you can start preparing to knock on doors of opportunity by adding to your knowledge and skills.
Online learning can be a great aid in this process by allowing you to keep earning an income while working at your current job, to lower the cost of obtaining more education, and to allow you to substitute life experience for the mind-numbing required courses that dominate degree programs at most campus-based schools.
I asked Dr. Evans to tell me about how he saw online learning as being different from campus-based learning. He said, “Of course I missed the interactions with fellow students which are part of a campus university course. These interactions stimulate discussions and clarify thinking in a way that no online course can do. But the online course advisors were very helpful with their prompt answers to questions, suggestions, and advice as to how to develop subjects, or modify lines of approach to subjects under study.”
His advice is to be sure you have outstanding advisors if you go the online education route to open new career doors: Your advisors can be mentors and stimulate your thinking in ways that are essential to good learning. “One big advantage most online learners have over campus students is motivation. Like you, most are adult or mature students. You are doing the course because YOU want to; you have figured out that it is important for you BEFORE you start. That goes a long way in helping overcome any difficulties or obstacles you may encounter along the way.”
Are you ready to knock on more career doors to see which ones open?

Popularity: unranked [?]

Knoxville-Knox County CAC has set aside about 300 seasonal flu shots to give today free to the uninsured, in a year where demand for the vaccine is higher than usual.CAC will distribute the shots on a first-come, first-served basis 4-7 p.m. at the L.T. Ross Building, 2247 Western Ave. Additional shots are available for the insured; their health insurance will be billed.Mercy Health Partners provided the shots. Knox County Health Department will give the FluMist intranasal vaccine to children.Marie Alcorn, CAC Office on Aging’s aging services manager, said CAC based the number of shots ordered on previous years’ demand.”We’ve never run out,” she said.But Knox County residents are having a little more difficulty than usual finding seasonal flu vaccine.Last week, one of the nation’s largest flu vaccination providers canceled several clinics nationwide, including two at local malls, because it didn’t get enough vaccine.And Summit Medical Group, the largest physicians’ group in the area, has been “having some spotty shortages,” said spokeswoman Jennifer Lawson James, although the 50 practices in the group have been able to “share” vaccine among them.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to say there will be plenty of seasonal vaccine. But earlier this month, Sanofi Pasteur, the largest of six manufacturers making the vaccine for the United States, announced that it may not ship some 20 million ordered doses until next month. Two other manufacturers indicated they may have 10 percent less vaccine than planned.Manufacturers blame having to produce the H1N1 flu vaccine jointly with seasonal vaccine.Knox County Health Department already has some H1N1 intranasal mist and a small supply of pediatric injectable vaccine, which it will give first to children ages 6 months to 2 years and to pregnant women.Priority groups for intranasal mist are people 2-24 years old, people living with or caring for infants younger than 6 months and health care workers and emergency services personnel.”Those who are in priority groups should check first with their medical provider, pediatrician and/or obstetrician, who also are receiving vaccine from Tennessee Department of Health,” said spokeswoman Ranee Randby.

Popularity: unranked [?]

The health reform bills that have been recently passed are going to change a lot for the health insurance companies. Although no one is sure exactly how that will affect health insurance Georgia plan premiums, many people are concerned that insurance companies will raise prices because they are being required to accept more high risk members. The government has set up regulations that prevent health insurance Georgia companies from denying coverage to qualified Georgia residents, even those with pre-existing medical problems or other health high risks behaviors. The only health risk that is allowed to play a part in premiums is smoking.

Also, the bill requires health insurance Georgia companies to pay many fees and contribute to some new government programs. It is possible that all of this additional expense will flow down and increase health insurance Georgia plan premiums to the members. The insurance providers are being restricted and limited from what rules they can impose on members. Some of these restrictions will benefit members and owners of a health insurance Georgia plan. For example, there will eventually not be annual lifetime limit on benefits. Another benefit will be that the age requirement for children to be included in their parents’ health insurance Georgia plan will be raised, possibly until age 26. This will really help young adults who are currently one of the biggest age groups to go without any health insurance Georgia benefits.

Health insurance Georgia companies will be required to include certain health benefits in their health insurance Georgia plans. These include emergency room services, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance abuse care, prescription drugs, and others. At this time, not all health insurance Georgia policies include all of these services. In fact, often, HMO plans do not include mental health and substance abuse, or maternity benefits, for those individuals who predict they will not need these services and wish to have lower premiums. After 2012, this will no longer be allowed, as this is a new federal requirement.

Other changes include that certain preventive services, such as recommended immunizations, preventive care for children and adolescents, and screenings for women, will be required inclusions in all health insurance Georgia plans, and will not require a co-payment. This change may go into effect as early as late 2010. Certainly having preventive care is a big advantage of health insurance Georgia plans. However, if all health insurance Georgia policies include all of these services, and the insurance companies have to assume all of these costs, the premiums will probably be affected. This will be an advantage to those who require these services, but a disadvantage to those who do not.

Not all of the changes will benefit members in the short-term, however. For example, starting in 2014, all U.S. citizens will be required to have coverage, which means that all of Georgia residents will have to purchase their own health insurance Georgia policy unless they get one through their work. The penalty for not having coverage will be an additional tax, which increases every year. For individuals who have chosen to cut corners by not having health insurance Georgia coverage, and then this will be an additional expense.

Popularity: unranked [?]

 

Old Colony Elderly Services (OCES), a private, non-profit Aging Services Access Point (ASAP) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and their association Mass Home Care, have joined a coalition of groups representing elders, fuel companies, poor families, health care organizations, environmental groups and religious organizations to ‘turn up the heat’ on federal and state lawmakers for increased funding for home heating assistance this winter.

 

“New England is facing a financial Katrina,” said Al Norman, Executive Director of Mass Home Care. “It’s predictable—but it’s a disaster we can avoid—if we take action  now.”

 

Mass Home Care wrote the Governor in early June asking for a summit on energy and food costs. The Governor recently announced he would do just that. The Governor also set aside $20 million in a supplemental budget request for emergency energy aid, but Mass Home Care says that number needs to be $50 million. A recent report by the State Senate Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, chaired by Senator Marc R. Pacheco, agreed that Massachusetts needs to contribute at least $50 million to the fuel aid fund.

 

Mass Home Care estimates that it will take $250 million to keep heating assistance at the same level as last year—which still left tens of thousands of families with empty oil tanks. More than 100,000 households fell behind on their utility bills, the group said. Federal fuel assistance for the coming winter heating season currently stands at only $83 million, only 60% of the $137 million the Commonwealth received last year. Yet fuel oil prices have doubled.

 

“At present, the $83 million in federal fuel assistance funds for Massachusetts will provide a maximum benefit of $503 for the poorest families in a program serving 150,000 low-income households,” said Joe Diamond, Executive Director, Massachusetts Association of Community Action Programs (MASSCAP). “With heating oil predicted at $5 a gallon or more, it will take $1,375 to fill an oil tank.  Families need about three tanks to get through the winter. It’s beyond scary.”

 

Last year funding for home heating assistance in Massachusetts totaled $137 million, with the federal government providing over $120 million through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) plus $15 million from the state. That combined funding translated into a maximum benefit of $1,165 for households most in need.

 

“Heating oil prices have jumped 85 percent from this time last year,” said Charlie Harak, Energy Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “And natural gas prices could easily be 20 percent higher this coming winter, leading to even more low-income families losing their utility service than last year.”

 

Recent analysis done by the National Consumer Law Center shows that 125,000 low-income gas and electric customers are well over $100 million in total arrears on their bills.  NCLC estimates that utility terminations will increase 20% and more at most utilities over the summer, and that tens of thousands of residential utility customers will have their service terminated.

 

On July 16th, twenty-one Northeast lawmakers sent a letter to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asking that Congress triple LIHEAP funding to $9 billion and requesting an additional $1 billion for weatherization programs to help homeowners conserve energy and save money. Last week four New England governors asked the federal government to increase heating assistance for New England to $1 billion from $252 million last year.

 

“The numbers just don’t add up.  Heating oil is 85 percent higher than last year and as of right now, only $83 million in federal fuel assistance funds for Massachusetts will be available – which is half the amount of last year’s home heating assistance funding.  The National Consumer Law Center shows that there are over 120,000 gas and electric customers who are still in arrears on their bills and that tens of thousands will have their service terminated.  These folks and many, many more will be in dire straights this winter,” explained Diana L. DiGiorgi, Executive Director of Old Colony Elderly Services, which is associated with Mass Home Care.  “With today’s high energy prices, an estimated $250 million is needed to just to keep the heating assistance level the same as last year.”

 

In a letter replying to Mass Home Care, Governor Patrick said, “Rising energy costs weigh heavily on all our minds right now, and I take your concerns very seriously.” The Governor promised to have the Secretaries of Energy, Elder Affairs, and Health & Human Services contact Mass Home Care “to discuss the most effective ways we can deal with the very real concerns you outline in your letter.”

 

About Old Colony Elderly Services

Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elderly Services (OCES) is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

 

OCES serves the towns of Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman. 

 

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization. 

The agency has 130 employees and operates more than 12 programs serving elders, their families and caregivers.  For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oc-elderly.org

 

 

Popularity: unranked [?]

If you listen to the pundits and believe the polls, it is increasingly clear Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States. With this in mind I have looked into all of his campaign promises and plans for his first term in office. Throughout his campaign he has made it perfectly clear that he intends to be a two term President. With the current state of our economy I have only looked at what could be the results a first term Obama Administration.It is unclear if President Bush and his Administration can stop the downward spiral our economy and the market is experiencing. The results of the actions he has taken to calm the markets and free up credit will not be known until after the election. For the sake of argument I have looked into the future with an optimistic view. I have given our economy and markets the benefit of doubt and see President Obama inheriting an economy/market on the rise and the job market showing a modest increase.After his inauguration and keeping to his campaign promises, President Obama will announce our immediate withdrawal from Iraq starting in February 2009 and ending in August 2010.He will submit to Congress his tax plan to repeal the Bush tax cuts, institute a windfall profits tax on oil companies, raise corporate tax rates and mandate that all small business with ten or more employees and a gross income level above $250,000, provide health care for their employees.The immediate results of President Obama’s action will be Russia signing a mutual defense agreement with Venezuela allowing Russian missiles to be placed in Venezuela and declaring any attack on Venezuela will be considered an attack on Russia. President Obama will declare this unacceptable,call for a meeting with the Russian President and call for sanctions against Russia if they place missiles on Venezuelan soil.Iran will call for immediate talks with high level Administration officials to plan for talks between Obama and Ahmadinejad. Obama will agree and send his Secretary of State to Iran to work out the details of their meeting. After the Secretary of State returns, Obama will announce a Camp David Summit will be held and Ahmadinejad’ agreement to negotiate his country’s plans for nuclear plants in Iran.Obama will emerge from Camp David and announce Ahmadinejad has agreed to allow limited inspections of their nuclear power plants and they have no intentions of using nuclear weapons against Israel. Iran will also promise to help America in our effort to reduce the increased attacks on our troops in Afghanistan. Of course the inspections will continue to be stalled by Iranian bureaucrats until the dirty little secret comes out that Iran has finally obtained a nuclear weapon from North Korea that is capable of striking Israel. We will also learn that Iran has been secretly arming the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Pakistan. Obama will announce a summit meeting with our European Allies to deal with both the Russian and Iranian threats.The corporate tax increase will cause large corporations to immediately announce a corporate wide job freeze and an immediate restructuring of all domestic operations. Foreign corporations like Toyota and Honda will reconsider building products in the United States. Most small businesses will not be exempt from the new taxes and insurance mandates because the law will be defined as “Companies with a Gross Income Level below $250,00 are exempt.” As small business owners learn they cannot deduct normal business expenditures from their gross income to qualify as a small business they begin to close their companies and file for bankruptcy.With the increased cost of foreign oil, a double digit unemployment rate, and increased tensions around the world, markets and economies will crash by the summer of 2010. Chaos will return to the Middle East, Russia will move on Georgia and Ukraine, we will retreat from Iraq and Afghanistan and the world will be on the brink of WWIII.Most people especially Obama supporters will shrug this off as fear mongering or the predictions of a madman. I would ask you to take a close look at the man and explain how, with the world economy and the threats we face from abroad, can Obama keep the promises he has made. To this date he still refuses to admit he will not be able to keep all of these promises. To Obama it is inconceivable to believe Putin or Ahmadinejad would think Obama would be another weak Jimmy Carter. He doesn’t understand that to people like this the word negotiate is the same as surrender.

Popularity: unranked [?]