I was thinking about the talented students that I teach and wondering what they should be doing TODAY to increase their odds of NOT being one of the future unemployed in our country’s unemployment statistics. But before I give that advice, let’s first look at the composition of the unemployed using the official unemployment statistics as reported by the Government's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the most recent October 2015 monthly unemployment report:
The current 5.0% official unemployment rate average, down from a 5.8% unemployment rate one year ago, consists of the following subcategories based on educational attainment:
2.5% unemployment for those with a college degree or advanced degree
4.4% unemployment for those with some college or an associate's degree
5.2% unemployment for those with a high school degree (no college)
7.4% unemployment for those with less than a high school degree
7.4% unemployment for those with less than a high school degree
It is easy to see from the above trend that one should pursue as much education as possible! The jobs in today’s advanced economies are clearly geared towards those with advanced skills, and education is the clearest path to get those 21st century skills!
Besides teaching Economics, I also teach Personal Finance. When learning about careers in Personal Finance, I suggest to my students that they should be concerned more majoring in “LIFE”, as an equally important second major to majors such as Marketing, History, Education, Economics, or Political Science. Moreover, they should be just as focused on majoring in LIFE as they are in trying to get accepted to Virginia Tech, James Madison University, the University of North Carolina, or Georgetown. By majoring in LIFE they are more apt to have the best college experience and career possible, and increase their likelihood of never being unemployed.
So, you might be asking, what exactly is this LIFE major?
I’m glad you asked!
LIFE is an acronym for what I, and many others, consider the 4 key skill sets to thrive in 21st Century future careers, which will include a rate of technological, social, and global change never seen before. Those four employment key skill sets for the future are:
Leadership
Interpersonal skills
Flexibility
Emerging technology mastery
Leadership
Are you thinking about how you will learn to become more optimistic and a confident initiative taker and leader? Having been a member of management for many years, prior to becoming a teacher, I learned that companies were always quicker to lay off those that lacked initiative (“it’s not my job!”). Very often, we would somehow find a new job for the employee whose job was going away if they were strong in leadership and initiative. Often, “initiative” hurts, as it causes one to work harder with more stress, which is why so many workers do not exhibit it.
Interpersonal Skills
Tomorrow’s career “winners” will need to take their leadership skills and team with others more so than ever before. The rate of specialization is increasing in our global economy, which necessitates collaborating more effectively than ever to get any job done. Consider reading Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat to learn about how specialization and collaboration will continue to increase in any future 21st Century career. Continue to work on your initiative (leadership) and your ability to team successfully with others in all that you do. Don’t be the person who has 5 reasons on why it won’t work, but rather, be the person that can explain to the team the 5 reasons on how it can work!
Flexibility
Those that are not “lifetime learners” or those that do not embrace constant learning may soon be unemployed as the rate of constant change in our globalized world will leave them behind. Strengthen your tolerance to setbacks, or stated more positively, develop into the employee that actually embraces change, even that employee that can envision and lead organizations towards more productive and value-added solutions. If you get “bent out of shape” too easily when your plans go awry, or when you are faced with unforeseen obstacles, it is time to start now, while in high school to change your levels of patience, perseverance, and commitment to success. Flexibility and patience can be learned, it is not genetic.
Emerging Technology Mastery
Embrace and continuously pursue and integrate the latest in technology into your daily life and education. Tomorrow’s employment and career winners will have “in their blood” the ability to be a technology step ahead from the average worker. Start immediately as it is delusional to avoid being an early adopter today and think that somehow you will become an early adopter in the future. Stephen Covey, the famous author on human effectiveness, believes that effective people simply have developed successful habits. Strongly consider taking a computer science course in your freshman year of college or in your senior year of high school if you are a current junior (AP Computer Science, Honors Java, etc.) and consistently use your laptop in planning, organizing, and performing course work. Can you aim to be the resource that other students or workers go to for application and technology help?
Let me end this blog by letting you in on a “dirty little secret” known by managers and industry leaders across the globe: when it is time for a promotion or when it is time to reduce the work force ( a layoff) due to a slowing business, managers get very creative and are biased towards promoting, or not laying off, those that have majored in LIFE…whether you went to Virginia Tech, Duke, William & Mary, or Georgetown makes little difference in career success in the long run, although. granted, it certainly opens more doors in the short run. So absolutely, do aim for that best college and bachelor's degree or higher that you are passionate about, but please don't forget to "double major in LIFE"!
Discussion Questions:
1. Does the above breakdown of unemployment by educational category surprise you? What message, if any, do you take away from these statistics?
2. Is the LIFE acronym pursuit valid, in your opinion, as an early focus to help avoid unemployment in your future? Do you think the LIFE major is a necessary, intentional focus/practice along with your college major or do you think the development of these LIFE skills will simply progress naturally?
3. Which area of the LIFE acronym are you strongest at? Weakest?
5. What was my “dirty little secret”, referenced above, and does it make common sense to you?
1. It does not surprise me. I believe that the best way to be successful and have a good job is by going to college. These statistics prove that that is true and show how important education is in furthering your career.
ReplyDelete2. Yes it is valid. LIFE can help people stand out and it can be used in every career out there. I think that some of the skills can progress naturally as you grow up and mature, but you defiantly need to intentionally practice it to be successful in it.
3. I am strongest in flexibility because I always want to be better and learn more. I am very committed to be successful. I am weakest in leadership, but I am trying to get better by taking initiative.
4. I think it can be a little bit of both. When businesses are deteriorating they have to lay off some people and it can just be bad luck that that person is you. Yes the better you are at the LIFE skills the more important you will be to the company. The LIFE skills are things that employers look for so if you are good at them it can be very helpful in getting jobs.
5. The “dirty little secret” is that when businesses have to reduce the work force managers look for the people that have majored in LIFE. It does make sense because those are the most productive people and work the hardest for the company to succeed.
1. No, the breakdown of the unemployment category does not surprise me. As seen in the breakdown, the less education a person may have, the more likely they are to be unemployed. This shows me how important a college education is to get a job and not be in the unemployment pool.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, the LIFE acronym can help avoid unemployment in the future. The aspects of LIFE are very useful in every workplace. Without these qualities, one may be the first to be fired. Yes, some aspects of life may naturally progress; however, each needs to be practiced in order for one to become somewhat of an “expert” and LIFE.
3. I am strongest at the aspect of interpersonal skills. I work very well and easily with others and am more knowledgeable and specialized in different subjects. I am probably the weakest at leadership. I most often in school let others take charge, rather than myself. However, if there is a need to take charge, I will do it.
4. I think unemployment has to more so deal with the deteriorating business conditions. Usually when a company is looking to lay someone off, the business conditions are not as highly anticipated as they were before. That is when the company will look at the LIFE skills and determine who of which would be less of a loss to the company.
5. Your “dirty little secret” was that when businesses are looking to lay people off, they find the people who have majored in the aspect of LIFE and keep them, while usually firing those who have not. Yes, it does make sense because the people who are more productive, will benefit the company more than those who are not.
1.The breakdown of unemployment by education is unsurprising. People are more likely to higher the more qualified, and a as more and more workers attain college education, of course jobs that previously did not require an extensive background are going to now because specialization has become so major in the U.S. economy today. What this means, is that it is more important than ever to get a college degree. A bachelor’s used to make you exceptional, now it just makes you average. To succeed in life, you should give yourself every advantage you can, and a degree is becoming the prerequisite to success in life.
ReplyDelete2. Pursuing LIFE is incredibly valid, and arguably it is one of the most important things a student can learn. Many students say that what they learn in school does not matter. However, it has become clear in recent years that maybe the physical content will not matter in their future careers, but the skills they have learned will. In ten years I may not be able to tell you the double angle theorem, but I will be able to work hard on my own time until I master something and do it to the best of my ability because of LIFE skills that I was able to learn in school. I think LIFE is an intentional practice people should care about. Many are able to skate by in life through high school, so they never see a need to work hard or take initiative. After all, everything had been handed to them up until that point, so why start working for it now? The truth is, though, that your success hinges on going the extra mile, and once a student realizes this and begins to practice LIFE skills, they will put their own life on a whole new course.
3. I am strongest in the leadership department, but I am weakest in embracing emerging technology. I have no problem with taking charge of a situation and guiding others or with going the extra mile to make the job that much better. However, I am reluctant to embrace computer programming. I have adapted well to simple, user friendly software, but I struggle with the more complex ones. Computers do not make sense to me, and I think it would be in my best interest to start working harder on this particular LIFE skill.
4.Unemployment is much more likely to come from deteriorating business conditions than bad luck. There is no such real thing as bad luck since everything has a cause and effect. You never have an effect without a cause; so when you become laid off it is much more likely to be due to deteriorating business conditions than some mystical, intangible, luck. However, you can ensure your own welfare and job security by being the hardest worker in your firm or business, and by making yourself an invaluable asset to management. If you get along with them and do your job well, then when it comes time to cut back, they will be very reluctant to let someone as valuable as you go. If you can lead, work with others, and are adaptable to both new situations and technologies, then you are set for the business world.
5.Your “dirty little secret” was that hard workers with invaluable skills will be successful. These skills can be self-taught, though, so it is important to start learning now. Your own success is what you make of it, and while a pretty degree from a good college will put you in a good place, it is no guarantee of success like it used to be. Instead of making you standout, it just makes you eligible for the game, and eligibility does not equate to financial success and well-being.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. The breakdown does not surprise me. I have always believed that in order to get the best job and be successful we need to attend college. The statistics above prove just how important it is to receive the best education and work hard in whatever career you decide.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, the LIFE acronym can avoid future unemployment. The overall meaning of the acronym can be applied in every workplace. In order to truly be successful and get the best out of your job, we need to practice LIFE.
3. I am strongest at the aspect of interpersonal skills and weakest at the aspect of emerging technology. I think that I am the strongest at interpersonal skills because I enjoy working with others and I have no problem stepping up and saying what I think/ feel about a topic. I think that I am the weakest at emerging technology because once I learn how to do something that involves using some sort of technology I like being comfortable and knowing what I am doing. But with all of the new improvements that come along with technology I know I need to learn how to adapt to those changes.
4. I think that being laid off is more of deteriorating business conditions. I do not think that “bad luck” is a thing when it comes to the business side of things. If you are a hardworking and putting your best foot forward and your boss can see that then they will not lay you off. I do believe that if you master the LIFE acronym then the chances of you being laid off because of “bad luck” are lowered.
5. Your “dirty little secret” makes perfect sense. When a business is looking for people to lay off because they cannot afford to keep all the workers they are not going to lay off the people that are working hard and doing good things for their company. They are going to lay off those that are not working hard and do not have the LIFE qualities.
1. Nowadays, higher education is needed to have a stable job in the workforce. Many years ago when most jobs did not require background in the field and technical experience it was ok to not have a college degree, but in a world of increasing specialization it is becoming more and more important for people to get college degrees as employers are more likely to hire you and give you a higher salary to retain you as other people.
ReplyDelete2. The 4 concepts of LIFE are very important in today’s society as it models the skills one needs to succeed not only in their career but also their relationships and day to day life. Leadership, Interpersonal Skills, Flexibility, Emerging technology mastery are skills that are needed for everyday life, but many people do not learn as they prioritize other things. People think that going to college is the only thing needed to find a job, but when 20 other people have the same degree the LIFE concepts will help you get the job.
3. I believe I am the strongest in the technology and flexibility concepts, but I am weakest in leadership and interpersonal skills. I am able to adapt to difficult situations well and can often work around obstacles and find solutions. I can also learn how to use a piece of technology with relative ease by using it and figuring out how it works. However, whenever I am in a position of leadership I tend to be narrow minded and boss people around without asking for others input. Also, I struggle with explaining things well and would rather show someone how something works rather than tell them.
4. Unemployment is mostly because of deteriorating business conditions rather than bad luck. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that any boss would never fire or lay off the hardest worker. That being said many people who have been laid off blame bad luck as the reason for them being unemployed, when in reality they were just dead weight that wasn’t doing enough to justify their employment. Using LIFE Skills will most likely keep you in your job as your employer will see that you are a valuable member of the business.
5. Your “dirty little secret” is correct and makes sense because nowadays graduating from MIT or UVA isn’t enough to get you a job anymore, you have to work hard and have skills that make you valuable to your place of employment. Having LIFE skills helps people who may not have the degree from MIT or UVA to succeed in the workplace by furthering their skill set and career.
1. No the stats do not surprise me at all. The stats reenforce a long time known notion that having a higher level of education generally eads to a more successful career in terms of finding a job. A message I take from these stats is that it is important to go to collee and major in something that can get you a job.
ReplyDelete2. I think the LIFE acronym is valid. There is more to getting a job than just looking good on a trnascript. You have to be able to work with others, be a leader when needed, and multi talented in skills.
3. I'm probably strongest in interpersoanl skills, I like to work with people and I like to learn new things from other people, I think it is a healthy way to learn. I'm probably weakest in leadership since I am shy and I'm too scared to stand up and lead.
4. I think its mostly due to deteriorating business conditions because when businesses are looking to lay people off, they don't lay off random people, they lay people off they can afford to let go of, people with high skills are typically safe from getting laid off. I can definatly help ensure my employment through LIFE by being a well rounded employee and particpating in work as much as I can.
5. Your dirty little secret was that workers with nonvaluable skills will still be employed. It makes sense to an extent. In bad economic times when employers are looking lay people off, if you are hardworking, the employer is more likely going to keep you in the force, but if you are not hard working and your skills aren't valuable, you can get laid off. But just because you are hardworking doesn't guarantee a job and $100,000 a year salary, you have to have the skills to acquire those things.
1. No, the breakdown of unemployment does not surprise me. I could have guessed that more education means greater chances of being employed. This shows just how important a college education is and why we need to focus on getting a degree before we enter the workforce in search of a career.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, the LIFE acronym does help us avoid unemployment when we’re older. Each aspect of LIFE is a skill and/or characteristic that is needed, not only in the workforce, but in everyday life. Some parts of LIFE will progress naturally, like when we are older we will learn to be more flexible and “go with the flow” more but that is only to a certain extent. Some skills like leadership skills must be learned in person and by playing a role as a leader. This is not something that will progress over time.
3. I would say my strongest aspects of LIFE are leadership and interpersonal skills. Being a part of SGA at PVI has helped me improve my leadership skills and interpersonal skills at the same time. My worst aspect would have to be flexibility. I say this because I do think I am easy to get along with but sometimes I can be stubborn on the way we do things.
4. Sometimes I think becoming unemployed is “bad luck” but sometimes it could be unfair or there could be more happening “behind the scenes” in a company that causes you to lose your job as opposed to someone else. I think that if you get up every single morning and promise yourself to work as hard as you can each and every day, you will never regret it, even if you do lose your job. I do think you can ensure your own employment to a certain extent because nothing in life is definite but if you work hard there will not be a reason for you to lose your job.
5. Yes, your “dirty little secret” makes common sense. You are saying that going to a good college will definitely help you when you get a good job when you graduate, but when it comes time to choose someone to be laid off, none of that matters. It is how you express your LIFE skills that make all the difference in the world.
1. No, the statistics do not surprise me. With all of the progress and technological advance our economy makes, it is necessary to be educated in order to keep up with it and to play a part in advancing progress. Just by common sense, the more education one has, the more likely they are to be successfully employed. If an employer had to lay off some workers, he or she would be most likely to lay off those with less skills and keep those with more skills (education) because it benefits the company, organization, etc. Seeing these statistics makes me feel confident that going to college and working hard will provide me with the best possible future.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, I think the LIFE acronym is valid as an early pursuit to avoid unemployment. We all want to be employed in the future, and there is not much we can do now except working hard. By adhering to the LIFE acronym and mastering it, we can start preparing ourselves now to be contenders in the labor force in the future. I think the LIFE major is a necessary, intentional practice along with a college major. We cannot just expect these things to come naturally. I think some of them will come from just being students and working hard, but living in actual pursuit of LIFE will help create a system for our work life in the future. Additionally, it will help us in many other aspects of life, like relationships. Using it in all aspects of our lives now will help us employ it in our future jobs.
3. As of right now, I think I am the strongest in leadership. I have not experienced a multitude of leadership roles, but I have acquired some skills through taking care of my family and living as a Catholic. This past year, I have become more confident with taking initiative, and it is something I want to continue working on. I want to lead others in the work place, but I also want to lead them to be better people. This desire has sparked my pursuit of taking initiative. I am weakest at technology mastery. I think I am about on the same level as most other people when it comes to technology. However, I want to stand out and to go the extra mile. By learning to master the latest technologies more than other people, I can ensure that I will have a better chance of staying employed.
4. I think getting laid off is more deteriorating business conditions. When employers lose customers and consumer spending decreases, they can no longer afford to employ as many people. They will let people go before they lower prices. By mastering in the LIFE major, I can learn to always be a step ahead of other people. Because the LIFE major will help me stand out, I might be more likely to stay employed than the person who lacks initiative, skills to team with others, flexibility, and emerging technology mastery.
5. The “dirty little secret” is that managers are biased towards promoting or not laying off those who have majored in LIFE. This makes common sense to me. Managers want to keep their most efficient and skilled workers and to promote those most capable. Mastering the LIFE major is similar to having more education (like college and advanced degrees), and more education usually results in higher success in staying employed. Just as more education gives one a better chance of being employed, additionally mastering the LIFE major results in more education and heightens one’s chances of staying employed and, furthermore, being promoted.
1. These statistics do not surprise me. However, what I take out of this is this: less education, in itself, is not the main cause for unemployment. However, those who have less education are less motivated to succeed. This is the reason why they are unemployed- these people are not motivated enough to pursue higher education, nor are they motivated enough to do whatever it takes to become employed.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, the "LIFE" acronym is valid. I would even go so far as to say that it is the most undervalued characteristic in American schooling today-95% of my time is spent studying for tests and doing homework, when, in reality, most of it should be spent doing group projects and pursuing valuable projects-not "A's." I have never personally held a job in the workforce, however, I would predict that the "LIFE" major is at least equally as valuable to future success as a college major, but it's not something that we spend nearly as much time on. Finally, these "LIFE" skills do progress naturally-to a certain extent. You cannot become an expert at something by letting your "LIFE" skills progress naturally-to be successful you must work at them.
3. My strongest "LIFE" category is flexibility. I've experienced many setbacks in everything that I do, but I keep going. I am a strong believer that success is found by simply overcoming failure. My weakest "LIFE" category is Interpersonal skills-I often have difficulty teaming with others because I know that I can find success by myself.
4. Unemployment is neither bad luck nor deteriorating business conditions! If you are invaluable at whatever you do, your superiors could never afford to lay you off! If you are an expert in only three categories of the four mentioned in LIFE you are already too valuable to be unemployed. Mastery in the LIFE major is a key to success-education level just gets you in the door.
5. No matter how intelligent you are, no matter how much education you have, if you are not an expert in the "LIFE" major-you're going nowhere. So what you can memorize anything you read, get A's on any test-once you graduate into the workforce, all of that will only get you in the door. Once you're inside, it's up to your LIFE skills from then on. This is your "dirty little secret.
1. The breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me-- the message I take away is to aim for the highest level of education and that one must aim to set out from the others. To do this, one must go above and beyond. Since our world today is constantly improving in technology, we need to have the highest level of education possible.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym is valid in my opinion as an early focus to avoid unemployment in the future. I think that it is a necessary/intentional practice along with a college major because these skills are not only needed for a career, but for all aspects of life. For example, flexibility is a characteristic one should possess to be effective in their career, but also in human relationships and in his or her education. The LIFE characteristics can apply to many things, not just jobs, therefore they must be focused on to attain the most out of life in general.
3. I think I am strongest at interpersonal skills because ‘I love talking to people and don’t mind speaking in public. I would say I am weakest at embracing the latest technology. It is so hard to keep up with nowadays and since it is constantly improving, I often want to stick with old technology I am familiar with. I now know that it is necessary to keep up with technology to succeed as an employee in the future.
4. I think becoming unemployed is more deteriorating business conditions. I do believe I can help ensure my employment destiny through mastery of the LIFE major. The characteristics included in LIFE will set one apart so unemployment can be avoided. By becoming a leader, one can stand out and show that he or she can control a group. By having interpersonal skills, the employer will recognize that he or she is able to communicate with others and therefore is a valuable asset to the company or team. A flexible employee demonstrates that he or she can embrace changing conditions and an employer will set that as an outstanding qualities since most take a longer period of time to adapt to change. Finally, embracing technology is definitely one of the hardest qualities of the LIFE major to keep up with but in the long run it will give an individual an advantage. For our generation, this will be one of the most important qualities because technology is changing so rapidly and employers want someone who can incorporate that into both their life and job,
5. Your “dirty little secret” was that when managers are forced to reduce the workforce, they instead promote (and not lay off) those that possess the skills of the LIFE major you discussed. Where you obtain your college education has importance, but not as much as if you can integrate the skills of LIFE into your career. It does make sense to me because employers look for those that have the whole picture-- it is not just having knowledge of your career but possessing skills that help you to communicate with others and lead others. When it comes to reducing the workforce, employers will keep those who can set themselves apart and the LIFE skills make that possible.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. The breakdown of unemployment does not surprise me, since many employers look for employees who have a higher education, because they are typically the most prepared.
ReplyDelete2. I think that people who have not acquired these LIFE skills by the time they have reached college should be required to study them, but those who do possess these skills should not have to. Even so, these are very practical traits, and it would be hard to teach them in a classroom setting as opposed to real-world experience.
3. I think that I am the strongest at flexibility, because I find that I can easily adapt to change and setbacks, and I have a natural interest and patience in all areas. My weakest area, however, is emerging technology mastery, as I do not see myself as tech-savvy as many other teenagers nowadays.
4. I believe that becoming unemployed is more deteriorated business conditions. When a company looks for positions to "lay off", they are looking for replaceable or cheaper methods to do the same job. This may be technology, or the job may not be re-filled at all. If the position is never completed, then the quality of business decreases, which in turn negatively affects the company again.
5. Your secret was that employers look for the LIFE skills as much as they do your education, which is something that I would agree with. I believe that when an employer is evaluating a candidate for a job, the LIFE skills are essential to satisfying any position.
1. No, the above breakdown does not surprise me. The more skilled the worker the easier it is for them to get a job.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, LIFE as a pursuit is valid as a way to avoid unemployment. LIFE skills will progress naturally but they will progress faster if they are helped along.
3. I am good at leadership. I like to take control and find new and more efficient ways of doing things. I tend to not be very flexible. I like to do things in a specific way and have issues deviating from it.
4. Being laid-off is not totally preventable. It is caused by denigrating business conditions. The chance of being laid off can dramatically be reduced by LIFE skills and being good at your job.
5. You basically said the people with LIFE skills that make them better at their jobs get promoted and are less likely to get laid-off. It makes sense that if someone is good at their job you going to want to keep them or promote them.
1. The stats do not surprise me. Since I have been little, everyone has told me that they key to being successful is going to college. The idea that I can take from these statistics is that a college is very important.
ReplyDelete2. I think the skills in LIFE is very important. Those who have a mastery of the skills of LIFE will most likely be employed for most of their career. I think some of the skills in LIFE need to be worked on, but some develop naturally. For example, Leadership needs to be worked on, but interpersonal skills develop through every day interactions.
3. I am strongest in Leadership. I see myself as a future business or world leader, and my skills in leadership are good. I believe I am weakest when it comes to technology. Technological tools have never been a strong point of mine.
4. I think that being laid off is more bad luck. For Example, at McDonald's, almost all the workers in any particular franchise have the same skill set. It is almost like a roulette to decide who to keep and who to lay off. I think if one is able to master the LIFE skill sets, then they essentially put them selves on a higher shelf then every other worker.
5. The "Dirty Little Secret" is that when it is time to cut jobs, the companies keep the people that have a good understanding of the LIFE skill set. It does make common sense to me because the best workers are the most rounded workers. If a worker is able to master the skill sets, then it seems reasonable to keep that worker over a worker who does not have the same skills.
1) It is not surprising to me. Our current economy is running out of need for workers who are not specialized and skilled. The statistics are another reminder for me to work hard and get an education.
ReplyDelete2) The "LIFE" pursuit is a very good thing to focus on to avoid unemployment. The skills need to be intentionally and thoughtfully pursued, you can't sit around and expect to master the LIFE skills.
3) I currently am strongest in the leadership area, and weakest in the emerging technologies mastery.
4) Getting laid off is usually the result of deteriorating business conditions, you can help ensure your employment destiny through mastery of LIFE. It is important to remember that some things are out of your control, which means that even if you lose your job you must remember LIFE and apply it to get into the best possible situation.
5. The "dirty little secret" was that although it can help with opportunities at the beginning of one's career, getting promoted or avoiding being laid off has much more to do with have the LIFE skills than it does with where you went to college. This makes lots of sense to me, a person who has a degree from UVA but can't lead, doesn't take the initiative on things, can't work with others, is not flexible, and doesn't master new skills and technology is less valuable to a company than someone with a degree from JMU who can do all those things.
1. No, the breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me. I was already aware of how greater education will help you go farther in life. The message I take away from these statistics is that the better educated you are, the higher your chances are of getting a job.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, I do believe that the LIFE pursuit is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment. I think you need to intentionally focus and practice these skills along with your college major. You can’t expect it to just come naturally when you aren’t making any effort towards the pursuit.
3. I think I’m strongest at Flexibility. I handle sudden changes in plans pretty well and work well under pressure. I think I’m weakest at Leadership. I need to be more confident and take initiative with things.
4. I don’t really believe in bad luck. I think becoming unemployed is primarily based off of deteriorating business conditions. I do think that you can help ensure your own employment destiny through mastery in the LIFE major. When companies have to lay people off, they’ll be cutting off the weakest links. The LIFE major gives you skills and attributes that companies value and will be less inclined to drop.
5. The “dirty little secret” was that when companies promote or lay off due to slowing business, managers are biased towards promoting and not laying off. People who majored in life have a greater difference in career success in the long run than people who don’t. It does make common sense to me. Having great grades and going to a prestigious college only matter initially, you need to have LIFE skills to maintain success in your career.
1. No this does not shock me at all. It makes complete common sense to me. The people that have a higher degree of education obviously worked very hard to get there. So in the end they deserve to get most of the jobs and that's why people with no degrees or less education have a higher unemployment rate than the people who have a advanced degree.
ReplyDelete2. The acronym of LIFE is very important for the future. People often rely to much on the paper and don't often focus on their personalities and leadership skills. It is very important for a person to have the right work ethic in life to be successful. Someone can't just work hard until they get a nice job and then just not exhibit any LIFE skills, that will not work, I believe that life skills must be learned naturally then applied to whatever you are doing in College or the future. It often is important to know your major but first try to practice the LIFE skill and then apply it to your major.
3. I believe that I am the strongest at interpersonal skills. I love working as a team with people and really do enjoy it. I am very good socializing with people in a group and coming up with great ideas. I usually do not get mad if someone has an idea that isn't with mine. I like to solve solutions with people together to get the best result. My weakness would be flexibility. I really have to work on being more flexible when needed and if something goes wrong I must adjust to it. If there is an instant job call and I am doing something else often I do not want to go cause it wasn't in the plan.
4. I feel like the people who get laid of should often be able to see it coming. In my mind if you are a knowledgeable worker who pays attention to the surrounding environment then you should have a pretty good idea if you are going to get laid off. To ensure that one does not get laid off you must look at the importance of your position and if you see you are at the bottom of the food chain in the least useful job in the company then one must work hard to be promoted.
5.Your "dirty little secret" reference was about how when it comes to laying of and promoting managers are very creatively biased towards the situation. You also said that people should double major in LIFE and not simply rely on the college they went to. A better college might get you into a good job, but one must apply the skills needed once they are in the job. That is why it is so important to have life skills. This made sense to me and I get it. One must work hard to have LIFE skills and put them into play in this world. Education can only go so far, one must exhibit who they are and there skills to keep jobs and have a successful life in the long run.
1. No, the breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me. I was already aware of how greater education will help you go farther in life. The message I take away from these statistics is that the better educated you are, the higher your chances are of getting a job.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, I do believe that the LIFE pursuit is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment. I think you need to intentionally focus and practice these skills along with your college major. You can’t expect it to just come naturally when you aren’t making any effort towards the pursuit.
3. I think I’m strongest at Flexibility. I handle sudden changes in plans pretty well and work well under pressure. I think I’m weakest at Leadership. I need to be more confident and take initiative with things.
4. I don’t really believe in bad luck. I think becoming unemployed is primarily based off of deteriorating business conditions. I do think that you can help ensure your own employment destiny through mastery in the LIFE major. When companies have to lay people off, they’ll be cutting off the weakest links. The LIFE major gives you skills and attributes that companies value and will be less inclined to drop.
5. The “dirty little secret” was that when companies promote or lay off due to slowing business, managers are biased towards promoting and not laying off. People who majored in life have a greater difference in career success in the long run than people who don’t. It does make common sense to me. Having great grades and going to a prestigious college only matter initially, you need to have LIFE skills to maintain success in your career.
1. No, these statistics do not surprise me at all. People naturally want the best employees they can get, and the more educated are typically better. The smarter you are, the more time and effort you have put into your education, and vice versa. It makes sense that we would want smart people to work for us, for they would have the most to contribute in their work. These are also the people who are more likely to have the ability to be entrepreneurs, creating their own jobs. This breakdown shows me the importance of getting an education, and applying myself in school. If I want to do well in life, I must try hard and learn all that I can. However, it also shows me that there is always a chance of unemployment, no matter what my education is.
ReplyDelete2. I do believe that the LIFE acronym is a valid pursuit for people to focus their early life on. Typically, yes, I believe this “double major” is necessary. I would not go so far as to say if you do not have ample abilities with “LIFE” that you are doomed, for there is always a loophole. There will always be jobs that do not require some of these skills, but there are few and far between. Most people will interact with others during their job, whether it is a boss, coworkers, employees, or customers. This makes it important for us to have the proper LIFE skills, so that we are enjoyable to work with.
3. My strongest area of the LIFE acronym is probably leadership. I am a leader in many aspects of my life, and it is something that has always come natural to me. My weakest are of the LIFE acronym is probably emerging technology mastery. I am often very confused by technology, and am often having to ask others for help. I would like to work towards being a frontrunner in understanding technology, allowing myself to work with technology more independently, relying less on others to teach my and assist me to figure it out.
4. I definitely think becoming unemployed is more due to deteriorating business conditions, and you can definitely take actions to help control your employment destiny. When businesses are making employment cuts, there will always be choices between people. If you are a strong worker in which your employers enjoy working with, they will do everything they can to keep you. If you are a bother, or a lazy worker, you will be the first person they cut. Also, business layoffs are often due to poor performance from the company as a whole. If you are not doing your job to the best of your ability, you could contribute to this. By working hard, and efficiently, you decrease the likelihood of layoffs being necessary for the company’s survival.
5. The “dirty little secret” referenced above is that employers are often biased towards people who have double majored in LIFE. If you carry these abilities, your employers will most likely keep you as an employee. It definitely makes common sense to me, it’s just human nature. We want the best we can get, and we like working with people who are friendly and easy to work with, while still maintaining motivation to work hard. People with LIFE abilities hold these qualities, so of course employers will be more biased towards them.
1. The breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me at all. In such a competitive work force, having a better education can only benefit someone. The more and better educated will be the one's who make higher salaries and are needed by companies for their skills.
ReplyDelete2. Yes I do think the LIFE acronym can be used to avoid early unemployment. No matter what field you want to work in, you can apply LIFE. Also, it helps you set goals and realize what you need to do to be successful.
3. I am strongest in the leadership part of LIFE. I like taking leadership roles in situations, and helping others strive to be their best. I am weakest at mastering emerging technology. I am not very up to date with all the latest technologies and I have no interest in it.
4. I think it is tough to say whether unemployment is bad luck or just deteriorating business conditions; it depends on the situation. During bad times companies are naturally going to have to cause some unemployment, but other times it could have nothing to do with business, it could be related to personal or health issues. I do not think that you are guaranteed a job if you are a master at LIFE, because nothing in life is guaranteed. But, I do think being a master at LIFE will help you avoid unemployment.
5. Your secret is that when managers are looking for people to lay off, they are more likely to lay off the people that are not mastered in LIFE. This does make sense to me because being a master at LIFE is better than not being one. Employers look for certain qualities in employees, and masters at life are more likely to have those qualities rather than those who are not masters
1. The breakdown of unemployment does not surprise me. The message I take away from the statistics is if you have a higher level of education, you have a genuinely smaller chance of experiencing unemployment. You need to stand out in today's society, and having just a high school degree is not going to cut it.
ReplyDelete2. The "LIFE" acronym is an excellent strategy to use when it comes to beating unemployment. I believe that developing the LIFE skills early is bound to help alongside a college major, and it will most certainly help you get a job and keep it. The LIFE principles can also apply to things outside of work, in real world situations.
3. I think I am strongest at mastering emerging technology. I use a lot of different resources technology provides, like the computer and iPhone and everything they offer. I maintain schedules and keep tabs on my activities using technology, and I believe it has truly made me a more efficient person. I think my weakest area of the LIFE major is flexibility, as when I encounter a problem I am not the best at working around it.
4. Deteriorating business conditions are more likely to wield unemployment than bad luck, because they are a more reasonable explanation. As I said earlier, you need to stand out from the crowd in today's society in order to get and maintain a job. The LIFE major is a surefire way to make this happen, as it provides all the necessary skills needed to be a hard worker in the workplace.
5. The "dirty little secret" is that when the time comes, to lay workers off, managers tend to avoid those who majored in LIFE. This is because they are good at being productive in the workplace, since they have already mastered the essentials to do so. It makes a lot of sense that this happens, and I know that if I am to completely master the skills of LIFE I too will have a better chance of keeping a job.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me because it is quite clear that the more education you have the more opportunities you will have to get a high paying job. You used to be able to get some decently paying jobs with a high school diploma but times are changing and now if you want to have a good job you will go the extra mile and get higher education.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, I believe that the LIFE acronym is valid because it focuses on things that work in the real world: Leadership, Flexibility, Interpersonal skills and mastery of emerging technology. I believe that the LIFE major is necessary because once people graduate they are going to try to a job and if they mastered the LIFE major then they will have more to offer than just their degree to employers.
3. I believe that I am strongest at Leadership because I try my best to take initiative whenever I can. I believe that I am weakest at emerging technology because there is a lot of new technology that I have not taken the time to lean about.
4. Do you think becoming unemployed (laid off) is more "bad luck" or more deteriorating business conditions? Do you believe you can help ensure your own employment destiny through mastery in the LIFE major? I think that every situation is unique and sometimes unemployment can really be "bad luck" and sometimes it is because of deteriorating business conditions. I think that mastering the LIFE major would be very helpful in decreasing your chances of becoming unemployed.
5. Your “dirty little secret” is when it is time for a promotion or when it is time to reduce the work force ( a layoff) due to a slowing business, managers get very creative and are biased towards promoting, or not laying off, those that have majored in LIFE. This makes common sense to me because those who have majored in LIFE are the kind of employees that employers want working for them.
1. There is definitely a breakdown in education for the unemployment and this does not surprise me because the way to get employed is by learning twenty-first century skills. The people who have fewer skills tend to see more unemployment because they don’t have enough experience to complete modern time tasks.
ReplyDelete2. I do agree that the LIFE acronym will help me to avoid unemployment in the future because if I do follow and practice the individual characteristics I can see that I would be less likely to be laid off than a person who does not follow them. The LIFE acronym is not a natural gift, you must practice at these skills to be truly fulfill them.
3. The one area in the LIFE acronym that I am not adequate in is the Leadership skill. I always just go with the flow; I never really take control of something. If there is a project that needs to be done I will do it, I am more initiative, not being a leader. My strongest would have to be Flexibility. If something needs to be done I will make way for it and complete in any way possible.
4. I do think that when you are laid off its because there was a bad time in the business cycle when business seasonally lay off people, it is more of a bad luck charm if you are laid off. If you do invest your time in trying to master the LIFE acronym, your employer would think twice on letting you go because you are a skillful and valuable employee.
5. The secret above was that when there is time for promotions or laying off people employers are more biased to people who have invested their time into LIFE, it doesn’t matter if you’re from Georgetown or Virginia Tech, if you practice LIFE you will be certainly one of the last people to be laid off. This make sense to me because now-a-days people have higher education so to make your self different from the rest you can invest in LIFE to become the best employee.
1. The breakdown of unemployment by educational category doesn't surprise me. The breakdown shows that people who get a higher education are more likely to find a job than those who are less educated. The message I take away from it is that I should try to get as high of an education as possible so that the odds are in my favor when it comes to finding a job.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, I think LIFE can help because it gets you to prepare for the work that you have to do in almost any job. These skills are what businesses want all of their employees to have, so having these skills can only help you in your job or in getting a job. I think that you should work hard at developing these LIFE skills and then from there they will progress naturally.
3. I would say my greatest strength of the LIFE acronym is Flexibility. I think that something that makes you great in what you do is being able to realize how you could be doing things better and adapt as quickly as you can to them. In my two jobs that I have worked, I was very good at realizing what techniques I could use that would help me work not only more efficiently but at getting the job done right. I would say my weakest point on the LIFE is Leadership because I'm a more quiet person.
4. I would say the getting laid off is deteriorating business conditions because if businesses are laying people off, it means they can't afford to keep those workers, which means they are less valuable than the ones they chose not to lay off. It isn't bad luck because they can commit themselves really hard to make them more valuable and worth the money. You can ensure your own destiny be practicing LIFE skills and make yourself a more valuable worker than those who do not practice LIFE skills.
5. The "dirty little secret" is that when businesses are either promoting or laying people off, they look for the people that have majored in LIFE and are more inclined to give them a promotion or not lay them off. It makes sense to me because if I were a boss, I would want to keep people that have these LIFE skills because they are the best workers to have.
1. I am slightly surprised by the unemployment by level of education. It makes sense that the less you have to offer in terms of education, the less likely you would be to get a job. The surprising part came from how the news seems to focus on those who are college educated not being able to find jobs so I was not sure that as the level of education increased the level of employment would also increase. These statistics make me want to continue on my current plan to attend college and get a bachelor’s degree, but I believe that one also has to be careful as to not obtain too much debt by obtaining something like a terminal degree in their field and then perhaps gain a job but not one that can support them and their loan payments.
ReplyDelete2. I believe the LIFE acronym is definitely something to focus on and is something that I believe many are focusing on as they grow older, not just in adulthood but in childhood as well. I find that more teens are working towards those skills so that they can show leadership and such skills to colleges, so even though it may only be for college applications at the moment, people are working towards them. Majoring in LIFE is necessary in my opinion because focusing on it will cause you to put yourself out there in positions that will help you gain these skills that are desirable by employers. The skills in the LIFE acronym will progress naturally as one matures but not to the extent that it necessary to set one apart from everyone else when it comes to seeking employment. Thus LIFE is definitely an acronym that would be beneficial for people to focus on.
3. I believe that my strongest area of the LIFE acronym is leadership due to the skills I have gained by being a Girl Scout. I have led my troop, other troops, and other girls through earning awards and being a camp counselor. Additionally, participating in and heading clubs at PVI has helped me strengthen this skill. My weakest area would probably be emerging technology mastery because there is still an immense amount that I do not know that others do. While I did take two semesters of Honors Java my freshman year, I have not kept up with my programming skills over the past few years. While I can help some with their technological issues, I still go to others if I cannot figure out my computer problems.
4. I find layoffs to be the result of deteriorating business conditions. Things happen for a reason, so if a company lets go of 5,000 workers, it is most likely due to a cause such as lack of profits so they cannot afford the workers or technological advances that have eliminated the need for those jobs. I do not believe that mastering the LIFE major will ensure mine or anyone’s employment destiny. While I consider the mastery of such skills to be extremely helpful and my help one earn and maintain their job, often times politics plays a role in employment and promotions and I do not believe that great LIFE skills prevent those politics.
5. The “dirty little secret” was that when employers are forced to cut back on workers they work hard to find ways to keep on the employees that have the skills found in the LIFE acronym. They value these skills and want to maintain those who have them as employees. I find that this makes perfect sense. If you have a choice in who you can lay off, it is only common sense that you would want to keep the best employees. Often times the best employees are those who have LIFE skills and can be moved to another area if their department is being nixed. So while those who have great skills in the area of their work will likely also be tried to save, those who are good at their jobs and have LIFE skills would be a priority to try and keep.
1. The message of the unemployment by educational category does not surprise me. Those who stay with school and complete it, to the end, will be hired more often because employers want to see skills and commitment. I can take from the statistics that staying in school is the more economic ideal option, even if it would take more time.
ReplyDelete2. I am a strong believer in LIFE as a way to avoid unemployment because it encourages competition via the skills. If you are seen as a valuable leader, who has a close group to support you, laying you off seems unpractical for the employer. I believe LIFE should be practiced along with your other college majors. While learning your degree of choose, it makes sense to develop the LIFE skills so you can use them in the actual career field of your chosen major. The LIFE skills do not come naturally, while some are born natural leaders or people-persons, other need to practice and work to gain the LIFE skills.
3. My strongest areas in the LIFE acronym is leadership. While I feel I am flexible and can work well in groups, I feel the most productive when I am the leader. I try to work with everyone, based on their abilities, in the group to make the job efficient and smooth. I feel I am lacking in emerging technologies. I do appreciate all new technological advancements, I do not understand them. I would like to take more computer classes to gain a better understanding of technology so I might be able to apply those skills to a career.
4. Becoming laid off in my opinion, stems from deteriorating business. I remember to the recession of 2008 where my friend's father was laid off, he had (from what I know about him and his family) a stable, high level job. He was in the airline industry when it lost steam. I believe a business will more often fire a inefficient employee rather than layoff in a stable economic stage. Depending on the industry I choose and the cycle it is in, I can hope that the LIFE major will help me but as seen with my friend's father, it can be uncertain. If I show my value to the firm, using the LIFE skills, I can survive.
5. The "dirty little secret" is managers will become creative when decided who to give a promotion to bases on their LIFE skills. This makes common sense, is a manager wants to give out a raise, they will see who is the most efficient as a leader and in a group. They will not give a raise to those they feel are inflexible and lacking in technological ability.
1. The breakdown of the unemployment by education degree does not surprise me. The people with a higher education are going to continuously beat out those with less education when competing for jobs. This proves that we should all get as high of an education as we possible can because it will make it easier to get a job.
ReplyDelete2. Yes I do think that the LIFE acronym is valid. The skills included in the acronym will make you stand out in life and succeed in every area, especially the workplace. I think that in order to really incorporate the skills in the LIFE acronym you do need to make it an intentional focus. It is true that naturally each of us may posses bits and pieces of the skills in the LIFE acronym, however without making a deliberate effort we will not be able to maintain those skills at the highest level possible.
3. I think that I am strongest in interpersonal skills because I enjoy working with other people and hearing what they have to say. I am weakest in emerging technology because there is always constant improvements in technology which makes it difficult to keep up.
4. I think that being laid off is more due to deteriorating business conditions. In my opinion luck doesn't really have anything to do with lay offs that a business must make for economic reasons. I do think that you can ensure your own destiny through the LIFE acronym. If you follow those guidelines and skills then you will be more productive and thus more valuable to your employer.
5. Your "dirty little secret" was that when it comes time for employers to lay people off, or decide who to promote, they are more likely to keep/promote those workers whom have perfected the LIFE skills. I think that this concept is common sense because of course an employer is going to keep the employees who are more productive, and if you have majored in LIFE then you will be more productive than those who have not.
1. It does not surprise me that the most educated are the least unemployed and the least educated are the most unemployed. I take away that education opens more doors in work, but also prepares the worker to stay employed with the skills to succeed.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that the LIFE acronym is accurate because it not only helps people get a job, but also helps them to keep the job and advance in their careers. I think LIFE skills will partially progress naturally, but they will progress more fully and effectively if they are consciously applied.
3. I am strongest at leadership because I take initiative in my work. I am weakest with technology mastery, although I know a fair amount of how technology works and I am taking a computer course this semester at PVI.
4. I think being laid off is more because of deteriorating business conditions than bad luck. LIFE can help ensure employment because managers will not want to lay off a hard worker who has those qualities.
5. The "dirty little secret" was that although attending certain colleges will help open job opportunities, the LIFE major will make you more successful and help you to advance in your career. This makes sense to me because a good school is more about the education that one could receive there than the name that the school represents so people that use the LIFE major can advance the most.
1. No the breakdown of unemployment is not surprising to me because in today's economy, jobs are more increasingly reliant on workers with specialized skill sets which can best be gained through education. The take away from these statistics is to pursue higher level education with all seriousness in order to ensure success in later life.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym seems like a valid pursuit. The skills mentioned in the acronym are characteristics of every good worker. Some of the skills mentioned I believe you can learn by doing, in other words they may come naturally with time. However it takes the right kind of mindset and goal oriented behavior to achieve these skills, thus it takes practice and focus on the part of the individual.
3. I believe I am strongest in the leadership aspect because I am goal oriented and take initiative. However my weakest aspect is probably interpersonal communication skills which if I improve will help me take my leadership potential to the next level.
4. Being laid off can be a combination of both bad luck and deteriorating business conditions. Sometimes when a company is in serious trouble, they can't afford to keep even the best of workers. However mastery of LIFE will definitely give a worker an advantage over others because it demonstrates diligence and determination on the part of the worker.
5. The "dirty little secret" was that workers who are more apt in the areas specified in the LIFE acronym are more likely to receive promotions or benefits in the work force because they have these specialized skills. While where an individual goes to college is very important, it is more important to become a well-rounded hard worker. This makes common sense because all employers want is an employee who can go above and beyond in order to get the job done. This can be achieved through mastery of LIFE.
1. The breakdown does not surprise me. There are so many people who want to work. Employers wants the best of the best and the mostly highly trained. They discriminate their employment process because they can. It may not be hard to make up ads for a company or talk to customers on the phone but businesses want the best possible worker. This is why educated people are more likely to succeed.
ReplyDelete2. I think LIFE is more important than any education you can receive. If you don't know how to deal with people, there is no way you can even make it through the interview process! I believe that LIFE must be developed and learned. You begin learning all these strategies as young as elementary school.
3. Leadership. I am really good at showing initiative in school and life and my job. I like to be in charge so I will natural volunteer myself to work harder than everyone else. I am probably not the best at the emerging technology skills. I am really good with computers but I don't know any programming or anything.
4. I think that it is a mix of the both. It is probably about 40% deteriorating conditions and 60% LIFE skills. If the economy is not doing well and layoffs are needed, the company is going to let go of people who don't really impact their business. If you don't take initivie and only do what is necessary, you will be let go. I think that all things are possible through hard work.
5. Employers are going to keep and promote the people who have mastered the LIFE skills. This makes total sense to me! Employers have so many options of who they could have working for them, they might as well keep the strong ones who exhibit LIFE skills.
1. The breakdown of the unemployment rate does not surprise me because it shows that those with diplomas in high school and college are less likely to be unemployed, which is something that is preached to students since their days in elementary school. The message that I get would be to go to college and get my diploma, because that seems to be the path that yields the best results.
ReplyDelete2. I think that the LIFE acronym is a valid way to help avoid unemployment in the future because if we develop the components of LIFE then we will have the qualities it takes to be good employees, and future employers would be happy to have employees with such good characteristics. Different components of LIFE might come easier to some people than others but we still need to practice these skills in order to strengthen them.
3. I think that my strongest skill of LIFE is “I” which is interpersonal skills. When working with others, I consider myself to be a fair and communicative person. I am always willing to work in any method with my partners in a manner that’ll guarantee success. My weakest skill would be flexibility, because I tend to “freak out” whenever something goes off track or doesn’t yield the results that I expected.
4. I don’t think that unemployment is bad luck because whether or not you are laid off depends on what kind of worker you are and what kind of work ethic you have, but I also don’t think that unemployment should be fully blamed on the deterioration of businesses. I believe that unemployment is a mix of both. I think that I can help decrease the likeliness of being unemployed by providing for myself the things I need to be successful such as a proper education and diploma and also the LIFE skills, which will help me become a better employee in the future. It will be harder for an employer to fire me if I am a valuable asset to the workplace.
5. The dirty little secret is that when it comes for an employers to either promote or layoff some of their workers, they don’t necessarily look at the academic resume; they look for the workers that have contributed the most through their work ethic. They look for workers who have mastered LIFE. I definitely see the common sense in this secret because it doesn’t matter how great of a school you went to or how amazing your grades were, if you’re not contributing as much as the other guy then you are of less worth to your employer then he is.
ReplyDelete1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not really surprise me because the need of higher education has gone way up as of recent because employers are looking for higher educated people.
2. As an early focus to help avoid unemployment in the future, the LIFE acronym is valid and those who have these traits by college will have an advantage over those who do not but those who do not should not be forced to learn them. These traits may progress naturally but those who have them earlier in life may have an advantage when looking for a job.
3. I feel that I am strongest in the “flexibility” part of the LIFE acronym because I can adapt to change quickly and I am not narrow minded but see and do things ina broad way. I believe that I am weakest in “leadership” because I sometimes do not take initiative as much as I should.
4. I believe that getting laid off may sometimes be just bad luck, but for the most off I think it is because of deteriorating business conditions. Things such as technology have allowed businesses to do the same job with one less person, which saves money and causes people to get laid off. This job then could be outsourced completely with technology but technology does not fix all problems in a company because people who have the LIFE major may sometimes be better than a robot or machine.
5. Your “dirty little secret” above is that those who do not have the LIFE major will most likely get laid off before someone who dos have those skills when a company is reducing work and promoting. This does make sense to me because those who do have the LIFE major are better than those that do not, and when reducing work or promoting then you want your best employees who have the most values.
1. The breakdown of unemployment based on education level does not surprise me in the least bit. It is common sense. Employers are always looking for the best and most skilled workers, and most of these skills are acquired through education. People with higher education levels are much more competitive in the job market.
ReplyDelete2. I believe the LIFE acronym is valid. Leadership, Interpersonal Skills, Flexibility, and Emerging Technology Mastery are all vital pieces to being successful in the workplace. I think the LIFE skills can progress naturally as you experience more things throughout life, but intentionally focusing on them help you master the skills.
3. I like to think I’m pretty good at all of them. If I had to pick my weakest one, I would say flexibly. I panic and get upset when things don’t go to plan. My strongest one is probably leadership. I’m good at leading people and taking initiative.
4. Getting laid off has more to do with deteriorating business conditions than bad luck. There isn’t too much luck involved in a free market economy. There are always causes and effects. I believe I can ensure my employment future using the LIFE acronym. People who master the LIFE acronym are great workers, and great workers keep their jobs.
5. The “dirty little secret” was that companies will keep workers who have majored in LIFE, regardless of where they went to college and what they studied. It does make common sense to me. Companies keep the best employees (those who have mastered the LIFE acronym) because the best employees do the best work.
1. Not at all, I think it is that exact statistical breakdown that causes our educational system to put a lot of focus on getting into college. We’ve talked about how having more educated workers in the work force leads to greater output, so coming into the work force with a decent level of education to begin with should already provide a person with some distinct advantages.
ReplyDelete2. I think LIFE is moderately important. Obviously these skills will certainly come in handy when you go to keep your job in the future, but in terms of getting into the work force initially, I’m not sure whether that is dependent on LIFE or LUCK. However, applying those skills later in life or once you have attained your position might not be as easy as if you were to build those habits now, so I would recommend that everyone does build their LIFE skills now and in the near future as opposed to building those up when in a job.
3. I think I am best at my Flexibility and leadership skills, I try to lead groups to finding the best possible solution for all parties involved whenever possible, and I always try to look down all avenues of approach to find that best solution. If we experience a problem, I look for alternate solutions. However, my interpersonal skills are lacking. To help the group organize and think better, I do tend to lay all the issues on the table initially so that we can face them, and I know that puts a lot of people off.
4. I think it really depends on the state of the economy. My father is one of the hardest working people I know, and when the housing market collapsed, he was laid off again and again. I think it was entirely based on the economic state of the time that he had some very bad luck, but not the other way around. I certainly believe that my Dad has LIFE skills, and I think that was one of very few reasons why we managed to survive the ’07-’09 recession.
5. You said that managers decide who stays and who goes based on how hard they work, whether they take the initiative, how they work with others, how they look at problems, and how well they can adapt, and that makes perfect sense to me.
1. The breakdown of unemployment by educational category doesn’t surprise me. It is clear by looking at the breakdown that going to college is very beneficial. The more educated a person is the more likely they are to be employed and at a higher level of pay.
ReplyDelete2. LIFE is extremely important and is something that all people should know and understand. No matter where you work this acronym has some sort of importance to it. If we practice LIFE in the present we can be confident that our future will be bright. By learning all of the skills in LIFE we can not only be promised a good shot at having a high paying job in the future, but other situations will be handled in a more educated fashion.
3. I am very strong in the leadership aspect of LIFE. Ever since I was little I have always thought of myself as a little bit of a control freak. I don’t know if it is because I like being in charge or I feel more confident that way. I am always the one to take initiative on group projects even if it means putting in much more effort than those of my peers. I could definitely work on flexibility. I often go frustrated when something goes wrong unexpectedly and I panic. I need to be more ready for any problem to show up and taking things calm and understanding we have a problem and finding a solution.
4. The reason for unemployment is more deteriorating business conditions than bad luck. Although every owner would like to hire as many workers as he can and pay them a good salary with deteriorating business conditions it is not possible. Owners are forced to lay off workers that they can’t afford and most of the time they lay off the most incompetent workers because they aren’t worth the salary they are getting.
5. The “dirty little secret” makes common sense to me. Although going to a good college is certainly beneficial there is no guarantee that it will score you a good job. You must have the LIFE skills that that job requires. A college might help you get the job, but the LIFE skills will help you keep it and being promoted.
1. The above break down does not surprise me. The more education someone has, the more qualified for the job they are likely to be.
ReplyDelete2.I believe that it is a valid pursuit to avoid unemployment in the future. I think that while a lot of LIFE will just come naturally it is still a good idea to go out of your way to put yourself in situations that will help you to improve at LIFE.
3. I believe I am decently well rounded with regards to the first three, but might be a little behind on Emerging Technology mastery.
4. No, being laid off is more due to deteriorating business conditions than "bad luck". If you are good at LIFE you should be able to keep your job, although you may rarely get laid off just due to bad luck.
5. Yes, the correlation between being more suited for the job through having better LIFE skills and not getting laid off before others does make common sense to me.
1. The breakdown of unemployment by educational category was not surprising for the 7.4% unemployment for those with less than a high school degree but the percentage of unemployment for those with some college degree or an advanced was surprisingly high to me. From these statistics, I can concur that my chances of being employed in the future will increase with a college education.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acroym pursuit is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment in my future because education without leadership, interpersonal skills, flexibility and emerging technology mastery will not cause you to be a well rounded individual that a company would want to hire.
I think the life major is a necessary, intentional focus/practice along with my college major because it will take hard work to develop these skills. Leadership, interpersonal skills, flexibility and emerging technology mastery can be more natural for some people but most have to put in the effort to obtain these skills and be capable of implementing them in their lives and future careers.
3. I would say I am strongest in the leadership category because even though I don't always want to, I know that taking the initiative and putting in the hard work now will make me happier in the long run. I enjoy the feeling of getting things done and know the best way to do that is by leading others in accomplishing a task together. I am weakest in the flexibility part of LIFE because I find it very difficult when things don't go as planned but I am getting better and learning everyday how to adapt to any situation.
4. I think getting laid off can be bad luck depending on the situation but a person would be more likely to keep their job if they are showing LIFE skills and are working their hardest because companies do not want to get rid of employees like this cause they're hard to find. The Jefferson quote, "I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work the more I have of it" is a great example of how employees can help ensure their employment destiny by mastery the LIFE major.
5. The dirty little secret is that when companies have to lay off workers, managers get creative and are biased towards not laying off individuals that have majored in LIFE. This "secret" makes perfect sense to me because no company wants to let go of an employee who is an asset to their companies growth and success in the future.
1. No, the breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me because it shows how the people who strive to achieve better knowledge and skills are more likely to be employed than people who have only received the basic information or have not pushed themselves to achieve the better skills. This is only natural because the amount of effort, knowledge, and skill put towards education is reflected in their work.
ReplyDelete2. Yes I believe the LIFE acronym is accurate as an early focus to help avoid unemployment because it will instill habits that will set you apart from others in a good way which in turn may benefit you as the employers will know you and increase your chances of being hired, reduce you chances of being laid off/fired, and it might even assist you in receiving a promotion. I feel that it is necessary to continue focusing on LIFE with your college major because if you continue practicing these habits alongside your studies then you can eventually intertwine the two and allow for you to retain the habits throughout your career.
3. In my personal opinion, I believe my strongest LIFE area is flexibility because i rarely get upset with a change in plans or unexpected events or changes that could create some difficult problems. My weakest LIFE area I think would be interpersonal skills partially because my social skills are not the best and I prefer to work on most things individually.
4. I feel becoming unemployed its a little bit of bad luck in addition to deteriorating business conditions because budget cuts come from unexpected bad changes forcing the company to shed jobs but being chosen to be laid off is more a result from your work ethic because you are expendable and if your LIFE skills were better, then you could make yourself more valuable and harder to be let go.
5. The "dirty little secret" mentioned was that even though a degree from a prestigious college may help get you a job, it will not sustain your job all by itself. It makes perfect common sense because you can earn the degree to show you have knowledge but it does not guarantee what work ethic you have or how your attitude/actions will stay constant over time. LIFE skills are the glue that holds our social life, work life, and personal life intact as they will enforce and remind people everyday in small ways who you are in real life rather than who you are on a piece of paper, no matter where the paper came from.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me because education teaches you what you need to know in the future for your career. The less education you receive, the less likely it is that you will get an advanced skilled career. The message I take away from the statistics is the longer you stay in education, the more likely it is that you will be successful and get a good job.
ReplyDelete2. I do think that the LIFE acronym pursuit is valid as an early focus to avoid unemployment in my future because leadership, interpersonal skills, flexibility, and emerging technology mastery are important skills to be strong at in a career. These skills improve productivity and efficiency and employers will value my work and want to keep me hired if I achieve them. The LIFE major is a necessary and intentional practice that should go along with my college major because it requires initiative and determination. If I don’t have the initiative to receive the LIFE major and don’t try to do well, I will not be able to get it because the LIFE skills come with practice. They are not skills that come naturally without trying and if I do not want to earn them without doing anything then I will not get them.
3. The area of the LIFE acronym I am strongest at is interpersonal skills. I enjoy working with other people and am good at contributing ideas and working together as a group. I have a strong initiative to get the work done and accomplish the goals in a task. The area of the LIFE acronym I a weakest at is flexibility. I sometimes struggle with change and am slow in transitioning to new things. I need to work on being able to adapt to certain changes more quickly and efficiently.
4. I think that being unemployed has to do with both deteriorating business conditions and “bad luck” because when a business fires its workers it fires those that are the least efficient at the LIFE skills, but there can be a scenario in which all workers are equally good at the LIFE skills and it is case of “bad luck” if they get fired. A business fires workers when business conditions are deteriorating, which can be a result of workers not trying their best to fulfill the LIFE skills.
5. The “dirty little secret” mentioned above is that majoring in LIFE matters more than majoring in a field or where you went for college. Yes, it’s important to major in a field and try to get into a good college, but if there is a scenario in which an employer had to fire someone who went to a community college but has strong LIFE skills or someone who went to William & Mary but has weak LIFE skills, the employer would be more likely to fire the worker who went to William & Mary.
1. The breakdown of unemployment based on education level does not surprise me in the least bit. Employers are always looking for the best and most skilled workers, and most of these skills are acquired through education. People with higher education levels are going to be better off in the job market.
ReplyDelete2.The "LIFE" acronym is an excellent strategy to use when it comes to beating unemployment. I believe that developing the LIFE skills early is bound to help alongside a college major, and it will most certainly help you get a job and keep it. The LIFE principles can also apply to things outside of work, in real world situations.
3. I think I’m strongest at Flexibility. I handle sudden changes in plans pretty well and work well under pressure. I think I’m weakest at Leadership because I need to be more confident and take initiative with different things.
4.Unemployment is neither bad luck nor deteriorating business conditions. If you are an expert in only three categories of the four mentioned in LIFE you are already too valuable to be unemployed. Mastery in the LIFE major is a key to success-education level just gets you in the door.
5. Your “dirty little secret” was that when businesses are looking to lay people off, they find the people who have majored in the aspect of LIFE and keep them, while usually firing those who have not. Yes, it is common sense because the people who are more productive and will benefit the company more than those who are not.
1. No, I think that the best way to be successful and have a good job is by going to college. These statistics prove that that is true and show how important education is in furthering your career.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, the LIFE acronym can avoid future unemployment. The overall meaning of the acronym can be applied in every workplace. In order to truly be successful and get the best out of your job, we need to practice LIFE.
3. I believe that I am the strongest at flexibility, because I find that I can easily adapt to change and setbacks, and I have a natural interest and patience in all areas. My weakest area is emerging technology mastery, as I do not see myself as tech-savvy as many other teenagers nowadays.
4. Getting laid off is usually the result of deteriorating business conditions, you can help ensure your employment destiny through mastery of LIFE. It is important to remember that some things are out of your control, which means that even if you lose your job you must remember LIFE and apply it to get into the best possible situation.
5. The "dirty little secret" is that when the time comes, to lay workers off, managers tend to avoid those who majored in LIFE. This is because they are good at being productive in the workplace, since they have already mastered the essentials to do so. It makes a lot of sense that this happens, and I know that if I am to completely master the skills of LIFE I too will have a better chance of keeping a job.
1) The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me that much. We are taught from a very young age to stay and school and how important it is to our futures. As the statistics show, the longer that you stay in school, the more successful you will be in life.
ReplyDelete2) I think that the LIFE acronym is a great way to give people a foundation and a starting point to avoid future unemployment. It is strongly recommended that you “major” in this so that you are a well-rounded person and are a knowledgeable person on several different levels. The skills offered will help an individual develop and learn the necessary skills to be an effective worker later in life.
3) I think that I am strongest in the Leadership aspect of the LIFE acronym. I am used to stepping up to the plate and helping out others and guiding them through whatever challenges they may face, whether in school or out on the field. I think I am weakest in the flexibility category. I like to get things done a certain way, and changing things up from time to time can greatly affect my rhythm of work.
4) I think that if one is being laid off, it is more in the terms of deteriorating business conditions rather than it being off of bad luck. If you are a hardworking individual and do the absolute best that you can, then you are less likely to be put out of work. I do believe that if you are able to become proficient in the LIFE acronym then your chances of being put out of work as a result of bad luck significantly go down.
5) Your “dirty little secret” is right. Nowadays, graduating from prestigious colleges just isn’t enough to get you a job anymore. An individual has to be hard working and possess valuable skills and attributes that are sought after by employers. Having LIFE skills not only helps people who graduate from these prestigious colleges such as UVA or Harvard, but it also helps them succeed in the workplace by furthering their skills as well as their careers.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me because I have always assumed that the more education you have, the more job opportunities you will have. The message I take away from these statistics is to obtain the highest degree and education in the field I decide to make a career in.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion, the LIFE acronym pursuit is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment in the future. I think the LIFE acronym pursuit is valid because it makes sense that the people who are employed display the better leadership and interpersonal skills, flexibility, and knowledge of technology during the interview process and throughout their employment. The people with these traits should be more successful. I think that the LIFE major is a necessary, intentional focus/practice along with my college major because these skills do not just happen overnight. It takes practice to be a great leader and to work well with others. They do not simply progress naturally.
3. The area of the LIFE acronym that I am strongest in is interpersonal skills. I communicate well with others, and work well with others on projects, even if we have different perspectives on some issues. My weakest area of the LIFE acronym is emerging technology mastery. I prefer to take notes the old fashioned way with pen and paper, not on a computer. In our world that is evolving so quickly with technology, I need to become more knowledgeable with computers and keep pace with the various technologies.
4. I think that becoming unemployed (laid off) is more deteriorating business conditions than “bad luck”. When deteriorating business conditions occur, the first people most likely to be laid off will be the people who do not have as strong LIFE acronym skills. In this sense, you can help lower the chances of being laid off by continuing to strengthen these skills. I believe that you can help ensure your own employment destiny through mastery in the LIFE major. I believe this because a business is less likely to fire or lay you off if you have strong LIFE skills. Strong LIFE skills help promote more efficiency in the work place.
5. Your “dirty little secret” is that when managers promote employees, they often choose the employees who have mastered LIFE, regardless of where you attended college. This makes common sense to me because a manager would want to promote someone who displays leadership, works well with others, is flexible, and is learning new ways of technology regardless of where their degree is from.
1. The breakdown in unemployment by education does not surprise me. Educated workers are more skilled and can provide more value due to their education, so it would make sense that companies would want to hire them more and that they would have easier times finding jobs. From these statistics, I can take away the message that education is a huge factor in getting a job.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that the LIFE acronym is a good way to avoid unemployment if it is coupled with marketable skills. If a worker cannot do their job in the first place, I don't think that LIFE skills will save them. However, LIFE is a valid way to help one avoid unemployment. I think that one must focus intentionally on LIFE to improve LIFE skills. Development of many of those skills may require breaking habits, which requires conscious effort to accomplish. Nevertheless, nature does play a factor in LIFE skills; I believe that some people are naturally more inclined towards them.
3. I am the best in the Leadership category. In group projects at school, I often become the de facto leader. I have on multiple occasions "picked up the slack" and done more than my "fair share" of the work. I am weakest at the Interpersonal skills category. I often struggle to persuade people that my solutions will work, partly because I am often not completely sure that they will work. I also tend to avoid confrontation, even if it is necessary.
4. I think that becoming unemployed is mostly a result of deteriorating business conditions. Unemployment shoots up during recessions not due to a general increase in bad luck, but because of bad business conditions. Luck is by definition random, while unemployment is responsive to business conditions and can be predicted. I think that your employment destiny is never completely in your own hands, but mastery of LIFE will certainly give you more control over your employment destiny and will help you get and keep jobs.
5. Your dirty little secret stated that those who have mastered LIFE skills are more likely to be promoted and to keep their jobs during general layoffs. This makes common sense to me because LIFE skills are valuable in any workplace, and businesses want to keep their most valuable employees.
1. The breakdown of unemployment based on education category was not surprising to me. When applying for a job, employers most often want a person with a college degree or higher, knowing that they are skilled and qualified for the job. People who higher education levels than another person applying for the same job will look better, most likely receiving the job. In the end, having a college education is beneficial in the long run.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion, the LIFE acronym is a valid and well thought out strategy to use in our high school, college, and adult life. Students are likely to develop some of the these LIFE skills naturally as one ages, but those skills can be further developed by practice and patience. LIFE skills may keep you from entering the unemployment rate, or can be applied to everyday life, outside of work. Whatever the case may be, every person should work on and major in LIFE skills.
3. I think my strongest LIFE skill is F, or flexibility. Life is always throwing many unexpected changes our way, and I am able to handle them pretty well. I always seem to do my best work when I have expectations to uphold or am under pressure. My weakest LIFE skill would have to be Emerging Technology Master because there are times where I would much rather read out of a textbook or hand-write something, but technology keeps progressing and turning away from these ways.
4. Unemployment is a bit of "bad luck" and deteriorating business conditions. Sometimes we are just unlucky and are the person the company decides to let go, while at other times the company is not doing well and needs to lay off employees. Mastering and applying LIFE skills can help one avoid unemployment, though it is not guaranteed a person will never experience this at one time in their life or another.
5. The "dirty little secret" mentioned above was that when it comes time for companies to lay off workers, those that have mastered LIFE skills are less likely to become unemployed. This idea makes sense to me, for any company wants a well-rounded and skilled worker as opposed to someone who only sticks to what they have to do.
1) I am slightly surprised at the level of unemployment for people with a college degree. While I know that in today’s society it is very hard for college graduates to find new jobs but I would expect companies to come swooping in to pick up the new and innovative workers. It would be interesting to see what subjects or majors make up the largest percentage of the unemployed as it would give us an insight into the employment market and what type of positions are needed. The other Unemployment categories did not surprise me as a person with a lower level of education will not have the skills required to perform difficult tasks. Also the skills that those less educate may have could be easily replaced by a machine.
ReplyDelete2) I think the LIFE acronym is a very simple yet effective guide for how you should live your life and what you should do to plan for your future. It provides you with things that will differentiate you form the crowd and also make you work more efficient in your job and I’m sure in your everyday life. I think the LIFE skills will progress naturally at different rates for different people. However if you just let them grow naturally you will have to wait to reap the benefits and you won’t have any edge above others.
3) I would say I am strongest at Flexibility and Emerging technology Mastery as I feel that I can adapt to various situations and I stay up to date with technology. I would say I’m weakest at Leadership as depending on the group I work with it is sometimes hard to take charge. It is hard to be a leader when you don’t know what is going on.
4) I think unemployment is mainly deteriorating business conditions as businesses do not randomly lay people off if the business is going good, unless of course the person is not doing their job. I think it also has to do with Bad Luck as if you do the same exact job as the person next to you then the company will ignore the value of the job and look at the person who does it. They will either choose the person they like the most or the person that is most productive. I think if you master LIFE then you will be able to have an edge over others and you will be seen as a clear value to the company which will make them less likely to lay you off.
5) The secret was that managers don’t only look at the job that is being laid off but they also dwell heavily on the personality and work ethic of the possible candidates for being laid off. Even if you are doing well at your job but you are quiet and only do what you are told compared to the other guy who goes above and beyond, you will most likely be fired. Employers don’t want you to just do what you are told but they want you to take initiative and to do extra. It makes sense to me as everyone is different and some people are better than others at certain things. Sure the can both do the same thing but one not as well as the other.
1. The above breakdown does not surprise me. I have been told time and time again that the better education you received helps in your chances of getting a job.The message that I can take away from this statistic is to stay in school!
ReplyDelete2. I think the LIFE acronym is an early focus to avoid unemployment. If I put those skills to use in a workplace, I think my employer would be happy and not be quick to lay me off. I think the LIFE major is a necessary practice in any career that I choose. The LIFE acronym teaches good life skills, so I believe they are needed in any path that is taken.
3. I think my strongest area in the LIFE acronym is Flexibility. I see myself being flexible and open to new things. I think my weakest area would be leadership. Leadership is something I never liked to take on but I see myself getting better at it as time goes on.
4. I think being laid off is deteriorating business conditions. I feel like one can prevent being laid off by working hard but sometimes it is necessary if a business is not doing well, locations and/or merges. I think I can ensure my employment if I can master the LIFE acronym. Not only is it good in a work environment but good to have in all situations in life.
5. Your dirty, little secret was that employers are biased towards promoting people that practice LIFE majors when it comes to laying off people. Yes, it makes common sense to me. A person who lays off another who can work well with others and has good leadership would be stupid to lay off someone like that.
1. The breakdown of unemployment doesn’t surprise me at all. It seems fairly logical that people with less education are more likely to be without a job, especially in this era where education is highly valued. I feel that I need to, at the very least, attain a bachelor’s degree in college, but going beyond for a masters or even a doctorate is even better.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym provides a good basis on which to improve your literal life. It focuses on inner success and motivation, which comes before material achievement. After mastering these skills, I am more likely to be employed later in life. A lot of attention should be put on practicing these skills, for as the expressions goes, “practice makes perfect.” I understand that naturally over time many people will see improvement in these skills just by living life, but a better effect can come from intentional practice.
3. My best skill outlined in the LIFE acronym is “Emerging Technology Mastery.” As a student, using technology is the most effective way to accomplish work. I constantly use technology and try to get acquainted with newer and better technology. The only way I can keep up with my education and improve my knowledge is through technology. My weakest skill is probably flexibility. I have to get better at overcoming sudden obstacles and change in my normal schedule. Success can only come when I can effectively respond to challenges and change.
4. Being unemployed can be the result of many different scenarios. Either your skill set isn’t needed in the economy at the moment or the economy is having a rough time and can’t employ as many workers as before. You can’t always ensure employment through the LIFE skills because of the ever-changing and sometimes unstable economy. Despite this, there is a better opportunity of being employed if the LIFE skills are mastered.
5. The “dirty little secret” mentioned at the end of the blog refers to how employers are more likely to lay off workers that don’t show the same level of initiative as others. It makes complete sense that employers want the most productive workers that are always pursuing better solutions.
1. The breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me because specialized skills are highly value in competition today. Many of these specialized skills must be learned in college so it makes sense that those with a college degree have a lower unemployment rate that those who dropped out of high school. In the end employers are looking for higher educated people.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym pursuit is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment in the future, because they are skill that are universal. The earlier you obtain these skills the better off you will be. Ifit very import to achieve these skills in by college because they will allow you to get the most out of your education.
3.The area of LIFE that I am strongest at is probably emerging technology mastery, because it is an interest of mine. I work a lot with computers and am proficient in coding in multiple languages, so learning new technology is fun for me. The area of the LIFE acronym that I am weakest at is probably flexibility, because sometimes it can take a lot of work to keep up with all the constant changes happening in our world.
4. I believe that unemployment is more likely to come because of deteriorating business conditions than “bad luck”. There has to be a reason for some to be unemployed, it does not just happen randomly. You can help ensure your own employment destiny by mastering the LIFE acronym, because those are skills that are needed in all fields of work.
5. Your “dirty little secret” was that if you work hard you will be successful. It does not matter what degree you earn or where it came from all that matters is the hard work that you put into everything you do in life.
1. The breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me at all. Those that get the highest education possible will clearly do the best in the business world because they are the ones with the most skills. Those, for example, that only have a high school degree or an associate’s degree do not have the same level of skills that a person with a 4-year degree has, therefore, will generally not be employed in the highest jobs available.
ReplyDelete2. The early pursuit for LIFE is very valid, not only in the business world to avoid unemployment but in real life as well. Being a master of LIFE will enable you to excel in everything that you do. I think that the LIFE major is necessary because it will complement you r college major. If you have LIFE skills early, you will exceed in your major, but if you wait to implement LIFE skills you might only do an average job. The LIFE skills will probably come to you at some point, but why wait?
3. I think that I am strongest at the leadership area. When given a task, I am the type that will start planning and then executing that plan. I am good at doing what needs to be done. I would have to say that I am weakest at having flexibility. Sometimes I get worked up over small setbacks and I could definitely do a better job in that area.
4. I think being laid off can be a mixture of both bad luck and deteriorating business conditions. First off, if a certain industry just randomly shuts down, people are going to be laid off no matter what, that is just bad luck. Sometimes though, when business starts to deteriorate, those without specialized skills tend to be laid off. Those with a college education can usually avoid this though. Personally, if I can become a master of LIFE, I think that I can control my employment destiny. I think that I will have a successful career if I master Leadership, Interpersonal Skills, Flexibility, and Emerging Technology Mastery.
5. The secret is as follows: it will be hard for you to get laid off if you are good at LIFE. This secret makes complete sense. Business owners see value and potential in those that master LIFE and owners do not want to let good, strong people go.
ReplyDelete1. The unemployment statistics do not surprise me. We were all brought up by our parents learning that education was key and they weren’t wrong. Without education our ability to go through life will diminish by a great amount. As it shows people with no high school diploma showed a higher percentage of being unemployed than a person with and so forth. I learned that without education our chances of finding a job will decline.
2. Yes, the LIFE acronym is something everyone should follow early in life. It would help avoid unemployment by increasing your work habits and social habits. College majors are very important; they help you learn what is necessary for the field of work that you are looking for. With LIFE major, it teaches you the things you need for good work habits so that when it comes for the business to lay off or even promote people you would be able to avoid that. I’m not saying that these two majors cannot work hand in hand, because they can. In college many majors have the option to put you out in the field that you are actually working towards and this helps you learn the LIFE skills.
3. I would definitely say that I am strong in the Interpersonal Skills and some parts in the Emerging Technology Master. I’ve notice when it comes to group work in school I seem to do a lot better (not counting the times I work with people who do nothing) with a group of other students than I do alone. With technology I’ve spent most of my life learning different ways to work a computer. The one thing I believe that I need to work on is the Leadership and Flexibility. I need to learn how to take initiative for myself and help others strive forward. With Flexibility, I have had many setbacks in my life and I wasn’t always the best at recovering from those. But if I focused on trying to fix these my LIFE major will be on its way to becoming ready.
4. I believe that becoming unemployed if more of a deteriorating business. A business can lay off workers for many reasons, a big reason is that the business is suffering and need to lay off a certain section of their work. Even with an inevitable layoff there are something that you can work towards to ensure a position in your job. I believe that if you follow the LIFE major you would be able to keep your job.
5. The secret was that many companies and businesses aren’t looking at what college you went to, even though it helps in the short run, but instead are looking at you past Jobs. They look at this because they need to see if you have more of the LIFE skills than a college degree. This makes sense to me because why would a business want to hire someone with no experience in any job, than someone who has worked the similar job and has ten times more experience.
1. The information above that talks about unemployment based on education does not surprise me. I have always been told that I need a good education so I can get a job and earn money. Likewise, if I dropped out of school, then I would have a hard time finding a good job. If there is one message to take away from these statistics, it would be to persevere through school so that you can have a job and ultimately a better life later on.
ReplyDelete2. The LIFE acronym is a great way to avoid unemployment in the future. The acronym encompassed everything that is needed in a great business person and those skills will be useful when finding a job. I think that the LIFE major progresses naturally in most people. However, I think that people who practice LIFE do a lot better earlier on in their lives.
3. I think I am strongest at Emerging Technology Mastery. I have always been very interested in technology and I want to go into computer science when I go to college, so this part of the LIFE major is very important for what I want to do later in life. I think I am the weakest at Interpersonal skills. I would prefer to do something alone rather than in a group. This can help in some situations, but it is not a very good thing to have in the LIFE major.
4. I think that unemployment is more deteriorating business conditions. When someone becomes unemployed, it is normally because they are no longer an asset to the company, which rules out the idea that unemployment is mere “luck”. I think to avoid a liability to the company, practicing the LIFE major would be very beneficial. However, I do not think that there is a 100% guarantee that you will not be laid off at some point. The LIFE major just helps to reduce the chance of you becoming unemployed.
5. The “dirty little secret” referenced above is that when managers are faced with having to lay somebody off, they would be less likely to lay off someone who practices the LIFE major. It makes common sense to keep someone that practices leadership, interpersonal skills, flexibility, and emerging technology mastery. Each of these characteristics are things that managers look for in their employees which separate the assets from the liabilities.
1. The percentages of the unemployment did not surprise me. I know that more and more people are getting higher degrees of education, and with that education you receive jobs. If you don't have a degree it is a lot harder to find a job these days. What I took away from that is that the higher the degree and education, the easier it will be to be successful.
ReplyDelete2. LIFE skills are necessary today. Many colleges and jobs like to see that you have been, or you are capable of being a leader.Interpersonal skills will take you far in life.If you have the ability to persuade people and have everyone keep working towards a goal, you will have success. Flexibility is something you often see when applying to jobs. If you are not flexible, and only have one way of doing something, or refuse to do it another way, your chances of success aren't good. You need to be flexible in all aspects of your life. Lastly, you must know how to use the new form of technology. It will help you with your education and allow you to gain knowledge that companies will notice and make you stand out. LIFE is all about characteristics you need to be successful.
3. I think I am the strongest in leadership. I like to be in charge, like most people do, but I do think I work best in leadership roles. I always take the initiative even when I am not the leader and help and encourage people to do better. I believe my weakness would be with technology. I know more than many adults who are still used to type writers and things like that, but compared to the kids my age...my technology skills should be a lot better. I should work on that because that is something jobs want you to have.
4. I think being laid off is just bad luck. It could be because they need to cut the budget of the business, and they don't really need your section of work for the business to succeed. It shouldn't be something you take personal. Also, if you are very good at your job and make a lot of money, you might be laid off because they have someone to do your job for less.
5. The dirty secret reference states that LIFE doesn't really matter, it is about your education and where you get your degree. This surprises me because if I had a Harvard employee who was shy and didn't interact a lot but did a good job, and I had someone who graduated from George Mason and was very sociable, flexible, and had great leadership qualities I would keep her.
1. The breakdown of unemployment by educational category does not surprise me. It is common sense that those with more education will have more skills and adapt more to the world around them, and therefore would be more favorable employees.
ReplyDelete2. Pursuit of the LIFE acronym is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment in the future. The LIFE major is definitely a necessary, intentional focus/practice along with a college major. I do not believe that the development of these LIFE skills will progress naturally; I think you must consciously work at them.
3. I am strongest at the leadership part of the LIFE acronym; it is easy for me to take control of a situation. I find myself struggling with emerging technology mastery; it is very tempting for me to stay in my comfort zone and use the technology I know.
4. I believe becoming unemployed is more deteriorating business conditions. If a business has to lay people off, it could be for a number of reasons, including a cut in the budget. If someone is then laid off, it shows that the company believes it can function without that person. Mastering the LIFE major can't ensure employment, but it can give you a much greater chance at staying employed and making yourself invaluable to your employer.
5. The "dirty little secret" refrenced above is that businesses are going to look more at the LIFE major and the employee's effectiveness at the business than, for example, where the employee went to school. This makes common sense to me because many executives and managers were promoted due to their initiative and devotion to their job, and not simply because they went to a good college.
1. The above breakdown of unemployment by education category does not surprise me because I always thought getting a high education would decrease the possibility of getting unemployed. Companies know that the degree someone has is more than just a degree. Students not only learn about academics, but also life and experience during those years of studying. It is undeniable fact that people who achieved higher level of education are more preferred by the companies. From the statistics, I learned that I should go to college and even consider going to graduate school.
ReplyDelete2. LIFE acronym pursuit is valid as an early focus to help avoid unemployment in the future because characteristics that LIFE represents are essential and critical to one’s competitiveness. Today, there are so many talented people out there. In order to survive in this harsh world, you have to have a unique characteristic that no other people have and LIFE is a basis to those skills. I think LIFE major is a necessary, intentional focus or practice along with your college major because it cannot be attained naturally. Especially from college, your fortune is in your hands. You have to look for all the opportunities out there and capture it. No one is there to help you. You have to constantly challenge yourself to live what LIFE represents.
3. I am strongest at flexibility because I am very vulnerable. By coming to United States to study, I learned how to be vulnerable and flexible in a new environment. Adjusting to United States was tough, but it eventually taught me how to adjust to the new environment. I am weakest at leadership because I am kind of a shy person. I am not extremely shy but I don’t enjoy talking in front of others. I smile and laugh while speaking publicly, but I shake a lot too. I usually follow what others say instead of leading the way.
4. I think becoming unemployed is more deteriorating business conditions. All companies think about is profit. If they don’t make the profit they want, they look for the cause of it. And if are not meeting the standards the company wants, you might as well are going to be laid off. Even in depressions and recessions, when many people get laid off, good and wise worker will not get fired because his or her presence is ultimately helping the company be more profitable. The bad luck would only apply to those who are not performing well. People who are getting fired among all the poor performing people are the people with bad luck. I believe I can help my own employment destiny through mastery in LIFE major because LIFE would help me be competitive among others. Also LIFE is what companies today look for from their workers.
5. Your “dirty little secret was that when it is time to reduce the work force due to a slowing business, managers get very creative and are biased towards promoting, or not laying off, those that have majored in LIFE. It made common sense to me because if I were a CEO, I would absolutely do the same thing because I would rather have a worker with LIFE motto than other undetermined worker. Therefore, looking at a long term, what college I go to will merely affect my future employment destiny.
1. No, I am not surprised by the breakdown of unemployment. Education serves as a proof of experience and skill- although a person can be bright without a college degree, but a college degree is tangible evidence for the possession of skill. Companies tend to hire skilled workers because they lead to a more successful out put and economic growth.
ReplyDelete2. The "LIFE" acronym seems to be a valid strategy to help avoid unemployment. I believe that most successful, well-rounded, and hard working employees have mastered the qualities of "LIFE." I think that the acquirement of "LIFE" skills depends on the person. When I came to Paul VI, I was not a very hard worker. I really struggled with time management and approaching certain assignments in a focused way. Compared to four years ago, I have gotten much better at managing my time and focusing, but this took time and adjustment. For some people, mastering LIFE comes naturally- having these skills already ingrained into your system can benefit you greatly.
3. In the LIFE acronym I think I am the strongest in Interpersonal Skills. I think that I am a people person- I love working in teams and as a group, honing skills towards a positive outcome. I think that I need to improve the most in flexibility- it is definitely more difficult for me to adjust my work schedule and time management habits to fit the circumstances.
4. I think it definitely can be both, but what truly matters is a persons ability to bounce back from unsuccessful times. I do think that, through LIFE principles, a person is more likely to obtain success through employment.
5. The "dirty little secret" was that, when it comes the time to downsize, managers of companies tend to single out the people who have majored in the aspect of LIFE and keep those in the company. Yes, it does make sense to me, because companies would want to keep the group of people that have benefit the company the most through their own skill.