Embracing Change

The Following blog post is from Brother Sean Reitze, State Junior Councilor of Pennsylvania DeMolay and PMC of Pilgrim Chapter. 

Change: it exists in all of our lives.

I currently attend West Chester University and I am nearing the end of my sophomore year. I entered West Chester as a computer science major and I decided to add some minors since then, which include: Spanish, communication studies, and civic & professional leadership. Even though I wasn’t expecting it to happen, this semester I have decided that I am changing my major to communication studies and keep computer science as a minor. Essentially, this is a flip/flop of my major and minor course of study.

Even as soon as the spring semester of my freshman year, it’s been in the back of my head that maybe computer science isn’t right for me. Yes, I am very interested in technology -- but am I really that interested or passionate about the inner workings of computers, programming, or networks? As time has passed, the answer started to become more clear, but I wasn’t sure what path I wanted to take -- that is, until I attended the annual graduate school fair.

During my visit at the graduate school fair, I visited booths from different universities and asked about their computer science master’s program. Their offerings sounded okay, but nothing particularly stood out to me. On a whim, I decided to visit one of Temple University’s booths for the Klein College of Media and Communication. After listening to their representative and seeing the different programs and opportunities available, the light bulb finally went off: I should look into changing my major to communication studies. It all started to come together and make sense -- I found my Intro to Communication Theory class last semester very meaningful and interesting, I’m passionate about media and production, and enjoy my radio show on WCUR. After graduation, I see myself in those career areas.

After talking with my Advisor and doing some research into the major requirements, I have decided to follow through and change my major to communication studies for next semester. Not only would I be more interested and happier with what I’m studying, but I am also still able to graduate on time! Beyond what the registrar sees on my record, there lies a deeper message within this process: sometimes, change can be nerve-racking and create uncertainty at times. Whether it’s a change of schools, a new job, a move, or changing your major like me, it’s important to keep a positive mindset during the process. Keep that positive mindset the next time you find yourself in a situation where change lies ahead.

Sean Reitze, State Junior Councilor

Ending a Job the Right Way

Today, we have a post from "Dad" Dan Loughin, discussing how best to end an employer / employee relationship. Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

As with every other one of my posts, here’s another story that comes from personal experience.  While neither of these examples is me, they are people that I have worked with at some point, and have seen firsthand how they handled the situation.

Steve’s wife received a job offer in Oklahoma in May, and it was one she couldn’t turn down.  The following day at work, Steve contacted his manager, as she did not work in the same location, to inform her that while he doesn’t have anything lined up in Oklahoma, he will be leaving the company by the end of the year to be with his wife out of state.  His manager thanked him for informing her.  Steve then spent three months at work setting all of teammates up for success, even though they were all unaware that he would be leaving.  In his free time, he was consistently looking for work in Oklahoma, but was coming up short.  At the end of August, Steve was feeling stressed out that he couldn’t be with his wife, and decided that he would leave early.  The next day at work, he called his manager to inform her that he would be leaving after 2 weeks.  He then informed his team.  He worked his tail off servicing and acquiring customers for the company.  On his last day, his only task was to turn in his keys and sign the proper forms to terminate his position.  Instead, he stayed a few hours to help teammates with questions that they had.

Liz, in December of last year, transferred departments on the promise that she would be promoted to a position once it had been vacated by Richard, as he was returning to school and was unable to fulfill the requirements of his position.  As soon as Richard had vacated his position, it had been eliminated by the company.  Liz felt slighted, and it showed in her work.  She was consistently late, was not working on the sales aspect, and told the occasional customer how the company had screwed her over.  In the beginning of December, she received a job offer from another company to start in February.  She immediately started informing customers and a few coworkers, but did not inform her managers.  For the following two months, she failed to complete even basic tasks, and instead was planning her wedding which was to take place later in the year.  In the meantime, one of the customers approached her manager and asked how the manager would handle the location without the presence of that employee.  When Liz finally did deliver her two weeks notice, the meeting did not go as Liz had planned, and a screaming match erupted.  Furious, Liz walked out that day.

Which individual handled their circumstance correctly?  Obviously, it’s Steve.  But these are extreme examples, and you will probably never have to be involved with either.  However, here is a quick guide on how to quit anything gracefully without burning bridges.  Thanks go to a college life course that I had taken years ago, and to the Art of Manliness for the information.

People Change Jobs Often.  There is a statistic, as of 2003, that the average individual will change his or her job 8 times over the course of their lives (for the record, I’m at 4).  This means that not only you will change your job 8 times, but all of you coworkers will as well.  This also means that if you burn a bridge at your current company by leaving improperly, you may also burn your bridges at several others.  As I work in a building with 5 other people, that’s not only the company I would leave, but potentially 40 other companies that my coworkers may or may not be working.  Be mindful of this as you move forward with a change.

Give Notice.  While you may not have any obligation, per company policy, to notify your employer in a given timeframe that you will be leaving them, it’s still a great personal policy to notify your employer (translated: your manager) as soon as you know you’ll be leaving the company.  Yes, they may escort you out the door.  Yes, they probably won’t provide you the same courtesy if they let you go.  But you want to give notice for one simple reason: your coworkers.  If you don’t let your company know you’re leaving, and just abruptly take off, then you will leave them with the burden of carrying your work.  And if you’re close friends with anyone you work with, then you’ll invariably strain that relationship.

Tell Your Boss First.  This should be simple.  Your boss needs to be the first person to know.  Why’s that?  There are things that you don’t know about that your boss has to complete for you to leave the company.  There may also be disclosures that you may sign for fear of getting sued (yes, that’s a long shot, but still a risk not worth taking).  Discussions always have a way of making it back to your boss.  Ultimately, your boss will be annoyed if they hear about your departure from someone other than you.  This may not look good for your exit interview, and may cause additional headaches with the company.  Moral of the story: talk to your boss about your impending separation before anyone else.

Always Have The Conversation In Person.  As most of you reading this are going to either work for a small company or a retail place of some sort, you need to speak with your boss in person.  No text, no phone call, no e-mail.  In person, face to face.  This is more being brave than anything else.  If you have the confidence to discuss this with your boss, then your confidence in other areas will rise.

Be Prepared For The Conversation.  You need to discuss things after you put your two weeks notice in with your company.  You must be able to deal with these as they are brought up.  Do you have a transition plan?  Basically, what are you working on, and who’s going to be taking them over.  What will you do if you’re given a counter-offer?  This one actually happened to me: I was offered more money to stay in a current position as I was placing my notice, but there were other reasons as to why I was leaving the company.  Point is, I was prepared for them to make a counter-offer, and I knew I was going to decline it (unless they offered me $1 million.  That would be silly to turn down.)  Are you willing to stay longer if they need you to?  Generally, this doesn’t happen, but if they have a need to hold onto you for another week, are you able to?  Are you ready to go home today?  As mentioned earlier, you may be asked to leave immediately.  You need to be able to take care of yourself and pay your bills while waiting to start a new job.

Be Concise And Positive.  You don’t want to chit chat your boss to death before you give your notice.  It’s not respectful of anyone’s time, specifically your bosses.  If you’re quick and to the point, your boss will be much more grateful.  Also, even if you hate your job or your boss, be as positive as possible.  You want to thank them for the opportunity, not take the time to bad mouth the company.
Ask About The Details.  As mentioned before, there may be paperwork that you have to sign.  If you have benefits, you need to take care of those too.  You may also receive compensation of some sort (if someone resigns from the company I work for, they get paid for their unused vacation).

Write A Formal Resignation Letter.  While most companies don’t require a resignation letter, it comes in quite useful if there is a question as to when your official last day is.  The letter will stay with your records.

Don’t Pack It In.  Just because you’re leaving, it doesn’t mean that life slows down at work.  Stay on top of your job, like Steve did, to leave your teammates in great shape.  But don’t, however, start any new projects if you can help it.  You would only leave headaches for those behind you.  Any projects you were working on before giving notice you’ll want to keep the next person as on point with it as possible, to avoid any possible issue that may arise with it.

Stay Off Social Media.  You made it this far.  Congratulations, you’ll be missed.  However, the second you post something negative on Facebook about how horrible your former job or coworkers are is the second you lost all of that good karma you built.  Just stay away from any social media when it has to do with work.

Send A Warm Goodbye.  If you partner with anyone in other departments or companies, let them know that you are leaving the company.  They need to know you’ve left.  A mass e-mail is ok, but you’ll want to let them know individually.  Too many times have I had a partner at work leave the company without telling me, and then I look like a fool when I hand a customer their contact information.
 

Happiness Vs. Wealth

I've recently been having discussions with several DeMolays (and Masons) about their careers / future careers. Many of these conversations touch on all the subjects you would expect - the job market, money, benefits, relocation, etc. However, one of the things that often seems to get overlooked is, in my opinion, the most important factor of all - happiness!

Working for the fraternity is never going to net me a giant pay check. I realize that I could probably make much more in the commercial sector. However, what's immeasurable is the happiness in my job. I spent several years working in Human Resources. Some days were really good. Some days were really bad. I didn't dislike my work, but like every job, it had its stressful days. In my current job, I could count on a single hand the truly stressful days that I have each year (most of which occur around Convention / Key Man time, by the way.)

Whenever I talk careers with anybody, one of the first things I ask them is "what would you be happy doing?" Sometimes they  have a clear picture of what they want to do, while others don't have a clue. Many people fall back on their hobbies and say they'd love to do that all the time. As someone who works for one his "hobbies,"  I can tell you that it's both rewarding and painful. Others think they'd be happy doing something that makes them a lot of money. "I'd be happy being an attorney." Most of those people are wrong.

I came across this article from Parade Magazine, entitled What's the Happiest (and Unhappiest) Job in America? Guess who hates their job the most? High paid lawyers! Who loves their jobs? Construction workers and sales people. Their jobs may not be high profile, but they find their work rewarding and engaging. Actually, according to a Forbes article, the happiest people make about $50,000 year. That's much less than most expect.

So, as you ponder your career, I urge you to quit looking at the dollars and cents and instead look at what makes you happy. You'll be more content in the long run, I assure you.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Unique Job for DeMolays

As I look back on the choices I've made in my life, one of my biggest regrets is not having traveled more when I was younger. Many folks are lucky to have spent some time abroad while in college or perhaps took some time to really visit and get to know another country. While I have been to Europe, it wasn't a long visit and I certainly want to go back.

When I was working at my first HR job, several of my colleagues were looking at going into the Peace Corps (click on the link to learn more about that program.) I looked at the option but soon realized it wasn't for me. More recently, I have been reading up on the Foreign Service Office at the Department of State. If I had to do everything over again, I think I would  have considered this option more. It would be an awesome job, but it certainly takes a special kind of person.

Then, I stumbled across an article on the Art of Manilness Blog entitled So You Want My Job: Foreign Service Officer/Diplomat. While I may not be in a position to make this kind of career move, I thought I'd share the link with all the DeMolays out there who might be looking for a unique job to do when they get out of college. It doesn't require any specific kind of degree and the skills they look for are some of the same key things we teach in DeMolay.

Check out the link - who knows - you might be the next Ambassador!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

The Edge of Manliness

First, I'd like to apologize for the lack of a post yesterday. I was out of the office and therefore didn't get a chance to put anything up. However, I'm making up for it today with an article that should raise a few eye brows.

One of the long running pieces over www.artofmanliness.com is a series called "So You Want My Job" wherein the blog interviews men in high profile or interesting professions to find out how they got there. Sounds pretty tame, right? In general, they are - but today is something a little different. Today is something that will probably raise "Dad" Labagh's blood pressure a little bit. Today, we talk about becoming a tattoo artist.

Yes, you read that right. While many DeMolays go on to jobs in business, politics, law enforcement, or other suitably regular professions, some are just not cut of that cloth. Some of our members are artistic and showy and have a passion for the arts. We have to recognize that the "normal" career path may not be for everyone.

There is also a secondary reason that I am posting this article. The man who is profiled, Roni Zulu, is a Master Mason and Past Master in California. He has been profiled in many Masonic publications for his alternative approach the fraternity and the changing imagery of Masonry today. While some may question the career path of tattoo artist, I don't think anyone would question the dedication of Bro. Zulu or his moral character. He is proud of the fraternity - heck, he's wearing a Masonic ring in the picture at right. Should we judge a man just because he has a tattoo? I guess that's up to you...

So You Want My Job: Tattoo Artist - with Roni Zulu

Enjoy the article!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

A road diverged in a yellow wood...

I'll admit it. I was at a loss for a topic this morning. So, I did what usually do, and headed over to Art of Manliness to scout for an idea. Lo and behold, that website came through once again, and I have a topic!

Recently, a letter was sent to the Art of Manliness from a reader who is having some second guesses about his career choice. He is just months away from earning a degree in library science, but recently came to the realization that he would rather be a farmer. In response to this fellow, Brett McKay, the editor of AoM, responded via a video that you can watch here. However, I wanted to tackle this question and relate a bit of my personal experience. I'm hoping that it might help those DeMolays out there who are bound for college and looking for a career path.

I didn't start out wanting to be a full time Masonic youth facilitator.  Heck, I didn't join until I was 18, and as we know, career choices start long before then! When I was in my early teens I wanted to be a psychiatrist. An older gentlemen, who was a friend of my family, worked in this field and I thought it would be a great life to have. However, I soon realized that 4 years of undergraduate work, 4 years of medical school, followed by 4 years of psychiatric instruction was more than I was willing to undertake. I lowered my goals to being a psychologist. That job would only take 6 to 8 years of school, which seemed like a better alternative.

After graduating high school I enrolled in the Psychology program at Edinboro State University. Edinboro is actually well known for their psychology department, which is one of the best amongst the state system of higher education. I spent my first three years doing all the things psych majors do. We talked about therapy, learning, and social norms. We wrote papers, ran experiments, and played with rats. During my junior year I had the good luck to enroll in a Counseling class taught by Dr. Gary Labine. Dr. Labine, and his wife Susan, both taught in the psychology program at Edinboro. Mrs. Labine was a clinical psychologist, whereas Mr. Labine didn't even have a degree in psychology at all - his background was in counseling itself. This class was a real eye opener to me, for two reasons. Firstly, I realized that I didn't need a true psychology degree to help people, and secondly, I didn't want to spend the rest of my life counseling folks. Quite honestly, the idea of dealing with emotional baggage and being lied to by clients all day didn't appeal to me.

I decided to consult Dr. Labine, as well as some other faculty, as to what I should do. I explained my hesitations and they agreed that being a counselor / psychologist wasn't going to be a good career move for me. One of the professors, Dr. Morrow, a social psychologist, suggested that perhaps Industrial / Organization Psychology would better suit. This field dealt more with productivity and the workplace. I was intrigued, but, sadly, Edinboro didn't offer a course in this field.

It just so happened that at about the same time as my career crisis was occurring, another crisis was brewing where I was working. I spent my college years working at Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park in Erie. I started as a shift supervisor in the food court, but after two years, that job was wearing thin. I spoke to our Director of Operations who described a need for someone to handle training and efficiency within the business. He gave me a chance at the job and I found I really liked it. The only problem was that the job was nebulous and not well defined. I spent about 6 months doing what I thought needed to be done, as well as working as a Guest Services Supervisor. We went through some management changes and my role was redefined as a Human Resources Coordinator. I hadn't really had a lot of experience in Human Resources, but I quickly learned that it was similar to industrial /organizational psychology, so I went with it.

I learned a lot during my first year in Human Resources. It was a great experience that led me to better define my career path. I graduated from Edinboro in 2006 with a BA in Psychology, specializing in learning and development. Realizing that I still needed more education, I applied to Capella University, a distance learning school, and was accepted into their Masters of Science in Organizational Management program, with a specialization in HR Management. As I was beginning my graduate course work, there were big changes happening in my community. A new casino was opening up and I applied for an HR job there. Miraculously, I  got an interview and was hired shortly thereafter.

I was the only Human Resources Generalist for the casino (which means I did anything and everything HR related.) We hired 800 employees in 6 months! Holy cats did I learn a lot! I spent time dealing with employee injuries, unemployment claims, reports, and the PA Gaming Control Board. I loved it! I really found my calling. I was earning my graduate degree and working a job I liked. This was the life!

Then, one day, I was reading through a website relating to a hobby I enjoyed when I stumbled across an advertisement they had posted for a Human Resources Generalist. On a whim, I applied. A week later I got a call and had a phone interview with a recruiter. I was stunned - I never thought I would get a call! Two days later, the recruiter called me back and arranged for me to fly to the company headquarters in Baltimore for a day of interviews. At the end of that day, I got an offer, including a moving allowance, to go to work for this company. It also helped that the salary was 50% more than what I was making at the casino. I jumped at the chance and quickly found myself moving to Maryland.

My new duties entailed coordinating benefits and other HR related functions for a national retail chain with roughly 60 stores. The best part was that I was working for a company in a hobby that I really enjoyed. It was a really fun job and the stories I have from my time there are some of the craziest work related tales I can muster. There is another part to this story, however.

I had been in Maryland for about a week. I was living in hotel and trying to acclimate myself to this new life. I was surfing the internet in my hotel room when "Dad" Labagh contacted me via instant message and discussed the possibility of me working at PMYF. Sadly, having just taken this new job, I was in no place to up and leave. I had to turn him down. This was a full year before I started working at PMYF. I had a new job and was enjoying it, and PMYF went to the back burner.

Ten months later I had grown unhappy at my new place of employment. There were some major management changes and my new supervisor and I didn't quite see eye to eye. I started floating my resume around to some other places to see if I could find something else. I hadn't even thought of trying PMYF again. Then, out of the blue, "Dad" Labagh calls me and asks if I'd be interested in the job at PMYF - he hadn't filled the position during the year I was working and wondered if I was in a situation to move on. I jumped at the opportunity. Shortly thereafter, in the fall of 2008, I left Maryland for Elizabethtown to work at PMYF. It was one of the best decisions I ever made!

But, as most of you know, I do very little in regards to Human Resources here at PMYF. Honestly, I mostly use skills I was taught in High School, like web page design. There is still a little bit of psychology and HR, though (I do have to deal with the Elected State Officers!) So, as you can see, it was a long strange road! From wanting to be a Psychiatrist to ending up at PMYF, it was a course I could have never predicted.

Now, what does my long, and probably boring, story have to do with you? It's a simple answer - it's okay to change your mind and follow your heart. Sometimes where we start is where we end, but I 'm willing to bet that most of the time it's not. You're going to change majors. You're going to have doubts. That's okay and perfectly normal! Remember, life is about enjoying the journey, not about the end result.

S.K. George A. Hulsinger, a Past Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania, had a great theme for his year in office. It was very simple - "Live Your Dash." By that he meant that every person eventually passes on from this plane of existence. A tombstone usually reads "Date of Birth - Date of Death." It's the dash between those two that is really important, for that is where you live your life and have an impact on others. Don't be afraid to change your mind from time to time. It's all a part of growing up and living your "dash."

Frat!~"Dad" Seth Anthony

Taking Control of Your Career

The Take Control! campaign is based around video games. I don't know of any young guy who doesn't enjoy playing video games from time to time. Whether it be Halo, Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, or Madden, it seems every guy has played video games to some extent. Most guys also think it would really cool to be a video game designer / programmer for a job once they get out of high school. Lots of young men are looking for that quick break into the video game industry. Sadly, the reality of the industry is much different from the way most young men think about it.

I'm a huge fan of all the work that is done over at The Art of Manliness. Recently they posted a great article called So You Want My Job: Video Game Producer. It does alot to illuminate what it is like to work in the video game industry on a daily basis. Perhaps this is exactly the career path you want, or perhaps not. Either way it offers some  helpful tips on what you should do to prepare yourself if you want to make video games for a living. Check it out, you'll be glad you did!

Frat!~"Dad" Seth Anthony