Career Launch 2020

29/09/2024

We get a temporary second moon today!

26/09/2024

Over the years, consulting in People Operations, I have been part of many (many) compensation discussions and design projects.

Do you know what I have never, not once, seen from anyone else in those teams?

Putting pen to paper to determine what basic cost of living really is in their area (or nationwide for remote roles).

That always baffled me.

So...

Let's break this down for the current market (2023-2024) shall we?
(These are monthly numbers for an individual only, no dependents or partner.)

Rent - $2,000 ($1,987 is the median rent per Rent .com)
Groceries (no pets) - $450
Used Car Payment - $525 (the median per Experian)
Gas - $250
Car Insurance (full coverage)- $150 (average per Insurance .com)
Internet - $60
Streaming Subscriptions - $40
Phone - $120
Electric - $250
Individual Health Insurance - $700 ($706 is average per USNews .com)
Savings & Incidentals (doctor appointments, car repairs, meds, etc.) - $500
Spending - $400

Total: $5,445 (after tax)

Approximately $6,500 pretax, or $78,000 per year

That is to attain a livable... still a bit tight... but livable wage.

(The national average salary is about $64,000 per SoFi... so... not livable.)

So, if you pay below $78,000 (or so) in most areas of the country (not just big cities), you are not paying a livable wage.

That is $37.50 per hour.

By the way, that number is 2.5 times bigger than $15.00, which is that little number so many people are complaining about. (That is why people arguing over raising minimum wage make me NUTS.)

Now, are there areas where $50,000 or $60,000 would be a livable wage? Absolutely.
In those areas, feel free to pay that much for onsite work.

However, for remote roles or roles in areas priced closer to average or higher, and this will seem harsh, but we need this wake-up call, $75,000 is about as low as you can pay and still claim to be applying ethics to your pay rates.

If your people cannot live comfortably... not lavishly, comfortably... on the wage you are paying, there is a breach of integrity.

Instead of squabbling over minimum wage, lets push for LIVABLE wages.

Let's do better.

22/09/2024

This is the best celebration of accessibility and accommodation I've ever seen. 😁🤣

My heart is happy.

24/08/2024

Average salary in 1990: $50,000
Average Rent in 1990: $600

Average salary in 2023: $61,000
Average rent in 2023: $2,600

See a problem?

Facts brought to you by: US government websites and Zillow (rents).

23/08/2024

Join this Metaverse Neurodiversity event!

NOWHERE is the easiest metaverse platform for live entertainment and virtual events. Connect face-to-face in video chat in unforgettable 3D worlds on a browser. No download. No headset. Share amplified performances, content streaming, immersive galleries and more.

19/08/2024

This is going to be a killer session!

Shelley will be breaking down pre-employment assessments and sharing neuro-inclusive best practices.

Shelley is an HRTech entrepreneur and a fantastic human being.

Come check her out and learn too!

Register for the free virtual event:
www.neuroverselive.org

Register for her talk: https://calendar.app.google/ToYeU1dXYzEEf2or7

(Login links will be sent the day before via email to all ticket holders and those who sign up for the talk.)

19/08/2024

Learn from the best... for FREE!

Join our virtual event Friday and Saturday to attend any class or talk for free.

This class, taught by the wonderful Angela Buccellato , Founder of Resume Rescue, will take you through how to land the job you WANT!

(Link to register in comments... your login link will be sent the day before via email.)

See you there!

22/07/2024

I wrote a book!

It's all about my method of universal workplace design that increases wellness, satisfaction, efficiency, productivity, and ultimately... profits!

It's a short one, only 70 pages plus resources, and I wrote it in only two days, but I am proud of it none the less. :)

If HR, leadership, or business is your thing, check it out!



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9V7TXCL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=E3BIGK4L6KS3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7mUdPx40d3K-oQQabqc7jA.qXVpC5YZBrlsy2LyBnGpdXCmsXYuXCU5mRy1UIl8f2E&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+obvious+solution+you+never+heard+of&qid=1721657231&sprefix=the+obvious+solution+you+never+heard+of%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-1

30/04/2024

DFW folks... PAID HR INTERN ROLE AVAILABLE!

A friend of mine reached out because her school is hiring for an HR intern. She is a terrific person and really knows her stuff. She would make an excellent teacher for anyone wanting to break into HR.

The role is Monday-Friday, with full benefits, and pays $15/hour.

There is room for advancement too.

Hit me up of you are interested!

20/03/2024

"Do you think that our society has gotten too woke?"

I was asked this during a show the other day.

The question made me laugh. When you live in Florida, this word and concept are thrown around, typically incorrectly, ALL the time, so hearing it from Canadian Keith Bilous just cracked me up.

Based on definition of the term "woke", which is often misused, the question was "Do you think that we are too aware of social injustice?"

Here was my reply (paraphrased):

No, not at all.

We are in a transition period. This is something that happens with every great cultural shift. There is a time during which we are trying to figure out how this better world will work and we do some experimenting.

Some of it works, and some of it doesn't.

Eventually, it levels out.

We are moving, slowly, in the right direction. It takes time to learn and then teach how to adjust and function effectively any time there is progress.

The main obstacles in reaching successful inclusion are aversion to change and respect.

Most people will tell you that they believe in equal opportunity, respect, and freedom which are the components of inclusion.

Watch them in their daily lives though, or check out their social media, and a new picture is painted. They want everyone to be like them and when others are not like them, respect is not shown.

By the way, this is not "one side of the fence" doing this. It's folks on both sides of inclusion.

Here's the thing...

Inclusion is NOT about...

liking everyone...

agreeing with everyone...

sharing the same beliefs as everyone...

sharing the same experience as everyone...

Inclusion IS about...

Freedom (the freedom to live and work in ways that are natural to you and align with your integrity and beliefs)...

Equality (Everyone having equal opportunity and rights)...

Respect (Respecting others as they are, as individuals, different from yourself)...

Universal Design (Designing the world for everybody, not just some).

That's it.

* Freedom
* Equality
* Respect
* Universal Design

It's pretty simple, yet we are really struggling with that respect part.

If you are anti-inclusion, ask yourself, "Why am I against freedom, equality, and respect?"

That is the real question.

Choose inclusion. It's part of integrity.

Join us for an inspiring journey with the indomitable Katherine McCord, a true innovator at the heart of inclusion, people operations, and HR technology. In ...

14/02/2024

I have never been big on Valentine's Day, but I love to celebrate these two!

In 1958 they exchanged their wedding vows and began their life together in their home state of Virginia.

However, their joy would be short-lived as they were shortly arrested, at 2:00 in the morning no less, and hauled to jail.

Why?... What was this "Loving" couple's crime?... Their marriage!

At this time in the United States, it was still legal to punish in*******al marriage as long as both parties were punished equally. (That's a twisted spin on equality, isn't it!?)

The Lovings were convicted and sentenced to one year in prison, but their sentence was commuted on the condition that they leave the state and not return.

Heartbroken, the couple left and settled in Washington DC.

Over the next few years, they decided to fight the ruling and partnered with the ACLU to wage their war of love.

Nearly a decade after their arrest the Lovings saw victory in the US Supreme Court, and it became illegal to criminalize in*******al marriage.

This was a mere 56 1/2 years ago.

Let that sink in.

Think of how many people you know that were alive when this ruling passed.

This Valentine's Day, which falls right in the middle of Black History Month, I encourage you to consider the Lovings.

Consider the change that they brought about and the millions of people it beautifully affected.

Consider that it has only been 60 years since employment, education, and housing discrimination were legal.

Consider that it has only been 46 years since the government (admittedly) conducted medical experiments on the Black community.

Consider that many people who lived all of this are still alive.

This is not ancient history.

This is lived experience for millions of living US citizens.

Also remember that attitudes and minds don't change just because laws do.

Keep all of that in mind when you start to get annoyed that people are "still talking about it" or when you are addressing and interacting with people.

Keep in mind that if it weren't for the Lovings, a lot of love would still be illegal in "the land of the free".

Happy Valentine's Day.

15/01/2024

This one always gets me, and I witness it all the time.

"Martin Luther King Jr. was a great man."

"His message was full of love and equality. It was wonderful."

Then they trash inclusion and vote for people who vilify it, and even pass laws against it...

WHAT!?

That doesn't even make sense!

Yet, it happens... All. The. Time.

It's hypocrisy at its most vile because the results are actual harm to other people, lack of equality and opportunity...

even lack of safety.

Per EEOC, 70% of sexual assaults (not harassment, assault) in the workplace are done to Black women.

According to the US Government Accountability Office, minorities in civil roles are 41 % less likely to be promoted.

Per the National Center for Biotechnology Information, minorities, especially Black persons, have a significantly higher rate of arrest, even when using controlled data.

Oh, and just some personal insight... EVERY recruiter that I know has at some point been asked to discriminate in hiring... and I know hundreds of recruiters.

The law doesn't change hearts and minds.

We still have a LOT of work to do.

So, this Martin Luther King Jr. day, please honor his memory and celebrate his life and accomplishments by checking yourself and making sure that before you praise him and claim to share his beliefs, that you are practicing what you preach.

Make sure that you are:

* Learning about and supporting inclusion, not just diversity, inclusion and equity
* Making inclusion part of your integrity
* Voting accordingly (Sorry folks, that means no De Santis and no Trump, so if you want to vote Republican, pick another candidate)

If you are going to align yourself with MLK, and I hope that you do, make sure that you are part of continuing his mission.

Inclusion is part of embracing freedom.

Choose inclusion.