Today’s guest is our good friend – and WOUB colleague – Tom Hodson. His career has involved many types of expertise, and it seems like Tom never did just one job at a time. He spent years sitting as a judge, and also teaching other judges. He’s played many roles as a media expert. And he has enjoyed positions as an academic leader. In 2019, Tom and host Bev began a series of episodes where he openly described his thoughts and anxieties about the prospect of retiring. As we recorded, Bev coached him to explore the possibilities. Then when COVID hit, Tom did retire, but he wasn’t really ready. He felt isolated, and struggled with depression. Now, however, Tom has put together a portfolio of meaningful activities, and he enjoys this phase of life. In this show, Tom talks frankly about his retirement path, and offers tips about how you can prepare for an un-retirement portfolio that gives you what you need.

For more about Tom, see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-hodson-797365284/

And check out Tom’s wide-ranging podcast, Spectrum: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spectrum/id112453909

Identify what matters, then build a retirement portfolio, says Tom Hodson

Jazzed About Work features lively, informal conversations about everything it takes to create a resilient and rewarding career. In each episode, host Beverly Jones interviews experts who can share their knowledge and workplace stories. Jones is an executive coach whose new book, “Find Your Happy at Work,” is a guide to moving past boredom and frustration and finding ways to flourish in your career. Bev and her guests discuss leadership, career development and the link between well-being and job success. Often guests go beyond the research and get personal, as they talk about their own professional paths. Every show blends good stories with practical suggestions for navigating your work life.

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Today’s theme is the importance of creating a good fit between the way we prefer to work and the organization that employs us. Our expert guest, Dr. André Martin, is an organizational psychologist who spent 20 years as a leader in major companies like Mars, Nike, Disney and Google. He tells us about his new book, “Wrong Fit, Right Fit - Why How We Work Matters More Than Ever.” André says the way our job fits our work style is so important because our identities get all tangled up with what we do, and if we are dissed in the context of work, we feel bad throughout our life. André offers tips about finding the right job, and how to create change if your current job doesn’t suit the way you like to work. He suggests that you regularly take stock of your career and the stress it causes in your whole life. He explains the value of managing up. And he describes how some smart employers are helping their talent to find the right fit. For more, see: https://www.wrongfitrightfit.com

A job that fits can change your life, says psychologist André Martin

For some people, launching a job search seems more challenging than ever. Our repeat guest, Mark Anthony Dyson, says “think about it like the weather.” Job market conditions vary a good deal, depending on many factors, including your location, profession and skill set. But there are some broad trends worth watching. Mark warns that in some countries scammers are using fake job opportunities as way to collect private info, and we might see similar frauds in the U.S. He points to the dramatic change AI is having in the hiring process, and discusses the value of understanding at least AI basics. And Mark shares classic advice, like stay prepared for whatever happens by “thinking of job search as a lifestyle,” and keep learning and seeking opportunities to upskill. For more advice from Mark see: https://thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Job search expert Mark Dyson says beware of scams, know AI & keep learning

This is the second of two episodes about how stress reduces your job performance and satisfaction, and what you can do about it. Our guest, Gayle Williams-Byers, a retired judge, now teaches judges in her role as Senior Fellow with the National Judicial College. She has developed a course on mindfulness to help judges reduce stress, allowing them to make better decisions and keep things moving smoothly in their courtrooms. Here she explains a wide variety of mindfulness techniques that might work for you. Many are simple, like taking some deep breaths, thanking other people, journaling, and taking a brief walk.

Try these techniques to reduce stress, says Judge Gayle Williams-Byers

This is the first of two episodes about how stress impacts your career. When you’re stressed out, you’re not creative or good at solving problems. or making decisions. But our guest, Gayle Williams-Byers, a retired judge, says there are many was to manage stress. In her role as Senior Fellow with the National Judicial College, Judge Gayle not only teaches judges about matters of law, but she also explores ways to address some of their challenges. She says being a sitting judge is intensely stressful, and stressed-out judges don’t make their best decisions. So she has developed a course on mindfulness and how it can calm stress, help you put aside distractions and refocus, and enhance your decision-making. Here she explains mindfulness and suggests how and why you might get started, and in the next episode she provides more detail about specific mindfulness techniques.

Mindfulness enhances your work, and your life, says Judge Gayle Williams-Byers

Our guest, Joan Lynch, is head of video and other content at WorkingNation, an innovative media company that creates well-researched and inspiring stories about everything related to jobs. Today, she discusses the state of employment in rural areas, which for years have struggled with aging populations and a lack of job opportunities. She says that now the situation starting to change, as more communities get broadband access. Joan also describes work trends for sectors that face special challenges, including neurodivergent and disabled communities, veterans, and single moms. And she shares insights about which industries are likely to be hiring in 2024. Finally, we discuss how workers increasingly want jobs where they can keep on learning, and how some employers are getting that message.

For more see, see this robust website: https://workingnation.com

Identify what matters, then build a retirement portfolio, says Tom Hodson

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