Friday, November 29, 2019

10 lessons in career longevity from Billy Joel

10 lessons in career longevity from Billy Joel10 lessons in career longevity from Billy JoelIn 2014, Billy Joel became the first musician to ever be awarded a residency at Madison Square Garden after performing a whopping 46 concerts there - including a stint of 12 consecutive sold-out shows. Since then, the 68-year-old performer has done monthly shows, keeping pace with the other MSG franchises the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty, at what is considered the worlds fruchtwein famous arena. Remarkably, his shows continue to sell out - especially amazing if you consider the fact that Joels career spans more than four decades.As my fellow 20,788 concert-goers and I sang along with Joels classic hits at a concert over the summer, I started to think about what goes into sustaining a lifelong career and what keeps people of all ages coming back year after year, decade after decade.I also started to piece together overall career lessons we can learn from the Piano Man.Keep your sense of humorJ oel began a July show with a bit of self-deprecating advice. Were the house band here at Madison Square Garden he said, encouraging his audience that they ever find themselves with a similar opportunity, you should take the gig. After selling out stadiums for decades, Joel doesnt seem to have lost his ability to marvel at his own good fortune. He seemed to be in on the joke and wanted the rest of us to know it.Longevity lesson from Billy Its okay to sometimes let your colleagues and co-workers know that you take your work seriously - but not always yourself.Age aint nothing but a numberJoel said he never thought hed be doing this at 68, playing a sold-out show to an audience singing along to every popsong. The most interesting part though, was the age sortiment of his fans. Aside from the more expected demographic of Billy fans, there were parents there with small children, and group after group of teen girls dancing and singing along to every single song. Billy Joel at 68 seemed t o connect with every person in the audience no matter their age or stage.Longevity lesson from Billy Stop focusing exclusively on your age as a deciding factor on your career worth, you truly never know who will champion your work or cause.Pay attentionLike most musicians, Joel has had No. 1 hits and other songs that never quite made it. He referred to the latter as album track no-mans-land and explained that not every song can be a radio hit. And so, at certain points of his concert, Joel opened up the concert to requests, allowing the audience to pick which song they wanted to hear with sometimes surprising results.Longevity lesson from Billy You may be studying demographic materials and reports so intently that you miss what your audience truly wants. Sometimes the smartest thing to do is give them a choice and see where they take you.Dress the partWhile Joels bandmates were dressed in appropriate rock star-ish garb, Joel himself was dressed in a black suit jacket, button-down sh irt and matching tie. He could have worn a ratty old T-shirt and been fine, but he dressed up instead, and I, for one appreciated it.Longevity lesson from Billy While people always remind us to dress for the job we want, Joel has reached the pinnacle of any musical career- and he continues to dress up for every single show. Its a nice way of respecting both the audience and the gig.Its okay to be subtleMany celebrities use their fame to hammer their audiences over the head with their own political or social beliefs, which can turn off people who might just want to watch a movie or listen to a song- but Joel opted for a subtler approach. When he spoke about the 50th anniversary of The Beatles release of Sergeant Pepper, Joel reminded the audience that it was also the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love. We can use more of that now he said meaningfully to the audience, referring less obliquely than some to the current political climate.Longevity lesson from Billy It can be tricky t o share your political or social beliefs while also trying not to alienate your co-workers or core demographic- but that doesnt mean you have to be apolitical. Find subtle ways to respect your own beliefs when possible.You dont have to be BeethovenIn aRolling Stone interview,Joel mentioned a quote from Neil Diamond that inspired him Ive forgiven myself for not being Beethoven.Joel said I realized my issue was I havent forgiven myself for not being Beethoven. While hes spent the past decades composing classical music, Joel still performs his classic pop and rock music. But that doesnt mean hes forgotten his inspirations. During Moving Out, there was a snippet of Beethovens Ode to Joy sneaked in. Im not sure much of the audience noticed it, but it doesnt matter - I suspect that Joel included it for himself.Longevity lesson from Billy Respect your idols and keep learning from them, but realize that you might just be able to create masterpieces for your own era- or office.Know your bes t workJoel revealed a lot of candor during the show, telling the audience, Ive had more not hits than hits as the band performed a song few of us were familiar with. Yet while Joel hasnt released any new music since 1993, he keeps filling stadiums.Longevity lesson from Billy While resting on your laurels can be a career killer, understanding your best skills and professional crowd pleasers can keep clients happy year after year. Dont try to reinvent the wheel, just keep doing your best work.Enjoy the connectionDuring Piano Man, Joel allowed the audience to sing the final refrainSing us a song, youre the piano man?/Sing us a song tonight/?Well, were all in the mood for a melody?/And youve got us feelin alrightHis eyes were closed reverently as he spun slowly around the stage taking in the moment. It seemed to recharge him and remind him why he was there after all those years. It was a powerful moment.Longevity lesson from Billy Recharge when you need to before a big project. Remind y ourself why you do what you do. Let others help you if needed.Sell out but dont be a selloutJoel intends to play as long as he still sells out shows. And with all that and with playing his songbook year after year, he still delivers a powerhouse performance.Longevity lesson from Billy Respect and keep doing your best work, and while youre at it respect the smart people who will continue to pay you for it.Deal with your past professionallySome of Joels most famous songs were inspired by past loves. And while he still performs Just the Way You Are and Uptown Girl among others, theres a sense of acceptance for what was. Unlike Taylor Swifts ex-boyfriend tunes, theres more of a sense of closure than contempt.Longevity lesson from Billy Dont put other people down to build yourself up. And while youre at it, try to leave the past in the past when possible.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Marine Corps Crew Chiefs Job Description

kriegsmarine Corps Crew Chiefs Job DescriptionMarine Corps Crew Chiefs Job DescriptionBefore a flight, during a flight and well after a flight, there is one Marine who takes on the responsibilities of maintaining the aircraft, observing its safety and providing in-flight maintenance - the crew chief. Who Are the Crew Chiefs? Crew chiefs for the CH-53E Super Stallions are responsible for the well-being of the aircraft throughout their flights, as well as observing the environment for the pilots on board. Crew chiefs are the enlisted maintainers and flyers for the helicopter squadrons, said Capt. Eric C. Palmer, NATOPS officer, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. They take care of all the duties the pilots dont have, which is about everything in the back of the aircraft. Crew chiefs observe obstructions in a pilots path, as the pilot cannot see more than 180 degrees in either direction from the nose of the aircraft. The CH-53 do esnt have the best view around it, so we have to rely on the crew chiefs eyes and ears during a flight, said Palmer, an Endwell, N.Y., native. Being able to see things that the pilot cant is really one of the biggest aids of a crew chief. According to Lance Cpl. D. L. Chewey, crew chief, HMH-361, they are required to know a little of everything on board the aircraft. Crew chiefs are required to touch on all aspects of the aircraft, said the Stilwell, Okla., native. We have to know its limitations. We have to know our limitations. We are there to back up the pilots. When we fly, we all have a mission at hand, Chewey added. Our mission is a mission as a team. You have your pilot and co-pilot. One will fly, and the other will navigate. Then you have a crew chief who will watch and listen to the helicopter itself. We are part of an aircrew, and we play an irreplaceable role. However, the job of a crew chief, like any job, changes a little bit when they are deployed. While deployed, we a re on standby all the time, said Cpl. Fidel R. Florez, crew chief, HMH-361. As far as personal differences between being in garrison or in Iraq, over there we have our armor, weapons and side arms on, and it can be a little more stressful, as well. Here, we have about four to five hours to prepare for a flight, the Anthony, N.M., native, added. Over there, we have a little more than an hour to get ready for a flight that could come up at any moment. According to Palmer, crew chiefs will also take on extra responsibilities along with their original tasks while deployed. Most of their duties of safely helping the pilot operate the aircraft will be the same thing while deployed, said Palmer. Theyll have additional duties, such as keeping eyes out for enemies. They operate the .50-caliber machine guns as well. The overall importance of a crew chief isnt always noticed, said Palmer. Crew chiefs are absolutely necessary, Palmer concluded. They do a lot of things in the back of the aircraf t that pilots just take for granted. They have an impeccable systems knowledge of the aircraft and are an indispensable, invaluable part of the CH-53 aircrew. by Lance Cpl. James B. Hoke

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How to Choose the Right Career Coach for You - The Muse

How to Choose the Right Career Coach for You - The MuseHow to Choose the Right Career Coach for You One of the best things Ive ever done for my professional life welches work with a career coach. I was feeling stuck, confused, and unsure of my next steps, and conversations with friends and family hadnt been productive. After a self-assessment about my career path and goals and a one-hour session with my coach, I walked away with more clarity and confidence than I had had in years- not to mention an action plan for the next three months. It was so helpful that I couldnt believe I hadnt done it sooner. Of course, there were a couple of reasons I hadnt. One was the money. And yes, that initial investment was tough to swallow, but the result was worth every penny. (Plus, as a friend put it, if paying for a coach led to a higher-paying job or a raise at my current one- which it did- it was money well spent.)The bigger factor, though, is that I had no idea who to work with. A search on Goo gle (and my professional contact list) produced hundreds of results, but which of these people was I going to feel comfortable spilling all of my professional secrets to? Here at The Muse, we recently launched a platform called Coach Connect, which lets you book one-on-one sessions with career coaches- and I can imagine anyone whos considering doing this is feeling the same way I did. While you dont have to worry about choosing someone whos high-quality (weve done that vetting for you), I know just how overwhelming it can be to decide which of those people is the right one for your career. To help point you in the right direction, start by asking yourself these three questions What Type of Person Do You Work Best With?Think about the teachers, bosses, mentors, therapists, and other coach like figures youve worked with in the past. Who encouraged you, inspired you, and helped you get to the next level? What were the qualities they all had in common?Create a short list, then look for coaches who display those traits. How? Reviews from other clients are a great place to start (and yes, I know this is Before-You-Buy-Anything 101). Some coaches, for example, may be described as kind, encouraging, and positive others as tough-love motivators who will kick your butt into gear. Both sets of qualities can be great- but which do you most relate to?What I also found helpful was reading the work of a few different coaches. Most have a blog, a berichterstattungletter, or other content theyve created, which can help you get a sense of their style, their approach, their background, their success stories, and more. As youre browsing, are your eyes glazing over? Or do you find yourself nodding along, saying, Yes This person is literally inside my head When I realized I had spent nearly an hour lost in the archives of one coachs old blog posts, I knew I had found someone I really connected with.ALREADY CONVINCED A COACH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?Then lets get started finding a great one . Just Click Here Who Can Help You With Your Specific Situation?Heres the good news Most career coaches have worked with people in a variety of industries and know how to advise people with very specialized skill sets. So, while moving from real estate to software sales or translating your marketing experience into a new sector might seem like an intimidating transition, remember that most coaches whove been around for a while have seen a lot and have the knowledge and experience to guide you, too.That said, it can often make sense to work with someone who specializes in your sector (engineering, sales, marketing, startups) or situation (youre a new grad, youre making a drastic career change, youre returning to the workforce after a hiatus). My coach worked only with women and had lots of experience in the media world. So, check out a few coaches sites or online profiles and, again, their reviewers. If the coach has helped people like you, great A number of good reviews from people across fields and sectors is also a good sign. How Much Do You Want to Spend?This is a tough (and very personal) question, but heres what you should know Fees range quite a bit, depending on how long a coach has been around, the certifications he or she has, how many clients he or she is taking on, and more. (At The Muse, weve put them in three categories Our Mentors are all smart, vetted career experts who may be just starting their coaching work or doing this in plus-rechnen to a full-time job our Coaches are trained professionals and our Master Coaches are top-rated coaches whove helped hundreds of people over the years.) In general, if working with someone who is very specialized or who has a great deal of experience is important to you, its likely worth it to pay for a coach who meets your needs, even if he or she is on the spendier end. Or, if youre just looking to get some advice and direction from a career expert, or youre not totally sure about the whole coaching thing, wor king with someone at a lower price point could be a good way to dip your toes in the water. Either way, make sure youve done your research, youve read reviews or talked to past clients, and youre making an informed decision.Now are you ready to hire a coach and change your life? Of course you are- who could say no to that All you have to do now is click here.