Greater Milwaukee Jobs

Now all I have to do is pee in the cup! It's a familiar refrain from job hunters who've just landed an offer. Passing a pre-employment drug test is as essential as pro- viding a Social Security number to many Ameri- can employers. A s h i r e r s c o m p l a i n about the difficulty of finding and keeping good workers, alarms should sound based on the latest Quest Diagnostic report. For the first time in more than a decade, the drug testing company said last week, more applicants and workers tested posi- tive for drug use than the year before. The career advice is clear: If you want to get or keep a job, especially one that does random testing, your private habits can have big financial conse- quences – no paycheck. It's so obvious that it feels silly saying it. But more people are getting caught. The m arijuana uptick was led by results in Colorado and Washing- ton, the two states with recreational use laws for the drug. C om pared with a 5 percent national increase Quest found for marijuana, rates explod- ed 20 percent and 23 percent in those states. Other recent surveys show a mor e relaxed view of marijuana among the U.S. population, especially young people. Marijuana's relative harm could be debated endlessly, but the fact is that testing positive can prevent employment. Then there are amphet- amines, which recorded their highest use rate in Quest's drug tests since 1997. Amphetamines are medically prescribed for reasons such as ADHD and narcolepsy, but abuse is a problem. More worrisome was a methamphetamine spike to its highest rate since 2007. This illegal drug causes all kinds of mental and physical horrors. Complain if you will about employer testing, but nobody needs this kind of worker. Quest said that in tests ordered "for cause," pos- sibly suspecting drug use, more than a quarter of the tests confir med the suspicion. That's enough to bring on the cups. 2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • September 25, 2014 pay, according to a recent article in Busi- ness News Daily. These people are turning to career colleges because they know they can quickly learn the skills they are lacking and start moving up the pro- fessional ladder through the programs offered. According to West- wood College – Dupage Campus President Jeff Hill, career colleges "are focused on provid- ing students with hands- on learning and quick d eg r e e c o m p l e t i o n which help develop a trained workforce for employers and can posi- tively impact the econo- my. Without question, education is one of the biggest factors with r eg a r d t o e c o n o m i c advancement in today's s o c i e t y a n d c a r e e r - focused schools play a vital role as one – of m a n y — e d u c a t i o n options for students." If you're interested in a new career? Check out We s t w o o d ' s d e g r e e programs. Demand for skilled labor plays a huge role in the economy. It is not uncommon for employ- ers to have available jobs, but not enough trained workers to fill them. Many employers discuss their plans to grow their companies and hire more people, but aren't sure where they will find workers with the skills they need, according to a recent article published by the Newark Advo- cate. It's not a problem just for businesses in Newark, New Jersey. Companies across the country face this issue. Many businesses look- ing to expand or move struggle to do so because it can be diffi- cult to find a town or city with enough skilled workers to do the jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts those jobs that tend to require some form of higher education will grow faster than those you can get with just a high school diploma or less. The department also predicts a shortage of more than 35 million skilled workers over the next 30 years. Career Colleges . . . from page 1 More workers, job applicants testing positive for pot, amphetamines By Diane Stafford The Kansas City Star A publication of Conley Media Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2004 by Conley Media Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. Subscriptions are available for $34 (non-refundable) for a 6-month subscription. Call 262/513-2698 for information. Account Executive: Donna Armstrong 262/513-2698 darmstrong@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dwayne Butler 262/513-2626 dbutler@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS Volume 17 • Number 3 September 25, 2014 To place an ad: Call us at 262-513-2698 or fax us at 262-542-6082 deadline: Noon on Wednesdays Starting a business with a co-worker By Liz Reyer Star Tribune (Minneapolis) & A Q Q. A co-worker and I have decided to start our own business together. How do we go from co-workers and friends to effective business partners? Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. A. Think through con- tingencies and anchor your interactions in mutual respect. THE INNER GAME A decision like this can trigger a lot of adrenaline and excitement; this can make it hard to think in a calm and practical way. Get centered, using your breath to ground yourself, as you prepare to think this through. As you and your partner talk through your plans, have this type of centering activity as part of every meeting agenda. Let's start with the fun and easy part: What are the factors that led you to form your business togeth- er? In particular, what are the personal characteris- tics that you value in each other? Don't be shy about owning your strengths, even as you acknowledge the other's capabilities. Also notice if there are gaps in the skills that are needed to run a successful business so that you can make a plan to fill them. Now, a bit more chal- lenging:What are the char- acteristics that are harder to deal with? For example, your partner may be very different in terms of plan- ning style, wanting to go with the flow more while you like every detail but- toned up. How do each of you react under stress? How do you like to be acknowl- edged? What motivates you? If you don't know the answers to these ques- tions for each other – or for yourself – part of your process needs to include some deeper learning. Think about your long- term professional vision, picturing your day to day working life, the people around you, the energy level, even the physical environment.Then identify critical factors that would cause you to decide that it isn't working and that it's time to make another change. THE OUTER GAME Obviously, a lot of com- munication between you and your business partner is required in order to make this work. At the same time, you'll be spend- ing a lot of time on logisti- cal matters that may involve accountants, attor- neys, real estate agents, etc. Commit to dedicating time to "how" you want to be in the business and with each other, not just "what" you're doing. This is ongoing work, which will remain essential as your company grows. Have regular "state of the p a r t n e r s h i p " m e e t i n g s , perhaps quick check-ins monthly with quarterly or semiannual deep dives. Then, let's face it, there are likely to be times that you just don't really like each other. That's when understanding each other and respect really come into play. Identify other resources that can help you. Having mentors who have been down this path could help you anticipate challenges and, even if you can't avoid them all, navigate them with more grace. Consider engaging a coach or facili- tator to get you through the early stages. Don't let your business become your whole lives. Have other friends and tend to all the relation- ships in your lives. And cel- ebrate your successes, noting the progress you're making toward your shared business vision. THE LAST WORD Incorporate both intelli- gence and kindness into making the successful tran- sition to this new working relationship.

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