Careers

“ABOUT $1.1 BILLION A YEAR IS PAID OUT IN PENSION BENEFITS NOW (TO STATE AND COUNTY WORKERS). IN THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS, THAT’S PROJECTED TO GROW TO ABOUT $2 BILLION A YEAR.” –WESLEY MACHIDA Director, State Department of…

There was a time when the term “mindfulness” evoked visions of a man in a loincloth, sitting serenely atop a mountain. But the corporate world is changing and, today, mindfulness can mean a Reyn Spooner-clad manager serenely sitting atop ……

Name: Charene Davis Job: Senior designer and owner of Aloha Staged Interiors Experience: 15 years START: Davis earned degrees in interior design and journalism, but wound up getting her real estate license in…

Honolulu at night is a different animal from its daylight self. Yes, it’s darker, but also emptier, the spaces less defined and much less colorful. What light there is feels dramatic; simple sights can feel staged. The person who works…

Name: Therese Wahl Job: Wardrobe Stylist Experience: 25 years What is styling?   Stylists are usually part of a team – including models, photographers, hair stylists and makeup artists – that creates an image for a magazine, catalog, TV commercial,…

Name: Sandy Tsukiyama Job: Radio show host Experience: Six years Profile:     Tsukiyama has lived an interesting life: She trained on the koto, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument; worked as a tour guide for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking visitors to Oahu;…

LinkedIn is a powerful mashup: “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” meets “I can bring home the bacon.” With nearly 300 million business professionals using the social media platform, it may be the most effective job hunting tool out there. “View…

In the 24/7 global marketplace, where the game changes overnight and social media amplifies your message and your mistakes, here come the Millennials, the generation raised to thrive in this world. Just about everyone has strong feelings about Millennials. The…

Name: Chuck Furuya Job: Master sommelier Experience: More than 25 years Start:     Furuya started drinking wine while…

A new year is a good time for reflection and renewal, including on your professional self. High emotional intelligence helps differentiate between average performers and stars, so executive coach Alison Zecha explains how to improve your EI and position yourself…

Like many others, Susan Szabo feared public speaking. But unlike most people stricken with that fear, she took a job where standing in front of an audience is common. She needed help, so she took a group class with presentation…

Name: A. Christian Whelen Job: Administrator, state Laboratories Division Experience: 28 years in healthcare Responsibilities:  If the Ebola virus somehow found its way from Africa to Hawaii, Chris Whelen would lead the local analytical testing to help the national Centers…

Name: Vivienne Lim Job: Owner and artistic director, Royal Academy of Ballet Experience: Three decades in ballet Start: Born in Malaysia, Lim was just 3 when her parents enrolled her in a ballet program certified by the esteemed Royal Academy…

Name: Katie Wright Pere Job: Stuntwoman Experience: 14 years Start:  While Pere attended Florida State University, she trained two to three hours a day, six days a week, as a competitive swimmer. She also rode Jet Skis and water skied.…

Thirty-nine percent of Americans believe they are underpaid – 42 percent of women versus 33 percent of men, according to a survey this year by the career website Glassdoor.com. If you are in that group, be aware that there are…

Name: Mike Hall Job: Mixologist Experience: Two years   Start: When Hall moved from Maryland in 1999 to attend Hawaii Pacific University, he did what many college students do: He worked at a restaurant. It wasn’t until he got a…

The keys to getting a promotion are not what you say when asking for one, but what you do to make the promotion more likely. Some of those actions may be obvious, but others might surprise you. Earning a promotion…