Top Priorities First
But you can’t put off forever those minor things on your To Do List that must be done. Set aside regular times for them and then reward yourself. Q: I’m torn. Is it better to bang through my to-do list,…
Careers
Lactation Consultant Offers Babies a Good Start in Life
Name: Aly Certo Age: 37 Job: Registered nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children Start: Certo was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. She received a bachelor’s in recreation administration from Cal Poly, San Luis…
The Apprentice
New apprenticeships in tech, healthcare, cooking and business are attracting local applicants with a tried-and-true mix: a paid job plus classes to improve your skills. And tuition is almost entirely covered by federal grants. Guy Shibayama says an apprenticeship saved…
The Vulture Swoops In
Our department is great about sharing food with each other. What we hate are colleagues from other departments grabbing our food before everyone on our team has had a bite. Q: I read your advice about the food pushers, those…
Don’t Call Him A Bounty Hunter
NAME: Scot Ling AGE: 56 JOB: Bail bondsman/fugitive recovery agent and owner, 4Freedom Bail Bonds, based in Kailua-Kona, with agents on Oahu and Maui START: Ling was born and raised in Kailua on Oahu but attended UH Hilo. He eventually received his associate…
5 Steps to Recovering from a Major Failure
All of us have made a mistake. Not a small misstep but a real “fail” that affected others, sent the work sideways and might have generated hushed chatter in the hallways. Leadership coach Wendy Nakamura says what really counts is…
Business is Built on His Love of Pets
Name: Steve Cromwell Age: 67 Job: Pet and house sitter and co-owner, Pets in the ’Burbs Hawaii LLC Start: Cromwell was born in Washington state, but raised in Hawaii, San Diego and Seattle. After more than 20 years as a chef, the Aiea…
5 Steps to Building Trust in the Workplace
R. Scott Simon is a coach to business leaders and leadership teams, and vividly recalls conversations with prospective clients who said they needed to create trust in their organizations. “More discussion revealed that what they really wanted was to ‘fix’…
Finding Sunken Ships and Discovering their Secrets
Name: Hans Van Tilburg Age: 56 Job: Maritime archaeologist and diving supervisor, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Maritime Heritage Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Start: Hans Van Tilburg was born in New Jersey and raised in California. “My mother’s…
My Company’s Bennies Only Cater to Old Folks
Reader asks why local companies don’t offer the 21st century benefits offered by progressive Mainland companies Q: I’m back from college and grad school on the Mainland and really trying to make my way in Hawaii. I turned down better-paying…
5 Steps to Finding Love in a Busy Life
Single professionals who work hard sometimes have trouble finding the time to discover love. Rachel Ross Bradley, who’s been there but is now happily married, offers these five steps to romance. 1. Broaden Your Circles. Just like in sales, finding…
A Big Help with Little Things
Name: Donna Rodriguez Age: 46 Job: Errands runner and owner, 808-Errands Start: The El Paso, Texas, native once took a vacation to Maui and says, “The aloha drew me in.” She knew she eventually wanted to live here, so in 2003 she closed…
How to Beat the Troll In the Nearby Cubicle
Q: I’m coming up on my first annual review in my new job and I’m really nervous. I’ve got a good relationship with my boss and our clients, and delivered on the projects I worked on. But there’s one guy…
When A Creative Passion Becomes Your Career
Art will rarely make you rich, but if the stars align, you might be able to turn your creative passion into a full-time job https://vimeo.com/250328380 Retired District Judge Leslie Hayashi writes children’s books. UH Manoa associate professor Chae Ho Lee,…
14th Annual Best Places to Work
In 2018, almost 100 companies and nonprofits in Hawaiʻi nominated themselves; only 70 made the cut as a Best Place to Work.
35 Hawaii Legislators have a Second Job
Nearly half of our state legislators hold second jobs, from pilot, doctor and lawyer to business owner, real estate agent and more. Most people would be surprised to see a state senator mowing the lawn or cleaning the restrooms at…
"Networking's for Suckers, Not Me"
Q: I swear I hear the word “networking” a hundred times a week. My co-workers insist it’s the only way to climb the business ladder. My parents tell me it’s how to meet friends. My boss tells me it’s a…
5 Steps to a New Look for Work
In the new year, many women and men want to freshen their looks but still appear professional for work. Kim Smith, a wardrobe stylist in Honolulu since 2004, offers these tips on how to get started. 1. Purge! Before you hit…
How’s Your Luck?
Name: Cheryl Ohta Age: 58 Job: Fortune cookie writer and treasurer/HR manager, Hawaii Candy Inc. Start: The Mililani resident received her business degree in marketing from the University of San Francisco in 1981. “My husband, Keith, is the third-generation owner. His grandfather started…
Pot is Legal in Many Places but Workplace Testing is Legal Everywhere
Q: My girlfriend and I spent our vacation in Colorado, skiing, hanging out with family and smoking some of their legal and beautifully packaged weed. Back home now, I heard my company is doing random drug testing this week. I’m…
My Job: Air Traffic Controller
Name: Alika Parish Age: 28 Job: Air Traffic Control Specialist for Federal Aviation Administration at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport Start: Alika Parish was born and raised in Ewa Beach. He joined the Hawaii Air National Guard after graduating from Campbell High School…
My Job With the Red Cross Provides Help When They Need It Most
NAME: Christina Doty AGE: 57 JOB: Lead casework volunteer, American Red Cross of Hawaii Start: “My first experience with the Red Cross was in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1974 as a candy striper volunteering with elderly clients in a nursing home,” Doty says. “I…
The Careerist: Don’t Tell Anyone, but I’m Terrified I've Been Promoted Too Quickly
Q: I’m one of the lucky ones. While so many of my friends came home after college with lots of debt and no job, I got through school with minimal debt and landed a sweet job with the company I’d…