The Best Jobs 2020 and Beyond



They are not the ones that just pay the most!






  • The best bosses and the nicest people
  • A solid balance for work and life


(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Not So Civil Service



















(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Nimbyism By All

So I learned a new word this week:

Nimby, which stands for:






It refers to people who object to and don’t want something unpleasant or dangerous in their neighborhood. 


Homeless Shelters

Garbage Dumps

Radioactive Waste Sites

Oil and Gas Pipelines

Noisy Railroads

Polluting Factories

Adult Entertainment


Yes, society as a whole apparently wants or needs these things, but the individuals just want to see it someplace (anyplace) else. 

People want the benefits, but don’t want the costs and risks associated with these things near them. 

The problem is when everyone feels this way then you are left either choosing somewhere despite the nimbyism protests or you have to locate them in remote places that are not always functional, fair or efficient for society. 

Perhaps this is where incentives or compensation comes in for people to get in order to “put up” with the placement of things in their backyard that they rather not have there. 

Is that what it means that nimbyism aside, “everyone has their price”?

(Source Photo: here with attribution to creative2/usa)

The Revolving Door

Revolving Door

So work is a revolving door of people onboarding and offboarding.

New people are getting hired.

Old people are leaving.

Nothing is stable.

The relationships you made yesterday just left the revolving door today, and it’s time to make new ones.

One “ran from Dodge.”  Another retired.  A third left for the private sector.  Someone else is going just down the block.

On the inbound train are Summer interns. Contractors being hired on as regular staff.  Brand new people.  And even some people coming back after leaving for a short time.

People get antsy or have enough doing what they were doing, dealing with who they are dealing, or simply want a change and a challenge.

Others are shown the door under less fortunate circumstances.

Whether looking to pave new trails, find yourself a seat at the table, a leadership position, or a fatter paycheck–the eyes see, and the heart wants.

Some people are tethered to their job or even “retired in place (RIP)”–perhaps it’s truly a great job and fit or it’s like their life blood (their whole identity, their reason for being) or maybe, they just like collecting what they consider “easy money” for a job they know and love or can skate by on, or maybe they work with other great people they really like and every day is a fresh challenge and even fun. 

Recents studies indicate that retiring later in life actually increases longevity, but when is enough enough or are we leaving ourselves enough time to sit at the pool side and just enjoy life a little?

Millennials, famous for changing jobs often, now are at an average of 4 jobs by the time they hit 32.

And in Information Technology, job hopping is considered “the world’s biggest game of musical chairs.

Why the increase in the job hopping bug in people’s you know what?

Sure there is more opportunity for those that have the right skills, and people getting bored or stale is a bad thing, everyone wants to find a good fit for themselves and where they can have a real impact, and economic and social pressures push people to make the leap, perhaps there is also some foolishness involved–where the grass is always greener or not.

Sometimes though it really may be right for the person–and that’s for each to explore and decide for themselves. 😉

(Source Photo: here with attribution to John Garghan)

STEM Lost And Found








America Desperately Needs More STEM Students” (Forbes 2012)









(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Millennial Workplace

Keep Mouth Shut

So a colleague from a law enforcement agency told a funny story the other day.

When he was an agent-in-training he said they told them, “Keep your eyes open and your mouths shut.”

Basically, you are new–so watch and learn before you do something stupid and potentially get yourselves or someone else in trouble. 

But now as someone who been there for decades and is a supervisor, he was interviewing someone right out of school, and in the interview the kid says, “I want to be in charge!”

The difference from Generation X and the new Millennials couldn’t have been starker. 

But what did this guy do, he didn’t show the candidate to the door by his earlobes, but rather he ended up hiring him. 

Times have changed–not only with all the technology we use–but also in terms of people’s expectations from the job.

What do people want these days–aside from good compensation and comprehensive benefits?

Engagement through challenging and meaningful work that has tangible outcomes from day one

Innovating and creating versus pushing paper and doing routine, repetitive work

– Using current and cutting-edge technology

Opportunities to stay and advance or building the resume to “move out to move up”

– Lots of feedback, teamwork, sharing, and transparency

– Considerable work-life balance 

The bottom line is don’t be surprised by the kid who wants to be in charge from the get-go, instead relish their gusto and unleash their talent in your organization–with guidance, they can do amazing things. 

It’s not your fathers workplace anymore. 😉

(Source Photo: here with attribution to g Tarded)