When I was very young, I was always fascinated by a small box that my father kept on his dresser.
There were numerous odd coins in curious shapes and sizes with names and languages that I could not understand. There were also two or three medals on ribbons, solemn and beautiful, testifying to something mysterious. And then there was this odd little mechanism made of once shiny brass with levers and rods poking out of a little cylinder.
I was fascinated.
Slowly the story of these objects impinged on my understanding as my father told me stories about his days as a GI and engineer in Europe during World War II. He had been wounded in numerous places and still bore the scars, so the purple ribbon and the little ivory colored bust turned out to be a Purple Heart, a symbol thanking him for his sacrifice. The larger medal was a Distinguished Service Cross awarded to him and the men of his unit for building bridges across rivers ahead of the troops and under fire.
The odd cylinder was the trigger mechanism for a land mine such as had blown up under his jeep, riddling him with shrapnel and leaving him in the hospital for some time.
At the Barrett Group our specialty is helping executives to transition from one career or industry or role or geography to another. Our Clarity Program© provides the keys to understanding each client’s unique circumstances and then clarifying their career objectives holistically before beginning the search. This applies equally to veterans and returning service personnel for whom we have created a special path: www.careerchange4veterans.com.
And we have helped numerous military transitions, for example:
Or perhaps…
This Veteran’s Day take a moment to honor the women and men in uniform who have given so much so that we may have the freedom we enjoy and say a heartfelt thank you.
Veterans, we salute you.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
Dear friends,
We hope this finds you well, as are we. The Barrett Group has been active in the
career management market for 30 years and has weathered all manner of crises,
including 2008.
Yes, the US and the world are in the grip of a health crisis. Once governments recognize what needs to be done and commit publicly to doing it, people will adjust. Fortunately, with the measures rapidly being adopted in the US and Europe this is finally starting to happen, though it will certainly get worse before it gets better.
There is hope that “shelter in place” and similar measures being adopted elsewhere can slow the rate of spread and allow health services to expand their capacity and source the equipment and supplies they will need as the crisis peaks.
Medically, most people even if they become infected are not at risk of anything worse than a severe flu, if that, but please take all necessary precautions. Extensive testing for example in Iceland shows that many who are infected never become symptomatic… though they may still be infectious for a period of time.
The cruise ship, airline, amusement park, and concert businesses are already suffering. Consumer goods companies, particularly makers of hand sanitizer, face masks, toilet paper and the like are thriving. The health care industries once they adjust will probably do well, too.
On-line shopping is booming as you can see from Amazon’s stock development. Microsoft and others have leapt into the remote-learning market as schools have closed.
Government stimulus and support is also making its way through the regulatory process and green shoots are showing on the world’s stock markets. Many other industries will not be significantly impacted in the medium term.
At the Barrett Group we are modestly ahead of the curve as far as virtual working is concerned, and it seems that the world is moving our way. This may be the most significant impact of all in the long term as more and more companies recognize that there are in fact significant advantages to telecommuting.
Already, most initial employment interviews are conducted by telephone and videoconference.
By the way, we can help you set up a complimentary videoconference account of your own, if you wish, to help you capitalize on this trend.
Most of our clients land through the unpublished market anyway and we know how to help you make the connections required to be successful there.
Fear can be paralyzing.
But you need not be a victim.
Take advantage of this crisis to take stock of your situation. Perhaps it is time for you to take action. If so, please consult us. Thirty years of guiding executives toward a better work / life / compensation balance has made us the experts. We can help.
In the meantime, please do everything you can to stay healthy and
protect the health of those around you.
Sincerely,
Peter Irish
CEO
