Certifications, Side Hustles & Transitioning Jobs | Interview with Charles Mak | SAFETY DOC PODCAST #76

By David P. Perrodin | August 7, 2018 |

PODCAST-Dr. Perrodin interviews Charles Mak – Information Technology Field Support Analyst with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The duo discuss the remarkably strong safety culture at Mr. Mak’s former employer as well as work safety, economic safety obtained with certifications and side hustles, and how to transition to a new employer without violating the non-disclosure parameters of taking company information out the door with you.

DIRECT LINK to MP3 of this Episode: https://tinyurl.com/SDP76

SAFETY CULTURE AT WORK

Charles describes the monthly safety meetings embedded in the practices of his former employer, US Steel. Meetings included a review of safety statistics throughout the large-scale industrial company, discussion of any safety incidents as in what happened, what was the response and then how practices have changed to promote a safer work environment. Dr. Perrodin noted that he rarely sees safety addressed to this depth in the school setting.

ECONOMIC SELF SAFETY – GET A SIDE HUSTLE!

In addition to working as IT professional, Charles has seeded several “side hustles” which have afforded him income streams to both supplement, and at times, supplant, his primary income. For example, he developed a successful e-commerce sports memorabilia site on EBAY. He added that cultivating multiple income streams was just something inherent to the philosophy and practices of his family members. David shares some of his own “side hustles” and the under-valued recognition of such endeavors as contributing to one’s personal economic resiliency and becoming more and more marketable to employers. Charles adds that he obtained additional certifications in IT to bolster his resume (and that the trainings for these certifications were paid by his employer).

LOW PROFILE

Both Charles and David dis-engaged from Facebook about 5 years. Charles shares the importance of maintaining a low, and appropriate, social media profile as employers are frequently monitoring the online presence of their employees and observing for any behavior that reflects poorly upon the company.

TRANSITIONING TO A NEW JOB – WHAT WE OVERLOOK

Charles recently made the transition to a new employer. As part of that transition, he needed to be aware of the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) he had with his employer. David noted that NDAs are relevant to school staff, but he perceives that many of these folks don’t grasp the depth of the NDA and walk out the door with files that are the property of the school district. Although rarely malicious, such behavior can lead to legal action by the previous employer.

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Dr. Perrodin’s “Safety Doc Podcast” negotiates school and community safety. To be informed about industrial safety, please contact Appalachian State University Professor Dr. Timothy Ludwig, PhD, at www.safety-doc.com

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