Career Changers TV co-producer, Rob "Aukai" Reynolds, and I were at Job Quest on Weds. to shoot "Help Wanted" segments for our February show, and came away with some scoops for job seekers. While the local news media has been focused on the Disney Aulani Resort, did you know there are many other employment opportunities at Ko Olina Resort & Marina?

In fact, they created a centralized location where you can go to find out about job openings at the Ko Olina Beach Villas, golf club, marina, operations, two wedding companies, Roy's Ko Olina, Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Clujb, the Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, and Aulani as well. Radasha Ho'ohuli, Ko Olina Workforce Developer Manager, also told us they will be having their own job fair on Sat., Feb. 19. To find out more, call Radasha at 671-2512. There is a www.KoOlina.com website, but they haven't posted any info about the job fair yet. Here's the "Careers" page link, which is at the bottom of the home page in tiny type.

We also have some other leads we'll be sharing in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

*******

Although I don't appear on camera when we shoot job fair segments, I still dress as if I was going on an interview. Besides, I knew Disney Aulani execs were going to be there, so I wanted to make a favorable impression since we hope to do future pieces on the new resort as it gets closer to opening in August. Anyhow, after I parked my car and began walking toward the Blaisdell Arena, a local lady called out to me: "Your pants, sir!"

Huh? I know I can be scatter-brained and forget things when I'm rushing around in the morning before a shoot, but I was fairly certain I had remembered to put on my pants. My next thought was there might be some unsightly stain on my pants that I hadn't noticed when I left the house. But the lady pointed down at my shoes, and I saw that the bottom of my pant leg was semi-tucked into my right sock. "You no can go to job interview dressed li' dat," she chuckled. She probably was used to giving her kids the once-over every morning before they headed off to school. I thanked her for alerting me to my fashion faux pas, and fixed my pants.

So, do any of you have an amusing or embarrassing job interview mishap you'd like to share? I'll keep the comments open, but it may take a few minutes to appear since I have to manually approve them while deleting spam-bot replies. Have a great weekend, and don't forget to check out our latest Career Changers TV show on OC16! Click here for our daily viewing schedule, or visit our CCTV YouTube Channel.

Although I was being somewhat facetious in my Jobs of Tomorrow post in which I suggested tattoo removal as a future franchise concept, today's Fark.com thread on awesomely bad tatts shows why it might not be such a silly idea. You'll find that link at the bottom.

At yesterday's WorkForce job fair, I saw plenty of unemployed people with tattoos on arms, legs, faces, and backs. Many looked like they were going to a cook-out at Ala Moana Park, or on their way to a pick-up game of hoops. Some guys wore ties and long-sleeved white shirts, which kind of confused me -- were they Mormons on a mission, or just over-dressed?

It makes sense to wear a sharp suit if you're applying for a sales job in the men's department at Macy's or Nordstrom -- two new participants I hadn't seen at prior job fairs. Otherwise, I'd say leave the tie and suit at home. Business-type aloha shirts and pressed slacks is the norm, so go with the flow, fellas.

What bugged me the most was overhearing how locals were talking to each other. Lots of casual profanity with every other word being "f---ing" this or that. Young guys were the worst offenders in that category. I seriously wonder if they would be capable of conducting a normal conversation if the "f" word was removed from their vocabulary.

It's also apparent that many of these unemployed people don't read newspapers or watch local TV news. If they did, they wouldn't be showing up unprepared and dressed for failure. Which brings up one of my big pet peeves: people (not you since you're reading my blog) who SHOULD be looking for every bit of free advice they can get are not taking advantage of what is available to anyone who wants it. Plain and simple, they aren't doing their homework.

The cost of a newspaper subscription is cheap compared to all the useful info you can find related to job searches and career advice. In the Sunday Advertiser classifieds, Beth Busch -- the WorkForce executive director -- has written some really useful columns for job seekers. I feel our CareerChangers.tv website also offers plenty of valuable tips and links to resources. Yet we aren't getting as many visitors as you would expect with so many local people out of work. What the heck are these unemployed folks doing with their free time?

On a positive note, there were more employers looking to hire -- Beth said they had 135 participants, which is about a 20 percent increase over last year's job fairs. There were also about 10 percent fewer job hunters attending, so it appears more people are finding work.

The problem though is most of the jobs are of the low-paying variety. I mean, it's great to see hotels and the hospitality industry were seeking workers, and entry level is better than no jobs at all. But for older, more experienced professionals, it's still tough going. They'll have to either upgrade their skills or get advanced degrees if they want to continue working in certain career fields.

We did manage to find some job seekers who were brave enough to go on camera and pitch themselves. Other people we approached didn't have a clue on how to sell themselves to a prospective employer. If you can't say out loud why someone should hire you, why should anyone hire you? Next job fair we plan on bringing in a professional business consultant to coach candidates in that area.

Here's the link to a Fark.com thread on bad tattoos. Warning: some of the photos are mildly NSFW or kind of gross... such as the belly button-centered tatts. Ewww! (My original post on Tattoo Removal Parlors idea.)

And if you know anyone who is looking for work, please tell them to check out our show on OC16! They can get details and times at our CCTV website. Mahalo.

At prior job fairs, we've taped employers for video job listings on the Career Changers TV show and posted them on our website for those who couldn't attend in person. On Weds., we're going to give job hunters a chance to pitch themselves on TV and our YouTube Channel. Why not give it a shot?

If you plan on going to the WorkForce job fair, May 19, we'll be there shooting between 9 am and 11 am at the Blaisdell Center. According to Beth Busch of Success Advertising Hawaii, the event organizers, there will be over 130 companies and recruiters -- which is a significant increase over last year. So perhaps things are starting to pick up for Hawaii's economy.

We'll be looking for candidates who can succinctly pitch themselves to prospective employers in 30 seconds or less. Tell them why they should hire you, or at least contact you for an interview through CCTV. Since our viewers include small business owners and people in management positions, you never know who'll be watching!

Just look for a short, balding hapa-haole guy (me) and producer Ron Darby, the taller haole guy in glasses with the high definition camera on his shoulder. You can also try calling me on my cell phone Weds. morning at 228-6521, but my phone might be off if we're taping.

We'll also follow-up on some of the job seekers we film to see how things turn out. For tips on how to make the most of career fairs, visit our website and check out some of these YouTube videos:

Beth Busch's Job Fair Preview

Judy Bishop's Resume Tips and Interview Pointers

Good luck to any of you who will be there!

During a brainstorming session with my CCTV show co-producer, Ron Darby, we kicked around ideas for jobs that will be in future demand. My first thought: tattoo removal specialists. Sure, they seem like a cool idea when you're 17-years-old, drunk, or going through a mid-life identity crisis. But when you start seeing 40-something housewives with tramp stamps and pot-bellied old guys sporting Polynesian "warrior" motifs, I think it's safe to say the trend is played out.

Like it or not, in the business world tattoos are still frowned upon by some. Of course, it depends on how noticeable the tatts are and the design itself. For instance, there was a former UH basketball player who had a woman with splayed legs inked on his arm, giving birth to a basketball. In his eyes, it was a display of his love for the game. In most everyone else's eyes, it was tacky and tasteless. So he had to put a wrap around it when he played before crowds.

In a segment we just taped to promote the WorkForce career fair on May 19, event organizer Beth Busch advises job candidates to cover up larger tattoos if the position they're applying for involves interaction with customers. Personally, if a person does their job well, I couldn't care less if they look like the Illustrated Man or have piercings in their noses, ears, and private areas. Yet if I was a business owner, it would give me pause for concern before hiring them.

What does the tattoo say about the person who gets one? I'm unique? Um, no... you're actually a follower -- nearly one out of three people have tattoos now... I like art? Most tatts I see don't qualify... I like to look at myself in the mirror a lot? Yes, you do. Which makes me wonder how self-centered that individual is... I have money to burn? If you are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on tattoos, I have to question your priorities. Especially if you're a parent with kids.

Also, I keep hearing tattoos are safe, but call me crazy -- paying someone to put CHEMICAL dyes in your skin voluntarily just doesn't seem like a smart thing to do!

My suggestion for a budding entrepreneur or skin doctor would be to think of the franchise potential in opening tattoo removal centers across the country. It's like smoking -- remember when that was hip and cool? Now companies and individuals are making money by offering stop-smoking programs and nicotine-replacement products.

Anyhow, I'd like to hear from people with tattoos. Why did you get them and how much did they cost? Do you have any regrets, or are you still happy with your decision?

Here's the link to an article I read last week that prompted this blog post.

And if you have ideas for real of imaginary jobs of the future, please share them in the comments section!

Don't forget to watch or DVR our Career Changers TV show on OC16. BTW, we're looking for small biz success stories -- and we offer super-cheap ad rates for local businesses.

Networking and giving back are two recurring themes I've come across while interviewing successful business people for the Career Changers TV show. Theresa Tilley is combining both for a clothing drive she's organizing in conjunction with the Meeting Professionals International Aloha Chapter luncheon on Weds., March 24 (details at end of post). Their special guest speaker will be talking about Cultural and Business Etiquette, which sounds like an interesting topic in itself.

Even if you're not planning on attending the event, you can help a good cause by dropping off slightly-worn men's or women's business attire at the Outrigger Reef Hotel Diamond Head Terrace, where the luncheon will be held from 11 AM to 1 PM. The clothing donations will go to the YWCA's Dress for Success program and the Institute for Human Services.

In addition, Theresa is hoping to stage a Dress for Success fashion show, with the modeled clothes being donated to the drive. The Wedding Cafe at Ward Centers has already stepped up to the plate, but she would love to have more boutiques and retail stores help out. For many women in need, having the right outfit can make a big difference in getting hired and improving their self-esteem.

Besides her involvement with the Meeting Professionals group, Theresa's name and face may be familiar to you from TV commercials and ads she's appeared in. She also did a great job filling in for our regular CCTV host, Deb McGuire, on this month's show while Deb was off island. In fact, she did so well we're looking to do our own Dress for Success features on CCTV, so if you know of any shops or stores that cater to professional men and women, drop me an email!

Today's relevant links:

Details on the MPI Cultural and Business Etiquette luncheon.

More info on the Meeting Professionals International Aloha Chapter.

Link to The Wedding Cafe website.

See Theresa Tilley in our segment about Chaminade's interior design program.

And here's our viewing schedule for the rest of the Career Changers TV episode!