John Hadley Associates

What Would You Do? A Questionable Actuarial Recruiter

I recently presented a case study in The Stepping Stone, the Society of Actuaries' leadership & personal development journal, where an leader encountered a who acted in what he considered an fashion. In this month's issue, I presented a compilation of reader responses, ranging from "talk to him" to "never work with him again." I also presented what that leader actually did.

You can read the compilation and wrap-up here, and I welcome your feedback on it as well:

What Would You Do? Responses to “A Questionable Actuarial Recruiter” A compilation of reader responses is presented to a real life situation. This issue’s case study involved an actuary trying to add to staff, who encounters questionable behavior by a prominent actuarial recruiter. What the actuary actually did is shared after the compiled responses.

Are You A Career Search Role Model?

In "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," presents a simple, but powerful message:

"Don't work for money, make money work for you."

I think back to the messages I received early in life about money. The message was largely around being responsible, saving money regularly, and never risking money foolishly. And "To get a good job, get a good education," where 'good' job meant stability, growth potential, steady earnings. Not bad advice, but it seemed to be missing some of the depth of Kiyosaki's simple message.

How often do we hear young people selecting their career focus because "IBankers make a ton of money" or "Get that Law Degree and you're set for life." This is a recipe for disaster!

I often meet these people 5, 10 or 15 years later, finding them burnt out, hating what they do, and feeling trapped because they "can't afford" to make a move! This is the classic "work for money" scenario.

What legacy are we leaving our children when we encourage them to "work for money"? Or when we hold back on pursuing a career for ourselves that we can be truly passionate about? Even when we say all the right things, they learn so much more from the model we set for them by what we do every day.

https://jhacareers.com/role-model/

Role Model - John Hadley Associates, LLC A career search can be a scary, frustrating process if you let it be. Or you can look at it as the next step in a great career.

Handling Workplace Conflict

How you handle workplace conflicts can make or break your work environment. Conflict doesn’t have to be negative. In fact, when approached thoughtfully, it can be a powerful tool for growth and collaboration.

Thanks to Harsh Mota for this article from our January issue of the leadership and personal development journal The Stepping Stone, that provides strategies and tools to manage workplace conflict effectively, putting you in control of creating a more harmonious work setting.

https://www.soa.org/sections/leadership-development/leadership-development-newsletter/2025/january/ss-2025-01-mota/

Conflict Management: A Key Skill for Growth Workplace conflict is inevitable in diverse environments with differing perspectives, goals, and work styles. If mishandled, it can lead to costly disruptions—$359 billion annually in the U.S. However, when addressed thoughtfully, conflict can drive growth and collaboration.