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OPINION THURSDAY, AUGUST 9 - 16, 2018 • Page 5 Is workplace longevity a thing of the past? About once a year, we go through the process of replacing a staff member and reviewing the hundreds of resumes that are often received in response to job openings. Each time I go through this process, and scan the resumes, it seems painfully obvious that applicants are staying in positions for shorter periods of time. The position that we most frequently have a need to fill is a general assignment reporter. Based on experience, I know a young reporter is not likely to stay with our company for longer than two years. I also expect younger employees to complain more, have more unexcused absences, spend too much time with their personal devices and in general to be more problematic than mature employees. In the early years of my career, longevity was considered to be extremely valuable as it demonstrated one’s ability to stick to a commitment as well as one's ability to work well with others. We regularly receive resumes from John Hewitt johnh@dekalbchamp.com individuals who by all accounts are qualified for the job and can meet the professional requirements of the position being applied for. However, many applicants show multiple periods of experience that are less than one year with the same company. In some cases, applicants will have had three to four jobs in one year. According to AccessPerks.com, almost 25 percent of millennials have worked for five different employers and 25 percent of Millennials believe that staying at a job for seven months indicates they’re loyal. I realize that occasionally, and particularly with those who may be fresh out of college, jobs are accepted and then either the employee or employer is unhappy, and the job is simply not a good fit for either party. However, when multiple jobs in a short period of time appear on a resume, it causes those in positions to hire new employees to question the applicant’s ability to commit. A younger colleague, who has multiple short-term jobs on his resume, reminded me that the younger generation isn’t as likely as those of us from the baby boomer era to stay in a position if they are unhappy about any aspect of the job. However, what I refer to as job hopping speaks volumes about the applicant to me, particularly if the positions were held in geographically differing locations. For someone to relocate to a different city or town and only months later be looking for something else in a different area sends the message that perhaps adequate research was not done in advance of accepting the position or that the applicant simply has a difficult time committing themselves to make the best of a situation. Based on my own professional experience, I always gave my best and if I felt unhappy or unmotivated, I would discuss the situation with management and ask for advice or make suggestions as to how to make the situation better for all involved. Quitting was not an option. I recall being told early in my career that any period of employment less than five years did not look good to potential employers. In my post-college life, I’ve worked for five different companies. The least amount of time in one place was two years and I recall being concerned that could permanently harm my ability to find gainful employment. I’ve been in my current position for 18 years. My career average for staying in one place is nine years; I’m rather proud of that. It’s a good thing that I’ll be retiring soon. Finding good help is becoming more and more difficult. Not so random acts of kindness ‘One Man's Opinion 9 Bill Crane bill.csicrane@gmail.com “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see,” Mark Twain (Samuel Clemmons, 1835 -1910), author, humorist and observer of the human condition. Having a child with special needs certainly helped greatly to reshape my world view, but even prior to that, I had long admired people who regularly went out of their way to be kind and helpful to others, with those many little things that make the difference between having a good day and a bad one. Nearly two decades ago, I sat in a hotel room in New York City, watching radio icon Don Imus interview my then client AFFAC Chairman and CEO Dan Amos before we headed out on a financial markets/quarterly earning media tour. Amos was making a significant donation to an annual radio telethon that Imus anchored, to benefit his ranch summer camps for medically fragile children. Imus and his wife Deidre hosted thousands of pre-teens and teens over nearly three decades, with a wild-west experience, including on-site medical cuse and all that a kids’ summer camp might offer. This gave me the seed of a great idea. Amos had recently made another $5 million gift to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) to expand and enhance the research and treatment capabilities of what is now known as the AFFAC Cancer and Blood Disorder Services Center, at all three main CHOA campuses across metro Atlanta. Amos was seeking a way to broaden awareness of CHOA’s good works, as well as impact the cure rates for various deadly pediatric cancers. In our family, first cousin Shaye Sauers had been battling brain cancer for years, and is now among the longest term survivors of those halls at CHOA. Shaye is now a young married woman, living in Decatur, and volunteering multiple days a week at the front desk of the Egleston Hospital campus of CHOA. My on-air commentary for WSB- Radio in Atlanta would not begin for another six years, but I already had a strong friendship with Scott Slade, host of Atlanta’s Morning News. Slade, along with on-air personalities Neal Boortz and consumer guru Clark Howard had been tasked with selecting a cause for the 750,000-watt radio blow torch to get behind. Boortz, a longtime volunteer pilot for Angel Flight, was championing that worthy charity Howard, an avid advocate for foster children and Habitat for Humanity, was suggesting building a series of playgrounds in green spaces near economically challenged communities. To fertilize that idea seed, I had taken Slade to the CHOA Egleston campus to meet with cancer patients, their families and the caring hospital medical staff. Slade was sold. Boortz and Howard are no pushovers, and each had his favorite. But Slade kept repeating, “Those are both great causes...but they don’t beat kids with cancer.” The decision was soon made, and WSB Radio would adopt the AFFAC Cancer Centers as their number one charity, and annually since donates 36 hours of airtime to this cause. Thankfully, WSB’s legion of loyal listeners—reaching as far north as Boston during overnight hours—as well hundreds of local and regional business enterprises and later celebrities from the sports, entertainment and political arenas all joined the effort. President George W. Bush made a pre-telethon visit to one of the cancer centers, and later a pitch during the first Care-a-thon. Bush had lost his sister Robin to pediatric cancer at the age of 4. The 2018 Care-a-thon held in late July, raised $1.63 million, with more coming in online and north Georgia Kroger locations offering customers the option to round-up to the nearest dollar during the final weekend, all benefiting the Care-a-thon. From Amos’ initial millions, to those pennies from Kroger, the Care-a-thon total will likely exceed $1.7 million this year, and well over $20 million to date. A wing at the Scottish Rite CHOA campus is dedicated to WSB Radio listeners who helped to make its construction possible. From an idea seed to a village of giving, this event grows more each year. Thanks to the many of you who have given, or who have shared this story with others. If or when you and yours have needs of this nature, CHOA and the AFFAC Cancer Centers will be ready. Praying that you never have the need, but knowing that if such tragedy strikes, you could not be in better hands nearby—surrounded by love, knowledge and thousands of others who have been down this same road ahead of you. Bill Crane also serves as a political analyst and commentator for Channel 2 s Action News, WSB-AM News/ Talk 750 and now 95.5 FM, as well as a columnist for The Champion, DeKalb Free Press and Georgia Trend. Crane is a DeKalb native and business owner, living in Scottdale. You can reach him or comment on a column at bill.csicrane@gmail. com.