President’s Corner

Andrew Mertz, IAA President

I saw an interesting tidbit written by Adam Grant on LinkedIn. Mr. Grant is an organizational psychologist at the Wharton School of Business of which I follow from time to time.

He states that asking kids “What do you want to do when you grow up?” is sending them the wrong message about work itself. In essence, what he is saying is your job does not have to be your entire identity or define you as a person.

As spring is here, for most of us, work is ramping up and Mr. Grant’s argument may be sage wisdom for the existing arboricultural work force as well. Work-life balance is still all the rage albeit a tiresome cliché. But that doesn’t mean its wrong either.

When most of us are asked what we are, we answer that with question with our occupation. I.e., I am an arborist. That may be our entire and complete identity to casual acquaintances and work affiliations. Some of us were “born into” this profession, others deliberately choose this profession, and others found their way here a different way. Regardless of how you got here, arboriculture in any form, commercial, utility or other can be an a demanding and consuming occupation. You will eventually feel like there are not enough hours in the day to do everything, including balancing personal life along with it.

So, as we head into the busier season, don’t forget to set aside time for the other important things that make you, well you. A spouse, parent, fishing enthusiast, golfer, BBQ enthusiast, reader, etc., make time for what is really important. The work will be waiting for you anyway. Also please remember to set aside enough downtime to get the rest you need. Time management is a constant struggle and an important quality for sanity and satisfaction for family and career.

This advice may be hard to take seriously this time of year. But if you make time for yourself and the other important things you cherish, you may be surprised to see yourself become a better boss, employee, and arborist.

With that, I am heading outside to play fetch with the dog and check the wildflowers before I sit back down and work on a report.

A good job can mean many things to those in the workforce. Typically, it means earning good pay and benefits, and opportunities for advancement. On the other hand, there is no straight-forward answer on how to land that good job. The job journey isn’t the same for everyone which means mapping the journey is a unique and often exciting experience. The good news for many professional arborists is that it doesn’t require a college degree to land a good-paying job. This is where professional certifications can be a profitable and boost that job journey for those who don’t have that college education, according to a recent Gallup report. Certifications appear to be advantageous specifically for workers with a high school diploma and no postsecondary education.

Being certified in a profession leads to greater employment and more confidence in career prospects. This is exactly what the International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist can create for our industry. Additionally, qualifications such as the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification led to better opportunities as well. The Tree Care Industry Association offers the CTSP(Certified Tree Safety Professional) credential within their organization and is nationally recognized. Credentials are proven to create higher job satisfaction rates, including career advancement opportunities. Fifty-two percent of those with certifications say they’re satisfied with such opportunities compared to 37 percent of those without certification. Additionally, 36 percent with certifications say it’s likely they’ll be promoted in their job versus 24 percent without.

The opportunity of employers providing certification options to their staff are much more sought after by job seekers. Workers with certifications are more likely to see their job as a career, 54 percent, than those without certification, 37 percent. In addition, those with certifications are more likely to be satisfied with certain job characteristics like, enjoyment of day-to-day work, having a sense of purpose, and the ability to change things about the job when dissatisfied. The report says those findings suggest increasing the use of certifications in many service industries provide workers with more opportunities to work their way up from entry-level jobs to positions offering a track to advancement. “Certifications are more and more important to employers,” add many HR professionals. “You see them listed more frequently and employers are demanding them, asking for them, hiring for them”.

There are few things that demonstrate professionalism more than advancing yourself, personally and jobwise. If you have those credentials, promote them, apply them, and keep them! If you don’t… what are you waiting for? Contact me for more information and how to get certified or qualified. Be safe, stay well.

Helping Arborists