What You Can Learn From Tony Hayward's Job Loss At BP

Let me start this article by stating that I am not defending BP or any of its actions, merely creating a conversation around a job loss and things you can do to avoid the same position.

Today news broke that BP CEO Tony Hayward will leave his position atop the oil giant in October after posting a 32 billion dollar loss. That's probably more responsibility than you will face in your job search here in Tampa, even as an executive.

Here are some lessons to learn from this situation:

You have to accept responsibility for your team. While Tony didn't physically build the pipes, he was ultimately in charge of the plan that was put into place. In your own career, you need to ensure that you stand up for your actions and the actions of your team members. Gaining trust from your peers and colleagues is vital to an optimal performance.

Understand consequences. If you are going to undercut, over value or turn your shoulder to a situation, you need to understand what the repercussions may be. Then you must accept them if things don't go according to plan.

When your face is public, make sure to answer concerns about your character. This also happened in the Tiger Woods scandal. The world is very face and very public. We demand answers. Whether it is right or wrong you need to defend your character, giving the public the truth , as there is always someone out there smarter who wants to uncover the truth.

Provide value. This one seems simple, but you must always strive to give back to your community, your coworkers and your customers. Make them all feel a part of your family. This will help you in times of hardship.

What other lessons can we learn from the dismissal of Mr. Hayward at BP? Leave your comments below or send us a message on Twitter.

What Do Top HR Bloggers Think You Should Be Doing To Land A New Job?

Today we got wind of a great new free eBook from our friends over at Brazen Careerist called "What Do You Know About Getting A Job." Over the past couple of months, Rich DeMatteo has compiled quotes, stats and trends from the top HR Bloggers on the web.

What this means for you is information directly from the people who are looking for people like you to bring into their organization. One way to think of it is a group of HR influencers giving you tips that you would traditionally find through a mentor.

Some of the topics covered in the eBook are:

• Marketing Yourself Based on the Value You Will Bring
• How to Build Relationships that Matter
• Why a Job is NOT What Ultimately Will Make You Happy
• And more.

So today, after you submit your resume to a few new job openings here in Tampa, go and download and read this quick little book. It might open your mind to some new ideas and motivations to get you into not only the job, but the career you envision for yourself.

Tampa Sees Wages Increase For Jobs in Tri-County Area

There is a slight breeze coming into the heat of the summer here in Tampa. A recent data analysis from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) has announced that those with employment and jobs in the Tampa Bay area have seen an increase in their wages, despite the economy.

The tri-county area has one of the largest increases in the country as far as wage increases goes. This may be a sign to the region that commerce and tourism are increasing.

Here are the stats from the BLS:

• Pinellas: Average wage: $852. Increase: 5.7 percent. Rank among 334 counties: 21.
• Hillsborough: Average wage: $927. Increase: 5.8 percent. Rank among 334 counties: 17.
• Pasco: Average wage: $680. Increase: 1.8 percent. Rank among 334 counties: 241.

As you are looking for a new job in Tampa this summer, look for companies that are increasing their wages and taking care of their employees. We all want stability and a place that we feel welcomed and appreciated. Now there may be some incentive in the wallet sector for great employees.

This month at the Tampa Employment Guide, we have jobs from some great companies that think of their employees as team members and look to people like you for the success of their business. Search for these companies now on Tampa's Job Board!

What do you think of the wage increases in your area? Sound off in the comments below.

-Greg