Food for Thought

by admin - 2008-10-06 ( culture / quotes / employment ) [html version]

"The corporation is a true Frankenstein's monster, an artificial person run amok, responsible only to its own soulless self." -- William Dugger

For more, go to dreamslaughter: Food For Thought.

Laid Off

by bill - 2009-10-02 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

It's been almost three weeks now, and I'm finally able to talk/blog about my layoff. After the merger and corporate restructuring at work, it was finally my turn to have my "position eliminated." I instinctively felt it coming. In fact, I couldn't sleep the night before, worrying about it. No one had said anything to me, it was just a feeling, a feeling that turned out to be accurate. Still, it was a shock when it actually happened.

That job had run its course, anyway. I hope to look back on this as the best thing that could have happened to me. My IT director blamed his new Belgian bosses for the layoff. He said my performance was excellent and he would give me a good reference. Hollow words, but better than nothing. I told him a few days later via email that they'd made a mistake. They really needed someone like me with my wide range of IT experience/skills, especially now with all the transitioning going on. He agreed, but his hands were tied. I guess I believe him. :) At least they gave me a severance package. Not exactly a "golden parachute," but better than a "golden shower" or a kick in the ass on my way out the door. :)

The main thing that bothered me was how they kept insisting that all of our jobs were safe. We all instinctively knew that wasn't true, of course, but they didn't have to give us false hope, either. Hell, factory workers often know months in advance that they're losing their jobs, why not office workers?

I'm busily getting my consulting business back up to speed while I search for a new job, hence the signature line on this. If you hear of any good online money-making ideas or good job sites other than careerbuilder, monster and dice, which I'm aware of, let me know.

ComputerHelp!

computersavior.com ornashvillecomputerhelp.com

Happy Groundhog's Day

by bill - 2010-02-07 ( culture / holidays / employment ) [html version]

It's been almost five months now since I was laid off. It doesn't seem that long, actually. What've I been doing since then? Collecting unemployment checks and doing freelance consulting, helping people with their computer problems and questions. Check out computersavior.com

for info on the latter. I'm also trying to make money through ads on that and lazypugcafe.com and others I can't think of right now. Pretty soon, I'll make another attempt to sort, photograph and price all of my old unused computer parts, and sell them online. That's a huge job. There just aren't enough hours in the day, and I'm not someone who can function on 4-5 hours sleep. Actually, I don't think anyone can function on so little sleep. They just think they can.

I've also been going on interviews. I like the wording of that: going on interviews, not going to interviews. Like it's a ride, which it is, of course. Anyway, the most recent, expensive and aggravating interview was last Thursday in Chattanooga at Blue Cross Blue Shield. Yes, an evil health insurance company, with a brand new "green-certified" five-building facility. How nice for them, putting their ill-gotten gains into a new facility instead of simply providing better pay for their employees and better services for their customers. Anyway, I drove all the way down there, only to be told I didn't have enough experience with large-scale software deployments, specifically any well-known deployment tool. I could hardly believe it when, after just a few minutes, they were already wrapping up the interview. Assholes. With the questions they asked, the entire interview could have EASILY been done over the phone. But no, I had to drive 250 miles round-trip. When I got home, I emailed the headhunter who got me the interview and told her what a waste of time and money it had all been. I think I pssed her off. Oh well. Headhunters are a dime a dozen.

A couple weeks before that, after a second interview with a company in town, I was informed by email a few days later that I had not been chosen. At a loss for why they didn't pick me -- I'm always at a loss when someone doesn't choose me, that's how confident I am of my abilities :) -- I asked the HR guy through email, "Can I ask whyI wasn't chosen? Knowing me, was it literally something I said?" He said the hiring-managers told him they wished there were two positions to fill, they liked me so much, but the person they hired "had slightly better technical skills." I find it hard to believe anyone has better technical skills

:)

but oh well. In December, I had an interview with yet another healthcare company. They're apparently the only companies hiring right now, around here, anyway. Judging by the repeated questions in the interview -- there were three people playing tag-team on me -- about how I would handle "difficult customers," it was fairly obvious that company was full of screaming prima donnas. I hate screaming prima donnas. Even so, I thought I performed well. If I remember right, my final comment to them was something like, "If there's one thing I've learned, what matters most on any job are the people you work with." I was not surprised or disappointed when I never heard from them again.

But enough about me. Last night was Elizabeth's weekly night of gymnastics. It was her fifth class, I think. At her age, 5 in April, of course they're just doing very basic stuff. Normally, we couldn't afford such a class, but she's getting it free in return for my helping the gym with their computers. Anyway, she loves it. She's a very active child. :) And now she's on my lap and wanting her usual morning concierge services.

Gender Unknown

by bill - 2010-02-19 ( life / money / employment / people ) [html version]

First time I've ever seen this. Filling out an online job application, the EEOC stuff at the bottom gave me a choice of:

• Male
• Female
• Gender Unknown
• Decline to Answer

I can understand "sexually confused," but "gender unknown?" Really?

In the Waiting Room

by bill - 2010-03-29 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I went to a pre-employment drug screening this morning. Last week, I had interviewed for an IT instructor position. Had to give a mock class, and everything. I chose the subject of "securing your home wireless network." It was fun. Anyway, no, I haven't been hired ... yet. They require this test before even thinking about hiring me.

I walked into the testing facility and approached the reception window, not sure what the process was. I don't do this very often. There was no one to receive me, so I signed the sheet on the clipboard and sat down. The closest available seat was by an interior door into the testing area.

I soon realized why it was available. I had to move my legs every time someone went through the door. With nothing else to do while waiting, I read my drug screen "chain of custody" form, front to back. One of the guys across from me kept looking at me. I think he was, anyway. I didn't verify it. You know how you can just tell when someone is looking at you. Sometimes it turns out they're only looking in your direction, not at you specifically. I'm not sure which was the case here.

I've always wondered how that works. Your eyes are obviously not physically touching, yet they feel you looking at them, or vice versa in this case. Is it some sort of electromagnetic force? Like, there's literally a "disturbance in the force?" How can we tell? We just do. It must be an instinctive protection against predators. I can't seem to look at anyone without them instantly turning and looking back at me. I don't know if it's me or just the people around here being extra-sensitive to being looked at. Anyway, I finally did look up to meet this guy's gaze, only to have him look away. He was probably just as bored as I was. Or maybe he thought he recognized me. Hopefully as someone who doesn't owe him money.

Then a turkey walked by outside. Of course. "There's a turkey outside," I announced to the room. Several people turned to look. One guy in a cowboy hat laughed and smiled. The guy that'd been looking at me didn't budge. He probably thought it was just a trick to make him look. He'd fallen for that before and was not going to fall for it again, not here, not now. The glass exterior walls of the office allowed a view of everything from ground to ceiling outside without much obstruction other than the window frames every six feet.

In the corner of my eye I had caught movement from the right, so I looked over. At first I thought it was a vulture. Not a health insurance executive or Wall Street banker, but an actual vulture. Once in full view, I could see it was a turkey, not that I've seen a lot of them alive and up close. It was just strolling along, probably looking for the drug testing center after applying for a job, like the rest of us. We'll never know. He just kept on walking. The guy next to me was called back into the testing area, so I moved over to his seat so I didn't have to contend with that doorway.

A few minutes later, a loud overweight 30-something bleach-blonde white woman -- you know, white trash -- came through the door with her three kids. The kids were cute. She was not. She stood at the reception window reading and laughing at the sign that said something like "Parents with kids may not leave their children alone in the area or expect our staff to look after them while the parent is being tested." It probably happens all the time, and I figured this woman was just the type to try and do that. While the woman stood at the reception window, her youngest, a cute little three year old girl, came over and started talking to me. She was pointing out the princess characters on her shirt and telling me that the color of her shirt is called "pink." I smiled and said, "Yes, that's right."

That's when her mother snapped her head around and barked at the little girl, glaring at me, "I taught you not to talk to strangers!" The mother was right, of course. You never know these days. She was just so crude about it, though. I rolled my eyes and looked away before the woman accused me of coveting her daughter. The woman asked the receptionist/technician if she could take her children back into the testing area because one of her kids needed to go potty. The receptionist agreed, and the mother very loudly herded her brood through the door, saying, "Come on, let's go peeps!" I'm nearby cringing, wishing she would just shut up. I didn't need silence. This wasn't the library. She was just so obnoxious, I wanted her to shut up and go away as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, my "chair neighbor" had returned. Getting a better look at him now, I could see he was in his late teens or early twenties. The technician told him, "Here, drink this glass of water and come back when you're ready to give me a sample." The poor guy was obviously having trouble peeing. I was embarrassed for him. Then the white trash woman came out, looked at my neighbor and said, loud enough for the entire room to hear, "So, you're having trouble peeing?" I could not believe it. I looked right at her, thinking, "You are the most obnoxious woman I have ever met," though I didn't actually say anything.

The guy replied to her, "You have a problem with that?" I almost said, "Yeah, lady, mind your own business!" He was obviously embarrassed. The woman then growled something about having spent the past two and half hours with him and not wanting to spend all day. It was only then that I realized they were together. The guy, trying desperately to keep his cool, said, "I'm aware of that, Doreen." It was then my turn to go back, so I missed the rest of that little soap opera.

The technician apologized for the wait -- forty minutes -- and brought me into an office where she was entering things into a computer. For a second there I thought, "Am I going to have to pee in a cup right here somewhere?" No wonder that kid couldn't perform. That wasn't the case, though. They had an actual bathroom across the hall. You probably know the routine from here, so I'll leave out the details.

And that was how I spent my Monday morning.

Selling Insurance

by bill - 2010-04-26 ( life / money / employment / insurance ) [html version]

I got a call today about a job with American Income. They said they found my résumé on Careerbuilder. When I get emails like that, I instantly recognize them and mark them as spam and block them from sending any more. But getting a phone call is apparently more effective on me.

I agreed to an interview (because she never mentioned anything about selling anything). I figured I might just be doing some sort of generic office / customer service work, but now I think I'll just blow off that interview I'd scheduled for next week.

How Companies Should Cut Back

by bill - 2010-05-05 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"When faced with too many expenses and not enough income and you have run out of expenses to reduce, rather than firing employees, the fair and socially responsible way to cut costs is NOT to fire employees who had nothing to do with those costs getting too high. The FIRST target of cost-cutting needs to be..."

I think I originally suggested trimming executive pay. Always a good idea. But that link above was lost. Maybe this, below, will suffice:

hbr.org/2010/05/when-youve-got-to-cut-costs-now

Letter to a Former Co-Worker

by bill - 2010-05-20 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I'm glad you and Cathy are doing well. Our daughter Elizabeth is doing well, too. She spent last night with a cousin north of town so she can attend that little girl's birthday party today. Elizabeth's own birthday party was last month.

I'm "sort of" employed, working for myself doing computer consulting fixing people's computer problems, setting up new systems, etc. Amy (former co-worker) has been a great customer, actually. I enjoy consulting. I never was the "corporate" sort. I haven't been making nearly as much money as I was when working for old "gravy train" [former employer], though. I've never gone this long without a regular job. Or, at least, I've never gone this long trying and failing to find a "permanent" job.

I go on these interviews, things seem to go well, then they never call back (except for that one time when I was literally the second best candidate). Actually, half the time, it doesn't go all that well. I can tell they really want someone with XYZ software experience (which I've probably worked with, but not extensively). And, in this hiring-manager's "buyer's market" with so many IT people out of work, they know they can get that exact, perfect fit employee. That, plus I'm convinced there is rampant age discrimination out there. Everyone wants a gung-ho 20-something guy or girl who will ask "how high" when they say jump. Then I come in, nice and calm and experienced, but probably as old or older than they are, and they're just not comfortable hiring me, like they're afraid they wouldn't know how to manage me, or something. I'm just guessing.

I'm probably lucky Terry (former manager) hired me five years ago. Corporate hiring-managers around here never have liked me, generally. I'm not "corporate" and I'm not a good ol' boy. I seriously doubt Terry's boss would've have hired me on his own. Maybe I'm lucky to have gotten a good four years of steady employment when I did, but it was bad for me, in a way, because working for someone else made me a little bit lazy, too dependent on others. It dulled my ability to think on my feet.

I got complacent sitting behind that desk just answering the phone.

Also, if I had just kept on doing the freelance consulting like I was before (and now again), my business (hepya.com) would have been more firmly established by now. Then again, Tara and I probably never would have adopted Elizabeth, because of the unreliable income that goes with consulting.

Anyway... like I said, I like working for myself. I'm the best boss I've ever had. :)

I just need a steadier stream of customers. If you ever have any computer problems, I can help you remotely. [former co-worker] pretended to want to use my services several months ago, then he never called. I think he was just afraid I was a disgruntled former employee who might go on a shooting spree, and he wanted to make sure he was on my good side, so he pretended to be a prospective customer.

Well, that turned into a book, didn't it? I guess I had a lot to say (for me, anyway). We can stay in touch through Facebook, maybe. Check out my other websites sometime, in case you want to contribute an article or comment.

Beauty Bias at Work

by admin - 2010-06-15 ( life / money / employment / beauty ) [html version]

"In her provocative new book, The Beauty Bias: The Injustice of Appearance in Law and Life, Stanford law professor Deborah Rhode argues that workers deserve legal protection against appearance-based discrimination unless their looks are directly relevant to their job performance."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: the-beauty-bias-at-work-and-what-should-be-done-about-it.

And more here: search.brave.com/search?q=Beauty+bias+at+work&ia=web.

These women would definitely get hired...

Another Interview

by bill - 2010-06-17 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I went to another job interview yesterday. It was downtown Nashville in the once trendy Cummins Station building. I've had a few consulting clients there over the years. The company interviewing me shall remain nameless. Coincidentally, a few hours before the interview I received a "checking in" sort of call from a job recruiter who shall also remain nameless. She asked how things were going. "Are you still in the job market?" The usual.

I said, "Yes I am still looking. In fact I have an interview later today."

"Oh? Where?"

"[nameless] company."

"Ooh," she hissed.

"What?"

"Well, I don't want to be negative" -- God forbid a job recruiter should ever be negative -- "but, a couple of people from there have recently come to me, looking for something new." She then added a few juicy details: the CEO had recently lopped great chunks off everyone's salary without warning and had suspended everyone's health benefits, again, without warning. Scumbag. He'll probably win someone's CEO of the Year award.

Anyway, I arrived for the interview with just a few minutes to spare because of heavy traffic. I descended the stairs down into the bowels of the building, looking for their suite number. I used to take karate down there a dozen years ago, so I started wondering if these guys occupied my old dojo's space. Finding the suite, I rang the bell. It was a secure door. Can't let the riff-raff in, you know. The receptionist/office manager greeted me with a "professional," uncaring look in her eyes. She might have been very attractive, but I've always been more personality-oriented. Not that it matters since I am happily married. :)

She soon warmed up, however, once back in her comfort zone which apparently does not extend much beyond her desk. I sat across from her, staring at the walls, literally. There were a lot of paintings, photos, posters and such. She offered some "old magazines" for me to peruse. I declined and tried to imagine the space as the old dojo, if it was in fact the same space. The CEO then emerged with the job candidate, a sharply dressed young black man, who had been scheduled ahead of me. I hate when they do that: let the candidates see each other. To me, it's just crass. I mean, what are we, a bunch of illegals standing on the street corner waiting for the ranchers to let us pile into their pickup trucks? It might come to that. Maybe I shouldn't complain.

The CEO gave me a slimy smile and shook my hand. I'll never know, but that might have been the crucial moment in our short-lived acquaintance. We didn't instantly dislike each other. It was more like we instantly didn't care one way or the other about each other. Either way, not a good first impression. Of course, I might have been poisoned against him by that recruiter's phone call. Either way, the guy was most definitely slimy. He explained that I would be meeting with "so-and-so" first, but they were interviewing someone else at the moment. He didn't even pretend they were doing anything other than running all the candidates they could that day through the doors as fast as they could.

When my turn finally came, I was taken into some sort of storage room. My interviewer apologized for the room, but really? Interviewing candidates in a storage room? I was told they were hiring two people and they wanted to "move quickly." I couldn't help but ask "What happened? Did a couple of people up and leave on you?" I was hoping to get him to reveal too much, but it didn't work. He merely repeated what he'd just said, "We're just trying to fill these two positions." Strike two, Bill. Great interviewing skills you have there! :) He went on to ask me about my experience with several technologies they worked with, blah blah, but the whole "interview" only lasted about five minutes.

When he brought me back out to meet "the boss," yet another applicant -- a small, balding white man -- was just leaving. It was a lot like a casting call. I think. I've seen them on t.v. :) Anyway, the boss said something like, "Let me give you the nickel tour!" which lasted about two minutes, after which he said, "We'll let you know tomorrow what we decide." He didn't ask me any questions at all. He was just telling me how "wonderful" his business was. I guess he was simply trying to get a feel for me while letting the other guy worry about things like my qualification for the job? The receptionist validated my parking stub. I left and wandered the halls a bit, looking for where my old dojo used to be. I think this company did occupy the old dojo space, and then some, but their entryway was not the old dojo's entryway.

The next morning, the receptionist emailed me saying that, while my "skills were very impressive, the position has been fulfilled [sic] by another candidate who was a better fit," or some such b.s. That was quick. They called me on Monday, scheduled the interview for Tuesday, interviewed everyone five minutes each and, based on that, hired someone by Tuesday night? My wife and the recruiter both said that not getting the job was a blessing in disguise. Hey, at least it gave me something to write about. :)

The Job Market

by bill - 2010-06-30 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

When I applied and scheduled an interview for a job at the "financial arm" of the Methodist Church, I knew I was not a right fit for them. After all, I'm not only not Methodist, I'm not even Christian.

When the HR manager called a couple days later to cancel the interview, I had a strong suspicion her excuse was concocted.

I'm guessing the conversation behind the scenes went something like this:

"When I asked him how he would feel about working in an environment where a prayer is said before and after every meeting, and people have been known to bring a Bible with them, his answer was, 'I'm not religious, but have no problem with other people practicing their religion.'"

Her boss probably said something like, "How very big of him! But seriously, he's not a good fit here. Let's make up an excuse not to interview him."

"We have to be careful," she would have said. "There are laws against religious discrimination."

"Right, right. Tell him the position has been filled. That always works."

"I'll just tell him the truth without actually saying it. We've already got Christian applicants who are a better fit. I just won't say 'Christian' out loud."

At that point, they (probably) shared a laugh.

And that's what she told me when she called. Her premise was that there was a scheduling conflict. Only four interview slots were available. As if you can't move things around and squeeze in a twenty minute interview? Hell, I've had much shorter interviews.

No problem. I wasn't thrilled about working for a bunch of religious fanatics, anyway. :)

It's the Jobs, Stupid

by admin - 2010-07-01 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Good article here. Read the quote from the lifelong Republican who was a victim of a mass layoff and now can't find a job.

blog.aflcio.org/2010/06/01/its-the-jobs-stupid/

Like a Cancer

by bill - 2010-07-18 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

A business plan requiring constant expansion is, almost by definition, a cancer, and equally unhealthy.

Old Age Discrimination Suit vs Google

by admin - 2010-08-14 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"The California Supreme Court unanimously agreed that a trial court erred in dismissing a complaint by Brian Reid, who was hired in 2002 as a director of operations and engineering, and fired less than two years later at age 54 after being told he was not a good "cultural fit."

Reuters

We are Ruled by Huge Corporate Monopolies

by admin - 2010-11-13 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"We are ruled by huge corporate monopolies that replicate the political and economic power, on a vastly expanded scale, of the old trading companies of the 17th and 18th centuries. Walmart's gross annual revenues of $250 billion are greater than those of most small nation-states. The political theater funded by the corporate state is composed of hypocritical and impotent liberals, the traditional moneyed elite, and a disenfranchised and angry underclass that is being encouraged to lash out at the bankrupt liberal institutions and the government that once protected them. The tea party rabble, to placate their anger, will also be encouraged by their puppet masters to attack helpless minorities, from immigrants to Muslims to homosexuals. All these political courtiers, however, serve the interests of the corporate state and the Utopian ideology of globalism. Our social and political ethic can be summed up in the mantra let the market decide. Greed is good."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: the rest of the article.

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

by bill - 2010-11-24 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

When given one of those customer satisfaction surveys, always try and give a glowing report about the individual who helped you (unless they were terrible, of course) because those surveys are just another tool for corporations to harass their already under-paid, under-appreciated employees.

You don't want to be responsible for getting someone fired just because of some stupid survey, do you?

This is all part of my motto: "People have to stick together against oppressive corporations!" :)

Check Out a Company Before Applying There

by admin - 2011-04-11 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

GlassDoor

"Search company reviews and ratings"

We're serving up trusted insights and anonymous conversation, so you'll have the goods you need to succeed.

New Job Starting Next Week

by bill - 2011-04-20 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I'm starting a new job next week, so I ran a test of how long it would take to get there after dropping Elizabeth off at school. It was 7:42 when they started letting the kids inside, allowing me to leave. I could do like a lot of parents and just drop her off and take off, but I like to make sure she's safely inside before I go. Other parents keep their kid in the car as they wait for the doors to open, but Elizabeth likes to get out and hang out with her friends rather than wait in the car with boring old me. It's okay. I would do the same.

Anyway, I took I-24 to Briley Parkway to the area near the airport known as Century City. Twelve and a half miles later, I was pulling into their parking lot at 8:07. Twenty-five minutes to go 12½ miles. Exactly 30 miles per hour. Not bad in "rush hour" traffic, I guess. So, it'll take roughly half an hour to get to work every morning. Next I need to learn how long it takes to get from work to her school at the end of the day. I've got until 6pm before they start charging, I don't know, a dollar a minute over-time. If I take a half-hour lunch, I can leave by 5, so it shouldn't be a problem.

And now it's time -- two weeks past time, actually -- to finally plant the second bed in my multi-faceted "square foot" vegetable garden. Starting next week, I won't have time for these chores.

Corporatist America

by admin - 2011-04-22 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"A battle over the budget is closing our schools, our libraries, firing our teachers and taking away collective bargaining rights. While the banks and largest corporations are also not paying any taxes, including Bank of America, Exon Mobil, and GE."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Chris Hedges: Corporatist America

New Job Starts Today

by bill - 2011-04-26 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I hope I like it.

UPDATE (2 years later):

I didn't.

Read, listen or watch the rest here First day of school I mean work

Florida Cuts Unemployment Benefits to Pay for Corporate Tax Cut

by admin - 2011-05-13 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I worked for this jackass years ago when he was CEO of Columbia/HCA. He was an out-of-touch elitist primadonna back then, and hasn't changed much, only now has less hair.

"In the last few months, conservatives in several states have moved to limit unemployment benefits, even with the national unemployment rate at 9 percent and more than 40 percent of the unemployed having been out of work for six months or more. Conservative lawmakers in Utah falsely claimed that cutting jobless benefits would be motivation for people to get back to work, while Michigan gutted its unemployment insurance system despite having one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation."

Battling the Corporate "Elite"

by admin - 2011-05-18 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

... one major role of the US government in the corporatocracy is to serve as a scapegoat to deflect rebellion against the corporate elite.

Read, listen or watch the rest here (prepare for so many popups, they'll cover the entire screen): Get Up, Stand Up: Uniting Populists, Energizing the Defeated, and Battling the Corporate Elite Books AlterNet.

Great article (actually an excerpt from a book)

"How many Americans believe that their voice matters in determining whether giant banks, insurance companies, and other "too-big-to-fail" corporations get bailed out? How many Americans older than twelve believe that they have any influence over a decision by the US government to invade another nation?"

CEO Salaries

by admin - 2011-07-07 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Just warms your heart, doesn't it? Not.

"It turns out that the good times are even better than we thought for American chief executives."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: NY Times

Boycott Verizon If at All Possible

by admin - 2011-08-23 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

They're forcing pay cuts for the people who do the actual work there while their executives get millions in bonuses

"Last year Verizon made $12 billion in profits, got $1 billion in government subsidies and paid zippo, zero in taxes. But instead of sharing this windfall with the working people who make the company successful, Verizon has the audacity to demand their workers take pay and benefit cuts of $20,000 a year. This at the same time that Verizon's four top executives have pocketed over $258 million (a quarter of a billion) in the past four years, which is obscene."

Saving the Rich, Losing the Economy

by admin - 2011-10-02 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"US politicians such as Buddy Roemer blame the collapse of US manufacturing on Chinese competition and "unfair trade practices." However, it is US corporations that move their factories abroad, thus replacing domestic production with imports. Half of US imports from China consist of the offshored production of US corporations."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: saving-the-rich-losing-the-economy

Usurpation and the Corporation as Crime

by admin - 2011-10-11 ( life / money / employment / crime ) [html version]

"Richard Grossman says that Occupy Wall Street activists need to go beyond greed and corruption and focus on usurpation. As in – illegal seizure of power. As in – the corporation has usurped – illegally seized – power from the people. He quotes Thomas Hobbes as saying that a corporation is merely a "chip off the old block of sovereignty." Grossman, the father of the "no to corporate personhood" movement, says the first step in taking back the power is to criminalize the corporation.

Richard Grossman on Usurpation and the Corporation as Crime.

"If people want to go into business, fine," Grossman said. "But this law would strip away 500 years of Constitutional protections and privileges. No more limited liability for shareholders. No more perpetual life. No more Constitutional protections."

Baum Law Firm to Close

by admin - 2011-11-30 ( life / money / employment / legal ) [html version]

Baum law firm to close -- Business First.

This is one company that got what it deserved after mocking homeless/foreclosed families.

The 10 Most Hated Companies in America

by admin - 2012-01-18 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"Facebook currently has more than 800 million users. Any company of this size is sure to have some detractors. Compared to other leading social media sites, however, Facebook has the lowest customer satisfaction score from the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The site has repeatedly irked users by neglecting personal privacy. "

Read, listen or watch the rest here: The 10 Most Hated Companies in America.

Ibm's Internal Plan, Fire Most U.s. Employees

by admin - 2012-04-26 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"The primary method for accomplishing this feat, according to the plan, will be by reducing US employee head count by 78 percent in that time frame."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: IBM's Internal Plan to Grow Earnings-Per-Share to $20 by 2015: Fire Most U.S. Employees.

Employment Page

by bill - 2012-06-05 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

• Non-profit job listings
• Tap Root
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The Case for a 25 Hour Work Week

by admin - 2013-02-11 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"Whatever you may think of this theory, there are certainly many who think (including Sheryl Sandberg) the status quo 40/50...

Read, listen or watch the rest here: The Case for a 25-Hour Work Week This Is Not a Joke ~ Inc.com.

Layoffs are for Lazy Corporate Overseers

by admin - 2013-03-10 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Why layoffs are for lazy corporate overseers -- Fortune Management.Layoffs are often a sign of failure by top executives to properly manage a business and forecast needs.The corporate movement away from job security coincided with the advent of big executive bonuses and the rise of global competition. Consulting firms seized the moment and devised practices to teach companies how to eliminate staff.They rarely, if ever, recommend cutting the heads of those who hired them.

5 Ways Your Boss is Killing Your Company Culture

by admin - 2013-04-01 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I agree. And a big reason for this, I believe, is that hiring-managers hire based on likability, enthusiasm, and an applicant's degree (no matter what that degree is in) rather than on experience and intelligence.

So, the people who end up running things often have no real idea what they're doing, but, darn it, they're enthusiastic and likable! </sarcasm>

"Less than a quarter of those surveyed feel that upper management truly has the best interests of most of their employees at heart, while less than half think that these executives are committed to the company's vision."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: 5 Ways Your Boss Is Killing Your Company Culture

Selfish Ceos

by admin - 2013-04-02 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

CEOs who lay off the most people rake in the profits

Good News for Bad References

by admin - 2013-04-04 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"Picture this scenario: you've been seeking new employment at a company, but without success. Your employment credentials are excellent and while you've been able to land the interviews -- sometimes more than one with a prospective employer -- that job for which you're well qualified, continues to elude you. Even more ominous, you may have been assured that the job is virtually yours and that completing the hiring process is a mere formality, and then... the trail goes cold, and the call-backs cease."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: news-for-bad-references

Wisconsin Judge Reinstates Collective Bargaining for State Employees

by admin - 2013-04-06 ( life / money / employment / legal ) [html version]

Wisconsin judge reinstates collective bargaining for state employees

"The union-busting law that pushed Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker into the national spotlight last year has been declared unconstitutional by a state judge, pushing the controversy over the law one step closer to a Supreme Court climax."

Romney's Bain Capital Sending Many Jobs to China

by admin - 2013-04-06 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"On the day before an election that's supposed to hinge on jobs, taxes and the middle class, Bain Capital, the company Mitt Romney founded, will close the doors of a factory in Freeport, Illinois, and ship 170 good, high-tech jobs to China."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Romney's Bain Capital Is Sending Many Jobs to China the Day Before the Election.

Micro Gigs

by admin - 2013-04-06 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Interesting article on "micro gigs"

"A crush of apps allowing us to do discrete tasks for small sums of money might be the future. But the atomization of paid labor leaves workers vulnerable."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: welcome-to-the-micro-gig-no-job-is-too-small

The Minimum Wage Popular with the Public but Not the Donor Class

by don - 2013-04-08 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

The minimum wage, popular with the public, but not the donor class

from The Minimum Wage: Popular With the Public, But Not the Donor Class

"One of the best proposals to come out of the State of the Union was the President's proposal to raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour, phased in over three years, and tie it to the cost of living so it automatically adjusts. If anything, the proposed minimum wage is still too low. If the minimum wage had kept up with the rate of inflation, it would now be over $10. Still, Congress hasn't raised the minimum wage in four years so $9 is an improvement over the current $7.25 and ensuring that it will adjust automatically will bring millions of workers out of poverty."

See also ...

• minimum-wage-adjusted-for-inflation
• customers-flee-walmart-empty-shelves-for-target
• switzerland-shows-us-how-to-handle-ceos

For All Bosses Who Dislike Directness

by admin - 2013-04-08 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

...and are afraid of offending anyone...

"Simon Sinek says, "Bad leaders may edit the truth for fear of causing discomfort. Good leaders accept that the truth is often uncomfortable."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: positive leaders love productivity

Note to Recruiters

by bill - 2013-04-08 ( life / money / employment / interviews ) [html version]

I almost posted this to LinkedIn, but thought better of it since hiring-managers and headhunters generally have no sense of humor regarding the hiring process. If they would admit (at least to themselves) that they don't know what they're doing, it might help. :)

Anyway, here it is:

With "application support" types of jobs being offered, even if I have no recent experience on XYZ application, I would not expect to have much trouble getting up to speed on any given software application. How is that possible, you ask? Well, it's because I've been an IT professional for so many years, touching everything from desktops to servers to routers to the Internet. After a while, you just know how computers/programmers think.

Freelancers Union, a Federation of the Unaffiliated

by admin - 2013-04-09 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Freelancers union, a federation of the unaffiliated. Looks like a good idea.

"We're working to secure a better future for independent workers. Join us—membership is free!"

Freelancers Union

Job Hunting

by bill - 2013-04-09 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Can't companies at least send a denial letter/email? It's rude to leave us twisting in the wind.

US Corporate Profits vs Employee Wages

by admin - 2013-04-10 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"In Japan the ratio of pay for a CEO compared to that of the average worker is approx. 11 to 1. In Germany that ratio expands to a dizzying 12 to 1. And in the United States it's 475 to 1."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: CHART -- U.S. Corporate Profits Vs. Employee Wages -- Home.

Whirlpool Threatens Pensions

by admin - 2013-04-12 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"Unfortunately, we've just had another open theft of retired worker's benefits, this time Whirlpool management stealing the health care coverage of retired former Hoover workers and their families. Once again, we see "Carpetbag" managers brought in from outside our community, Whirlpool, which took over the Hoover plant, coming here to steal from hard-working families who'd earned these benefits."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Whirlpool threatens pensions

Employee Engagement, Why It's Important

by admin - 2013-04-13 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"It doesn't matter if managers are introverted or extroverted, timid or bold, loud or quiet, as long as they are making people feel like they are growing, appreciated, and confident in their future at the company ..."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Employee Engagement: Why Its Important ~ Inc.com.

Girl Quits Job

by admin - 2013-04-16 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

This is an instant classic.

Girl quits her job on dry erase board, emails entire office (33 Photos)

Read, listen or watch the rest here: girl-quits-her-job-on-dry-erase-board-emails-entire-office-33-photos/

Why Faking Enthusiasm is the Latest Job Requirement

by admin - 2013-04-16 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I hate when companies do this. Create a better environment for your employees, don't require them to be a pack of phonies!

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Why Faking Enthusiasm Is The Latest Job Requirement

"...seeming to love the job becomes part of the job"

Verizon to Lay Off 1,700 Workers After Paying Ceo $22 Million Last Year

by admin - 2013-04-16 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Yes, large corporations really are that stupid, short-sighted and corrupt. If this CEO had any decency (as if), he would have said, "No, give me one million and split the rest with those 1700 laid-off workers." It would have come out to roughly $12,000 per employee.

"America's largest wireless service provider plans to cut 1,700 jobs by offering its technicians and call center employees buyouts. Verizon Communications announced last week that it would reduce its nationwide workforce by 1 percent, and if enough workers don't accept the buyouts, it will resort to involuntary layoffs."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Verizon To Lay Off 1,700 Workers After Paying CEO $22 Million Last Year

These Two Phrases on Your Resume are Why It Just Hit the Trash Can

by admin - 2013-04-17 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

They might be right about this. Worth a shot

"Does your resume read like a job description? Is it one long list of bullets that contain the phrases duties included or responsible for? Sought-after candidates (the ones whose phones are ringing off the hook for interviews while you're struggling to get one call-back) don't include phrases like these on their resumes."

Read, listen or watch the rest here

Immelt Moving Jobs and Economic Infrastructure to China

by admin - 2013-04-18 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

The hypocrisy would be laughable if not such a serious problem.

Read, listen or watch the rest here: GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt, The Head Of Obama's Jobs Council, Is Moving Jobs And Economic Infrastructure To China At A Blistering Pace.

Happy May Day

by admin - 2013-04-18 ( culture / holidays / employment ) [html version]

"Today, May Day, honors the workers who produce all of the wealth. [It is also "a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May" (from Wikipedia), but we digress.] It is in honor of those involved in a general strike in Chicago, killed by police in what is known all over the world by workers as the Haymarket massacre.

Ironically, Americans are kept ignorant by a school system and mass media which train them to see from the perspective of the ruling Forces of Greed (FOG). Even most educators, brought up in the propaganda system, don't appear to understand this, explained clearly in Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.

Many of the most important events in American history and the most important people, people like union hero Big Bill Haywood, have been censored from our history books though their contributions were much greater than many of those mentioned.

Because of the bravery of protesters like those killed in the Haymarket Massacre, workers now have an eight hour day, a weekend, an end to child labor, with the ruling FOG beating them and jailing them all the way, and sometimes murdering them.

Unlike the rest of the world, there is little celebration in the USA, where workers are kept ignorant of their history, lest they discover that they produce all the wealth, even as they go without health care, giving the lion's share to those who inherit from robber barons, corporate executives, and other international investors who live off their sweat."

Economic Inequality is Not Sustainable

by admin - 2013-04-18 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"A Top-Heavy 1 Percent Will Topple Without a Stable Middle Class. Focusing exclusively on deficit reduction is the wrong policy. Focusing solely on cutting spending is the wrong policy. Focusing on jobs is the right policy now and in the future."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Economic Inequality Is Not Sustainable

In Honor of Labor Day

by admin - 2013-04-19 ( life / money / employment / holidays ) [html version]

[Updated: 2022-07-04 02:42:52]

"Barbara Glanz, an author, speaker and expert on employee motivation and performance, has a book that you may want to check out, "Handle with CARE: Motivating and Retaining Employees." It's full of creative, low-cost ways to raise morale, increase commitment and reduce turnover. The CARE approach stands for C creative communication; A atmosphere and appreciation for all; R respect and reason for being; E empathy and enthusiasm."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: ezinearticles.com

Gore Vidal Quote

by admin - 2013-04-21 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Depressing but true.

"The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return." -- Gore Vidal

A Week of Testing

by bill - 2013-05-19 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Took a test yesterday. Hope I passed! New job depends on it! Hope I did better than the previous day's job-related test. That one was on Windows 7 and Server 2008 techie stuff, and I just haven't kept up with Win 7, not as a tech, especially in regard to its various corporate scenarios. The test only served to remind me how tired of being a techie I am. I don't even want that job.

I should at least (finally) update my home computers from XP and Vista to Windows 7 (or 8 if they're up to it). I used Win 7 at my previous job and liked it. Windows, that is, not the job. Never could put my finger on why I hated that last job so much. Oh right, the constant sucking-up, top-down withholding of critical information -- if not outright lying -- and back-stabbing. Sure, that happens in any corporation, but that place was the worst. I'm just glad it's in my rear view.

The test in question above was a drug test, by the way. I'm pretty sure I'll pass! I haven't taken any drugs in months! I did wonder if there was any chance those yogurt-covered pretzels I ate just prior might cause a false positive. If they were poppy seed bagels, I might still be worried.

I visited two separate doctor's offices yesterday, starting the day in my primary care physician's new location for my quadrennial physical exam. Yes, another "exam!" And, yes, I know those are supposed to happen more than every four years, but who has that kind of time? I also learned my daughter's former Daisy Scout troop leader, Bri, is my doctor's new officer manager. While in the waiting room, I texted my wife about that. She said to remind Bri that her troop co-leader, Sarah, was looking for her about some troop money. Awkward! But my wife assured me Sarah only wanted to know where to send that money.

I never saw Bri again except in passing on my way out, and by then I was in no mood to talk. I'd been poked and prodded too much and just wanted to get out of there. At the beginning of the physical, my blood pressure was 150/100 or something "fairly elevated," as the nurse put it. At the end of the exam, they tested again and my b.p. was a perfect 120/80. As I told the doctor, that first reading was probably because I was not allowed to eat anything since the night before. All I could drink was black coffee, so that's what was in my system. I didn't mention that keeping me waiting 30 minutes in the waiting room didn't help. I absolutely hate waiting when I've made an appointment. The appointment was for 10 a.m., and I got there at 9:50 a.m. I held up my end, why couldn't they do the same? Doctors think their time is more valuable than mine, that's why. Monetarily, I suppose it is, but not in reality. But enough about that. I can feel my b.p. rising again. :)

After the physical, with Publix right there across the street, I went and bought one of those large canisters of powdered Gatorade that I mix like Kool-Aid into a jug and consume in large quantities. I had run out of it at home, and Publix always seems to have the lowest price. That might be the only thing they have the lowest price on. It helps my back, or rather, my muscles which otherwise have a tendency to spasm.

I'd been needing a haircut, too, and my usual Great Clips is just a couple stores down from Publix, so I stopped by for a trim. Number 8 on the sides and back, scissors on top. I missed out on last week's half off sale, but at least my wife approved of the cut this time. My daughter didn't, but oh well.

After this, I considered returning home for another shower because my primary care doctor had been sticking his big, gloved, Vaseline-coated fingers into places they don't belong. But I toughed it out and went next to the drug testing place in Brentwood. Too bad I couldn't have had it all done at my regular doctor but, as I explained to my doc, the place I was going to work -- the reason for this drug screening -- was another hospital company in town and they were my doctor's competition.

Now for my next test. The home security company will be calling to test and see if they need to send a tech out since we cancelled our old phone in favor of Magic Jack through our new Comcast internet connection.

First Day of School, I Mean, Work

by bill - 2013-05-25 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Feels like the first day back at school after summer vacation, except in this case it's not even summer yet and I'll be starting a new job, not school, today. I hope it lasts longer than the last few jobs! I have had a string of incredible bad luck over the past decade through no fault of my own, I swear. :)

I guess it started with that ladder company job in Smyrna where I was hired as the "network administrator." That was cool. People were nice. Salary was decent. The company actually made something rather than just pushed papers. And I was commuting the opposite way of most traffic. What's not to like? But then they shut that plant down and moved everything to Mexico. Thank you, NAFTA.

Luckily, I had my "fall-back" job of freelance consulting, dba ComputerHelp!, which I did for a couple years, with sub-contract work thrown in here and there to help pay the bills. Then I got a job at that limestone mining company in downtown Nashville (their plants were all out of state, throughout the southeast and Texas) as an "application support specialist" -- "ASS" for short. That one lasted over four years until some foreign (Belgian) company swooped in and bought them. Next thing I know (OK, so it was a year later), my "position was eliminated" by a bunch of bean counters in Brussels. That was a tough year.

Then I got a job as a "functional analyst" (func. anal., for short) at an advertising company. Unfortunately, they were almost completely dependent on a government contract. And this year, thanks to the idiots in Washington and the "sequestration," my employer lost that contract (or, more accurately "just" the program that paid my salary). Literally half the company was laid off.

I tried applying for unemployment benefits, but that never quite worked out. I didn't get a single "paycheck" from them. I didn't really want their money, anyway. But now, after spending the past couple of months trying to get my creative writing and "online presence" whipped into shape -- and I did manage to publish a couple of novels -- I'm off to work for someone else again ... because the income is more reliable at the moment.

As I told these guys in the job interview, "If you're wondering where I expect to be in 5-10 years, I'll be making a living as a writer. Until then, I'll be a fantastic 'technical business analyst' for your company!" But they never did ask that question, or any of those typical, stupid, laboratory-derived interview questions.

Maybe this place will work out. The people seemed cool, even though the company itself is a large corporation. We'll see. Here's hoping!

The Jobs Number is B.s. Says Former Head of Bls

by bill - 2013-07-23 ( life / money / employment / politics ) [html version]

The Jobs Number Is BS Says Former Head Of BLS

"After every non-farm payroll report we provide our own breakdown of what the real unemployment rate is in a country in which the labor force participation rate has not been adjusted to normalize for the Second Great Depression. In the most recent such endeavor we found the "Real Unemployment Rate" to be 11.3%."

The 1% and What Do They Do for a Living

by admin - 2013-08-02 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"A lot of emphasis is on the "99%" versus the "1%" in these protests. But who are the 1% and what do they do for a living? Are they all Wilt Chamberlains and Oprahs and other people taking part in the dynamism of the new economy? Nope. It's same as it ever was -- high-level management and the financial sector."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Who are the 1%, and what do they do for a living?

Minimum Wage Adjusted for Inflation

by admin - 2013-08-19 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

[Updated: 2021-04-02 15:47:33]

I don't agree with this calculation, but, for what it's worth, my brother sent this out recently. [So, in case I'm wrong and he's right, which almost never happens...]

50 years ago (1963) the minimum wage was 1.25. See dol.gov/whd/minwage/chart.pdf.

• A 1963 dime (90% silver) is now worth $1.90
• 19 x 1.25 $23.75

That's what the minimum wage would be, adjusted for inflation. I think this discrepancy should be reimbursed retroactively by the "elite" 1%! :)

See also ...

• the_minimum_wage_popular_with_the_public_but_not
• customers_flee_walmart_empty_shelves_for_target
• switzerland_shows_us_how_to_handle_ceos

I DO agree with the following update, however...

UPDATE: In 1970, we were on the gold standard and a dollar was artificially set at 1/32 of an oz. of gold. In 1973 we went off, and the entire economy was no longer valued in gold, but petro dollars. In the late 70s, the billionaire Hunt heirs sought to corner the silver market which drove gold up to $600 an ounce. In response, the gov't raised the margin requirements, bankrupting the Hunts, and gold slid to $300 by 1982, but by 1984 stabilized around $400/oz. So if you start with 1984 with a minimum wage of $3.35 and gold at $400, you get a multiplier of only 4.28. Which gives you a 2021 minimum wage of $14.30/hr.

Free Lunch, or is It?

by bill - 2013-09-18 ( life / money / employment / lunch ) [html version]

I've been chosen (with 5-6 others) to "Have Lunch With ****!" (one of the VPs at work) tomorrow. I've been instructed to "come prepared to discuss real issues and solutions" regarding my job. Not looking forward to it. At least it's a free lunch ... but is it really? The price is that I have to Have Lunch With ****! and talk about work.

At least I wasn't "chosen" like the other Bill today. He was chosen for a random drug test! Isn't that awesome?! If they ever choose me for another one of those (they rounded up the entire staff once already in the 3 months I've been there), I'd be tempted to just pee in a cup right there in front of everyone.

America's Re-Shoring of Jobs is Accelerating

by admin - 2013-09-29 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Good!

"Over the past couple of years, we've projected an improvement in U.S. manufacturing competitiveness by 2015 that would help drive an American manufacturing revival. The results of our latest survey make clear that a profound shift in attitude is beginning."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: America's Re-shoring of Jobs Is Accelerating

Corporate Welfare Vs. Social Welfare Spending

by admin - 2013-10-03 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"Market subsidies, market protections, market interventions, regulatory favors, favorable legislation, legal protections, ex-post facto reclassification's, government spending (Keynesian), artificially low interest rates (monetary policy), government takeovers of private sector "assets" (not what you think), and government bailouts (all discussed here and here) are only the tip of the ice berg."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Corporate Welfare Vs. Social Welfare Spending ... It's Not Just A $40 Billion Gap.

Food Stamp Corporate Welfare

by admin - 2013-10-23 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"Millions of Americans are angry because food stamp recipients can use their benefits to buy junk food but don't realize that they are able to do so because corporate America wouldn't have it any other way.Coca Cola, Kroger, Walmart, Kelloggs and other corporations have all lobbied the United States Department of Agriculture and congress to prevent any measures being put in place that would restrict SNAP use to healthy food choices. It isn't difficult to understand why this is the case. They want to make as much money as possible and won't abide anything that impedes their ability to keep turning huge profits."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: Freedom Rider: Food Stamp Corporate Welfare Black Agenda Report.

How Amazon Works Staff to the Bone

by admin - 2013-12-01 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Walk 11 miles a shift and pick up an order every 33 seconds... how Amazon works staff 'to the bone'

"Adam Littler, 23, told of the 'unbelievable' pressure of working for the retailer. Amazon staff have previously claimed they are tracked around huge warehouses via GPS -- but the firm denies this. Previous workers have told how even their toilet breaks were timed. Employment experts have given warnings over workers' conditions"

Switzerland Shows Us How to Handle CEOs

by admin - 2013-12-05 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Switzerland Shows US How to Handle CEOs.

Here in the United States, had the minimum wage kept pace with productivity since the 1960s it would now be $21.72 an hour, or $3,722 a month.

See also ...

• the-minimum-wage-popular-with-the-public-but-not
• minimum-wage-adjusted-for-inflation
• customers-flee-walmart-empty-shelves-for-target

Subsidizing the Corporate One Percent

by admin - 2014-03-04 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Apparently, those bastions of capitalism are in fact socialists, at least when it works for them.

As a result of substantial enhancements we have made to our Subsidy Tracker database, it is possible for the first time to estimate the share of total state and local economic development awards going to the largest corporations. This report summarizes the findings.

See their database here: subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org.

Staying Healthy on the Job

by admin - 2014-06-02 ( life / health / employment ) [html version]

Good article on staying healthy on the job, plus just plain staying at that job

"... you can't smoke cigarettes fast enough to match the damage that today's workplace is doing to you. And not just you, but everyone from the newest hire to your CEO. Your company is unknowingly dragging the life from all of you."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: 6-ways-to-save-your-life-and-your-company

Working for Someone Else

by bill - 2014-07-03 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Something I've always hated about working for someone else (in the corporate setting, at least) is that you're expected to believe (or convincingly pretend) that the people in positions above you are in fact superior to you. It's just one more thing to gnaw at me during my time there. That expectation seems to be even stronger the further east you go in this country (USA).

Just one more reason to work for yourself! :)

One Fifth of U.S. Workers Were Laid Off in Past Five Years

by admin - 2014-10-05 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

One-fifth of US workers were laid off in past five years.

"Nearly 40% said it took more than seven months to find employment and about one in five of laid-off workers said all they could find was a temporary position."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: latimes.com/business/la-fi-layoffs-unemployment-jobs-economy-20140924-story.html

Job Offer

by bill - 2015-09-23 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Got the below email today. Probably because they saw that I have several books on Amazon (here, here and here), they read them, thought they sucked, and decided it would be best if I took a warehouse job. I must say, though, I've never seen a sweat-shop (a.k.a. warehouse) job look so good

"Dear Bill, I found your resume online and believe you could make you [sic] an excellent fit for a part-time Warehouse position in our Nashville facility. Since this is a startup operation [ed. note: "Startup?" It's freaking Amazon, not exactly a "startup" anymore], we're looking for people who are comfortable working in a fast-paced warehouse environment as well as engaging with customers, and we think you have what it takes.

What would you'll [sic] be doing: Successful team members will understand that they play a pivotal role in making customers happy [How happy, exactly?] and we need people who are flexible to do whatever they can ["Whatever they can" is a scary job requirement] to meet customer expectations. An average hour in an average day includes picking inventory, packing it, sorting it, and interacting with customers."

Which all reminds me of this: Walk 11 miles a shift and pick up an order every 33 seconds... how Amazon works staff 'to the bone'

Another Headhunter Email

by bill - 2016-06-15 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I know they're just doing their jobs, but headhunters (job recruiters) can be some of the most dehumanizing people I've ever had to deal with. Because of that, I like to have a little fun at their expense whenever possible. Here's a recent email exchange:

Headhunter: I had emailed you in the past about Medical Collector opportunities available in [your] area. I wanted to reach out to connect with you -- [these people are constantly "reaching out"; don't they ever just call or talk?] -- and see if you or someone in your network might be interested in a similar role in the area with a growing Collections/Billing company.

My response: Just so you know, I hope to NEVER be in a position where I have to take a crappy job like this. Harassing mostly good hardworking people on behalf of greedy, mostly undeserving corporations? No thanks.

Somehow I don't think they'll be emailing me anymore. :)

New Suit for Homeless Man New Job

by admin - 2017-02-02 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Great story!

"It was about as low as you can get, but Smith decided to at least make it to the new year. When he went on ksl.com to look for jobs, he saw a story KSL did on a Utah company giving suits to homeless people to help them feel confident during job interviews."

Read the rest here: Man who was homeless off and on lands job after donated suit

Bain Capital Helps Kill Another Iconic American Company

by admin - 2017-10-15 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"Once Toys R Us was taken over, however, the debt [that] Vornado Realty, KKR and Bain used to acquire it was pushed back onto the company, skyrocketing its debt obligations to $7.6 billion."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: inthesetimes.com/article/20600/how-private-equity-killed-toys-r-us

On the Phone with NASA

by bill - 2017-11-20 ( life / money / employment / humor ) [html version]

Got off the phone with @NASA.

Had to tell 'em, "Look, I'm not willing to relocate. Stop calling!"

OK, so it wasn't actually NASA, I didn't say exactly that, and it wasn't actually a job offer.

A recruiter did call about an opportunity there, though. I'm not a COMPLETE liar.

An Entrepreneur at Age 66

by admin - 2018-04-14 ( life / employment / entrepreneurship / agism ) [html version]

"It's never too late to reinvent yourself. Take it from Paul Tasner -- after working continuously for other people for 40 years, he founded his own start-up at age 66, pairing his idea for a business with his experience and passion. And he's not alone. As he shares in this short, funny and inspirational talk, seniors are increasingly indulging their entrepreneurial instincts -- and seeing great success."

Et Tu, Corporate America?

by bill - 2018-08-17 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Even corporate America is blocking Alex Jones / InfoWars these days. Trying to read an article online during my lunch break, I get the following censorship notice: Block Reason: Content Filtering. Category: questionable

Pathetic, but at least they stopped blocking DrudgeReport. [Although, now that Drudge has been sold and turned a sharp "left," they can go ahead and block it.]

Job Listing

by bill - 2018-11-26 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

I get these job listing emails (just in case something awesome comes along). This latest one (probably created by AI (artificial/lower intelligence)) said they have "several jobs just for you": Hospice Aide (Los Angeles), Chaplain (Paramus), Registered Nurse Case Manager (Peru). Peru? As in South America? And I don't qualify for any of them, even if I was willing to relocate.

Disney Heiress Nails It

by admin - 2019-04-26 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

We could not agree more. See "Disney heiress calls CEO Bob Iger's $65 million pay package 'insane.'"

"When [Iger] got his bonus last year, I did the math, and I figured out that he could have given personally, out of pocket, a 15% raise to everyone who worked at Disneyland, and still walked away with $10 million," she said Friday."

Restroom Difficulty

by bill - 2019-04-30 ( culture / humor / employment ) [html version]

Don't you hate it when you're at work?

The end.

Wait, no, that's not the end. You're at work -- on the bottom floor, because that's where the snack machine is -- and you decide to use the restroom. The cleaning lady is in there, with her cart blocking the door. So, you take the stairs back to your floor, the sixth, because you haven't met your daily stairs quota and have to work off this latest snack. Coming around the corner to this restroom, panting, you find the cleaning lady is now there, blocking this door! She beat you there because she took the elevator.

I hate when that happens.

Another Day in Paradise, Day 2751

by staff - 2019-10-08 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

Sitting here looking at Harold (not his real name) to my right. My workday would be sooooo much better if I could ignore him, but, being in the cubicle across the aisle, I can't. For those new to this space, Harold is an idiot. Literally. Okay, "idiot/savant" might be more accurate. He is wicked smart when it comes to computer programming, but I'm pretty sure he is a CIA human science experiment gone horribly wrong. Luckily, he'll be leaving in 25 minutes.

We have flexible schedules here in "paradise" (not really paradise, but in fact the "shared services" division of a healthcare company). When he's here (he wasn't yesterday because he likes to skip Mondays and Fridays as much as possible) Harold usually leaves at 3. I guess he gets here at 6:30 in the morning, though no one else gets here early enough to verify that. I usually arrive by 7 and leave by 3:30, though today I missed that crucial 5-minute "commute departure window," traffic was therefore heavy, and I arrived around 7:30. Amazing. Leaving 10-15 minutes later than usual makes me 20-30 minutes later. It normally takes 45-50 minutes to get to work, 50-60 minutes to get home.

A year and a half ago, my wife and I moved out to one of the southern suburbs to put me closer to my office, only to have the office almost immediately move to within a few miles of where we used to live! Amazing! It pretty much sums up how out-of-sync I am with this company, though. But, hey, it could be a lot worse.

Jon Ashley on the Corporate Prosecution Registry

by admin - 2020-07-23 ( life / money / employment / crime ) [html version]

"The Justice Department regularly announces corporate crime settlements with deferred and non prosecution agreements. Sometimes they make the agreements public, sometimes they dont. And over the years, corporate crime defense attorneys have hinted that in...

Read, listen or watch the rest here: jon-ashley-on-the-corporate-prosecution-registry/

Employees Surprise Hardworking 13-year-old with New Lawnmower

by admin - 2020-08-09 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"A Lowe's home improvement store in Tennessee surprised a hardworking 13-year-old with a brand new lawnmower after his mower broke down."

Read, listen or watch the rest here at sunnyskyz.com

Professor Brandon Garrett on Corporate Criminal Immigration Prosecutions

by admin - 2020-08-09 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

"Immigration laws are criminally enforced not just against individuals, but also against corporations. For individuals, federal immigration prosecutions are a mass phenomenon. More than a third of the federal criminal docket nearly 40,000 cases each year..."

Read, listen or watch the rest here: corporatecrimereporter.com

On the Subject of Mandatory Retirement

by staff - 2021-01-29 ( life / money / employment ) [html version]

In response to my comment, "Whatever the mandatory retirement age is these days -- 67? -- it needs to apply to politicians, too."

"There is no mandatory retirement age, but you legally have to file for retirement on your 70th birthday, which will give you the maximum social security benefit for the rest of your life, based on how much you made prior to 70th birthday. But you don't have to actually retire, you can work your whole life, which is what the people in Congress do while collecting monthly social security checks. If you retire at 66, you get about 1/3 less per month for the rest of your life than 70."

Osha Frequently Asked Questions

by bill - 2021-05-21 ( life / money / employment / covid ) [html version]

Read, listen or watch the rest here: osha.gov/coronavirus/faqs You can clearly sue your employer if they require this "vaccine" and you have an adverse reaction.

"If I require my employees to take the covid-19 vaccine as a condition of their employment, are adverse reactions to the vaccine recordable?

If you require your employees to be vaccinated as a condition of employment (i.e., for work-related reasons), then any adverse reaction to the covid-19 vaccine is work-related. The adverse reaction is recordable if it is a new case under 29 CFR 1904.6 and meets one or more of the general recording criteria in 29 CFR 1904.7."

UPDATE: See OSHA reverses course

employment lawyer on employer faccine mandates

by don - 2021-09-15 ( education / research ) [html version]

He's Canadian but the points he makes sound valid here:

https://youtu.be/a3LGOAFGX9g

Fired Healthcare Workers Win Big

by don - 2022-07-31 ( life / money / employment / workers ) [html version]

Fired Healthcare Workers Win Big

Creating Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities

by elijah dawson - 2023-03-18 ( life / money / employment / advice ) [html version]

People with disabilities often have difficulty entering the job market due to a lack of access to applications, reasonable accommodations, and support networks. Employers can make their hiring process more inclusive by taking deliberate steps to provide more job opportunities for people with disabilities. By doing so, employers can help create a more equal and accessible job market for everyone. Here are some tips:

Creating a Professional Brochure for Applicants

Creating brochures or flyers that outline job opportunities and provide application instructions can make it easier for people with disabilities to find job postings. With design tools, employers can also quickly and easily create visually appealing materials. By leveraging these resources, employers can open up a wide range of new recruitment avenues.

Possibilities for Accessible Applications

Employers should prioritize accessibility and create digital employment application opportunities. This can range from email submission forms and online portals to digital questionnaires. These methods provide an equal opportunity for applicants with disabilities to thoroughly apply for positions without having to worry about navigating physical spaces or filling out manual paperwork.

Organizations That Assist PWDs

Organizations like Disability Rights International (DRI) are working hard to ensure that people with disabilities have the same job opportunities as everyone else. These networks offer a wide range of resources, from coaching programs to disability awareness training, to help employers better support potential applicants with disabilities. Connecting with these networks gives employers access to a more diverse pool of potential hires and an opportunity to make meaningful changes within their organization.

Providing Fair Accommodations

Under ADA regulations, employers must provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities when needed. This includes providing specialist equipment such as wheelchair ramps, text-to-speech software, adjustable desks, etc., depending on the applicant's needs. Reasonable accommodations should also be provided during the interview process so that all applicants have an equal chance of being hired based solely on their qualifications and not any additional factors related to their disability status.

Diversity Recruiting Events

Employers should take advantage of diversity recruitment events to reach a diverse pool of potential hires, including those with disabilities. By participating in these events, employers can showcase job openings and directly connect with job applicants, giving them access they wouldn't receive elsewhere. This is an effective way of expanding their talent pool beyond traditional recruiting methods.

Strengthen Knowledge About ADA Rules

Employers should ensure that all staff members are aware of the rules and regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This is essential to balancing out any potential inequality during the hiring process and beyond. Managers and supervisors should familiarize themselves with ADA laws in order to handle any reasonable accommodations requests from employees who may have a disability.

How to Be a Better Supervisor/Manager

As an employer, it's important to recognize and embrace the diversity of all staff members, including those with disabilities who require special needs. A positive attitude and a focus on building relationships can help foster growth and productivity in the workplace. No matter the size of your business or industry, there is always potential to improve employees' experience.

Employing individuals with disabilities can be incredibly beneficial for businesses. It opens up an untapped talent pool that could bring unique perspectives and skills to your organization, aiding in long-term success. To make this process easier for employers, accessible application opportunities should be offered online or virtually and networks that support PWDs should be utilized. Increasing awareness of ADA regulations also helps business owners reap the rewards associated with employing PWDs and making the workplace more accessible.

Becoming a Young Entrepreneur: Tips for Teenage Girls

by spencer gray - 2023-11-21 ( life / employment / entrepreneurship / advice ) [html version]

Image via Pexels. Unpaid promotional links herein.

by Spencer Gray

Entrepreneurship can be an incredibly empowering path for teenage girls. By carving out your own space in the business world and facing the obstacles involved in becoming an entrepreneur, you can overcome stereotypes, explore new avenues of self-expression, and achieve financial independence. Plus, you'll learn all kinds of valuable life skills, including leadership, financial management, and stress management. In this article from FriendsNews, we'll share some practical tips to help you make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality.

Seek Guidance and Support

Seeking support from people you respect and admire is a great way to propel your entrepreneurial career forward. Look for guidance from professionals and organizations that understand the unique challenges and aspirations of young entrepreneurs. Tapping into resources like this will help you gain confidence and find inspiration to unlock your full potential as an entrepreneur.

Set Up Your Business Properly

Setting up your business properly is crucial for establishing a strong and legitimate foundation. Score.org explains that how you structure your business will determine your level of personal liability and how you pay taxes, so this is an important step not to be overlooked.

Consider forming an LLC to separate yourself from your business and limit your personal financial risk. An LLC will also lend credibility to your venture, enhancing your professional image and potentially attracting more customers and partners. To form an LLC, start by researching online platforms that specialize in LLC formation. These online services streamline the process, making it easier and more accessible for teenagers to establish their businesses and protect their interests.

Prepare Your Resume

Preparing for an entrepreneurial career often involves gaining practical business experience first, which can provide valuable insights and skills necessary for success in your own venture. Working in different business roles allows you to understand various aspects of running a business, from management and finance to marketing and customer relations. This hands-on experience is crucial for developing a well-rounded perspective and can significantly enhance your entrepreneurial acumen.

To find these opportunities, it's essential to have a professional resume that showcases your skills and experiences. You can efficiently put together a compelling resume with a free résumé creator. These online tools help you create a well-structured, visually appealing resume, making it easier to present your qualifications effectively to potential employers or mentors. By leveraging these experiences and resources, you're setting a strong foundation for your future entrepreneurial endeavors.

Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People

Surrounding yourself with individuals who share your entrepreneurial spirit can help you stay inspired and motivated as you overcome the challenges of running a business. Like-minded peers can offer valuable insights, advice, and encouragement, serving as a sounding board for ideas and a source of inspiration. Try to befriend other teenagers who are on a similar entrepreneurial journey. You might even discover some potential partnerships or opportunities to pool your resources with others working on their own entrepreneurial ventures.

Embrace Failure and Learn from Setbacks

Embracing failure is a critical skill to learn, especially when you're young and embarking on the entrepreneurial path. Unfortunately, a fear of failure is prevalent among teens. Try to acknowledge that failure is not an endpoint but a stepping stone toward success. It provides valuable lessons, insights, and opportunities for improvement. By embracing the possibility of failure -- and even welcoming it -- you can develop resilience and perseverance, which can help you take calculated risks and continuously evolve your business.

Study Software

The software industry is an excellent field for entrepreneurs, particularly due to its low starting capital requirements. Unlike many other businesses, launching a software venture often doesn't require a significant upfront investment in physical resources or infrastructure. Instead, the key asset is your coding and technical expertise. This makes it a highly accessible field for many aspiring entrepreneurs.

When starting out, you can develop and hone your coding skills through a wealth of free online resources. These platforms offer tutorials, courses, and communities that support learning various programming languages and software development principles. This approach not only minimizes initial financial barriers but also allows for a flexible learning pace, tailored to your specific interests and goals in the software industry. With dedication and the right skill set, launching a software business can be a highly rewarding entrepreneurial journey.

Study Software More

If you discover a passion for writing software, pursuing a computer science degree online is a worthwhile endeavor to deepen your knowledge and enhance your skills. Computer science degrees online offer a comprehensive curriculum that covers a wide range of topics, from programming languages and software development to algorithms and data structures. These programs provide the theoretical foundation and practical skills necessary to excel in the field.

Additionally, earning a degree online offers flexibility, allowing you to balance your studies with other commitments. By investing in a computer science degree, you not only broaden your understanding of the field but also significantly improve your career prospects in the ever-evolving tech industry. This academic path equips you with the tools to tackle complex problems, innovate, and contribute significantly to the world of software development.

Becoming a young entrepreneur is an exciting journey. By following the tips outlined in this article, such as seeking guidance from professionals, setting up your business properly, keeping it organized, surrounding yourself with people who support your entrepreneurial values, and exploring opportunities in software development, you can unlock your full potential and pave the way for success. Take the leap and start planning your business today!

MissHeard Media hosts in-person workshops and online classes to empower teenage girls to pursue their dreams with confidence. Take a look around our website and get in touch with any questions!

Charting New Paths

by martin block - 2023-12-29 ( life / employment / entrepreneurship / advice ) [html version]

Empowering Neurodivergent Minds in Entrepreneurship

Article by Martin Block and Rebecca Moore. Image via Freepik

In the dynamic realm of entrepreneurship, neurodivergent individuals emerge as invaluable assets, bringing forth a tapestry of innovative ideas and unparalleled focus. Their unique cognitive processes and perspectives are beneficial and essential in a world that thrives on diversity and innovation. This article explores how their distinct qualities contribute to entrepreneurial success and outlines strategies for harnessing these strengths.

Unleashing Entrepreneurial Potential in Neurodivergent Individuals

Harness Innovative Thinking

Neurodivergent entrepreneurs are often recognized for their ability to approach problems from unconventional angles. Their divergent thinking patterns can lead to the development of innovative products and services, distinguishing their businesses in a crowded marketplace.

This creative mindset enables them to identify unique opportunities and solutions, transforming challenges into competitive advantages. Cultivating this innate creativity can become a cornerstone of their entrepreneurial success.

Mastering Precision and Detail

Attention to detail can be a game-changer in the world of entrepreneurship. Neurodivergent individuals often exhibit a remarkable ability to focus on intricate details, which can significantly enhance product quality, customer service, and operational efficiency. By leveraging this natural inclination for precision, they can elevate their business offerings to ensure excellence and consistency that resonates with customers and builds a reputable brand.

Explore Specialized Expertise

Many neurodivergent individuals possess deep knowledge or skills in specific areas, which can be leveraged to carve out a niche in the business world. This specialized expertise sets them apart from competitors and positions them as authorities in their chosen field. Harnessing this expertise enables them to offer unique products or services that cater to specific market needs and establish a loyal customer base.

Pathways to Business Success for Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs

Engage in Impactful Marketing

For neurodivergent entrepreneurs, the key to successful marketing lies in the art of storytelling and the strategic use of digital resources. With their innate creativity, these entrepreneurs have the opportunity to design captivating and meaningful content that resonates with their audience.

The digital landscape offers a plethora of tools and platforms to disseminate this content effectively, allowing them to forge a genuine connection with their audience. Emphasizing authenticity in their marketing efforts enhances their brand's visibility and fosters a loyal customer base drawn to their unique perspective and offerings.

Cultivate a Supportive Community

Building a network of support is vital for any entrepreneur. Neurodivergent individuals can benefit greatly from connecting with mentors, peers, and groups that understand and support their unique journey.

These connections can provide invaluable guidance, encouragement, and resources, helping them navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship while celebrating their achievements. Additionally, engaging in these supportive communities fosters a sense of belonging and mutual understanding, which can be incredibly empowering and motivating in their entrepreneurial path.

Elevate Skills Through Education

Gaining a deeper understanding of business principles and strategies is essential for entrepreneurial success. Pursuing an MBA degree can provide valuable insights into various aspects of business management, including strategy, leadership, and financial acumen. This educational journey can empower neurodivergent entrepreneurs to refine their vision, develop robust business models, and enhance their leadership skills, paving the way for sustained growth and success.

Develop a Comprehensive Business Plan

A well-structured business plan is the foundation of a successful enterprise. For neurodivergent entrepreneurs, detailing their business concept, target market, financial projections, and marketing strategies in a comprehensive plan can provide a clear roadmap to success.

This document is a strategic guide, helping them stay focused and aligned with their business goals while effectively communicating their vision to potential investors and partners. Moreover, the process of creating this plan encourages thorough analysis and preparation, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence needed to tackle the competitive business environment.

Conclusion

As the entrepreneurial landscape evolves, the inclusion and empowerment of neurodivergent individuals are beneficial and imperative for fostering a diverse and innovative business community. Their unique perspectives and strengths drive forward-thinking solutions and create businesses that stand out in today's competitive market.

Embracing these diverse minds enriches the entrepreneurial world and sets a precedent for inclusivity and innovation. As we recognize and support the distinct talents of neurodivergent entrepreneurs, we pave the way for a future where diversity in thought and approach is not just accepted but celebrated as a critical driver of success and progress.

Mass Layoffs Begin At California Fast Food Chains As $20 Minimum Wage Law Takes Effect

by bill - 2024-04-03 ( life / money / employment / politics ) [html version]

I am shocked. Shocked!

"This result shouldn't surprise anyone. Inflation has driven up operational costs for businesses across the US and shrunk profit margins for major..."

Read, listen or watch the rest here

Key Steps to Launching a Successful E-Commerce Venture for Young Entrepreneurs

by spencer gray - 2024-10-25 ( life / employment / entrepreneurship / advice ) [html version]

Image: Freepik

In an era dominated by digital innovation, launching an e-commerce business can be a thrilling adventure for aspiring entrepreneurs in their 20s or 30s. It’s a realm brimming with endless possibilities, where creativity meets commerce, and every decision can be a stepping stone to success. Let’s explore the essential strategies that will empower you to build a vibrant and prosperous online business.

Selecting the Perfect E-Commerce Platform for Dynamic Growth

Selecting an appropriate e-commerce platform is crucial for accommodating your business’s current needs and future growth. You’ll want a platform that can handle increased traffic and transactions without a hitch. Begin by evaluating options based on their scalability features. For example, opting for cloud-based solutions can ensure your infrastructure expands as your business grows. By prioritizing scalability from the start, you lay a solid foundation for your e-commerce business to flourish.

Researching Emerging Trends

Staying ahead of the curve is essential in the fast-paced world of e-commerce. Keep an eye on emerging trends relevant to your niche to identify growth opportunities that set you apart from competitors. For instance, focusing on sustainable shopping or catering to remote workers could offer significant potential for innovation. Embracing these trends not only attracts a loyal customer base but also positions your business advantageously in the booming digital economy.

Elevating Your Business Acumen with an Online Degree

Consider advancing your education to sharpen your business and marketing skills. Whether you earn an advanced degree in marketing, business, communications, or management, you can learn skills that can help your business thrive. The flexibility of online degree programs makes it easy to run your business while going to school at the same time. The importance of a business degree includes being able to position your business for long-term success in an increasingly competitive environment.

Crafting a Unique Brand Identity

Your brand identity is the backbone of how customers perceive and interact with your business. By clearly defining your brand’s voice, visual elements, and unique selling points, you can create a narrative that resonates with your audience. This cohesive approach not only garners attention but also builds trust and loyalty among your customers, giving you an edge in the crowded e-commerce space.

Diversifying Your Supplier Network

To protect your business from supply chain disruptions, it’s wise to diversify your supplier network. Engaging with multiple suppliers across different regions reduces the risk of a single point of failure. This strategy ensures continuity of supply and enhances your ability to address supplier-related challenges swiftly. Collaborating with suppliers also aligns risk management strategies, fortifying your business against unforeseen disruptions.

Boosting Your Online Presence with Strategic Link-Building

Enhancing your online presence is vital for e-commerce success. Implementing a comprehensive link-building strategy can significantly boost your website’s authority. Engage in guest blogging to earn valuable backlinks and partner with influencers to connect with new audiences. Consistently generating quality backlinks by creating exceptional content ensures your site is seen as a credible source, improving your visibility in search engines.

Empowering Trust Through User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for building trust and community around your brand. Encourage customers to share their experiences with your products, transforming them into active participants in your brand’s story. This approach not only enhances authenticity but also creates a vibrant community. Initiating seasonal campaigns or themed challenges can inspire customers to engage and share, boosting your brand’s authenticity and community engagement.

As you stand at the crossroads of ambition and innovation, remember that launching a successful e-commerce business is more than making tactical decisions—it’s about crafting a legacy. Every choice you make today not only shapes your path but also the experiences of those you serve. By embracing online learning and leveraging the power of technology, you and your business will thrive.

Your Community Business Blueprint: Key Steps to Launch and Thrive

by elijah dawson - 2024-11-05 ( life / employment / entrepreneurship / advice ) [html version]

Starting a business in your community can be an exciting and rewarding venture. Whether you're driven by a passion for a particular product or service, or you're eager to fill a gap in the local market, taking the right steps can set you on the path to success. Here's how you can effectively launch and grow your business.

Crafting a Financial Plan for Your Business Success

Creating a financial plan and budget is a crucial step in launching a successful business in your community. Begin by setting clear financial goals that align with your business vision, such as achieving a specific revenue target or reducing operational costs. Understanding your cash flow is essential; track your income and expenses meticulously to identify areas where you can save or invest more effectively. Implementing a budget using the 50/30/20 rule—allocating 50% of your income to essential expenses, 30% to discretionary spending, and 20% to savings and debt repayment—can provide a solid foundation for financial stability.

Enhancing Your Business Acumen with a Business Degree

Returning to school to pursue a business degree can significantly boost your business and marketing skills, equipping you to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape. Whether you earn a degree in marketing, business, communications, or management, you can learn skills that can help your business thrive. Online degree programs make it easy to run your business while going to school at the same time—here's a possible solution.

Ensuring Your Business Location is Accessible and Convenient

When selecting a location for your business, it's crucial to assess its accessibility and convenience to ensure it aligns with the needs of your target audience. Consider the proximity to key areas such as schools and businesses, which can significantly impact foot traffic and customer accessibility. Evaluate the visibility of your location from the street, as well as the presence of physical barriers like trees or signs that might obstruct your business's signage. Additionally, the availability of parking spaces is essential, especially with the rise of delivery services, which require easy access for both customers and delivery personnel.

Harnessing Personal Resources

When launching a business in your community, consider the strategy of bootstrapping, which involves utilizing your personal savings or financial support from friends and family. This approach allows you to maintain full control over your venture without the pressure of external investors or high-interest loans. While it requires a significant personal financial commitment, bootstrapping can lead to a cleaner capitalization structure, making it easier to attract venture capital later if needed. However, be prepared for a potentially slower growth rate initially, as you will need to carefully manage your cash flow to ensure sustainability.

Opening a Dedicated Business Bank Account

Opening a dedicated business bank account is crucial for maintaining clear boundaries between your personal and business finances, which is vital for effective financial management and legal protection. By keeping these finances separate, you not only simplify your accounting processes but also enhance your ability to track business expenses accurately, which can be beneficial during tax season. Additionally, a business bank account helps establish your business as a legitimate entity, building trust with customers and potential investors. It also aids in building a business credit history, which can be essential when seeking financing for growth.

Creating a Catchy Slogan for Your Local Business

When launching a business in your community, crafting a memorable slogan is crucial for establishing a strong brand identity. A well-designed slogan should encapsulate your brand's core values and mission in just a few words, making it easy for the community to remember and associate with your business. Aim for a concise phrase, ideally five words or fewer, to ensure it sticks in the minds of your audience. Use powerful and emotionally resonant words that align with your brand's unique proposition and speak directly to your target demographic.

Collect and Act on Customer Feedback

Implementing customer feedback systems is essential for gaining insights that can drive meaningful improvements to your products or services. By actively collecting feedback through surveys, reviews, and direct communication, you can better understand customer needs, preferences, and pain points. This data allows you to identify areas for refinement and spot trends that may reveal emerging demands or opportunities for innovation. Acting on feedback not only improves the quality of what you offer but also shows customers that their opinions are valued, strengthening loyalty and trust.

Starting a business in your community requires careful planning and strategic execution. By enhancing your skills with a business degree, crafting a solid financial plan, choosing the right location, leveraging personal resources, maintaining clear financial boundaries, and creating a strong brand identity, you can lay the groundwork for a successful and sustainable venture. With dedication and the right approach, your business can thrive and become an integral part of your community.