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Posts Tagged ‘job market’

What a teen should do with their job earnings…

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Today’s article  is from CNNMoney.com, titled Teach you teen paycheck savvy, and gives good tips for ways to steer your teenager toward a financially sound future.  What tips does it offer?  Read on:

  • Taxes – Gross versus Net, FICA versus income taxes…it’s all confusing to a teenager.  Actually, it’s confusing to a lot of adults as well (unfortunately), so if you don’t understand the difference, look it up, then sit down with your child when they get their first check and explain the differences to them.  It’s important for them to know what they make versus what they bring home, and where what they’re not bringing home is going.
  • Bank accounts – Help your teen open up both a savings and a checking account.  It’s not only important for your teen to learn how to use a checking account, including balancing a checkbook (which you should teach them…again, learn how to if you don’t know, because you want your child to have a good financial start, don’t you??), but it’s also important for them to learn how to save money, like starting their own emergency fund, car fund or iPhone or iPad fund etc.  Delayed gratification is a very good lesson for a teen to learn, in a world of “My super sweet 16″ TV shows and teens who expect to be bought $200 blue jeans.
  • Micromanaging – The above stated, let them mess up with the first paycheck.  New fancy shoes or video games might be awesome to have right then and there, but when they have no more money because they blew it all, don’t give in and give them money from your own wallet.  Let them see what it’s like to be broke.  It needs to hurt a little. 

This is a great article, so check it out!  Don’t let the opportunity to impart good financial lessons to your teenager pass you by!!!

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An easy way to increase your business revenues…

Monday, June 14th, 2010

One of the most important things in an entrepreneurs bag of tricks is their ability to obtain new customers and build their business more.  The more people you talk to/network with, the more people will want to try your service or buy your product.  A great way to increase your brand power and obtain new customers is by becoming involved in every civic, educational and professional organization you can that is also relevant to you and your business!

Buy building relationships with people who are also involved in these organizations, you will build a reputation as a solid and concerned citizen, and will get your name, and the name of your business out in the business world.  Just remember not to join more groups than you have time to dedicate to them.  While there are many local groups that you can join in the town/city you live in or near, there are many national groups as well.  Try to pick groups that are relevant in some way to your business, if that’s at all possible.  What are some of the national groups you could join?  Check these out:

The Boys and Girls Club of America  – Get involved in mentoring children with hard luck backgrounds.

Kiwanis International - Global volunteer organization that helps communities and children.

Volunteers of America - Service oriented organization that helps people get “back on track”

Volunteer.gov - A database that has volunteer opportunities able to be sorted by state, agency and type of opportunity.

Habitat for Humanity - A nonprofit organization that builds houses for those in need. 

There are countless others to choose from, but these are a few volunteer options to get you started.  Don’t forget, though, that you can join other groups that focus on education or professional development in your local community!

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Posted in Mucho Moolah, Monday's Money MAKING Tips! | 1 Comment »

Today, we have a “guest speaker”…

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Today, we have an article written by a friend and business associate.  It isn’t exactly in our normal scope of what we write about, but for those of you thinking of starting your own business so that you can earn extra income and get yourself out of debt, this is for you:

Small Business Tips, By Douglas C. Howard

A Message to Employees

As a small business owner, one of the hardest aspects of running a business is finding the time to do it yourself, or be willing to delegate the task to someone else.  The first course of action provides the benefit of knowing that the task was done specifically how you, the owner, wanted it done, in a timely fashion, and you do not have anyone to blame for failure except yourself.  Delegation, of course, means that you may benefit from someone else’s expertise, frees you for other important tasks, and allows your employees the chance to prove themselves.

Of course, the pitfalls for the first course of action, are that you do not have enough time to do everything, you must find some way to balance running your business with your life, and you may not be the best person to handle that specific task.  The downside to delegation is that you have to trust someone to take care of the task, they may not do it exactly how you would have or would have wanted it done, and they may not do it in a timely fashion.

“A Message to Garcia” is a short essay by Elbert Hubbard written in 1899.  No doubt many of you have already read and studied its message, being that of a short work.  But its message is still relevant today, more so than ever.  I recently ran across it and thought a brief summary of the work would be great as “A Message to Employees”.

“A Message to Garcia” is set during the conflict between Spain and the United States and takes place in Cuba.  Of course at that time, communication had to take place in person or via courier, if telegraph were unavailable.  The essay centers on an Army Lieutenant by the name of Andrew Rowan.  General Garcia was the commanding officer of insurgents located in Cuba.  He was located somewhere in the mountainous region of Cuba and would be difficult to find and communicate with.  A message had to be gotten to him so that his forces could be mustered.  How was a message to be gotten to Garcia?  President William McKinley and other commanding generals were unsure, until Lt. Rowan was suggested, stating that he was the person for the job, “if anyone can.” 

Rowan was summoned, given the message, told the general location of Garcia, and was sent off on his way.  He was not told how to do the job, or how to find Garcia, nor did he ask.  He was simply delivered to Cuba on one side of the island, and three weeks later picked up on the other side of the island, having completed his task.

So I ask employees, “Are you the Rowan of your company?” 

If you strive to be the Rowan of the company you work for, here are some general tips.

First, be available for assignments, any assignment, without hesitation.  The owner of the company or your direct supervisor may not want to ask you do something that may seem so menial, but if it is a project that they can get off of the “to-do” list, it may help them immensely.  If you are adaptable to whatever task is at hand, you will become indispensable to your company.

Second, be reliable.  If your boss asks you to get something done in a timely manner, have it done by that deadline.  Often other deadlines must be met down the line, so do not be the weak link.

Third, ask for guidance on the task, but figure out how to get it done on your own.  This is a fine line to walk, but the more you can do on your own, the more burden you relieve from your superior.  The more burden you relieve, the more grateful your superior will be.

Fourth, take action.  So often people get bogged down in the details that they become apoplectic and unable to even start a project.  Often times procrastination prevents even the first step from being taken, which is most often the hardest step to take.  As I write this, I have had to stave off turning on the television, checking my email, researching other issues not relevant to this article at hand, getting up to grab lunch, and a hundred other minuscule thoughts that crossed my mind to prevent me from writing this article.

Fifth, be diligent.  After taking the first step, be diligent in taking the next several steps.  Eventually you will come out on the other side.  See the preceding paragraph for an explanation.  Whether it takes an hour or three weeks, staying on task, will eventually get it done.  And it will show your employer that you do not need constant hand-holding or someone looking over your shoulder to make sure that you are getting your work done.

I hope this is helpful.  Since “A Message to Garcia” is short, it is well worth the read.  It is considered public domain and a copy of the complete text can be found at HowardLawGroup.com on the “Small Biz Tips” page.

Douglas C. Howard is an attorney based in Frankfort, Kentucky that assists small businesses with their legal needs and has taught “Entrepreneurship 101″ for the Thornhill Community Education Center and posts tweets and other updates on Twitter under his Twitter name, LegalPreneur.

From Wikipedia:  Elbert Hubbard was an author and philosophers who edited and published two magazines, The Philistine and The Fra. The Philistine was bound in brown butcher paper and full of satire and whimsy. (Hubbard himself quipped that the cover was butcher paper because “There is meat inside.”)  Owing to his prolific publications, Hubbard was a renowned figure in his day.

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Why handouts aren’t good in the long run…

Friday, January 29th, 2010

A new blog post by one of my favorite Authors/entrepreneurs, Dan Miller, caught my eye, and I thought it would be worth sharing.  The post, titled, When Helping Hurts focuses on some recent developments regarding our national unemployment program.

The government is looking into extending benefits in the unemployment program for the 5th (that’s right, I said 5th) time since the recession started, just a couple of years ago!  Normally, the benefits are doled out to the unemployed over 26 weeks (aka 6 months), with the option to get a 13 week extension.  Basically, this means that you can draw unemployment for 9 months before you have to go back to work, and a lot of people do just that!  They collect full benefits before even really trying to get a job!  Why, you ask?  Well, I assume for some it’s because they think it’s “free money”, but, as we all know, that’s never the case for anything.  Somebody always pays, be it the company, the taxpayers, the government (which takes its money from the taxpayers) or the consumer (who is almost always ALSO a taxpayer).  Under the new proposed benefits, the pay outs can run as long as 99 weeks…almost 2 YEARS!

The funny thing is that some studies sited in the post indicate that people are most likely to find a job when the unemployment runs out, no matter if that length of time is 2, 26 or 99 weeks.    People seem to think that because they are drawing unemployment, they economy must really be in the toilet for everyone, and so they don’t try.  However, when there is no more unemployment, they “magically” find work.  Amazing!

There are many examples of these programs being run the wrong way and abused by some of the participants.  I’m not going to get into that, because I have a feeling many of you wouldn’t want to read a post that long.  If I’m wrong, say so in the comment section, and I’d be happy to oblige!

Dan Miller draws an interesting observation, drawing a parallel between the way bears hunt and the way we as humans acquire a job.  Bears hunt more efficiently when they aren’t given food from humans…you know, when they have to hunt.  We are the same way with money and jobs.  When there isn’t somebody giving them to us, we get creative and figure out a way to do it.  Be that start our own company, go to work for someone else or sell some stuff, we will make it work.  Can’t find work in your area?  Perhaps you should move.  Think outside the box people!

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Why the mall contradicts the experts…

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

I drive by our local mall often, and for the past several months, I’ve been watching it for signs of the recession, unemployment, and how bad the economy is suffering.  Now, as much as I believe that there are places all throughout the country that are truly suffering, with debt, falling home prices and unemployment, I have to say, it’s not happening with the same fury everywhere, the way the media would have you think.

I hate to see people suffer, and those people that have lost their jobs are in my prayers.  However, the falling home prices are only an immediate concern if you are trying to sell your house and/or have lost your job.  If you have a stable income and are contented in your home, staying there for a few years (decade, maybe?) isn’t a big deal, so neither is the drop in value.  Debt, is, as always, a major concern for us.  If you are employed, you should be making a budget, sticking to it, funding your emergency fund and getting out of debt.  If you are unemployed, then you are in an income crisis, and that should be your main concern…along with food, shelter (that doesn’t mean a “McMansion”) and basic utilities (i.e. lights, water and heat).  You can’t focus on paying people back what you owe until you get stability back in your life, so put them on hold, even if it takes a few months. 

I would like to make a point for our readers though: with roughly 10% unemployment, that means that 10 people out of 100 are out of work, which is the same as saying 90 people of 100 are employed…it’s terrible for those 10 people, but overall, it’s not a catastrophe.  And those 90 out of 100?  They are shopping!  Maybe less often than before, and they might be spending less than before, but they are shopping…at least, that’s the way it looks EVERY time I drive past/go to the mall.  The place is packed!  As usual, I can’t find parking there, and the Christmas season was just as bad as usual.  Now, like I said, I know this isn’t the case everywhere, but the media’s version that everyone everywhere is suffering terribly, in houses they can’t afford, without jobs and piling up debt.  This isn’t true either.  The truth, as usual, is probably somewhere in the middle.  Some are suffering, some aren’t.  If you are suffering, I wish you luck and speed in your job searches and in getting out of debt, and if your job and home life are stable and “secure”, work hard to keep it that way, and help those who need it, either with prayer, food donations or job contacts (etc.).

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A new twist on “Find a need and fill it!”

Friday, December 11th, 2009

Today’s post is based on a post by one of our favorite bloggers here at Southern Couple’s Guide, Dan Miller, author of 48 Days To The Work You Love.  The post is titled Find a Need and Fill it?, an old business motto that has been helping people find ways to become entrepreneurs and make money for years.  Some examples of filling a need would be inventing a wheel, inventing a steam engine or growing a crop that feeds many people, like potatoes or wheat. 

Dan Miller has pointed out other products in this post, however, that might not necessarily be able to be pigeon-holed in the need category.  He talks of the fancy tennis shoes that have come about in the near past, that help with stabilization and have a broader base, and their new counterparts that are narrower and simulate running barefoot at $245 a pop (I spent a lot of time deciding which way to go on this very topic when I decided to start running)!

Another product, Bling H2O, that has been on MTV is encrusted with Swarovski crystals that spell out “bling” on the bottle.  The funny part is that the water comes from Tennessee, and probably isn’t very “blinged-out” on some guys farm.  That doesn’t stop them from sealing the bottles with a cork and calling it “Limited Edition”.  The funny part is the price!  This water can be bought for $441 dollars a case (12 bottles) or $36.75 a bottle.  Can we say ridiculous?  Funny thing is, people are buying it! 

And this is Dan Miller’s point:  If you fill a “need” you can make a living.  If you fill a “want”you can get rich.  I agree with him wholeheartedly, I am simply dismayed at the reason for such a statement to be true.  In our instant gratification, want the best, have to be famous society, wants and desires trump needs.  We all have desires, and I think that’s OK.  But when we start to go into debt to obtain them, something is wrong.  When we start to think we “deserve” them, we are out of touch with reality, because the truth is that you don’t “deserve” anything just for being you…you have to earn it!  As sad as it is, however, it’s how things work today, so if you can find a want and fill it, go make yourself rich!

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Self esteem and faking success.

Friday, November 27th, 2009

Today I’m not using an article, I’m using a blog post from a man I respect very much…Dan Miller.  The post is titled Fake Success?, and it centers on a man who went to his high school reunion pretending to be a Naval Officer…bad news for him, because one of his former classmates IS a Naval Officer, and he got reported to the FBI.  Sense it’s a crime to impersonate military personnel, he could spend a year in prison.  I bet he wishes he’d gone as himself…a bank teller. 

We have all seen this in our own lives, if not to the extent of jail time.  Somebody tells a little white lie on their resume to make themselves sound better for the job.  People update their statuses to make themselves sound more fabulous and exciting than they really are.  They embellish the problems they had on their car ride/plane ride etc. to make you feel sorry for them.  Whatever the situation, people like to exaggerate when it comes to who they are and what they do.  The sad part is, who we are IS enough for most people, and the people it isn’t enough for are not worth your time!  Do you really want to spend your life trying to impress other people with lies, or live your life, whatever it is, without the embellishments?

Do you find yourself inventing things when you share your history with other people?  Are there things that you’d like to change about yourself, or are you happy with who you are?  If you have things you’d change, have you written them down, and set up a plan to change what you’re not happy with?  That would be where I would start!  Good luck!

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More about the recession.

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Today’s article is Earth to economists: Recession isn’t over, by Carla Fried.  It’s an interesting look at the divide between the people who believe the recession is over, and those that think we’re still in it for a while.

Conflicting information is what the author cites as a problem.  An advanced estimate of the annualized 3rd quarter GDP was up 3.5%, but consumer spending fell 0.5% in September.  The GDP numbers are a result of government spending, and, as you would expect, unemployment, and the fear of unemployment are the result of the slump in consumer spending.  The fact is, a recent poll showed 58% of people (October)  still believe the recession is hanging on, up from 52% (September).  And while public opinion certainly isn’t the only factor in the economy, it DOES factor into the economy.  This is obvious…if people think the economy is down, it affects the way the go about their daily lives, and what they do and don’t spend.

You see, there are a lot of opinions out there on where this country and it’s citizens are headed thanks to this economic mess.  Some are saying that we are fine and that everything will go back to “normal” soon, and some conspiracy theorists seem to think we’re going to become third world nation.  The truth, thankfully, is probably somewhere in the middle.   If you read the original article, you should check out some of the absolutely ignorant and insane comments posted by readers.  I’m no economist, but I’m also not going to listen to anyone whose claims sound outlandish at best and pray on the fear and ignorance of other people.  My guess is that the economic turmoil will continue for a while…how long? I have no idea.  The economy needs to correct itself from the inflated values that  we placed on our assets (namely, our houses), and until it corrects itself, I don’t think things can get better.  However, I DO think things will get better.  Banks will start lending again, companies will start hiring again and people will start spending again.  Do I think it will go back to the way things were? No, and I hope it doesn’t.  We shouldn’t expect to buy a home and 3 years later move with 50% equity because of the jump in value…that’s not right.  Slow and steady wins the race people.  When things start to improve, you will have to SAVE your money and PAY DOWN your mortgage for there to be equity in it…and that’s the way it SHOULD be!

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Being single also means being more likely to be without a job!

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Today’s article, No spouse, no job: Unemployment hits singles hard, by George Mannes is an interesting look at some statistics that have come out recently regarding unemployment. 

The numbers for unemployment in September show that it rose to 9.8%, and that it might hit 10% in the near future.  But as bad as the overall unemployment rate is, the breakdown of single versus married people is interesting…it’s almost double!  In August, the rate was 13.5% unemployment for singles and 6.3% unemployment for married people!  The article points out that a likely reason is that married men are motivated to take a lower paying job, to be able to support their families, and that single people are typically younger and have less education and experience than their married counterparts (this, of course, is just supposition).  There is also a difference in those with a high school education versus a Bachelor’s degree or higher.  Only 4.9% with a Bachelor’s degree are unemployed, versus 10.8% with only a high school education (a good argument for staying in school and going to college).

There is also disparity amongst race, gender, and age.  And, while these statistics are interesting to me, I have to think that there are ALWAYS discrepancies amongst employment based on race, gender and age, since the people in the work force are constantly changing.  I’m not taking away from the fact that these people are suffering.  There are a lot of people out there suffering, and I wish them a job…pronto.

Here is the breakdown:

  • African Americans – 15.4%
  • Hispanics – 12.7%
  • Caucasions  9.0%
  • Asians – 7.4%
  • Adult Women – 7.8%
  • Adult Men – 10.3%
  • Teenagers – 25.9%

Overall, I’m most intrigued by the stats on single people.  If single people are more likely to be jobless due to their unwillingness to take lower pay, I say that it is their choice!   As long as they have an emergency fund in place to carry them through this tough spot and/or are working a part time job til they find the “perfect job”, so be it!  And for those of you who are married, taking lower paying jobs, don’t forget your worth!  No matter what your situation, having an emergency fund and being prepared for a job loss will help you weather any storm!

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Unemployment Rates are rising…what you already know and must have forgotten…

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

Everybody seems to be talking about the unemployment rate reaching a 26 year high recently. Well, it’s true, it did. But are there still jobs to be had? Yes. Are there still ways to make money? Yes. Here is my break down of the the job situation and some other tidbits of information and advice (critique) to get you back on track. (please see referenced websites at the end)

I know that the news regarding jobs and the economy is frightening, but you have to compartmentalize that as “what’s going on in the world” and focus on “what’s going on in your house and community”. It could be that some towns and cities across the U.S. are hitting rock bottom, but your hometown is still doing ok. So, before you do anything, assess your own personal situation. If you have your job, and your company doesn’t seem to be struggling, then stay where you are. Now, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t build up an emergency fund in case something does happen, it just means that your job looks relatively stable. Now, if you live in a small town with only a couple of big companies that provide employment for most of the townspeople, you should definitely be saving some money and keeping your eyes open for signs that the company is struggling. For example, have they cut back on freebies or privileges? Are there no free bagels in the morning? No more overtime? No bonuses? Have they closed other locations? If you see any actions like this, prepare yourself for the possibility of a layoff.

Okay, so now let’s assume that you’ve lost your job. You need money. You need to provide for your family. Well, in spite of what the news is reporting, there are jobs to be had in the U.S. Now, not all of these jobs are glamorous, and the truth is that you might be overqualified for them, but, I have to say, so what? You are looking for something to provide for your family, and if in a couple of weeks you don’t find your dream job, well then, I suggest you deliver pizzas til you find what you want. Everyone knows that companies are eliminating jobs. There is NO SHAME in providing for your family. Wal-Mart offers health insurance to its employees, so get a job there and have health coverage. Starbucks offers health insurance to part time employees!!!

Here is another point that might surprise you: it might be financially better for your family if one of the parents stayed home. Take a look at your finances. If one parent makes significantly more than the other, maybe the lesser earning parent should stay home. If the lesser earner does not make enough to cover the cost of daycare, their gas or bus pass for transportation to and from work and their daily lunch/coffee, then it is a financially sound decision (not to mention good for the well being of the child) for that parent (no matter if it is the dad or the mom) to stay home and care for the child. So, if you lost your job, but financially weren’t making enough to cover the job, then stay home and be with your child!

Now, for those who say there are no jobs out there, I say you just have to look. Granted, some small towns have only one factory, which provides most of the jobs for its residents. This is hard for me to say, because I came from one of those towns, but it is a bad model from which to set up a town. As a resident, your whole existence depends on the stability of the company. I wouldn’t want that stress. So my advice on this, though hard, is to MOVE AWAY. For the rest of you living in towns/cities with plenty of businesses, I say, looking for a job is a full time job. You only get as much out of it as you put in it. If you blow off looking because interviews are uncomfortable, well then, don’t expect to get a job. And please don’t think that looking for jobs on the internet only will help you find something, because usually it doesn’t (yes, there are exceptions). Here are some places that are usually hiring, no matter what the economy is doing:

Tech industry – you might have a masters degree, but level 1 tech support lackey beats grill master at a fast food joint.

Wal-Mart/Target/Kroger/Costco – again, not glamorous, but we’re talking about basic employment with benefits

Health Care Industry – all that money we pay for health services doesn’t just go to doctors, some of it goes to the nurses and administrative support team. (Hint: these positions are usually paid way more than what the job responsibilities imply they should be)

Government/State jobs – come on, it’s the Government, they’re always hiring. Pay is decent, benefits are good.

Military – should be under government, but I separated it because they just recently came out saying they were adding 180,000 jobs. These jobs offer free housing, food costs, health benefits and an average starting salary of $35,000.

Don’t tell me there’s nothing out there. Maybe you just aren’t looking in the right place, or thinking the right way. I wish all of you luck in your search for a job. If you have any questions and think I might be able to help, just add a comment, and I will try to the best of my ability!

Happy Hunting!

http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/26/news/economy/jobless_claims/index.htm?postversion=2009022609

http://news.google.com/news?ned=us&hl=en&q=walmart+hiring

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10073394-2.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29377376/

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