20 Dec 05 Work-from-home jobs on the rise

Clark Howard reports:

You are going to find more opportunities to work full-time or part-time from your home in the years to come. It’s known in the industry as having a “remote workplace.” Some employers, of course, won’t consider it at all. Others are at the other extreme and will do everything they can to encourage people to work from their homes. Companies that jump into the trend with both feet have come up with solid procedures to monitor your work and save tons of money with work-at-home programs. Sun Microsystems has about half of its workforce at home now and has saved $300 million a year as a result. The company doesn’t need office space, computer or phones, so it saves a ton of money. Another technology company, Agilent, has closed 50 U.S. sales offices and reduced their cost by 60 percent. About 12 percent of U.S. workers are now working remotely, and as many as 40 percent are expected to work at least part-time from home in the next few years. Everyone benefits. So, what’s the disadvantage of working from home? You may end up working too much. And, showing your face around the boss and other people at work is always advantageous. But the new mantra in the workplace seems to be: “If you want to keep them, let them go.”

via ClarkHoward.com

06 Dec 05 More call-center jobs coming home

This could be some great news to anyone who wants to work from home!

Chron.com | More call-center jobs coming home

via e-mail

08 Sep 05 The lowest paying jobs out there

Money isn’t everything in job satisfaction – you should do what you love. From ClarkHoward.com, consumer warrior Clark Howard provides a list of the jobs that pay the least: clarkhoward.com: Clarchives clarkhoward – Clarchives August 22, 2005

10 Jun 05 Financial hiring to slow, but local IT job market heating up

The Cincinnati Business Courier reports on a recent study of Chiefl Financial Officers in the Greater Cincinnati area indicates that while the accounting and finance job markeet in the area may be slowing down, the local IT job market may be heating up. See the article for more details.

14 Apr 05 Bankruptcy overhaul nearing passage by Congress

The U.S. Congress is close to passing major bancruptcy legislation, which would make it impossible for thousands of people to wipe away their debts:

Opponents say the change would fall especially hard on low-income working people, single mothers, minorities and the elderly and would remove a safety net for those who have lost their jobs or face crushing medical bills.

…

Going into effect six months from enactment, the measure sets up an income-based test for measuring a debtor’s ability to repay debts. It also requires people in bankruptcy to pay for credit counseling.

…

Those with insufficient assets or income could still file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which if approved by a judge erases debts entirely after certain assets are forfeited. Those with income above the state’s median income who can pay at least $6,000 over five years — $100 a month — would be forced into Chapter 13, where a judge would then order a repayment plan.

Critics say that’s unfair because many people who file for bankruptcy have lost their jobs, or are going to lose them.

Under the current system, a federal bankruptcy judge determines under which chapter of the bankruptcy code a person falls — whether they have to repay some or all of their debt.

via USATODAY.com – Bankruptcy overhaul nearing passage by Congress, spotted on K-LOVE’s News Page

19 Oct 04 Career Search High Level Process Flow…

A well rounded career search strategy needs to utilize a number of different tools to be successful. In this diagram, I try to outline a high level proces flow for “Getting That Job”.

Two of these tools may be new to you: WebSites and Blogs. I’ll address these in an upcoming GetThatJob entry. In the meantime, keep in mind: creativity and leveraging all available tools will give you an advantage in the job seeking market.

12 Oct 04 Ready to Get That Job? Re-energize your Campaign

Are you doing the same old thing in pursuit of that great new job? During my own journey through the “transition-zone”, I re-energized my campaign on a frequent basis. Sound easy right? It is. First – stop and take a break and reflect on what worked well for you and what did not. Holidays are often a great time for this, as the job market slows as the holiday approaches and for days after.

Use this break time (or anytime) to try something new. Attend a different type of network event, where you might not know as many people. Take yourself out of the comfort zone.

And consider taking a quick holiday! Getting That Job is hard work – maybe harder than working at that job. You need to be focused and sharp to win that interview. The look of desperation or frustration will hurt you chances considerably. Walking away from your search for a few days is time well spent.

Next week we’ll tear apart some resumes and get folks re-focused on PAR. To read ahead click here and here.

Stephen

JobStuff, a Blog for Your Career

Zerotonetwork, a Business Networking Blog

01 Sep 04 Unhappy at work, but unwilling to change

A recent telephone survey of 2600 respondents indicates that while many American workers are unhappy with their jobs, the condition of the current job market precludes them from moving on.

The article also describes the growing prevalence of blogs as a way of sharing one’s gripes about work:

With more than 2.5 million blogs online for all the world to see, this trend can create numerous legal problems, warns Michael D. Karpeles, head of the labor and employment law group with the Chicago law firm Goldberg Kohn Bell Black Rosenbloom & Moritz Ltd.

“The biggest problems can arise when employees … accidentally or deliberately reveal proprietary information, vent frustrations with company policies or a particular manager or executive, or otherwise publish information that the company would prefer to keep internal,” Karpeles said.

Many companies are still trying to sort through the new terrain and answer some tough questions:

• Does it matter if the blogger is writing from work or home?
• Do First Amendment free-speech rights apply?
• Is it legal to broadcast embarrassing company information, as long as it’s true?

Karpeles noted another potential headache, this one for the workers — future employers might be leery of hiring a prolific workplace blogger.

What do you think?

11 Aug 04 You’re not the boss of me!

Be Your Own Boss

Even though the small-business failure rate is daunting, this is an opportune moment for budding entrepreneurs. Low interest rates and a still-soft job market have made capital and employees available at affordable rates. Credit is in ample supply, and banks are looking to lend. Factor in strong consumer and government spending and a pent-up demand for new wares by companies, and the picture becomes even more attractive. “I can’t imagine a better time, from a broader economic perspective, to start a small business,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Economy.com. He also points to strengthening sales figures across most industries as another reason to hang out a shingle now: Competition is less tight as many established firms have all the business they can handle.

Yahoo! News (reprinted from US News and World Report)

[cross posted to Jobfiler]

20 Jul 04 Off the Clock Job Market! Events

I had just finished some browsing for some positions at the local paper’s website, and I clicked the link in their sidebar that says “Off the Clock”. It turns out to be a list of upcoming Career Fairs, etc. in the Dayton area.

Hmm.