Men At Overwork

This Newsweek article discusses how today's soaring productivity has been holding back job growth in an economy that's finally recovering. I just saw the link, but I only gave it a quick scan, deciding it was worth linking to here.

Let me know what you think.

More Publicity Deserves Reciprocation

I'm at the library, checking email and going through the referral logs, all during my one-hour allotted timeframe. Our home PC is still being serviced, so I have to blog at the library in the meantime. I'm also working as a bartender, which you may be aware of from the archives. I bring this up so that you can understand why there may be a long lapse in blogging.

I've been checking the referrer log, and the statistics are higher than ever! :) I'd like to give a welcome to those of you visiting from Monster.com's Vent page.

I'd also like to say thanks to Scott over at JobSeekersAdvice.com, for his encouraging words. Specifically:

Anyone know of decent blogs out there?

Some can hold a wealth of information - the people behind them tend to be very dedicated to the subject area.

Others suck and are no more than uninformed rants!

Here are a couple I´d recommend:

Get that Job

Where I found this Wired article about fake job postings.

Another for the web designers out there is Debra Paynter's Promotional Strategy Blog - a frank look at web promotion strategies.

Anyone else got a few to add? (they dont have to be career related!

Thanks, Scott, and you've been added to the Blogroll!

Greater Dayton IT Alliance Job Postings

Worth a look.

Tech Thursday Networking Event

This Thursday, August 21, 2003, there will be another casual networking event at Buffalo Wild Wings in Sugarcreek, Ohio (greater Dayton area) to again highlight their new wireless capabilities, sponsored by Latitude Communications. Bring your laptops!

See the link above for more details and directions.

via email from the Greater Dayton IT Alliance (GDITA)

A Career in Forensics Might Interest You

The popularity of CBS's CSI has generated an increased interest of those looking at a career in Forensics, as this article from AP's Entertainment wire discusses:

Chemistry labs and criminal justice programs are what's cool on campus these days, as "CSI" — the nation's top-rated show last season — and its spinoff "CSI: Miami," which ranked 14th in the Nielsen ratings, have created a whirlwind of interest in forensic sciences.

Thanks for Visiting

I just saw the site statistics report for this past week. I'm blown away and encouraged to no end by all the visitors - over 300 this past week! Please contact me if there is something you'd like to see more of. I can be reached via the mail link on the Archive page. Or you can just email me at danimal0416 at yahoo dot com.

Career Planning, Step-by-Step

Maybe I need to check this article out, too.

RSSJobs Home

Searching for a job via the internet just became a little more efficient:

Are you looking for a new job? Are you using the internet? Do you have search agents saved on Monster, Dice, HotJobs, and countless others? Do you have the time and patience to weed through all the job listings on all the job boards you would like to check on a daily basis?

Imagine creating all of your search agents in one place, and viewing the results all at once. Imagine knowing at a glance which listings are new, and which you have already seen. Imagine spending less time checking more job boards than you do now. Imagine doing this throughout the day, when you want to, and on your schedule.

RSSJobs allows you to create and save searches for Monster, Dice, HotJobs,and more in one location, then delivers the results to your favorite RSS Reader.

Read more...

I Got That Job!

Now working: Dan Johnson, Jr.! Where, you ask? Here: Hope Hotel & Conference Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

President Bush's Weekly Radio Address for August 2, 2003

In President Bush's weekly radio address to the nation this past weekend, he spoke mainly of how the economy is behaving, and commented specifically about job-creation and unemployment, among other things. I've included some exerpts from his address below, but you may want to read the entire text yourself:

This week, we received some encouraging news on the economy. The nation's economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter.

...

Yet this week's employment report also shows that many Americans who want to work are still having trouble finding a job. My administration is acting to promote faster growth to encourage the creation of new jobs. The key to job growth is higher demand for goods and services. With higher demand, businesses are more likely to hire new employees.

The best way to promote growth and job creation is to leave more money in the pockets of households and small businesses, instead of taxing it away. So we lowered income tax rates, cut taxes on dividends and capital gains, reduced the marriage penalty and increased the child tax credit. This week, the checks for up to $400 per child started arriving in the mailboxes of American families. That money will help American families move the economy forward.

We have also taken action to help small businesses, who are the job creators of America. We increased tax incentives for equipment purchases, giving small businesses an additional reason to invest. More orders for machinery and equipment means more jobs. And more business investment can lead to greater worker productivity, which helps raise worker wages.

We are starting to see results from our actions. My administration's economists believe that if we had not passed tax relief, our unemployment rate would have been nearly one percentage point higher, and as many as 1.5 million Americans would not have the jobs they have today.

...

America's economy has challenges, and I will not be satisfied until every American looking for work can find a job. By steady, persistent action, we are preparing the way for vigorous growth and more jobs. I have confidence in our economic future, because I have confidence in the people whose effort and creativity make this economy run -- the workers and the entrepreneurs of America.

Vent!

Monster.com offers you a place to vent your job search frustrations via their Vent site. This blog is listed on that page. I guess they consider it worthy. Feel free to vent here, too. I know I do.

Get That Job! - Record Number of Visits in July!

I just checked the referrer log. We had a record number of visits here in July! Too cool. Hopefully you're finding something helpful. Let me know what you think!

GE Jobline

A friend of mine works at a local General Electric outfit. She emailed me their jobline phone number: 1-800-634-5518

Ten Songs for Job Seekers

MSN Careers examines ten songs that apply to job seekers. Interesting. Which one describes you?

And Then There's This

"Today's drop in the unemployment rate is positive and surpasses market expectations. The drop in the labor force is due primarily to seasonal factors.

"We are encouraged by the steadily declining four-week moving average of new unemployment insurance claims, which also shows that job losses are slowing down significantly.

"We can also see where the new jobs are being created, such as temporary help services, which tends to be a leading indicator that signals stronger, more widespread job growth in the future. Other areas with job growth include leisure and hospitality, financial activities and, for the fifth straight month, construction."

-- Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao on July unemployment numbers released today, August 1, 2003

via U.S. Newswire

jobforjohn.com

John, who was recently "downsized" from a software company, followed President Bush's economic team (Treasury Secretary John Snow and Commerce Secretary Don Evans) around this week and even was able to talk to Snow directly:

"What's your story?" Snow says.

I tell him I was laid off last week and saw that he was coming and I thought it was important to come here and let him see the reality of what's going on in today's economy.

"What industry were you in?"

"Most recently the software industry."

"That's a particularly vulnerable part of the economy."

"Yes, well, I need a new job and it doesn't look good."

"Just wait," he said. "The first tax cuts haven't really taken effect. So just wait... the second tax cut... well, it won't hit the economy for several months, but I'm sure you'll get a job."

"But, but... we've already lost over 900,000 jobs just since March first... a job at Wal-Mart just won't support my family."

"Just wait, I'm sure you'll find a job."

At that moment the car in front of me pulled ahead for their order and John stepped back from my window. The SS agents signalled for me to pull ahead.

"Just wait?!" I've got a $350 payment for this minivan, a morgage and two kids! Here's a guy who drives a few hundred miles to see you, four days after he's been laid off, and you tell him to "just wait?"

Boy I'd like to see those words on a PR banner behind Snow at the podium:
Jobs and Growth: Just Wait.

Secretary Snow later mentioned the conversation to reporters.

I found out about this story via Metapop.

U.S. Economy Getting Better, I Think

BBC News reports that

The US economy enjoyed unexpectedly strong growth in the second quarter of the year, according to latest figures, prompting suggestions it has finally turned the corner.

The Next 10 Highest-Paying Jobs in the US

Job Search Frustrations

Today, on the way from my therapist appointment, I saw that the Longhorn restaurant on Dorothy Lane had just opened. I went inside to get an application. One of the managers told me to come back at 2 PM this afternoon so that we could talk about a bartending position. I filled out the application, and got changed for the interview. When I arrived at the restaurant, the gentleman with whom I spoke earlier wasn't available. I talked with another manager/partner, who told me, "If you had only been here 3 weeks ago..." This was not what I needed to hear, but I finished the meeting gracefully.

Then I went to the bartending school just to check in. The manager there told me to call her back before 5 PM today.

I then went to "Restaurant Row" along Miller Lane to obtain and complete applications at restaurants I had not previously applied to earlier. It was a "learning experience." Many of these restaurants do not hire bartenders, but instead hire servers who later get "promoted" to bartenders. I told one proprietor of a certain "Austrailian-themed" restaurant that I was willing to be a server, but he basically said that, unless I had 2 to 3 years of experience serving I shouldn't even consider completing an application for his restaurant.

I asked him if he knew where I could go to get this experience he was looking for. He didn't have any idea. I was very upset and frustrated at what he said, and my whole saga of finding a job, by this time. He offered his hand for me to shake, and, at first, I didn't want to do it, but I resisted the urge to be rude and shook it anyway.

As I walked out, I thought about getting some rotten eggs and returning to the restaurants. I won't, though.

I came home and vented. You may be aware that I have a blog called "Letters to God." It is a great way for me to pray, and I feel better for having done it. Much better than I would have if I, say, found some rotten eggs, if you know what I mean.

I could probably continue this post for a little while, but I guess I'll end it here. Let me encourage you to share your frustrations. Write them down, share with a friend or confidant, send an email - just be open with it so that you can feel better. Sometimes having a listening ear is the best therapy.

Bar's open! :)

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

My daughter started Kindergarten last week, and I met another family, whose daughter gets picked up at the same bus stop. I told the mom about my looking for a job, and a day or so later, she told me that she'd been looking at her company's job board for me. I didn't ask her to do it, but she did it anyway.

We're getting ready to head to the bus stop shortly, and I've created another few business cards to give her. That way she'll have my email address and other information so that she can forward me email, and she can also forward my card to other potential interested parties.

Never miss an opportunity to network!

Update: She wasn't there this morning. Perhaps her daughter was ill. Maybe tomorrow!