Jobs for The Rest of Us

Sometimes, life happens. You suddenly find yourself out of work due to a lay off, getting fired, quitting a job or a change in your health. This is almost never a good thing. One way to make this situation more bearable is to have a back up skill or two. Unemployment benefits are not income replacement and only last three to six months depending on where you are in the USA. Bills don't stop when the benefits run out. It is good to have Plan B, C and perhaps even D.  Here's a simple example to get the idea.  Fred was a skilled guy who knew welding. He had been a cook before with a fair amount of experience. When a accident too him out of the welding game, he fell back on his cooking skills. Sure, he made less money but it was more than unemployment and should last longer than six months. Something about looking for a job when you already have one makes it easier. You most likely already have something you can fall back on but if not, it is never too late to learn. To g...

Moving into January hiring should pick up. So here are a few things to help you prepare for the interview. Happy MLK Day! How to Answer the 31 Most Common Interview Questions 6 Smart Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions 3 Questions YOU must absolutely Ask at a Job Interview Interview Advice From Employers Prohibited Practices Illegal Interview Questions

There is no such thing as "Job Security." Yeah sure, my job is stable for now but we are all on the verge of a new age. Artificial Intelligence is here right now and more and more of our "jobs" are soon going bye-bye. So long cashiers. See ya warehouse peeps. It's been real OTR drivers. But it is not just these people. Computer programmers, customer service people, mechanics and even manager types may soon be replaced by AI machines who don't ask for time off, work for no pay and never sleep. This is not science fiction. It is here and now... and growing. I'm not optimistic. I hope I'm wrong.   Here in the USA, I think this will only widen the gap between rich and poor. This will have a huge impact on what is needed for wealth creation, stability. Those who own the AI will grow insanely wealthy, while the rest of us will fight among each other over an ever shrinking pool of "good jobs." Add three hundred million plus guns in this a...

Last time we talked about Applications, Depression and Uncertainty. What to do? It is not all doom and gloom. Well, there is no getting around applications on or off line. The best thing to do is allow plenty of time for each one. Often, you can save what you got and come back to it. If this is an option use it. Take a break from time to time. Rushing through will not pay off in the end. Also, make a plain resume for the ATS readers. If you can, look closely at the job description and get your resume to match it as close as possible. As for unemployment related depression, stay active and engaged. Making a daily schedule may be helpful. Make time for the job search, exercise, and fun stuff (family and friends). You have time, the most valuable thing of all. I would recommend joining a job search club or something similar. Getting around people can be good for your mental well-being as well as finding work. Keeping a schedule can help reduce the feeling of uncertainty. That ...

This post s for all those who say, "I could get a job tomorrow if I were unemployed." Um no, probably not. The only way that's going to happen is if you have a very high demand skill such as nursing. Even then you too will have to take a trip on the Human Resources merry go round. You will still have to complete an application, possibly pass a background or credit check and go through an interview (even if it is only a formality). All of this takes time. Thins can go wrong. There can be delays and maybe you are not the hot commodity you thought you were. The "I can get a job tomorrow" crowd tend to most often be those who have been fortunate enough to have kept the same job for years and are utterly clueless about today's job search process or retirees who worked through their careers in a very different time. Now if you are a tire changer who walks into a local shop that needs a tire changer yesterday there is a slight chance you may skip the "p...

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