Resume white lies-Ok or not

 Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

It’s a tough job market. Should you exaggerate your accomplishments just a bit to help you stand out?  Is it ok to claim team accomplishments as your own to help you get the job you want?

A survey of small business owners done recently by sure payroll found that three out of four small business owners have made hiring mistakes.  Many of the survey participants blamed the problem on over eager job seekers lying on their resume or embellishing on job skills. The loss from hiring a bad or unqualified employee was listed at $10,000.  Few  business owners can stand that type of loss.  The full results on the survey can be seen on the sure payroll web site.

Sure Payroll is recommending small business perform the same due diligence as larger firms with hiring candidates.

Lying on a resume is never ever a good idea since all facts can be verified. It is simple to check graduation dates and dates of employment. Past employers will be checked to determine your duties, job classification, dates of employment and salary.  If a lie is uncovered it is a waste of everyone’s time. You will be screened out if any lie is found.

Stretching the truth about you job experience will be found by a good HR screening process and good interviewers. References will also be interviewed to determine the truth of any skills claims you make on a resume.  If you want to get into advertising and you have no experience, don’t lie about it.  If some how you get past the screening process you will be fired if caught after you are hired.  96% of companies now do a background check.  In the past many small business owners did not do through checks, but this is changing since it is so expensive to make a hiring mistake.

Some skill fields in a city like Milwaukee draw from a small pool of talent.  You never know who might be looking at your resume.  I remember looking at resumes and seeing one from a technician who had worked in my department at another company. He greatly exaggerated his level of responsibility.  I threw his resume away because I knew the truth. If he hadn’t lied, I might have considered him.

Honestly access your skills and accurately report your accomplishments. Focus on jobs that fit your skills. If you need education or credentials, go out and get them.  There is a reason companies ask for them.  The diploma or certificate shows you have obtained the knowledge needed to be successful. If you are the right person for the job, there is no reason to lie or stretch the truth.

Copyright 2012 Summit Training Publications

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

COBRA Insurance

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

COBRA is short for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of  1985.  The act provides for insurance for qualified workers, spouses and dependent children.  COBRA provides for a continuation of health insurance when leaving a job or in the event of divorce or death.

If you leave a job or are terminated for reasons other than gross misconduct you are guaranteed by law the right to continue the health coverage of your former employer.

The coverage will last for up to 18 months at your own expense.  The government is not picking up about 60% of the cost of the COBRA for unemployed workers.  If the coverage is still too expensive check out high deductible plans with insurance companies like Aetna, Blue Cross, Pacifiecare, Assurant, Kaiser Permanente and Humana.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

Researching companies

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

It is important to do research on companies. The research will help you decide if you want to seek a job with an organization and help you to prepare for interviews.   You want to find out the following about a company:

• Products
• Sales
• Locations
• Structure
• Awards
• Patents
• Market Ranking
• Profits
• Size of workforce
• Current industry trends
• Benefits
• Company Culture.

Some of the information you can get by networking. A source inside the company is great for getting a lot of this information. They can tell you about current company initiatives or problems the company is working on.  Some other sources include:

• Newspaper
• Ads
• Magazine Articles
• Trade Publications
• Company Web site
• Annual Report
• Chamber of Commerce
• Better Business Bureau
• Internet

There are a number of sites on the internet where you can research a company including:

• Dun and Bradstreet
• Encyclopedia of Business Information System
• Poor’s Register of Corporations, Directors, and Executives
• Standard Directory of Advertisers
• The Standard Periodical Directory
• Standard and Poor’s Industrial Index
• Thomas Resister of American Manufactures
• Who’s Who in America
• Goggle Search

Print out or take notes of the results of your search. Keep the results in a file folder. You can pull out the folder to review the information you gathered about the company. This will help you to prepare for a phone or in person interview.

Copyright 2012 Summit Training Publications

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

The myth of green jobs

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

Right now saving the environment is a low priority for Americans. With high unemployment global warming is on the back burner for most of us. It still remains a high priority for the Obama administration.   The 2010 Federal budget proposal contains $20 billion in tax incentives for clean energy programs. The administration is predicting 5 million jobs will be created.

Will this bring the promised bliss of jobs and prosperity?

• Higher costs may offset any gains from jobs from sectors like manufacturing that are high users of energy. Traditional sources of energy are currently far cheaper than green sources such as wind and solar.
• Green jobs are not well defined. What exactly is a green job and how will be measure if they are created?
• Governor Doyle’s proposed Green Jobs bill would result in a loss of over 40,000 jobs.

Are Americans concerned about Global Warming?

• A recent Gallup poll (http://www.gallup.com/poll/126560/Americans-Global-Warming-Concerns-Continue-Drop.aspx?CSTS=tagrss) shows 48% of Americans think Global Warming is greatly exaggerated. 35% thing Global Warming will never happen.
• Remember when we were told we were running out of land fill space 20 years ago?  Many environmental concerns are spearheaded by political groups with hidden agendas. We have to be very careful about making costly policy for a non threat. These expensive programs are being sold to us to create jobs and prosperity.

Has it worked in other countries?

• Spain has been one of the biggest builders of green energy infrastructure. They report losing 2.2 jobs for every job created with subsidized energy.  Obama has touted them as the green jobs  miracle. Spain has 18% unemployment and its  the fastest growing rate in Europe.
• Spain has found green jobs to be very expensive. For each green job created consumers paid $742,000 in higher energy costs. What started as a 5 year plan is now being talked about as needing help for decades. Only 10% of the jobs are long term jobs needed to maintain the system. Money must continue to be pumped into the system to keep jobs going.
• Spain’s Acerinox SA, Spain’s largest producer of steel blamed higher energy costs for deciding to expand in South Africa and the U.S.
• In a Heritage Foundation lecture Dr. Gaberial Calzala, Professor of King Juan Carlos University said   “ The feed-in tariff….would make utility companies go bankrupt. No one knows how the debts from these programs will be paid. The feed-in tariff for wind was 100% over the market price.”
• Dr. Calzala claims every subsidized job in the solar industry destroys nine jobs in the private sector.

Green jobs programs are expensive and actually destroy jobs in the private sector. This is not a way to prosperity.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

People skills to give you an edge

 Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

Lots of people have a good resume and education.  What just might give you the edge in getting a job are your people skills.  Companies are looking for employees that are good team members and easy to manage.   Demonstrate you have these people skills in your next interview and you just might land the job.

Leadership

Leaders are found at all levels of an organization. You do not have to be a supervisor or manager to show leadership skills. Did you successfully lead a team, develop expertise on one of the company’s products, and lead a quality improvement project?  Talk about the initiative you took and how it benefited your company.  Be sure to discuss the effect it had on the company bottom line in savings, increased sales, profitability etc.

Team Player

Did you work as part of a successful team?  Did you lead a successful team?  Talk about your role and how it affected the team’s success.  Talk about how you got good performance out of people who did not report to you. Discuss how you worked through any team conflicts. Show your good communication skills and talk about the positive effect it had on the team project.

Motivation

Companies want self starters who can hit the ground running. Unless you are just out of school a company does not want to closely manage you. Your manager will want to give you a task and have you follow through to complete it. 

Communication Skills

Being a good verbal and written communicator is important.  Tell how you used these skills to get work done. If making presentations is part of the job, discuss your presentation and public speaking skills.  For some jobs like training, or technical writing it may be a good idea to bring a portfolio of your work.

Time Management

You should be able to complete projects on time and on budget. You should be able to juggle many tasks at once. We are all being asked to do more with less, so this is a critical skill in today’s market place.

Flexibility

You may be hired to do one job, but find you need to learn new tasks and take on new roles.  It is a bonus if you are the kind of employee that is willing to take a risk and take on assignments outside of your comfort zone. This willingness to take on assignments outside of your original role makes you very valuable.

Sense of Humor

The nature of some work is very stressful and many workplaces can be stressful due to long hours or staff shortages. The ability to have a sense of humor during tough times is very welcome. You can demonstrate this by the positive way you discuss challenging times and assignments.

These skills may not show up on your resume. Weave them into your answers to the questions asked by your employer.  You need to understand you will have to demonstrate you have these skills along with any technical skills needed for the job.

If you find you are missing any of these skills get a coach or mentor to provide some advice on how to improve. Seek feedback from your co-workers about how you can improve your people skills. Training in time management and team building may also help boost your skills.

Copyright 2012 Summit Training Publications

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

Packer Playoffs Good for Economy

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

The Packers and Giants playoff game on Sunday is good for local business. Anything that boosts local business is a potential job creator. 

Wisconsin company Johnsonville is the largest maker of Brats in the country. They make 75% of the product sold on the market. Milwaukee and Chicago are their two biggest markets.  Milwaukee consumers prefer brats while Chicago eaters go for Polish sausage.

Here are some other businesses that are benefitting:

• Travel Agents-Travel agents are already getting lots of calls about Super Bowl packages. Who wouldn’t want to go to the big game and if the Super Bowl is on your “bucket list” this might be your year to go.
• Ticket Sellers-Ticket brokers and sites like EBay and Craig’s List have been busy selling tickets for the big day on Sunday. The free market is in full force as tickets are selling well above face valued for the NFC Championship game. Lucky sellers are netting big profits and lucky buyers are gaining entrance to the game of the century.
• Retailers- Packer and Bear gear is in hot demand. Any store selling items is doing brisk business.   In my workplace almost everyone was wearing Packer gear and lots of it looked brand new.  The manager of the Fan Zone said in a radio interview this week that he was stocking up his store this week to meet the demand.
• Restaurants/Bars-  It is a great time to watch the game in a crowd. Bars and restaurants do big business for Championship games and the Super Bowl. Super Bowl game day is one of the biggest of the year for bars. This is even more true when your city in participating in the big game. Catering business has picked up also as people order items for at home parties.
• Stadium- The big game will provide jobs for vendors, ticket takers, parking attendants and lots of other employees working the game in Chicago. There is also support personnel like security and police needed to support the event.
• Grocery- Even if you are watching the game at home, I bet you are stocking up with food, beer and other beverages.  Having special food items is always a part of game day. This is even truer for big games like tomorrow’s championship game and the Super Bowl.

All of this extra activity supports jobs in both the Milwaukee and Chicago area. Entry into the Super Bowl will be another week of increased economic activity for the participating cities. Let’s hope Green Bay is one of the lucky participants.  We will feel the positive effect over all of Wisconsin.  I know I will be watching on Sunday with my favorite food and drinks. Go Green Bay!!!

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

 

How far would you go to get a job?

 Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

The other day I heard a radio ad for Grecian Formula for men.  The man in the ad said he could tell when he went to job interviews everyone thought he was too old.  When he colored his hair he got the job.  It seems advertisers are on to something.

The Los Angeles Times has reported an interesting new trend among plastic surgeons on the west coast.    Surgeons are seeing an increasing number of people undergoing plastic surgery to look younger for a job search.  Clients are telling them they want to look young and fresh to be able to compete for jobs.  Surgeons are doing a procedure called “wide awake facelift”. This procedure uses only local anesthesia slashing recovery time and cost by $6000.  That doesn’t exactly sound like a bargain in touch economic times.

Stephen Greenberg has seized on the trend and is offering a “Job Fighter Package. The package can include surgery, but sometimes less costly practices like injections. Many of his patients are financing the work. Loan rates for plastic surgery range from 12 to 19%.  Isn’t this the kind of spending that got us into this mess?

The American Society of Plastic surgeons recently released a survey showing that some American women saw plastic surgery to get a competitive edge in the job market. The survey found 13% of women age 18 to 64 would consider having cosmetic surgery to make them more confident and competitive in the job market.  An additional 3 % of responders said they had already had a procedure done to increase their value in the job market.  Of those surveyed 73% felt looking young helps you to get hired and to be successful on the job.  These women feel cosmetic procedures are a good way to invest in themselves and feel good.

Not sure if this trend has hit the Midwest or if it ever will.  Would you ever consider going under the knife if it meant you had an edge in the job market?  Is looking young even an advantage?  I guess we each have to decide for ourselves.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

Unemployed?- create your own part time job

 Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

If you have been unemployed for awhile you may be getting desperate for cash.  It can even be difficult to find part time work. A lot of your fellow unemployed workers have taken part time jobs. The solution may be to create your own part time job.  The job you create can provide needed income while you search for work.  You can even keep the job once you land work to provide some extra income.  Here are some ideas:

Theater

Can you juggle?  Do you have a theater background you can put to work. How about entertaining at kids parties?  Dressing up as a clown, pirate or cartoon character can provide great entertainment at a kid’s party.  Jugglers or magicians can also be good ideas for entertainment.  Do you have experience doing improve? Maybe you can form a troupe and perform for adult and corporate events.  There is a troupe of actors out of Chicago that does skits to demonstrate how to supervise employees and works with training departments at local companies.

Music

Soloist and instrumentalists are always in demand for weddings and parties. Wedding bands and DJ’s do especially well. Check with local churches for weddings and local festivals for getting booked.

Food/Party Planner

If you have a talent for cooking or baking put it to work. I know someone whose wife made great egg rolls. He took orders at work and brought in the finished product. She was hoping if sales were good to expand to catering.  Home baked goods are something most people no longer do at home. Try decorated special occasion cakes, cookies or cupcakes. You might try catering small dinner parties for friends before moving on to larger events.  Check with your town or city for regulations and the proper licenses.  Martha Stewart got her start catering small events for friends. Maybe you could sell your food items on a push cart or at the local farmers market. If you have a garden bulging with produce, set up a stand at the local farmers market. A nice compliment to a food business is party planning, especially kids birthday parties. Many parents are too busy to do all the shopping and preparation.

Coaching

If you are a good athlete, you may be able to make money setting up training plans and coaching others.  If you are an HR professional you may be able to coach others in resume preparation, job search techniques and interviews. Almost an area you have expertise could lend itself to coaching.

Tutor

Do you know a foreign language?  Offer to teach someone else.  Most students struggle with science and math. If you are good at subjects others find difficult, become a tutor.

Computer Geek

Good at electronics and computers?  Help others set up their computers and electronics. Help others fix problems with their computer systems.  Web site design can also be a very good part time job.

Photographer

If you are good at photography think about advertising your services for weddings and other events. Teach a class to build word of mouth about your services. Also advertise to do head shots. Lots of professionals need good quality head shots for social networking sites.

Trade Skills

Have skills as a plumber, electrician, carpenter etc?  Use those skills to make a nice income.  A trusted handyman is golden.  It can be tough to make your full living as an independent contractor, but it can be a nice side income.  Advertise in local shopper’s guides and tell your friends about your business. It is always nice to use someone you know and trust to do work on your home.

Pet Sitting/Grooming

If you have a love of animal’s pet sitting may be a nice job.  You can take care of pets at your own home or the home of clients. With some training you can add pet grooming to your services as well. You could also offer pet walking or to check in on pets during the day.

Landscaping

If you have a green thumb and like to be outdoors this may be for you.  Cutting grass and weeding the garden is a chore may of us have time fitting in each week. Advertise with flyers around your neighborhood. It will help if your own yard is pristine.

House Sitting

If you are responsible this can be a good part time job.   Offer to water the plants, take in the mail, feed pets, and take care of any issues as they occur. It can be a lot of peace of mind for a homeowner to know someone is taking care of their property. This can be a good option in areas that have a lot of part time residents.

These are just a few ideas. Most of them can be scaled back once you have full time employment. The experience can be a good way to gain business experience or even supervisory experience if you hire employees. Working with customers can help sharpen your customer service skills. Who knows, this might be your new career.

Copyright 2012 Summit Training Publications

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

Researching companies

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

It is important to do research on companies. The research will help you decide if you want to seek a job with an organization and help you to prepare for interviews.   You want to find out the following about a company:

• Products
• Sales
• Locations
• Structure
• Awards
• Patents
• Market Ranking
• Profits
• Size of workforce
• Current industry trends
• Benefits
• Company Culture.

Some of the information you can get by networking. A source inside the company is great for getting a lot of this information. They can tell you about current company initiatives or problems the company is working on.  Some other sources include:

• Newspaper
• Ads
• Magazine Articles
• Trade Publications
• Company Web site
• Annual Report
• Chamber of Commerce
• Better Business Bureau
• Internet

There are a number of sites on the internet where you can research a company including:

• Dun and Bradstreet
• Encyclopedia of Business Information System
• Poor’s Register of Corporations, Directors, and Executives
• Standard Directory of Advertisers
• The Standard Periodical Directory
• Standard and Poor’s Industrial Index
• Thomas Resister of American Manufactures
• Who’s Who in America
• Goggle Search

Print out or take notes of the results of your search. Keep the results in a file folder. You can pull out the folder to review the information you gathered about the company. This will help you to prepare for a phone or in person interview.

Copyright 2012 Summit Training Publications

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

Interviews-What to wear

Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

-Have two outfits. You will need them if you have more than one interview with a company.

-Aim to dress one level above what would be worn on the job everyday.

-You will need to know the typical environment of the job where you will interview.

-Ask HR about the dress code of the company.

• Business Dressy:  Wear a matched suit (coat and slacks/skirt) in a neutral color.  Ties for men stockings for women.
  
• Business Casual: Opt for a jacket and complementary slacks/skirt.  Again ties and panty hose are required.  Stick with neutrals.
• Casual or work uniform: Choose a collared shirt and complementary slacks/skirt.

Suggestions for Buying Interview Clothes

• Choose an upscale store and get the advice of a well dressed associate.
• Choose lower priced alternatives if you don’t want to pay upscale prices.
• Ebay
• Consignment Stores
• Resale shops
• TJ Max
• Sales at upscale stores
  
  Copyright 2012 Summit Training Publications

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation

The Myth of Green Jobs

 Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

Right now saving the environment is a low priority for Americans. With high unemployment global warming is on the back burner for most of us. It still remains a high priority for the Obama administration.   The 2010 Federal budget proposal contains $20 billion in tax incentives for clean energy programs. The administration is predicting 5 million jobs will be created. 

Will this bring the promised bliss of jobs and prosperity?

• Higher costs may offset any gains from jobs from sectors like manufacturing that are high users of energy. Traditional sources of energy are currently far cheaper than green sources such as wind and solar.
• Green jobs are not well defined. What exactly is a green job and how will be measure if they are created?
• Governor Doyle’s proposed Green Jobs bill would result in a loss of over 40,000 jobs.

Are Americans concerned about Global Warming?

• A recent Gallup poll (http://www.gallup.com/poll/126560/Americans-Global-Warming-Concerns-Continue-Drop.aspx?CSTS=tagrss) shows 48% of Americans think Global Warming is greatly exaggerated. 35% thing Global Warming will never happen.
• Remember when we were told we were running out of land fill space 20 years ago?  Many environmental concerns are spearheaded by political groups with hidden agendas. We have to be very careful about making costly policy for a non threat. These expensive programs are being sold to us to create jobs and prosperity.

Has it worked in other countries?

• Spain has been one of the biggest builders of green energy infrastructure. They report losing 2.2 jobs for every job created with subsidized energy.  Obama has touted them as the green jobs  miracle.  Spain has 18% unemployment and its  the fastest growing rate in Europe.
• Spain has found green jobs to be very expensive. For each green job created consumers paid $742,000 in higher energy costs. What started as a 5 year plan is now being talked about as needing help for decades. Only 10% of the jobs are long term jobs needed to maintain the system. Money must continue to be pumped into the system to keep jobs going.
• Spain’s Acerinox SA, Spain’s largest producer of steel blamed higher energy costs for deciding to expand in South Africa and the U.S.
• In a Heritage Foundation lecture Dr. Gaberial Calzala, Professor of King Juan Carlos University said   “ The feed-in tariff….would make utility companies go bankrupt. No one knows how the debts from these programs will be paid. The feed-in tariff for wind was 100% over the market price.”
• Dr. Calzala claims every subsidized job in the solar industry destroys nine jobs in the private sector.

Green jobs programs are expensive and actually destroy jobs in the private sector. This is not a way to prosperity.

Do you hate to write training programs? Too much work to do and no time to put together your training program? Asked to deliver training or a presentation and have no idea where to start?

Let Summit Training Publications take care of your program design needs with our off the shelf training in a box or one of our presentation modules.

Our off the shelf training solutions provide:

• PowerPoint Presentation
• Instructor Guide & handouts
• Student Guide
• Quiz
• Feedback Form

Subject areas include; Communication Skills, Employee Development, Human Resources, Quality, Product Safety, Safety and Supervisor Training.

Titles: Product Safety and Liability, Aftermarket Product Safety,Hazard Analysis, Product Safety Meetings, Warnings, Instructions and Manuals, Product Liability European Union, Obtaining the CE Mark, Risk Assessment, European Union, Product Safety Management Product Safety Audit, Workplace Violence, Substance Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Manager as Coach, Hiring, Firing, Performance Appraisals, Diversity, Americans With Disabilities, Business Etiquette, Security Abroad, International Business Manners, Customer Service, Customer Communication, Terrific Teams, The Manager as Trainer, Coping With Difficult People, Managing Your Boss- Problem Bosses, Malcolm Baldridge Award, Presentations/Public Speaking, Discrimination, Listening Skills, Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Management, Motivation, High Achievers, Time Management, ISO 9000 Introduction, ISO 9000 Implementation, Quality Audit, Introduction to the Internet, Stress Management, Telecommuting, Flexible Work Schedules, Creativity and Innovation, Benchmarking, Effective Business Writing, Customer Letters, Motivating Self and Others, Project Management, Managing Multiple Projects, Brainstorming, PERT Diagrams, Train the Trainer, Train the Trainer-Delivery, Train the Trainer-Writing Presentations, Train the Trainer-On the Job Training, Train the Trainer-Using Visual Aids, Project Management, Peer to Peer Feedback, Surviving Unemployment, Interview Preparation