Looking for a permanent job? Consider starting with seasonal work

Seasonal hiring remains static, pay trending up in 2011

By Brent Rasmussen, president, CareerBuilder North America

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and with it brings the possibility of temporary opportunities for job seekers. With consumer confidence falling in October*, retailers expect seasonal hiring to be relatively on par with last year's numbers. According to CareerBuilder's just released job forecast (see survey infographic here), 29 percent of retailers plan to employ extra help to weather the holiday season, down slightly from 33 percent in 2010.

Bing: Latest unemployment headlines
As you might expect, customer service positions are the most in-demand, but employers are looking to fill seasonal roles throughout their organizations. When asked where their organizations needed workers this holiday season, employers listed a variety of functional areas:

• Customer service (30 percent)

• Administrative/clerical support (16 percent)

• Shipping/delivery (15 percent)

• Technology (12 percent)

• Inventory management (10 percent)

• Non-retail sales (9 percent)

• Accounting/finance (8 percent)

• Marketing (8 percent)

Although seasonal hiring plans are expected to remain static compared to 2010, the good news for job seekers is that employers who are hiring plan to pay higher wages. Fifty-three percent of employers surveyed expect to pay seasonal workers $10 or more an hour, and 14 percent expect to pay $16 or more; this is up from 48 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in 2010.
While holiday jobs fill up quickly, it's not too late to start applying. According to the survey, 33 percent of employers who are hiring seasonal staff reported they are still recruiting for open positions in November. Seasonal jobs can be found by searching career websites, going directly to a company's "careers" page or checking out specialized retail job boards, such as WorkInRetail.com.
Turning a seasonal position into a permanent one
Taking a seasonal job can be advantageous for many reasons. It can help fill an employment gap, teach new skills, expand your professional network and, above all else, provide income even if only for a few months. Unfortunately, for many workers a seasonal job is also a missed opportunity. The CareerBuilder survey found that 30 percent of employers plan to transition some employees they hire for the holidays into full-time, permanent staff, yet workers don't always take the necessary steps to turn their temporary job into a full-time one. Even in this highly competitive market, you can stand out from your seasonal co-workers by asserting yourself as the leading candidate for any long-term opportunities.
Here are some ways you can tip the permanent hiring odds in your favor:
Make your intentions known from the start
If you are going into a seasonal job hoping to turn it into a permanent one, don't hesitate to tell your manager from the start. That way, he or she is aware of your long-term professional goals and will know to keep you in mind once a permanent position becomes available.
Provide above and beyond customer service
According to the survey, 66 percent of hiring managers said workers who provide above and beyond customer service will rise to the top of the long-term candidate pool. In other words, don't just tell your boss you want to stay with the company permanently, prove it. To ensure you're top-of-mind, offer to help with something instead of waiting to be asked, and treat customers with respect and kindness. Managers want to hire someone they can count on as well as someone they want to work with for 40 hours each week.
Be proactive, not passive
When someone calls in sick or asks for a day off, volunteer to pick up the additional shift. If you notice your boss is working on a project outside of your day-to-day tasks, lend an extra hand. Forty-five percent of hiring managers cite proactively asking for more projects as a good way to get noticed for a full-time opportunity. The more projects you work on and additional hours you log, the more exposure you'll get to your manager and to the company's various functions.
Show you care about the company
Thirty-nine percent of hiring managers said that if you're looking to turn your temporary job into a full-time career, ask thoughtful questions about the organization. Ask your employer about the company's values or what he or she sees as the department's opportunities and challenges for the coming year. By doing so, you'll demonstrate that you're invested and genuinely interested in the company and are looking for ways to contribute beyond your original role.
Prove you are forward-thinking
Without being presumptuous, show your employer you're already thinking long term by suggesting ways a process can be more efficient or sharing ideas on new initiatives to try. Regardless of whether your suggestions are implemented, speaking up will prove to your employer that you are thoughtful, have interesting ideas and -- if permanently hired -- will make positive contributions to the company.

As a person who just got hired, after actively looking for a new job since May, I understand and respect the fact that finding a new job is far easier said than done. After all, no one can make someone else hire them. I also understand and respect the fact that in the U.S. unemployment is still at 9%. Although I confess to total ignorance of what the Global Unemployment rate is, I confess even greater ignorance to the unemployment rates of any country other than my own--the U.S.A.  Right now, I am just hoping and praying to be able to pass on some information that by some 'wing or a prayer' might actually help someone, anyone who needs a job to find a job at least one person somewhere, anywhere, on this planet we call Earth, Lord Help me, Jesus.

Jobs for people who love to talk

By Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder "If you're a talker, picking a job where you spend your days quietly behind a computer can make you absolutely miserable. Just imagine Kelly Ripa or Katie Couric crunching numbers in a cubicle. Talkers don't need to be constantly engaged in conversation. However, having a social aspect to their roles will make them more successful, because it taps into their natural talents. Choosing the right job is key, and it's important to understand the social attributes of a position before you start. If you love to talk, here are 10 jobs to consider: Marketing Whether you're an account executive or work for a marketing agency, your people skills are often on display. Most marketers need to convey a convincing pitch -- whether within the company or to outside vendors -- and use their talking skills to cement existing relationships and build new ones. News anchor or reporter Great speaking skills are a large part of news anchors' and reporters' jobs, because they need to be able to relate to their audience. Those eager to gather and disseminate the news via television, online sites or newspapers can build careers by being successful speakers. Sales It's well known that those in sales love to talk. And there's a reason for that: Sales people must develop trusting relationships with customers before n for the pitch and getting them to make purchases. Even after a sale, staying upbeat is a huge part of the job, so non-talkers need not apply. Teaching No matter what age you teach, your speaking skills are crucial to being a successful mentor and inspiring your students. Teachers are some of the best communicators around and spend a large part of their job talking for theimpressive speaking skills. Not only do social workers need to speak to clients, but they also need to provide explanations for how to deal with troubling relationships, diseases or even psychological issues. Entrepreneur While the act of becoming an entrepreneur doesn't necessarily require speaking skills, being able to sell your business to those around you is key. When launching a business, it's important that entrepreneurs can clearly convey their new venture to others. Actor, producer or director Most occupations in the drama field use speech to convey ideas and draw out the viewer's emotions, so if you're a talker this could be your dream job. Most great actors, producers and directors understand the effect their speech can have on the production and how to use it to their advantage. Interior designer If you love combining your artistic flair with talking, interior designing may be a perfect career opportunity. Some designers are hired on a contract basis to bring an aesthetic to a specific indoor space, while others work as part of large corporations or design firms. Designers work on anything from private homes to hotels and offices, so communication skills are a must."

And in addition to these I can think of two more--(1)A politician of any party or nation.-- (2) a member of the clergy of any faith. ;-) But seriously, as bad as unemployment can be, I know I have been there, being in the wrong job can be just as bad( I know I have been here too. What can I say; I am 50 years old, there are very few places where I have not been one time or an other). Which is why finding the right field is important, this is not me, since I am not one who does very much talking, but if by chance there is someone who reads this, that this can help. This is why I am passing it on.

Residents concerned about traffic, lights at proposed nursing home

October 16, 2011

by Mike Lesko | Associate Editor
Stow -- Plans for an 80-bed nursing home and rehabilitation facility on Sowul Boulevard were temporarily put on hold as city officials sift through complaints from residents who believe there would be too much additional traffic and lighting.
A proposal by Altercare Nursing Home, which sought a conditional zoning certificate and site plan approval, will remain in the city's planning committee, where the issue was discussed Oct. 10.
In addition, a 24-foot-wide curb cut entrance for emergency vehicles -- particularly a 48-foot-tall fire aerial apparatus -- would be built on Sowul Boulevard near the Sandy Hook intersection.
More than a dozen residents, some from the Rockport Colony development, attended the meeting.
"We don't want additional traffic dumped onto Sowul Boulevard," said Michael Nolte of Sandy Hook, adding that there is a possibility of vehicular head lights shining onto homes in the Sandy Hook area at night.
"It's going to shine right into my living room window," said Alice Jackson of Sandy Hook. "I don't like that. It's a problem for us."
Tom McGregor of Sandy Hook agreed, saying he was "concerned about the lighting. We're going to see the [vehicular] lights shining through our windows."
"I am concerned about the increased traffic," McGregor added. "An 80-bed facility will still generate a lot of visitors. It's a 24/7 facility. There is a lot of fast, loud traffic coming down Sowul as it is."
Ronald Gajock, an architect representing Altercare, believes traffic from the nursing home will not be a problem.
"During off-hours [when employee shifts are not changing], traffic is non-existent unless there is an emergency," Gajock said.
"The nursing home would not provide as much traffic as a retail development," said Rob Kurtz, Stow assistant planning director.
"This will increase the traffic, noise and lights," said Stephanie McConnell of Bar Harbor Lane. "Noise from the construction is likely going to be a problem for us. Do we have enough retirement homes in the city already?"
City officials said this would be the seventh nursing home in Stow.
"No more curb cuts [are necessary] on Sowul Boulevard," Nolte said.
Stow Fire Division Chief Lou Ann Metz said the proposed concrete curb cut on Sowul is necessary.
"If we do not have that, we'd risk rolling over that aerial apparatus," Metz said. "[The curb cut] is a big safety issue for us."
Even though the proposed nursing home would be a single-story facility, Metz said the National Fire Protection Association indicated that the standard fire response must include an aerial apparatus.
Stow Fire Station No. 3 on Fishcreek Road would be the primary response facility, Metz said.
"We're anticipating at least 100 more EMS calls there a year [if the facility is approved]," she said.
The nursing home was proposed on a 5.8-acre site in between the Giant Eagle on Norton Road and the Summit County Metro Parks Bike and Hike Trail, Kurtz said. It would be on the west side of Sowul Boulevard.
Gajock said he hoped to begin construction in late spring/early summer of 2012 with the facility opening 13 months later.
There would be 60 parking spaces at the facility, which would be about 51,000 square feet. The property is owned by Altercare, Kurtz said.
He said company officials indicated there would be 68 employees and an estimated monthly payroll of $549,000.
Kurtz said recently retired city engineer Bill Drew previously approved the facility's storm water qualifications.
The nursing home proposal was previously recommended by the city's planning commission.
The proposal is scheduled to be discussed again at Council's Nov. 14 planning committee meeting at Stow City Hall. Committee meetings begin at 5:30 p.m.

 Yes, I was at this City Council Meeting, because having just moved here, the first of this year, I still have much to learn about Stow and Rockport Colony Condominium community. This counil meeting did not help. Maybe it was me, but I was hoping that I would hear more concern about what is for the good of the community as a whole, not but my house is here, what about me-me-me. After all, the economic state of Summit County and the entire State of Ohio and of the entire United States and of most of the entire world is in a slump, one of the worst Recessions ever, especially when it comes to jobs that were loss. This promises to create jobs and take care of people who need taking care of in the process.  In addition to that, either the facility will have a dining area and create dining service jobs or it will generate customers for the restaurant in the area, either way, it will be good for the whole community.  I hope to be able to make it to this up coming meeting, but if I can not because I have just gotten hired at a new job and will find out my hours today, then I hope that someone reads my blog and remembers the Vulcan saying from 'Star Trek'--"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one." , which is especially true if the United States and the rest of the world of which the U.S. is only a small part of, in order for this Global Recession to end. After all, the world is too small for us not to be our brother's and/or sister's keepers, in other words those who can give help-give help so all those who need it (each and every one) can receive it until they too can give it.

Ya-Hoo! I will be at the council meeting, after all. Now all I have to do is not turn coward and loose my nerve, to actually speak my mind in public.

How the stress of work might really make you sick

By Allison Linn

The stress and strain of work really could be taking a physical toll on you, and you may be surprised to find exactly what it is about work that hurts in various parts of your body.
Researchers who examined more than 70 studies looking at the relationship between work and illness, found that long hours and a heavy workload were clearly correlated with illness, according to a post on PsyBlog.
They did find that the typical factors we associate with stress — such as long hours and a heavy workload — are correlated with illness and physical ailments such as headaches and stomach problems.
The researchers found that "organizational constraints" like not having the time or authority to reach the goals set for you are most strongly associated with physical symptoms, especially gastrointestinal problems and fatigue.
The researchers also saw strong correlations between role conflict — when your boss tells you to do one thing and another person gives you different instructions — and tummy troubles. Co-worker conflict was associated with having trouble sleeping.
Researchers are hesitant to say that work stress causes illness and physical ailments, since in most cases the studies look only at the correlation between stress and illness.

Yes, been here and done this. I have worked under what had to be one of the worst supervisor's ever, but because I worked at a non-union small 'Mom and Pop and Sister' company. To go to the owner and manager to try to explain to her that it is her sister's fault that we were not getting along would have been insane. So when ever her sister would 'tell' me that I was being 'Spiritually Immature' not to see that this person was a 'Witch' or that person a 'Warlock' or another person a 'Goon' or that 'The AAA (as in believe it or not The American Automotive Association) was paid off by her ex-brother-in-law to break in and ransack her apartment", and not say anything that would start an argument because she was right, unless someone could thoroughly prove that she and her 'Holy Ghost' were wrong.

What I believe is the lesson behind Beethoven's 3rd Synphony

Dedication and premiere

Beethoven had originally conceived of dedicating the symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte. The biographer Maynard Solomon relates that Beethoven admired the ideals of the French Revolution, and Napoleon as their embodiment. In the autumn the composer began to have second thoughts about that dedication. It would have deprived him of a fee that he would receive if he instead dedicated the symphony to Prince Franz Joseph Maximillian Lobkowitz. Nevertheless, he still gave the work the title of Bonaparte.
According to Beethoven's pupil and assistant, Ferdinand Ries, when Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor of the French in May 1804, Beethoven became disgusted and went to the table where the completed score lay. He took hold of the title-page and tore it up in rage. This is the account of the scene as told by Ries:

“

In writing this symphony Beethoven had been thinking of Buonaparte, but Buonaparte while he was First Consul. At that time Beethoven had the highest esteem for him and compared him to the greatest consuls of ancient Rome. Not only I, but many of Beethoven's closer friends, saw this symphony on his table, beautifully copied in manuscript, with the word "Buonaparte" inscribed at the very top of the title-page and "Ludwig van Beethoven" at the very bottom. …I was the first to tell him the news that Buonaparte had declared himself Emperor, whereupon he broke into a rage and exclaimed, "So he is no more than a common mortal! Now, too, he will tread under foot all the rights of man, indulge only his ambition; now he will think himself superior to all men, become a tyrant!" Beethoven went to the table, seized the top of the title-page, tore it in half and threw it on the floor. The page had to be re-copied and it was only now that the symphony received the title "Sinfonia eroica."[4]

”

There exists also the copy of the score made by a copyist, where the words Intitulata Bonaparte ('dedicated to Bonaparte') are scratched out, but four lines below that were later added in pencil the words Geschriben auf Bonaparte ('written in honor of Bonaparte'). Further, in August 1804, merely three months after the legendary tearing-up scene, Beethoven wrote to his publisher that "The title of the symphony is really Bonaparte." The final title that was applied to the work when it was first published in October, 1806, was Sinfonia Eroica...composta per festeggiare il sovvenire di un grand Uomo ("heroic symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man").^[5] In addition, Schindler tells us that upon hearing of the Emperor's death in Saint Helena in 1821, Beethoven proclaimed "I wrote the music for this sad event seventeen years ago" – referring to the Funeral March (second movement).
Beethoven wrote most of the symphony in late 1803 and completed it in early 1804. The symphony was premiered privately in summer 1804 in his patron Prince Lobkowitz's castle Eisenberg (Jezeri) in Bohemia. The first public performance was given in Vienna's Theater an der Wien on 7 April 1805 with the composer conducting. For that performance, the work's key was announced as "Dis", the German for D-sharp.^[6]

Yes, Beethoven was a musical genious. After all, who other than Beethoven could have composed his greatest masterpiece, IMHO, the 9th Synphony, after he went completely deaf, but yet when it came to politics looks like to me, even he was taken in by Bonaparte.
This is why when I see some celebrity campaigning for or against anything or anyone--(Right now, Ohio is IMO suffering through one attack ad over and over . . .  by the once respected singer-Pat Boone, how or why I am suppose to believe that-that Californian knows as much or even more about Ohio, when all I have done is live my entire life here-is beyond me--the question should be--Why should I believe him?). I still question and question, until I feel comfortable with the issue or candidate.
This is also why when I finally take a stand on a candidate or issue and I meet a person who disagrees with me. The first question I ask is why. After all, maybe they know something that I do not. After all, I am faaaar from perfect. I maybe 50 years old, but there is still more that I have yet to learn, which is why I love reading a variety of books and watching documentaries so very much.

Oh, God Save America from America

Republican governors will stop at nothing to win next November. Now we know just how far they'll go.

With his latest voter suppression venture, Ohio's Republican Governor John Kasich has abolished the most popular early voting days, making it more difficult for working families to vote – all to suppress Democratic turnout and give Republicans the edge.

Kasich and his Tea Party cronies know that Ohio is a key swing state. And they'll do everything they can to defeat President Obama and consolidate their power – even if it means denying Americans the basic right to vote.

But thankfully, the Ohio Democratic Party is fighting back.

It's the same thing we've seen in other key swing states like Florida and Wisconsin, where Republican governors Rick Scott and Scott Walker passed laws specifically designed to limit access to the ballot box.

In Ohio, volunteers worked around the clock to collect nearly 500,000 signatures at neighborhood meetings, church gatherings and local festivals. Almost 500,000 people sent a message to put this terrible bill on the ballot and overturn it once and for all.

Republican would stop at nothing to continue their attack on President Obama,which is a highly believable accusation. After all, the Presidential race and the Senate race is not until Next November and we in Ohio are already getting bombarded with a new series of attack ads. 
Oh, what ever happened to the 'Good Ole Days' when the end of one election meant that there would be a time-out from Political Ads. It would be safe to watch broadcast television, after all the only commercials that would be on would be the businesses selling their products.
Now, we have 'Big Business' and the Republican Party with their non-stop campaigning, especially with 'Big Business' having the money advantage, which can and will be made even worst if a Republican succeeds in outsting Obama. After all, can any sane person really believe that the funding of Republican attack ads  from the kindness heart and not out of pure Greed?
We have definitely become our own worst enemy!

The Aftermath of the Election of 2011

 Issue 1 - Proposed Constitutional Amendment
          (Vote For Not More Than )  1
              (WITH 475 OF 475 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           NO.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    96,306   61.65
           YES  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    59,900   38.35

          Issue 2 - Referendum
          (Vote For Not More Than )  1
              (WITH 475 OF 475 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           NO (To reject the law) .  .  .  .  .  .   106,713   63.15
           YES (To approve the law)  .  .  .  .  .    62,261   36.85

          Issue 3 - Proposed Constitutional Amendment
          (Vote For Not More Than )  1
              (WITH 475 OF 475 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           YES  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   103,389   64.42
           NO.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    57,111   35.58

 Issue 20 - Stow-Munroe Falls CSD
          Proposed Tax Levy, Emr. Req., Addnl., 6.57 Mills, 10 Yrs
          (Vote For Not More Than )  1
              (WITH 39 OF 39 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           FOR THE TAX LEVY .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     8,057   51.78
           AGAINST THE TAX LEVY.  .  .  .  .  .  .     7,502   48.22

Issue 25 - Summit County DD
          Proposed Tax Levy, Const., Renewal, 4.5 Mills, 6 Yrs.
          (Vote For Not More Than )  1
              (WITH 475 OF 475 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
           FOR THE TAX LEVY .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .   115,023   70.09
           AGAINST THE TAX LEVY.  .  .  .  .  .  .    49,096   29.91

I am sorry, it has been one of those days at work and family, a.k.a. the young son who is 20 years old son; who wants to be on his own, but has yet to learn how to take care of his own car and his own living space. After,sweeping up all those leaves left me beat, whipped and exhausted, I get to his place only to find him in bed, sound asleep.
But more importantly the Election of 2011,Thank God, some of the issues that needed passing--passed and some of those that needed to be defeated loss. As far as what it means, I have no idea, but then again that is why we have political punints.