Friday, February 27, 2015

Hot-Sounding Jobs That Are Incredibly Overrated

They may look glamorous on TV or in movies, but these jobs are a lot less exciting than you might think



TV-Mad Men

Some jobs seem as though they have PR firms working to promote them. The people who have them always look good, if sometimes disheveled, on TV or in movies. And there are a few that may be. But a number are anything but.

As the Telegraph put it, there are seriously overrated jobs out there that seem like dream positions until you're actually in the throes of doing them. Maybe the conditions are tough, the hours long, or the money not everything that you might think. Or perhaps it's just a lot more dull and routine than you would expect.

The Telegraph started with a list of five. We added a few more. Take a glance--and then, next time you're watching a movie or program, remember that you might already be better off than you think.

Travel writer

People often tell travel writers that they must have the most amazing jobs anywhere. You get to go to exotic places, eat amazing food, and get paid to do it. On a good day, maybe. But quite often you'll stay in iffy hotels and lament for home cooked food. Getting publications to lay out money for expenses has become increasingly difficult, and many writers look for freebies from tourism and visitors bureaus and PR firms. That means being shuttled from one place to another in a short timeframe and having to be nice to those who can cut off your access. It's not a vacation, it's a forced march.

If you're a freelancer, as many are, to keep your editorial independence, plan on paying a lot of the expenses yourself and deducting them from your taxes. That means you'll be covering your own benefits, like health insurance and sick days plus double the Social Security tax, as an employer no longer covers half.

Chef

You watch all the Food Network shows, to say nothing of Top Chef. Impeccably dressed in white, delivering orders to the people under you, and hobnobbing with celebrities, right? Not for the average working chef. The hours are really long, the conditions hot and difficult. You're on your feet for many hours a day, there will be no Hollywood types hanging out with you, and cuts, burns, and falls will become a fact of life. Hours include early mornings, late nights, weekends, and holidays, and the 2012 median pay was $42,480, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Advertising executive

Admit it: You've been watching Mad Men. But, really, look at Don Draper. Is that the life you actually want? Creativity gets hammered into the ground all the time -- not by the agencies so much as by the clients. They always know better (not really), expect you to be available whenever they want (often at the last minute), and can too frequently be completely unhelpful, having you run this way and that for no apparent reason. Or you might work in-house and be blamed every time sales aren't what someone decreed they ought to be, no matter how bad the product design or customer service. The only good news is that the amount of alcohol swilling has dropped over the decades.

Architect

The median pay may sound good at $73,090 a year, but getting there is a lot harder than it looks, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. First there's a five-year bachelor's program, rather than the usual four-year for most professions. After that, to get ahead you might need a master's, which means another one to five years of school. Then there's state licensing that will require at least three years of experience before getting your license. What can we say? The Mike Brady life it probably won't be.

Junior investment banker

Can you make big bucks as an investment banker? Oh, yeah. Wall Street has an efficient system for vacuuming cash out of most business done in this country, and eventually the investment bankers get their share. Even starting as a first-year analyst, the pay can run from $70,000 to $150,000, according to WallStreetOasis. After that, you quickly get into the hundreds of thousands to millions range.

Bad news: Either you'll live in New York City, in which case you'll see how quickly that money can evaporate, or you'll spend plenty of time commuting. That doesn't count working 80 to 120 hours a week. Some banks have been telling their employees to start taking Saturdays off, as the New York Times reported. But did anyone say anything about Sundays? It's tough to get away from the office when the pressure to perform and deliver is massive.

Lawyer

Get into court, tear into the flimsy story someone offered, relax after work, and make median pay of $113,530 a year. But you'll be working "long hours," according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and forget about courtroom repartee. Most of the job involves reading through difficult and usually dull material, writing difficult and usually dull material, and then worrying whether you'll make partner and trying to pay off the massive student loans it took to get through law school.

Police detective

On cop shows and in the movies, the detectives dress well and usually get the perpetrator. In reality, the work can be challenging, but also depressing when you spend day after day seeing the worst humanity has to offer. It's physically demanding, stressful, and dangerous, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts it. Rates of alcoholism are high, according to Law Enforcement Today, as is the suicide rate, as related by PoliceOne.com. And the median pay is $56,980. Not a lot of money for the apparent level of pain.      

Thursday, February 26, 2015

$50K To $75K A Year, No 4-Year Degree Required

Boilermakers, aircraft mechanics make solid wages without going into debt


Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Companies Hiring: Week of 2/24

Job openings at Ascension Health, Dollar General, and more



Dollar General in Port St. Joe

By Susan Ricker, CareerBuilder

Job seekers, here is our weekly list of 10 companies that are hiring now. Click on the company names below to learn more about the opportunities available at each company.

1. AMC Theatres
Industry: Entertainment
Sample job titles: Hourly manager, kitchen manager, restaurant theatre manager, facility manager, supervisor, film crew, busser, server, cook, dishwasher
Location: Nationwide

2. Ascension Health
Industry: Health care
Sample job titles: Health care solutions development lead
Location: Indiana, Michigan

3. Dollar General
Industry: Retail
Sample job titles: Store manager
Location: Nationwide

4. First Call Staffing/First Call Professional Services
Industry: Light industrial/manufacturing
Sample job titles: Electrical engineer, quality coordinator, logistics, warehouse supervisor, production, machine operator, production engineer, maintenance supervisor, forklift driver
Location: Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee

5. Mattress Firm
Industry: Retail
Sample job titles: Sales manager, sales associate
Location: Nationwide

6. Medix
Industry: Health care, scientific, IT
Sample job titles: Pharmacy technician, medical assistant, phlebotomist, medical collector, medical coder, medical biller, nurse case manager, chemist
Location: Nationwide

7. Related Management
Industry: Property management
Sample job titles: Regional manager, property manager, maintenance technician, maintenance supervisor, groundskeeper
Location: Texas, New York, Illinois, North Dakota, Nevada, New Jersey

8. Rooms to Go
Industry: Retail, sales
Sample job titles: Sales associate, store manager, warehouse associate
Location: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas

9. Speedway LLC
Industry: Retail
Sample job titles: Customer service representative, store manager
Location: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin

10. USG Corporation and L&W Supply
Industry: Construction
Sample job titles: Truck driver, operator, sales, management, warehouse engineering, finance, IT, HR, electrician, mechanic
Location: Nationwide      

Sunday, February 22, 2015

5 Companies With Part-Time Jobs and Benefits, Too

Where you needn't work full-time to get a 401(k) or insurance



new york city   oct 23 2013 ...

By Clair Jones

More and more people want to work part-time in retirement to bring in income and to remain engaged. Problem is, many part-time jobs don't come with benefits. But that's not true at all companies.

Below are five national employers that offer part-time workers competitive starting pay, health insurance, employer-matched retirement benefits, product discounts and industry perks. The health insurance coverage could be an especially desirable benefit until Medicare kicks in at age 65.

Starbucks

The ubiquitous coffee chain offers an impressive package of health benefits and incentives that makes part-time employees who meet certain qualifications feel like stakeholders in the business, just as full-timers do.

After you put in 240 hours over three consecutive months (the equivalent of four hours a day, five days a week, for example), when you work at least 20 hours a week, you're eligible for full benefits, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, disability and a 401(k) match.

And you don't need to be a twentysomething to get a part-time job here. We "recruit and hire partners without regard to age," says Laurel Harper, a Starbucks corporate representative.

Part-timers who meet the preceding qualifications can contribute 1 to 75 percent of their pay to the Starbucks 401(k), with an annual limit of $23,000 for people 50 or older. Starbucks matches 100 percent on the first 4 percent of pay and all contributions have immediate vesting.

> Find a part-time job at Starbucks

Starbucks funds about 70 percent of health-premium costs for employees and covers 100 percent of preventive care services. Policies cover a wide range of non-traditional treatments, including acupuncture, chiropractic care and homeopathic care options. There's also mental health support and an emergency assistance fund that helps cover expenses after a natural disaster or a family crisis.

Starbucks also lets employees buy company stock at a 5 percent discount through payroll deductions and provides a 30 percent in-store discount as well as a weekly pound of free coffee or tea.

You can find more details about Starbucks benefits here.

UPS

Susan Rosenberg, UPS Public Relations Director, says her company employs "many retirees who are looking for the next chapter and seek reduced hours that have benefits." The primary part-time positions, she notes, are for package handlers who load, unload or sort within the operations.

"Age isn't really an issue; its ability and desire to do the job," says Rosenberg.

Part-time UPS employees must work only 15 hours a week to be eligible for health benefits. Coverage begins on the first day of the first full pay period following 30 days of employment and includes health, dental, vision and life insurance, as well as a discounted prescription drug program.

> Find a part-time job at UPS

And if you'd like to take college classes when you're not working at UPS part-time, the company offers $5,250 in annual tuition assistance, up to $25,000 during employment there.

The company also has eldercare spending accounts to help reduce your caregiving costs and lets qualifying part-timers buy UPS stock at a discount.
Look here for a detailed description of UPS benefits and eligibility requirements.

REI

If you enjoy the great outdoors, REI - the outdoor recreation gear, sporting good and clothing giant - might be a good place for your part-time work in retirement.

The company subsidizes up to 96 percent of insurance premiums for employees who work 20 hours or more a week, pays the full cost of basic life and disability insurance and offers vision and dental insurance.

REI also lets part-timers contribute up to 75 percent of pay to the company's 401(k), with a match that starts at 3 percent and increases 1 percent per year of employment; maximum employer match: 10 percent. (You need to be in the plan for at least five years to keep the employer match money.) The annual employee contribution amount for people 50 and older tops out at $22,500.

If you're a nature-lover, REI's 50 percent discount on gear may be motivation enough to work part-time for the company.

Another perk: REI offers a 50 percent, pre-tax subsidy for commuting on public transportation.

Look here for a detailed description of REI benefits and eligibility requirements.

Whole Foods Market

The popular grocery chain Whole Foods "welcomes people seeking part-time employment," says Michael Silverman of the company's public relations department.

If you work there 20 hours a week or more, after 800 hours (that's 10 months of 20 hours a week) you have access to the firm's 401(k), plus a 20 percent discount on most in-store purchases. The company also shares its wealth through stock options (for part-timers wh've worked the equivalent of three years full-time) and a "gainsharing" program that rewards teams based on performance. As a recent Bloomberg BusinessWeek article noted, the Whole Foods 401(k) isn't especially generous, though. The maximum company match is just $152 a year and you need to work there a year to receive any match.

Part-timers who work at Whole Foods for 20 to 29.99 hours per week are also eligible to receive health insurance and contribute to Health Savings Accounts.

Look here for a detailed description of Whole Foods benefits and eligibility requirements.

The Container Store

Next Avenue recently republished an article by Café.com's Deborah Copaken about getting rejected for a job at The Container Store at 48. But the chain's spokeswoman Casey Shilling says her company is "always looking for great employees of any age, career background and life experience that can make connections with our time-starved customers and who are eager to be part of a team that delivers exceptional customer service."

The Container Store provides part-time employees with medical, dental, life and vision insurance, as well as short-and long-term disability insurance. (Life insurance coverage is extended to domestic partners and common-law spouses). The company offers discounted pet insurance, too.

Employees are eligible to participate in The Container Store's 401(k) plan after working there 11 months and can contribute between 1 and 80 percent of gross pay. There's a 4 percent employer match.

You can also get a 40 percent discount on merchandise and 30 percent off installation fees.

Look here for a detailed description of Container Store benefits and eligibility requirements.

> Find a part-time job at the Container Store

Saturday, February 21, 2015

25 HlGH PAYlNG J0BS


Hiring Now! September, 2015




Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Compan!es Hir!ng Week of 2/17

Openings at AMC Theatres, Ascension health, and more



sunnyvale ca usa   february 1 ...

By Debra Auerbach, CareerBuilder writer

Job seekers, here is our weekly list of 10 companies that are hiring now. Click on the company names below to learn more about the opportunities available at each company.

1. AMC Theatres
Industry: Entertainment
Sample job titles: Hourly manager, kitchen manager, restaurant theatre manager, facility manager, supervisor, film crew, busser, server, cook, dish washer
Location: Nationwide

2. Ameriprise Financial
Industry: Finance/sales
Client service manager, financial adviser, paraplanner
Location: Minnesota, Nevada

3. Ascension Health
Industry: Health care
Sample job titles: Health care solutions development lead
Location: Indiana, Michigan

4. Corus360
Industry: IT consulting and professional services
Network engineer, automation engineer, Windows systems engineer, ITSM consultant, analyst, security engineer, C/C++ developer, UX architect, Java developer, back end developer, z/os engineer, cloud engineer, desktop support specialist
Location: Atlanta and Lawrenceville, Ga.; Charlotte, N.C.; Orlando; Dallas; Denver; Cincinnati

5. Haven National Homes
Industry: Real estate, property management
Sample job titles: Leasing associate, property manager, property administrator, real estate manager
Location: Nationwide

6. Mattress Firm
Industry: Retail
Sample job titles: Sales manager, sales associate
Location: Nationwide

7. NSF International
Industry: Public health and safety
Sample job titles: Food auditor, seafood inspector, technical reviewer, research scientist, tax assistant, senior project manager - water systems, business development manager, food safety representative, communications assistant, senior network administrator
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.; St. Louis, Mo.; Boston; Chicago; Phoenix; San Diego; Denver

8. Roti Mediterranean Grill
Industry: Fast casual restaurant
Sample job titles: General manager, team member, assistant manager, restaurant area director
Location: Chicago, Northbrook, Oak Brook, Schaumburg and Vernon Hills, Ill.; Bethesda, Md.; New York City; Rosslyn and Tyson's Corner, Va.; Washington, D.C.

9. Trulite Glass & Aluminum Solutions
Industry: Manufacturing
Sample job titles: Plant manager, maintenance technician, outside sales manufacturing, machine operator and production
Location: Nationwide

10. ULINE
Industry: Shipping and packaging
Sample job titles: Customer service, distribution manager, director of talent acquisition, inside sales, IT, marketing, recruiter, supply chain
Location: Nationwide      

Monday, February 16, 2015

Best jobs for 2015 Metro hotspots and key industries driving employment




TAKING THE TOP FIVE JOBS IN EACH EDUCATION CATEGORY, WE DETERMINED WHERE THEIR GROWTH, WAGES, AND CONCENTRATION ARE STRONGEST, AS WELL AS THE KEY INDUSTRIES DRIVING EMPLOYMENT FOR THESE OCCUPATIONS.
In our recent analysis with CareerBuilder, we distilled the top occupations (both degree-requiring and no-degree-requiring) whose monthly job postings are distinctly higher than the number of hires—meaning employers advertising for those jobs are on a vigorous hunt for talent. In this post we wanted to dig deeper. Taking the top five jobs in each education category, we determined where their growth, wages, and concentration are strongest, as well as the key industries driving employment for these occupations.
The upshot: San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, and Detroit are the usual suspects for top metro areas (especially for the occupations requiring a college degree) and a number of the occupations share the same key industries, such as management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511) and computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415).
College degree
1. Marketing manager
Key Industries:
  • Management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511)
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services (NAICS 5416)
  • Computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415)
Hotspots:
  • San Francisco: 7,470 jobs in 2014; 1,666 new jobs (29% growth), $72.35 per hour; 2.48 LQ
  • Minneapolis: 6,355 jobs in 2014; 614 new jobs (11% growth); $57.50 per hour; 2.54 LQ
  • San Jose: 5,385 jobs in 2014; 1,119 new jobs (26% growth); $81.71 per hour; 3.94 LQ
2. Software developer, applications
Key Industries:
  • Computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415)
  • Software publishers (NAICS 5112)
  • Management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511)
Hotspots:
  • Seattle: 47,183 jobs in 2014 (humongous); 8,312 new jobs (21% growth); $54.71 per hour; 5.21 LQ
  • San Jose: 29,819 jobs in 2014; 7,830 new jobs (36% growth); $61.02 per hour; 6.12 LQ
  • San Francisco: 23,800 jobs in 2014; 6,493 new jobs (38% growth); $50.84 per hour; 2.21 LQ
3. Registered nurses
Key Industries:
  • General medical and surgical hospitals (NAICS 6221)
  • Education and hospitals (local government) (NAICS 9036)
  • Home health care services (NAICS 6216)
Hotspots:
  • Boston: 61,867 jobs in 2014; 3,373 new jobs (6% growth); $39.04 per hour; 1.26 LQ
  • Cleveland: 28,496 jobs in 2014; 1,432 new jobs (5% growth); $32.04 per hour; 1.46 LQ
  • Sioux Falls, South Dakota: 5,532 jobs in 2014; 877 new jobs (19% growth); $24.52 per hour; 2.0 LQ
Also worth noting is Rochester, Minnesota, with the high concentration of 3.55 (likely due to the presence of the Mayo Clinic).
4. Industrial engineers
Key Industries:
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing (NAICS 3364)
  • Motor vehicle parts manufacturing (NAICS 3363)
  • Architectural, engineering, and related services (NAICS 5413)
Hotspots:
  • Detroit: 11,992 jobs in 2014; 2,946 new jobs (33% growth); $40.16 per hour; 4.01 LQ
  • Houston: 6,330 jobs in 2014; 1,164 new jobs (23% growth); $52.50 per hour; 1.30 LQ
  • Grand Rapids: 3,438 jobs in 2014; 833 new jobs (32% growth); $32.91 per hour; 4.05 LQ
High concentration is also found for industrial engineers in Saginaw, Michigan (8.52 LQ), and Spartanburg, South Carolina (4.86 LQ).
5. Network and computer system administrators
Key Industries:
  • Computer systems design and related services (NAICS 5415)
  • Management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511)
  • Employment services (NAICS 5613)
Hotspots:
  • San Francisco: 9,484 jobs in 2014; 1,581 new jobs (20% growth); $43.40 per hour; 1.59 LQ
  • Dallas: 12,139 jobs in 2014; 1,398 new jobs (13% growth); $38.23 per hour; 1.39 LQ
  • Houston: 9,566 jobs in 2014; 1,380 new jobs (17% growth); $43.74 per hour; 1.23 LQ
No college degree
1. Truck driver, heavy and tractor-trailer
Key Industries:
  • General freight trucking (NAICS 4841)
  • Specialized freight trucking (NAICS 4842)
  • Grocery and related product merchant wholesalers (NAICS 4244)
Hotspots:
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California: 29,522 jobs in 2014; 3,240 new jobs (12% growth); $19.51 per hour; 1.67 LQ
  • Nashville: 15,804 jobs in 2014; 2,218 new jobs (16% growth); $17.76 per hour; 1.38 LQ
  • Springfield, Missouri: 5,762 jobs in 2014; 1,271 new jobs (28% growth); $20.20 per hour; 2.21 LQ
2. Merchandise displayer and window trimmer
Key Industries:
  • Advertising, public relations, and related services (NAICS 5418)
  • Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers (NAICS 4251)
  • Grocery and related product merchant wholesalers (NAICS 4244)
Hotspots:
  • Dallas: 3,093 jobs in 2014; 282 new jobs (10% growth); $13.55 per hour; 1.7 LQ
  • Houston: 2,397 jobs in 2014; 229 new jobs (11% growth); $11.42 per hour; 1.47 LQ
  • Las Vegas: 1,225 jobs in 2014; 157 new jobs (15% growth); $14.29 per hour; 2.49 LQ
3. Orderly
Key Industries:
  • General medical and surgical hospitals (NAICS 6221)
  • Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) (NAICS 6231)
  • Education and hospitals (state government) (NAICS 9026)
Hotspots:
  • Houston: 2,036 jobs in 2014; 190 new jobs (10% growth); $11.19 per hour; 1.73 LQ
  • Oklahoma City: 1,001 jobs in 2014; 96 new jobs (11% growth); $10.93 per hour; 4.02 LQ (wow, that's high)
  • San Jose: 601 jobs in 2014; 104 new jobs (21% growth; $22.31 per hour (high cost of living; 1.48 LQ
4. Sales representative, wholesale and manufacturing
Key Industries:
  • Wholesale electronic markets and agents and brokers (NAICS 4251)
  • Machinery, equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers (NAICS 4238)
  • Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers (NAICS 4234)
Hotspots:
  • Dallas: 55,093 jobs in 2014; 6,512 new jobs (13% growth); $28.16 per hour; 1.26 LQ
  • Houston: 50,322 jobs in 2014; 7,560 new jobs (18% growth); $32.63 per hour; 1.28 LQ
  • Detroit: 31,429 jobs in 2014; 3,632 new jobs (13% growth); $29.14 per hour; 1.30 LQ
5. Purchasing manager
Key Industries:
  • Management of companies and enterprises (NAICS 5511)
  • Federal government, civilian (NAICS 9011)
  • Aerospace product and parts manufacturing (NAICS 3364)
Hotspots:
  • San Francisco: 1,456 jobs in 2014; 196 new jobs (16% growth); $62.76 per hour; 1.28 LQ
  • Seattle: 1,441 jobs in 2014; 179 new jobs (14% growth); $56.03 per hour; 1.51 LQ
  • Detroit: 1,403 jobs in 2014; 220 new jobs (19% growth); $50.60 per our; 1.53 LQ

Friday, February 13, 2015

The 6 Best New Career Books for 2015

They could make you more successful or help you reinvent yourself



Cosmopolitan Magazine's Fun Fearless Life Conference Powered By WME Live - Day 1

By Nancy Collamar

Selecting the best books for your career that were published in the past 12 months proved a challenging but enjoyable process, much like when I did the same in 2013 and in 2014. There are always so many interesting new reads that it's difficult to narrow down my favorites.

But decide I did, with a focus this year on books in two key areas: Career Management and Success Strategies and Career Reinvention. Here are my six top picks:

CAREER MANAGEMENT AND SUCCESS STRATEGIES


Moving the Needle: Get Clear, Get Free, and Get Going in Your Career, Business and Life by Joe Sweeney. This is a fun, inspirational read that includes anecdotes, advice and wisdom pulled from Sweeney's years as a sports agent, serial entrepreneur and executive coach.

He provides a three-part framework (Get Clear, Get Free and Get Going) to use whether you're looking to make a career change or want to move up in your current job. Unlike many other books in this genre that tend to be light on actionable specifics, this book is filled with helpful exercises, to-do's and thought-provoking questions.

One particularly useful exercise: Sweeney's Life Decision Wheel - a chart designed to help you create a more effective work-life balance, something many of us covet.



Mistakes I Made At Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect On What They Got Out Of Getting It Wrong edited by Jessica Bacal. All too often, profiles of successful people trumpet their successes and gloss over their obstacles. This wonderful book does just the opposite.

Mistakes I Made At Work is a compilation of 25 candid, insightful essays by notable women such as writer Cheryl Strayed (author of Wild) and New York Times "Shortcuts" columnist Alina Tugend who share their career mishaps, screw-ups and regrets. Cue the Hallelujah Chorus.

I couldn't put this book down. The stories are surprisingly relatable and remind us that even the most accomplished people get it wrong -sometimes more than once.

Each essay ends with three "lessons learned" about how to get back on the right track once you've slipped up. For example, Dr. Danielle Ofri, an associate professor at New York University's School of Medicine, writes about the time she almost killed a patient during her residency. Over time, Ofri says she came to realize, "If you make a mistake, it's important to distinguish the action from the person. What you did was a mistake, but you aren't the mistake."

While this book is intended for women, I strongly recommend it for men, too - all of us can draw strength from knowing that sometimes our greatest career triumphs can grow out of our worst missteps.


Small Move, Big Change: Using Microresolutions to Transform Your Life Permanently by Caroline L. Arnold, a managing director at Goldman Sachs. Arnold's book is built around the premise that willpower alone is not enough to override our ingrained habits. (This isn't technically a career book, but as a career coach I know that many people struggle to stay on track with their work goals; their resolve fizzles over time.)

The key to creating long-term change, Arnold says, is to set smaller but winnable goals that then lead to a pattern of sustainable habits.

For example, rather than setting a fuzzy goal of "get more organized," she says you'll have greater success with a more achievable goal, such as "sort and discard the mail every day." Once that habit is ingrained, you'll be motivated to implement other organizational tweaks to your routine.

Weaving together science and personal anecdotes, Arnold builds a compelling case for how micro, but meaningful, changes in behavior can lead to significant changes in our finances, personal lives, health - all arenas that ultimately impact our careers.


Love Your Job: The New Rules for Career Happiness by Kerry Hannon (available March 2, 2015). Finding a new job, changing careers or starting your own business sounds exciting. But in reality, the switch is often daunting - especially for people over 50. That's why so many older workers stay put at their jobs, even when they're desperately unhappy.

That's why I was delighted to learn that my Next Avenue colleague Kerry Hannon wrote a book on how to "take this job and love it." Based on her decades of experience covering work and money for media outlets from Forbes to AARP, Hannon offers simple techniques, attitude adjustments and habits that can help transform a drab job into a meaningful and fulfilling one. (And I assure you, I'd be recommending this book even if she wasn't a Next Avenue contributor.)

One of my favorite tips in the book is to keep a log of all the mindless tasks you handle, so you can then find ways to free up your time for more fulfilling work.

There is wisdom for everyone in Love Your Job. And even if you eventually decide to leave your job, Hannon's suggestions will help make your current position far more bearable while you explore other options.

CAREER REINVENTION


Now What? Revised Edition: 90 Days to a New Life Direction (Third Edition, available March 3, 2015) by renowned life coach Laura Berman Fortgang. All of us face pivotal points in our careers when we feel paralyzed and ask: "Now What?" If you find yourself at a career crossroads, this book will provide a step-by-step roadmap to help you gain clarity, confidence and momentum.

There's a reason why this book is now in its third edition: It works. I know, because as a career coach, I've used Berman Fortgang's system to help advise my own clients.

Now What? is divided into two parts: The first half helps you name what "It" is and the second focuses on ways to more effectively put your plans into action.

One of my favorite chapters is "What You Hate Gives a Name to What You Want." It's amazing how when we articulate what we don't like, we open up the space for change to happen.

This is the first time the book has been revised since 2004, and while the system is essentially the same (with a few minor tweaks based on user feedback), Now What? now features QR codes that link back to useful content on the web.

While not every reader will reach all of his or her goals within 90 days (it is a process after all), you'll be surprised how much you can accomplish by following the book's chronological steps.

Whether you're employed, unemployed, thinking about retirement or just itching for a new challenge, this book will help you better navigate life's inevitable "Now What?" moments.


Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Vision, Your Message by San Francisco-based women's leadership coach Tara Mohr. LIke Bacal's book, this one is tailored to women but is equally useful for men.

Based on Mohr's acclaimed women's leadership program by the same name, Playing Big is a guide for people eager to get clarity about their life goals and achieve more, but in a personally authentic way.

Mohr asserts that "playing big" doesn't have to lead to more money, fame or a leadership role. Instead, she encourages you to figure out your own version of "playing big" - whether that means reconnecting with a creative dream, committing to an ambitious fitness goal or deciding to start a business.

A key theme in the book is that while self-doubt causes problems, developing confidence is not the remedy. Rather, Mohr says, the antidote is to learn how to relate in a new way to self-doubt by acknowledging it, without taking direction from it.

The book offers specific strategies to help silence your inner critics, unlearn "good girl" habits and become less dependent on praise so you can achieve "bigger" things in your career and personal life.

Who wouldn't like to do that?      

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Companies Hiring: Week of 2/10

Openings in retail, manufacturing, and more



WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - JANUARY 20, 2012: Chevron energy company sign against blue sky in West Palm Beach, Florida. Chevron o

Job seekers, here is our weekly list of 10 companies that are hiring now. Click on the company names below to learn more about the opportunities available at each company.

1. Beacon Roofing
Industry: Roofing distribution
Sample job titles: Inside sales representative, CDL driver, outside sales, credit manager
Location: North Carolina, South Carolina, Iowa, Georgia, Virginia, California, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Delaware, New Jersey, Utah

2. Chevron Phillips Chemical Company
Industry: Manufacturing
Sample job titles: Project engineer, process development lab technician, maintenance engineer
Location: Houston, Texas

3. RaceTrac Petroleum
Industry: Retail
Sample job titles: Night manager, sales associate, transportation analyst, retail operations engineer
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

4. Roti Mediterranean Grill
Industry: Fast casual restaurant
Sample job titles: General manager, team member, assistant manager, restaurant area director
Location: Chicago, Northbrook, Oak Brook, Schaumburg and Vernon Hills, Ill.; Bethesda, Md.; New York City; Rosslyn and Tyson's Corner, Va.; Washington, D.C.

5. Stratus Technology Services
Industry: IT
Sample job titles: Infrastructure project management specialist, front end web developer, account manager – cloud and data center, systems administrator, manager IT operations, web applications developer, software engineer
Location: New York City; Princeton, NJ; Orlando, Fla.; Richmond, Va.; Saint Louis; Austin; Atlanta, Ga.

6. Superior Plus Energy
Industry: Energy
Sample job titles: Local tankwagon driver, residential energy solutions representative, transport driver, propane tech
Location: New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut

7. TMX Finance
Industry: Financial services
Sample job titles: Call center representative, store manager, district manager, general manager, customer service representative, bilingual customer service representative
Location: Nationwide

8. The Toro Company (Toro)
Industry: Manufacturing
Sample job titles: Marketing communications manager, electrical engineer, cost accountant
Location: Minnesota, Nebraska, California, Texas

9. USG Corporation and L&W Supply
Industry: Construction
Sample job titles: Truck driver, operator, sales, management, warehouse engineering, finance, IT, HR, electrician, mechanic
Location: Nationwide

10. Westat
Industry: Research
Sample job titles: Senior study director
Location: Nationwide      

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