Alright, pardon the short social commentary there, that is not my main issue here. However, I was just attempting to make a connection between those plastics and now the availability of a payment process via our mobile phone. It is probably safe to consider, that this is the next stage on the evolution of credit cards (though not exactly in the same token).

This now brings me to the issue of enjoying more what your cellphone can offer, that is using it as a wallet and as a portable real-time bulletin board.

How?

Try Closebys social network. It is a social network alright, but more. Because it works on the premise that the more friends you have inside the network, the more rewards you get from the program. This is a social network outside the net. And with your cellphone, you can receive announcement from Closebys about events on specific establishments near you, like restaurants and gift shops. Not only that, with your cellphone, you can carry gift money which you can use similar to a regular promotional or discount coupon. The bottom line is, this social network is “about sharing information related to close by services so that you earn, save or at a minimum information that helps you spend wisely. “

Watch these closebys help videos to learn more on how you can benefit more on the network.

In the article, a worker was complaining about the number of immigrants in the job market, arguing that the openings should be reserved for “real Americans.” Disregarding the fact that at one point in the past, one or more of his family members were also immigrants looking for work, this guy went on to say, “Besides, this is the crummiest job I’ve ever applied for.”

That kind of occupational arrogance is the root cause of much of what ails the American workforce today. Too many people think they are entitled to a great job and that they should be provided that job (and its paycheck) with little effort on their part. Maybe that’s true in fairy tales, but in the real world, it ain’t gonna’ happen.

The Declaration of Independence promises us Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The operative word there is “pursuit.” If you want a decent job, you have to go after it. No one’s going to hand it to you.

What does it mean to go after a job? Well, first, it’s important to recognize what it doesn’t mean. The pursuit of Happiness doesn’t mean standing in line at some plant door or at some career fair whining about how lousy life is and how unfairly it is treating you.

It also doesn’t mean looking for a job using tools and techniques lifted right out of the 1950s. Yet, that’s what many of us think we can do. We seem convinced that in this, the worst job market in almost 100 years, we can write up a resume, send it out to a bunch of companies, do a little networking around the edges and come up with not one but several great job offers from which to choose. Dream on. There’s more fantasy in that than in a real fairy tale.

Look, I know how tough it is to hunt for a job. I’ve been unemployed twice in my life, so I have some experience out on the bricks. I’m also not going to blow sunshine at you with a lot of well-meaning, but useless prattle about sticking to it, keeping your chin up and believing in yourself.

I’m here to tell you that to find a job today, you’re going to have to work harder than you ever have before. And even that won’t be enough to ensure your success. If you want to find a decent job today, you’re going to have to work hard AND work smart.

What does working smart mean? It means doing a whole range of things that will give you more occupational muscle, endurance and reach. The first and most important step in building up this “career fitness” is gaining workplace expertise (which is not the same as knowing the ropes in one organization or another). You have to be at the state-of-the-art in a field that has a future in the 21st Century economy or you have to find a field that does and get smart there.

The smarter you are in a field that employers need today, the greater your potential contribution on-the-job. The greater your potential contribution on-the-job, the quicker you will be hired and the longer you will stay employed. That’s the bottom line. And it’s a better line to be in than the one where that worker is whining about why no one has hired him. He might as well be reading Little Red Riding Hood.

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This is a guest post by Peter Weddle of CareerFitness.com and Work Strong. Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Raising a kid

Raising a 3-year old boy on my own is not an easy feat. I thought it would be easier dealing with a son. I thought wrong. The predicament though impelled me to study child psychology.

Single parenting is not easy. How I wish that I could just meet a perfect mom for my kid, but that was not so. Okey, this is a bit of a rant of sort –forgive me.

Working at home most of the time has given me the opportunity to watch him grow. It’s amazing how kids learn new things each day and how they develop physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

Home Life

While I have a hired helper who visit us thrice a week, much of the bulk of managing the house rested on my shoulder. I get occasional scolding (and tips) from mom whenever she pays her grandson a visit. Other than that, I am compelled to learn how to keep the home safe and suitable for habitation for a grown-up and a little boy.

Keeping my office organized and tidy, which I do not allow the house cleaner to have access to, was a breeze. But my room, that of the little man and the two bathrooms in the house, need special attention. Oh boy, I sure need help there.
By the way, I am doing great with my cooking. Not to mention that I have already spent a couple of hundred dollars on cook book. I’m still learning, and the boy is a willing consumer of my kitchen concoctions.

Work and Dating

More work, thank God. However, no time for dating. Whew! I need all the help I can get in that department. And to think that next month, another year will be added.

Alright folks, thanks for taking the time to read some mundane things about me. Back to work.

She needed to separate herself from the competition, and it should have been easy for her to have had a couple of questions prepared, like: “What are my chances with this organization?” Or, “When you looked at my resume, did you see anything I could change to make it better?” Or, “If I was to read one sales book, Peggy, what would you recommend?” Or, “What specific words could I Google that would give me some insight to this company?” Or, “What advice would you give me, based on the interview we just had, to improve myself in the future?”

That last one is a no-brainer question that should be asked every time, especially by entry-level candidates, or by someone new to any area of medical sales, laboratory sales, medical device sales, biotechnology sales, hospital equipment sales, imaging sales, DNA products sales, clinical diagnostics sales, or pharmaceutical sales. That last question alone would have set her apart, because I would have known that 1) she’s looking to improve, 2) she had the guts to ask a question like that, and 3) she wouldn’t have just said “no.”

Because “no” is almost never a good answer in a job interview.

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This is a guest post by Peggy McKee, The Medical Sales Recruiter. Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

A gift shop in Yorkshire has a sign, which says: “Credit given only to customers over 85 –accompanied by both parents!” ~Daily Telegraph

With the worst credit crunch in history, that is still plaguing us, many are finding it hard to borrow or even lend money. While I am optimistic that before this year ends, everything will somehow start turning-around. But before that happens, it is belt-tightening time folks.

You know what is the difficult part of writing a post about money? The blogosphere is flooded with it. But somehow, only a few really give a damn.

Actually, we do not need more gospel teaching on money, but what we really need is complete change of perspective in its value and a self-imposed discipline towards managing our money.

The first is easier. You might want to begin by making an inventory of how much you are earning and how much you are spending. Compare your paycheck or bankbook against your credit card billing statement. What does it tells you about your perspective on money? If you are spending more than what you earn most of the time, then you regard no value for what you are earning.

Another; compare your mortgage payments against how much you are paying for your health and life insurance. So, what do you see? More likely, you see wrong spending priorities.

In a modern society such as ours, money is hard to come by, unless you are a crook. You have to earn it. And today, it is even difficult because for some of us finding a job or a means to earn money has compounded our financial problems.

Regard money with respect. When you have more, imposed a discipline to give priorities to your needs. Save the rest. The wants can always wait. If you treat your money this way, you will not be affected by any economic downturn because you are in control.