THOUGHT FOR TODAY!

Food for thought: Thought for today-What you say about others says more about you then it does about them.


Food for thought: Thought for today-
Great minds talk about ideas,
Mediocre minds talk about things,
Small minds talk about people.
(Which one are you today?)

Food for thought: Thought for today-
If you don't stand for something, you're likely to fall for anything.

Written by Ronald J. Morse, Author

If you would like more information on looking for employment or reading other blogs please visit us at: http://www.absoluteknowitall.com/

Join us on Facebook.com/AbsoluteKnowItAll

Empowerment

Empowerment

em·pow·er To give power or authority to, to enable or permit.

When I was in prison, one of the worst things somebody could do is call you a ‘punk’. That was pretty much immediate grounds for a fight. The same thing happened when somebody said something about your mother. I saw it happen over and over. I never bought into that kind of thinking. Was I a coward? No, actually it was harder and took more courage NOT to buy into it. After a couple of times of that happening, people kinda looked at me a little differently. Maybe not with ‘awe’, but at least with some respect, and usually at a distance. You see, by not buying into that whole belief, I took away the power that the other person was trying to gain. Once or twice, I even said: “You know what I think about your opinion?” And before they could answer, I’d turn and walk away. I wasn’t going to a give them the power over me, to dictate how I was going to act, based on how they felt, or what they said. The reason I bring this is, is it amounts to this: Peer pressure. I was faced with it there, just like you’re faced with it daily. In school as well as out of school. What other people think of you, matters to you. To say otherwise would be a lie. And that’s okay. We form friendships and groups of friends based on what we think of others and how they look at us.  It becomes a problem however, when you let what they think of you change who you are, or it impact the decision making you might have regarding important things. Do you stand up for the things you believe in, or are you likely to be swayed because to make a stand would be to stand out? Let me tell you something: sometime standing out isn’t that bad. Take for example, a group of a dozen kids who all look alike, dress similar and act the same way. They all go apply for a job. Let’s say just one of them has some individuality to be different. And I’m not saying you have to be a nerd, or a geek, just enough backbone to say: ‘I don’t have to be a clone’. Now, who do you think is going to stand out and be remembered when it comes time to choose an employee? Are you a follower, or a leader? Again, I’m not saying you have to be so different that you stand out so much that people stare and point at you when you walk down the street. But if you believe in something, don’t be afraid to stand up for it. You’re an individual; there’s no reason you shouldn’t let it show through. You don’t have to be 100% different than those around you, but you don’t have to be an identical twin with everybody you hang with either. Don’t let others make decisions for you. Don’t empower them, for when you do, you’re giving up a part of yourself. You’re giving in and letting somebody else make choices for you, and not always the best choices, either. Feel differently about something? Talk with your friends about it. There’s a possibility they may share your feelings as well, and were just waiting for someone else speak up and validate how they felt. Think about it.

Written by Author and Speaker, Scott Free

For information on employment, and other blogs, visit us at:  http://www.absoluteknowitall.com/

EMPLOYMENT SITUATION - January 2012

Total nonfarm payroll
Employment rose by 243,000 in January, and the unemployment rate decreased to
8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job growth was
widespread in the private sector, with large employment gains in professional
and business services, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. Government
employment changed little over the month.

Household Survey Data
The unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage point in January to 8.3
percent; the rate has fallen by 0.8 point since August. The number of
unemployed persons declined to 12.8 million in January.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (7.7
percent) and blacks (13.6 percent) declined in January. The unemployment rates
for adult women (7.7 percent), teenagers (23.2 percent), whites (7.4 percent),
and Hispanics (10.5 percent) were little changed. The jobless rate for Asians
was 6.7 percent, not seasonally adjusted.

In January, the number of job losers and persons who completed temporary
jobs fell to 7.3 million. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for
27 weeks or more) was little changed at 5.5 million and accounted for 42.9
percent of the unemployed. After accounting for the annual
adjustments to the population controls, the employment-population ratio (58.5
percent) rose in January, while the civilian labor force participation rate
held at 63.7 percent.

The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons, at 8.2 million,
changed little in January. These individuals were working part time because
their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.

In January, 2.8 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force,
essentially unchanged from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally
adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force, wanted and were
available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months.
They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in
the 4 weeks preceding the survey.

Among the marginally attached, there were 1.1 million discouraged workers in
January, little different from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally
adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work
because they believe no jobs are available for them. The remaining 1.7 million
persons marginally attached to the labor force in January had not searched for
work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey for reasons such as school attendance
or family responsibilities.

Establishment Survey Data
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 243,000 in January. Private-sector
employment grew by 257,000, with the largest employment gains in professional
and business services, leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing. Government
employment was little changed over the month.

Professional and business services continued to add jobs in January (+70,000).
About half of the increase occurred in employment services (+33,000). Job gains
also occurred in accounting and bookkeeping (+13,000) and in architectural and
engineering services (+7,000).

Over the month, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 44,000,
primarily in food services and drinking places (+33,000). Since a recent
low in February 2010, food services has added 487,000 jobs.

In January, health care employment continued to grow (+31,000). Within the
industry, hospitals and ambulatory care services each added 13,000 jobs.
Wholesale trade employment increased by 14,000 over the month. Since a recent
employment low in May 2010, wholesale trade has added 144,000 jobs.
Employment in retail trade continued to trend up in January. Job gains in
department stores (+19,000), health and personal care stores (+7,000), and
automobile dealers (+7,000) were partially offset by losses in clothing and
clothing accessory stores (-14,000). Since an employment trough in December
2009, retail trade has added 390,000 jobs.

In January, employment in information declined by 13,000, including a loss of
8,000 jobs in the motion picture and sound recording industry.
In the goods-producing sector, manufacturing added 50,000 jobs.  Nearly all of
the increase occurred in durable goods manufacturing, with job growth in fabricated
metal products (+11,000), machinery (+11,000), and motor vehicles and parts
(+8,000). Durable goods manufacturing has added 418,000 jobs over the past 2
years.

Employment in construction increased by 21,000 in January, following a gain of
31,000 in the previous month. Over the past 2 months, nonresidential specialty
trade contractors added 30,000 jobs.

Mining added 10,000 jobs in January, with most of the gain in support
activities for mining (+8,000). Since a recent low in October 2009, mining employment
has expanded by 172,000.

Government employment changed little in January. Over the past 12 months, the
sector has lost 276,000 jobs, with declines in local government; state
government, excluding education; and the U.S. Postal Service.

The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was
unchanged in January. The manufacturing workweek increased by 0.3 hour to 40.9
hours, and factory overtime increased by 0.1 hour to 3.4 hours. The average
workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm
payrolls edged up by 0.1 hour to 33.8 hours.

In January, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm
payrolls rose by 4 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $23.29. Over the past 12 months,
average hourly earnings have increased by 1.9 percent. In January,
average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory
employees edged up by 2 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $19.62.

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for November was revised from
+100,000 to +157,000, and the change for December was revised from +200,000 to
+203,000. Monthly revisions result from additional sample reports and the
monthly recalculation of seasonal factors. The annual benchmark process also
contributed to these revisions.
____________
The Employment Situation for February is scheduled to be released on Friday,
March 9, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. (EST).


If you would like more information, on employment, jobs, careers visit:
http://www.absoluteknowitall.com/
facebook.com/AbsoluteKnowItAll

How Are Your Interview Skills?

How To Screw Up Your Interview – in ten minutes or less


Being prepared for your interview is important. Anticipating what you will be asked and having a good reply goes a long way towards improving your chances of being hired. The wrong answers to what you’ve been asked can be deadly. Consider the following questions;
· Q: “Why did you leave your last place of employment?”
o A: “I didn’t think it was a good idea to hang around after being fired.”
o A: “I didn’t leave. At least not on my own. I had to be escorted out by security.”
o A: “They ‘frowned’ upon downloading pornographic material on company computers.”
o A: “They said I was never sober enough after lunch to get any work done.”
o A: “Their work schedule and my life schedule had major conflicts.”
· Q: “Do you have any commitments that would prevent you from working our normal 40 hour week?”
o A: “Not unless I get committed again! “
o A: “Is your 40 hour work week flex-time?”
o A: “Seriously?” “For real?” (I love that answer! It can be used, across the board for some many questions)
· Q: “Would you be willing to take a drug test?”
o A: “Uh, like in today? Can we put that off for a week or two?”
o A: “Sure. As long as nobody watches me pee.”
o A: “I’d prefer not to. I’ve tested so many drugs in my life, I’m kinda burnt out.”
o A “Sure!! Do I get to choose which drugs I can test?”
o A “If I like, give you $20 bucks, will you take it for me?”

Often an employer will inquire as to whether or not you have any questions. Never say, “No”. It shows you either aren’t interested or weren’t paying attention. On the other hand, I wouldn’t suggest asking any of the following, either:
· “What’s this company’s policy regarding pressing charges on an employee?”
· “How often can I take a break, and when’s lunch?”
· “Can I keep my beer in the lunchroom refrigerator?”
· “Is this a ‘zero-tolerance’ workplace, or will I get a second chance if I get caught?”
· Who’s the hot chick answering the phones at the front desk? (and if the answer is: “My daughter”, don’t ask if he’ll give you her phone number. Better to not say a word and just turn around and leave.)
· “Wanna arm wrestle?”

When filling out your application:
· In the ‘Date’ box, don’t put: “Small, edible fruit.”
· For the question, ‘Do you speak English?’ don’t write: “Si”
· The ‘Sex’ box should only be answered with either ‘male’ or ‘female’. Not: “Whenever I can get it.” Or even “Yes!”
· I know it’s tempting, but for the question: “Who should be call in case of an emergency?” The correct answer is a friend or family member. NOT: “How about a Frickin’ doctor, you moron?”

Things that might not be too good of an idea to say:
· “I swear to God. If I don’t get this damn job, I’m going to kill myself!”
· “I swear to God. If I don’t get this damn job, I’m coming back and killing someone!”
· “I like to cross-dress. Do you have a problem with that?”
· “I party pretty hard on the weekends, but usually I’m sober by Monday morning. Tuesday at the latest.”
· “You don’t have to worry about me taking office supplies. I stocked up before getting fired from the last place.”

And in the box that says ‘Education’, don’t put “Yes.” Although I guess that’s better than the following:
"Where did you receive your training?""Yale.""Good, and what's your name?""Yim Yohnson."

Written by: Ronald J. Morse

For more information regarding Jobs, Employers and other blogs please visit us:

www.absoluteknowitall.com

SUDDENLY UNEMPLOYED!?

Food for thought: What would you do if you get laid off?

Here’s something to give a little thought to: Or, maybe I should say, here’s something you should give a little thought to: What would happen if tomorrow, when you went to work, you found you no longer had a job? How would you handle that? And I’m referring to whether or not you have savings set aside to keep you afloat until you found another job. It’s the ‘another job’ issue I want to address here. Say you had to hit the streets tomorrow, unemployed, and needed to get back to work as soon as possible. Chances are, most of us aren’t prepared for that. Do you have a current resume, or would you be in panic mode trying to put one together? What’s the current job market like for the work you do? Is it in demand? You might be the best there is at what you do where you’re employed right now, but that doesn’t help you much if there isn’t anybody looking to hire in that capacity. Are the skills you have up to date by today’s standards, and are they marketable? Are you aware of what transferable skills are and how they might apply to you?
With the job market the way it is today, (lousy), it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to give the above mentioned questions some thought and consideration. Job security isn’t what it was a decade or two ago, and it’s always better to be prepared for the worst, while hoping for the best. Take a few minutes to honestly assess your selling points and what your weakness are, and bases on all of the above, would it be difficult to find employment within a short period of time? If the answer to that is ‘no’, then maybe it’s time to start thinking about upgrading what you do know with some education or classes. Many employers will cover the cost of classes if they relate to the job you do and having them under your belt when your annual review comes up won’t hurt either.

Written by Ronald J. Morse

For more information on finding employment: www.absoluteknowitall.com

Part 3: Would You Hire A Felon?

Recidivism and Employment – the critical connection


Recidivism: Repeated or habitual relapse, as into crime. Or, as I like to describe it – The art of going back to prison.
Here are some figures to consider:
In 2008, The New York Department of Labor found that 83% of offenders who violated probation or parole were unemployed at the time.
A 2003 Harvard University study of businesses in four major cities, only 12.5% of employers surveyed stated they would “Definitely accept” applications from ex-convicts.
According to United States Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), each year more than 650,000 men and women are released from Federal and State prisons and returned to their communities and families.
There are over 6 million ex-prisoners in the United States.
Estimated rate of unemployment among ex-prisoners: between 25-50%. The one year post-release recidivism rate: 44%
Recent studies estimate that after five years of staying clean, an individual with a criminal record is of no greater risk of committing another crime than other individuals of the same age.
Ex-offenders actually have turnover rates that are lower than the general population

What does all of this mean and how does it relate to our society?
Those released from prison fall into two categories: Those who return back to prison, and those who don’t. With the number of ex-prisoners in the United States, chances are, you probably live down the street or around the corner from one of them. Face it, once released from prison, they go back to their own communities, and that could be YOUR community as well. Granted, some convicts released from prison have no intention of becoming a ‘productive member of society’ and probably will re-offend within a matter of time. But what about the ones who sincerely desire to reform themselves and ‘do the right thing’? What happens when this group keeps getting denied employment, mostly based upon the fact that they have a criminal record? I know, I, for one, was fortunate enough upon my release to be giving a second chance, to have someone stop long enough to listen to what I had to say and to see the sincerity I had in bettering myself. But let’s say I kept getting turned down, time and time again. Then what? Well, it doesn’t leave too many options, and one of the few remaining options is to return back to the life of crime you were living prior to being arrested. Chances are, there was some sort of income or profit being made from those activities, and when you’re desperate enough and you’ve exhausted all other resources that may be the only viable choice you feel you have left. Am I saying this is right, or excusing that kind of behavior? Absolutely not! But to a lot of ex-prisoners, that’s exactly what they do. While doing research for this article, I found quite a few companies that kept an open mind regarding hiring ex-felons. And in doing this, ultimately what they are doing is making their own (or your) community a little bit safer. Think about it: would you rather have that ‘ex-con’ who lives down the street unemployed, with little options and a lot of time on their hands, or would you feel safer knowing they’re putting in 40 hours a week at work, bettering themselves and able to (legally) provide for themselves and family? The bottom line is, in our society people commit crimes. Those who do eventually get caught and do time. When they get released, they are still members of our society and community. What happens next depends not only on what their intentions are, but also how our society reacts to them and treats them. As well as what chances they are given, or what opportunities they are denied.

Summary:
I don’t think I could put it any better than John Shegerain, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Recyclers International, who has employed hundreds of ex-convicts in the last 20 years: “Imagine, what would happen to our recidivism rates, gang participation rates, crime rates, and drug abuse rates if every business in the United States opened their doors and hearts to just one ex-offender. We would change our communities for the better, forever”

Written by: Author Scott Free

Note: The opinions expressed by the writer in not necessairly the opinions of

Absolute Know It All, LLC.

If you would like post/find jobs, post/find resumes visit us at: www.absoluteknowitall.com

Like us on Facebook/AbsoluteKnowItAll

What is your employee doing on the company computer?

What’s on your computer?


Ever walk by a co-worker and have them instantly minimize their screen as soon as they notice you? Or maybe you’re one of those who has one of those little ‘bubble’ mirrors stuck to the top of your computer monitor to give you a ‘heads-up’ when someone is coming within viewing range. Got something to hide? Maybe it’s as innocent as some on-line chatting with a friend, maybe you’re checking out the latest ESPN sports highlights for your favorite team, or to see how your stocks are doing, or a YouTube vid, or possibly it was porn that you surely don’t want anybody to know you’re watching, or just as bad; downloading.
Let’s talk about the first category; Instant Messaging. Some companies strictly forbid any type of IM software to be installed on company computers. Not that that stops employees from doing it. Other companies leave it to the discretion of the employee, believing and trusting they have good judgment and common sense. Personally, I’ve found that inter-office messaging can be a great timesaver, preventing the need to dial the other person’s extension and interrupt what they’re doing. Often, if you IM someone who’s in the middle of something else, they can choose to reply right away, or finish up whatever they’re doing and then answer. And it sure beats getting up from your desk to walk across the hall to ask a question, only to find the person you went to see is away from their desk. All of these things mentioned are good reasons for allowing Instant Messaging from your computer. However, let’s face it: not everybody plays by those rules. I know I’ve been guilty of keeping in touch with the ‘outside world’ while at my desk, and it’s easy to do. Much easier, say, than calling them on the phone, and much less obvious.
Checking out the latest sports scores, or checking stocks? Or watching some video you heard just went viral on YouTube? While probably not all that big of a deal, let’s face it, if what’s on your computer isn’t directly work related, you’re slacking. You’re not giving your employer 100% and you’re not giving them what they’re paying you for. I’m not going to get into a moral debate about what you should or shouldn’t be doing, or what’s right and what’s wrong, but bottom line, is you’re getting paid a certain amount to go to work each day and perform certain job duties, and unless ‘surfing the web’ or ‘online chatting’ is in your job description, you could be skating on thin ice. Keep in mind, EVERYTHING that is done on your computer is traceable. Not just the sites you visit. More and more companies are using software that tracks time spent on projects, programs and internet usage. If an employer desires, they can track and log every keystroke and activity from the moment you log in until you turn the computer off at the end of the day. Maybe your company’s police is that during your break time, you’re free to use your computer for your personal needs, just remember, it’s still being logged and the last thing you really want to do is to be called into your bosses office, having to explain how or why you got carried away and lost track of time while checking your dating site for new messages or updating your online dating profile.
The Dirty Little Secret
Here are some facts: in a 2006 survey for Websense by Harris Interactive, about 16% of men who have access to the Internet at work acknowledged having seen porn while on the job, eight percent of women said they had. However, those who acknowledged viewing porn sites at work, only 6% of men and 5% of women acknowledged they had done so intentionally. More recent research indicates 70% of Internet porn is downloaded during the standard workday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. These more recent surveys claim that about 30% of men and 13% of women admit to using porn online during working hours.
If your company is large enough to have an IT guy, then whatever it is, whenever it is you’re viewing or downloading it, is being tracked and monitored. Chances are, your IT guy (or gal), knows what you’ve been viewing. Maybe they haven’t said anything directly to you about it. Maybe because they’re embarrassed, maybe the time hasn’t come yet. But that doesn’t mean half the company doesn’t already know about it. Remember: people talk, and workers gossip between one another. Does the thought of half your department knowing that you view and download __________ (you fill in the blank), bother you? How about when your boss gets wind of it? In a 2005 report I just read, it said that of the 562 companies that participated in the online study, 62% of them monitor and review the website connection of all employees; 61% of the companies will discipline employees for misuse of the internet, and the type of discipline ranges from informal reprimand (25%), formal reprimand (34%) and dismissal (26%). I’m betting with the increase of Internet usage in the workplace, those numbers are higher today. So, give this some thought: If you’re one of ‘those’ who fall in this category, how are you going to feel when your boss calls you into his office, asking you to explain why you were visiting the site with __________(again, you fill in the blank)? Or how you’re going to explain why you lost your job to your significant other Or how about this one: At your next interview, when they ask why you were terminated from your last place of employment. All in all, there’s no pretty answer to any of those questions.
Bottom line: whether you’re chatting with friends outside the workplace, checking stocks or checking porn, you’re taking time from the company you work for. Time they are paying you for. You’re being distracted from your job at hand, and your overall productivity is going to suffer to some degree. Be a good employee….. Keep your personal stuff at home, give your employer a full day’s work, and feel good about the job you did when you leave at the end of the day.

Written by: Ronald J. Morse

For more information on finding jobs, finding employees, finding employers, check out www.absoluteknowitall.com