You are here: Home / Archives for Create A Job

Big Blue Job Cuts Continue

April 21, 2012 by

I come from a family of IBMers. Both of my parents worked there and my brother and I also both worked there. I have fond memories of going to the IBM family picnics every year, which were kind of like a big county fair where everything was free.

There was plenty of work for everyone, including me. I worked a regular shift and then worked tons of overtime in quality control. For an 18 year old with no college degree, that was a sweet paycheck and a great place to work.

But that was then. IBM has been cutting jobs for quite a while now. In fact, both of my parents were forced to take an early retirement. And the job cuts keep coming. It looks like there will be less than 100,000 jobs left at IBM in the U.S.

This makes me sad, but as a business owner myself, it’s far more complicated than that. Until the recession/depression I had 3 employees, but have had to let them all go, unfortunately. The biggest expense a company has is employee salaries and benefits. That will only get worse if Obamacare goes through and taxes go up. As a manufacturer, I also have to deal with the cost of regulations, just like any other manufacturer. That will mean fewer jobs.

This blog is aimed at job seekers, but I think a very important part of looking for a job is to be able to put yourself in the shoes of your employer. It’s important to be able to clearly see the bigger picture.

Though I can’t speak for IBM’s decision to cut jobs, I can only comment about my own decision to cut the employees I had. I simply couldn’t afford to keep them. Part of that is when sales are down it doesn’t justify the extra expense, which is huge. When business is booming you have to have the extra help to keep up.

It makes me sad that I had to left people go. My employees were awesome! I couldn’t ask for a better group of people. And deciding who has to be cut is one of the toughest decisions a business owner has to make, especially a small business owner who knows them personally.

This is why I decided years ago that I would never be at the mercy of a job. I would never depend on one job or one company or one business or one product ever again. I started creating my own jobs. And I’ve never looked back.

I still look back fondly on the IBM I used to know. The fun picnics and events they used to put on for the families of the employees. As a kid, oblivious to the problems of corporate life, I will remember the pony rides, cotton candy, and balloons. And I’m grateful for the years they gave my parents jobs.



Filed Under: Create A Job Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Create Your Own Job

February 4, 2012 by

Unemployed? Underemployed?

Hate Your Job? Sending out resumes with no luck? Unemployment checks running out?

“Stop waiting for someone to GIVE you a job and… CREATE your OWN job!”

There are hidden opportunities all around you, BUT…
I’ll tell you how to find them!

Whether you’re looking for a new job or you already have one and you’re looking for something better, you have to face the harsh reality of just how bad the job market is these days. The bad news is that the job market probably isn’t going to change anytime soon.

More than 45% of all unemployed workers have been unemployed for more than 6 months. This is the highest since the Great Depression. And it may take years to get those numbers down. In this unstable economy, job security is a thing of the past. What this means to you is…

… you need to start thinking like an entrepreneur.
The good news is that there are opportunities all around you! There were opportunities even during the Great Depression. You just need to know how to look for them. They’re not going to come looking for you.

And — you’re not going to find them on a job board. But, this is going to require a new way of thinking. You’re going to have to wipe the slate clean of the typical way of becoming employed. “Go to college…draft a resume…submit it online…cross your fingers and hope it works”. If that actually works for you, then you don’t need this webinar. But if you want to try a new way of thinking, a new way of working, a new way to make sure you are never, ever unemployed again, then read on.

HIRE YOURSELF
Creating your own job means no more resumes, no interviews, and no rejection.
After getting fired from my last job, I started creating my own. Here are some of the jobs I’ve created or had created for me:

  • $500 a night working the coat check in a fancy restaurant
  • $2500 a month as a corporate publicist working 4 days a month
  • $2500 a month just to be on call as a spokeperson
  • Hanging out with celebrities at Cannes, making over 6 figures a year
  • $200 a day reading scripts
  • $40 an hour transcribing

What do all of those jobs have in common? I got all of them without a resume, interview, agent, recruiter or HR. None ofthem were on a job board, classified ad or online. And I didn’t have any experience or training for any of them.

I got them all by using the techniques
I’ll teach you in my seminar.
I want to help as many people as I can … so this webinar is priced so that anyone can afford it.  At $59, you can’t afford NOT to do it.  Just compare:

  • It’s about the price of a dinner and movie date, but it will help you create a source of money to pay for your NEXT date.

 

  • It’s a little more than the cost of a tank of gas, but with no source of income, gas won’t take you as far as creating a future for yourself.

 

  • It’s less than the cost of a resume consulting service.  Only you won’t need a resume to hire yourself.

Here’s what you’ll learn in the “Create Your Own Job” webinar:

 

  • The 3 ways to guarantee you will never be unemployed again … with more work than you can handle, even in the worst economy

 

  • How to create a job or jobs specifically designed just for you

 

  • The 2 jobs everyone should always have, even if you work for someone else

 

  • How to get other people to create jobs for you

 

  • How to market your skills for little or no money



Filed Under: Create A Job, Events, Webinars & Classes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are Entrepreneurs Happier Than Employees?

December 21, 2011 by

I was looking through some recent Gallup polls about unemployment and the job market, and read some interesting comments about how Americans feel about the current job market. The underemployment numbers are about the same this year as they were last year at this time. They are hovering around 18 1/2%. At the same time the job creation index remains flat and could remain that way for quite some time.

Some other statistics I read about are also pretty gloomy. Nine out of ten Americans think it’s a bad time to find a good job, and their perception of the job market is the worst in a decade. This would help to explain another statistic. 71% of Americans are not engaged in their work. In other words, they are emotionally disconnected from their jobs. This means they are also more likely to be more unproductive at work.

That’s a total switch from 1987 when the same percentage of people were happy with their jobs. That’s when the Conference Board Research Group started calculating this data.

These days fewer people find their jobs interesting and are therefore less likely to be creative or innovative at work. Many find that there is no sense of teamwork and more competition among co-workers. That will kind of suck the fun out of the room when you’re always looking over your shoulder to see who’s going to get the axe and who will get the promotion, if anyone.

Also, the fact that more people are being laid off means that the bulk of their work is divided among the ones left standing and that means longer hours. People who still have a job are now worried that they will lose it.

Studies have shown that entrepreneurs are happier than employees even when they make far less money and work far more hours. Entrepreneurs don’t have to worry about being fired, though they do have other things to worry about, like making sure they have enough work every month to pay the bills. When they don’t work, they don’t get paid. And health insurance is a big expense for the self employed.

The non profit organization The National federation of Independent Business that tracks start ups found that people are happier when they are working a job that they enjoy. That could be an entrepreneur or an employee. There are plusses and minuses with each one. But doing something you enjoy will give you the motivation to work harder and will give you more overall satisfaction in general.

 

 

 



Filed Under: Create A Job Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Job Security in the Future

October 2, 2011 by

Since the name of this website is “Job Security for Life“, I thought I’d take a minute to talk about the security part of it. Frankly, there is no job security. At least not the same job security our parents’ had.

Remember when you were told to get a good education, find a good job, work hard, and retire with a pension and a gold watch?

Well, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most people will change jobs at least 7-10 times in their lifetime. The Great Recession has redefined what job security is. I think the new job security will include entrepreneurial thinking. That doesn’t necessarily mean starting your own business, but incorporating that kind of thinking into whatever you decide to do for a living and how you will achieve that.

I think this opens up a whole new world where you can do more of what you really want to do and have more flexible hours. I think people will work differently in the future. More working from home, less commuting. More consultants and freelancers, fewer full-time workers.

Of course, this could change, as all things do. But it does look like the job market is going to different for quite a while and you just have to learn to work within it in a different way.

As an entrepreneur I know that the only job security is the one I create myself. I guess since I am my own boss, at least I know I will never be fired.



Filed Under: Create A Job Tagged With: , , , ,

Create Your Own Service Business

February 2, 2011 by

Today about 70 % of the workforce is in the service sector. Since your first business will likely be a service business (you already know how to do it and it’s cheap and easy to start), look through your resume for a job skill that you can turn into a business.

In the beginning you’ll probably be the one doing most of the work. But since you’ll be running a business from a skill you already know, it’s just like working for an employer only all of the money goes into your pocket instead of making someone else rich.

The good thing is that you learn every aspect of running a business from the ground up. Once you start hiring people you will know exactly how to train them to do their jobs.

You’ll want to start matching your job skills with other factors to generate unique ideas for your business. Do you have any hidden talents that you could get paid for? Do you have any expert knowledge?

Start combing these elements to create niche markets within your service business. In a sea of competition you want to stand out as being unique and different. Find what makes your business different.

Also, think about your working style. Do you like working in the morning or late at night? Do you like working indoors or outdoors? Do you like to travel or be at home? Do you like to work alone or with someone else?

Your service business should be something you enjoy which also uses your strengths, skills and talents.

The one skill you are going to need above all others is the ability to sell. In the beginning there will only be you and you’ll have to do all of the selling. Get used to it. Get good at it. You’ll need to know how to train others to do it once you have grown your business beyond your capacity.

Have enthusiasm for your business and it will show when you approach customers. Be persistent in your selling. In the beginning you will need to hustle for business.

The best way to start a service business is to bootstrap it. When you don’t have a lot of money to spend you have to get more creative.

Your service business should be something that will generate cash flow quickly and has long-term potential to grow into something bigger.

Use inexpensive marketing methods like flyers and business cards to get started. Offer discounts for trying you out.

And above all else give excellent customer service. It’s free and it will keep your customers coming back to you.



Filed Under: Create A Job Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,