Cities With Unemployment Above 15 Percent

Whoa. There are actually cities in the US with unemployment that is over 15%. And that is just crazy. Here are those cities:

1. El Centro, CA
2. Yuma, AZ
3. Merced, CA
4. Yuba City, CA
5. Elkhart, IN
6. Modesto, CA
7. Stockton, CA
8. Bend, OR
9. Fresno, CA
10. Visalia, CA
11. Redding, CA
12. Hanford, CA
13. Longview, WA
    

part time jobs with benefits

I saw a story on Yahoo about part time jobs with benefits and remembered that I had written about that in the past. If you check out my article on part time jobs with benefits you will see some places listed in my post that were not part of the article on Yahoo.

I was interested in the mention of Whole Foods in the Yahoo article. Apparently you can save 20% after working there a year. That is an AWESOME discount if you ask me! For my household that would save around $80 a month.

Working as a temp during the holidays

My job is through a staffing agency.

The good thing about that is getting paid weekly.

But this time of year there are lots of bad things about it.

Like not getting paid for holidays.

Or not getting paid sick time.

And of course there is no such thing as paid vacation.

Sometimes I really hate not having a permanent job.

Don't burn through your emergency fund! How to find a job in this rough economy

Smart Money ran an article last week on the Five Best Cities for Job Hunting. The cities that were mentioned in the article are:

• Provo-Orem, Utah
• Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• Austin-Round Rock, Texas
• Huntsville, Alabama

So, what are you to do if you are unemployed and not in one of those states? Well, hopefully you can file for unemployment benefits. You should do this as soon as possible as there is usually a waiting week where you will not get a payment. Of course, unemployment benefits are not paid out in the full amount of what you were earning. So, you can't rely too much on them. 

The first thing you need to do is to take some action. The longer you wait then that is longer that you have less income coming in. And that could lead to some dire financial consequences. And if you are fortunate enough to have an emergency fund, you do not want to exhaust that either as you will just have to rebuild it once you get employed. So, start looking for jobs and sending out resumes.

Remember that you are in no position to be picky. Basically you need a job and you need it to pay more than unemployment. So, you may not be able to hand pick a job that is exactly equal to what you were doing previously. You may have to take a pay cut and you may even have to take a job that you are overqualified for. 

It doesn't have to be permanent. You are allowed to take a job offer that pays your bills but is not your ideal job. The objective is to get a job that pays your bills. You can always keep looking for something better. And there is no need to feel guilty about taking a job that you don't plan on staying at. If you don't then someone else will. Of course, you don't want to let them know that in the interview.  :)

Think ahead to the worst case job scenario. I am currently unemployed in a state/city that is not on the list above. For me, the worst case is that I have to get two full-time retail jobs. That should enable me to make enough to just barely cover all of the bills if I am careful. Would that totally suck and be less than ideal? Yes! But I know that there are plenty of retail jobs - especially with the holidays coming up. And I would try to choose wisely - for instance going for a job at Target for the 10% employee discount I could use on things like toilet paper and shampoo. 

For more resources and tips:

• How to Best Cope With Being Laid Off
• Four Places to Seek Help From While Job Hunting
• Four Ways To Make The Most Of Unemployment
• Making the Sale in a Tough Economy
• 5 Steps to a Successful Cover Letter
• Sure glad I got that MBA - Megan McArdle’s Advice for the Unemployed
• Suddenly Unemployed: What Steps to Take Now
• The 10 Rules of Job Hunting
• Seven Tips for the Newly Unemployed
• 5 Strategies to Survive An Economic Slowdown

My boss hates the environment too

So, my boss thinking that I have too much of a personal life is not the end of the story.

And if you thought that was absurd you won't believe this next bit.

My staffing agency rep told me that my boss at the office doesn't like that I carpool with someone!

So, not only does she not like for her employees to have other responsibilities outside of work, but she also does not like the environment.

What absurdity!

And I have to work work with this person on a daily basis!

My boss thinks I have too much of a personal life

I have a pretty decent job - I don't love it but it pays well.

The problem is that it is through a staffing agency so it could be gone at any minute. However it is supposed to be going perm.

I was talking to my staffing agency today about why the perm thing is taking so long.

Apparently my boss here at the office is "concerned" because she thinks I have "too much of a personal life."

This translates to "she won't work extra long hours for no reason like the rest of us."

I knew that my boss didn't want me to have a life outside of work. Now I have confirmation of that.

Looking for the most affordable places to live?

There was a story on Yahoo today that listed the most affordable places in the US to live well. The story originally was done by Forbes. Here is the list of places, in case you are looking to move.

1. Minneapolis, MN
2. Indianapolis, IN
3. Cincinnati, OH
4. St. Louis, MO
5. Houston, TX
6. Milwaukee, WI
7. Dallas, TX
8. Pittsburgh, PA
9. Columbus, OH ( you don't want to move here- the local economy/job market is horrible)
   
10. Atlanta, GA
    

The first jobs of CEOs

There is a fun story from Forbes on CEO's first jobs.

It is a fun little article, but I wish that they has profiled more people. And not only that, but more people that are well known. But it is still a good read. And it might make you feel better about slaving away at your current job :)

The best cities for jobs, according to Forbes

Forbes has announced the best cities for jobs. I was not at all surprised to see Salt Lake City on the top of the list. I am, however, a bit shocked that Portland, Oregon was not on the list. From all that I have been reading lately that is a happening city for people that are looking for jobs.

The list of cities is as follows:

1. Salt Lake City, UT
   
2. Raleigh, NC
3. Phoenix, AZ
   
4. Jacksonville, Fl
5. Orlando, Fl
6. Tulsa, OK
7. Austin, TX
8. Albuquerque, NM
9. Wichita, KS
10. Oklahoma City, OK

There you have it. If you are planning on moving, you might wanna do it to one of these cities.

extra job thoughts

Been thinking about getting a part time job somewhere. Maybe a restaurant. Or a place like Starbucks. It would be nice to get a discount on restaurant food though. And if I could get free food, even better. Plus the extra cash would be nice. Haven't made up my mind yet though

What happens when you hate your job

I saw an article on Yahoo Finance today on What to Do When You Hate Your Job.

I say fire your job!

They say that there are things you can do to make your job better for you and thus you end up liking it.

You can get extra help if you are overwhelmed. You can start an online professional group if you're having some complex problems you cannot solve. And if you have a wanker for a boss you can ask them what you can do better to try to end their crankiness.

I say life is too short to stick around somewhere that you are not happy with being at. You usually end up spending more time with the people that you work with than your family, so being happy at work is pretty darn important.

part-time jobs with benefits

I have been wondering for some time now if there are any part-time jobs that offered benefits such as medical insurance. I have wondered this because my job is through a staffing agency and I do not get benefits, which is a bad thing.

There was a story on AOL this morning on part-time jobs with benefits. It even gives a list of places that offer benefits to part-timers!

Here are the places that were listed in the story:

1. Target offers its part-time employees healthcare, a 401(k) plan, paid vacation time and discounts on merchandise.
2. Lowe's offers part-timers the opportunity to participate in a limited benefit health plan, a dental plan, term life insurance and short-term disability. A year of employment qualifies workers for 40 hours of paid vacation time.
3. Wegmans offers its part-time employees healthcare, a 401(k) plan, paid vacation time and discounts on merchandise.
4. Circuit City offers its part-time employees healthcare, a 401(k) plan, paid vacation time and discounts on merchandise.
5. JCPenney invites associates who work less than 35 hours per week to participate in a dependent care spending account, medical, dental, vision and term life coverage, and paid time off, as well as a discount on merchandise.
6. Trader Joe's offers its part-time employees healthcare, a 401(k) plan, paid vacation time and discounts on merchandise.
7. Whole Foods team members are eligible for paid training, paid time off, health insurance, retirement savings and a discount to the natural foods store.
8. IKEA offers its part-time employees healthcare, a 401(k) plan, paid vacation time and discounts on merchandise.
9. After one year, part-time employees at Nike can qualify for health coverage. Other benefits include in-store discounts, discounts on auto and homeowners insurance and scholarships for their children.
10. In addition to a benefits package that include medical insurance, a retirement package and stock options, each "partner" who works 20 or more hours per week at Starbucks receives a pound of free coffee each week.
11. All REI employees have access to flexible scheduling, gear discounts and free rentals, tuition reimbursement, a performance-based incentive program and gear grants to support any outdoor adventure challenges they may participate in.
12. Barnes & Noble offers part-time workers a significant discount on store merchandise in addition to a healthcare plan and a 401(k).
13. Nordstrom employees' benefits fall into one of three categories: work/life balance, savings and protection. Benefits such as paid time off and bereavement leave fall under work/life balance; a merchandise discount, 401(k) plan and profit sharing are part of savings; and short- and long-term disability and life insurance are among its protection benefits.
14. In addition to healthcare and retirement plans, merchandise discounts and paid time off, Lands' End offers its employees access to a company-owned recreation center, discount tickets to theme parks and movie theatres, and an invitation to the annual company picnic. Bonus: UW-Platteville students get to take advantage of a complementary busing system to help them get to the company's Dodgeville facility.
15. In addition to medical coverage, life insurance and a 401(k), Cost Plus World Market's benefit package for eligible part-time employees includes flexible spending, vacation and floating holidays.

Looks like any of these places would be a great place to look for a second job!

crazy job interview questions

I hate going to job interviews because I get tired of answering the same questions over and over again. If you have gone to a few job interviews then you know what I mean. Questions like "Tell me about your weaknesses" and any questions that start with "Tell me about a time when..." and my fave "Where do you see your self in 10 years?"

Luckily, I have never been hit with any brain teasers as interview questions. An article I found on CNNMoney lists some of the following brainteaser interview questions:

How many golf balls can fit in a school bus?

About 500,000, assuming the bus is 50 balls high, 50 balls wide, and 200 balls long

You're shrunk and trapped in a blender that will turn on in 60 seconds. What do you do?

Some options:

1. Use the measurement marks to climb out

2. Try to unscrew the glass

3. Risk riding out the air current

How much should you charge to wash all the windows in Seattle?

Assuming 10,000 city blocks, 600 windows per block, five minutes per window, and a rate of $20 per hour, about $10 million

Get paid to move, that would be nice

I am antsy to move out of the state I am living in but I want to find a job somewhere else before I do. Why? Because moving is expensive and knowing that I can start work as soon as I get somewhere else would be nice and less stressful.

I have applied to a few jobs out of state but I haven't heard anything yet. I noticed an article on CNNMoney from Fortune mag about how more and more employers are paying for relocation expenses due to talent shortages. I got all excited when I saw the article headline but was disappointed to see that the article did not give any occupations or states that this is more likely to be the case in. It would be nice to be able to focus my search on an area where I know that there is a definite need for my skills.

I just really want to find a job that (1) I like more and (2) pays more so I can attack debt super hardcore. Ah, dreams :)

More jobs in the west

In the business section of my local paper today was an article on how the unemployment in a few states out West is rather low. So low that they cannot even get people to work at McDonald's for $10 per hour. Considering how the jobs pay where I live I find that rather amazing.

I am not familiar with the cost of living in these states that were mentioned (Wyoming, Montana, Utah) but I cannot believe that it would be too bad.

Unfortunately the article did not say where most of the job openings were. McDonald's was the only place I recall being mentioned by name.

I'm starting to think maybe I should start looking for a better paying job out West!

job hunting overdrive

Just got word on Friday that my project position is set to end on 8/26/07, which means time to put the job hunt into overdrive.

At least August is an extra paycheck month!

If I can't find anything then I will have to spend every possible moment writing articles of Associated Content to keep some cash flow coming in until I get something else.

I think I may look in nearby cities too. They may pay more and have more jobs.

and the job hunt continues

Just got the official word that the position I had applied for at work back in May was given to someone else. Not suprising as I overheard some stuff earlier in the week that made me think that was going to happen. It's not all bad though as in the past couple of months since applying for that position I have realized that this is not the sort of place that I want to stay at. Now I don't have to struggle with leaving a job that pays well, since I didn't get the better paying position.

No worries though, I had my resume submitted for a position at another company on Tuesday and I'm hoping that pans out. If it does, that will be a $10,000 - $15,000 pay increase. And if not, I'll keep looking.

Send good job hunting vibes my way!

gas mileage calculation update

So, I had to fill up my gas tank this morning, which means I get to see how much it costs me to get to and from work.

Since my last fill-up, I went 359 miles and when I got gas today it was 9.807 gallons. So, that's around 36.61 miles per gallon (right?).

One-way it is 36 miles to my job. At $3.00 a gallon (it was $2.95 today) that is $6.00 each day.

Now, I can use this when I am looking for places closer to home to see how much less I can make an hour.

A different strategy for job hunting

While I have a job, I'm looking for something more to my liking. I've been using Monster and CareerBuilder without having any luck finding anything that catches my eye. But sometime in the last week I came across a post on someone's blog (don't remember where) asking people what they used to find their jobs. Sites like Monster were way low on the list.

So, I've started looking in places like Craigslist and free weeklies where smaller offices might be posting jobs due to the cheaper placement cost. I'm hoping they have more what I'm looking for and I think they will. I've already found some non-profits, so I'm stoked.

More than just the cost of gas

As previously mentioned, I’m looking into finding a job closer to home mostly because I hate the long commute but also to save gas money and wear-and-tear on the car. As I started to think it over I realized that there are a few other things that I need to take into consideration as well.

At this job I get weekly overtime. I average out about 3 hours a week, which is around $35 after taxes on the ole paycheck.

How do I measure the time spent driving? Should look at it in terms of dollars or in term of additional activities I would be able to accomplish instead? Then I have this thought – it takes me about 20 minutes to crank out an article for Associated Content. My average payout is $6.18 per article. If I can get home in enough time that I would be able to crank out 1 article a day, that means I could cancel out the overtime effect on my paycheck. But this also cancels out the time I would gain by getting home earlier.

So, if one article a day means I can get a job with no overtime, then I would day I spend about $30 a week in gas that I could save by working closer to home. So, that would mean I could make $0.75 less an hour.

Ah, I just don’t know. Anyone see anything else I should be considering here?