Jun

3

Freelancers, are you even considering asking for more money?

Posted by Dan

June 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment

These are tough times. Really tough times. According to news reports, a growing number of employees, if they haven’t been fired, are being forced to take mandatory days off without pay.
It’s all a bit depressing out there in the working world.
But what about those freelancers, those writers, editors or consultants who are the hired guns [...]

May

29

Does anyone ever hear back from craigslist job ads?

Posted by Dan

May 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Maybe it’s just me. I consider myself to be fairly skilled at what I do. After all, I’ve written for the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, BusinessWeek Online and a host of respected magazines and newspapers.
Yet, whenever I reply to a help-wanted job for writers at craigslist — even when I reply to some of the [...]

May

26

What are you resorting to in this down economy?

Posted by Dan

May 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I used to scoff at freelance writers who would take crummy assignments for low pay. It seemed demeaning to me. Writers are professionals, and we should be paid like it.
Well, these scoffing days are now officially over. For the last two weeks, I’ve joined the ranks of what are known as online content writers. Think [...]

May

25

Back to the land of garage sales and no jobs

Posted by Dan

May 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This Memorial Day weekend, I traveled back to Southwest Michigan to visit my wife’s parents. It’s always an experience traveling to Michigan: In April, the unemployment rate in Michigan hit 12.9 percent. That was the worst in the nation.
So it’s a bit depressing traveling to Southwest Michigan. The state is in terrible shape, and this [...]

May

19

Age can work against you in today’s job market

Posted by Dan

May 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Are you too old? How about too young? Either way, it might work against you in today’s job market.
At least that’s the news from the Wall Street Journal, which recently ran a feature story about the challenges that both younger and older workers face today. Guess it’s best to be about 35 or so these [...]

May

18

Taking on more work. Not taking on more pay

Posted by Dan

May 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This bad economy is causing employees to make decisions they normally wouldn’t make. I’mseeing more workers, for instance, willing to take on extra assignments without even the hope of some sort of financial bonus.
I’m not criticizing. With the national unemployment rate continuing to rise, it’s natural for workers to do whatever they can to ingratiate [...]

Apr

21

60 cents for a pop? One more reason working stinks

Posted by Dan

April 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment

One of the perks at the publishing company where I work is the pop machine on the first floor that sells Diet Coke for 40 cents. I drink a lot of pop, and that machine might be the best soda value in the city.
Rather, it used to be.
Yes, the terrible happened earlier this month. My [...]

Apr

20

Some job interview mistakes that can cost you dearly

Posted by Dan

April 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This would be funny if it wasn’t true: A growing number of candidates, once they receive a job interview, spend an inordinate amount of time during these interviews complaining about the financial hardships they’ve suffered because they’ve lost their jobs.
Look, we all know that it’s awful to be without a job. I don’t know anyone [...]

Apr

6

A personal tale of giving up the perks

Posted by Dan

April 6, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Last week, I wrote about all the perks office workers are willing to give up to hold onto their jobs. You can read the post here.
In the post, I worried that workers are giving up to much. I also worried that once the recession is over, employers — having grown used to not having to [...]

Apr

4

Are workers giving up on the perks?

Posted by Dan

April 4, 2009 | 2 Comments

If you’re fortunate enough to still have a job, you want to do everything in your power to hold onto it. I understand that.
But what are you willing to give up?
How about any hope of a raise? What about the chance to work from home one or more days a week? What about extra pay [...]

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