Jun

12

Interested in working in a struggling field? Go for it

Posted by Dan

June 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I’m working on a story for a major newspaper’s Jobs section. It’s an interesting one, taking a look at people who are entering certain career fields even though those fields are struggling mightily.
I’ve spoken to real estate agents and mortgage lenders, for instance. Both of these fields are going through tough times today. You can [...]

Jun

10

Fewer job openings means more unemployment

Posted by Dan

June 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment

The number of job openings hit a new low in April. Not surprisingly, this has caused unemployment to jump again, this time by 0.5 percent in May.
You can read the dismal numbers in this story in the Nashville Business Journal. The basics, though, are this: As of the last day of April, there were 2.5 [...]

Jun

4

You want to be a mortgage loan officer? Really

Posted by Dan

June 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I have a friend who wants to work as a mortgage loan officer. And that’s with me telling him everyday that mortgage lending squeezes the life out of people. It’s a stressful job. Customers get angry with you when you quote them interest rates that they think are too high. The folks who qualify the [...]

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 [...]

Jun

1

Can you really find a job through Twitter?

Posted by Dan

June 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment

The WalletPop blog had a fascinating post today about Twitter and its usefulness for people searching for a new job.
I won’t bore you with reciting what the blog says, but I do find it hard to believe that Twitter really can help you find a job. In fact, I find Twitter to be pretty much [...]

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

28

Desperate? Try a LaidOffCamp

Posted by Dan

May 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment

If you’ve been out of work for a long time, you undoubtedly need to vent. I understand that. That’s why I think the LaidOffCamp is a neat idea.
The Wall Street Journal ran an interesting story today about these camps, which are held across the country. Basically, they offer the unemployed a chance to network, learn [...]

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

22

Does misery love company? Not when it comes to job losses

Posted by Dan

May 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I hate hearing from my neighbors or friends about their job struggles.
As a freelance writer, I’m struggling to meet my monthly financial goals. My print-magazine clients are all going out of business or cutting back on their budget for freelance writers. The online sources I’ve replaced them with pay far, far less.
This means I’m working [...]

May

20

And what am I doing during the downturn?

Posted by Dan

May 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I’ve written a lot about how other folks are holding onto their careers — or not — during the economic downturn. But I’ve not shared a whole lot about how the economy is hitting me, and what I’m doing about it.
So here’s a little bit: Before the recession, I specialized in writing about residential real [...]

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