Jun

11

Letting work slip through the cracks

Posted by Dan

June 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I’m sure there are no official statistics on this, but I wonder how many of us are getting a bit sloppy at work these days?
It’s not intentional. And it’s not laziness. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Employees are taking on more work at their jobs. They have to: A growing number of companies are [...]

Jun

2

How to suck up to your boss

Posted by Dan

June 2, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This is a good time to impress your boss. I know a lot of you don’t enjoy sucking up to the folks in charge. But if you’re not going to do it when unemployment levels are soaring, when are you going to do it?
Here, then, are some sucking-up tips I’ve observed from my once-a-week forays [...]

May

14

Looking for work? Don’t pay for career help that you can get for free

Posted by Dan

May 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment

When people are out of work, they’re a bit panicky. That’s human nature.
Picture yourself without your steady income. Think you wouldn’t get a little dizzy thinking of how, exactly, you’ll be paying that mortgage? I know I’d have my head in the oven. Blogging doesn’t do much to help make a mortgage payment.
These nerves can [...]

May

1

Are the resume’ Web sites worth it?

Posted by Dan

May 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment

It’s a terrible economy out there, and job hunters are plentiful. Everyone is searching for ways to stand out from the rest of the unemployed.
So how about online resume’ sites, those Web sites promising to create an electronic version of your resume’, tricked out with video, pictures and whatever else you’d like to throw on [...]

Apr

22

Corporations’ new message: Leave your daughters at home!

Posted by Dan

April 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I never quite understood the point of Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. If I was a daughter or son, the last thing I’d want to do is spend time at either of my parents’ jobs. I saw enough of my parents, thank you, I didn’t need to see them during their working [...]

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

15

Tax Day double standards?

Posted by Dan

April 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Today, of course, is that most hated of days, Tax Day.
Did you file your returns on time? If not, maybe you should send in an application to be our country’s next Treasury Secretary.
I kid. But a whole lot of people are unhappy today. There are several “tea parties” taking place across the country today, all [...]

Apr

14

Who exactly is in charge of moving me from cubicle to cubicle?

Posted by Dan

April 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I’ve worked at a publishing company in downtown Chicago for 11 years. In that time, I’ve sat in 12 different cubicles.
There’s always a reason: The bosses want to group all the writers together. Or they want managers in one portion of the floor and flunkies in another section. Or maybe they want all the production [...]

Apr

10

More proof that the economy’s in the toilet: Selling hot dogs considered a viable career path

Posted by Dan

April 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Do you like hot dogs? Are you out of work? Then you may be in luck.
A story in the Wall Street Journal says that a growing number of the unemployed are running their own hot dog carts to make up for their lost incomes.
The operator of a hot-dog-cart business says that sales of all his [...]

Mar

16

Even if you’re out of work, it’s OK to have a good time

Posted by Dan

March 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This weekend boasted wonderful weather in the Chicago area. That’s a nice bonus, considering that snow and ice storms aren’t that unusual for March here.
Everyone was out. Riding their bikes. Walking their babies. Playing catch. Barbecuing. It was a nice weekend.
I have a friend, though, who’s out of work. He’s been looking, and looking hard, [...]

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