Many people use a job loss as a time to reevaluate their entire career. Some change industries, job functions or relocate. There are quite a few people who use the unplanned break to start a company, some choosing to buy a franchise. Owning a franchise can be an expensive endeavor and requires a big commitment in terms of your time (and money). That being said, owning a franchise can be rewarding and for many people, a great alternative to working for someone else. There are a number of resources to help with this decision.
Top Franchise Opportunities for 2009 - A good place to start in your search for a franchise is a list of the top opportunities. This website, by Franchise Business Review, reviews the top 50 franchises by size (large, medium and under 50 units). Click on any of the franchises to link to a page that offers background and key statistics. The main page also has a list of franchises by category and investment size.
Continue reading "Lost your Job? - Have you thought about a Franchise?"
Posted by Candice Arnold on July 3, 2009 at 6:37 PM | Leave a Comment (0)
Hundreds of job search sites are available on the Internet. No way would you have the time to check them all out (nor should you). Are they worth your time? In a word, yes. Should you register with hundreds? No, but you should focus on those that will best meet your needs and you may need to review a very large number of sites before settling on the handful that work for you. Keep in mind that even specialized industry sites have all types of jobs (such as a Controller job found on a Fashion Job Search Site).
Onewire.com - Thanks to a reader for pointing out this site. Onewire, which is in beta, is "The Career Management Tool creating precise connections between professionals and firms" according to their tag line. There are several tabs at the top - How it Works, FAQ and Resources. Click start here to link to the sign up page. Looks like you must be a member in order to utilize the sites resources (but registration is free).
Continue reading "Are Job Search Sites Worth Your Time?"
Posted by Candice Arnold on July 3, 2009 at 6:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)
"No problem." Huge problem.
"Sure. I'll get right on that." Not if I can find any way to avoid it, delegate it, or get away with not doing it at all.
"Oh no, I thought you sounded fine in the meeting." Fine if you compare it to the awkward American Idol audition interview I saw last night on TV.
"You just had a rough month. I'm sure you'll turn it around." But probably not before you're fired for underperforming.
I'm sure you get the drift of what's on my mind today. It's about the gap between what we say, and what we really think and know.
It's about trust and being authentic. It's about being the type of person who isn't afraid to be truly direct and honest about a situation. (All while not getting branded as a non-team player, but that's another topic!)
Continue reading "Mean What You Say, Say What You Mean"
Posted by Candice Arnold on July 3, 2009 at 2:10 PM | Leave a Comment (0)
I broke my Blackberry holster last week. As a result, I tried to look for the default pocket (that comes with all new Blackberries) to use as a replacement until I buy a new holster. For two days I tried to search for it without results. That left me exasperated and somewhat frustrated as I had to carry my 'new' Blackberry in my pocket without protection! On my third attempt, I found it... it was in the drawer near my bed, the same drawer that I open every morning when I get up and every evening when I come home from work. So why did I miss it?? Well, somehow, I made up my mind that it was in a brown box while in fact it was in a black box with a white cover. In retrospect, I don't even think I noticed the box during my first two search attempts. I looked right through it. No... not like Superman!
It's normal to have preconceived ideas. Our brain subconsciously rationalizes the information that comes our way every second of our existence and, in this case, led me to conclude that the fastest way for me to find what I was looking for was to search for a brown box. And the fact is that there is actually nothing wrong with that. It's perfectly normal. But what if our preconceptions are wrong and lead us in the wrong direction?
That preconceived idea is bound to stick with us until we let go or until we hit a brick wall. Depending on the person and the circumstances, some preconceptions may stick for a long time or even forever. What to do to let go or, rather, should we let go (what if we're right after all)? There is no easy answer, but to say that we should look at circumstances and people with a critical mind. Not in the sense of "criticizing," but meaning that we should try to exercise good judgment and avoid jumping to conclusions too fast. Taking a step back once in a while can be helpful. All that to say that we should not be afraid to challenge ourselves in the way we think, the way we approach things or the way we perceive others.
Article by John S. and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.
Posted by Candice Arnold on July 3, 2009 at 2:06 PM | Leave a Comment (0)
Good news for career planners looking at education options and financing their next career move. If you have or will have U.S. government guaranteed student loans, your repayment plan may be based on your income level. What a concept! - and hard to believe it has taken this long to implement. You can learn more about the new plan and eligibility at the studentaid.ed.gov website. Jonathan Glater also wrote an excellent article about the new plan in The New York Times today.
And please make sure you max out your federal loan eligibility before turning to higher interest private loans.
Yes, there may be more paperwork to fill out but if you want to go to school, you'd better be able to fill out paperwork. Maybe that should be a foundation skill!
You can learn more at The Career Key website about resources for financing your education - and also at the Career Key Canada website. Canadians: After checking on CanLearn's section on repayment, it doesn't look to me as if Canada has a similar income based option for repaying loans. Please let me know if I'm wrong about that. Thanks!
Article by, Juliet Wehr Jones, J.D. and courtesy of Career Key, striving to help all people make the best career choices, worldwide.
Posted by Candice Arnold on July 3, 2009 at 1:22 PM | Leave a Comment (0)
Have you seen "The Proposal" yet? This latest workplace-centered movie, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, is sweet, funny, and steamy in places and can make even tough guys misty-eyed. Not to mention that incredible Alaskan scenery -- and the fact that there's no recession in sight. It's a nice escape.
But there is one current reality the movie does portray, in its tale of a transplanted Canadian and a dream-seeking Alaskan relocated to New York: the willingness of people to pick up and move almost anywhere for a job.
Talent Follows Jobs
Talent still goes where the best jobs are; recruiters still lure the best talent for those jobs. During a recession, the jobseekers and the job-fillers both think a little longer and harder about relocation decisions. But when all the questions are answered, the finger comes off the pause button and the moving van pulls up in the driveway.
Continue reading "Is relocation worth the risk?"
Posted by Candice Arnold on July 3, 2009 at 10:44 AM | Leave a Comment (0)
In recent weeks I have been absolutely overwhelmed by friends and associates telling me I need to be involved in Twitter and Facebook and countless other internet sites that supposedly contribute to marketing success. They reportedly present boundless benefits for those who master the subtle strategies related to those sites. I know I am going against the popular trend here, but I have given the issue of social media a lot of thought and am convinced it is a huge distraction machine that most people should avoid! Personally, and professionally I have decided to opt out of "Twitting" and the other "cutting edge" social networking sites! I just don't have the time or the interest to Twit.
One of my foundational beliefs is that success pivots on having the ability to concentrate on doing the things that really matter and filtering out what doesn't! Have you ever attended an NBA basketball game? In the final minutes of close games, the team that is behind usually resorts to a strategy of committing intentional fouls on the other team. When a player is fouled, the game clock is stopped to allow the fouled player to attempt one or more free throws. What the free throw shooter sees is the basket against a backdrop of several thousand frenzied, lunatic fans waving towels, tassels, pom-poms, or anything else they have been able to bring into the arena to distract the shooter from making the free throw. The fans scream, yell, blast air-horns, and do anything they can do to break the concentration of the shooter. To be successful, the shooter has to block all of this mayhem from his mind and focus on the basket. If the shooter can't block out the distractions, the shot will be missed!
Continue reading "Success at the Speed of Life "
Posted by Candice Arnold on July 2, 2009 at 2:01 PM | Leave a Comment (0)
