Not long ago I was approached by a guy who is trying to make some money by selling self-improvement books. He had just moved into the area, with the hopes of finding a better job than he had working for a company of carpet cleaners chapel hill nc. He explained that he was laid off from work and moved up here but so far has not been as successful as he had hoped he would be. I invited him to attend the Wednesday morning business networking meetings that I go to at the local IHOP. Maybe he could drum up some business there!
Having work done around the house
by Mary AnneI want to have some renovation work done here at the house. I haven’t lived here very long, so I don’t know which contractors are the most reliable and provide the best value. So I need some help to find local builders that will do the best job without charging me outrageous prices.
My British cousin tells me that she uses a website at workbidder.co.uk to help her find the kinds of services that she needs. From Handymen, Au Pairs, Beauticians, Gardeners, Artists, Teachers, and Typists, the website helps the homeowners find the people that provides the services.
I looked at the website, and it looks like a great service! I’ll have to see if there is a similar one for the USA! Hmmm… maybe Angie’s list?
What kind of job should the kids be training for?
by Mary AnneOne of the most difficult questions a kid can ask their parent is “What kind of job should I be working towards getting when I get out of school?”
I’ve heard that question several times from my kids, and it is a tough one. I want them to be ultimately happy with the work that they do, but they also need to earn enough money to pay their bills! And in today’s global market, and the new technologies that are already out there, and being developed, technology seems to be the key to the answer.
My advice has always been for them to think about their favorite subject in school and then talk to their teacher about what professions there are that use that knowledge from the class. What do YOU tell your kids?
Entering the age of the Internet
by Mary AnneMy boss asked me to help get the company create a website for the company. After years of hearing me try to persuade him that he needs to enter the twenty-first century he has finally decided to take the plunge. I’d like to take the credit for getting him motivated to do it, but I suspect it is a result of his joining a local business networking group. Anyway, he wants me to create the new company website, promoting the company’s products and services. It will be quite a job, but I am up to the challenge! I’ve created several websites in the past, so I have a good idea of what I am doing.
Equal pay for equal work – my take on the wage gap problem
by Mary AnneWomen have come a long way in their struggle for equality with men. But generally speaking, women still do not earn as much money in the job market as men do. Women earn only about 77 cents for every dollar that men earn.
I find this news very discouraging; I feel that women should earn the same amount of money if they are doing the same work as their male counterparts.
When I first entered the job market umpteen years ago, I found that the company that I worked for systematically paid the male employees more money than they paid the female employees – for the exact same job. When I inquired why that was so, the reply was that “men had families to support and needed the money more than the females did.”
The logic behind that assumption was that the men that worked there were married, with children, and that the wives stayed home to take care of the children. And the assumption continued that the women that worked there were young and single and only had to worry about supporting themselves. So the company felt that they were paying their employees based on their employees needs, rather than on their level of production.
I have always felt that if I am producing at the same level as another person, I should be paid the same as that other person, regardless of marital/family status. I ended up going to work for a large, unionized corporation, where the union contract prevented that type of wage gap discrimination. For me, that was the best option for me to be treated more fairly.