More career advice (for myself)

How Not to Get Laid Off
by Ariane de Bonvoisin and John Kilcullen
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

What's triggering fears and sleepless nights for many of us about the unemployment abyss is not the job-loss stats themselves, but the depth of the cuts—and the qualifications of some of the people getting jettisoned. The questions we keep hearing are: Why do highly skilled, seemingly essential people get cut while others don't? Are there patterns? How can I make myself indispensable?

In talking with employers about what they most value in employees right now, it became clear that the key to surviving isn't so much about the skills you have, the awards you've won, or the tasks you perform day in and day out. It's as much about qualities, habits, and capacities.

This is no time to keep plugging along head down, half expecting every meeting invitation you open to be your exit interview. You must take action to embody the qualities of those employees who always get promoted and always avoid the next round of layoffs.

And don't think that just because your company isn't downsizing or has said it has no plans to that you're safe. Things can and do change fast in this environment, so take preventive measures. Plus, the kinds of qualities we're talking about will serve you well when things turn around.

1. Remember: It's Not About You Right Now

Force yourself to focus with laser accuracy on your company's success, not your own. In challenging times, the last thing your employer wants is to cater to you and your fears. They want you to be a selfless, highly collaborative team player who meets and exceeds your commitments. Your presence can't be an energy drain or create work.

2. Become a Black Belt at Change

The most important skill to develop right now is finesse at navigating change. That means flexibility and open-mindedness. Accept whatever management throws your way. If they change direction (again), shuffle the product mix, add new goals, or refine strategy on the fly, say yes to all of it. Resisting change only makes life more difficult for management and for everyone.

This also applies to those things you took for granted. Accept that your expense budget and staff have been cut. Accept that you now have more work on your plate with the same (or fewer) resources than you had a year ago.

3. Everything Is Your Job

Demonstrate your commitment to the overall success of your team and your company by taking on tasks that fall outside your job responsibilities. Pitch in on packing up the trade-show booth. Manage your own schedule/address book/travel plans. Offer to take notes and follow up after every meeting.

Nothing is beneath you. The little things you do above and beyond your job description will serve you well when it's performance appraisal and/or downsizing time. Forget your fancy title, your impressive résumé—and your ego.

4. Walk Away from the Water Cooler

When straits are dire and headlines scary, the last thing your company needs is negative, gossipy employees who polarize colleagues into an us-vs.-them dynamic. Employers value passionate overachievers whose uplifting attitude contributes to a more energizing team culture. Whatever it takes, keep the negative mindset out of the office. This is your mantra: No complaining, no blaming! Dwell on what can be rather than what can't.

5. "Unwritten Rules" Are Now Engraved in Stone

Show up early, stay late. Everyone notices people who leave on the dot of 5 (or before) or take very long lunches or excessive coffee/smoking breaks. Don't get a reputation for being one of those people who takes forever to respond to an e-mail, voicemail, or a simple question. Vigilantly follow up on all assigned action items. Management is increasingly scrutinizing your every move.

6. Step Up—and Wear Very Big Shoes

Don't wait for someone else to solve your problems. Your manager needs to hear how the organization can trim costs, manage the supply chain better, find a new client, improve processes, motivate the workforce, and deliver the next big thing.

Observe what your competitors are trying and testing, read everything relentlessly, and ask people how you can improve what you do.

Your goal here is to make sure there'd be a gaping hole if you were no longer around. Make the choice every day to do work that really matters to the success of the team and the company. Put yourself in a position that is crucial to the success of a new initiative, or dig in to solve a vexing, long-neglected problem. Maintain a bias for action in every meeting.

7. Transparency Is Your New Trump Card

You must be totally transparent as to what you're working on and how it fits with management objectives. There can be no hiding, and no withholding information. If you don't have enough on your plate, say it. Ask to take on more—or better yet, suggest projects you can spearhead that have killer ROI.

The more honest your superiors believe you are, the more likely they are to trust you and keep you close. Being authentic builds relationships, even more than just hard work. Stop hoping no one finds out who you are or what you really do all day. Let people in…or they'll be showing you the door. Employers are likely to keep you around if they see you as a vital associate.

8. Make Friends in New Places

Human resources and finance are two departments that can have a significant impact on your career whether you realize it or not. They know a lot about you that can influence how you're perceived. Respect those folks, socialize with them, ask for their advice, and make sure you carefully do a little self-promotion. When cuts need to be made, you won't be an unknown quantity to them.

9. Start Tweeting or Start Packing

Look at the Millennials and see how they work, how they make decisions, and what technology and tools they use. No time for "I don't do Twitter or Facebook." Acquaint yourself with social networks, mobile applications, and commerce platforms to remain relevant. Let them intimidate you and you give your boss reasons to replace you with someone younger and more in the game. Ask a family member to help, take a course, read a book…and dive in.

10. Fit Club

Healthy people tend to have better outlooks and are easier to be around. They take good care of themselves, which in turn earns them the respect of others. Fit people often set high standards for themselves both at work and at play. And they just have more stamina, so they tend not to get tired when on deadline, and they don't call in sick as much. They have incredible endurance when others are reaching for that 10th Coke or itching to make that next trip to Starbucks. They are also calmer and more productive. So get your sleep, eat well, exercise, stay hydrated, and avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol. This is an investment that will pay dividends for you and your employer. And yes, your employer does notice.

Rate yourself. Which of these 10 areas are you excelling in, which are you doing O.K. in, and where do you need to change your behavior? The truth hurts, doesn't it? But take the steps to make sure that it's your career that gets rolling, rather than your head.

How about "ALL POLITICIANS are just plain STUPID!"

Analysis: Why do politicians cheat?
By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer Liz Sidoti, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – What is it with philandering politicians?

Why do men in power — the ones on pedestals — think they are above us and can get away with cheating on their spouses, particularly when media scrutiny is so intense and peccadilloes are arguably more politically damaging than in the past?

There's a long list of those who thought they could jet off to Argentina, or cruise on the Monkey Business, or check into a hotel under an assumed name or use an escort service and never get caught, never have to come clean.

The names quickly come to mind — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., Sen. David Vitter, R-La., former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., one-time Democratic presidential hopefuls John Edwards and Gary Hart, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, current New York Gov. David Paterson.

These days, the fallout can run the gamut. It can doom a career — former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey — or unleash the fury of a special prosecutor, leading to impeachment — then-President Bill Clinton.

This wasn't always the way it was. There are politicians, presidents even, who did the dalliance dance privately and didn't pay publicly, John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt included.

No more.

It's a different world — a public that feeds on the exploits of Paris, Lindsay and Britney documented in the tabloids, glossy magazines and at-your-fingertips Internet has developed an insatiable appetite for scandal.

That makes it all the more inexplicable that these men — and they are almost universally men, as politics remains mostly a man's game — tempt fate. And, particularly, men with presidential aspirations.

One possible explanation, said Stanley Renshon, a political psychologist at City University of New York: "Narcissism is an occupational hazard for political leaders. You have to have an outsized ambition and an outsized ego to run for office."

Or, perhaps, think you can stray from your marriage without consequence.

"I think too often, and for me in the political process, you begin to think of yourself as master of your own universe and your own set of ethical structures, your own sense of decision-making," McGreevey, who resigned amid a scandal over his admission of a homosexual affair, said Thursday on NBC's "Today" show.

To be sure, politicians don't necessarily have different reasons for cheating than non-politicians, and they don't necessarily cheat more often.

The difference: "They live their lives more in a fishbowl, and that has responsibilities and costs with it," Renshon said, adding that an adulterous politician doesn't just betray his family's trust, he also betrays the public's trust.

Indeed, when politicians get caught, they do so in extraordinary fashion and their actions raise questions about their judgment, character and integrity as a leader.

If they can lie to their loved ones, who is to say they won't lie to everyone else? If they can't stay faithful to their marriage vows, who is to say they'll stay faithful to their oaths of office? And if they have secrets in their private lives, who is to say they don't have secrets in their public lives?

"It does matter in public perceptions," said Stephen Wayne, a Georgetown University government professor who has studied political psychology. When it comes to the highest positions in politics, he said, "we want to figure out who acts as a model for others."

Presidents, senators, congressmen and governors who have extramarital affairs flunk that test.

On some level, it's easy to see why they cheat.

Fred Greenstein, a Princeton University professor emeritus of politics, suggested adrenaline as the common denominator, saying, "For some individuals, the excitement of illicit sexual activity might feed the same desire" as "the excitement of politics."

Political life — with its long hours, frequent travel and endless stream of new acquaintances — also can be a strain on even rock-solid marriages. At times, the lifestyle almost seems to invite unfaithfulness.

"There's lots of temptation," Greenstein added.

There's also a clue in the kind of people drawn to politics.

These are men who love themselves deeply, need to be recognized and relish approval. These are men who adore getting praise and who often are surrounded by swarms of sycophants. These are men who, in some cases, need to exercise power and sometimes can become drunk from it. These are men who think the rules don't apply to them and who think they're untouchable.

As leaders, these are also the type of men who are likely to break promises, manipulate and cut corners. They probably are big risk-takers. And they're prone to thinking of themselves first.

Just ask their wives, their mistresses — or the security details that often are privy to indiscretions.

Not a year seems to go by without a Washington sex scandal, and both Democrats and Republicans are guilty.

Last year, Edwards, Vitter and Spitzer came before the public to admit they erred.

This month alone, it has been Ensign and Sanford, two Republicans who have mentioned as possible 2012 presidential candidates as the out-of-power GOP seeks to rebound.

Those dreams are probably over, and the double disclosures of infidelity also may have brought short-term embarrassment to a party searching for a new leader.

Said Todd Harris, a Republican operative, "If this was supposed to be our farm team, we'd better start looking for a new farm."

Go US Soccer!

US triumph over Spain helps image of soccer
By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer

JOHANNESBURG (AP)—The United States’ amazing 2-0 victory over Spain at the Confederations Cup on Wednesday night sent out a loud and clear message that no one, not even the world’s top-ranked team, is guaranteed anything in this captivating sport and no team is ever out of contention.

Even a 15-game winning streak doesn’t put the ball in the net.

Look at this sequence of results.

The United States loses 3-1 to Italy. Italy loses 1-0 to Egypt. The Americans beat the Egyptians 3-0 and then end Spain’s 35-game unbeaten run and 15-match streak of victories to reach the Confederation Cup final.

Does this make any sense? Or is it simply more proof that soccer, the world’s most popular sport, is still capable of throwing up the biggest surprises?


Now the Americans, seemingly on their way home after losing by two goals to Italy and by three to Brazil in their first group games, will march proudly to Sunday’s final in Johannesburg against either host South Africa or five-time World Cup winner Brazil.

The Spaniards, who began with a 5-0 thumping of New Zealand before beating Iraq 1-0 and South Africa 2-0, are heading for the third-place playoff, the so-called loser’s final, their unbeaten and winning streaks now torn to shreds.

“I can’t explain it any more than you can,” American goalkeeper Tim Howard said. “Sports is funny sometimes, but when you put your mind to something, you can achieve it.” Howard defied the Spaniards with a series of saves in the second half.

“The only thing that was going to get us through this game was sticking together, working hard and we did that,” he said. “We rode our luck at times, they were a great team, they pushed us all the way to the limit but we took our chances well.”

U.S. coach Bob Bradley showed that, while his players respect their opponents, they don’t respect reputations.

He sent his team out to play the game at a fast pace and, by crowding out their opponents in defense and midfield, did not allow the talented Spaniards room to create their interpassing moves.

They made even Fernando Torres, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas look ordinary simply by giving them no space or time to work their magic. Although the Americans left huge spaces down the wings, the stars of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool couldn’t find a way through the crowded center of the field.

Yet the men in all white created enough chances just in the first eight minutes in Bloemfontein to suggest they were the ones with the long unbeaten record. Charlie Davies went close twice, Clint Dempsey shaved Spain’s post and Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas gestured to his teammates to calm down.

Suddenly this didn’t look like the Spain that dominated and entertainingly won last year’s European Championship, then went on to stretch its unbeaten run into this tournament.

The strikes by Jozy Altidore and Dempsey were more than deserved because they reflected the commendable attitude of the underdog side not to cower beneath the superiority of a far more talented team.

This being a knockout game, the U.S. played this match on its own terms and the Spaniards took half the game to get into its stride.

After the break, Spain used the width of the field to create chances but were repeatedly thwarted by well-timed challenges by Jay DeMerit and Oguchi Onyewu. When they were beaten, goalkeeper Howard punched away long range shots or dived to palm them away.

DeMerit and Onyewu have been playing in Europe for a while, although not alongside the Spanish stars at Real Madrid or Barcelona.

This is their moment.

While Spain’s stars probably wish they could go home instead of hanging around for the “losers’ final” on Sunday against South Africa or Brazil, the Americans have a title to play for.

Those who suffer from these little bastards like me should read this post!

Eye exercises to fight floaters
These simple exercises improve and maintain good vision and may also get rid of those pesky floaters in your eyes.

-Rub your palms together to create heat, and then place them against your eyes for five seconds. Repeat this three times.
-Roll your eyes in circles, starting at the top and slowly circling 10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise.
-Hold a pen at arm's length, focus your eyes on it, and slowly bring the pen closer until it's about six inches away from your nose. Then slowly move it back, keeping your eyes focused on the pen, 10 times in all.
-Using your thumb knuckles, massage your temples in small circles, 20 times in one direction and 20 in the other. Repeat the same actions above the mid-point of the eyebrows at the forehead, then below the eyes on both sides of the bridge of the nose.
-Take a nap on the job! Put your head back, close your eyes, and relax for three minutes.

After a month you will notice an improvement in vision and a decrease in floaters. Try to do these exercises first thing in the morning, just before bed, or whenever your eyes feel tired, like after computer use. Make sure your hands are clean and that you are relaxed. The key to progress is daily practice, so make it a habit! Additionally, take care of your eyes by wearing UV-protective sunglasses.

Note to self

Seven Career Killers
by Erin Burt
Friday, May 1, 2009

You worked hard to get the education, the skills and now the job. Don't let these mistakes sabotage your climb up the career ladder.

Lying on your résumé, stealing office supplies or failing to show up for work will surely dampen your career prospects. But young workers need to beware of less-obvious mistakes that can sabotage their careers. Your behavior, attitude and appearance will play important roles in finding success, not only in your first job, but also throughout your entire working life.

As someone just starting out in the work world, you probably don't have a reputation yet. Take advantage of this blank slate. "You want to be seen as an up-and-comer, not the stereotypical young slacker," says Marty Nemko, a job coach in Oakland, Cal., and columnist for Kiplinger.com. Avoiding these seven career killers will help you craft a stellar reputation and keep your career on track.

1. Procrastinating. Remember the first time you put off studying for a test then crammed at the last minute and still got a decent grade? Many of us have been procrastinating since grade school and have done just fine, but that's a habit you have to break. "There's no grade inflation in the workplace," says Nemko. If you pull together a report or presentation at the last minute, your shoddy preparation is going to show. And if something unexpected happens -- say your computer crashes or a key contact fails to return a call -- the old "dog-ate-my-homework" excuse isn't going to cut it. "Procrastination is an ingrained habit," Nemko says, "but if you don't kick it pretty quick, you're going to find yourself on the corporate slow track."

2. Having a sense of entitlement. Our generation was raised on instant gratification -- we're used to getting what we want, and getting it now. Yet when it comes to our careers, no matter how hard we work, we cannot get five years' worth of experience in one year. Younger employees tend to feel entitled to quick promotions, says Randall Hansen, founder of Quintessential Careers and associate professor of marketing at Stetson University in Deland, Fla. Falling into that trap can hinder a climb up the career ladder. If you carry the attitude that you deserve to be promoted or else, you may find that "or else" is your only option, says Hansen.

If you're lucky enough to even have a job in this economy, remember that fresh out of school, you're on the bottom rung of the career ladder. That means you're going to have to pay some dues, such as taking on jobs others don't want or working days others want off. But that doesn't mean you should accept your low status forever. Learn more about how to know when it's time to move up -- and how to pull it off.

3. Settling into your job description. You may have your set responsibilities, but you should always be on the lookout for opportunities to shine. Going above and beyond your mundane entry-level tasks can demonstrate your untapped talents and show your boss you're not afraid to take initiative. Settle into your job description for too long and your reputation may be cast as a low-level lackey.

You may have to do a little self-promotion, but try not to come off as a braggart. Nemko's daughter, for example, got her first job working for Hillary Clinton -- but her job description was to answer letters to Socks, the Clintons' pet cat. Soon after starting, she approached her boss and said she was willing to pay her dues, but that she had good research and writing skills. She pointed out that she might be useful on some other task. A few days went by and her boss asked her to research a topic and write a one-page brief for Clinton. She ended up spending a year as a researcher -- that certainly beats handling feline fan mail.

4. Avoiding office politics. When it comes to playing office politics, there is naughty and nice. Naturally, you shouldn't engage in backstabbing and gossiping. But avoiding politics altogether can be deadly for your career. Like it or not, every workplace has an intricate system of power, and you can -- and should -- work it ethically to your best advantage. To get a promotion, avoid downsizing or get a project approved, you need co-worker support. Get that backing by building relationships, asking others for advice, offering your help and showing sincere interest in others, advises Nemko. (Learn more about how to make yourself fire-resistant in the workplace.)

It's also crucial to identify your workplace's hidden pockets of power. On paper, a certain person may be in charge, but you need to know who else in the office has influence so you can be sure to impress the right people.

5. Not being a team player. Getting stuck with this label is one of the fastest career killers, says Hansen. But young workers face a delicate balance. "You can't be so much a member of the team that your individual efforts are not recognized and rewarded," Hansen says. You still need to demonstrate your skills and abilities to successfully build your career without giving the appearance that you're interested only in looking out for yourself.

6. Not dressing the part. In an ideal world, you would be judged by your merits alone. However, we live in a visual society. How you present yourself can play a crucial role in the progress of your career. You want to look professional and in control, not sloppy and indifferent. Keep your hair and nails trimmed, your clothes ironed and your breath smelling nice.

As for your apparel, take your cues from what others are wearing -- you don't want to show up in a suit and tie if jeans are the norm. But it doesn't hurt to dress for the job you want, advises Nemko. It can set you apart from the rest of the crowd and subtly help higher-ups visualize you in a position of more power and responsibility. If you want people to take you more seriously and build influence, you've got to dress the part. See Dress for Success for Less for tips on pulling this off on a budget.

7. Failing to network. You've heard that networking can be a good tool to help you find a job, but maintaining your contacts after you're hired is critical to the continuing success of your career. Keeping in touch helps you stay atop the latest issues in your field and gives you people to call on when you need advice. And a contact just may help you land your next job.

When you're starting out, you probably don't know many people in your field, but there are plenty of ways you can plug into the grapevine:
* Check out the resources offered by your college alumni association.
* Join a professional organization or club.
* Subscribe to a trade magazine.
* Find online discussion groups for your industry through groups.google.com.
* Keep in touch with college acquaintances in your major, especially those who may have graduated before you.
* Don't be a wallflower at conferences and other functions. And always keep a business card on hand when you're outside the office. You never know when you might run into a potential contact.

Don't forget to build rapport with higher-ups in your office. You can introduce yourself at informal company socials or even while riding in the elevator. Then send them an e-mail or stop by their office to ask an occasional question or to follow up on something you chatted about previously. You never know when that friendship could come in handy down the road.

Republicans need to quit defending the wealthy and live up to their small government roots

Good analysis of Obama's tax policies, which clears most small businesses the "elephants" purportedly defend. I call rubbish, and I think its time the wealthy of this country start taking a more proportionate tax "burden". Not to squelch success, but even after 30% taxes, those individuals still end up taking home more than enough money. So its not like forgoing another vacation home is that much of a punishment. Really, they need to revise the tax brackets instead of playing these dumb tax games.

FACT CHECK: GOP adrift on small business claim
By CALVIN WOODWARD, Associated Press Writer
Thu Feb 26, 6:14 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Claims that President Barack Obama's tax plans are an assault on small business skirt the likelihood that most job-producing small businesses wouldn't feel that pinch at all.

Obama is proposing to raise taxes on households earning over $250,000 by increasing the rate on the top two tax brackets and limiting deductions, starting in 2011.

Republicans and other critics, knowing they will get little mileage from defending the rich, instead are casting the plan as a tax hit on people who run industrious little companies driving job growth.

That's not likely, according to one in-depth analysis, which found that more than 95 percent of small business owners would be off the hook.

Obama does not propose higher business taxes.

But critics reason that owners of many small companies report business income on their personal tax returns instead of filing corporate taxes. That exposes their business's earnings to Obama's higher tax rates on the wealthy.

To be sure, some business owners would get caught in that net.

But for one thing, most small businesses don't create jobs. They tend to be lawyers, accountants and other professionals who earn some of their money from partnerships or otherwise organize themselves as a business entity.

As well, many small businesses with employees don't earn enough to put their owners over the threshold for the higher tax rates.

Indeed, most of them — like Joe the Plumber of presidential campaign fame — would probably get Obama's tax break for the middle class.

Obama also proposes to eliminate capital gains taxes on small businesses and make a research tax credit permanent. He would expand a provision that allows money-losing companies to get refunds from taxes paid in previous years, when the companies were profitable.

Still, Obama is not cutting taxes for 95 percent of Americans, as his supporters often say. The president himself asserted Thursday that he's giving a "a middle-class tax cut to 95 percent of hardworking families."

An independent analysis estimated that 75.5 percent of all U.S. households would get his tax credit for workers. A higher percentage of working families would get it.

THE CLAIMS:

_"In fact, a majority of those penalized by the proposed tax increase in this budget are small businesses." — Republican Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia.

_"Small businesses and the entrepreneurs who lead them have been the primary drivers of job growth over the past decade. This plan would punish them with higher taxes, resulting in less government revenue, less economic growth, and fewer jobs — not more." — Bruce Josten of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

THE FACTS:

The U.S. has roughly 6 million businesses that employ people, and 20 million businesses without employees.

The latter group includes solo operators, professionals in partnerships and those who organize themselves as a business for tax purposes but earn little if any income from the enterprise.

Small businesses are defined as having fewer than 500 workers each.

Sizable companies within that group wouldn't be snagged by Obama's personal tax rates simply because they are too large to report income on the individual return of the owner.

Many truly small operations simply don't make enough to qualify for the tax hit.

Last year the Tax Policy Center run jointly by the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution examined the likely effects of Obama's plans to raise taxes on couples making over $250,000.

The analysis estimated that 663,000 taxpayers who report business income or losses fall in the two tax brackets whose rates would go up under Obama. Many are small businesses on paper, without workers.

Millions of other small-business owners would be clear.

PDP vs LCD

The big news of the week in the techie HDTV world is Pioneer leaving television production. *Tear Well, its definitely not the end of the world, but like WB to HD DVD, this sets up a do-or-die scenario for plasma manufacturers already reeling from the runaway cancer that is LCD. So in case you can't tell, I'm bitter than another one of my chosen technologies is going to die due to ignorance on the part of consumers, or more like crafty, deceptive advertising by the dark lord Sony. To be frank, LED-backlit LCDs are the only LCDs worth looking at, but even then they only begin to compete with plasma. You still have to deal with the fact that you're basically dealing with a projection style picture where you better be front and center or the picture begins to fade. Well, enough introduction from me. I don't care what the result is, as long as OLED eventually makes its way to the party. Check out the linked article if you're interested in reading more...
Link