Education & Careers » job-advice

Recession? What Recession?

marcus — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:41:07 +0000

For the last four months, we have been expecting the stock market to crash, unemployment to skyrocket, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to come riding into town. True, we got expensive groceries and gas and maybe a healthy dose of sanity pumped back into our real estate market. But, in some strange way, after all the gloom and doom, this all seems like a letdown.

Where is the repeat of the recession that crippled the nation in the early eighties? Where are the unemployment lines stretching around the block? Have we really averted the Great Depression: the Sequel?

I see three possibilities:

1) The measures taken by the government took the bite out of the economic downturn, the worst-case scenarios were never fully realized, and we are largely out of the woods;

2) The recent upturns are only a lull in our downward spiral; or

3) We are going down and picking up speed, but the powers that be are covering it up.

It seems unlikely to me that one day every credible voice in America would be sure that we are plunging into the ninth level of recession hell and the next everything has suddenly reversed and things aren’t so bad after all. I think the news media and the government, in the interest of dispersing the bad juju that had pervaded the national outlook, would give precedence to voices and stories that give a rosy picture. In the old propaganda tradition, unfavorable opinions would be denied airtime. I mean, can’t you just picture a certain Texan public official getting on the phone with the editor-in-chief at CNN and saying something like, “All this bad news about the economy is killing the public morale and my approval ratings. Do you think you could just tone it down a bit?”

What does this mean for average joes like you and me? We would do well to be skeptical and to be prepared for the worst. Improving your value at work is always a great way to avoid getting laid off. Putting some savings away for a rainy day and eliminating high-interest debt are always good ideas no matter what the economic forecast. Of course, as mentioned in previous posts, consider getting more education. Advanced degrees can be a great way to keep a step ahead of the jobless masses.

Take Time to Make a Difference

marcus — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:55:45 +0000

So often in this blog, I talk about how to get a better job, make more money, and move up the ladder. As important as it is to pay your bills and have a secure future, you want your life to be about more than just the daily grind and accumulating things. Research has found that the happiest people are those who reach out and help others. In hopes of attaining this happiness, more and more people are striking out to make a living while making a difference.

Increasing numbers of workers are leaving their careers in the private or public sectors to make the world a better place. Their skills are invaluable to growing and enhancing the organizations they work in. Some join existing non-profits or new growth organizations (NGOs), humanitarian organizations that use business for-profit models to help the needy. Some just start their own.

Rock superstar Bono started his Red campaign to combat AIDS in Africa, partnering with companies like Gap and Apple. Every time a RED product was sold by a partner, the proceeds from that sale went to develop treatments for AIDS victims in Africa.

An American housewife, shocked by the mistreatment of lepers in India, started an organization to treat their illness, provide them with microcredit and work skills, and even educate their children.

In the wake of the September 11 attacks, a Manhattan stockbroker vowed to make the world a better place and started a NGO that would provide health and educational services to impoverished children in rural South America.

Opportunities to reach out to others are more plentiful than ever, and you don’t have to be Bill Gates to make a difference. With devastating natural disasters worldwide (earthquakes in China, cyclones in Myanmar, etc.), relief organizations will need all the help they can get, from donations to volunteers. The internet makes it easy to find causes to get involved in. If you’re the entrepreneurial type, you can start your own NGO. To get started, I recommend visiting the following sites:

Idealist.org – search for jobs with non-profits, NGOs, etc. Network with other do-gooders.

Unicef.org – Unicef provides funding to various smaller NGOs. A good place to start!

WANGO.org – One of the most comprehensive directories of NGOs worldwide.

If you can’t commit to a full-on career change, consider spending time on your weekends or nights in the beginning. In the end, you will be glad there was more to show for your life than just a regular paycheck.

Live the Dream

marcus — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:33:59 +0000

The son of a successful scientist once asked his father which career he should choose. His father replied sagely, "What do you think about when you have nothing to think about? That’s what you should pursue." Too many people live a life postponed. Security, creature comforts, and image become so important that they rationalize themselves out of taking a chance on what they really love. With their heart in one place and their head in another, they are only half as effective or excellent as they could be.

Today’s message is simple: don’t procrastinate doing what you love. It may seem risky in the short-term, but it will reap benefits material and emotional in the long run. Do what you love, and you can’t help but soar.

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