Guest Contributor

The Key To Success in a Mass Communications Career

September 28, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Mass Communications Careers: The Key To Success

Mass Communications continues to evolve, and today’s cutting edge technology will quickly become the proverbial “yesterday’s news.” A few years ago, students studying journalism focused mainly on writing and interviewing, but 21st-century technology demands much more of college graduates looking for their first job. For example, students now need to know how Skype changes global communications, the social implications of Facebook and Twitter, and how YouTube impacts video production techniques.

College students seeking to advance to a career in Mass Communications will learn the art of effectively communicating with the general public, through training and education. Practicing their craft to gain experience helps them put principles into practice. An appropriate degree emphasizes a well-rounded education, and multiple opportunities exist in this career field.

What is Mass Communications?

A working definition of the term “Mass Communications” is the effective delivery of a specified message to large segments of the population. Those segments can be cities, states, the nation or even the entire world. Students majoring in this area take interdisciplinary courses covering a broad range of ideas and concepts. In addition to the traditional English and Literature courses, the required curriculum also includes:

• Advertising
• Marketing
• News Writing
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Public Relations
• Sociology
• Television Production

Laying the Groundwork for Success When Starting Your Own Business

September 4, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Starting Your Own Business-

The business world is risky; entrepreneurs can’t leave anything to chance. That contradicts conventional wisdom as business owners are often viewed as gamblers and risk takers, but the truth is that those who take charge of their own enterprises are the most calculating people on the face of the planet. Those who assume otherwise end up falling flat on their faces, and people who want to avoid that fate need to carefully consider every action before signing the dotted line at the bottom of a business loan.

Step One: Save Capital

Debt is a tool, and it’s incredibly useful when it’s well managed. The key is preparedness. Someone who has to finance a venture with nothing but borrowed money is sitting on a time bomb. It creates a situation where a new business has to be profitable from day one in order for the debt to remain manageable. When that doesn’t happen, interest rates and late fees pile on to create a financially ruinous snowball effect. As a general rule of thumb, new business owners should have at least a quarter of their starting capital in the bank before getting things under way. As long as there’s enough money on hand to cover expenses for three to six months, it’s possible to recover from early hiccups and create [Read more…] about Laying the Groundwork for Success When Starting Your Own Business

Ways to Keep Car insurance Down When You’re Unemployed

September 1, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Keep Your Car Insurance Rates Down-

Unless your car insurance rates were based on your occupation, they won’t be affected by lay-off, termination or resignation. While your rates may not be affected by unemployment, your income certainly will be. It makes sense for you to look for ways to save on your auto insurance when you stop working. Here are five ways that you can save money on your car insurance premiums while you are unemployed:

Park the Car

Now that you won’t have to commute back and forth to work, it may make sense for you to park the car in the driveway and let it sit. If you have two cars, consider only using one and removing the insurance on the other. Talk to your insurance agent and see what can be done about lowering your insurance by not driving one of your vehicles. Depending on the laws of your state or the conditions of your loan contract, you may be able to drop some or all of your coverage on one of your vehicles.

Low-Mileage Discount

Now that you won’t be driving as frequently, speak with your insurance agent about a low-mileage discount. If you had a long commute to work, chances are that you didn’t qualify for this discount while you were employed. Now that you won’t be driving as much, if at all, you may be able to save a significant amount on your premiums.

How to Choose a Small Business Retirement Plan

August 31, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Small Business Retirement Plans-

As a small business owner, you may decide to offer the benefit of a retirement plan to your employees as one of several strategies to obtain and retain the best workers. There are a number of options available, including Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plans, Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE) Individual Retirement Account (IRA) plans, and 401(k) Plans. The plan you ultimately choose depends largely on the particular circumstances of your business – there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

SEP Plans

SEP plans are entirely employer-funded. As an employer, you may determine how much to contribute. The maximum contributions to SEP plans vary annually; for 2012 the limit is 25 percent of an employee’s salary or $50,000 US, whichever is less. SEP plans do not allow catch-up contributions for older employees.

Setup for SEP plans is simple, and any employer with one or more employees is eligible to set up SEP plans. Once the plan is established, employers must offer SEP plans to all employees over age 21 who have been employed with the company for three of the past five years and met a minimum salary threshold, which was $550 for 2010 and 2011.

SIMPLE IRAs

If you have 100 or fewer employees and you wish to establish a retirement plan that allows both employer and employee contributions, a SIMPLE IRA plan may be a good option. For 2012, each employee’s plan may be funded up to 100 percent of his or her compensation or $11,500 US, whichever is less. Plans for employees over 50 may be funded up to $14,000 US for 2012. You must make matching contributions of up to three percent of the salaries for all employees who make contributions to their SIMPLE IRA funds, or two percent of compensation for each eligible employee.

If you elect to establish a SIMPLE IRA, you must do so before October 1 of each year; other retirement plans generally have a deadline of December 1 of each year. You must establish a SIMPLE IRA for each of your eligible employees. Employees are eligible if they have earned at least $5,000 US any two prior years, and expect to earn the same amount during the present year. [Read more…] about How to Choose a Small Business Retirement Plan

Labor Immobility and the Labor Participation Rate

August 30, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Labor Immobility-

You may be wondering what exactly is labor immobility?

Defining Labor Immobility: The mobility of labor refers to the ability of workers to change from one job to another both geographically and occupationally.

What is the labor force participation rate?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics defines the Labor force participation rate as: “The labor force as a percent of the civilian non-institutional population.” In other words, the percentage of the total population that is working. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines the employment rate as the employment-to-population ratio. This is a statistical ratio that measures the proportion of the country’s working-age population (ages 15 to 64 in most OECD countries) that is employed.

In the US labor market, around 29 million people are engaged in producing a wide range of goods and services. However, about 1.5 million among them are unemployed, indicating that the labor market is not currently operating at peak efficiency.

Some of the unemployed people may be simply changing jobs and thus they are out of work for just a short period of time. After all, an economy is dynamic and specialized. So we ought to expect some unemployment since jobs are continuously being created, but at the same time, some are also no longer needed. The typical example is that of a “buggy whip” maker. There is no need for [Read more…] about Labor Immobility and the Labor Participation Rate

What Employment Lawyers Do

August 29, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Employment Solicitors/Lawyers-

For years, there have been many laws in almost every country safeguarding the interests of employees. These laws protect an employee from harassment, discrimination, and a hostile work environment. Moreover, these laws also state that employees should receive due compensation, overtime fee, and other benefits related to the job. Employment laws also state that all the employees should be treated equally and there should be no discrimination based on age, sex, religion, etc.

Employment lawyers have specific knowledge about laws related to the human resources of a business. They work to prevent discrimination or ill-treatment in the workplace. Employment lawyers can represent either the business or the employee. Formal requirements to become a lawyer usually include a 4-year bachelor’s degree, 3 years of law school, and passing a written bar examination. However, some requirements vary by state.

What Employment Solicitors/ Lawyers Do

1) Discrimination – Employment Solicitors/ lawyers make sure that people are not discriminated against in an office environment. Discrimination can be based on a variety of factors. Employment lawyers guide people through the necessary steps to prevent discrimination in a business or negotiate with a business in the case of discrimination. [Read more…] about What Employment Lawyers Do

Resume Writing Tips When You’ve Been Unemployed

August 23, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Resume Writing Tips-

During this world recession, unemployment is commonplace. That doesn’t mean the recruiter or hiring manager will look favorably upon your unemployment though. Being unemployed shouldn’t bar you from ever working again so, I’ll share CV and resume writing tips for those who have had times of unemployment. Here are five resume tips for re-entering the working world.

Lend a hand

While crafting your perfect resume, volunteering could get the ball rolling in your search for gainful work. Seek out organizations that actively take on volunteers for skill-building responsibilities. For example, are you worried that your office skills are rusty? Offer to do some clerical work for a non-profit. Get back into organizing events, if that is your chosen field, by helping charities put together fundraisers. It will serve as a recent activity that shows you are still in the game and, if you do well, could secure you a strong reference.

Close the gaps

Even though you may have been out of work for a while, chances are you have still been honing transferable skills in stints of non-paid or casual work. Make sure you account for those activities on your resume so that the recruiter or hiring manager knows you have stayed active and, more importantly, weren’t in prison.

Consolidate and adapt skills for each position

It may be tempting to fire off thousands of resumes to countless job postings. One has to stick, right? Unfortunately, probably not. Between the implementation of keyword scanners and the demanding eyes of HR professionals, it is more [Read more…] about Resume Writing Tips When You’ve Been Unemployed

Benefits a Mechanical Engineering Degree

August 22, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Mechanical Engineering Degree-

With a Mechanical Engineering Degree you could be involved in building everything from race cars, airplanes, even NASA rockets, Solar Energy, robotics or almost anything else that is manufactured. If you are interested in designing things that work, mechanical engineering may be the best option for you. Mechanical engineering deals with anything that needs design work and production of tool machines related to mechanical equipment.

With a Mechanical Engineering degree

1) Build and Design Quality products – Mechanical engineers all around the world make sure that the public gets the best quality products. Mechanical engineering is usually associated with design principles, systematic technology, problem-solving and other areas that constantly benefit people. Mechanical engineers design, develop, build, and test mechanical devices, including tools, engines, and machines. They analyze situations to determine how a mechanical device might best solve the problem. They work with all types of machines including electric generators, refrigeration and air-conditioning, industrial production equipment, internal combustion engines, and even and steam and gas turbines.

2) Job openings – Students with a mechanical engineering degree are able to get jobs in the best industries and sectors all around the world. Every industry is in need of skilled engineers. Engineers are needed in all walks of life and students with a mechanical engineering degree are recruited by every major industry. Mechanical engineers are the second-largest [Read more…] about Benefits a Mechanical Engineering Degree

Location, Location! It’s Important When Renting Industrial space, Too!

August 17, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Renting Industrial Space-

Do you know why you never see a real estate developer constructing an industrial park or industrial building in a downtown city area next to a movie theater or fancy restaurant? Well, one reason is the developer probably couldn’t get a building permit to start with… But also the location is horrible for what industrial space is mainly designed for, which is the storage of materials to be shipped or received.

Any realtor will tell you location is a key factor when considering the purchase of a home. The same holds true for renting industrial space or looking for a spot to build a small or large industrial warehouse. Ergo, in making a decision on industrial space, your thoughts should turn toward being close to airports, easy freeway access, and departure, and property that has reasonable railroad access, as well. Huge semi-trucks and 18 wheelers tend to eschew having to mosey through narrow streets and downtown areas where turning and parking becomes a real headache; not to mention the nasty looks they get from others driving small cars.

What Should You Look For In Renting Industrial Space?

First, these two things will be important: space size and square foot cost. Your third item will be critical: zoning! Your industrial warehouse space may not be legally useable for the purpose you need. Think chemical experiments and the like. So before you get all excited and sign any long-term lease, check with the city or county to verify zoning law restrictions. Some cities, in order to cut down on accidents and complaints, have industrial space restrictions you haven’t thought of, including hours of operation and loud noise.

What Is The Best Way To Find The Industrial Space I Need?

The answer is quite simple. New and older industrial parks and buildings are most times, without exception, located near the airport, freeways, and railroad terminals. These locations make it easy for trucks to enter and leave, eliminating much of the heavy traffic problems. In those areas, you’ll find plenty of “for lease” or “space available” signs allowing you to peek through windows, and check ingress and egress possibilities. However, you’ll find [Read more…] about Location, Location! It’s Important When Renting Industrial space, Too!

What is Frictional Unemployment?

August 9, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Frictional Unemployment

With the high unemployment rate these days and the bad economy people aren’t hiring, but one thing many people might not realize and that’s that there are different TYPES of unemployment. Interestingly, even during good times, there is something called frictional unemployment.

Different from the big picture assumption that unemployment is a result of lay-offs, budget cuts, and a bad economy, frictional unemployment is pretty much VOLUNTARY on the employee’s part and almost circumstantial, as it occurs when there is a job aligned for the individual’s skills, it just can’t be filled for the time being due to clerical issues, background checks and screening processes, relocation issues and more.

Yet, studies have shown that during times of economic downturns and recession, the number of people experiencing “frictional unemployment” drops drastically, as individuals begin to fear making any career moves. When the economy goes south, generally the number of available jobs decreases, which means there are a limited number of alternative opportunities for employees to pursue. Everyone seems to revert into survival mode and clings to anything that won’t rock the boat. Fewer people change jobs so the “friction” during the interim period is lower. [Read more…] about What is Frictional Unemployment?