As the economy spiraled down, more and more have lost their jobs, homes, and seen their entire career field disappear and don’t know what’s next.

A long time customer of mine, the Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning (IBF) will be in SF at the Hilton on Kearny next Sun., Mon. & Tues Oct 16-18) giving a conference.

Business forecasting is actually a growing field as more and more businesses of all sizes realize they should have seen the downturn coming. In order to survive this depression and come out on the leading edge of the recovery they need forecasters & planners to chart the path.

If you’re looking for what’s next, join me at the conference and find out what forecasting and planning has to offer. You can check out the conference details at http://www.ibf.org/conferences.cfm?fuseaction=conferenceDetail&conID=325

I’ll post more details tomorrow!

When you’re young it may seem like you don’t have anything to put on a resume, but that is not true. Were you captain of a sports team or cheerleading squad?

Volunteer work counts, too. Even if it was for a short time, like helping out in some way for the Katrina disaster, or a Tornado or even helping a neighbor by mowing the yard in the summer, anything that shows you are motivated and dependable.

Make sure that all your volunteer or neighborhood work is verifyable, never lie on a resume or job application, it is often cause for immediate dismissal and can turn around and cause problems for you or your career decades later.

I remember stories of when the two Steve’s (Jobs and Wozniak) were hitting up Bay Area computer stores to swap them stocks in Apple for parts, labor, etc, so they could start their company. Some laughed, some bought in.

There are those who kick themselves to this day for not seizing the opportunity, others who got quietly rich from their investments and continue to live very good lives.

I personally know nothing about Steve Jobs. My son went to school (public school) with Steve Wozniak’s kids for a short period, and I know he is a very generous person in giving his time and money to educate young and old about the beauty found in science.

The media will guess, speculate and hound those who are mourning Jobs’ death, and that’s just wrong. What I have to say is “Hail to the King” and thanks for all your contributions.

Here are 3 quick tips to upgrade your resume:

Spell Check – I’m surprised at how many resumes that are being used have multiple spelling errors.

Word Check-Did you work at a drive threw? or a drive thru?

Review-Do you have a friend or family member that can review for you? Having a second set of eyes can quickly find those pesky errors.

If you just can’t get it all together into a clean, well formatted resume, have a professional help you. It can all be done online and doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

See http://kcleaderwriting.com for resume and employment search assistance.

As everyone knows, game system accessories are a requirement, not an option. So the search began, I went online to find Wii Fit and the balance board, the basics needed to utilize Wii as a workout option. I found what I needed and set up my Wii and began what I hoped would become my workout routine. While exploring the various categories mostly balance, aerobics and strength, I learned some unexpected lessons.

Concentration is crucial to getting good results. In Wii fit plus, you earn fit points for various activities. Since I am the only player on my Wii, I’m always top scorer which is awesome because I win every time. But you have to pay attention, if your mind wanders you won’t get the points because you’ll miss the step forward or backward or punch with the wrong hand. At first, I found it really demanding, 232 days later (it tracks your days working out, among other stats) I look forward to some time concentrating on which way to step or punch.

Variety is the spice of workout routines. I received the Wii in January and in late  September I’m not bored of it. I vary my routine according to how I feel that day. Some days I run around the island with a cat and punch the bag with a mini mii, others I catch fish on an ice floe and run around the obstacle course. After thirty minutes of workout time you get a banner and little twinkles along with advice to drink water, you win!

The biggest drawback for me is that the weight guidelines are based on the unrealistic bmi index tables, which claim a 5’10″ woman should be 151 lbs. Right. For months I heard “that’s overweight” every time I took the body test. Then I wised up and became taller. I’m 6’3″ now in Wii land and at the high end of “normal”. The bottom end of what’s normal for 6’3″ woman is where I actually want to be and it feels a lot better to see my mii jump up and do a fist pump when I weigh.

If nothing else, I’m still exercising usually 6 days a week, and the results are stable weight, better concentration and a lot less stress, all of which lead to a healthier and more productive life for me.

(c) 2010 KC Leader Writing

Most dog and cat people believe, not without merit that reptiles spend all their time laying still and not doing much, therefore they have not personality. While it’s true they do spend a lot of time not moving much, there is a lot more to reptiles than meets they eye and because you don’t have to worry about them messing up the carpet or furniture or eating your homework, they can be very good pets for responsible children that are old enough to know not to squeeze or harm them.

Bearded dragons are generally easy-going and enjoy spending time absorbing body heat from whoever wants to hold them. Beardies eat crickets, meal worms, spring greens, fruit and a wide variety of vegetables. There are quite a few websites devoted to the care and feeding of bearded dragons, they don’t get too big, generally about 18 inches snout to tail tip and they tolerate people and handling very well.

There are also horned toads, turtles, geckos and chameleons to consider. Parents must be careful with turtles, those under 4 inches in width measured arm to arm across the bottom, can carry bacteria harmful to children and good hand washing is always a must when handling reptiles, but they can be charming companions with a lot of personality.

An employment portfolio is one way to stand out above the crowd. As with many things, getting started is the key. One way to start is with a small binder and clear sheet holders that you can insert an 8 ½ x 11 sheet into with no damage to the paper.

Request transcripts from High School, Jr. College, College, Grad School. They will have the added benefit of helping you to build a more complete resume. There are very forgettable classes that are a big help when employers want specific skills that you don’t remember learning.

Gather up diplomas, certificates, awards especially excellent attendance, volunteer work, special projects that you lead or excelled at. Certificates from all those classes employers have sent you to show the interviewers that earlier employers thought you were worth the training investment. Having the actual certificates to show has a profound effect on future bosses.

Organize and categorize put transcripts together, newest to oldest. Certificates and diplomas that are job related sorted by date or type of training depending on your area of expertise. That special project you spend weeks on in college is good to include or reference as well.

Build pages listing specific organizations you were or are active in. Include 4H, Future Farmers of America, Regional Occupation Program, Lions, Elks, Special Olympics any sort of activity that you were involved in and contributed your time to shows your community spirit and your willingness to go the extra mile.

Include newsletter articles that you are mentioned in, or even newspaper articles discussing the huge layoff at your last employer that lead to your unemployment. In this time of severe cutbacks, future employers can be reassured that you were not a problem you are just a casualty of the economic setback.

Use good paper, readable fonts and common sense to organize and complete your portfolio. The first time you present it at an interview the reaction will give you more confidence and increase the odds of getting that job offer.

©KC Leader Writing 2010

All of the usual advice still applies, what you wear matters, your appearance really matters, your experience and presentation of yourself and your skills matters, but that’s the same advice everyone receives. Here are some things you can do to make yourself stand out.

Rehearse, Review, Research – If you don’t have a lot of interview experience, ask for help from a teacher, parent, advisor or professional to help you prepare for the interview. Review responses to likely questions in the interview, including why you want to work for that company. Research the company and know what they do, who their customers are and recent accomplishments.

Be Job Appropriate - Dress as you would expect the supervisor you want to work for would dress. Cover tattoos, remove all piercing hardware except small to medium earrings. You want to be remembered for your shining personality and skills, not your body armor. Show up clean and well rested, don’t overdo the caffeine if it makes you jittery.

The Interview Starts the Moment You Arrive - With video surveillance, security checkpoints and receptionists any actions you perform once you step on to the property can be reviewed, right down to conversations and texts on your cell.

Leave Your Cell Phone in the Car – DO NOT spend your wait time talking, texting, tweeting or playing games on your phone. This sends the messages that you cannot devote full attention to the task at hand, even when your career is on the line.

Get Recommendation Letters - Positive recommendation letters from former supervisors, along with a phone number to verify the information carries a lot of weight with interviewers. Even if the letter is from a supervisor at McDonald’s, proof of your good attendance, team spirit and likability along with any special skills you utilized is very valuable and will be remembered. Keep them in a safe place and stored in a document holder.

Build an Employment Portfolio – It’s a lot of work and requires maintenance, but an employment portfolio will always be a standout. Be very wary of scams promising to build a portfolio for you, due to privacy laws only you can gather the necessary documents. You can hire someone to arrange them and build an impressive portfolio and accompanying resume. Include transcripts from college and/or high school, certificates, volunteer experience and awards along with any special awards or project certificates. A word of warning: DO NOT fake education, experience or awards, any company worth working for will fire you, even years later, if falsification is discovered.

Be Organized and Professional - Every interaction before, during and after the interview can be reported on, so act as if your future employer is watching your every move. Put your best foot forward and shine with confidence, it will be remembered and help your interview stand out from the sea of faces interviewing for that job.

Follow Up – If it’s a big interview and you really want the job, send a hand written thank you card to all the interviewers. This must be done in a very timely fashion or it will be too late decisions are usually made within days of the interviews.

Keep Trying – There are a lot of good people with education, experience and skills that are searching for jobs, the competition is very tough. Each interview builds your experience and increases your chances for landing that job.

Once You Land the Job, Work Hard – Gone are the days when you land a job, take 6 months to learn it and are slowly eased in. Employers are staffing at bare minimums, you need to hit the ground running and put forth your best effort from the start. Being a good problem solver, getting along with co-workers and working hard will build your skills and value to the company.

What neither article reveals is that PIA actually costs taxpayers billions of dollars in inflated costs for everything from office supplies to cubicle components. The fact is, all state agencies are required to buy everything PIA makes or prints at PIA’s price even though in most instances state agencies are paying up to 400% more through PIA than they would pay at the local Office Depot or Staples or any of the numerous small businesses that the State of California claims to support.

For example an office chair on clearance at PIA is listed at $230.50 a very similar chair at Office Max was on sale at $99.99. The PIA chair also lists a set in place charge of $30.00. This is not the most flagrant example. The cubicle components prices are much worse, and the State of California has required all state agencies to purchase all new office furnishings, cubicle components, printing services, etc. regardless of price, availability or wait time for decades.

California taxpayers all ready pay more per prisoner than any other state in the union to house, feed, provide medical and dental services and process all their complaints and grievances this hidden charge is one that needs to be brought into the light because it truly is a fleecing of California taxpayers

The boyfriend came downstairs and upon reaching the lower landing, was shocked and angered to find someone in his home, stepped toward the attacker, fell down the few remaining stairs and was unable to move. The startled would be robber raced for the door, jumping over the injured boyfriend and closing the door behind him as he left. The boyfriend, in extreme pain and unable to move, refused medical care due to lack of insurance, but the health care crisis is for another post.

Last week, when I went to my beautician, I learned her boyfriend’s house was broken into, through a closed, but not locked upstairs window. He came home to find every drawer and cupboard open, missing electronics, jewelry and money, not to mention a monumental mess.

It may be a sign of my age, but I remember when I heard of robberies, but didn’t know anyone whose house had been burglarized, had their car stolen, had their purse stolen while standing several feet away pumping gas, or their security cameras stolen, and now I know people who fall into all those categories, all here locally. I even know a woman whose house was broken into, valuables stolen, and her car was stolen with her own keys obtained while the house was burglarized, here in small town America.

Common sense protection tips that need to be utilized daily;

Lock all of your locks on all the doors and windows in your home, even when your home during the daytime.

Get a security system, if you have cameras, place them strategically and guard them from theft as well.

Scrap remote car door locks, garage door openers, all wireless security devices. If it sends a signal through the open air, there are devices out there that can capture the signal and there are thieves utilizing them here locally. Go back to using your keys for car locks, home entry, etc.

Lock your car while you’re pumping gas, using your key to do that ensures you won’t lock your keys in the vehicle. I know local women whose purses have been stolen while pumping gas or from the grocery cart while buying groceries in the store.

Stash baseball bats, heavy canes or other sticks to use as weapons throughout your home and garage areas, and use them if needed. If you use them, use them with all the force you can muster, anything less will just piss them off and endanger you further.

Be safe, just as you drive defensively, live defensively and spread the word. Evil prevails when good women do nothing.