Archives for May 2007

Some jobs are as exciting as you make them.  Others just suck.  When I think of boredom at work my initial thought is some poor downtrodden dude in the middle of the country manually screwing caps onto tubes of toothpaste.Back when I was slaving away at VH1 and FOX people's eyes would light up when I told them where I worked.  All they wanted to hear about were all the "famous people" I was meeting and seeing.  And I would always humor them while thinking in my head how boring it all was.  People are people.  Rock star, news anchor, fisherman - all the freakin' same.  The same small talk. The same greenroom grapes.  Yawn. I've moved away from that now and work at a place where "famous" people don't come streaming through the door. And guess what: it's still boring.  But I realize I could have it much worse.  Here are some "celeb" jobs I think are down right boring. Feel free to add to the … [Read more...] about The Most Boring "Celeb" Jobs

Ok, I know American Idol has absolutely nothing to do with this blog. In fact, I won't waste your time - if you could care less about my take on America's reality darling - then move along.Now into it's sixth season, I don't understand why people still flock to the show.  And here's the biggest reason why: The entire top 10 is guaranteed a certain level of fame and success.  How can I feel bad for anyone who "loses" the competition when I know at the end of the season they will be on tour, getting paid to do what they love to do, which is a lot more than I can say for you and I.In order to make the show more interesting I think it's clear what they have to do - and it's quite simple.  Just add a clause to the competitor's contracts that reads something like this:If you are a member of the top 10 and you are voted off the show you are not allowed to: record and release a CD for one full year or appear on any form of media, thus not using the buzz of A.I. to … [Read more...] about American Idol Formula No Longer Works

Some people are scared of being fired.Some bosses are scared to fire people. And a growing number of workers are scared that someone's gonna go postal over a bad review.So... Is the workplace the new Fear Factor?According to the American Institute of Stress, 40 percent of worker turnover is the result of job stress, and some one million workers are absent each workday because of stress-related complaints. A good boss will work hard to eliminate elements of fear and anxiety form the workplace.  The result will be better communication, greater everyday clarity and increased creativity.  There's an excellent article that was published by the Department of the Navy's Total Quality Leadership Office that is a great detailed read.  Check it out.A career-minded individual must be careful not to let fear box them into short-term thinking.  This is when you look to avoid or resolve a situation quickly just to get it off your plate and out of your hair. Whether it's taking on … [Read more...] about Fear in the Workplace

If you wanna make money, stay away from media.  Sure you'll be able to exercise your creativity, but that doesn't pay the bills, right?  Working in "creative fields," I've resigned myself to be lost in the middle class for all eternity.  That's cool.  At least I get to enjoy myself (not really, but that's what I tell myself.)I only bring this up in light of the ol' hottest salaries post from yesterday.  Ever notice how artsy fields NEVER make the cut?  Just to reinforce that this is a global issue, check out these numbers from the Council of Labor Affairs in Taiwan:Lowest Paying JobsBeauty salon worker: $18,680Mass transit workers: $19,713Restaurant employees: $20,103Craft workers: $20,190Film workers: $20,294Ah, it's nice to see they have plenty of beauty school dropouts in Asia too!People are always scared to reveal their salaries - but instead of hearing about what you make now - I'd love to hear about your crappiest paying job.  Mine was … [Read more...] about The Lowest Paying Jobs. Share Yours!

In a truly professional environment, word that a colleague is being fired should never trickle down to your level. It's business between the big wigs and the person being released from their duties - that's it.  In the real world, however, it doesn't seem to work out that way.  In this day and age of full disclosure (aka diarrhea of the mouth) you might get word before your poor colleague does.  This puts you between a rock and a hard place. Do you tip them off or keep your lips sealed and plead the fifth?I made the mistake of pulling the ol' "between you and me" at my first job many years ago.  What a mistake.  But a lesson learned.  I posed this question to the wisdom-filled folks trolling around on Yahoo Answers.  Here's what a few people had to say:*If the person is being fired on unreasonable grounds it is up to THEM to seek justice through the legal system. You are not responsible for their job just as they are not responsible for your … [Read more...] about Firing Tip Off, To Tell or Not to Tell