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There aren’t too many (if any) full-time positions in the world today that pay as high as $70k a year and require little to no education. There is on the other hand one part-time position that does have that earning potential and it doesn’t require you to do anything illegal either. You might want to pick up a whistle because that is currently the going salary for an NFL referee. That’s right. Think you can handle a taxing four hours for 16 Sundays every fall and winter? Perhaps you’d like to travel the country and have a pass to be right in the middle of all the action. If so a part- time career might be waiting for you. Of course nothing that good could come so easily. First you’re gonna have to earn some stripes.Now, if you are one the lucky few, you’re going to want to be smart with all this extra money coming in. Refereeing is a contractual gig and there is always the chance that you could not be picked up next season. Referees are also reviewed … [Read more...] about Part-Time Dream Job: NFL Referee

For centuries parents have warned their children that they should be in no rush to grow up.  Aside from the obvious "additional responsibilities" and inevitable medical woes, one of the reasons moms and dads want you to stay young is to protect you from the dreaded 9-to-5  rigmarole that they are subjected to.Then let me ask you this: What parent in their right mind would buy the Pretend and Play Office!?I came across this horror show yesterday while wandering around Target aimlessly as my wife shopped for Halloween goodies.$30 gets you an "official-looking" briefcase, pretend stapler and ID badge - plus dozens of other "office essentials."  Pushing pencils, filing papers and fingering a laptop are hardly  feeding the imagination.  I wouldn't wish those tasks on my worst enemy, let alone some innocent, wide-eyed kid.We are a work-obsessed culture.  The cult DVD success of Office Space; the rise of The Office around the globe; … [Read more...] about The Office – The Worst Toy EVER

It's one thing to be a woman and lose custody of your kids.  It's another not to even show up at the hearing and pretend you want them back!The eighth best-selling female artist in American music history might not have much to teach us about life - except about how NOT to behave.  Here are four ways to make sure you accelerate your career by not being like Britney Spears.Put Yourself FirstIn order to keep harmony between your mind and your body you must listen to your body. This includes sleeping when tired, eating when hungry and being kind to yourself.We understand it's not easy for poor Britney with the Paparazzi breathing down her neck and all.  But you don't have people camping outside your house, do you?  So you have no excuse.Make time for yourself and you will think clearer, make better decisions and put your career on the right track.Under the InfluenceAnd we're not talking about that flask of tequila in that bottom drawer.  You must operate as an … [Read more...] about Career Advice: Be the Anti-Britney Spears

It’s true. Just this week the unthinkable happened. The old-fashioned, clueless, heartless, SOB that runs my company had his IT department put the mother of all firewall, filter, padlock, security alarm protected, deadbolts on our network. We were prepared for it during a company meeting. One of the many recent converts to the idea that the Internet is nothing more than a toy that will squelch productivity and lure people into the darkest and seediest corners of the World Wide Web. At first we were told that HR (the watchdog, judge, and jury for our web browsing) would be making sure not too much time was spent online, and that employees were not going to naughty sites. They were also going to be looking for “trends”, i.e.; Sally was on jobacle.com for four minutes one morning… perhaps it could slide, but if Sally felt the urge to spend those four minutes of company time every morning at jobacle.com reading the latest blog during her morning joe, well, Sally … [Read more...] about They’ve Taken Away My Internet… Those Bastards!!

You have one; I guarantee it.  A little something that you do everyday to magically try to control your world.  For example, here's what I do:Right before I swipe my company ID and enter the building in the morning I kiss my right fist, knock on my chin three times and kiss my fist again.Sounds weird, I know.As I do it, I say a mini-prayer (to anyone who's listening) that the day will be decent, without any office catastrophes.  I'm not 100% certain where the ritual started, but I think I can trace it back to when the Yankees started making the playoffs in the mid-90s.  I started knocking on my chin and the Yankees started to win - why the heck would I stop?  In fact, my chin might be responsible for four world championships.  Of course not.  In fact, if I needed further proof, look at this week's playoff elimination.  But I'm sticking with it.  While I might not really be controlling the day, I like the illusion of power.Now it's YOUR … [Read more...] about What's Your Work Ritual?

While school kids play and bank workers save 10% at the department store and government officials look for new ways to incriminate themselves, there's a good chance you're suffering the day away at work.According to the Society for Human Resource Management, only 1 in 10 companies shut their doors and give employees a much-needed reprieve on Columbus Day.  While some of us look forward to the second Month in October to "celebrate" the least-observed federal holiday, many others will experience yet another generic, bleary-eyed Monday.President FDR made Columbus Day a federal holiday in 1937.  And while the holiday has its fair share of detractors (85% of the Native American population was wiped out with 150 years of Columbus's "discovery), how will forcing me to work an extra eight hours help matters?  Without a De Lorean, we're all stuck.Opposition continues to grow.Minnesota and Nevada ignore the holiday.South Dakota renamed it "Native American … [Read more...] about Stuck at Work on Columbus Day? Digg This!

docstoc is a user-generated community for sharing professional documents. On the site, you’ll find hundreds of legal, business, technology, educational, and creative documents. You can read more here.Since docs are uploaded by professionals just like you, they are all free. You have the option to view, download or embed - the choice is yours.  Think of it as Scribd with a business focus.Thanks to docstoc CEO Jason Lawrence Nazar, Jobacle is getting 100 of our readers in the door early!You can join our private beta by clicking here; Copy and Paste this code into the invitation ID box: jobacle.That's it!  I recommend you sign up today.  With almost 10,000 useful documents to date, it appears docstoc is prepping for the big time.   I'd expect to see the number of career-related documents (resume templates, cover letter examples, etc.) to rise exponentially over the coming months.  And in my humble opinion, being an early adopter usually tends to pay … [Read more...] about 100 docstoc Invites Up for Grabs

The New York Mets are fresh off their latest failure: the worst collapse in baseball history.  On September 7th they held a 7 game lead with 17 left to play.  Statistically, they had a 98.5% chance of making the playoffs - 1 out of 500 that they would not.Then it happened.The bullpen collapsed, the offense went missing and manager Willie Randolph pressed all the wrong buttons.  After sitting comfortably in first place for virtually the entire season, the Mets fell dreadfully short on the last game of the season, disappointing the fans, the city and themselves.  It's amazing how quickly success can be turned on its head.  Just like your career.  Things can be moving along beautifully and then BOOM!  You show up on time, never miss a day and appear to be a shoo-in for that well-deserved promotion. Then you blink, and suddenly, you're stuck.Don't choke like the Mets.  Here are a few ways to make sure you cross the career finish line … [Read more...] about Learn From the Mets Colossal Collapse

What would you do if I was your boss and I told you that we were moving your desk...next to the toilet?  That's what happened to me during during my tenure with FOX News Channel.  Sort of.Allow me to preface this entry with a few answers to questions I am commonly asked:- Not everyone at FOX News is a right-wing nut.- For the most part I enjoyed the time I worked there.- The bathroom incident wasn't the only reason I decided to leave, but was definitely a factor- Bill O'Reilly is monstrously tallOk, on with story.  The day started just like any other. I navigated my way past the smokers and proceeded through the revolving door at 1211 Avenue of the Americas.  I touched down my ID and the glass security doors parted.  I journeyed upstairs and walked down the long corridor that I traversed several times a day.But this time, something was different.  A door was ajar.Not just any door, but one of those that I had passed a million times before and never … [Read more...] about The Secret Apartment at FOX News

Desk supplies haven't really advanced.  Sure, pens use gel ink.  But dry erase markers still stink.  Chairs have better cushions, yet they still find a way to inevitably squeak.  As the world continues to technologically evolve, is the office being left behind?Perhaps.  Off the top of my head, here's a list of items that I pray some engineer is working around the clock to produce.- Bend-proof paperclips- Everlasting ink pen- Odor-free White Out- Silent Stapler- Unsmudgable high lighter- Leak-proof 3-hole puncher- Tape without seams- Stain-free computer mouseLearn more about the history of lo-tech office supplies.What office supply inventions would you like to see?  Share yours below and win some cool prizes. … [Read more...] about Office Supplies You'll Never See