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Roger Clemens's latest contract is not only bad for baseball - it's bad for you.Now for those of you who know me, I was born with pinstripe blood.  However, as the years go on, and I find myself older then many of the players on the field, I've begin to distance myself from watching a bunch of grown men throw a ball.  For the most part, it's the excessive greed that turns me off.Case in point, the Yankees' resigning of Roger Clemens.  Granted, he's one one of the best to ever play the game.  However, does any human being deserve to make such a ridiculous sum of money?Stats to make you sick:- Contract is for $28 million-plus- $10,500 per pitch- $143,000 per inningThose numbers are based on conservative guesstimates.  It's quite possible the guy comes up lame after one inning and laughs all the way to the bank. Do you realize that this mere mortal can throw 10 pitches and make more money then most of this blogs' readers make in a year!?  Not to mention, many … [Read more...] about Clemens Strikes Out the Middle Class

New car smell. The latest electronic gadget.  A hot, dope girlfriend.  There's no denying that nothing brings joy (at least short-term satisfaction) like "NEW."  As we all learn the hard way, new turns into old - rather quickly.After having several conversations over the weekend with folks who have all started new jobs, I decided to put together a list of why a new job rocks.  There's always a glow in a persons' eye when they start a new gig.  Let's take a look at why:Hope springs eternal.  It's the beginning of a new chapter of your life and anything is possible.  This time around you'll get to blind them with your creativity and dazzle them with ingenuity - all while rising to all-time financial and personal heights in record time.  Hold onto the dream, cubemates!New blood. You co-workers are smart, funny and understanding.  Heck, they're even good looking and flirtastic!  They seem to all grasp the concept of work/life … [Read more...] about The Joys of a New Job

It really wouldn't be fair to call this blog a business, but that's not to say a lot of thought didn't go into the name.  Originally started as the Working Podcast, I decided I wanted a more generic name that would encompass more then just a podcast.  So after tossing around hundreds of names with Eric and Lyds (the best springboards ever),  JOBACLE was born.Why?  Being a "caeer related" Web site - it had the word job in it, it sounds like cubicle, and is a play on debacle - which work always is, right?  It's not genius but it's a short name that actually had a dot com available.  A new abstract word is good because it can get attention and get people asking questions.  The downside is that they have no clue what the hell you actually do.  I remember hearing Donald Trump in an interview once talking about how one of the smartest things he ever did was name everything after himself - thus making his name an entity.I'm a huge … [Read more...] about What the Heck Does JOBACLE Mean?

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

Why do lists like "The Hottest Salaries" get "dugg" so frequently?  I can understand lists that give you a fighting chance, a la, up and coming cities, etc.  But this recent Business 2.0 list does not deserve the front page of Digg.First off. the info is culled from '05 and '06.  That means, by the time you say "hey, lemme give that a try" - the career choice is already flooded and likely on the decline dollar-wise.Secondly, what the heck is HOT about these?HR coordinator = $40,200(anyone can plan the company picnic)Restaurant general manager = $49,800(crazy hours, mad stress, little payoff)Assistant store manager = $39,100(this will never be HOT to anyone with a degree)The list is filled will holes.  Yet, all the career blogs are all over it. Why does the career genre on the Web herd people around like sheep?  Why do we follow?  I don;t always succeed but I will always try to give you a fresh take - so please subscribe.I can … [Read more...] about Hottest Salary List Is Ice Cold