Costs of Settling for a Job!

One of the things I have observed lately while thinking back over my past employment is how well things have worked out. Let me explain. The jobs I have enjoyed have been challenging and educational in a good positive way. The jobs I settled for (worked it because I had to have a job) had issues of different kinds to the point of being (fired/dismissed/let-go/quit) what ever you want to call it.

So, here is the lesson when looking for your next job and it is not a perfect science, but rather something to keep in mind while on the job search. Let me define "Settled for job." Taking a job with the thought process that you will work it for a year until you land the job you want, but find that while you work this job that you are unable to locate the job you want with the pay you are getting currently. So, you get your head into gear that you will learn more then you already have about the current job/industry/company to move up in the business. As you do the work or seek out the extra training or the necessary information to advance, the job you were just learning to enjoy fully is now gone (by any means). This job could be as simple as delivering pizza to working at a bank or real estate. So, it really doesn't matter what industry you work in or were working in or applying for. The key question to ask yourself when applying; "Are you settling for this job if it is the only one you can get?"

My job history is as colorful as any of you. I've worked everything from washing dishes in a 3 star restaurant to working in a large bank to even owning my own business. The jobs I enjoyed are the ones I learned the most from. Those are the ones I may not have made a ton of money, but were the ones where I enjoyed every second of it regardless. Those are the ones I quit and wasn't dismissed from. I quit those for different reasons; moving across country, going to school or a lateral move to another company that offered new challenges. In my working career, I've worked 18 jobs, (a few in the same industry), and owning my own business. A few of the jobs I completely sucked at and didn't stay long by my own choice. Some of them I stayed at for a year or longer to either to learn as much as I can and enjoyed doing or had no other choice. A few I found myself in by surprise and did my best to learn as much as I can and do the very best job I could. I wasn't always unhappy on these job that I settled for, because I made the best of it so I could get out of bed and get to work on time each day. I made friends, had laughs and learned from everyone around me. The down fall was it was causing health problems from weigh gain to re-injuring knees.

So, once again, I'm hunting for the job I don't have to settle for or be forced to learn to love. My resume is packed full of different experiences and education. There is about $200k between what I really want to do and getting a paycheck. I really really want to run my own business again, but I know I would have to win the lottery to get the funds to make it happen. So, are you settling or are you looking for something you enjoy?

Education, Your Child, Their Future

How is your child's education going? Can she/he write; can you read it clearly? Can they add, subtract without a calculator. Can they multiply up too a certain point without a calculator? They should be able to these by the 2nd grade... Are you, their Parent, helping them with their homework every night or at least looking at it after they are done and help them with their mistakes? If you yell at them for making a mistake, you have just failed them! Don't do that...

If you are thinking that the school is going to take care of all their education needs, you are 1,000% wrong on all levels. By second grade, their penmanship should neat, legible, and show some growth with each completed homework assignment. If you see where they need help, do NOT tell them you will help them later or to figure it out, YOU are Flunking your own Child from the start, at Home... Get off your butt and help them NOW... You are home from work, turn off the computers, put down the cell phones and help your kid(s) with their education and all learning needs. Don't be like the mom I heard today outside a library tell their child that she/he got a book to read yesterday and not going to get one today too... Don't put limits on the learning of your child...

Why I am writing about this is? It's because your child(ren) are our future and you are totally responsible for that little person's education now for their adult life... Everyone complains about the state of the country, from lack of jobs too continues budget cuts. Your little person will either be homeless due to lack of education to not have a bright future or they will be part of the team that will repair where we are today. I see all these little people running around and many of them can't write, do math, comprehend the information they just read and it is a truly frightening thing... I'm being blunt because being nice and polite isn't changing anything!!!!!

So, what are you going to do? Are you going to spend more time helping your child(ren) learn all they possibly can so they can be Awesome, Fabulous, Smart, Fearless, Future Hunting Adults that will make you cry when you see all they've achieved? Or are you going to continue spending more time on your cell phone, computers, planning lunch dates with people and assume your child(ren) are learning enough to lower then average adult life? Well, then, turn off this computer and get to teaching your child(ren) all you can!!!!