AHOY Matey!!!!

This being the last few days of October, it could mean only one thing in Ft Lauderdale......BOAT SHOW!! While children, some not so young, are putting the finishing touched on their Halloween costumes, sales representatives and suppliers are doing last minute inspections of their wares.
The Ft Lauderdale Boat Show is the largest in water show of its kind in the world. The products for sale range from small run-a-bouts to large custom built mega-yachts. On a drive last weekend over the bridge closest to the show area, all the marina slips were empty. Rental of space in that area is like a condo hotel situation. In a condo hotel, you cannot have your week over major holidays, and in the marina, you can't have it Boat Show week. So therefore all the regulars have to move out for a week.
This weekend, the view from the Las Olas bridge will be of dozens of multi-million dollar toys. It is quite a view. Gleaming yachts with various color hulls and superstructures, but most tending to be white. Some have 'tender's on board bigger than most family's boat, jet-ski platforms, and all sorts of additional toys stored for pleasure.
The average person can purchase a ticket and attend the event which also has inside display space in the Convention Center. It is like a toy store for adults. People walk around and dream of a new fishing boat with a tuna tower, or upgrading to a larger size of their current model. The smaller mass produced boats are generally open for public inspection, while the custom built models are by appointment only. These are usually privately owned that are rented back by the manufacturer for the week. Only people with serious intentions and bank accounts get on these.
The boating/yachting industry is an integral part of Ft Lauderdale's economy, its nickname is the Venice of the United States. Positions for marinas are available on job.travel, along with ones on the large cruise lines that make Port Everglades home. So if you have answered the age old calling to work near the sea, check out job.travel.

Moving on up.......

Change is good. I have started working on a new area of the job.travel site. In the near future, job.travel will offer informational pages on cities with job opportunities, eventually to cover most areas of the United States.
The information will include facts on population, weather, basics on housing. the composition of the the employment environment. This will enable job seekers to perform some basic research in case of relocating to a different part of the country. Also included will be feeds for current weather, events and top news stories. And most importantly, jobs available from the main job.travel site.

BRRRRRRR

Well, here it is the last week of October and autumn is making an appearance. The first of two cold fronts passed through yesterday and the second will be sometime today. It was overcast yesterday but not very humid and today is bright sunshine with a nice breeze.
This morning on the news during the weather section, the meteorologist told the audience to bring in pets and plants ahead of tonight's temperature drop, it will be approximately 59 at the coast and 52 inland. brrrrrrrrr! Tomorrow at work people will be in long sleeves with sweaters AND jackets to ward off the frigid temperatures. Okay I admit that the normal low for this time of year is 71, but don't really think that 59 is all that cold, considering it snowed a few weeks ago in Montana.
Winter in Ft Lauderdale was one of the reasons I moved here. The nightly lows are around 60 and highs in the mid to upper 70's with very little humidity and a water temperature around 70. I'm getting too old for real winter with cold, wind and drizzle. From here I can fly to visit family and winter if I really miss a nice ice storm.
So if you are ready to move based on trying to escape winter, or maybe to find it, check out job.travel. Remember hospitality and travel jobs are worldwide.

On the Road again....

Today the job.travel team attended a job fair in the Ft. Lauderdale suburb of Davie, which at one time was the leading producer of tomatoes in the United States, but I digress. The event was held at a large catering center in a very nice ballroom. I would estimate there were around 20 exhibitors attending. These ranged from colleges, to companies, to providers of tools to obtain positions. These being job.travel and the state of Florida's Workforce One.
In attendance were an estimated 1150 people per the organizers of the event. The crowd ranged through all ages and professional levels. Some seemed very interested in the offerings and others seemed more concerned in picking up pens and other promotional items. A large home improvement chain was present with orange tote bags that made collecting material easier.
With job.travel being located next to the Workforce One booth, we were well positioned. Our neighboring booth helps jobseekers with all aspects of the search. Workshops on resume writing, interview techniques and dressing the part. In talking to their staff, the two websites will get linked to provide additional resources for job seekers.

Internet restrictions

As with any company, there is always the upgrading of equipment, much like websites. Lately our computer department has added new servers to our system. Along with new hardware, come new restrictions on website accessibility. There will always be blocks on certain sites that have 'questionable' social value. But some sites kind of get dragged into the NO VIEW zone based solely on letter combinations. So, emails have to be sent to the administrator to add the legitimate sites. In fact, this site was deemed 'not appropriate' for viewing, until I explained my blog was work related.
In talking with the administrator, I found out that people were circumventing the system by using internet proxy passwords. These allow people to bypass the restrictions and view blocked websites. This tells me that come people have too much free time at work and might need additional work. There is a warning screen that pops up when you enter a restricted site. It is a black background with red writing and WARNING that flashes. It kind of brings to mind the robot in Lost in Space, DANGER!DANGER! Will Robinson!!
With the new servers, our system will work faster for out valued clients, which is always good. So if you need a vacation package, try www.FutureVacations.travel, or for a new job, www.job.travel.

T.G.I.F.!!!!!

I do not care how much you may like your job or how rewarding it is, everyone LOVES Friday afternoon. Some people have plans at a favorite 'watering hole', others may have a date, and some just look forward to sleeping in on Saturday morning. Though as I have grown older, sleeping in means 8:00am, if I get up at 9:30, I feel half the day is gone.
It seems that people are more relaxed on Fridays. Here at my office it is 'casual' dress, which means blue jeans. Though some of the single women seem to put more thought into their Friday outfits then weekday attire. I will wear blue jeans and one of my regular shirts. Though my jeans cost more than my khakis do, hmmm. One former coworker would come in wearing old jeans and t-shirt, to me it was more like sloppy Friday as opposed to casual.
Another nice thing is payday is on Friday, and we all like those. It seems that Friday is the day to go out to lunch. Since the office is in downtown there are several options nearby. Also the New river is only 4 blocks away with benches and gazebos if you want to take your brown bag lunch outside. Now that fall has finally arrived, the humidity is lower and so is the daytime high.
So if you have thought about relocating, try www.job.travel, we are headquartered in one of the largest resort cities in the country with LOTS of possibilities.

Alpha, beta, gamma........

Improvement is VERY important in today's business world. Being stagnant will leave you behind as quickly as lead shoes. With the electronic age, websites are constantly upgrading features and appearance. Just yesterday I noticed my local newspaper unveiled a new format. Article 'groups' were moved to different areas, and turquoise was used to delineate the sections. It looks very nice.
With the job.travel site, the new beta version will be launched soon. I has a more relaxed feel and new features. This will make for a better experience for both employer and job seeker. After all, if a website is not easy to navigate and use, then it will not be popular.

Good Work Environment

Being happy at work seems to be elusive to some people. Is it their attitude? The boss's? Company policies? For whatever reason, it is not a good situation. Considering that people spend the vast majority of the week at work, only place that comes close is sleeping.
If it is a personal attitude problem, then the source needs to be determined. Is the position underpaid? lack of a challenge? Outside influences? If it is from outside influences, you should not let them effect the work atmosphere. In a personality test, it was determined I was an 'influencer'. This meant that my mood would influence that of my coworkers and staff. I made a conscientious effort to be in a good mood when I entered work. Plus, everyone has something in their lives, and really don't need another person's issues drag them down.
Working for an unpleasant boss is not the ideal situation either. It is amazing that some people get promoted or hired into management positions. Though profit and efficiency is rewarded more than for morale. But studies have shown, that happy employees that like the boss are more productive.
Company policies are decided long before most people are hired. Some have been in place for decades and have not evolved with the work force. Having to wear uniforms was the rule at my company 20 years ago. Uniforms have their place, especially in areas where public interaction is common. The reservations floor here is a call center and only interaction is over the phone line. The uniform rule eventually was replaced with business casual and blue jeans on Friday. Not having to wear pantyhose or ties is a definite plus. But then, people started to abuse the 'business casual' and there was a minor crackdown on interpretation of the rules.
We are lucky here. Our boss is great. She walks out on the floor and talks to all her employees, and knows them by name. She eats in the break room with the rest of the people. The big boss is just as good. He comes down and talks and tells jokes. A former boss would slam her door and 'shush' us if we made too much noise. No one really misses she who shall remain nameless.
So if work is not an enjoyable part of your life, maybe a change is needed. There are lots of possibilities out there. One new place is www.job.travel. Remember the travel/hospitality field is varied and employs most professions.

Unusual jobs

In my circle of coworkers we did an informal poll of the most unusual jobs that we have had. Quite a wide variety of experiences in such a small group.
My most unusual job was being a librarian while in college. What makes the librarian position unusual is that I'm am not a quiet kind of guy. My boss made the comment that I have problems being quiet for more than 5 minutes. Another asked if there was training on how to 'shush' people. Of course I was in the Math/Science Library so most of the people were writing a thesis and was quiet to start off with, nothing like the Undergraduate Library across campus. That place was busier than most bars on Franklin St.
My boss volunteered she worked at a local grocery store chain in the bakery department. It lasted one hour. She did not like the hair net AT ALL. Her boss paid her cash so as to not have to spend the time to enter her in the system then delete her. That probably would have taken longer than she worked.
Another coworker held a multitude of jobs while in high school and shortly thereafter, mainly since they were all part time positions. We came to the decision that working at the funeral home was the most unusual. He started out parking cars for the services, he was VERY busy in the winter since Ohio is not known for pleasant winter weather. He was given more responsibility as time passed and eventually was picking up 'clients' at the airport in the hearse, and actually moving them.
Lastly, we have picking apples and pears in the Pacific northwest. Having recently arrived from Israel, one coworker and her husband to be decided to explore the United States. Their original plan was to work in the fishing industry in Alaska, but that changed. They met up with a few more expats and went on a job hunt together. They were hired, all 6, at the first orchard they stopped. Picking apples must be done gently, since bruises will only worsen during shipping. The individual fruits are picked and placed in the container. Of course this is a slow process and way to make money. Her 'companions' decided that shaking the tree and picking the fruit off the ground was faster and easier. Only problem is, great way to get fired, and not just by the first orchard, but any subsequent groves once they found out. My coworker and her husband decided to part company with their fellow pickers and headed down to Los Angeles.
The positions mentioned are not truly 'unusual' jobs, and this is not meant to offend anyone. It is if you met the people involved, you would understand.

Slow periods

With the current economic situation, people are re-assessing their spending habits. Now that LARGE SUV that can seat 8 and pull your house if it was on wheels might not have been the best decision when buying the last family car since you only have two children and have never even thought of driving off road. Take out or delivered meals five times a week are taking a large bite out of the budget these days too. A few years ago it was no problem, just refinance the house to pay the credit cards off and the car, wait two months and start the cycle all over.
I grew up in middle class suburbia. Dad went to work and mom stayed home to take care of the family. The family income was sufficient for all the needs and some luxuries. The yearly family vacation was at least one week at the beach, while in NJ it was in a rented apartment in a large beach house. Once we moved to NC, it was in a hotel on the beach, but still within the family budget. Mom cooked each night and we all sat down together as a family. Our clothes came from Sears or JC Penny, and there were two cars, both station wagons, in the driveway even though 5 people drove.
Today, people seem to think that a morning Starbucks, lunch out and some sort of meal picked up or delivered in the norm. Coworkers complain about low commissions yet stop buy to buy coffee on their way in, free coffee here at work. Then there is the $6-7 lunch each day. I might treat myself to lunch on Friday, but I pack my lunch the rest of the time. I cook on Sunday afternoon for the week, sometimes I cook on Wednesday if running low. Dinner is usually something light.
I have been sharing recipes and cooking secrets with one of my coworkers. She is a single mom and would make most of her meals out of a package. First item she learned about was sauteed spinach. She never realized how easy it was and how much better it tasted. It is now a staple on her menu. Then came Sweet Chili Sauce on chicken, her boys loved it and she never has leftovers. Last week she combined the sauteed spinach with boneless chicken to produce stuffed chicken breasts. Now she is eating items previously purchased, but since homemade, much healthier and less expensive.
In these times of cutting back a little organization, and watching grocery store ads, families can still survive. Maybe cutting back will include not buying a new car every two years, or $100 athletic shoes(sneakers in my day) every time a sports star comes out with a new model. And maybe a new car when your child turns 16 will have to wait. They can drive mom's used one after hers is replaced.

It does work

There is now tangible proof that the job.travel website does produce results. A separate part of my company posted a job on job.travel the end of last week. On Tuesday, yesterday, the contact person received a resume from an applicant. It is nice to see that people are taking the website as a legitimate source for job search.
The current webpage is the 'alpha' version and the 'beta' will be launched soon. It will have a more intuitive feel to it and easier to navigate. Also the new version will offer a great subscription rate of free for the rest of 2008, and $99 each for 2009 and 2010. This rate includes unlimited postings and resume searches. Of course, job.travel is always free for job seekers.
The web site has great search features for both the seeker and employer. Seekers can search by zip code, city, state, position, or by specific company. Employers can also seek by experience and education levels. Though I do recommend not getting too detailed in searches, since this may eliminate the perfect job or candidate. Remember, not all people will describe a job using the same 'buzz' or key words.
Once a satisfactory position or candidate is located, job.travel will send out alerts. These alerts can be sent to an email address or a mobile phone or both, you choose. Jobs or candidates can also be saved for more exploration if you are in a rush, that way a subsequent search will not be needed.

Making yourself known

Since job.travel is a new website, the BIG push is to get people to the website. The well established mega site had a bit of a 'leg up'. One was developed by a recruiter with an active data base of employers and searchers. The other was developed in conjunction with several newspaper publishing companies, so they had the employers already and searchers knew to browse the want ads. Being the 'new kid' can be a bit lonely and daunting. So how do you get recognized?
We started out calling vendors that are part of the large vacation wholesaler that we are associated with. Unfortunately, our buyers, know their buyers, not their human resource departments. We still called and sent emails to hopefully get noticed. It worked for a few. Emails and calls were also made to employers that were on the other websites if the information was provided. A few more postings. 'Knocking on doors' garnered a few more postings.
Then for the personal meetings. For job seekers we had booths at job fairs to get resumes posted. Various trade shows were attended in the hospitality field were attended. We also joined the local Convention & Visitor Bureau Chapters. These chapters have monthly meetings for members to attend and network.
Now for the social networking angle. One local organization has monthly luncheons, a happy hour social and various other functions. Two weeks ago a coworker and I attended one of the after work functions, it was only a few blocks from work. We passed out a few cards and collected a few. The attendees were from a variety of fields, though the sponsor told us that several large hotels and restaurants are active in the group.
Today was the 'power' lunch at a downtown hotel. I assembled some information including my card an a nifty pen and set off. I was very early and distributed the material on the chairs and then walked over to the socializing room. Name tags were provided and made it easy since company names were also listed. The group was varied, but I only recognized a few people from the previous social. I did get a chance to pass my card on to the catering manager who said he would let human resources know the rates.
Since my web-page is not a 'stand alone' entity, I did some networking for other areas of the corporation. There was a local business journal representative, that would be a good way to get out name out in print. There is also an awards dinner in the next few weeks with a silent auction, a way to get the vacation branch of the company out there.

Makes one wonder

Having worked at a variety of jobs, it amazes me that there is always one person that hates their job. And it is just not a minimum wage person. I have known executives that do not like their jobs. And usually these people cannot wait to tell coworkers the reason for their displeasure. I think that by sharing their bad disposition, they can bring other people into the same line of thinking.
My question is: if you do not like what you are doing, or where you are working, why not change? This is country is not a regime where you will work at your assigned job no matter what. We are free in this country to change companies, careers and cities where we live.
I was an accountant and found it not very stimulating and rather dull. Yes it paid well, but enjoying life is more than a big bank account and a new car. But then the current economy situation kind of shows what 'successful' people can do with a good credit rating. In a previous post, I related my career change to food service and several major relocations.
With the internet, looking for new career options is much easier and can be done without your current employer aware of it. Maybe you like your profession, but it the industry that is dull. When most people think of hospitality and travel, they picture hotel clerks, housekeeper, bartenders and restaurant staff. But a large hotel is similar to a manufacturing plant. There are office workers( front desk, operators, accountants)and the 'plant workers'( maintenance, housekeepers, food outlet staff). There are managers and staff employees. At corporate headquarters, it is the same as any large operation, with presidents, vice presidents, executive level and the general staff.
So if you are not satisfied with your current situation, consider changing fields and check out job.travel. The hospitality and travel industry may surprise you with the opportunities offered.

New ways and opportunities

In an ever changing world, new ideas and methods are always being introduced, and old ones are retired. This is most noticeable with the advent of home computers and the internet. As recently as 20 years ago, very few people had a computer at home and the internet was something in science fiction. When I worked for the packaging company in Memphis, a new 'main-frame' computer was purchased from IBM. It was about 4 feet tall, 3 feet long and 2 feet wide, the price about $250,000. It was not quite as powerful as my $375 laptop I bought on sale two years ago. Of course, my laptop is archaic now.
Most people turn to the internet as a source for information and entertainment. From various chat websites to on-line encyclopedias, access is as fast as your internet provider. Research is done on major purchases, used to locate a new house, decide on vacation destinations, manage investments, and search for new employment opportunities.
On the last topic there are LOTS of places to search for a new job. Local newspapers have classified sections, there area few MEGA employment sites and then a few niche sites specializing in specific areas of employment. While the MEGA sites do offer plenty of opportunities and exposure, they can become overwhelming. The jobs run from landscapers to automotive to hospital staff to the technology sector.
With job.travel, the employment opportunities are in the travel and hospitality sector only. So no sorting through unrelated fields and industries to locate a new position. The registration for a job seeker is quick and easy, uploading a current resume is a snap. No resume? There is an on-line tool that helps you create one for employers to read. In the Career Center portion of the website, advice on all aspects of the job hunt is provided, all the way to accepting an offer. Best of all, it is FREE for seekers. The rates for the employers are much more reasonable than the other sites, starting at less than a regular latte!

Back away from the adding machine.........

After working for the specialty chemical company, I changed careers. I enrolled in culinary school. I had always liked to cook so decided that food should be my life. Since I already had a degree from UNC, I just went for an associate's degree in Occupational Science. Through a friend I got a job at the Omni Hotel in downtown Norfolk in the banquet department as a server. I absolutely enjoyed the job. Basically set up for a party, work at it, then clean up and go home. Most were happy occasions, like weddings, graduations, major birthdays. And some business meetings. This was the area I would spend most of my following years of employment. During the summer I would also wait tables at an oceanfront restaurant in a hotel. This got me through my two years of school.
After graduation, I decided to move to Atlanta. The internet was gaining in popularity and I found the employment section on line. I went to work in a hotel running the restaurant and bar. While an enjoyable job, it did not pay enough and I went to work for a large caterer through a friend's recommendation. Another fun job, though definitely more work since it was all 'off-site' events. Which translates to load a truck, unload, set up, work the party, clean up, load, unload and put away. Getting home after 2am was not unusual, and during the holiday season, 36 hours in a weekend was normal.
After a 'Spring Dance' pre-party at one of the regular customers, I was approached by a vice president of an international food service company. One of his accounts Emory University, needed a catering manager and would I be interested. I think I started three weeks later. Same type of work but only on the campus, so MUCH less travel to sites.
Working in catering you meet a variety of people, from former presidents, world leaders, film stars, and one of the wealthiest people in the country, known for his investments, not his computers. All were very polite and friendly.
I eventually made it to Ft. Lauderdale after a brief stop in Savannah. I was still working for a large food service company in the business dining division. Which means VERY few weekends at all, and home by 5 usually. Things were going real well until the company decided to start out-sourcing the operations and two cafeterias and a cater manager were not needed. As the result of down-sizing, I was laid off.
But this being the new millennium, there was now LOTS of possibilities to find employment. I did not even have to go anywhere to file for unemployment, I did it from home on my computer. I signed up on the BIG sites and a niche site also. While I found several opportunities, I ended up making a connection through a social networking site, at a large travel wholesaler. For years I sold vacation packages to both travel agents and the general public. Very enjoyable since people are in a good mood when planning a vacation to Europe, Disney, or Hawaii.

Moving On........

After the 'learning' experience of my first job, I obtained a position as the Accounts Payable/Receivable Supervisor at a flexible packaging company in Memphis. It was very fascinating since most people don't think where the potato chip bag comes from. Well a lot come from Memphis. There are lots of types of plastics, papers and foils that are used. Some prevent UV rays, some are for oxygen, extruded layers of color add dimension to the printing. One benefit was the availability of snacks in the office. At one point I was in charge of efficiency of the plants and machines, and was located in the old plant where the lab was located. So, as a result, new products would be developed and shipped off to be filled by the food manufacturer and returned for tests. Of course the test were on the packaging not the food item, as a result afternoon snacks.
Having not grown up in Memphis, I was not very fond of living there. HOT in the summer, dreary in the winter. After three years of work, and the final payment on my car, I packed up and moved to Virginia Beach. The ocean was always one of my favorite places to go. I had friends that lived there and let me stay with them until I got a job. This is still pre-internet so I went the 'recruiter' path. Before the actual interview, my recruiter gave me pointers on what to stress and recommended a library visit to research the company's products. I started work as an accountant for a large international cement/concrete products company as cost accountant for the aggregate division. I never realized how much money was in sand, gravel and stone. I learned that cement is a base that when combined with a small aggregate, sand, was mortar, and a large aggregate, gravel or crushed stone, was concrete.
With a decrease in military spending in the early 90's the building supplies business started to decrease. I again used my recruiter to work at a specialty chemical company. There I learned there is an additive made for ink that makes it stick to paper better. I've never had a issue with ink sticking to anything, especially my fingers or shirt. With this job I was exposed to 'networking'. All the accounting staff was encouraged to join Institute of Management Accountants, which was fine since the company paid the dues and for the meals. There were monthly dinner meetings with a speaker and a social time before hand. Was a great way to meet people for possible future jobs. But this would be the last in my accounting phase.