Jan 8, 2010
Posted by PTJFS on Jan 8, 2010 in Tips | 2 comments
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Getting a job isn’t the only way to get more money as a student. A dollar saved is worth just as much as a dollar earned, if the dollar goes for something you have to pay for in the first place. I am not talking about saving money on a new cashmere sweater, that isn’t comparable to a dollar earned. Here I am talking about money saving tips for common bills like rental and food.
Money saving tips
Knowing a few money saving tips can really put that extra cash in your savings account where it belongs or if you are a student make your semester more pleasurable. One of the first things you should do is figure out your bills or monthly expenses. This means things like your mortgage or rent, car payment, food bill, utilities, and cable or Internet. Add allof these up and look at the lump sum you need monthly. Now subtract that amount from the money you make monthly, or have available through student loans of parent funding, assuming you have enough to pay the bills, which most people do. Okay, at this point you need to think about all of the extras you spend on each week or day. This can be all sorts of things, but you may not typically consider them.
At this point, let’s go over common extras that people spend on all the time. Knowing what these things are will help you start saving money. First of all, there is the caffeine bill.
Coffee cut
How often do you purchase a coffee outside of your home? These can cost anywhere from two to five bucks a pop. If you’re buying one every day, that’s a lot of cash each week spent on java fixes. So one money saving tip is to cut this out, or at least limit yourself to one or two lattes each week.
The cable bill
Now consider your cable bill. Do you pay for the full movie package? More importantly, do you even watch what you pay for? Most people don’t. So this is one of the more obvious money saving tips. Don’t throw away your cash on wasted entertainment you won’t even miss.
Dining in, not out
How about dining out? This may be the number one issue with people in America today. Everyone spends tons of money dining in restaurants daily. You would save so much if you ate at home.
Party life
One of the biggest expenses for “active” students is party money. This could the single most important money saving tip, but probably one few want to follow willingly. If you want to save money, drink and part less. Alcohol costs really add up over a year!
Start saving and stop struggling
Now, these are just basic money saving tips that can benefit most people, but students in particular. You have to keep in mind that these mundane expenses add up very quickly. If you are tired of struggling get ends to meet at the end of each month, you might want to try one of these tips.
Share your best tip
Have a money saving tip of your own? Leave a comment below and share your best with ut!
Jan 4, 2010
Posted by PTJFS on Jan 4, 2010 in Find jobs, New articles | 0 comments
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Freelance work can be perfect part time jobs for students that need an extra buck here and there but don’t need a constant income. There are tons of jobs out there, and finding them is easier then ever. Web sites like E-lance and Freelancejobs.org specialize in connecting employers with the needed freelancer, and vise versa. What you need to look out for are deceptive ads, as some of the freelance writing opportunities listed on the Internet border on being scam, if not are outright trickery. However, rest assured that most freelance writing opportunities are real and legit.
Know what you want
It is a good idea to know what you are looking for before doing extensive searches on the freelance sites. If you are a student, try to think of ways that your education can be used for this purpose. IT-students might try to find computer related freelance writing opportunities, perhaps writing articles for a Tech-site. Journalists in the making might write reports and commentaries for a small online newspaper. Medicine students could work for a professor, scribing or proofreading journals.
Fee-based freelance web sites
Some of the online sites will charge you a fee for providing you with freelance writing opportunities. This fee is sometimes worth it, other times not. What is for certain is that you should never pay to be able to bid on or see listings of the jobs. If they don’t let you see the listings or advertisements for the freelance writing jobs, find another site. A fair deal is if the site takes a small percentage of what you make for the job. After all, they have to make a living providing this service.
Cheap labor
An issue that might turn you off freelance writing opportunities is that in the recent years cheap labor has flooded the market. This labor stems from countries where the minimum wage is a lot lower then here, if they have minimum wages at all, and the freelancer is willing to work for a very low salary. However, if you can write quality articles, you will probably be ahead of a large percentage of these low-wage freelancers, as English is usually not there best skill. You might want to start out with a low paying job first to build your resume, and then go for the more quality online freelance writing opportunities as you get to know the game.
Dec 29, 2009
Posted by PTJFS on Dec 29, 2009 in General | 1 comment
Discrimination has been practiced throughout man’s history, throughout the history of nearly every country, past and present. Defined as the act of perceiving differences, all people are discriminating. Have our parents not told us to be discriminating in selecting friends, groups and spouses? Do not our religious leaders tell us to avoid evil and associate with good? Discrimination used in these senses is regarded as prudence, and one who would counsel such as wise.
Sense of prudence
When selecting an employee, employment discrimination is also necessary, but only in the sense of prudence. When hiring, we discriminate, that is, distinguish differences of the candidates, on the basis of education, experience, physical requirements for the job, or even on the credit history of the candidates, on the presence or absence of criminal records, and the references each candidate provides. We do this because these are relevant to the job available. Failing to discriminate on these basis would be folly. You are expected to discriminate on these grounds and no business could expect to do otherwise.
Factors unrelated to the job
The case for discriminating when hiring on the basis of job-related factors is unassailable. It makes sense. Not so with employment discrimination, when based on factors unrelated to the performance of the job, such as the candidate’s race, gender, sexual orientation, age, or religion. While there may be some instances in which gender or age discrimination is valid, such as the case in which a job has been opened for a model of adolescent, female fashions, few jobs would require the person to be hired be of a specific race, gender, or religion. For example, you would not hire a Jewish rabbi to officiate at a Catholic wedding, not because the person is Jewish, but because the rabbi does not have the qualifications to perform a Catholic mass. On the other hand, in a job that does not require specialized religious knowledge or experience, such as a secretary for the pastor of a Presbyterian congregation, refusing to hire the secretary because she is Jewish is employment discrimination. Being Jewish or Presbyterian has nothing to do with typing letters, taking dictation or answering the phone.
Employment discrimination is bad business
Not many jobs call for a specific race, yet there are some that do. A company selling tanning lotion might require a light-skinned representative to model the effects, thereby excluding dark-skinned people such as blacks. None would think to accuse this company of employment discrimination. Light skin is part of the job requirements. It is when we exclude or refuse a person qualified in all areas for the job, but not of a race we prefer, that racial discrimination has occurred. Preference is the key to discrimination, preference for a particular race, gender, or age. Our preferences do not factor into a job’s requirements. When we make a decision to hire someone who is as qualified as another, and we do it because we do or do not prefer the race of the other, we have discriminated.
Decision solely on requirements
Employment discrimination is easily avoided if the person who is doing the hiring makes their decision to hire solely on the requirements of the job and the candidate’s qualifications for the job tasks. Hiring on the basis of preferences can result in hiring the less qualified. Not only will you avoid suits for employment discrimination, but by sticking to the requirements and the candidates qualifications, you are assured that you have selected the best possible candidate and, most important, increase the likelihood of achieving your business goals. Non-discriminatory practices in hiring are good business!
Dec 26, 2009
Posted by PTJFS on Dec 26, 2009 in Career advice, New articles | 0 comments
I once worked in the data entry business. This meant I spent the day putting information into a computer, but I never had to deal with the customers. However, that didn’t seem to be important. When I started the job, I had to learn about the software I was going to be using, and I also had to go through some customer service training. The company I worked for also had jobs for taking orders over the phone, and even though I would never do this, they thought everyone should at least have some basic understanding of how to talk with customers.
A must
Customer service training is a must for anyone with a job that interacts with the public. It is more important in some sectors than in others, but these skills are always good to have. This is because we often think we know how we would like to be treated, and we think that is how you talk to others. The problem with that is some don’t think like this, and they need customer service training so they know they are saying the right things at the right time. Not every customer is going to be pleasant, and that is where most of the problems come from.
Smile to the customer
One thing that surprised me about my customer service training was that I was instructed to smile. This is something that anyone should do when interacting with a person face to face, but I never thought there was a need to smile when on the phone with someone. I was taught that a smile will make your voice more pleasant, and will encourage you to be nicer and more patient with someone who may be complaining or giving you a hard time. This part of customer service was a surprise, and very much a simple lesson, but it is one that I would not have thought of on my own.
Customer service training is worth it
Most who go through customer service training will have to learn much more than I did. I don’t really care for such jobs, but they can be great jobs with wonderful earning potential. People always need help, and that is why these types of jobs will always be around. If you are offered courses on customer service training anywhere you go, you should make sure you take them, even if you aren’t sure you will ever need them. One thing anyone should know is how to treat a customer. You have no idea where your career will go, and these skills may come in handy more often than you can imagine.
Dec 19, 2009
Posted by PTJFS on Dec 19, 2009 in Find jobs, New articles | 0 comments
There are tons of part time jobs for students if you know where to look. Finding the right part time student job is the difficult part, as you want to find the job that is just right for you and your schedule. There are many employees out there that are willing to take advantage of cheap student labor, so shop around and try to get the one that also helps you build your resume.
Resume building for you or cheap labor for employer
There are two main types of part time jobs for students. On the one hand you have jobs where the employer takes advantage of the fact that you are young and need short-term employment. On the other hand you have the jobs where the employer actually harnesses your skills. To get the latter type of job, you need to put more effort in, as these are in high demand and can be difficult to find. It also requires that you have a particular skill. As an example, if you are good at computer programming, you could get a part-time systems administrator or monitoring job. If you are good with people and customer relations, you could get an office counter job at a University.
Chill summer jobs
Some students like to have a part time summer job that doesn’t require much responsibility. In that case you might want to apply for a job in a student cafeteria, which will let you work at a relaxed pace, and could possibly be a very social type of work where you can mingle with other students.
Always be on the look out
Keep you eyes and ears open, as some of the best student part time jobs are only past around through the “grapevine”. There are many stories of students finding part time jobs completely by accident, or through someone they know. An example, a student had a professor who was looking for other students to help him with a long term project, and just by being in his class and making friends with him he got one of the jobs. So, you never know when an opportunity might show up and knock on your door.
Dec 16, 2009
Posted by PTJFS on Dec 16, 2009 in Career advice, New articles | 0 comments
It is very important that your application stands out when you are looking for work. Remember, you are competing with a lot of other students (and non-students), and many of them are highly qualified. This means you have to focus on the qualities that make you different, so that your first impression is remembered by the employee. Here are some tips that can help you get your foot in the door and hopefully land an interview with an employer.
First impressions
If you’ve answered an ad in the newspaper, the employer typically asks you to come in and fill out the job application. In many cases, the employer wants to get a look at you and size you up. This gives the employer a chance to discard your application without further thought, should you come in with a sloppy appearance or a bad attitude. So, when you go to fill out the job application, dress as though you were showing up for an interview. Put your best foot forward.
Resume: make it count
You need a resume, and you need it to look good. I am not talking about fancy-schmancy, with exotic fonts and clip-art. You need to have a resume that is easy to read, with good structure, and no grammatical errors. I repeat: no grammatical errors. If you spell the name of your past employers wrong, or common words, your first impression will go down the drain. So use a spell checker. If you need help writing your resume, search online for “resume template”, there should be several free ones out there (we will offer one on this site soon). You can also visit your local employment department for guidance and advice.
Customized vs. generic resume
If you really want to stand out, create a customized resume for the job/employer you are applying to. Build this customized resume based on your generic, adding and/or subtracting skills, experience, and knowledge to target the specific requirements in the job.
Let’s say you’re applying for a job as a secretary in the personnel department of a local company. This company sells cabinetry. Do a little research on the company. If they have a website, go take a look. You want to rearrange your resume in such a way that you emphasize the particular skills and personal characteristics they’re looking for in an employee.
Don’t lie
Even though it is advised to target your resume content, do not go overboard by including things that are not true. You need to market and sell your self, but don’t lie.
Special interests
A great way for your employer to “get to know you” is to include special interests at the bottom of your resume. As an example, if you have volunteered at the local “poor house”, raised awareness for global warming, anything you have a passion for that is not offensive, include it to give the employer a glimpse in to what kind of person you are.
Special skills
If you have a special skill, like fluency in foreign language(s), this can be a great feature in your resume.
Concluding thoughts
That’s about it for now, so go brush up your resume and remember to sell your strengths!
Dec 16, 2009
Posted by PTJFS on Dec 16, 2009 in Find jobs, New articles | 2 comments
Where can I find summer camp jobs?
summercampstaff.com
Great resource that lists summer camp jobs for all states. Describes the camp, any details about the job, and expected salary. Also lists jobs in Canada.
campjobs.com
Lets you search for camp jobs based on several search criterias, like State, Country, Camp Type, Religious preference, and so on.
What kind of salary can I expect?
Starts at 150$ per week, up to 400-500$ per week. Some camps pay per season/summer, simply devide total with number of weeks to get weekly pay for comparison.
Working at a summer camp (insider tells his story)
I have been working summer camp jobs pretty much every single summer since I turned 15. I’ve been a summer camp counselor many time, but I’ve also worked as an assistant counselor, cook, sailing instructor, and in many other positions. I’ve worked in summer day camps and sleep away camps of every description, but the most challenging summer camp job I ever had was at a camp for at risk youth about a year ago.
Up until that point, all of the summer camp jobs that I had worked had been pretty easy. I would corral the students, organize activities, hand out discipline when it is needed, and generally act as a 24 hour babysitter for wealthy kids from the suburbs. Most of the time, they were fairly well behaved, and the stuff I would have to step in and deal with was pretty routine – I would catch the kids sneaking smokes, getting into fights, or sneaking into the girls cabin every now and then. For the most part, I would be able to keep them out of trouble by telling them my philosophy of discipline. I would sit my campers down on the first day of my summer camp jobs and tell them that I did not want them to get into trouble and, if they did not break the rules in an obvious way, I would not not punish them. 9 times out of 10 the kids got it and kept whatever mischief they planned on the down low.
Working at a summer camp counselor job in a camp for at risk kids, however, was a different thing altogether. A lot of these kids had been getting into trouble for years, and they did things so dangerous that you could not really look the other way. I would have to be on my guard pretty much every moment, and that is no exaggeration. For the first couple of weeks, it was the hardest thing I had ever done.
With summer camp jobs as with any other field of human endeavor, sometimes the hardest tasks are the most rewarding ones. I spent the first few weeks regretting ever taking that summer job, but once I got used to it, I really saw the value. At most of the summer camp jobs I had worked in the past, the kids were just there looking to have a good time, but at this particular camp, there was a whole lot more to it than that. These campers were looking for a second chance and a way to make their lives better. As a summer camp counselor and role model, I could help make that happen. I couldn’t get through to all of them, but I like to think I made a difference in at least a few lives.
Conclusion
Working at a summer camp can be a lucrative and smart way to spend your summer. While others are relaxing at the beach the whole vacation, possibly regretting the fact when their wallet is empty a couple of months later, a summer job like this can give you a nice buffer budget for the rest of the year.
It will also give you a very nice entry in your resume, as future employers tend to give credit to prospects that show dicipline and work ethics through summer jobs. The work at a summer camp also adds to your people skills, which employers also find attractive.
Dec 13, 2009
Posted by PTJFS on Dec 13, 2009 in New articles | 0 comments
Sometimes, the difference between the confident student and the unconfident student is subtle. When most of us think about poor self-confidence, we picture something big glaringly obvious, but it is not always that way. Self-conscious students sometimes seem just like everyone else. They may have an active social group, reasonably decent grades, and even functional relationships with teachers or professors. Beneath that all, however, lurks another level. The social ease in academic flexibility that the confident student takes for granted is something that be unconfident one never gets to know.
You see, confidence touches every aspect of life. The confident student is able to take a leadership position in the classroom. When he doesn’t get something, he speaks out and asks for it. When he doesn’t agree with something, he feels free to speak his mind. He is not necessarily rude or overbearing, but he is willing to tell it like he feels it is. This gives him all kinds of advantages. It means that his concerns are always heard and addressed.
Until recently, confidence leadership was taken as sort of a birthright. People assume that the confident student would always be confident and the shy and self-effacing student would always be shy. The truth of the situation has turned out to be much more complicated than that. In reality, self-confidence is something that can be built up through years of disciplined study. It comes naturally to some people, but it is accessible to everyone.
The key to becoming the confident student is changing your attitude. The problem isn’t your teachers, your parents, your academic abilities, or any of that. It is simply your own self-consciousness. The confident student basically feel that he has a right to be where he is and ask the questions he needs to. He trusts in his own abilities, and so they take him where he needs to go. Learning to trust yourself isn’t just the first step – it is the only step.
Of course, there are many paths to confidence. A lot of people seem to prefer therapy above other methods. It has a lot of advantages – particularly for shy people. Sometimes it is too much of a task to increase your own confidence, and you need outside help. A qualified therapist, life coach, or other counselor can do this. Sometimes, the right book is enough. A lot of people prefer to work independently, and good reading material can help them to increase classroom confidence.
