Author Archives: Debbie Vasen

Transferable Skills

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There are times in our career we might feel stuck in a job. Maybe we have a specific job in a specific company. Maybe we have only worked in one type of industry. Maybe you have had the same type of job your whole life. In these scenarios, we can feel trapped. We feel like we would have to start over in order to change our careers. While sometimes a brand new start can be nice, it can also be time-consuming and costly. If you need a fresh break from your chosen profession and don’t want to completely start over, … Continue reading →

College Majors and Jobs

Often when college students select a major, they are not usually thinking beyond graduation to the job or career it might lead. When I worked as a counselor years ago in a college, I met up with many seniors who were switching their majors. They realized that the major they thought they wanted as freshman, was not going to get them the job they wanted when they graduated. At the time, they felt stressed and worried about life after college. However, when it comes to college work, there is rarely any lost time. Few jobs involve only one subject area, … Continue reading →

Inflation

Prices are rising and not just at the gas station. With our economy in a bit of an uproar and many uncertainties… prices are going up in many sectors. This general price increase is known as inflation. While most people understand that inflation means the prices of things we buy is increasing, there is actually a lot more to this concept. As an economic factor, inflation is caused by an increase in the amount of money and/or credit in relation to the amount of goods and services. It is a balancing act that occurs naturally in any economy. As the … Continue reading →

Meet Your Gas Buddy

In addition to watching your gas consumption, there is another way to save money on gas. Find the cheapest gas in your city. In many major metropolitan areas, there can be a wide range of prices for a gallon of gas. How do you find the best one without wasting gas driving all over town? The best way to check prices is the Internet. This is true even for gas! If you are lucky enough, you can find your town on this website, www.gasbuddy.com. It is a website directory of more than 181 separate gas price websites maintained by neighbors … Continue reading →

Job Burnout is Real

No matter how much you love your employer, co-workers or job… job burnout is a real phenomenon that strikes us all at some point. Recently some wise companies have recognized this and started to add sabbaticals to long standing employees. Either way, the key is to be able to recognize the symptoms in yourself, your loved ones, your co-workers, even your employees. Once you can identify what your experiencing is burnout, then you can confront this dilemma. Symptoms: 1. Loss of desire to go to work or get up in the morning 2. Little things become big irritations 3. An … Continue reading →

Become a Caterer

Do you love to cook? Maybe deep inside you is a caterer waiting to be born. What exactly does a caterer do and how do you become one? Let’s go job exploring! Most caterers are self-employed, and the rest work for larger companies. Caterers take on small parties to large weddings. The main strengths of a caterer’s personality include: • A solid understanding of how to cook and how dishes work together. It is more than just being a good cook. • Have strong interpersonal and listening skills. The key is for the caterer to make what the clients want, … Continue reading →

Save Money on Gas

Gas prices have hit record highs in the United States. With a nation so dependent on our cars, this has hit us all hard. The rising cost of gas has led us all to feel poorer and reaching for some solutions. There are many options to reduce the cost of gas, some of which I will list here. If you know of any others… please include them in the comment box below. Simple things you can do to reduce the cost of gas immediately: 1. Drive less. Take the bus, train or subway. Walk or ride a bike. 2. Share … Continue reading →

Do you Have a Career or a Job?

Have you ever thought to ask yourself if your means of income is just a job or a career? What is the difference really? And does it even matter? According to YourDictionary.com, a job is defined as “a specific piece of work, as in one’s trade, or done by agreement for pay.” In turn, they define a career as “a profession or occupation which one trains for and pursues as a lifework.” In summary, the dictionary views a job as more of a short-term work assignment and a career as the lifelong employment. Pushing the formal definitions aside, we often … Continue reading →

Take a Work Break

I was getting ready to write today’s blog entry and instead took a brief break. My daughter had the idea to write a job’s article on taking a break. I actually think this is an important idea. Too often, we become focused on sitting and working, forgetting to take our necessary breaks. A ten-minute break is not just something a union imposes on you, it is truly critical for job performance. Your body and mind need a break in order to be the most productive. Therefore, stop working and take a break. In those 10 to 20 minutes, here are … Continue reading →

Checklist for Career Discovery

Everyone loves a checklist. It is a neat and tidy way to stay organized, and when you are career hunting… staying organized is critical. Whether you are young and getting started or just going through a phase of self-discovery, use this list of concepts to get your juices flowing. Take out a pen and paper, and then be sure to answer each one of these checklist questions and exercises. • Describe your ideal job. Include as many details as possible and let your imagination flow. • Make a list of your priorities, this could include both professional and personal. Then … Continue reading →