Wow! It's been since June since I wrote in my blog and realized that my cup got so reved up that I forgot to share - I got a job! Pretty amazing after all we had gone through and sad, that there's still so many more waiting for their turns to get out of the unemployment line! So, where has my journey taken us? To central Virginia where I am now the Hotel GM for a Hyatt hotel! My Go-Go juice has been filled with meeting new people, motivating new staff, turning a property around to improve company scores and helping my family re-adjust to their new surroundings.
I would love to maintain my blog and hopefully provide some interesting trivia and news as our journey continues, but for the most part, my blogs will remain short, but hopefully valuable. My Go-Go Juice blog will always remain personal and continue to advocate for families, the unemployed, the less privledged and be a place to motivate and raise the strengths of others. I will always welcome ideas, comments and continued support - like most, our journey will never end and is ever changing!
For those of you who read and watched our life the last two years know from first hand my philosophy...never give up, falling down just means standing back up and always be thankful to those who keep you standing! And NEVER go anywhere or do anything without your own Go-Go Juice - the one and only inner motivator that no one else can provide!
Have a fantastic week ahead! I will be writing again soon!
Love and blessings!
Victoria
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Time For Go-Go Juice! - What? Employers Won't Hire the Unemployed?
Ok – it’s hot, it’s muggy, I just threw on shorts, my fans are running full blast and the storms are brewing. And it’s like ten o’clock at night! How’s your Go-Go Juice been brewing this week? We’ll, I’ve been putting ice cubes in mine, although, they just simply melt. Central Ohio is purely mid-town USA where all middle states just seem to bake, sweat and where people take extra showers. This week, large dark swirly clouds brought tornado's South of Columbus and North near Michigan and the tips of Eastern Indiana a few days ago. Tonight, the storms are coming in from the North. But here in my little world of Central Ohio, my Go-Go Juice steams worse than the storms when it comes to hearing negative issues regarding the unemployed.
I read an article this week written by Chris Isidore, senior writer of CNNMoney.com about how the unemployed are getting the huge message from potential employers – ‘Don’t waste your time applying – if you’re not employed, we don’t want you.’ Many people who know me, know how I’ve been unemployed for awhile myself. I’ve watched this economy crash and watched fellow friends and colleagues lose their jobs too. And, once job openings slowly emerged, employers have been seeking solely the “cream of the crop” – candidates with high education, 10+ years experience in selected fields with varying credentials…you know the kind. They’re the Vice Presidents of companies who got unfortunately downsized from internal changes. Many of the top executives are leaving us middle managers in the dust and way out in left field. Well – I must say, that’s competition and it’s been truly fierce. It never did stop me though from trying. I listen to fellow out-of-workers who’ve experienced the same. So for a while, I didn’t feel so bad. I have tremendous credibility out there and one hell of a resume (so I’ve been told) yet, I couldn’t get an offer if my life depended on it. While I still do contract work as it comes available, when all is said and done, it is not a replacement of my normal hotel executive career that I’ve invested so many years in. However, now I may know why – because I’m not already in a “persay” job. And don’t think for one moment, such recruiters or people of human resources want to see just any job – such people in these positions are mindless drones who do not wish to put quality to the test. If they don’t see you in a job in the exact title and time frame for which meets the parameters they’ve set forth, forget it. Just any job will not do.
Sadly, as the economy slowly turns around, there are still millions of unemployed workers out there striving for their next career step, opportunity to shine and heck, for that matter, their next meal. Many of you know any further unemployment extensions are just out of the question. For Ohio, the agency (1)ODJFS (Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services) stated that approximately 98,000 people are about to lose the last of their UC benefits at the end of this month (June) and another 83,000 people by the end of July. Oh and let’s look ahead – Ho-Ho-Ho! By November, another 300,000 people will be out of extensions as well. There’s a nifty Christmas Gift in that stocking! So, if companies are not hiring the unemployed, then what will the unemployed do? I bet they’ll move away to another state like Iowa – where the unemployment rate is currently sitting at a very comfortable 6.8% and where professional and business services actually added over 5,000 new jobs over this past year. Now, if people move away, how does that affect (2)Ohio at its current 10.7% unemployment rate? Well, we currently have (3)approximately over 11 million, 500 thousand people living throughout the state. So…what’s the loss of a few hundred thousand people? No sweat! But, if we look at the worst areas to get hit, the urban areas like Mansfield, Delaware, Toledo, Greenville, Loveland, Montgomery, etc.? Those townships will be facing huge losses of revenues derived from the once hardworking individuals. That’s money lost for local fire departments, police departments, schools, road ways, wherever tax dollars are put to good use. We all know that a loss of tax dollars means a loss of motivators for even small business owners to come and thrive – hell, what would a veterinary doctor do if he had no clients? According to the article, businesses have been given a carrot to hire the unemployed. What’s the carrot? It’s a whopping 6.2% tax break from paying Social Security for each hired individual throughout the year. Let’s break that down. (4) Even at minimum wage, a given employee makes $7.00 per hour in the state of Ohio. In one week, at minimum wage, a potential employer would pay $17.36 per week in Social Security taxes. This tax break is an exemption for one year. For 52 weeks, the employer will get a savings of $902 from exemption for one employee. So, if even the small business owner who employs say 15 people and a fourth of those are newly hired unemployed, the business would get a huge thank you in the amount of savings of over $3,300 dollars at the end of the year. I don’t know about you, but I have many things I could do productively with savings over $3,000. So what’s wrong with these employers?
Well, let that be your Go-Go Juice for the next week! If you’re still unemployed – don’t beat yourself over the head…just get past the initial bureaucracy tied up in the line of HR and go straight to the decision maker. Welcomed or not, your chances might increase at an interview rather than waiting for nothing from someone who’s not even going to consider you at all. Good luck – keep your chin up and always keep a full cup of Go-Go Juice nearby.
Footnotes:
(1) ODJFS - Newspaper, The Plain Dealer
(2) Ohio Unemployment Rate - Bureau Labor of Statistics
(3) Ohio Population - US Census Bureau
(4) Ohio State Minimum Wage - Department of Commerce
I read an article this week written by Chris Isidore, senior writer of CNNMoney.com about how the unemployed are getting the huge message from potential employers – ‘Don’t waste your time applying – if you’re not employed, we don’t want you.’ Many people who know me, know how I’ve been unemployed for awhile myself. I’ve watched this economy crash and watched fellow friends and colleagues lose their jobs too. And, once job openings slowly emerged, employers have been seeking solely the “cream of the crop” – candidates with high education, 10+ years experience in selected fields with varying credentials…you know the kind. They’re the Vice Presidents of companies who got unfortunately downsized from internal changes. Many of the top executives are leaving us middle managers in the dust and way out in left field. Well – I must say, that’s competition and it’s been truly fierce. It never did stop me though from trying. I listen to fellow out-of-workers who’ve experienced the same. So for a while, I didn’t feel so bad. I have tremendous credibility out there and one hell of a resume (so I’ve been told) yet, I couldn’t get an offer if my life depended on it. While I still do contract work as it comes available, when all is said and done, it is not a replacement of my normal hotel executive career that I’ve invested so many years in. However, now I may know why – because I’m not already in a “persay” job. And don’t think for one moment, such recruiters or people of human resources want to see just any job – such people in these positions are mindless drones who do not wish to put quality to the test. If they don’t see you in a job in the exact title and time frame for which meets the parameters they’ve set forth, forget it. Just any job will not do.
Sadly, as the economy slowly turns around, there are still millions of unemployed workers out there striving for their next career step, opportunity to shine and heck, for that matter, their next meal. Many of you know any further unemployment extensions are just out of the question. For Ohio, the agency (1)ODJFS (Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services) stated that approximately 98,000 people are about to lose the last of their UC benefits at the end of this month (June) and another 83,000 people by the end of July. Oh and let’s look ahead – Ho-Ho-Ho! By November, another 300,000 people will be out of extensions as well. There’s a nifty Christmas Gift in that stocking! So, if companies are not hiring the unemployed, then what will the unemployed do? I bet they’ll move away to another state like Iowa – where the unemployment rate is currently sitting at a very comfortable 6.8% and where professional and business services actually added over 5,000 new jobs over this past year. Now, if people move away, how does that affect (2)Ohio at its current 10.7% unemployment rate? Well, we currently have (3)approximately over 11 million, 500 thousand people living throughout the state. So…what’s the loss of a few hundred thousand people? No sweat! But, if we look at the worst areas to get hit, the urban areas like Mansfield, Delaware, Toledo, Greenville, Loveland, Montgomery, etc.? Those townships will be facing huge losses of revenues derived from the once hardworking individuals. That’s money lost for local fire departments, police departments, schools, road ways, wherever tax dollars are put to good use. We all know that a loss of tax dollars means a loss of motivators for even small business owners to come and thrive – hell, what would a veterinary doctor do if he had no clients? According to the article, businesses have been given a carrot to hire the unemployed. What’s the carrot? It’s a whopping 6.2% tax break from paying Social Security for each hired individual throughout the year. Let’s break that down. (4) Even at minimum wage, a given employee makes $7.00 per hour in the state of Ohio. In one week, at minimum wage, a potential employer would pay $17.36 per week in Social Security taxes. This tax break is an exemption for one year. For 52 weeks, the employer will get a savings of $902 from exemption for one employee. So, if even the small business owner who employs say 15 people and a fourth of those are newly hired unemployed, the business would get a huge thank you in the amount of savings of over $3,300 dollars at the end of the year. I don’t know about you, but I have many things I could do productively with savings over $3,000. So what’s wrong with these employers?
Well, let that be your Go-Go Juice for the next week! If you’re still unemployed – don’t beat yourself over the head…just get past the initial bureaucracy tied up in the line of HR and go straight to the decision maker. Welcomed or not, your chances might increase at an interview rather than waiting for nothing from someone who’s not even going to consider you at all. Good luck – keep your chin up and always keep a full cup of Go-Go Juice nearby.
Footnotes:
(1) ODJFS - Newspaper, The Plain Dealer
(2) Ohio Unemployment Rate - Bureau Labor of Statistics
(3) Ohio Population - US Census Bureau
(4) Ohio State Minimum Wage - Department of Commerce
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Time For Go-Go Juice! - Oil, Water and Wildlife Just Don't Mix!
Good Morning to my many readers...how's your Go-Go Juice brewing lately? Mine is bubbling over in smelly slime and gastric distaste as our horrific oil spill continues to weigh heavy on our coast line, pocket books and worst of all, our eco-system. Millions of Americans are truly counting the immense amount of damage this event has endured, but I fear as many, the worst is yet to come. As the oil piles up, there are not enough bodies or equipment to clean it up. Meanwhile the oil is beginning to fill our streams and lakes that pour out into the rest of our country’s natural irrigation systems.
Millions of fishes, birds, plants, everything is becoming infected. Then, realizing much of this gulf area in the Louisiana territory, which is prone to hurricanes, can you imagine the oil being flung around hundreds of miles in all directions and how wide spread the damage will continue? It’s just sad and dangerous to future survival for all. I know I’m painting a rather demising situation, but the chemicals alone that will be reminiscent to our land will have lasting effects on how we treat water for usage, eat or not eat various foods, the animals prone to extinction from this, the inability to grow crops affected by this disaster…the list just goes on. Now, I do believe that nature has a way of taking care of itself – but what it will do is adapt, which means over time, we could see mutations that will affect our way of living or in the way we care for our nature. What I have a hard time understanding is why we haven’t sent welders under water to simply seal up the pipes? I understand that there are politics and policies written in place that supposedly tie hands in terms of how BP or anyone for that matter resolves the issue, but regardless, I think someone ought to just get in there and fix it and let the big chiefs fight it out later. It’s one thing to watch our eco-system, climates and other natural wonders change, immerge and die out at nature’s hand, but when man plays the perpetrator to this extent, shame on us. We’ve worked hard as a society to get people to recycle, pick up trash and somehow be more environment friendly or at minimum, mind conscience of how we impact Mother Nature, but good heavens! This is becoming a deliberate act of negligence of all leaders who are involved.
While anyone who watches these events discovers he has an opportunity or connection or idea to contribute to the resolve of this spill, I encourage any and all involvement. I added a slide show to give a visual understanding to the immense amount of oil we are dealing with, if you haven’t seen the pictures already. It will sour the cream in your Go-Go Juice instantly. So this week, support the volunteers and people out there using their Go-Go Juice at every effort to save our planet – and in this case, our own land and waters…or someday, your Go-Go Juice may not taste the same! Have a great week!
Millions of fishes, birds, plants, everything is becoming infected. Then, realizing much of this gulf area in the Louisiana territory, which is prone to hurricanes, can you imagine the oil being flung around hundreds of miles in all directions and how wide spread the damage will continue? It’s just sad and dangerous to future survival for all. I know I’m painting a rather demising situation, but the chemicals alone that will be reminiscent to our land will have lasting effects on how we treat water for usage, eat or not eat various foods, the animals prone to extinction from this, the inability to grow crops affected by this disaster…the list just goes on. Now, I do believe that nature has a way of taking care of itself – but what it will do is adapt, which means over time, we could see mutations that will affect our way of living or in the way we care for our nature. What I have a hard time understanding is why we haven’t sent welders under water to simply seal up the pipes? I understand that there are politics and policies written in place that supposedly tie hands in terms of how BP or anyone for that matter resolves the issue, but regardless, I think someone ought to just get in there and fix it and let the big chiefs fight it out later. It’s one thing to watch our eco-system, climates and other natural wonders change, immerge and die out at nature’s hand, but when man plays the perpetrator to this extent, shame on us. We’ve worked hard as a society to get people to recycle, pick up trash and somehow be more environment friendly or at minimum, mind conscience of how we impact Mother Nature, but good heavens! This is becoming a deliberate act of negligence of all leaders who are involved.
While anyone who watches these events discovers he has an opportunity or connection or idea to contribute to the resolve of this spill, I encourage any and all involvement. I added a slide show to give a visual understanding to the immense amount of oil we are dealing with, if you haven’t seen the pictures already. It will sour the cream in your Go-Go Juice instantly. So this week, support the volunteers and people out there using their Go-Go Juice at every effort to save our planet – and in this case, our own land and waters…or someday, your Go-Go Juice may not taste the same! Have a great week!
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