Category Archives: Politics

The Real Estate Market

Posted by Santi on February 28, 2013 Comments Off

If you don’t live in California you might not really care about the real estate market right now on the West Coast and how bad it really is for all of the struggling homeowners out there. As we have all heard – the economic downturn has put a lot of people into a situation with their mortgage company that is called “upside down.” That means that because they have not paid down their mortgage, for various good reasons, that the value of their homes has become less than the amount of the principal balance due on their mortgage.

This is the perfect time for people with good credit to consider refinancing their mortgages and getting a lower interest rate. Good credit are the two key words here. Without good credit there are ways to still take advantage of these great deals, just not as great as it could be with better credit. New reports say that mortgage rates are at a very low level for “qualified borrowers.” Although a lot of people cannot cash out the equity in their homes right now, there is a chance that by refinancing you can get a lower interest rate and reduce the amount of your monthly payment. It might be worth taking your financial information to a good, trustworthy mortgage counselor and checking out the options available. Trustworthy is the key word for this subject. I could go on about that, but not here and not tonight.

 

Tax Preparer Jobs

Posted by Santi on February 24, 2013 Comments Off

With so many uncertainties in today’s workforce it is becoming a challenge for many people who are trying to find their niche in a well established, well paying, and stable profession in a very unstable economy. The big trend towards going into one of the many medical fields is a well know one, but not everyone is cut out for any type of medical profession. My kid brother is one person who has decided to become a tax preparer, with the thought in mind that taxes are here to stay and there will always be a need for a good registered tax return preparer, which I have to agree with his train of thought this time around. We don’t generally agree on many things, so this is a nice change of pace for the both of us.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my kid brother and I have always tried to be there for him and support him in any way that I can, but we are just two totally different types of people and have never seen eye to eye from day one. I truly believe that there is hope for him, I just hope I live long enough to see him prosper and grow.

Will Project Management Software Help Manage Freelancers?

Posted by Santi on February 19, 2013 Comments Off

In the first quarter of 2012, the freelancing industry more than doubled. More and more professionals from all walks of life are taking the freelance route to help provide them with more control over how they spend their time and earn money. This has created an entirely new pool of opportunities for companies that require specific tasks to be completed. Instead of hiring entirely new permanent employees, you can outsource some duties to a freelancer. However, if you are new to hiring freelancers to work with your company, you may have noticed a certain problem with working with this type of professional – management.

The Management Problem with Freelancers

When you hire an on staff employee, you have a great amount of control over how and when they work. You have agreed upon rates, strict deadlines and you’re able to always see them in person to ensure that everything is up to standard. However, one of the issues with freelancers is that they cannot be easily managed. They are able to work whenever they wish, which can create issues. Even though many freelancers provide high quality work at an affordable rate, they will require a unique type of management that can be greatly assisted with the right software.

How to Improve Freelancer Management

Managing your freelancers likely involves exchanging several emails and placing calls regularly. However, instead of using these older methods of communication, you can also employ specially created software from http://www.workzone.com/ that will allow you to purchase keep your freelancers on track. This software helps track time spent on projects, communication with the rest of your team and helps hold them accountable for deadlines.

While you will still need to find quality freelancers to have a quality team of professionals, using the right software will greatly improve your chances of creating a stellar group of freelancing professionals. The freelance industry is continuously growing, start taking advantage of this new workforce by employing the best software available.

Awareness Training

Posted by Santi on February 18, 2013 Comments Off

One thing that I really loved about working for Nationwide Insurance so many years ago was all of the training that they provided us. Most of it took place at the Regional Office which was over fours away, so that meant that we were usually put up in a hotel and were provided with an expense account which was always such a blast for me and the other employees that I drove down with. I just loved the idea of spending a night, some times two, away from home in a nice hotel and being able to eat out instead of having to do the cooking myself. A mini vacation for a working mother such as myself.

These days the Internet has made it possible to keep employees from having to travel so much by bringing a lot of training right to them, saving companies a good amount of money along the way. Now a days there are sites like securityawarenesstraining.com that have everything that you need for employees to learn about all kinds of awareness training. Managers are crooked, video tapes get lost or erased and the many types of abuse just keeps on keeping on, a sad state of affairs.

 

 

Mexico or New York

Posted by Santi on February 13, 2013 Comments Off

With layoffs and business bankruptcies and losing jobs to Mexico, I imagine a lot of people are feeling anxious about the security of their jobs. I can tell you that the local copy shop and computer lab has been very busy with people revising their resumes and printing out copies to send to prospective employers.

My sister is so concerned about losing her job that she is willing to relocate for a chance at a new career. The company where she has worked for the past 8 years is shutting down in June and moving to Mexico. She has no interest in Mexico, but she has heard about some really good opportunities in New York. If I was in the position to move and start a new career, I think New York would be a great place to live and work. There is a web site called realmatch.com that my sister found that lists New York jobs. The site is very easy to use and I like the way you can select from a narrow or very large list of job types for your search. I think she has a good chance of finding her dream job in New York and I’d love to have a reason to go to the Big Apple for visits throughout the year.

If my sister has to go to New York for a job interview, she asked if I could go with her. That sounds like fun. I haven’t been to New York for a little over 5 years and would really like the chance to go and be a tourist for a few days.