Personal Finance By The Book » Career

Joe Gets Interviewed by a High School Student

Joe Plemon — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:00:02 +0000

Is appearance important for a job interview? This guy might be sabatoging his chances for that banking position.

The English teacher of our Community High School recently asked me if I would consider being interviewed by some of her High School students. Evidently, they read my weekly “Dollars and Sense” column in the local newspaper and wanted some relevant content for the school newspaper. I was honored to be asked, so I have included both the interview questions and my responses in this post.

I am sure that you, like me, will be impressed by these insightful questions. The answers? Well, that remains to be seen. But I do have a favor to ask: I would be very appreciative if you could share some insights I might have overlooked in my responses. Think of your input as a way to help these these high school students. Thanks!

Ready? Here we go!

What are the things you think are most important on a resume?

The purpose of a resume is NOT to get you a job, but to get an interview which will lead to a job. This being said, a resume is very important. To create an outstanding resume (one that isn’t boring), I think one should do more than simply write a chronology of his work/scholastic record. This practice could pigeon hole the candidate into a niche of what he has already been doing. One thought is to not only show work and scholastic history, but explain exactly how that history is essential in the candidate’s future. Doing so will better define exactly where the candidate wants to go instead of where he has been. One more thought: a resume should be unembellished. For example, a Wal-Mart greeter is NOT “a customer service coordinator for a Fortune 500 company”.

What key factors do you think should be considered when applying for a job?

The key factor, not only in applying for a job, but for seeking a career path, is choosing a course you are passionate about. I can’t emphasize this enough. Never choose a career because of what it pays, or even because you are good at it. A huge salary at a job which one isn’t in love with is a recipe for a frustrating life. Statistics show that 80% of college graduates, 10 years after graduation, do not work in the field they studied. Why is this true? Primarily because they did not love what they were doing. The thing about following one’s passion is that he/she will be so much in love with what he does that the money will eventually flow to him anyway. Life goes by quickly. Don’t waste precious years doing something you don’t love to do.

In your opinion, how does one make the best first impression?

One only gets one chance to make a first impression, so don’t waste that chance. One study showed that interviewers decide in the first 10 seconds whether they want the candidate or not. The interviewer is asking himself these questions: “Do I like this person? Do I trust this person? Is this a person who will be fun to be around?” The way to make a good first impression is to do the things you already know to do: Good eye contact, smile, and solid handshake. Body language is also critical: stand straight without being tense, sit up straight, lean forward slightly, be interested in what the interviewer says and does. All of this takes practice, so PRACTICE. Going to an interview without practicing will create nervousness. Practice will help the candidate relax.

In face to face meetings, do you think one’s appearance and not just how he or she presents his or herself plays a role in whether or not he or she will be hired?

Appearance is critical. Again, it is part of a first impression. Many potentially great employees have sabotaged their job chances by not dressing conservatively, not having a hair cut or not removing that metal that is stuck in his face. Dress appropriate for the company you are applying for. Neatness, cleanliness and deodorant (without strong smelling perfume or cologne) are just common sense respect. Anything else shows lack of respect.

What are the things you believe employers look for in a possible employee? And how can an aspiring worker embody these things?

First and foremost, employers are looking for people of character. The most valuable employees in any organization are those who are diligent, honest and have uncompromising integrity. Stated differently, who a person is will speak louder than what a person does. This being said, employers are looking for employees who will help their company succeed. I think many potential employees are so focused on presenting themselves that they overlook presenting exactly how they can be an asset to the company. Therefore, it is critical that the aspiring worker do his homework. He should learn everything possible about the company before he goes into the interview and he should be confident that he has something vital to offer that employer. This knowledge and confidence will set this potential employee apart from the crowd.

Finally, what advice can you give to upperclassmen as we enter the ‘real world’?

Don’t be shocked here, but my advice is “Don’t put all your eggs in the ‘college diploma’ basket.” Allow me to quickly add that I strongly believe in the value of a college education. I myself am a Civil Engineer. My point is this: the diploma itself is not a magic wand that will guarantee a lifetime of success. At best, it will help get a foot into a door, but success in the “real world” is then based on how well you can help your company succeed. The key at this point and for the rest of your life is NOT the diploma, but the knowledge and the character of the individual. Whether one has a college degree or not, the traits as perseverance, hard work, innovative thinking and integrity are critical for doing well in the “real world”.

OK Readers. Now…jump in with a comment to further answer these great questions.

Interview With an Internet Entrepreneur

Joe Plemon — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:58:49 +0000

I have known Alan Hale for over 40 years and have never been quite sure what he did for a living. One reason for my ambiguity is the simple fact that we live in different cities and, in spite of the fact that Alan is married to my wife’s cousin, we haven’t been all that close. But a second reason is that Alan has done a lot of things.

In recent years, as we have annually shared a vacation house with other cousins and their spouses, I have enjoyed getting to know Alan better. He is one of those guys who seems to know quite a bit about anything and everything. Don’t get me wrong; he doesn’t toot his own horn or come across as a know-it-all. Quite the contrary; he is a great conversationalist whether we are discussing professional football, how to fly an airplane, city zoning ordinances or teachers’ unions.

It is this natural curiosity about life that not only makes him a fun person to be around, but has made him a successful entrepreneur. He has parlayed overall knowledge into savvy business practices.

I want to thank Alan for being a good sport with this interview. Hopefully, his successes will inspire others to stretch their wings.

Alan, tell me a bit about your work background.

I have been employed by: a Consulting Engineering Firm, two Architectural firms, a Design-Build Construction firm, a Performance Bonding Company, Municipal Government, a Midwest ISO (Insurance Service Office), and still do some contract consulting work for a small number of clients.
I have started four owner/operator business ventures. One, while successful, ended like a bad dream. Two were very successful, and I’m glad to have had the experience. One is still running, and is successful beyond my wildest dream.

What can you tell us about exactly what you do?

I buy, trade, and sell things on the internet. I also offer a menu of dedicated services to select clients. My offerings and methodology were developed through very hard work and innovation. I consider them my ‘trade secrets’ and not open for discussion.

What circumstances motivated you to seek out your current career?

For nine years I owned and operated a Pawn Shop. I did not want or have any employees, and by the end of the eighth year of operations, I was bored and ready to make a change. My plan was to move my entire business onto the internet, while continuing to operate the shop for a year. Those twelve months would allow my internet business time to “jell-up” and produce the desired income so I could close the shop. The plan worked as designed, so I closed the Pawn Shop. That was my introduction to making money in cyber space.

Would it be impertinent to ask how well you are doing? If yes, would you share anyway ? Six figures?

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

How many years did you struggle before reaching your current success level?

Let’s first apply the word struggle to the correct problem. Although my new form of business had ups and downs, at no time did I really struggle financially. However, I did struggle greatly for a couple of years in other ways. My overall knowledge and experience with ‘HTML’ was near zero, and I didn’t completely understand the finer technical details of “The Ways of the Web.” I struggled with a very steep learning curve and struggled with getting the small details worked out the way I wanted. I spent a lot of energy looking for answers.

What advice would you give to those who are considering an internet career?

Success on the internet is a moving target. It’s not a destination, it’s a continuous journey. If you’re not in it for the long haul, you are not in. The process of commerce on the internet is a major paradigm shift from what one understands as normal. Find the right mindset, do your homework, and follow through.

Any thoughts about all the “Get rich while working at home” solicitations we so often hear?

Most of these systems really did work at one time. (Heavy on the past tense) They no longer produce as advertised mainly due to saturation. See the destination/journey statement above.
Having said that, there are some solid systems out there that will get you started on the right track. Be careful, it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Shop around and find something that fits your needs and keep an eye out for the on-going expenses. It is safe to say you are not going to get something for nothing.

Don’t quit your day job just yet.

Thanks again, Alan.

Failure: The Pathway to Success

Joe Plemon — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 10:01:24 +0000

“Failure and success are polar opposites”.

Right? Isn’t this how most of us think? Failures, we reason, are painted black while successes are painted white. They are two diverse paths; paths that will not and cannot intersect. But we are wrong.

Success, I believe, never happens without passing through the path of failure. Consider:

Before Lucille Ball became famous for “I Love Lucy”, she was dismissed from drama school for being too quiet and shy.

Albert Einstein did poorly in elementary school and failed his first college entrance exam.

Henry Ford went broke five times before achieving success.

Clint Eastwood was once told by a University Pictures executive that his future as an actor was not promising. The man said, “You have a chip on your tooth, your Adam’s apple sticks out too far, and you talk too slow.”

How about you? The question isn’t whether we will fail…we all do. The challenge is to examine the failure, learn from it and move on. Can you do that? Do you do that? If we will start viewing our failures as opportunities, I am certain that we will be able to look back some day and realize that we needed those failures to guide us, force us to re-prioritize our values, assess our strong points and move ahead.

Laying the groundwork

Not everyone turns failures into opportunities. Why? It is quite possible they put all of life’s eggs into the basket of career. We would do well to seed success in several areas of our lives – think “diversification”. Here are some examples:

Marriage

No time management is more important than time with your spouse. Be intentional by blocking out together time in your schedules. Plan and keep dates. Say, “I love you.”

Emotional

When circumstances or people hurt you, allow yourself to experience the emotions instead of internalizing them. Be quick to ask for forgiveness and anxious to grant forgiveness.

Physical

No surprises here: eat healthy food and exercise.

Personal Finance

Whatever your financial status, don’t settle for it. Always be working on and executing a plan to create financial peace.

Spiritual Growth

Spend time every day in prayer and Bible reading. Keeping a close relationship with the Maker of the Universe will keep failures in their proper perspective.

How do I turn this failure into success?

Change your language

Say Opportunity instead of Failure.

Learn

Perform an autopsy on your failure so you can learn exactly why it failed. The oft quoted story is that Thomas Edison, after trying thousands of experiments to refine the incandescent light bulb, was asked by a young reporter, “Mr. Edison, how does it feel to have failed 5000 times?” Edison answered, “Young man, I haven’t failed 5000 times. I have discovered 5000 techniques that don’t work.” If you learn what not to do, next time you will not repeat that mistake.

Don’t be afraid of another failure.

Fear of failure will paralyze you. But realizing that failure is a passageway to success will squelch that fear and motivate you to try again. Mickey Rooney said, “You always pass failure on the way to success.’

Continue to dream.

When your dreams stop, your life loses its purpose. God gives you dreams for a reason: he wants them to come true. Joseph of old had dreams that he would some day rise to prominence. Before he became Prime Minister of Egypt, he was thrown into a cistern, sold into slavery, arrested and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit and lied to by those who could help him. It took 22 years, but God worked through all these seeming detours to fulfill that dream. God has not forgotten your dreams and you shouldn’t either.

Pray

God’s plan for his son Jesus was to allow him to be executed for a crime he did not commit. For some, this would seem like a failure, but of course the death of Jesus was followed by a resurrection, and his resurrection is our promise of eternal life. This same God wants to hear your prayers and “resurrect” your failures into amazing successes.

Concluding thoughts

We all fail. How we deal with failure will determine our life course. The challenge is to see the failure as an opportunity. If you can learn from the failure, squelch your fear of trying again, continue to dream and pray, you will have come far on this journey of life: you will discover yourself.

A closing quote from Pope John XXIII: “Consult not your fears, but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”

Readers: Consider the successes you have had in your life. What failures did you experience on the pathway to those successes?

Work is a Curse and It’s Adam’s Fault…or Is It?

Joe Plemon — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:00:11 +0000

I recently read this comment on the 48 Days blog : “I am a 48 yr.-old career changer who has fallen flat on his face financially after leaving my first career as a CAD operator to pursue my passion of teaching Bible. I’ve invested too much into getting a master’s degree to turn back, so I feel like vocationally I’m back at square one, just starting out. I’ve come to see that seeking after our “dream job” more often than not leads to disappointment and despair–especially as we age and feel we are running out of time. We should rather learn to recognize the value in what we are already doing, and find our contentment in being good at it. Remember, work is part of the curse incurred by Adam’s sin–we are not promised fulfillment in it.”

This man, after leaving one career to pursue a passion, is feeling disappointment and despair when his new career isn’t all he hoped it would be. He feels trapped: he can’t go backward and is running out of time to go forward. So what does he do? He blames Adam.

Is he right?

Should we think of work as a curse that we have to endure – an ongoing punishment from God – with no promise of fulfillment? Well, his claim does have some credibility; after Adam and Eve sinned, God told Adam that his act placed a curse on the ground which would require hard work – tilling, weeding, etc. — in order to grow anything. See Genesis 3: 17-19. However, he was wrong. Here is why:

The ground was cursed, but not work.

Did you get that? Yes, the ground was cursed because of the sin of Adam. But the bible never says that work was cursed. In fact, work is held in high regard throughout scripture.

God worked.

The very fact that God was a worker gives “work” a perspective of creativity, productivity and purpose…never drudgery. Gen 2:2 “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.”

Adam worked before the fall.

God’s original intent for mankind, in a perfect environment, with zero sin, was to work. Again, work is portrayed as a joy, a completion of purpose and a normal part of life. Gen 2: 15 “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”

We will work in heaven.

Isaiah 65:22 is a clear indication that we will work in heaven. Obviously, work in heaven would not be some sort of dreary punishment, but a fulfillment of our eternal purpose. Think about it: if we are going to be doing a labor of love for an eternity, would it not be prudent to discover that labor today and get started now?

But…but…I hate my job!

I realize that all work isn’t fun. Still, Col 3:23,24 is a challenge (to slaves) to “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” The point is this: even if you are not in a dream job; even if your work is menial; even if your boss is a jerk and you are doing what you hate to make ends meet…even then, there is honor in work. In fact, based on this passage, many consider work to be an act of worship. Should you just shrug your shoulders and settle with work you hate? Of course not. But realize this: if you do that work for the Lord, you will honor him.

Concluding thoughts

Some may consider work a curse from God; a lifelong drudgery that we must simply endure. I disagree. God worked to create this world. Adam worked while living in the Garden of Eden. We will all work in heaven. Work is a healthy activity; even work that is menial in nature can be a form of worship.

Work is not a curse. If you think of it as such, I challenge you to work heartily, as for the Lord. You will be greatly rewarded.

Note: you may want to click on this 48 Days link and read the comment thread. The writer of the original comment, after reading what others say, shares some follow up thoughts.

Readers: Do you feel like your work is a curse? If so, are you planning to settle with that mindset or do something about it?

How Does Debt Snowball Work?

Trade the Drudgery of New Year’s Resolutions for the Excitement of Pursuing Your Dreams

Joe Plemon — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 09:00:16 +0000

What are your New Year’s Resolutions this year? A better question is this one: what were they last year? Do you even remember? I realize that many of you are great at making the new year a time to set goals, chart your course, develop a plan and change your life. Good for you. Keep it going!

However, if you are like me, the word “resolution” implies a type of drudgery that zaps my emotional well being, my physical energy and my joy. Working on a resolution is akin to stuffing my cat into the pet carrier; no matter how many legs I stuff in, she unstuffs them just as quickly. Even when she is eventually secured, I am frazzled, exhausted and bloody. Maybe your New Year’s Resolutions aren’t quite that dramatic, but I am guessing you can relate — you grit your teeth and summon up your determination, but deep inside you know that it probably won’t last. Then you console yourself with the knowledge that at least you tried.

Dreams, not resolutions

This year why not try something exciting instead of dreary; something that motivates you instead of requiring all your resolve; something that will gain momentum instead of losing steam? Make 2011 the year you decided to pursue your dreams instead of making any New Year’s resolutions.

These five steps will help:

1. Dream. Is your life in a rut? Zig Ziglar defines a rut as a grave with both ends knocked out. Seriously, are you enthused and passionate about your life? Ask yourself this question, “If money was no object, what would I be doing with my life?” Don’t swallow the myth that you can’t make a living doing what you love. Reality is that people who do what they are passionate about are much more productive than those who have a J-O-B.

2. Plan. If you quit your dead end job cold turkey, you won’t be able to pay your bills. However, you can be making plans to do so. Set a goal to be living that dream within three years and start the transition process today.

3. Learn. Read, read and read more. Offer to buy lunch for someone who is already doing what you dream of. Take notes and learn. The only difference between who you are today and who you will be three years from today is the books you read and the people you meet.

4. Specialize. Avoid the myth of thinking you need to work on your weaknesses. If you are not good at something, it is probably because you don’t have the aptitude or the passion for it. Instead, have fun while specializing in the things you love. If you devote two hours a day to learning more about anything, you will be a world authority on that subject in three years.

5. Go for it. Just as the coefficient of static friction is greater than that of dynamic friction, the hardest part of your journey is getting started. However, once you do, you will gain momentum. Break that negative inertia in your life and get started today.

May this year take you on a path toward your dreams.

Readers: how do you do with your New Year’s Resolutions? What dreams would you like to see fulfilled in your life this year?

Becoming a Stay-at-Home Teacher

Joe Plemon — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:41:54 +0000

This guest post is contributed by Kate Willson, who writes on the topics of best online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: katewillson2@gmail.com.

Your virtual classroom

It is 8:30 a.m. on a Monday morning. While the rest of the nation’s workers are navigating the rush hour traffic en route to their downtown offices, you are still lying comfortably in bed, savoring the remaining quiet hours before your youngest child wakes up and your day officially begins. Today, you will chase your son around the park, watch him negotiate with other young children on who should first go down the playground slide, make him sandwiches for lunch time, and read aloud from his favorite books. But in addition to that, you will also answer student e-mails, put together an intriguing and informative lecture, and grade essays in your digital drop box. You are not only a stay-at-home parent – you are also a stay-at-home teacher.

More Online Students = More Online Teaching Opportunities

The popularity of online college courses has skyrocketed in the past few years, coinciding with the major advancements in computer and Internet technology. In fact, approximately 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in the fall semester of 2009, which is about a one million student increase from the enrollment numbers in 2008, according to the most recent data released from the Sloan Consortium. This has resulted in numerous universities, including traditionally brick-and-mortar institutions like Boston University and Texas A&M University, to bump up their efforts to offer college courses and entire degree programs online. Due to the increasing push for schools to offer more and more online courses, there is also a renewed demand for quality instructors to teach those courses. Teachers who had previously left teaching in order to be a parent at home can take advantage of these new online teaching opportunities, as it will allow them to continue teaching, earn extra income, as well as continue being a stay-at-home parent. You can even teach classes for prestigious universities without having to ever relocate or leave your home.

Do You Qualify?

To qualify to teach an online college course, you must first meet all of the qualifications to teach a traditional classroom-based college course. This means that if you endeavor to teach an online course for a community college, you will need at least a master’s degree in education or the field that you want to teach. To teach at a college or university, you will need at least a doctoral degree in education or in the field you want to teach. In addition, you must have plenty of experience with using a computer and the Internet because those will be your main tools for teaching. While you do not need to know how to take your computer apart and put it back together or how to write and code a program, you will need to know how to put together multimedia lectures, use platforms like Blackboard and Moodle, and communicate with your students through message boards, e-mail, and instant messaging. If you meet all of these requirements, you may become the instructor of your own virtual classroom.

Some Salary Parameters

Salaries for online professors vary depending on the school and the department, as well as the professor’s other classes. For example, a professor who teaches both an online and an on-campus class will likely earn the same salary as other traditional professors, which is about $58,830 annually, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Professors who only teach online courses typically earn half of what classroom teachers make, though this is not always the case. The best way to find out exactly what you will earn from teaching at a particular institution is to contact them directly.

Getting Started

Before you are hired or immediately after you get the job, most schools will require you to attend a seminar or training course to learn how to use the school’s online education platform. In this seminar, you will learn how to set up your reading materials and assignments, how to receive your assignments, how to grade assignments and general details on navigating the online education platform. Some of these seminars may be conducted online as well so that you will not have to physically travel to attend and learn. Before you begin teaching, you will also want to ensure that your computer is up-to-date in terms of operating software as well so that you can best take advantage of delivering education through the Internet.

Set Realistic Expectations

However, remember that being a teacher, even one of a virtual classroom, will be demanding. You will need to put serious thought and effort into designing your curriculum and lectures, spend hours of the day grading and answering student inquiries, and anything else the class may demand. Yet, just the fact that all of this rewarding work can be done while you are at home looking over your child may be reason enough to consider teaching an online college class.

References cited:
Sloan Consortium online enrollment figures
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Readers: Have you taken online classes? Do you teach online classes? We would love to hear of your experiences.

Four Ways a Part Time Job Will Change Your Life Forever

Joe Plemon — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0000

A part time job will help you dig OUT of a hole

If you associate “part time job” with drudgery, exhaustion and meaningless toil, this article is not for you. The right part time job, however, done with purpose and parameters, can be a life changing experience.

Read on for four ways a part time job can change your life forever.

1. Dump debt

Purpose: to focus your energy for a defined time period on getting out of debt.
Tip: Set a specific time frame goal, hopefully of 24 months or less. Why 24 months? Because you will be able to follow through with sacrificial living if you know it is only for a set time. Two years is long enough for huge accomplishments, but short enough to see the end.
How: This is down and dirty math to help you set your course: add up all debt other than your mortgage. Divide that total by 24 to get monthly payment. Subtract what you are currently paying to get the additional amount needed from a part time job. Now divide by whatever hourly rate you can earn to discover how many hours you need to be working each month. For example, if you have $30,000 debt, you will need to pay (depending on interest rates) at least $1250 a month for two years to make it disappear. If your current payments are $650 monthly, you will need an additional $600 for two years. At $15 per hour, you would need to work part time 40 hours a month, or 10 hours a week for two years.
Someone who did it: Steve and Kim Llorens made a $150,000 positive swing in their finances in three years without selling any possessions over $2,000 and without receiving any windfalls. How? Steve worked evenings at Kroger and Kim (a teacher) took on extra tutoring work. Source: “Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey

2. Change careers

Purpose: to transition from a dead end career to one you are passionate about.
Tip: Buy lunch for someone who is successfully doing what you aspire to do. Take a notebook and interview this person to learn how to start and what to expect. Of course, if this is a competitive field, you would want to travel outside the radius of competition.
How: Learn and network, learn and network, then learn and network some more. The only difference between who you are today and who you will be five years from today is what you learn and who you meet. Once you learn enough to try it on your own, get started part time. You may even get your foot in a door by volunteering. Set a goal of two, three or four years to be earning enough to be able to leave your existing job.
Someone who did it: In his post “How to Make Money With a Blog”, Bob Lotich of Christian PF shares his two year journey from his corporate desk job to becoming a full time blogger.

3. Become self employed

Purpose: to continue the same career, but transition from working for someone else to working for yourself.
Tip: Be considerate of your current employer. Good communication is important, but may also get you fired if he thinks you are going to be competing with him. Also, be aware of the wording in any “non-compete” agreements you may have signed when you began at your current position.
How: Assuming you have cleared possible obstacles with your current employer, start finding your own clients. This will be your part time job. Your goal will be to build up your own business to the point where you can make it on your own. Go into this knowing that you will be working nearly two full time jobs before you will be able to leave your original one.
Someone who did it: I have a friend who was a bookkeeper for an automobile agency. She communicated openly with her boss about her desire to open her own bookkeeping firm and, because she was forthright and because her new venture would not be competing with his business, he was quite supportive. In fact, he let her transition from five days a week to four days a week as she was building her own business. Eventually, she was able to turn in her resignation, train her replacement and go solo. She is doing well and loving it.

4. Pay for college education

Purpose: to graduate from college with zero debt.
Tip: Try to find a part time job in the same field of your study. Your work will have more meaning, you will be building your resume and you will be networking for that post graduate job. Consider a co-op work program.
How: Plan to be very tired (and free of debt) when you graduate from college. You need to plan on working two jobs every summer and one part time job during the school year.
Someone who did it: Kevin, an R & D Engineer and the guy behind Invest it Wisely, shares in his Yakezie member post how, other than some tuition help from his grandmother, he worked and paid his own way through college.

Concluding thoughts

If you are considering a part time job, understand exactly what you are trying to accomplish before you start. The right job, done in the right way, can change your life. Dumping debt, transitioning to a new career, becoming self employed and paying for your college education are four great examples.

When has a part time job been a great benefit for you? When was it an exercise in futility? What other great reasons for part time jobs can you think of?

photo credit: David Boyle in DC

18 Tips for Getting Through College Debt Free

Joe Plemon — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:06:52 +0000

I want to thank Omar Adams for contributing this guest post. Omar writes on the topic of online accounting degree . He welcomes your comments at his email id: omaradams47@gmail.com.

When you leave college, there are many things you would love to take with you – a degree, good grades, great friends,

a collection of memories, and much more. The one thing you would not want is the burden of debt hanging over your head. However, many college students graduate with a debt problem that will weigh them down for years to come – not only student loan debt but also credit card debt. Don’t buy into the myth that everyone graduates with tons of debt. Everyone doesn’t and you don’t have to. It is entirely possible to get through college debt free if you do some planning and preparation, starting while you are in high school.

Following these tips will help:

When in high school:

1. Work hard at securing good grades so you’re accepted to college on a scholarship.

2. Look around for scholarship options and work on qualifying for them.

3. Get a job and save money towards your tuition fees.

4. Talk to your parents, grandparents and other relatives and ask them to put aside money towards your education instead of buying presents on your birthday and other occasions.

5. Take college level or advanced placement classes – you would have to give up your free time and work harder, but it’s worth it if you’re able to afford college tuition without having to take out a loan.

6. CLEP (College Level Examination Program) tests help you skip general requirement courses in college – they’re cost effective and they help you finish college faster.

When in college:

7. Choose to study at a community college for the general part of your education. You could transfer to another school to complete the rest of your degree, thus making the whole exercise cheaper.

8. Choose a college near home so you can live at home and save tons of money.

9. If you are moving away, find campus accommodation early enough so you don’t have to shell out extra to find digs outside – when you live off campus, you have to spend more on commuting to and fro as well.

10. Cram more courses into a year so you can graduate early – every extra year you stay in college adds to your expenses.

11. Work at a part-time job, on or off campus.

12. Make a budget and live on it. This habit will not only help you during your college years but will serve you for the rest of your life.

13. Don’t use your credit card for frivolous expenses.

14. Pay off your credit card and other bills in full every month. Never make only the minimum payments.

15. Don’t spend more money than you have – it’s simple financial sense but most students never follow it.

16. Avoid partying if you cannot afford it – just because your friends are doing it doesn’t mean you have to. Instead, use your creativity to figure out how to have cheap fun. You are a smart college student. Right? Prove it!

17. Booze and cigarettes are not just bad for your health; they deplete your finances as well. Leave them alone.

18. When you go out with friends, go Dutch – pay for your share. You might want to pay for your friends as well, but it’s not worth going deeper in debt for.

Your goal, of course, is to avoid all college debt, so before signing up, ask yourself “Are Student Loans worth it?“. If you answer yes, keep the sum to the minimum amount possible at the minimum interest, and pay it off at the earliest before the interest starts to accrue. Living frugally in college is difficult, especially when everyone around you seems to be living it up, but staying within your means is the only way to graduate debt free. You can do it.

Readers: were you able to graduate debt free? What additional tips do you have?

photo credit: stoic

Twenty Christians Who Have Changed Our World

Joe Plemon — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:40:19 +0000

We all dream of being financially solvent. Right? But deep inside we all know that there is more to life than relief from financial stress. I believe that all of us want our lives to count for something – to make a difference in the world we live in. Therefore, I am sharing this “honor roll” of Christians who, over the centuries, have done just that: change their world. Hopefully you will be inspired to do likewise.

The following information is from a pamphlet by Rose Publishing entitled “What Christianity has Done For the World”. The achievements are categorized as indicated. Enjoy.

The Value of Each Human Being

1. Justinian (483-565) Byzantine emperor who had his jurists prepare the Justinian Code, which clearly condemned abortion and infanticide as illegal.

2. George Mueller (1805-98) Born in Prussia. Mueller was an evangelist who established orphanages in Bristol, England after a cholera epidemic. For the next 60 years, he cared for more than 10,000 orphaned and abandoned children.

3. Eric Liddell (1902-1945) Scottish athlete and Christian popularized by the movie “Chariots of Fire”. Born in China to missionary parents, Liddell returned to China after winning an Olympic gold medal in 1924. He taught in an Anglo-Chinese school and died in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.

4. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) Baptist minister who spoke in support of fair and equal treatment for African Americans in the United States during the 1960’s. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

Freedom, Social Reform and Education

5. William Wilberforce (1759-1833) Christian abolitionist who also served as a member of England’s House of Commons. Wilberforce campaigned tirelessly for the abolition of slavery beginning in 1789. Forty four years later, just before his death, he learned that Parliament passed the Abolition Act, by which 700,000 slaves were set free. Wilberforce’s efforts were chronicled in the film, “Amazing Grace.”

6. William Penn(1644-1718) a Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania, “treated the Indians with Christian charity and justice”. Penn called Pennsylvania “the Holy Experiment” living at peace with the Native Americans in the area.

7. Boethius (480-525) As a Roman nobleman, Boethius was one of the best educated men of his time. His mathematics were used in early universities and his life goal was to translate all of the Greek philosophy and classic literature into Latin. He wrote thousands of documents, including his Consolations of Philosophy, which would become the most read book of the Middle Ages.

8. Robert Raikes (1736-1811) Remembered as the founder of the Sunday School movement, Raikes, of Gloucester, England, sought to provide Christian education for poor children and children who would otherwise not receive a biblical education.

Science and Medicine

9. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer who proposed the heliocentric model (planets revolving around the sun).

10. Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) German astronomer and accomplished scientist who coined the phrase, “Thinking God’s thoughts after him”. Kepler’s Astonomia Nova (The New Astronomy, 1609) presents two key laws of astronomy – the elliptical orbit of planets and the law that planets do not move at a uniform speed.

George Washington Carver

11. Isaac Newton (1642-1727) English physicist and mathematician whose many accomplishments include the discovery of the law of gravity and the invention of calculus.

12. George Washington Carver (1864-1943) An African-American chemist (his parents were slaves) was awarded the Roosevelt Medal in 1939 for his research on peanuts and sweet potatoes. The medal read, in part, “To a scientist humbly seeking the guidance of God…”

The Arts

13. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) A dedicated Christian who contributed much to the world of music. Bach, a prolific composer, wrote sacred music, dedicating his efforts to the glory of God. His mastery of musical counterpoint remains admired and imitated today.

14. Michelangelo (1475-1564) Italian Renaissance artist is remembered for his many biblically inspired works of art, including the sculpture of David, his painting of the Sistine Chapel in Rome and “The Last Judgment”. Michelangelo “believed that spiritual value could be found in all natural beauty.”

15. George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) German born composer, wrote the admired oratorio “Messiah” in a matter of weeks. Handel offered genuine innovations to musical form with his unique uses of the chorus (the “Hallelujah” chorus from Messiah is perhaps his best known work).

Rembrandt

16. Rembrandt (1606-1669) Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn was one of the world’s greatest painters and is known for his many biblical words including “Return of the Prodigal Son”.

Literature and Philosophy

17. John Milton (1608-1674) was a Puritan who penned “Paradise Lost” which recounts the Fall of Man and is considered a masterpiece of epic English literature.

18. Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) Stowe’s vivid portrayal of slavery in her classic book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” later caused Abraham Lincoln to remark, “So this is the little lady who caused the great war”.

19. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) Russian author and historian as well as recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in literature, wrote about the Soviet labor camps (the Gulag) and was later exiled from Russia.

20 &21. J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis Two 20th century English writers who penned some of the most popular works of fantasy in print; Tolkien “The Lord of the Rings” and Lewis “The Chronicles of Narnia”.

There: you have it. Are you inspired to go out and change your world? Today would be a great day to start.

I realize this list is quite incomplete. Who would you add?

photo credit: bark

How to Partner Without Creating a Partnership

Joe Plemon — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:54:10 +0000

Two friends recently asked me for some ideas on how they could work together in their businesses without creating a partnership. “Why?” you may ask, “did they not want a partnership?” Good question, but let me preface my answer by saying that because of confidentiality, I will be intentionally vague as to the nature of the business and the individuals involved. OK? The answer is that one of them had had a bad experience with a previous partnership.

Some of those problems with the partnership were:

What rates to charge.

While both partners generally charged the same rates, one would occasionally undercut the other to get more business.

Who owned the equipment?

When either partner bought equipment to use in the business, did the partnership own the equipment or did each individual own his own equipment?

Who used whose equipment?

Again, more confusion. If they couldn’t agree on who owned the equipment, they also struggled with clarity about the use of the equipment.

How to divide assets when one moves away.

This happened and it was a problem. When the one who moved took some of the equipment with him, hard feelings resulted. After all, no one really knew whose equipment it was in the first place.

Bigger issues with the partnership.

By now, I am sure you are thinking, “This partnership was a train wreck waiting to happen”. I don’t disagree. They jumped into it like many who jump into marriage: without thinking, negotiating or agreeing on the basic issues of the partnership.

But there was also a bigger problem: lack of incentive for success.

I realize that this problem stemmed from a breakdown of trust, but the fact is, as partners, neither was highly motivated for success because each felt that whatever they accomplished was compromised by having to share it with the partner.

Our goal

OK. Now you have a little background. Understand I am not an attorney; just a guy with some common sense. Our goal was to create a win – win relationship in which each was able to draw from the skills of the other while individually growing his own business as a sole proprietor. The underlying theme was that each would be rewarded by how well he did in his business, but neither would be hurt if the other did not do so well. Like I said, this is but a start, but in our initial two hour meeting, I think we did all right.

For sake of clarity, lets call these two Jack and John.

Here is a cursory list of items agreed to:

Each will charge the same rates. No exceptions for “friends”.

Jack will be responsible for all building expenses. Note: a building is a key part of the business, but not essential for all business transactions.

John will pay Jack a percentage of all his business income, whether John is using the building or not.

When doing joint projects, the one who booked the work will be paid by the client and then pay the other an agreed percentage from the proceeds.

Jack and John agreed that one may pay the other to do specialized work on a case by case basis.Background: each has special skills that complement the other’s skills in the business.

These percentages and case by case payment arrangements will be tried for a two month period and then reviewed and renegotiated at that time.

The building (it is a big one) may be rented out by the hour or by the day, with Jack receiving the proceeds.

Each will buy, maintain and use his own equipment.

I should note that both felt very positive and upbeat about this arrangement.

I know it is a very simple agreement, but it seems to match our goal of creating a win – win relationship while allowing each to operate as a sole proprietor.

What do you think? Is this too simple? What problems do you think could arise?

Creating Memories Update /Roundup