Unemployment Lies and Deception

Unemployment Lies and Deception (didnt mean to rant when I first started this but this stuff really bugs me) Im in Utah, which is where this article comes from: Utah unemployment rate drops to 6.3 percent.  I clicked over because I find anything under 9% to be remarkable. I recently read that Detroits Unemployment Rate is Nearly 50%, According to the Detroit News (and here is the Detroit News link). Which seems more believable?  6.3% or 50%? In Utah, a state economist is giving the number, and the article even says this may mark a turning point in the states economic recovery. This bothers me (more on that later). In Detroit, the mayor said (click the link to see it there) the citys official unemployment rate was as believable as Santa Claus.  (sorry for the spoiler on next weeks main event) Who is to believe, the state economist  with the good news, or the mayor of a city (an elected official) with the grim thought? Surprisingly, Im siding with the elected official.  To the state employees defense, though, he is only reporting on a certain kind of statistic that was predefined so hes just doing his job. THIS STATISTIC (unemployment rate) IS FLAWED, MISLEADING, AND DECEPTIVE. To the average Joe or Jane Worker, the unemployment rate seems to be the number of people who cant get a job. Unfortunately, the way unemployment is measured, its not that simple.  The official unemployment rate does not take into consideration those who gave up the job search more than a year ago, which, according to the Detroit News, could be more than 100,000 potential workers in Detroit. 100,000 workers.  And their families, and other dependents.  And their bill collectors. Why are they left out of the unemployment numbers? As far as I know, unemployment numbers are based on those who are reporting to the government those who are collecting unemployment insurance. Guess what unemployment insurance RUNS OUT.  And then, you are so worthless, you arent even counted as a statistic!  You are essentially written off the books. Yeah, this really gets under my skin. And we arent even talking about UNDEREMPLOYED people!! I gotta stop blogging because this makes me so mad but Ill leave it with this one thought: Aside from the sad fact that there are human beings on the other side of these numbers, the scary thing is that the government is making decisions based on these numbers.  Unemployment rising or lowering is virtually meaningless to me, as it paints an incomplete picture. angry! Unemployment Lies and Deception (didnt mean to rant when I first started this but this stuff really bugs me) Im in Utah, which is where this article comes from: Utah unemployment rate drops to 6.3 percent.  I clicked over because I find anything under 9% to be remarkable. I recently read that Detroits Unemployment Rate is Nearly 50%, According to the Detroit News (and here is the Detroit News link). Which seems more believable?  6.3% or 50%? In Utah, a state economist is giving the number, and the article even says this may mark a turning point in the states economic recovery. This bothers me (more on that later). In Detroit, the mayor said (click the link to see it there) the citys official unemployment rate was as believable as Santa Claus.  (sorry for the spoiler on next weeks main event) Who is to believe, the state economist  with the good news, or the mayor of a city (an elected official) with the grim thought? Surprisingly, Im siding with the elected official.  To the state employees defense, though, he is only reporting on a certain kind of statistic that was predefined so hes just doing his job. THIS STATISTIC (unemployment rate) IS FLAWED, MISLEADING, AND DECEPTIVE. To the average Joe or Jane Worker, the unemployment rate seems to be the number of people who cant get a job. Unfortunately, the way unemployment is measured, its not that simple.  The official unemployment rate does not take into consideration those who gave up the job search more than a year ago, which, according to the Detroit News, could be more than 100,000 potential workers in Detroit. 100,000 workers.  And their families, and other dependents.  And their bill collectors. Why are they left out of the unemployment numbers? As far as I know, unemployment numbers are based on those who are reporting to the government those who are collecting unemployment insurance. Guess what unemployment insurance RUNS OUT.  And then, you are so worthless, you arent even counted as a statistic!  You are essentially written off the books. Yeah, this really gets under my skin. And we arent even talking about UNDEREMPLOYED people!! I gotta stop blogging because this makes me so mad but Ill leave it with this one thought: Aside from the sad fact that there are human beings on the other side of these numbers, the scary thing is that the government is making decisions based on these numbers.  Unemployment rising or lowering is virtually meaningless to me, as it paints an incomplete picture. angry! Unemployment Lies and Deception (didnt mean to rant when I first started this but this stuff really bugs me) Im in Utah, which is where this article comes from: Utah unemployment rate drops to 6.3 percent.  I clicked over because I find anything under 9% to be remarkable. I recently read that Detroits Unemployment Rate is Nearly 50%, According to the Detroit News (and here is the Detroit News link). Which seems more believable?  6.3% or 50%? In Utah, a state economist is giving the number, and the article even says this may mark a turning point in the states economic recovery. This bothers me (more on that later). In Detroit, the mayor said (click the link to see it there) the citys official unemployment rate was as believable as Santa Claus.  (sorry for the spoiler on next weeks main event) Who is to believe, the state economist  with the good news, or the mayor of a city (an elected official) with the grim thought? Surprisingly, Im siding with the elected official.  To the state employees defense, though, he is only reporting on a certain kind of statistic that was predefined so hes just doing his job. THIS STATISTIC (unemployment rate) IS FLAWED, MISLEADING, AND DECEPTIVE. To the average Joe or Jane Worker, the unemployment rate seems to be the number of people who cant get a job. Unfortunately, the way unemployment is measured, its not that simple.  The official unemployment rate does not take into consideration those who gave up the job search more than a year ago, which, according to the Detroit News, could be more than 100,000 potential workers in Detroit. 100,000 workers.  And their families, and other dependents.  And their bill collectors. Why are they left out of the unemployment numbers? As far as I know, unemployment numbers are based on those who are reporting to the government those who are collecting unemployment insurance. Guess what unemployment insurance RUNS OUT.  And then, you are so worthless, you arent even counted as a statistic!  You are essentially written off the books. Yeah, this really gets under my skin. And we arent even talking about UNDEREMPLOYED people!! I gotta stop blogging because this makes me so mad but Ill leave it with this one thought: Aside from the sad fact that there are human beings on the other side of these numbers, the scary thing is that the government is making decisions based on these numbers.  Unemployment rising or lowering is virtually meaningless to me, as it paints an incomplete picture. angry!

Connecting on LinkedIn is Like Asking for a Date - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Connecting on LinkedIn is Like Asking for a Date - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Have you considered that when you are connecting on LinkedIn you should follow the same rules that you used when you asked for a date? I have been married for over thirty years. I only vaguely remember those awkward feelings when asking for a date. I do remember that I did not want to be rejected, ignored or dumped. When you are connecting on LinkedIn, consider the following: How do you know this person? Did you meet at a conference or meeting? Did you read an article on their website? Did you comment on their blog? Is it a personal or a virtual relationship? Why do you want to create a connection on LinkedIn with this person? Do you want to network with this person? Do they work at a company that you are targeting? Can they introduce you to decision makers? Can they help you get your next job? Do you think they are doing interesting work and would like to connect personally? Is there anything you can do for them? People rarely do this but if there is something reciprocal in nature to the connection mention it. Why are you asking for the date… eerr.. connecting on LinkedIn? How do you know the connection? When you connect you have seven options for categorizing the connection. Colleague â€" You work with now or did work with the person in the past. Folks be honest. Classmate â€" We went to school together or at the very least went to the same University. We have done business together. Friends â€" Pretty obvious Groups â€" We belong to the same LinkedIn group.   This is a very powerful way to connect. Other â€" You will have to provide the connection’s e-mail address. I do not know xxx â€" If you specify this you will get a nasty pop up message saying “Invitations should only be sent to people you know personally.“ Use the one that is true and honest. When you ask for a date you know you should be authentic and put your best foot forward. When connecting on LinkedIn be authentic! Do not tell me we worked together when we have not! Do not tell me we are friends when we just met for two minutes at a networking event. What if none of them are true?   What if you just met at a conference very briefly, you work at different companies, you did not go to the same school and you do not have any groups in common? I use the most powerful aspect of LinkedIn â€" LinkedIn Groups I just met Mary at a conference and I have her business cards with her e-mail address, I could connect with her using the friend option and explain where we met.  Well that is not really true. Would I call up Mary and tell her I was her friend? That is like going immediately to a second date and skipping the first date. What should I do instead, is check out Mary’s LinkedIn profile to see what groups she participates on LinkedIn. I will typically pick two groups that makes sense for me to belong and join them. Why two groups? I do not know how long it will take to be approved. Once I have been approved to one of her groups, I will write a connection request like the following: Mary, It was great meeting you at XYZ conference. (notice I specify where we met). I looked at your profile and saw that you belonged to ABC LinkedIn group. I just joined this group. It looks like I can learn a few things and contribute a bit in the group. I look forward to meeting you again and corresponding about EFG (whatever we talked about at the conference). I would enjoy continuing the conversation. (Give Mary a reason to stay engaged) Please accept this invitation to connect. Marc Miller This invitation quickly tells Mary: Where we met What we have in common Gives her a reason to stay connected I am a real person and not just sending out SPAM This is using the same tactics that men have used for years. If you want to meet a girl, you hang around those groups, classes, clubs,… where the girls you want to meet congregate. In this case, you join a LinkedIn group. I am dropping all of the little hints that I like you and would like to get to know you. I want to go out on a date….eerrr… I want to network with you. If she has no groups that makes sense to join then connect as a friend but explain that in the connection request. Be authentic, personable and most importantly tell me how we know each other! If you want a date, …errr… connecting on LinkedIn, then you should behave just like you are asking for a date! Give it a try and let me know how it works! Author: Marc Miller is the founder of Career Pivot which helps Baby Boomers design careers they can grow into for the next 30 years. Marc authored the book Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers, published in January 2013, which has been featured on Forbes.com, US News and World Report, CBS Money-Watch and PBS’ Next Avenue. Marc has made six career pivots himself, serving in several positions at IBM in addition to working at Austin, Texas startups, teaching math in an inner-city high school and working for a local non-profit. Learn more about Marc and Career Pivot by visiting the Career Pivot Blog or follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.

How to Get Your Ideas to Go Viral - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Get Your Ideas to Go Viral - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Speaking in front of any group of people is truly nerve-wracking. You may question whether you’ll remember everything you wanted to say, or get so overwhelmed that you completely forget  major points. You may loose sleep over whether the audience will be receptive to your ideas. Many people have great ideas but few bring them to the masses and are able to execute them so others can benefit from them. Too often we give up on our ideas and assume that success is for other people, those who are  smarter, more connected, more capable or financially secure. The truth is that great ideas only get known to the masses when they are properly presented and when influencers help spread them. Nancy Duarte, author of the recent HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations, says that the most powerful device known to man is an idea. “A single idea from the human mind; it can start a groundswell, a flashpoint for a movement, and it can rewrite the future”. But, an idea is powerless if it stays inside of you. The only difference between an idea that is adopted and an idea that dies is the way it is communicated. Changing the world starts with a compelling story The  most effective way to convey an idea is through a story. There’s something captivating  about a story structure that makes it so that when it’s well constructed it can be ingested and recalled by the person receiving it. Duarte says, When a story is told, the heart quickens. When a presentation is told, the heart flat-lines. Her research  addresses the question, Why do we sit with rapt attention at a story, but are bored with a presentation? Stories have a definite shape: Great Communicators use this shape Duarte says that a great story has an arc that starts with a beginning that paints a picture of the audience’s current world, then what could be, back to what is, and then what could be until theirs what she refers to as a new bliss. This is the turning point in the story where something unexpected happens that surprises and involves the audience. How to captivate an audience Be audience-centric Take  the time to understand  your  audiences perspective and develop all your material from a place of empathy toward them. You’re asking them to adopt your idea, which means they may have to abandon a belief they hold as true â€" and that’s hard. So, know your audience â€" imagine what it would be like to be them. What are their biggest worries? What are their biases that could cause them  to resist your message? How do they prefer to spend their time?  What do they read, what music do they listen to, who are their influencers? Most presenters are pressed for time and prepare their  content rapidly, which results in making  the material about their own narrow perspective. By switching  that paradigm to an audience-centric approach, your material will resonate and the audience can feel a deeper connection to you and your material. Duarte says, you need to understand your role in the presentation. So many people feel like they’re the central figure â€" kind of like the hero of the story â€" because they’re the one talking the most. But in reality, your role is that of a mentor â€" you should be giving the audience a magical gift or a special tool, or helping them get unstuck in some way. You have to defer to your audience. When you put your idea out there for an audience to contend with â€" if they reject your idea, your idea will die. You have to think of it as, “The speaker needs the audience more than the audience needs the speaker.” Then you’ll start to approach a material with your audience in mind â€" you’ll have more of a stance of humility than one of arrogance. That will help you create the kind of movement needed to get your idea to spread. And then she points out the importance of  wrapping your content in story. A story serves like the sugarcoating on the outside of a pill in some ways â€" it just makes it go down easier. If you look at preliterate generations for thousands and thousands of years, stories would pass down from generation  to generation    and stay almost completely intact. Yet, a lot of people can’t remember the last presentation they sat through. So, using principles of story â€" the tension, build up and release that happens in a story â€" that’s what will help persuade the audience toward your idea. What is the best way to start creating a presentation? Duarte advises not to not start in PowerPoint. Presentation tools force you to think through information linearly, and you really need to start by thinking of the whole instead of the individual lines. I encourage people to use 3×5 note cards or sticky notes â€" write one idea per note. I tape mine up on the wall and then study them. Then I arrange them and rearrange them â€" just work and work until the structure feels sound. And from that sound structure, you start to fill it in using a presentation tool. Why Videos go Viral? Ted Allocca, trends manager at YouTube says that videos go viral once they’re picked up by what he calls “tastemakers”. Tastemakers, creative participating communities,  complete unexpectedness,  these are characteristics of a new kind of media and a new kind of culture  where anyone has access  and the audience defines the popularity.  For example, Justin Bieber,  got his start on YouTube.  We all feel some ownership  in our own pop culture and as participants we shape who becomes famous based on what we share. Last year, Bear Vasquez (better known as Yosemite Mountain) posted this video  that he had shot outside his home in Yosemite National Park.  In 2010, it was viewed 23 million times.  He just wanted to share a rainbow.  Prior to this post, he had posted lots of nature videos that didn’t go viral.  This video had actually been posted  almost a year before it got noticed.  So what happened here?  Jimmy Kimmel posted this tweet  that would eventually propel the video to be as popular as it would become.  Because tastemakers like Jimmy Kimmel  introduce us to new and interesting things  and bring them to a larger audience. Making a great presentation and making ideas go viral go hand and hand. You need to believe in your idea, know your audience, pull them in so their interested and then be lucky enough to have a tastemaker notice your idea so they share it with a larger audience. Through the audience’s generosity of sharing, your idea could spread and become useful to the masses. That is if you have the interest in tuning into what interests your audience and presenting so they want to hear it. No one needs to give you a green light to create a video that goes viral. If you create enough of them and they peak the interest of an influencer, you too could become the next sensation.

Networking Tips from the Godfather - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Networking Tips from the Godfather - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In the opening scene of the 1972 classic, The Godfather, Don Corleone (The Godfather) and Bonasera (the undertaker) engage in a conversation around favors.  Bonasera desires justice to be served on the young men who assaulted his daughter. After some discussion, Don Corleone agrees to punish the guilty and in return, he informs Bonasera,  Someday, and that day may never come, Ill call upon you to do a service for me. This famous scene delivers a powerful lesson about networking etiquette. Ignore the type of service that Don Corleone is willing to provide instead, focus on the foundation of the agreement. One individual is willing to assist another who is in need, and in return an offer is made to reciprocate in the future. This willingness to reciprocate is vitally important to ones success in networking. In my networking efforts, I always offer at the end of the conversation or email,  If I can be of assistance to you, I would be happy to repay the kindness you have extended me.    Most of the time, as the Godfather indicated, that day may never come,  though I know individuals appreciated the offer of assistance should they need me. People whom I reach out to for help understand that I am willing to help them as well it has become part of who I am and how I am known. You could say, it has become part of my professional brand. Some unemployed individuals, recent graduates, or current students will often question what they can offer to a networking contact.  The most common requests I have heard made by a networking contact to a  mentee, are: Helping in staffing an alumni club event (if networking through an alumni chapter) Meeting with someone in the future who is in the job search to relay strategies/advice Speaking with a son/daughter about college (especially true for students who are networking with alumni) Introduction to a professional you know/are connected to Two years ago I met with a young man who was on the swim team at the university where I worked. I helped him with a resume, gave him tips on networking, provided access to online resources, etc. and at the end of the meeting, I asked him for tips on swimming as I swam as part of an exercise routine. He was able to assist me with a need (improving my swimming technique) in an area where he had expertise. He was able to reciprocate. You never know how you may be able to provide a service  for someone in need as long as you are willing to reciprocate with an offer of assistance in the future, it is an offer that even Don Corleone couldnt refuse!

4 Simple Ways to Connect with People Instantly CareerMetis.com

4 Simple Ways to Connect with People Instantly â€" CareerMetis.com Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comWhether you are meeting new people or you want to strengthen your existing relationships, these powerful tips are all you have to do to fully connect with them.1) Show Your Best Face!evalAnimals use body language and have some ways to show that they are friendly. For example, when your cat purrs in your presence, it’s showing affection to you.People also have ways to show their intentions. Since ancient times, whenever we meet a stranger, the idea is to show that we don’t pose any danger to him. This is when you have to smile, to show others that you are friendly and that you are not dangerous.evalTherefore, when meeting a new person, always remember to show him your best faceâ€"just smile! This is the perfect way to communicate your friendly intentions and have the opportunity to connect and cooperate with that person.2) Don’t Forget the Person’s Name!Your name is the most beautiful sound that you can ever hear, says Dale Carnegie, an expert in com munication. Your unconscious mind makes it possible for you to be able to recognize your name pronounced against a very noisy background. For other people, it is hard to remember it sometimes.Most people have a hard time remembering the name of a person they’ve just met. They don’t have a clue why that might happen to them. The answer is simple: when you meet someone new for the first time, you might be busy with your impressions, thoughts, or considering what you are going to say; and therefore, you don’t take any effort to memorize the newly learned name. But, there is a simple solution for that, as you will see below.As with most things in learning, repetition is the key and brings confidence. There are many methods to memorize names, but let’s keep it simple. If you repeat it enough times, it will go deep into your mind. That’s it. So, the best thing you can do is to start using their name right away.In this way, it will promptly begin creating connections in your brai n and get associated with that person instantly. The idea is to start a conversation with the new person and continuously repeat that name. The new person will feel nice, and you will remember the name forever!I think it has happened to everyone. You have met a person several times, and that person forgets your name or uses a wrong name. How would you feel in that situation? Maybe you think the person is silly or plain impolite.Never commit that mistake yourself. Be sure to remember their name using the technique explained here and your connection to other people will skyrocket!3) Practice the Art of ListeningevalHave you ever felt the urgent need to speak and share your experiences when someone else is talking? Sometimes people wait “for their turn” to speak their minds and, instead of listening, they are just rehearsing in their mind what they are going to say. Due to that, we don’t listen to what the other person is talking, and the result is two people talking two parallel conversations.There is a lost art called “the art of listening.” Notice that people seem to be eager to share their experiences. To use that in your conversations, you need to be attentive and ask questions. Instead of being “waiting for your turn,” you need to listen and ask questions to clarify what the other person is trying to say.If you do that, in a few minutes your interlocutor might be telling you some fascinating stories, and everyone will want to connect with you all the time.4) Pay a ComplimentPeople love compliments but giving one is no easy task. You need to use the right tone, be honest and say something that expresses the other person’s strengths.evalGiving compliments seems hard, but if you follow some general principles, you will succeed in that task. Most people say very trivial and superficial things, stating the obvious, like complimenting a nice haircut, the color of the eyes, etc. Those compliments are very generalized and thus, not personal at all. They don’t impress anybody.The most important guideline here is straightforward: BE HONEST. When giving a compliment, you need to be sincere. The key is to point out things that the person is very good at â€"their strengths. In this way, you don’t have to make up or invent anything; you need to concentrate and find something good about the other person and say it nicely and effectively.The better you are giving compliments, the quicker you’ll be getting new relationships.evalCONCLUSIONThe four tips to connect with people instantly, and make a good first impression:Show your best faceDon’t forget the person’s namePractice the art of listeningPay a complimentP.S. Have you tried using the four tips? Did you see any difference in your connection with people and how they reacted to you? We would love to hear from you.