Millions of unemployed workers are searching for ways to bring in payday cash. The unemployment rate remains high and job creation is still in the beginning stages. Although the government is proposing more tax breaks for companies willing to start hiring, the laws are not likely to go into effect until late this year. In the meantime, unemployed workers are left to manage on their own.

Some good news

Despite the state of the economy, there is some good news. Companies are hiring and some of them are paying well. At least 500 job openings were posted in January of 2010, and job availability shows signs of increasing as the year progresses.

Edward Jones. Edward Jones is a company of financial advisors. The organization is looking for “self-starters” who know how to predict customers’ financial need. Their main goal is to build customer-centric managers who understand how serving clients is the key to building long-term business. According to a spokeswoman for the company, Regina DeLuca-Imral, “affability” is the number one asset an applicant can bring to the table.

Wegmans Food Markets. Wegmans Food Markets boasts 1,500 job openings nationwide. The company is looking for customer-service agents, chefs, team leaders, and managers. With a wide range of business opportunities, Wegmans is one of the best companies to interview with. In an article on Yahoo.com, Wegmans’ spokesperson Wendy Gallucci, said “We look for employees who are food enthusiasts and passionate about providing incredible services to our customers. Because we focus on helping customers make great meals easy, we look for employees willing to share their knowledge.”

Cisco. Cisco has approximately 595 openings. Almost half the available jobs involve networking, software, and electrical-engineering skills. The remainder includes positions in HR, sales, finance, marketing, manufacturing, engineering, and project management. Cisco has diverse hiring needs which means that a wide variety of unemployed workers may be successful in applying at the company. In the Yahoo.com article, Cisco HR-communications manager Jennifer Ho said, “The interview team is assessing organizational fit and whether the candidate will be successful leveraging his abilities to make a sustainable impact.”

Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods Market is another diverse employer. The company has 1,160 openings including positions in seafood, prepared foods, customer service, produce, and floral. The company prides itself in hiring people who are “passionate” over those who are “experienced.” That’s great news for less-educated applicants looking for jobs. A positive attitude is one of the main qualifications the company looks for in job candidates.

Ernst & Young. This company has 622 openings, and again, they cover a wide range of job descriptions. Positions in finance, taxes, supply chain, IT, and change consulting are all waiting to be filled. Larry Nash, recruiting director, said that the company wants those who are “positive and enthusiastic.” The company seeks out candidates who are proactive with the potential to be strong team members.

The future of the hiring market

Unemployed workers looking for payday cash have at least some options. Large companies are hiring and expanding. The recession stifled the hiring process, but now that it is over new jobs are slowly being created. With some careful searching, workers in need of a pay day do have hope of finding employment again.

Apply for payday cash HERE!

So you’re out of a job. In today’s economy, that’s sadly more common than it used to be: The unemployment rate for January 2010 was 9.7 percent. Although some economists are predicting that the end of the slump might soon be in sight, a lot of people aren’t out of the woods yet. However, if you find yourself suddenly let go by your employer, don’t panic. Even though you won’t have a regular pay day any more (meaning no more payday loans), you will still be able to weather the storm if you follow a few simple steps.

Apply for unemployment benefits

First, immediately apply for unemployment benefits. If you didn’t do it when you were terminated, do it now. If you were let go for economic or similar reasons — basically, through no fault of your own — you should be able to collect unemployment. The funds are there for people in your situation, and it’s foolish not to take advantage of a program that can help you stay afloat while you begin the process of looking for a new job.

The power of networking

Next, get the word out. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” goes the saying, and there’s a lot of truth to that. Obviously, your skill and experience are what will ultimately get you your next job, but the best way to find that job is through savvy networking. Get in touch with your friends and former coworkers and let them know that you’re actively and aggressively looking for work. Send out feelers via online networks like Facebook and Twitter. Do everything you can to let people know that you’re on the job hunt, and that includes being willing to chat about any freelance or outside-the-box opportunities that might be available. You never know where a job, however brief, might lead. This is time to lean on your professional and personal relationships.

Keep a positive mindset

Finally, get proactive. Being laid off can feel like a personal rejection (“Did they not like me?”) as well as a professional one (“Did I not work hard enough?”). But the reality of the situation is that economic forces beyond your control are the main cause of unemployment these days. It happens all the time. I was laid off last year, and though I reeled for the first few days, I realized that the best defense really is a good offense. If you’re out of a job, you need to take action. Update your resume and set up accounts with job-hunting Web sites like Monster and Career Builder. Be relentless in your search and apply for jobs every day. For the unemployed, looking for work is a job, one to which you need to devote your entire range of resources. It can be tough to stay positive, but the best way to move on from your setback is to put your energy into finding new work. Losing your job can be devastating, but how you handle it will determine your next position. Stay strong and keep looking.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Raine Parker, who writes on the topics of accounting degree online .  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: raine.parker6@gmail.com.

For the unemployed, looking for payday cash can be harrowing. There is good news, though, since more companies are expected to open their doors this year. The recession is finally considered over and that means that slowly businesses are hiring. The government is taking the lead on squashing the unemployment rate and promising to create 600,000 jobs this year. That’s great news for an unemployed public that is well into the millions.

Government jobs on the rise

For anyone looking to work for the government, there are perks. The number of six-figure earning employees is set to rise along with the larger pool of workers. Here are some of the jobs that the government is currently looking to fill:

• FBI/Special Agent. This job isn’t only made up for the movies. In fact, it is a real position that is needed. The job description, according to the FBIJobs.gov website, is “As an FBI Special Agent you may work on matters including terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, cyber crime, organized crime, white-collar crime, public corruption, civil rights violations, financial crime, bribery, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, air piracy, interstate criminal activity, fugitive and drug-trafficking matters, and other violations of federal statutes.” The annual salary is anywhere between $57,000 and $74,000.
• IT Specialist. Though this position is a bit more boring than an FBI Special Agent, it still has its perks. The annual salary for an IT Specialist is $123,000 to $155,000. The job entails the procurement of equipment, hardware/software maintenance, training, design changes, long range planning, and all other system integration within the division.” (www.FBIJobs.gov).
• Aerospace Engineer. This is a job that focuses on designing and developing civil aircrafts. The job is an exciting one for any engineer and can hone his or her skill. This job has an annual salary range of $91,000 to $414,000.
• Writer/Editor. The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking for help. The job involves proofreading and updating materials related to financial services. The salary for this position is between $96,000 and $171,000. That’s good news for struggling writers who have the credentials to warrant payday cash from the government.
• Wildlife Biologist. This title is also called a “Grizzly Bear Habitat Coordinator” and the employee will be a “principle liaison for grizzly bear management among the Forest Service’s northern Region, Rocky Mountain Region and Intermountain Region.” The annual salary is $68,000 to $89,000.
• Intelligence Officer/Defense Intelligence Agency. An intelligence officer is the closest to what people watch on TV and in the movies. These are the agents that take on high-threat issues for US officials and representatives. The salary for this position is between $89,000 and $136,000 a year. Projects include counter-intelligence work and monitoring of national level operations.

Government positions

The key to finding the right position is to focus on skills. Just like any other employer, the government is looking for the right person for the right job. It’s crucial to create a good resume and then follow the application instructions at the FBI website. It may take some careful planning, but having payday cash directly from Uncle Sam can be a blessing to anyone who has been searching for a job since the recession first began.

Start your payday cash loan application HERE!

Payday cash may not be what it once was. David Becker of Wisconsin was laid off from his job in IT last year. It’s been a difficult time and he’s been looking for work in every place imaginable. He finally found a job, but it was in Nevada and the pay was $25,000 less than his old position. More and more unemployed workers are finding themselves in the same predicament. They take a job after months of searching, but have to accept considerably lower pay. People have been searching for employment for months now and with choices few and far between, they are settling for smaller pay, in return for security.

The new job market

In the recovering economy, one of the biggest problems is salary decline. Employers are starting to create new jobs, but being frugal with starting salaries, benefits, and incentives. Experts warn consumers that though there is research being gathered on the market, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the reality of what is happening. For example, the government reported that new jobs are being created. What they didn’t report was that those jobs are nowhere near the salary levels of pre-recessionary times. People, who used to earn $80,000 a year, may have to accept jobs for $50,000. That means they will have less money to spend, and less money to fuel the economy. Marisa DiNatale, director at Moody’s Economy.com, said, “In most cases, it means a subdued expansion, for sure.”

The long-term effect of lower salaries

People who are hired at lower salaries tend to lag behind for a long time. Playing financial catch-up is difficult. For example, a Columbia University study showed that workers laid off during the recession of the 80s earned 20% less than workers who weren’t laid off, even two decades after they were rehired.

The amount of payday cash workers have today is being hampered by employers, but employers are not necessarily to blame. They are like everyone else in the post-recession market wondering where the market is going and how quickly it will recover. DiNatalie added, “Employers are hiring, but cautiously. That probably is going to last for at least another nine to twelve months.”

Still the change in salary isn’t stopping people from taking lower-paying jobs. April Moore, an unemployed worker who took a job for 25% less than her former salary, said “I wanted the immediate security.” After being out of work for so long, many job seekers are finding themselves in the same position. They would rather have the security of any job at a lower pay rate, and then continue searching for a job that may not ever be found.

Hope for the future job market

Despite the change in salary, there is still hope for the job market. Traditionally, conservative pay is an offshoot of any decline in the market. Marco Von Wachter, a Columbia economics professor, said, “The first jobs to emerge from a recession typically are not well-paying ones.” Though payday cash may be lower, it is still a good sign that the job market is on the upswing. That is proof that the recession is over and the economy is starting to recover.

Need payday cash? Apply HERE today!

Have you been thinking of working at home?

Cash today is not easy to come by. Ask the millions of Americans who are currently unemployed due to cutbacks and layoffs. A growing number of them are turning to self-employment as a means of supporting themselves. Though this may seem like the best option, experts caution people to not move to working from their homes too quickly. There are some things to be aware of and weigh out prior to making the decision.

Working out of the house

Working out of the house can sound like a great idea. But in reality, it has to be done carefully and with a lot of forethought. Although it is the least expensive place to work, there can be considerable distractions. A dirty house, laundry, or the mall can all drag you away from the work at hand. Remember that if you are self-employed you have no one standing over you anymore to get work done. Now, productivity is totally in your hands and managing it well is integral to a successful entrepreneurial pursuit.

Another distraction that most self-employed Americans have to worry about is family and friends. It’s sometimes difficult to get loved-ones to understand that just because you are home, doesn’t mean you are available to socialize. Stopping them from visiting unexpectedly can be a difficult, but necessary, topic to address.

For those ready to be self-employed

If you are ready to work as a self-employed American, here are some tips to follow. First of all, get the right office set-up. You want a separate area of the house where business is conducted. Even if no clients are involved, you want a place where you are mentally prepared to work and be productive. Ideally, an extra bedroom, basement or attic can be used effectively as a home office. Martha Grable, small business coach, said, “Make sure your home office helps to get you into work-mode. Just like working in an office has a certain vibe, you want to recreate that in your workspace.”

When it comes to earning cash today, the self-employed need to remember to be organized. Grable stated, “Too many business owners make the mistake of piling invoices, receipts and bills up and never addressing them until the task is too big to handle.” The best thing to do to avoid disorganization is to schedule an hour at the end of a week, or two-week period, and organize all paperwork. It’s an integral part of a self-employed person’s routine and needs to be prioritized.

Another tip for successful self-employment is to set regular business hours. Though it’s tempting to start work at noon when you aren’t punching a time clock, remember that there is a reason most corporations start bright and early in the morning. Grable added, “Getting up early is another way to mentally prepare yourself for a workday…get your coffee, make your breakfast, but then get to work.”

Is self-employment right for you

Figuring out if self-employment is right for you can be done quickly. The bottom line for every business is cash-flow. If an entrepreneur is trying to gauge his or her success, looking at the amount of cash today is a good barometer. Grable said, “There is a learning curve with every business and having a good cash reserve is necessary at start-up…but once the business is up and running liquid assets are a key indicator of where the business is going and whether or not an owner is going to achieve their goals.”

Apply Here for Cash Today!

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Finding some Help at Home

There are a lot of people out there these days that really need money now. Unlike when the economy is in decent shape, in these tough financial times it is not just the people you would expect to be in trouble, but almost everyone who is short on cash. Many people are looking for work right now, and others who already have a job are searching for a way to bring in a little more. There are stay-at-home parents who would love to earn some money to contribute to household expenses and students and retirees that would like to bring in some extra cash too. Fortunately there are ways to earn from the comfort of your own home (or coffee shop), as long as you have access to a computer and the internet.

Step Write Up

If you have a background in writing through education and/or experience or just consider yourself to be a decent writer, it is very possible to make a respectable amount of money writing online. If you need money now, this can be a relatively quick way to start earning. Websites need fresh content to help keep their search engine rankings up and many site owners do not want to write the content themselves. If you have writing samples or references available you are already ahead of the game. If not, don’t despair. Get started by writing for a site such as this to build up your portfolio, get some practice and make some money while you are at it. You can also start your own blog. Once you have a few samples, there are countless job boards that post freelance jobs that you can check out and apply for. Just be aware that there are scams out there. Sometimes a potential client will ask you to write a sample for them, but are trying to get writing pieces for nothing.

Learn Internet Marketing for Free

One area that has the potential to be a huge money maker is internet marketing, but it can also use up a lot of your time and make you little to no money too. If you have some spare time on your hands and are interested in learning from some of the best (and most entertaining) internet marketers, it is a good idea to check out a free online course called The 30 Day Challenge. Their slogan is, “There is no charge for awesomeness”. They mean it too; there are no strings here. It is just some very successful internet marketers who walk you through the basics of getting started in internet marketing. It is a truly amazing amount of content that they offer for free and is worth a look if you are interested.

How may I Assist you?

If you have worked as an office assistant or have done clerical work of some sort out in the real world, there are plenty of virtual assistant jobs available online. Virtual assistants provide many of the same services as in-office assistants (word processing, answering calls and emails, book keeping, etc.), but work from the comfort of their own homes. There are many job sites that focus specifically on work from home positions.

Get Online and Start Looking!

Many people who need money now do not realize how many opportunities exist online. Once you start looking you may find that there is so much potential you will never go back to the daily grind. Really, how bad can it be to set your own schedule?

Apply here for Money Now

Desperate financial times drive some to choose desperate measures. Don't give up, however. Think through your situation and find suitable answers.

With the current recession underway, the only proof visible that anything has changed is the stagnant rise in the cost of well, everything – and the fact that it has become extremely difficult to get a job. I live in Norway, and if you have ever been to Scandinavia you will know that the cost of a beer is around $12 for a pint. Yet I still find myself at times surprised. I enquired with the local paper just the other day to find out that to place a two-line advertisement in the job wanted section would cost around $400. That means that you would need a job just to be able to afford the ad asking for one. Making serious money usually always involves risk, but merely searching for a job should be risk-free.

Crime Rises with Unemployment

It is inevitable that the crime rates will rise with not enough being done to assist the unemployed. Garard O’Neill, the director of Amarach Research, has commented on the possibility of social unrest and that a large group of jobless men were “a recipe for chaos” and that “it’s a demographic fact that single men between 20 and 25 are the core group responsible for social disturbance.”

What exactly is the breaking point of the average man? Short of going on government assistance, if someone tries every avenue they can to make a living for themselves and their family but just can’t find a reasonable solution, at what point do they decide that they need to resort to more drastic measures? The truth is it can be difficult, but it is important for one to never give up. As soon as you decide that there isn’t a solution, anything that may have been available will close to you. If you use your brain to consider your options and the fact that there are an infinite number of ways to make money without resorting to illegal or dishonest methods, it is possible to come out back on top. Just don’t give up.

The Temptation of Credit Cards

They tempt you in between your favorite television programs, on the radio while you drive your car and they are even there to entice you while you read E-mails or surf the Web. Credit cards and loans can be your friends, but they can also be evil things if they aren’t used properly. They can finance your enterprise that is sinking in troubled waters; help kick start your new business model; or even serve as a back-up measure for those that have work but want some insurance if they become redundant.

Unfortunately, some people decide to borrow money for the wrong reasons. They may borrow to continue living a lifestyle to which they had so desperately become accustomed. When that happens, all they accumulate is debt. That is the reason why we all got into this mess in the first place. According to the New York Times, experts predict that millions of Americans will not be able to pay off their debts, leaving a gaping hole at ailing banks still trying to recover from the housing bust. Stress test results have suggested that the nation’s 19 biggest banks could expect nearly $82.4 billion in credit card losses by the end of 2010.

Where Is My Shovel?

You can decide right now if you want to dig yourself into a deeper hole or perhaps take some time instead to sit back, have a cup of coffee and think about ways to dig yourself out. Knowledge is power and the World Wide Web is full of it. Have a look around and search for the many ways to make money both offline and online. By now you have learned that nothing in this world worth having comes easy. That applies to everything, so stop looking for the easy solution and be prepared to get your hands dirty.

If you’re unemployed and you give up looking for a job, you will not be alone. In economic jargon you will be a “discouraged worker,” and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 717,000 of those in the first quarter of this year. That’s a 70% increase over the first three months of 2008.

Here’s why you shouldn’t give up:

Lots of people have given up on searching for a job right now and are waiting it out, hoping the economy will pick up next year. But not everyone has  enough cash today to wait out the recession, and those people are still out there pounding the streets looking for a payday source. As bleak as your employment prospects may seem, hiring is a numbers game and the people who land the most interviews get the jobs. That’s not to say that it’s easy to keep searching when nothing seems to come of it.

Here’s what Wikipedia says about it:

A discouraged worker is a person of legal employment age who is not actively seeking employment. This is usually due to the fact that an individual has given up looking or has had no success in finding a job, hence the term “discouraged.” Their belief may derive from a variety of factors including: a shortage of jobs in their locality or line of work; perceived discrimination for reasons such as age, race, sex and religion; a lack of necessary skills, training or experience; or, a chronic illness or disability.

Here’s a helpful book:

Recently I came across a helpful book by Whelan and Stone called Goal!: Your 30-Day Game Plan for Business and Career Success (Quill Driver Books, $14.95). It’s a one-day-at-a-time workbook for crystallizing short-term steps toward long-term goals, and recording each day’s progress. If you’re struggling to find work, the book could be a helpful tool for keeping track of what you’ve done and what you should do next.

Here’s what I’d suggest:

Last year I went through the ups and downs of job-searching for more than six months. I was inundated with all kinds of advice, but the best suggestions were the simplest, and they came from my local employment office:

• Contact three prospective employers each day. Employer contacts include applying for a job online or in person, going to an interview, or inquiring about employment at a company that interests you, whether or not they’re advertising any job openings. Record the contact information for each company along with a description of what you did.
• Meet with someone in your network every day. Networking makes a lot of people uncomfortable, but it’s better than becoming isolated while you’re in transition. Plus, it’s the best way to find out what’s going on in the hiring world. So meet with someone every day, even if all you do is stop by someone’s office for a brief chat or share a cup of coffee somewhere. Networking isn’t so much about asking for a job as it is about sharing information. Getting out and staying connected is a great way to ward off discouragement.
• Be accountable to someone. To keep yourself motivated, at the end of each week report to someone who is interested in your progress. It should be someone you trust and whose opinion you value. A spouse or a friend or an ex-coworker can be a great coach – someone to remind you that you are worthy and that it’s not hopeless.
• Keep your mind on the job. Keep your goal clearly in mind. The mind is a powerful thing. Focus on what you want in a job, and dismiss those nagging thoughts about the things you do not want. Think about success, keep plodding, and you will eventually get the job you want.

A call from an old friend to join a group of other old unemployed friends to discuss job search strategies and have lunch in Jerusalem got our juices going. I have to admit, I was more interested in getting together with friends for lunch than job search strategies. We never go out for lunch. Lunch is usually a 5-minute affair at the kitchen table with a can of sardines or a cheese sandwich, depending on whether we are demolishing or building cholesterol on that particular day. A 40 mile drive and gas is expensive, I thought, but I can get around that with a Payday Cash Advance Loan.

It’s only money

Alternatively we could take the train but the line isn’t open all the way and we have to change at the airport. The bus is a better bet, but the bus is always full and stuffy. In the end we took the car. It’s only money I thought as we zoomed along and listened to the automatic toll stations whistling as we passed them on the freeway. It’s only more money, I repeated as I forked out for some very expensive parking just outside the gates of the Old City. The car park was only half full, but I still have to pay?

The mall

A new mall has been built since we last visited the Old City and it is quite stunning. All the latest mod fashion shops are there and the goods are priced at tourist level. Construction is still not complete and we stood and watched stonemasons busy laying ancient stones back into building elevations. Each stone is numbered so that it is rebuilt in the exact location it was before an old building was demolished.

Jerusalem is build entirely from lime-stone in accordance with a law and the age of the buildings can only be estimated by the style of the architecture. To make the age guessing game even more difficult, old stones are cleaned and used over and over again. I once wrote a fictional story about the life of a stone in Jerusalem. It had started out in the Stone Age and had been re-used dozens of times. My stone had some fascinating stories to tell of events it had witnessed in the Holy City.

The old friends

The old friends were old, all right. My wife and I looked at each other and wondered in whispers how come we’re the only couple that hasn’t aged. But in the space of a minute we slipped back in time 30 and 40 years, remembered incidents, children’s names and a few of the neighbors who are no longer around or no longer travel. It was an easy reunion.

The place was busy, with tourists wandering in and out and the selection of languages huge. I watched the waitresses patiently and smilingly handling the food orders with smiles, here and there dropping a word to help a customer get what he or she thought they had ordered. How come, I thought, it can’t be like that all the time?

A good day

All in all it was good day. The weather was grand, a warm summer day with a light breeze blowing and the aura of Jerusalem inspiring. And we re-energized each other to head back out into the world of job searching.

The job search isn't what it used to be.

If you’re unemployed, underemployed or just don’t want a permanent job, SoloGig.com is a great tool to help you find contract, freelance or consultant work.

SoloGig.com is the contract provider for CareerBuilder.com, the largest online job board.

Getting started

Just as easily as you can get an online cash advance, you can sign up at SoloGig.com. In fact, you don’t need to be signed up to view the contract gigs available in your area, but you do have to register to apply for jobs online.

The site asks all of the usual questions plus what type of work you are seeking, categories you are interested in and desired salary. There is a spot to post your resume, too.

Types of work

SoloGig.com calls itself “the preeminent resource for finding contract, consulting, freelance, temp-to-hire, and part-time project opportunities.” It offers jobs in the following categories:

• Engineering & Aerospace
• Creative & Design
• Law & Paralegal
• Clinical & Scientific
• Sales & Marketing
• Finance & Accounting
• IT & Technical
• Healthcare
• Energy
• Construction

And, of course, Other.

Where in the world is the work?

SoloGig.com lets you search based on location, and you can search your city, your zip code or your state. Or another state, as the case may be. You can also put in keywords that explain the types of projects or jobs you want.

From the company

SoloGig.com advertises itself as such:

Sologig.com offers users the tools and technology expected from the largest online job board combined with the comfortable atmosphere and one on one attention independent professionals deserve.

Help in this economy

Surely enough, the unemployment rate is still climbing. With all of the competition out there it is good to have as many weapons in your arsenal as possible to launch your attack on joblessness. SoloGig.com has opportunities that you won’t find on craigslist, and it is specifically geared toward people seeking temporary employment. But you never know what can happen once you get your foot in the door.

John Calipari (image by wikimedia)

The John Calipari press conference is coming soon. The former Memphis Tigers basketball coach will announce he has officially signed on to coach the University of Kentucky Wildcats. This sort of coaching carousel is commonplace in collegiate and professional athletics; it’s as surprising as someone needing a payday loan. However, as AP sportswriter Tim Dahlberg says, tight economic times make the message much harder to swallow.

In his article “Calipari deal sends wrong message in tough times,” Dahlberg paints a picture of economic lunacy. He simply uses a smaller brush. I’m going to fling it at you like Jackson Pollock.

Splat go the flinging millions

Dahlberg frames his article with the travails of Kutztown University, a college in Pennsylvania that like many other small universities has had to cut their athletic departments. Those are lost opportunities for young athletes who likely will never experience such competition again. The Athletic Director at Kutztown operates on a total budget that doesn’t even approach what Kentucky is rumored to be paying Calipari in a year: about $5 million.

It seems clear that Calipari will be paid more than any college basketball coach to date. For those of you keeping score at home, here’s the tally:

• John Calipari: paid $5 million per year by a state university, no national championships to his name
• Memphis University: a basketball program in disarray, players who aren’t graduating
• University of Kentucky: paying a coach big money right after staff salaries had been cut across the board
• Kentucky players: a better coach, books, meal money and a low graduation rate
• Kutztown University: sports cutbacks, players that graduate
• Kutztown Men’s Basketball: 28-5, Division II Atlantic Region final… and a coach who “didn’t make enough to pay Calipari’s country club dues,” according to Dahlberg

But Kentucky wants to win

Sure, the Wildcats are accustomed to winning. They didn’t do well this season; in fact, they missed the NCAA Tournament. But $35 million for a basketball coach at a state university? Is this the most responsible use of money for Kentucky, considering they’re slashing and burning teacher and staff salaries, and that taxpayer money is fronting this coaching lottery?

Calipari was 137-14 over the last four years at Memphis. Kentucky fans (many of them likely NASCAR fans, too), choked by their own myopia, see the man as their Heimlich maneuver in greased-back hair and wing tips. In other news, examination of their collective cranial cavities indicated nothing.

But he can recruit

To be fair, yes he can. Calipari made Memphis into something. Whether or not they’ll be able to recruit the same level of talent remains to be seen, without the glitzy name.

But let’s look at what’s truly important here. One out of every 10 people in Kentucky is unemployed. Companies are closing, people have lost their homes, and President Obama says a rough road is still to come. Yet John Calipari is reportedly going to sign a $35 million contract to coach basketball.

Don’t blame him, Kentucky. It’s your fault.

Related Videos:

Microsoft Office and Monster Worldwide are joining forces to help the growing ranks of the unemployed. Microsoft.com and Monster now offer job hunt aid through the Office Online Career Center.

Microsoft supplies resume-building tools and help with other documents. Monster contributes its worldwide network and advice.

The big idea

Microsoft and Monster collaborated to provide an all-in-one portal. Job seekers can create professional career finding documents, view available jobs and apply for them all in one place. It’s one-stop shopping for the unemployed. Only it’s free. No payday loans needed.

Create your resume

We’ve all seen the handful of resume templates available on Microsoft Office’s Word program. However, the Online Career Center has hundreds of templates available. It also has specific advice for employees who have been terminated and those who are looking to change fields in their new career.

There are even job-specific resume templates, resume-builders for just-out-of-college graduates and resumes for transferring within the company you already work for.

Find job listings

From the Office Online Career Center, you can enter keywords and your location. You also can choose up to 20 different locations at a time to search. Several job postings allow you to apply directly through the web site. Otherwise, you can find contact information and application instructions.

Posting on Monster

After you’ve completed your resume,  you can open a Monster.com account and post it there. Besides putting your resume in front of the eyes of people looking to hire, Monster also offers professional career and job-seeking advice.

Of course, there are also tips on what not to do. Monster advises regarding common resume mistakes and what to not do in an interview.

Help for students

Now what?

Students about to graduate from college must be very nervous about finding a job in this economic climate. To ease that anxiety a bit, Microsoft and Monster will team up with Facebook for the My Resume Talks campaign.

Students who visit the My Resume Talks Facebook Page will have a chance to win a one-on-one online professional resume review session with a professional resume coach. The contest runs through April and 500 will win.

Payday loans are available for the uninsured who need to pay for a doctor’s visit on the fly. However, you shouldn’t always have to do that in order to receive basic care for minor ailments. For the remainder of 2009, that’s where Walgreens comes in. They’re a company that officially gets it right during this recession.

The Associated Press reports that the drugstore chain will continue to offer free clinic visits to the unemployed and uninsured for the rest of the year. Prescriptions will still have to be paid for, but tests and routine treatments for lesser ailments will be handled at walk-in clinics.

Save on basic health care when you are out of work

Walgreens has said those who lose their job and insurance after March 31, 2009 will be able to get free treatment at its in-store Take Care clinics. Respiratory problems, allergies, infections and skin conditions are among the conditions the clinics are equipped to handle. Treatments for conditions like these can cost upwards of $59 or more for patients without insurance, so this decision by Walgreens comes at the right time for thousands of people. Even spouses and children are eligible if they don’t have insurance of their own.

Walgreens currently runs 341 Take Care clinics in 35 markets around the country.  Chicago, Atlanta, Miami and Cleveland are just a few places that have the service. Operating hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Rather than providing free checkups or vaccinations, Take Care clinics provide the equivalent of urgent care or even ER service for those with minor conditions, according to the AP.

The catch?

Patients must show proof they are unemployed, which includes a federal or state unemployment determination letter and an unemployment check stub. Those looking to take advantage of Take Care clinic services must also sign a form declaring that they have lost their jobs and health benefits. Unfortunately, if a person has a job but not insurance, they will not be eligible for Take Care services.

According to the Associated Press, “Walgreens bought the Take Care clinics in May 2007. Take Care says it has seen about 1.2 million patients since its launch in November 2005 and estimates that up to 30 percent of them were uninsured.”

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Maximize your job search with online profiles.

More and more, businesses are using online professional networking through Zoominfo to find job candidates. Headhunters often go to this search engine or LinkedIn first, before they advertise a position. If  you’re seeking a job, make sure you have a profile on these networks.

Get in the game

You may have searched for people in your area or people who went to your high school on a social network to find your friends. Job recruiters and others who are hiring use the Zoominfo search engine to locate the skill set they are seeking. Whether you are seeking a job restructuring personal loans or grooming dogs, a Zoominfo profile is a good idea.

“All corporate recruiters and probably 20 percent of the headhunters in America have Zoominfo accounts,” according to financial blog Bukisa.

What is Zoominfo?

Zoominfo is a search engine that scans the web for professional information on both businesses and people. Businesses have used Zoominfo for years. With unemployment and underemployment climbing every day, more people seeking jobs are creating profiles.

The Zoominfo search engine and network, and professional online networks such as LinkedIn are getting more attention than ever.

Your information

When you go to Zoominfo, make sure to include as much helpful information about yourself as you can. Zoominfo will ask for your skillset, degree, city and functional title. This is also what recruiters are looking for when they use the search engine.

“If you’re in ZoomInfo with a picture, we’re going to call you first. Just reverse engineer what recruiters are doing so you get found,” writes a professional headhunter.

Get unpublished jobs

The few employers out there who are hiring instead of considering layoffs are fully aware that the huge pool of unemployed workers is their oyster. Zoominfo makes it easier for recruiters to see who is out there quickly. If a hiring manager can avoid having to go through the lengthy process of advertising a position, they probably will.

Anything you can do to make a recruiter’s job easier will make your own life easier in the long run. A Zoominfo profile will get you in front of a bigger audience.

Someone in Washington is giving away a big screen TV on Free Napkin.

Yes, the unemployment rate is still rising, a trend that has been going on for more than a year. Along with the growing rate, web sites and services that help unemployed and low income people are growing, too.

Take Free Napkin, for instance. It’s like Craigslist or eBay, but everything is free.

Give and take

Free Napkin has everything from full-sized sheds to empty boxes. And it’s all free! I visited the site recently and saw baby clothes, coffee, tools, tarot card readings and computers games. There are even pets.

You can click on your state to find the stuff people around you are giving away. Or, if you have stuff to get rid of you can list it. So before you take out that payday loan for a new couch, check this site.

Get a job

If you’ve already tried Career Builder, Monster and Hot Jobs with no luck, don’t give  up yet. Another, lesser-known site called Simply Hired is highly recommended by Consumer Reports.

Besides your usual job categories, Simply Hired also lists volunteer opportunities and some freelance gigs.

Make a little green

If you’re comfortable with freelance gigs and are seeking other ways to pull in whatever cash you can until you find a steady job, check out Desperate Dollars.

Some of the “opportunities” are pretty out there — like getting tattoos for money — but it also lists more run-of-the-mill fund-raising ideas. Contests, online surveys for money and selling your blood, sperm and eggs are all on there. It even lists recycling centers that pay and temp agencies.

There’s also a section called “entertain for dollars.” It lists voiceover work, being an extra in a movie and has advice for getting your music discovered. It’s a great site for anyone whose low on cash because it also lists people looking to buy things and sell things for cheap.

Citigroup Inc. has stepped up to the plate when it comes to helping out people who are joining an ever-larger category: the unemployed.

The bank has started the Homeowner Unemployment Assist program, which allows unemployed mortgage holders who are late on their personal loans to make payments of (on average) $500 monthly for three months.

A little help

Granted, it’s pretty unrealistic to think that in this job market unemployed workers will find new employment in three months. But it’s a start.

Thousands may be eligible for the program, which is aimed at avoiding more home foreclosures.

Borrowers with first mortgages whose loans are owned and serviced by CitiMortgage and who meet certain other criteria will be eligible to participate in the program, according to CNN Money.

After a job search well done

If mortgage holders taking advantage of the program do find employment during the three-month period, they can resume their original monthly payments or get a long-term loan modification.

This makes perfect sense to me, as many “re-employed” workers are accepting pay that is far lower than their previous jobs. Borrowers will be able to retool their loans to fit their new circumstances.

A gray area

Citibank is apparently aware that many customers will not be able to find employment during the three-month stint.  A company spokesperson has said that its customers will not be left hanging in the event their situation does not improve.

“If the customer is not employed within three months, Citi will work with customers on a case-by-case basis to explore the best solutions,” the company said in an announcement.

Still in foreclosure moratorium

The bank has said it will consider extending the Homeowner Unemployment Assist program to borrowers who are not yet delinquent on payments, if the situation warrants it.

Feb. 12, Citigroup put a one-month moratorium on home foreclosures. It is still waiting for final details on the Obama administration’s loan modification program.