www.hkpcc.hk: 八月 2011

2011年8月30日星期二

Romney Could Face Michigan Trouble Over Auto Bailout

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By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN

LANSING, Mich. -- Mitt Romney stood in front of an auto factory in his native Michigan during his 2008 presidential race and vowed to bring back jobs, a popular message that helped give him his first - and only -- Republican primary victory.

He could run into a more skeptical reception this week as he makes his first campaign swing through Michigan since officially kicking off his 2012 campaign six days ago. After the election, Romney spoke out forcefully against a federal bailout of General Motors and Chrysler, an initiative that was seen as a matter of life or death for the companies by both parties in Michigan.

Democrats here are eager to remind voters now of Romney's position.

"I think that people who want to donate (to Romney) should be looking at, when the auto industry was asking for a donation, what he was saying," former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm said in an interview Tuesday on MSNBC. "I think they should give him the same answer."

The auto industry bailout may be a tough issue here for any Republican in the presidential race since many GOP leaders have blasted it as an example of government fiscal irresponsibility.

Democrats, including President Barack Obama, have trumpeted the federal intervention as a triumph, stressing that the companies are now doing well after going through bankruptcy and then restructuring. Chrysler has repaid most of the $10.5 billion in taxpayer money it received. GM has paid back just over half of its $50 billion in aid and is regaining market share. Together the companies have added about 50,000 jobs nationwide. The White House says the bailout ultimately will cost taxpayers $14 billion, far less than expected.

Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams said that Romney simply argued that GM and Chrysler should go through bankruptcy without the federal bailout. "If they had done it sooner, as Mitt Romney had suggested, the taxpayers would have saved a lot of money," Williams said.

Industry officials and others argue a federal rejection would have led to liquidation and the loss of more than one million jobs nationwide.

In his Michigan appearances, Romney is expected to argue that his background as a business consultant and venture capitalist give him the skills to help reverse the job loss that has given the state a 10.2 percent unemployment rate. The message echoes one used by former computer executive Rick Snyder in his successful 2010 campaign for Michigan governor.

Some Michigan Republicans say the party's voters still feel a kinship with Romney, who grew up in Detroit, and whose father, George, led American Motors from 1954 to 1962 before becoming governor.

"His family is steeped in the history of the auto industry. The tradition is part of his family," said Mike Bishop, a Rochester attorney and former Republican leader in the Michigan Senate. Bishop said he hasn't decided who he will support for president.

His advisers have said Romney is counting heavily on winning Florida and Michigan, although neither state has yet set a date for their 2012 contests.

Democrats and anti-Romney autoworkers plan to gather Thursday outside the Livonia diner in suburban Detroit where Romney is scheduled to make an early morning campaign stop. Romney also is expected to join a round-table discussion at a Detroit business development center Thursday morning. Romney had no trouble attracting supporters to fundraisers Tuesday and Wednesday in Grand Rapids and the well-heeled Detroit suburbs of Grosse Pointe and Birmingham.

In an op-ed piece published during the debate over the bailout in late 2008, Romney argued that the auto industry was on a "suicidal course of declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens, technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses."

Said Granholm, Romney "put his finger up in the air, saw which way the polls were headed, and he goes after his own home state."

Rock 'n' Roll Signer: What It's Like to Be a Performing Arts Interpreter

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By Tim Estoliz

Most audiences at music concerts never have to worry about hearing the lyrics of their favorite artists. After all, the sound systems are loud and the singers belt out their songs pitch perfect for everyone in the vast crowd to hear and enjoy.

However, there's a segment of the audience that's often enjoying the concert in a totally different and uniquely nuanced way. The deaf or hard-of-hearing get to enjoy the concerts of artists such as Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen and Justin Beiber thanks in large part to a talented group of professionals known as performing arts interpreters.

That's where groups like First Chair Interpreted Productions come in. Founded in late 2009 by partners and sign language interpreters Kevin Dyels, Liz Leitch (pictured above) and Traci Randolph, this unique agency focuses its talents on interpreting music concerts and other performing arts events for the deaf and hard-of-hearing in the Washington, D.C. area.

"Let's say ... Taylor Swift tickets go on sale for a show that's three months from now," says Dyels. "Deaf and hard-of-hearing people will call a special number and request seats in an interpretive section.

"By law, the venue and the artist have to provide some kind of accommodation.... and, basically the venue will call us to provide interpreters when they get a request," Dyels says. "After that, we send a message to all of our interpreters asking who may know Taylor Swift's songs well, who loves her music... and we bring together a whole group of skills sets so we have the best team for this particular concert."

Dyels' team of interpreters are skilled not only at presenting the songs by a particular music artist in sign language but in conveying the mood, the emotion and the excitement of the moment.

"Not every person who can sign, can be an interpreter ... and not every interpreter can be a performing arts interpreter," said Dyels. "You need to have some stage presence, you need to have some performing arts skills, and you need to be able to work fast on your feet."

The Challenges

Being a performing arts interpreter is job that most say is fun, rewarding and often formidable.

"It's sometimes quite challenging to interpret the mood that the artist is trying to convey, to understand the word choices that they may use, and we as interpreters want to honor that," says Liz Leitch. "It's not always a one-to-one meaning, so we have to be fluent in both languages, verbal and sign language, to be able to do that."

Indeed, the preparation for an artist who may perform a two-hour concert filled with songs spanning years of their career requires an interpreter with a special connection, affection and definite familiarity with the artist's music.

"An artist like Taylor Swift has maybe three or four CDs," says Dyels, "... as opposed to a Madonna or Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel -- each of whom have 20-plus CDs ... so we have to find people who are familiar with all their songs and be able to rehearse in sometimes a pretty short span of time."

Dyels adds, "At concert time, we want interpreters that are so familiar with the lyrics and their own translation of it that they're able to be a little theatrical and they can move to the beat a little bit. They can talk about the story and they can bring on the character of the story in their interpretation, hopefully without having to refer to lyrics. But, that said, we always have a music stand available with the lyrics, just in case."

"Out of the 50 songs I may rehearse for Bruce Springsteen, he'll probably do 15 from my set list... and there will be two or three that we didn't expect or rehearse for. They might be brand new songs that no one has ever heard. In those cases, we just try to wing it by listening as we try to interpret."

Dyels, Leitch and Randolph spend their regular working hours as standard deaf interpreters for meetings, seminars, and similarly themed needs to facilitate communication between and deaf and those around them. However, their job as performing arts interpreters is something they appreciate on an entirely different level and degree of satisfaction, both for themselves and their clients.

"As an interpreter, I find it so satisfying when I can effectively facilitate the communication between the two parties", said Randolph, "... and in a concert experience, I'm hopefully and effectively communicating what the artist wants the audience to hear. When I see that the audience is having a good time, then I know I've done a good job and it makes me feel good."

"We don't do concerts alone," added Randloph. "There are always at least two interpreters present. When I'm not the one standing up interpreting, I will be supporting my team and making sure they have what they might need. But sometimes, we do get a chance to enjoy at least half the show. It's always a toss-up when you're doing a concert with a performer that you like who is singing your favorite song.... It's always a struggle to decide if I want to interpret that song or do I want to watch the song."

"By and large, our clientele tend to be people who currently have some degree of hearing or used to have some hearing," said Dyels. "They get to hear some of the music or through their memory, remember some of that music. On top of that, they get to see the artist, which is part of the excitement for everyone... and on top of that, they get a story, which changes with every song, which is one that our interpreters formulate after putting in 10-15 hours of preparation and translation for each concert."

Of course, preparing for a concert requires a fair amount of homework and also a keen ability to interpret the often subtle nuances in the lyrics of an artist that may not translate quite so literally into sign language.

"We spend so much time analyzing all these lyrics to try and figure out what the artist is trying to convey," said Randolph. "Sometimes it's clear and sometimes it's not very clear at all. It's opposed to when we are interpreting a musical. Generally speaking, in a musical, you know what the songs are about because it's contextual. You had what was going on right before the song and whatever is happening right after the song. The song in a musical is probably about one of those two things and it gives you some context to try and figure out what they're singing and talking about when they're using various phrases. When we are interpreting a concert, we've got 22 different songs, 22 different stories going on and most of them aren't related to each other whatsoever. So we look at each individual song and analyze it and try to figure out what it means, so we can appropriately convey that feeling, that mood or meaning."

Connecting to the Music

As performing arts interpreters, it's easy for the team to form a certain connection to the music they hear. Randolph says it's best when the interpreters love the performers' music themselves and often it's difficult to forget the songs once the concert is over.

"I was recently at a piano bar where they were doing all kinds of audience requests," said Randolph. "I was with a group of several concert interpreters and we knew all the words to all of these songs. People around us were asking us how we knew all the words to these songs ... and it's because we did the concerts for them and had memorized all the words, and sometimes I just can't get them out of my head."

Dyels says that he's excited to see more and more venues providing this service across the country.

"It's only been in the last 15 to 20 years, were these concerts even available to deaf and hard-of hearing people," said Dyels. "And the bulk of the American population, while they may be aware that accommodations are available to people with disabilities, may probably not even be aware music concerts are available to deaf and hard of hearing people.... And many concert venues may not even be aware that they're supposed to be available because they've never gotten the request.

"So, in turn, many deaf people often may not know that they can go to a rock or music concert ... or even want to go as a result. But, for those that do go, it's an exciting time.

"It's particularly exciting for us that we get to bring a contingency of the American population to an exciting event like this by doing something that we love. We feel it's the best job ever."

Revealing Twitter Pics Plunge Professional Prospects

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Here in the U.S. we have "Weinergate," which involves a picture of an underwear-sheathed appendage at full attention being Tweeted to a Seattle college student from the verified account of Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY).

Both the student and the Congressman (who is pictured at left) deny knowing each other and claim it was a hack job, but it's wreaking havoc with Weiner's political reputation. Now there's a similar story coming out of Canada, also involving a picture, privates and a politician.

Over the weekend, a naked, full frontal photo was posted on the Twitter account of Progressive Conservative Party candidate George Lepp, for about 20 minutes until it was taken down by the politician's son, who administers the account.

Once again, a hijacked Twitter account has cast a not-so-flattering light on a little-known politician. That raises the question, could your Twitter account be a ticking time bomb, professionally speaking?

Here's what happened in Canada: The Toronto Sun quoted Alan Sakach, communications director for the Ontario Conservatives as saying that the photo must have been accidentally taken by Lepp's BlackBerry when it was in his front pants pocket and left on camera mode. Lepp's camera was later stolen, and the graphic but grainy photo of the family jewels showed up on his website.

Lepp denies this story, however, claiming that his cell phone was stolen while he was being jostled by a crowd, and that the thief must have taken the picture and posted it -- but that the package pictured was not his.

The photo was too graphic to re-post or print, but just judging by the description of the image, it seems unlikely that the photo was taken inadvertently. Lepp would probably have had to be wearing transparent underpants or going commando if his BlackBerry accidentally took the shots.

Now Sakach is denying that he gave that explanation to a reporter. "Nobody ever suggested to the media that this photo was George Lepp and any suggestion to the contrary is false," Sakach told a local newspaper, the Niagra Forterie Times.

The Toronto Sun has published an article giving Lepp's account of what happened, but is standing by the original story, and has no plans for any sort of correction or retraction.

A likely scenario is that the publicist offered an explanation to the reporter before he spoke to the candidate, and that whoever posted the photo might have been inspired by the scandal in the U.S.

Regardless of who is responsible, it affirms that extra security measures need to be taken on Twitter accounts to avoid serious professional or political damage.

Lepp, is a Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., farmer and businessman, running as a Niagara Falls Progressive Conservative, attempting to become the Tory candidate in the provincial district of Niagara Falls for October's election.

Retired City Worker Leaves Estate to Employer

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Talk about employee dedication and satisfaction! Retired city worker David John Dombrowski left all his worldly possessions, including a house, furnishings and cash, to his former employer, the city of Milwaukee's Department of Public Works.

Dombrowski worked mostly in the forestry and sanitation bureaus for 36 years, according to the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. He retired from the DPW in 2002, and died at home on May 30 at age 63.

Dombrowski had no wife or children, and lived at home with his mother until she died in 2005. The exact value of the estate is still being assessed, although an online search reveals that the house is estimated at $78,400, and several thousand dollars in cash were found there, along with his last will and testament.

Police initiated a search for Dombrowski after a neighbor reported that he hadn't been seen for a few days. He was found dead in a bathtub, with the water still running and flooding the floors and basement. The cause of death is still unknown. Those who knew him say that he was a bit of a recluse, keeping pretty much to himself and not initiating much contact with friends or extended family members.

City workers are reported to be pleased, surprised and puzzled by the gesture. "It was a very thoughtful thing to do, a very nice thing to do, and a very unusual thing to do," said City Attorney Grant Langley.

Milwaukee attorney Paul Nowakowski, whom Dombrowski hired to draft the will in 2004, commented, "He didn't really say why, other than the fact that he had a lot of friends in the DPW and enjoyed his time working there. That's pretty much it. He was really kind of a close-lipped individual."

Ron Swanson's Guide to Management and Meat

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When Emmy nominations are announced on July 8, many expect NBC's Nick Offerman to be in the mix for the first time. The character he plays on the sitcom "Parks and Recreation," Ron Swanson, has become a breakout star of the show, now in its third season.

As the head of the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana's Parks and Recreation Department, Swanson's inherent contradiction makes for many of the show's laughs. He's the anti-government crusader who leads the agency charged with organizing community events. Mr. Swanson sat down with AOL Jobs to discuss his favorite topics, like office culture, libertarian philosophy and meat.

You are Ron Swanson, and as the head of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department, you have much experience managing people. How would you describe your style?

Well, in my own situation, I want our operation to perform as poorly as possible. So I require my assistant to be apathetic, unmotivated and rude to all applicants, all of which [my assistant] April exhibits in spades. She's got the whole package. When it comes to managing other people, my policy is don't. And so if those people are never admitted into my office, that answers every question.

What makes for an ideal workspace?

As a libertarian, to each his own. All I can answer is what my preference would be. My preference would be to have a stool in the woods, or a stump. I would have the necessary items at hand to create a lean-to or a simple rain shelter. I would keep a small fire going, for the brewing of stews and teas. I would ask that it would be in a forest of deciduous trees. I prefer them to conifers.

And, if it wouldn't be asking too much, I'd have running water nearby that was redolent of fish.

On that note, I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about your philosophy. Where do you find your inspiration?

When people speak of the good book, I assume they're talking about "Atlas Shrugged." My own personal heroes include Thomas Jefferson. I admire the Jeffersonian ideal of each man and woman being able to be self-sufficient with the land they've been given. It's an agrarian philosophy that fits in well with the libertarian ideal. If you can feed your family and make your clothing and ammunition all out of things you can find on your property, why's there any need to pay a cent to any stiff collar in Washington?

You also have experience juggling love and the workplace. What advice would you give from your own personal experience?

Referring to my ex-wife Tammy, I avoid her at all costs. The question is: How do we keep politics out of the bedroom, on the occasion we happen to be in the bedroom? Politics is the name Tammy gave a weighty hand-carved mahogany paddle I manufactured after our second honeymoon. And it never leaves the bedroom.

Food and beverage is a passion of yours. If given the chance, how would you change the dining options in your department?

I have submitted a menu. I have been told it's going through the rounds of red tape, but that was over six years ago. I expect it should be instituted soon. It was simply a few choices of red meat, whole milk, or for a healthy choice, buttermilk, and bacon in its various forms.

So what about "healthy eating options" like salads and yogurts?

Sounds like someone has a pretty foggy idea of the word "healthy." Sounds like rabbit food and baby food. Unless you are in an office full of rabbits or infants, I suggest you beef it up.

What do you think of the modern worker?

People have become soft working indoors, mainly concerning themselves with computers and word processing, when they could be reaping fruits and grains from the wild as well as berries of every color, not to mention the many great meats that the outdoors has to offer.

And yet technology and computers have become a mainstay of the modern office. I take it you aren't a big fan of social media?

I don't pay any attention it. I think it's a passing fad. In five years, we'll be seeing jokes about these twitters and face pages. Just like now -- how we have jokes about 8-tracks and Beta technology. Unless I want to communicate to the world what color of undershorts I am wearing today, which would be a trick question (the answer is none, no), I can't see what the upside is.

Any final thoughts for the American worker?

It's a tough world. There's a fellow whose books I enjoy greatly, by the name of Charlie Darwin. As he says, look around at your competition, discern their weaknesses and exploit them. Only by becoming the strongest and the fittest can you become the most employedest.

Jenn Preissel contributed to this interview.

Military Vet Reveals Horrors of Going Civilian

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Many of us have our little stories of bad bosses. The boss who's mean. The boss who's insensitive. Maybe even the boss whose job you knew you could do better. But, like many fortunate and unfortunate elements of my life, my bad boss was bad on an epic scale.

The worst of the worst

Sure, many of you may have thought at one time or another that you might have to file a complaint with the union or human resources. You may have even had a boss that made you start thinking of looking for employment elsewhere. But has your boss ever made you consider making a covert escape across an international border, traversing a harsh, barren desert landscape, falsifying documents, and then carefully making your way to an American Embassy without being discovered by local authorities?

My terrible boss made me seriously consider doing all those things.

It was September and the summer was slowly coming to an end. Like many across the United States, I was out of work and getting desperate. The job hunting was taking its toll on me. I, being a former Army soldier, decided to submit my resume for a job that I had always thought would be interesting, but had never had the nerve to actually try to get. To my amazement, a few days later, I was contacted by a representative for a large government defense contractor (which I'll refer to as GDC*), and before I knew it, I was on a plane headed for Dallas to be in-processed for a private-security contracting job in Qatar.

We had beautiful accommodations at a wonderful hotel across from the Dallas Motor Speedway and were flung, almost at a running pace, into the hiring process. There were many others there. In fact, I think GDC may have actually rented out the entire hotel and taken it over as their processing center for contractors being deployed all around the world, but mainly to Afghanistan. At the end of the week our group was on a plane to Qatar.

The "training"

Being a former soldier, I wasn't too concerned about my ability and knowledge on how to perform the same duties I performed when I was in the military. I welcomed the refresher course, which I expected before we went to work guarding a U.S. military base in Qatar. Unfortunately, it was a refresher that was never to come.

To my amazement, the individual assigned to get us ready for the job simply flipped quickly through a series of slides in our classroom, while stating, "you're not going to need to know that, or that, or that." He skipped much more than he actually explained. For example, the fact that the Use of Force and Rules of Engagement classes only lasted a total of 15 minutes combined started to really make me concerned about what I had gotten into. That was the first bad boss on this job, the first of many.

It was right around the beginning of the weapons training when I really started to fear for my life. The salty old former special-forces instructor asked the group a question that I initially thought was absurd.

"How many of you have never handled a gun before?"

"That's ridiculous," I thought to myself. "Like they would actually hire people that had never handled a gun in their lives to guard a U.S. military base in the Middle East."

My heart momentarily stopped and I suddenly had a sickening feeling in my stomach when I noticed that a majority of the people in the group had their hands raised. I felt even worse when I participated in the training program designed to acquaint these clueless individuals with the machine guns, assault rifles and hand guns that they would be using on a daily basis. That class lasted all of two hours. It seemed that every step of the way on this job, I had yet another terrible boss.

The next day was like something out of a bad comedy sketch. There were bullets flying everywhere. One guy was shooting the dirt three feet in front of him, one guy was trying to fire his rifle with it mounted on his shoulder like a bazooka and one lady got so scared every time the rifle fired that she screamed and dropped it on the ground. And the bosses? They didn't even notice.

To serve and protect?

After our fun-filled and sadly comedic experience at the range, it was time to throw us out into the field, "protecting" the servicemen and women on the base. Each day at the beginning of our shift, we would draw our weapons from the armory and load our magazines. A co-worker stood at the table loading his rounds backwards into his magazine. Another co-worker stood in the corner, with a loaded M-16 over his shoulder and a handgun strapped to his thigh, proudly proclaiming that he knew voodoo and could make himself levitate. A third was asking the supervisor if he could work a post that didn't require him to carry a gun because he didn't like them.

Once armed, we then went to our daily briefing, or guard mount. On several occasions the project manager would come in to speak to us. We always knew when we were going to hear one of his long-winded, cliche-filled speeches, because they wouldn't let us draw our weapons from the armory until after he was finished. Apparently, there had been several serious threats from members of the guard force toward him in the past and he didn't feel comfortable being around us while we were armed. He would finish his speeches and leave us feeling dumber for listening. One of my favorites was when he tried to convince us that the $30,000 that he was paying us (rumor had it that GDC was getting over $100,000 for each of us per year, giving us $30,000 and pocketing the rest) somehow equaled more than the $65,000 salary another company was paying for the same job on another base. In another speech he stated that "GDC has been here before you and GDC will be here after you."

Most of our "training" was on the job. Scary thought, considering our job entailed searching for bombs in vehicles and guarding against unauthorized entry into the base. One day, still new at the job and manning a post alone, I radioed the supervisor with a question. He calmly came over and explained to me that we weren't really there to provide security, we were actually there to provide the appearance of security. He then showed me how to scan IDs without actually scanning them, because actually scanning them sometimes took too long. It was right about then when I had had enough. I sent a report to the Inspector General's office and started looking for a new job.

No way out

The job offers started coming in and I was about to sign a contract. A friend of mine, equally upset with the working conditions, had found another contract and gone to the office to give his two-week's notice. He came back with a new horror story. He was brought into the project managers office, along with the deputy project manager and the operations manager and threatened with time in a Qatari prison for trying to break his contract. They also refused to return his passport and or issue him an exit letter, which Qatar required to leave the country. I've never felt more like a prisoner in my life. It was then that we started planning our great escape.

From what we heard, the border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia is open desert and quite easy to cross without getting caught. The plan was to drive from Qatar up to Riyadh and seek assistance from the American embassy there. A co-worker had tried to go to the embassy in Doha and was turned away and told that there was nothing they could do because he was under contract in the country.

A few days before we were going to put the plan into action, they started inventorying the equipment and training soldiers to do our jobs. The management tried to downplay it as just a routine thing, but they couldn't fool us. GDC was losing the contract and we knew it. Finally, a few weeks later, the project manager made the announcement. I don't really remember a lot of the content of that speech. His words from a few weeks before kept playing over and over in my head.

"GDC has been here before you and GDC will be here after you."

* Company name changed for publication

Military Spouse: One Woman's Journey

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The life of a military spouse can be an emotionally overwhelming, physically demanding and confusing existence.

AOL Jobs recently interviewed Royale Scuderi, a military spouse, mother of four, owner of Productive Life Concepts, and founder of the Guard Wife blog, to learn more about her journey as a military wife. Scuderi says, "the most important thing to understand about being a military spouse is that you are not alone. When people ask me how I do it, I reply with a simple answer: You have no other option! You do what you have to do to make the best of a difficult lifestyle."

Here's how Scuderi makes it work for her family.

How do you handle the long absences?It is the small everyday comforts that make all the difference. Surround yourself with whatever comforts you -- hugs from children, faithful pets, the aroma of morning coffee, a scented candle, stirring music, flowers in bloom and supportive family and friends.Be gentle with yourself. Alone time is a must. Allow yourself to feel and express all those emotions. Don't bottle them up.Know who to ask for what. Identify (at least in your mind) who will give you emotional support, who is your shoulder to cry on, your ear to vent in, who will offer sound advice, who will offer practical wisdom and think about the details, who can give recommendations and who can do repairs.You have to trust your spouse. Trust him not to put himself in unnecessary danger, to tell you if there is a need to be concerned and to make his family top priority whenever possible.Don't fight it. Accept the reality that you have been given and make the most of it.
How do you juggle everything while your spouse is away?Ask for help. Support is available, but people won't know what you need unless you are willing to ask.You will have to disappoint some people. You can't accommodate all requests for your time and attention even if you are supermom. Don't feel guilty about telling your kids that you can't take them somewhere, buy them something or entertain them. Don't feel bad if you need to take time off from work so that you can get appointments and errands done or to take a much needed break. Be honest if you don't have time to take on that volunteer project or a new assignment at work. Yes, needing to spend time with your family and take care of your home are valid commitments.Lower your expectations. It is all right if the floor isn't vacuumed every day, if the windows don't get cleaned this month, if the cabinets don't shine, if the cars don't get washed and if the dogs didn't get their bath. Cereal can be an acceptable dinner as long as it is high in fiber and you add fruit.Put yourself at the top of the list. Don't just give it lip service, do it! We consistently slip to the bottom of the priority list -- the section that we never get to. We tell ourselves that it's only temporary and that sacrifices are necessary. Sleep -- who needs it?; meals -- sitting or sometimes eating is optional; breaks -- relaxation, what's that? If we are not careful, we sacrifice ourselves right into burn-out.
Where should you go to get help?Your active duty or guard and reserve base.Family Readiness program.Online resources -- MilitaryOneSource is a valuable portal of information and help for military families.Form connections with other military spouses; find support from other local military families or join online communities, groups or blogs. Networking with others in similar situations can be invaluable.
What can you do to make this life easier on your children?Talk openly with your children in an age-appropriate manner about your situation. It's OK for them to see that you are sad or angry at times. This may make it easier for them to let their feelings show.Give them a frame of reference that makes sense. When my kids were small, we filled a large jar with candy -- one piece for each day Daddy would be away (with extra in case of delays). This served as a tangible, visual countdown that also gave them some small joy each day.Foster, but don't force, communication. Some children find it easier not to talk to their deployed parent on the phone and prefer only occasional contact. It may be their way of coping just to put it out of their mind. That's fine. Offer opportunities to share with their parent -- drawing pictures, writing notes, taking videos or photos of projects at school or sports events.

My best advice: The sanity and comfort that we seek in our tumultuous times is found in the small gestures and the simple acts that are easily within our reach.

What have you learned from this experience?You are capable of so much more than you believe.Be open to support from wherever and whomever it comes. You never know when you will meet your next friend or find an avenue of support.Keep your sense of humor. Life is so much easier when you laugh (even at yourself). Don't take life so seriously. Stuff happens, plans get derailed, things break, dogs throw up, your pool turns green, you get stuck in the ditch the first night of your vacation -- or maybe those things just happen to me ... but at least I can still laugh at them.Let go of trying to control everything. The only thing you control is your actions and reactions. Accept what is reality in whatever form that takes right now. Accept that there will be hardship and moments of devastation and sometimes there is just nothing that can be done.Stop and listen. We give health, self-care and listening to our bodies lip service, but are we really doing it? No. Sleep when we're tired, fuel ourselves with nutritious food when we're hungry, take breaks, have fun, be gentle with ourselves and ease up on our expectations of what our bodies can do.

Military Service to Civilian Work Force: Making a Successful Transition

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Finding a job in today's work force market is tight, competitive and difficult enough for the average individual seeking employment. However, for those coming out of years of service in the military, getting a job in today's business world brings certain challenges not ordinarily faced by civilians.

Former military men and women have been trained for specific and specialized tasks within a formal structure that's far different socially and organizationally than the average workplace, particularly in the corporate world. As a result, many former military personnel find the transition to the private sector to be difficult and often, very frustrating; especially when competing for jobs in a struggling economy.

Rob Byron and Matt Owens are both former military men who work as recruiters for Winter, Wyman in Waltham, Mass. A large portion of their roles involves working with job seekers on how to best present themselves to companies, so these men are experienced at giving advice and practical tips when it comes to job searching. Byron is an ex-Navy officer, Owens a former Army transportation officer; they know first-hand the challenges of making the transition from the military world into the private job sector. Here, they share some ways to make that transitional journey go a bit smoother for their fellow ex-military who are seeking a job in civilian life.

Q. What are some of the greatest challenges facing veterans making the transition into the civilian work force ?

A. Rob: I found my own transition to be hard and challenging. Transitioning from a life in the military to corporate America is a hard transition. I think one of the biggest challenges is that not many civilian people know what it's like to be in the military or what a military person has done on a day-to-day basis. That can be intimidating because when you come in for an interview and someone's reviewing your resume, they have no perspective of what you've done.

However, it's the candidate's responsibility to draw those parallels between what you've done in the military and what is related to the job you're seeking in the civilian work force. A common mistake that people make transitioning out of the military is using too much military jargon and placing it into their resume. That can be a big turn-off for employers. You need to "de-militarize" your resume and take out all those acronyms that you're so used to using as a military worker.

Matt: I think one of the challenges many face is the whole regimented military mindset of getting a paycheck twice a month, and the same amount of vacation every year and, more significantly, a very rigid grade and time-based promotion system. They need to adjust to promotions in the private sector being more based on performance, or moving into a sales role where promotions may be more based on your commissions achieved. It's a mindset where you have to open yourself up and say "where do I fit myself into corporate America?"

Q. The private sector has jobs that require navigating some often tricky social waters where politics and pettiness can play a role between employees, co-workers and their boss. How can former military adjust to this challenge ?

A. Rob: I think one of the great traits among people who are successful in the military is their ability to adapt to challenging situations. I think it's more about changing your mindset and being more open minded and realizing that you may not be able to necessarily influence people at work just because of your title ... where that was expected in the military once you had attained a certain rank or more senior level and fellow military had to do what you say in that environment.

In the civilian arena, it will come from someone respecting you or trusting what you accomplished. So, I think former military who are new in the private sector will have to swallow that pill and realize that they will have to earn that respect among their civilian co-workers and employers through their performance.

Matt: I agree. In the military, there is an advantage because there is a very clearly defined hierarchy and structure that doesn't exist in corporate America. Military people who are transitioning may have a difficult time navigating that maze because it's not so clear cut. You can't just look at their collar and see where they stand in terms of rank, or where you stand in relationship to that person. It's more intuitive and more subtle in the corporate world.

Q. What were some of the personal challenges you both faced transitioning to the private sector ?

A. Rob: I didn't just walk out one day as a Naval officer and a week later become a captain of industry or a smooth transition to my dream job. That wasn't the case at all. I wanted to get out of the military for family reasons and I had a strict deadline for when I had to leave and find a private sector job. However, I bumped into a lot of the same transitioning difficulties that a lot of people have. For me, it was not a very clear-cut transition from point A to point B.

What I had to do was take intermediate steps. I found a position that slowly transitioned me out of active duty military into a civilian role here in the Northeast where I was close to home and settled in. Then, I realized I needed to network like crazy with friends, family, previous co-workers, anyone I knew who could help me figure out where I could fit in corporate America. Ultimately, it was through a college networking event where I bumped into a former Navy veteran and alumni of my college where I was able to make a connection that ultimately landed me at Winter-Wyman.

Matt: My experience was lot of different. I was networking on my own and I did quite a bit of reading about what was available in the private sector. I was fortunate enough to have some friends a year ahead of me that made the transition smoothly as well who were able to give me a few tips along the way.

Q. What are some the skills set from the military life that easily translate into the private sector ?

A. Matt: I would say first and foremost, it would be the leadership aspect. So many folks in the military are put under great situations of pressure and are expected, in many cases, at such a young age to lead people in the face of adversity. I think that is a valuable skill set that works whether they would go into a management position in the private sector off the bat or further down the road.

Rob: What's great about the military is that it's the great equalizer in terms of gaining people-management skills. You're exposed to stressful situations with people from all areas of the country and from all walks of life, all demographics. You go through these crazy experiences whether through ROTC, boot camp or officers candidate school, with people that you probably would have never had the opportunity to interact with. All the differences are broken down and you gain teamwork skills, working with people, understanding people from different areas and demographics at a different level than most other people in the civilian world.

Q. What key pieces of advice would you give to someone from the military planning to transition into the civilian business world and job market ?

A. Matt: The first thing is come up with a plan because coming out of the military is a life changer. It's never too early to start planning your transition because there's so much available in terms of books and agencies that specialize in helping you make this move. Use the resources that are available to you. Many of the big military installations have some transition-assistance programs of some type. Be open to what's out there and prepare yourself.

Also, being able to market yourself is so important. You're not going to be able to show up and say you were a five-year captain, "I did great things" and get the job. You'll have to go through the process and you have to be the one to say, "Here's what I've done, here's how that relates to what you're looking for, and here's what I can do for you."

Rob: My No. 1 piece of advice is networking. Everyone in the professional field and location that you want to work should know that you are looking for a job. If you want to go back to your home town, everyone in that area should know that you are looking for a job, friends, family, previous co-workers, everyone.

You should also manage your expectations. Just because you may have been a missile silo officer in the military and you managed 25 people and were responsible for millions of dollars in equipment, doesn't necessarily mean you are going to step right away into corporate America and be managing large groups of people and have large budgets and responsibilities

You have understand that you have to get your foot in the door at some level and give yourself a shot to work your way up the ladder.

Military Families Week: Raising Awareness for Military Families

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First lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden have launched their first major initiative to raise awareness of the unique needs of our nation's military families. They are calling on all Americans to do their part to make it easier for military families to serve their country.

In partnership with the White House, AOL has launched a week long campaign to bring awareness to the key issues our troops and their families face day to day. We will be providing an extensive collection of advice, resources and personal stories to help military families and inspire your support.

Military Service Earns Educational Perks

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Learn how to make the most of the GI Bill

By Dawn Papandrea, special to AOL Jobs

People who serve in the military make so many sacrifices to protect our nation, so it's refreshing to know that at least in the educational realm, Uncle Sam does his part to say thanks. As of December 2010, the Veteran's Administration provided more than 425,000 veterans and/or eligible family members with close to $7.2 billion to fund their higher educational pursuits via the Post-9/11 GI Bill. And 270,666 active duty member students used the Montgomery GI benefits in 2009-2010.

Of course, when it comes to actually taking advantage of such benefits, it can be a long and complicated process full of paperwork, with lots of waiting. Instead of letting that become a deterrent to a very affordable – or possibly even free – education, learn how to push past the red tape and get started on your educational journey. Here's how:

Get on top of paperwork

Before you apply for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you'll need to get at least two important documents in hand, says Dr. Don Lombardi, the faculty liaison for Hoboken, N.J.-based Stevens Institute of Technology Veterans Office. First, "when people are discharged from the military, they should be sure to keep a copy of DD Form 214 (which is the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty)," says Lombardi. In addition, prospective students who are veterans should go to gibill.va.gov to obtain a certificate of eligibility (COE). This will indicate your eligibility to receive VA benefits. "It's your passport to education," he says.

When you're early on in the process and perhaps still unsure of which school you might want to attend, you can also utilize the resources available through organizations like American Veterans, suggests James King, the director of admissions for M.B.A. programs at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. "AMVETS has representatives that have been through the process and can help you get the paperwork taken care of," he says.

And he should know. King, a 22-year Navy veteran, completed his own master's degree online funded by the G.I. Bill through W.P. Carey School of Business while he was still actively serving in the military."You have to do everything right. To avoid mistakes, fill everything out, but save it, and have someone else review it before you submit it," King suggests.

Do some school investigation

When seeking a college as a military member or veteran, it's in your best interest to choose a school that can support and assist you with the complexities of the GI Bill and other military aid programs. For starters, look for those that are designated "yellow ribbon" schools (there are approximately 700 of them, including Stevens Institute and Arizona State University), which is kind of a military-friendly seal of approval. "The Yellow Ribbon Program schools take the GI Bill, but the school and government supplement the difference, so that students can go to school for free," explains Lombardi.

In other words, because the GI Bill will only fund tuition expenses up to the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate, the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program allows an institution to volunteer to contribute up to 50 percent of any additional expenses, and VA will match the same amount as the institution.

Next, "look for a school that is veteran friendly school beyond what the website says," says Lombardi. In other words, get on the phone and ask the following questions:

Is there a faculty member who's a veteran who knows the terminology and process? And how many military students are currently enrolled?Is there someone who can immediately give answers about eligibility?Is there a veteran's certification officer on staff to help get your paperwork done?

"If the people at the school aren't helping, that should be the first sign that you should look at another school," says Lombardi. King agrees, emphasizing that military students should immediately reach out to the veteran benefits counselor on campus to make sure he or she can address all of your concerns.

Other things to know

Did you know that if you're on active duty and you have a spouse or child who wants to go to college, that you may be eligible to transfer the benefit to your child? Known as TEB (transfer of post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to dependents), this benefit became available in 2009. If this sounds like an option you'd like to pursue, learn more about the eligibility requirements through the VA.

College entrance exams can be pricey, but you may be able to get your money back. When King decided to pursue his master's in business administration, the VA reimbursed him the fees for taking the GMAT. Other exams that may be covered include SAT, GRE, CLEP, and LSAT.

Applying for VA benefits is not a time-sensitive process, notes King, so you can get started as soon as you decide on which school you'd like to attend (or at least have narrowed down your choices). Of course, when applying to college or other programs of study, you'll need to pay attention to school deadlines, he adds.

The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) provides up to 36 months of education benefits, but it doesn't necessarily have to be at a traditional four-year college. Funds can be applied to degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses.

2011年8月26日星期五

Patchworking: A Recession-Proof Employment Strategy

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Citizens of the world watch with trepidation as European finance ministers and the IMF race to create a bailout program for Greece in order to prevent a default that could trigger a worldwide recession. It is yet another sprint to evade another economic downturn.

The recession routine is lowering our standards in many ways, especially as it relates to our careers. We settle for less money and job satisfaction while also putting up with greater demands and increased levels of anxiety about layoffs, retirement and our lackluster portfolios. Recession holds us hostage at our desks.

While the outlook may appear gloomy for 9-to-5ers, it's all but recession-proof for Patchworkers. This specialized segment of the freelance industry is increasing its numbers as awareness rises about a bulletproof business model that nicely pairs with the lure of lifestyle by design.

The business model of "Patchworking" is founded on three principles:

enjoyable work in abundancediversificationmomentum

Enjoyable work in abundance means seeking out multiple, simultaneous part-time, short-term gigs, projects and consultancies that align with tasks you enjoy. The key is small jobs -- available in great numbers in this fragmented hiring environment -- which allow you to maintain a flexible schedule. That flexibility helps maximize the number of opportunities you can patch together on your calendar and allows you to respond as new, urgent opportunities surface.

For the model to be truly recession-proof, it must be diversified -- with work from multiple employers across multiple industries, at any given time. These positions may or may not all draw upon the same skill-set, but when they do it allows for an exponential increase in the possibilities that exist for you in the marketplace.

As leads turn into bona fide employment opportunities, momentum begins to build when new projects or ongoing gigs within the same organizations surface, or referrals blossom. Over time, this momentum sustains the Patchworking career model and allows for the kind of selectivity that a 9-to-5 employee can only dream of in this just-be-glad-you-have-a-job environment.

Ultimately, it is this ability to accept work selectively that allows you to create a customized schedule reflecting your professional and personal priorities, such as autonomy, creativity, etc. The end result is a thriving, recession-proof career that flexes around what matters most to you, both on the job and in your personal life.

With Patchworking you can be abundantly and happily employed, even in an era of routine recession.

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