Marvelous Monday

If the sunshine and 80-something degree temps are any indication, I would say the Atlanta area is looking at a Marvelous Monday. My day is off & running with the infamous 'to-do list' written and already has checked marks on a few finished projects. A good tip for tackling your to-do list is to work on tasks that won't require lots of time, get them out of the way first so more time can be devoted to the longer tasks. I do hope everyone had a good weekend. I will say that mine involved a lot of walking which is healthy good. I plan to step up my efforts in searching and landing an editing or writing gig. I know there are lots of freelance jobs out there and I have been pursuing several, but no hits yet. Keep me in mind if you run across anything. It's nice to get job leads :-) Well, here's to a wonderful week ahead for us all. Stay Simply Positive! 

Credit: Free photos from acobox.com

Motivation Monday

How is everyone doing on this start to Monday? It's taking a little longer for the sunshine to come out, but hopefully the clouds will make way for them soon. I'm getting focused and have a few things going already on my to-do list. I haven't written about my long-term unemployment in my blog, but it's been tough and the job market even tougher. I am staying positive and have a wonderful support group from my family and friends. I follow many job leads that come my way because you never know when one of them may be the job that says "You're Hired." Those words would be music to my ears. It has been very hard to remain motivated week after week especially on Mondays when others are heading back to work, but I remain just that...Motivated!

Let me end this post on a lighter note ->I read today on the internet that it's National Hot Fudge Sundae Day, now that's Motivation. Have a great week!

Summer Job Savings

As I'm beginning to write this blog post, the rock tune with the catchy lyrics "school's out for the summer" plays in my head. I can't recall the group, but their song was a hit and I remember lots of us singing it when the school year ended. Many teens and college students are hoping to land a full- or part-time job over the summer break. Given the tough job market and plenty of unemployed people looking for work, the competition will be fierce. I know there will be lots of activities over the summer that kids will want to participate in and having a summer job will surely help pay for many of these events. However, it's a good idea to save some of the money earned on the summer job. I suggest saving $5 per paycheck in order to help pay for things you will need when school starts such as clothes, footwear, supplies and more. If you are able to save more, that's even better. I think you will be surprised at how much you've saved by the time the summer job ends. Don't forget that taking your lunch to work is a good way to save money by not eating out. If it's feasible, check with a co-worker who may be working the same hours to see if you can carpool.

I have heard that young adults and college graduates will be the first hires by companies when they truly start to ramp up their hiring. I like this news and they deserve a chance to get their foot in the door to start on a career path. Be frugal with your summer job earnings and you will be ready to head back to school with all the things you need. Frugal Rocks!

Help Wanted, Must Live in the Area

I have noticed an interesting trend in the job posting ads in the Atlanta area and in neighboring counties. As I read the job descriptions and qualifications, the posting also requests that applicants must live within the area of the job. I am sure this trend is happening because of the heavy commute times Atlantans face especially in the morning. The local news channels do a great job of keeping commuters up-to-date on traffic conditions on the major interstates. Once you hear of a tie-up, it's a good idea to try and leave the house an extra 10-15 minutes early.

I guess this is why the job postings are being more blunt in wanting their potential employees to live in the area or at least only a few miles away from the company. The cost of living in the city or even north of the city is not cheap and many workers just can't afford it. Thus, they reside in the areas where they have no choice but make the long commute to work.

In this tough job market, I believe job seekers are willing to commute to wherever they can land a job. I also believe that applicants do give serious thought to the cost of the commute in gas, wear and tear on their car when they consider applying for a job. However, if you have no paycheck coming in, a long commute is the least of your worries.

I think employers may be missing out on potential talent when their job postings read that the person must live in the area. I can see applicants not bothering to apply because they probably won't be considered. Just think, the most dependable, reliable, and punctual person is just waiting to get hired, but they live don't live in the area.