Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Top 10 Dirtiest Jobs

At some point in our lives, most of us have probably seen a task so revolting that we've admitted, "You couldn't pay me to do that." But not everyone feels that way. If a job needs to be done, chances are you can find someone to do it especially if the price is right. Here are the top ten dirtiest jobs on the planet. 10) Garbage Collector-Most of us wash our hands of garbage as soon as we set it on the curb. If we can avoid the chore of taking the trash out, we toss our rubbish in the trash can and forget about it. Not so for the garbage collector.The average annual salary for this occupation is about $43,000. 9) Gastroenterologist- These doctors specialize in the process that most of us wish would remain mysterious ..the body's digestion. Most GIs make between $250,000 and $400,000 a year .. not too crappy! 8) Oil Rig Worker-It involves spending weeks at a time sleeping, eating and working 12-hour days or nights on a man-made drill rig in the middle of the ocean. Aside from the cramped conditions, heavy machinery and explosive materials make this a perilous job that requires hardhats and steel-toed boots. But if you can stand the strenuous work and the time away from home, you'll be sitting pretty. Even lowly workers can get a nice annual pay over $40,000. 7) Portable Toilet Cleaner- Using a tank and a vacuum wand, cleaners must suck up all the waste in a portable toilet. After picking up any stray toilet paper, they also wash down all surfaces that c­ould possibly be soiled, including the walls. Nevertheless, some cleaners grin and bear it and take home $50,000 a year. 6) Crab Fisherman- If the fishermen can protect themselves from being swept overboard in a storm, they'll still have to worry about the dangers of fishing machinery and coils on crab boats, which can also fling them overboard. And even if they avoid drowning, cold temperatures can give way to fatal hypothermia. For a few months of work out of the year, experienced workers can rake in about $60,000. 5) Sewer Inspector- As if wading through human excrement didn't sound bad enough, some workers are also sewage divers. As you probably guessed, they have to go all out to swim through sewage to clean out clogs. In addition to the excrement, smell, and creepy crawly bugs and rats, sewer workers sometimes come across dead bodies, both animal and human. Before you write off these employees as nuts for voluntarily diving into human waste, note that, with above a high school education, they can make over $60,000 a year. 4) Coal Miner- What's more, unstable mines can collapse and kill workers. Aside from these dangers, working directly with coal is literally dirty. Just from breathing, coal miners ingest coal dust and sometimes develop black lung, a condition that causes shortness of breath and emphysema. coal miners earn an average annual salary of around $64,000. 3) Embalmer- The details of embalming aren't pretty. It involves first washing the body with germicidal soap and massaging out stiffness. Then embalmers drain the blood and gases and inject disinfecting embalming fluid. Preparing the face involves securing the mouth shut with wires and the eyes shut with glue. Embalmers, morticians and mortuary workers earn about $41,000 on average, and the pay rises with experience. 2) Plumber- If these cramped and dirty conditions aren't bad enough, they deal with our revolting clogs and waste or dangerously hot pipes. Customers commonly call with plumbing emergencies at all hours, making schedules unpredictable. On average, plumbers make about $47,000 annually. 1) The number one dirtiest job is... a Crime Scene Cleaner-In the aftermath of a bloody crime or the discovery of an illegal chemical lab, the police investigators rush in to save the day and bring the perpetrators to justice. But in the hurry to clean up crime in the city, police don't have time to clean up the walls. Be it blood and guts or hazardous chemicals, not a lot of people jump at the chance to be a crime scene cleaner. Depending on how bad the mess is, the cleanup could take a few hours to a few days. But you won't hear these crime scene cleaners complaining too much ... they charge by the hour. With a little experience under your belt and flexibility with your work hours, you can easily make about $75,000 a year with this job.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Tips for Getting a Job and Keeping a Job

When the whole world, let alone the whole country, is talking about a recession, it is hard not to get panicky about your own job. This is not the time to sit back and worry about your fate, however. It is the time to be proactive. Here are some tips on how to move your name lower down the layoff list, and if you know of any others, drop me a note to share them. First, let's talk about how to get a job and the critical points one must keep in mind when seating in an interview. 1) Be confident 2)Stand up straight, with your shoulders back 3)Speak up clearly and loud enough so the interviewer understands you 4) Don't fidget 5)Make good eye contact 6)Smile sincerely 7)Lean forward slightly when the interviewer is speaking this shows attentiveness 8)Don't ramble 9) Stay focused on the questions and how you fit the needs of the employer 10) Be assertive: When sending in your resume some place, always call to make sure they received it and set up an interview 11)Creatively Cater to the Needs of Prospective Employers: When interviewing, ask your interviewer exactly what they are looking for. Ask what their concerns are about you. Asking these questions (1) shows that you care about them and want to cater to them and (2) gives you the opportunity to be assertive and address their concerns 12)Letters of reference: if you have a good relationship with people at your old work, you can ask them to write a letter of reference for you. Because you choose whether or not to use the reference, you have the responsibility of what is seen by other companies, and your former employers will probably feel more comfortable with this route 13)Be persistent: If you don’t hear back after an interview, or are told that they are not interested, then ask for specific feedback 14) Work With a Temp Agency: Even if a company is just looking for a temp to replace an employee on vacation, they know that a good employee is hard to find. If you impress them, they’ll remember you. Ok, now that we have addressed the most important tools for getting a job keeping a job is also extremely important 1) Be visible: Hard work alone won't cut it 2)Don't be a maverick: This is not the time to throw yourself in an unauthorized direction, managers are more focused on the core of the business. Interfering may cause a problem 3) Manage yourself: Take on a new project or make another visible contribution 4) Network: Make sure you're having two networking meetings a week outside the office 5) Don't blow off the Christmas party: If you still have one, your boss probably had to fight for it - and may take it personally if you skip it. And here we are, we have finally covered the major tips job.travel may be a plus for someone in search of a job. Now go get it and keep it!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Job.travel (The Travel Job Matchmaker)

Search jobs, post your resume, find employment, and find your next career here! In these economic times, job.travel saves employers money, time, and the hassle of finding a qualified candidate. When job opportunities seem slender in the industry, an approach that uses skill matching can expand a job seeker’s marketability. By the same token, when labor markets are tight, hotel managers might wish that they could recruit workers from different industries, but which other professions and fields? A new Job Compatibility Index provides an answer. Designed to focus on matching qualified job seekers with employers, job.travel is an easy, user friendly tool for both employers in “the Biz” and for job seekers. It saves employers thousands of dollars over other employment sites and offers resume uploading, creation, and unlimited job searches for free to job seekers and employers. With a subscription to job.travel, employers can quickly search candidates and job opportunities either from handheld, mobile devices or desktop computers. Ideal for the busy, on-the-go individuals, job.travel offers mobile text and e-mail alerts when candidates and jobs match. To find out more information on job.travel and how to subscribe to its services, please visit http://www.job.travel/

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Our Economic Times

Our economic times have not been easy, however in the House of Democrats an $825 billion economic stimulus package rolled out to combat what they called "a crisis not seen since the Great Depression," but its immediate economic impact is unclear and the plan faces hurdles before becoming law. "Details of the two-year package, which calls for $550 billion in new spending and $275 billion in tax relief, will likely change as the bill works its way through Congress. But the document provides the first blueprint of how President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats plan to fight the historic economic downturn, which has already wiped out 2.6 million jobs. Businesses would get "bonus" depreciation for investing in new plants and equipment. The proposal also allows companies that have losses this year to get refunds for taxes paid as far back as 2003; current tax rules allow losses to be carried back only two years. But companies receiving money from the financial-system bailout program are ineligible for the tax provision, a blow for some of the nation's big banks and troubled auto makers General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. The stimulus plan was released hours before the Senate backed Mr. Obama on another key measure by approving the Treasury's call for the release of the second half of the $700 billion financial-system rescue package. That program is being replenished as Bank of America Corp. was near an agreement with U.S. officials that would provide it with $15 billion to $20 billion of fresh capital. The plan would be one of the largest single government expenditures in U.S. history, and would be equivalent to about 3% of gross domestic product over two years. The proposal is $125 billion bigger than the controversial bailout for the financial-services industry. It outweighs in dollar terms all other nations' stimulus plans, though China's $600 billion stimulus is a larger share of its economy. Democrats said they emphasized government spending over tax relief because that was the best and fastest way to create jobs. Rep. David Obey (D., Wis.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, warned that the package may be insufficient -- and said another spending bill may be needed later this year." Obviously, our economic time has not dropped one bit however, the stimulus may be what we need for right now to reconstruct the economic downfall that the country is going through. Even though, the stimulus package has helped many that are currently working, others that are unemployed have not had the chance to take advantage of the extra sum in their paycheck. Job.travel is a fantastic website for the travel and hospitality industry premium employment site, that focuses solely on efficiently matching qualified job seekers with employers. Job.travel's services are complimentary for job seekers and cost effective for employers.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Where To Go Next?

Has anyone every wondered where should i go next? Where would my next unforgettable vacation experience should be? Or maybe, if you do not want to go somewhere too expensive but still wanted to enjoy your vacation in tranquility, what kind of deals would you be looking for? Many people waste a lot of time and effort looking for travel specific deals for a short amount of time spend in luxurious places. They usually end up finding extremely expansive packages with very little amount of days and poor service. Well, let me share my little secret where top of the line services, all-exclusive packages to international countries is available for you! Future vacations offers great vacation deals to the most exciting places all over the world. Currently, all-inclusive packages in countries such as Cancun, St.Lucia, and Hawaii are offered at a great price. With the ultimate getways at Future Vacations you can find great deals on vacation packages to over 350 destinations. Travel packages to Las Vegas, Hawaii, Europe or the Caribbean are just a few of the resort destinations Future Vacations can offer you. Why go to other websites where you can have great deals and enjoy your vacation to the max. So next time you are wondering where to go.. think of Future Vacations and their great vacation packages.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Empire State Building

Some places are just absolutely amazing to visit such as the Empire State Building http://www.esbnyc.com/ in New York City. With its unbelievable view of the city of New York, the Empire State Building is definitely a “must-see” when visiting New York. The construction of the Empire State Building began in March of 1930 on the site of the old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel at 350 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street. It was completed 14 months later in May, 1931. Designed by the architectural firm of Shreve, Lamb, & Harmon Associates, the Empire State Building, at 102 stories, was the tallest building in the world until the completion of the first tower of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan in 1972. The total cost to construct the skyscraper was $40,948,000, including the cost of the land. The building alone was constructed with a little over $24,000,000. The onset of the depression significantly reduced the amount needed to construct the building. The total height of the building is 1,454 feet. The 86th floor observatory, where visitors can overlook the Chrysler Building, Harlem River and other scenes of New York City, is 1,050 feet above ground. There are 102 floors and 6,500 windows. Since it was first built, the Empire State Building has lit up the New York City skyline in a diverse array of colors and designs, with an appeal like no other building could have. Since 1931 taller buildings have been erected, but perhaps none remain as famous as the Empire State Building. There is also deep the history of the building, which includes the mishap, when in 1945 at the end of WWII, an Army Air Corps bomber plane crashed into the 79th floor in a dense fog. Since 1931, the building has also acted as the official welcoming landmark of New York to many of the world's most renown political and entertainment figures, like Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth and Nikita Khrushchev. The Empire State Building is has amazing sight scenes to view. I would advise for someone to explore the Empire State Building as one of the first things one visits when arriving in New York.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Top Restaurant In New York

Ever been to New York? Well, if you have make sure you go to The Spotted Pig http://www.thespottedpig.com/ . The Gastro-Pub offers quality food. I have to say that i haven't tasted something this good in a very long time. The food is rich and the taste is savoring. Some of the specialities one must try are deviled eggs, devils on a horseback, and the apple walnut and cheddar salad. According to Robin Raisfield, "Mario Batali, a chef recommended by Jamie Oliver, and a cadre of high-profile music-business investors, A&R executive Ken Friedman opened The Spotted Pig in the 100-seat West Village premises formerly occupied by Le Zoo. But don’t call it a restaurant: The Pig, despite an Italian-accented menu crafted by English expat April Bloomfield, late of London’s esteemed River Cafe and fresh on the heels of a stint last summer at Chez Panisse, belongs to that British subgenre called the "gastro-pub," a bar serving simple, straightforward food. Bloomfield’s interpretation transcends the steak-and-kidney-pie norm with char-grilled calf's liver with onions, crispy pancetta and argula, or slow-roasted king salmon with organic Italian zucchini, basil and mint. Friedman, a Los Angeles native who says he’s enthralled by atmospheric New York taverns, justifies the "pub" part of the equation with a 100-bottle wine list, two cask-conditioned beers, and the compulsory Irish stout—an offering, no doubt, for bands that prefer to drink their dinner". This i thought was the perfect defintion of the Spotted Pig, the experience is amazing and the relaxed pub vibe makes ten times more enjoyable.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

How to Start Your Own Restaurant Business

According to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry reached a record of $537 billion in 2007 and there are approximately 935,000 restaurant-and-food service outlets. Things slowed down in 2008 but the industry is still very much alive. With 12.8 million employees the industry is the largest employer. Owning a restaurant can be very rewarding, but don't think you can open one and hire a manager and then forget about it. You need to be on top of training your manager and employees so that you don't lose your profits and/or your business. You also need to keep up with federal, state and local regulations. There are lots of pros and cons when starting your own restaurant business. First, you have to create a business plan for your restaurant business to have a chance to succeed. You have to ask yourself what kind of restaurant am i constructing, a seafood place, steakplace, all of the above, etc...One of the most important factors that one must consider when building his/her restaurant is location. If the restaurant is located in a good location such as a downtown area, most likely a lot of traffic is going to come there. After you have chosen the location, the next step is building your own restaurant. At this point, choosing a good contractor, buying or leasing the location also laying out the space and design of the restaurant for example: your entrance, bar area, patio, restrooms, kitchen and more. There are four types of licenses when starting your own business. Most of them include business insurance, equipment and supplies. When the restaurant is built it is important to keep in mind that developing effective systems to successfully run your business is critical.
Developing a menu that makes money, setting menu prices, hiring the right people such as cooks, managers, waitresses, bartenders, hostesses, food runners are some of the important aspect of what an owner must think of. Last but not least, the owner and manager must think of unconventional ways to market the restaurant and attract customers. Financial management of how to budget, keep track of sales, calculate costs of sales and inventory, reducing cost but mostly how to build wealth. Starting your own business in any industry is tough, hopefully these tips can help if you are in search of answers on "how to start your own restaurant business".

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Waitressing Until Restaurant Close

Being a waitress is a full time job, working day or nights can be challenging but the rewards are greater. I interviewed Jackie Schwarzhaupt, a current waitress at Tarpon bend. Jackie is well known at Tarpon, she has been working there for over one year and is very familiar with most of the customers that come in to eat. "As a waitress, i have to be quick on my feet as well as being extremely "customer service" oriented when customers enter the restaurant" stated Jackie. Rude customers, not being tipped well and drunk individuals ordering more drinks are some of the downfalls a waitress has to deal with. Jackie has a lot of experiences dealing with these pitfalls, her motives is that it's bound to happen but tomorrow is another day, and everyone is different. Jackie has dealed with friday nights at Tarpon bend closing at 4:00 am and this has been some of the worst nights to work. "When everyone wants to have a good time at the same time being so drunk that they cannot stand straight, i have the right to tell them they cannot drink anymore. I am allowed to call a cab for them to go home. Some appreciate my concerns and service, and some want to start confronting and sometimes fight. At this point, i would call my manager to resolve the situation and if this does not work security would have to interevene" mentioned jackie. Being a waitress has positive features, meeting great people and making really good tips allows you to have your rent money for the month in two or three nights of working. After a while, people start to get familiar with the waitresses working there and are more and more generous with their tips, it seems as if it becomes a family buisness. The most rewarding aspect of waitressing is the tips that come along with the job and also the positive comments that customers give a waitress. "One night, i made about 300 dollars on tips, i was extremely happy and the customers were so nice giving me so many compliments. This is the most rewarding thing about the job, there is nothing like someone saying "you did a great job" and "thank you for everything". Compliments are always the most pleasing things to hear" said Jackie. Now that i have covered all aspects of the restaurant buisness, hostess, cook, and waitress, it is your turn to pick which one you would prefer to work as!! Looking forward to responses!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Cooking on Friday Nights

Working in the hospitality industry as a hostess can be tough, but what about working as a cook on a busy friday night? I interviewed Neckson Jean-Baptiste who has been a cook for Tarpon in the past. He gaved me great insights of what it has been like for him to work in the restaurant buisness. Neckson's true passion is music, as an R&B singer he is working extremely hard to make it in the entertainment industry. Cooking is his second passion, and this is what he does until his music career takes off. When being asked what was his worse experience in the kitchen, Neckson had an interesting story to share. " My worst experience would have to be a busy Friday night at Tarpon Bend. One of the cooks had an emergency and called out, therefore there were only me and one other cook. The manger was fairly new and was still being trained on working the stations correctly. Friday nights at Tarpon get extremely busy, Tarpon Bend is located in a good area where a lot of customers come in and out. The kitchen holds three stations, I was working on both sautee and salads that night. The hardest part was to keep my eyes on both the fried foods as well as preparing salads and entrees. But this was not all, a party of 6 entered the restaurant and each ordered a seafood kettle which takes about 14-15 minutes of cooking. There was no time to recover as other tickets kept coming in. As a result, the food kept coming out late." That same night Neckson mentioned that he received a total amount of 30 tickets at one time. With all the hard work that cooks put in, Neckson mentions that the best part of working in the restaurant business are the compliments from customers. Praise is mostly what cooks like to hear from customers, because as we all know long and strenuous hours while standing on your feet having to endure stress is certainly not enjoyable. Finally, i asked Neckson how will he use his culinary skills when the music career takes off. He mentioned that he wanted to go to culinary school or take buisness mangement classes so that he can open up his own restaurant. Neckson wants to impact the hospitality industry making it a wonderful dinning experience for America.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Working in the Hospitality Industry


Working in the hospitality industry, may not be so easy for individuals trying to make a living. Dealing with rude customers, people that do not tip well, and drunk individuals on friday nights are just some of the pitfalls of working in the restaurant business. When i worked at Tarpon Bend, in Fort Lauderdale http://www.tarponbend.com/ i experienced first hand what it was like to deal with all these pitfalls. One of my worst experiences was on a Friday night. I was a hostess and there were lots of people at the bar, i had to make my way through the computer so that i could put orders in. One of the customers standing up at the bar, looked at me and said " am i in your way?" sarcastically i responded " just a little bit". He got furious used profanity and i had to call over my manager to settle down the situation. The guy eventually left and the situation blew over. Another Friday night, one guy opened up a tab at the restaurant for ten people when the bill came he apparently could not afford it and started raising hell at the bar cursing at the manager. All the bouncers gathered around him as he was becoming more and more violent. The bouncers took him outside as he was starting to throw punches at security. Working in a restaurant can be difficult however, it can be life changing in a good way. Working at Tarpon really taught me valuable lessons and i also met wonderful, genuine people. The waitresses are all extremely good looking as well as giving customers great service. They all work there butts off to make more money and the cooks had always an interesting story to tell making all of us laugh. This is also where i met my boyfriend, he was the cook and i was the hostess. Who ever thought that you could find love working in the hospitality industry!! As a matter of fact this has happened to a few people i know. One of the waitress and a bouncer at Tarpon had a wonderful relationship, and my other co-worker worked in the excutive offices for the restaurant and her husband was a cook. Even though working in a restaurant can be tough, you can meet a lot of interesting people and also find friends and love.... The only downfall are the incidents that may happen are a little more extreme than the average job however, the experience and knowledge of customer service is life changing.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Hospitality Guru Diva Introduction

One may ask who is hospitality Guru Diva? or Why is this blog so important? Well, I thought that since many of us work in the hospitality industry or have worked in it in the past it would be interesting to write and gain thoughts of what others may think of working in the industry with the hard economic times we are dealing with right now . I think that it is also important to guide and lead others to many job opportunities in the industry. Many people have lost their jobs because of the economic crisis and are looking for opportunites to search for leads hoping that somewhere someone is hiring. A great website that can help people find jobs and also help employers find their right candidate to hire is called http://www.job.travel/. I think this was a good idea to help people in the hospitality industry find what they are looking for or even a lead to where they have the possibility of getting hired in these hard times. Also check out http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/about/pubs/news/newsdetails.html?id=541 Cornell even talks about how beneficial job.travel is!!