Get motivated to take enthusiastic action that will help you turn that dream into reality. One step at a time and you will surely achieve anything.

Wednesday, August 06, 2014

Back in the Blog Saddle



Back in the saddle with lots to talk about over the next few weeks.

Last year I started preparing my e-course "The 42 Day Challenge To Get a Job" Well I did move away from this project but am now back finishing it off.

And now I'm determined to finish this and get it out there for anyone who wants a workable plan that will help them get a job. There are still many people out of work but much more urgent is the number of people in a part-time job trying to exist.
The government unemployment figures are massaged to look good. Many groups of people who were once included as unemployed are now not included but worse, far worse is they count you as being employed whether you work full time or are on a Zero Hour contract. Is this fair? Should they count part time jobs as half jobs. It looks as if everyone is being paid for a full days work but the reality is that many people aren’t earning much and are on the poverty line.

If you are working voluntary or part time but want a full time job then this book is for you. You are on the first rung of the ladder. You can do better.

Beware of government unemployment figures but don’t worry too much about them. You must only be concerned about you and your job. The job that is waiting for you right now.

One of the very worse job deals is a “Zero Hours” contract. Yes folks. If you are working and they think they are overstaffed they can tell you to go home right away. If you are doing regular work of say 16 hours a week don’t expect this to continue. You may suddenly find you get no work for a week or two. And this is legal!!! But the good news is that this will come to an end soon. The government have promised (what! You don’t believe the government!).

The big problem is that you have commitments. You lose benefits because you are doing regular work and you become complacent. You think “I’ll soon be back on track again. I’ll be able to pay off those debts and get the water and electricity paid. Then bingo! It all stops. Sometimes there is no work but the hours should be distributed equally between all workers. In reality in many businesses there are favourites who always seem to get more hours or better shifts. That my friends is life.
 
So watch out for this exciting project. If you want a better job this can really help you. This is full of projects you can do to help yourself. Help you gain confidence, write a CV, be good in an interview, get motivated and have an Action Plan that you write for yours.
 
TOUGH TIMES
It is tough out there right now. We are constantly being told that things are getting better but have you found it easier? We read that the UK is now producing more than before the long recession was made official. I do find this difficult to believe. One major problem is that there are people making money out there but the gap between the Haves and HaveNots is widening all the time.
 
You can see it when you walk around town. Prices are dropping. People are carrying less shopping bags. More shops are being boarded up. And there is a growth in Betting Shops, Money Shops and Pawn Brokers. It's like going back to the Thirties.
 
 One street in Swansea. On the left Bookies and Money Shops: on the right a whole block of shops empty.

I see that Swansea Council last week proclaimed their new project "To make the City a vibrant exciting place". Some way to go. If you live in the city have you been asked for your views.

What do you think? Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

On a more cheerful note we have fantastic beaches, a First Division Football Team, busy theatres such as the Grand, Dylan Thomas and Taliesin all staging a variety of performances. And in addition there are the outdoor performances. We have the superb LC with a variety of pools and other facilities, the Marina, the Dylan Thomas centenary celebrations, the Waterfront Wales National Museum, Swansea museum and the very interesting 1940 museum (if you haven't been then I highly recommend it). The two multi-screen cinemas, a variety of pubs and eating places. There are events weekly including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution Race this weekend at Mumbles. There are sporting events at the University and the new campus is growing at a fast pace.

And views to live for. Not just the panoramic view across the Bay but the fantastic flower display, both as in this photo but also the hanging baskets.

 
I was at the Cenotaph on 4th August to take some video to commemorate the centenary of the start of World War One and was surprised and pleased to see the poppies. There are wild poppies sown and grown across the city, seeds given out by the local authority.
 
And whilst writing about the First World War there is an interesting exhibition at Swansea Museum including a life-like trench which you can walk through. Take the kids, they'll find it interesting and it might give you an opportunity to tell them about this catastrophic event that left over 900,000 Allied soldiers dead and hundreds of thousands of other seriously wounded. THis war has had serious consequences for the world ever since and I believe we are still suffering as a consequence. We went in as a world dominant Empire and came out as a debt ridden country.
Hope you've enjoyed. Look out for the 42 Day Challenge. And watch out for more.
 

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