When was the last time I actually applied for a job that I initially saw on a job posting? Even in the case of the jobs that I’ve applied for that happened to be posted on a job board or classified ad, I didn’t hear about them through the job board, but through network connections.

In the time I’ve spent looking at jobs on the big job sites, the job postings are usually written with such a specific list of skills that only one person really matches the job description:  the person who had been doing the job prior to the posting going up.  I would imagine that such specificity leads to two things:

• Qualified applicants being discouraged from applying
• Unqualified applicants applying because they take the excessive list of skills as an indicator that the potential employer really has no clue what they want.

I remember all the hype surrounding the big Internet job boards.  It seems that the same hype was repeated with the professional networking sites [LinkedIn], none of which provide enough value to use until you’re looking for a job.

Instead, I’ve found the following combination or resources works best for me:

• I maintain contact with former classmates and co-workers through Facebook, not LinkedIn.  I’ve found that people are more likely to keep their contact information up-to-date through Facebook because there are other reasons to log-in to the service other than the simple “networking/contacts maintenance” aspect.  Now, if LinkedIn converted logins to Facebook Connect, it might become marginally more useful.
• I maintain a public presence/persona through Twitter, building a support community by responding to friends who have questions or concerns.
• I meet people in real life, whether through running marathons or local networking events.  This is especially important for the internet-only friends.  Old co-workers and classmates have at least a minimal impression of me in real life.  Online friends don’t, unless I at least have meet them for a drink or before a marathon start.

In the end, all the technology does is accelerate the success or failure of your strategy.  Being a stranger or a bad fit in the virtual space is an easier rejection than being a strange or a bad fit in real life–after all, is a “virtual” friend even real?

This topic has been written about fairly recently:  (See Forbes:  The College Hoax).  However, it has really started to irk me because of the 268collegenow.bs commercials on cable TV quoting this erroneous statistic.

Some cause for concern:

1. The number is not a comparison of lifetime earnings of 62-year-olds who graduated from college versus those who only graduated from high school, it is an extrapolation of a one-year sample from working age people 21-64 tears of age.
2. Secondly, the extrapolation is done using a median of $20,000 and multiplying it by 40.  Each median is taken over the entire age group, from 21-64, by degree level.  Why is this a problem?
   1. Many professions which specifically require a bachelor’s degree have a relatively flat income growth rate:  nursing, teaching, social work, accounting.  These professions have opportunities to significantly boost income, but many require the addition of a master’s degree, which would take them out of the “bachelor’s degree” category and place them into the “advanced degree” category.
   2. For someone with no “college”, their career path might involve a trade school and/or a lifetime of real world experience.  If that real world experience typically results in a breakthrough understanding or opportunity after 23 years in a job, the resulting income has been completely ignored because it is past the midpoint from which the median was taken.
   3. Never mind the fact that a single value was plucked out of the population, yet it was multiplied through as if it was representative of that population.
3. $80,000 in student loans takes an 8% cut out of that extrapolated earning potential.

While the rigors of getting a college degree can be valuable experience in teaching perseverance, it does not mean that getting your “degree” will entitle you to an automatic $20,000 per year more than your high school graduate cousin.  All these quick degree programs and, to some degree, some colleges would have you believe otherwise.

The reality is, while licensing boards may require that degree before you can seek employment in your chosen profession, the learning really doesn’t start until you take off your cap and gown and get to work.  College sets you up with a really nice set of tools, including a few that you may not get anywhere else.  You can still be a lousy handyman with even the best set of tools.

1.  You’re scared to charge what you’re worth.

Number 1 is the biggest failure point that I’ve seen otherwise good business owners make.  Think about it.  Your plumber won’t show up for less than $70.  Neither will your electrician.  They’ve perfected their craft, licensed, and insured themselves.  How many hours of you screwing up the job is a one-hour, $70+ visit worth?

Playing music for weddings is similar.  I haven’t played one in a while, but my rate was 2-3 times the going rate for a church service.  I always showed up for the rehearsal (to lower the risk of surprises), and often ended up buying additional music for the service.

I’ll make an exception for charging less than the going rate.  I will provide my services for free.  That means that I know you well enough to give you my services as a gift, or you represent a charity that I would like to donate my time to.

Don’t muddy the waters by doing a “favor” and charging less.  The recipient will still have had to pay you, and won’t see the benefit that you provided as you do.  At the same time, you will have received less than your normal rate and not necessarily receive the amount of goodwill you expected.

Charge what you’re worth.  If you’re not worth a reasonable rate, then you probably shouldn’t be in that line of business, at least for yourself.

Thank you for contacting me with your support for carpooling and high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.  I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

As you may know, states have jurisdiction over the highways within their borders.  They also have the authority to determine the placement and availability of HOV lanes.  As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, I do not have the authority to require Kentucky to establish HOV lanes in the state.  I encourage you, however, to contact the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet at 502-564-4890 or KYTC.Comments@ky.gov.

…the “not my department” excuse.  Of course, this was never a problem for the Federal government when the speed limit was reduced to 55 MPH, making the limit a condition for receiving Federal highway funds.  When the Federal government needs to pressure a state to adhere to a national standard, it can vote with its checkbook.

So why isn’t carpooling part of the solution?

• It reduces overall wear and tear on all vehicles.  (Less consumption of vehicles?)
• It reduces overall fuel consumption (Hence there would be no “oil interest” support.)
  
• It reduces the urgency to completely dump fossil fuels (Hence no “green interest” or “alternative energy interest” support.)  We know the “oil interest” voter roll and their investments; dare we look at who is making poor decisions for the country based on their own investments in green energy?  Look what happened with ethanol.
  
• The average person would have to work out the logistics, which might cost a couple of swing votes.
  

I call this one “Table on its side in high traffic area sans glass.”

California Taxation Leads to Mass Migration

California is 49^th (New York 50^th) in the Economic Freedom Index: http://www.ppinys.org/reports/jtf/econfreedom.htm

Nevada is 12^th

Other notables:

Kentucky is 39^th, Michigan 34^th

Indiana is 14^th, Texas is 17^th

• A simple majority: $44,389
• A super majority (60%):  ~$57,000
• 2/3 majority:  ~$67,000
• 3/4 majority:  ~$82,000

Household income in the United States – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Obama: Get the dread out of tax deadline day – Yahoo! Finance.