If you don’t want this job, I’ll find someone who does.

I don’t pay you to think.

I won’t have you on eBay/ESPN/Facebook/etc. while you’re on the clock.

I’ll take it under advisement.

Who gave you permission to do that?

Drop everything and DO THIS NOW!

Don’t bring me problems. Bring me solutions.

Sounds like a personal problem to me.

I have some feedback for you … and everyone here feels the same way.

In these times, you’re lucky to have a job at all.

I agree with most of these except for the eBay/ESPN/Facebook example. I think people should work when at work and do those other things at home or during off hours. I don’t think that’s too much to ask. The rest of her examples are pretty much no-brainers.

On a recent afternoon, he sat in his parents’ kitchen, combing online classified ads. But construction work remains scarce and other positions available for which he’s qualified don’t pay more than he makes at the factory.

This is what happens in a downturn/recession. Those most at risk are those who have little to offer employers.

My advice:

1. Realize that this is temporary (though it may last a while).

2. Come up with a plan. Maybe get another low-paying job. Go to school. Start a business. Accept anything but the feeling of helplessness.

And please…ditch the PS3 and XBox and PICK UP A BOOK!

To get America’s job engine revving again, companies need to stop pinning so much of the blame on our nation’s education system. They need to drop the idea of finding perfect candidates and look for people who could do the job with a bit of training and practice.

There are plenty of ways to get workers up to speed without investing too much time and money, such as putting new employees on extended probationary periods and relying more on internal hires, who know the ropes better than outsiders would.

It’s the author’s opinion that companies could fill positions if they brought back job training. In other words, they’re being too picky. Perhaps. However, I’m thinking that with unemployment as high as it is, wouldn’t there be a glut of qualified employees? I have heard other reasons why companies aren’t hiring (like uncertainty in taxes, healthcare law, and the economy in general).

The article then goes on to suggest that companies should work with education providers, bring back the apprenticeship, and promote from within. Pretty standard stuff.

I will say one thing more that’s related to this topic. My wife works for a chemical company. She went to a recruiting event at a local university. She was talking with one of the students and she (my wife) as the student why she was getting a chemical engineering degree. The student told her it was because she was going for another degree but found out that those who were employed in that field had to work a lot of hours and she she figured chemical engineers wouldn’t have to work as much. Wrong answer. I have a feeling this student will be in for a rude awakening IF she gets a job. Maybe she should read Larry Winget’s It’s Called Work for a Reason!: Your Success Is Your Own Damn Fault*.

*Affiliate Link

I’m wondering why this is news.

I mean, isn’t the whole point of pretty much every self-help management/career book and seminar to learn how to work in a way that helps you win friends in order to get ahead? Simply doing your job to the best of your ability is not enough. You have to make an effort to schmooze with those who can take you places.

I’m sure the article is talking about instances where qualifications take a back seat to outright favoritism. Even so, eventually the unqualified employee’s performance shows that they are in over their head and they’ll either quit or be replaced.

That’s not to say that it’s easy to work hard and watch someone else get a promotion. My advice: read up on building relationships. A good place to start is with the classic, How To Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie.

*Affiliate Link

1. Petroleum engineering

Average starting salary: $80,849

Career: Petroleum engineer

What it pays*: $127,970

2. Chemical engineering

Average starting salary: $65,618

Career: Flavorist

What it pays: $58,000 to $76,000 annually, according to Fast Company.

3. Computer engineering

Average starting salary: $64,499

Career: Programmer

What it pays: $74,900

4. Mining and mineral engineering

Average starting salary: $63,969

Career: Mining and geological engineers

What it pays: $87,350

5. Computer science

Average starting salary: $63,402

Career: Network and systems administrator

What it pays: $72,200

6. Electrical/electronics and communications engineering

Average starting salary: $61,021

Career: Electronics engineer

What it pays: $92,730

7. Materials engineering

Average starting salary: $59,826

Career: Materials scientist

What it pays: $86,300, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

8. Systems engineering

Average starting salary: $58,909

Career: Project manager

What it pays: $90,260, according to the “PMI Project Management Salary Survey, Sixth Edition.”

9. Accounting

Average starting salary: $49,671

Career: Auditor

What it pays: $68,960

10. History

Average starting salary: $40,051

Career: Teacher, post-secondary

What it pays: $70,860

11. English

Average starting salary: $39,611

Career: Editor

What it pays: $59,340

12. Psychology

Average starting salary: $40,069

Career: Social worker

What it pays: Varies, depending on type of social work.

The last column represents the sales growth for that particular sector.

Anyway, this is something you might want to show your college-bound kids.

The questions/topics that could be pitfalls to a successful interview:

Tell me about yourself. For some reason the first part of this commercial popped into my head:

Why do you want to leave your current job? Say the wrong thing and you’re in big trouble.

What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses? I always hated this question.

How would your current or former colleagues describe you?

What is your goal for the short term?

Are there certain tasks or types of people you don’t like? I have never been asked this question but I could see how it would trip people up.

Do you have any questions? From the article…

No-nos include asking about compensation for the job, what the company does, if you can work from home, how much vacation time you’ll get, or if the drug and background testing are really mandatory.

Who in their right mind would ask any of those questions (the questions directly above)?

• Start a business.

• Work for a charity.

• Travel the world.

• Create art.

• Master a sport.

• Master a game.

• Write a book.

• Make people laugh

Granted, this list is for young people. But, I have to say, that I would not be pleased if my one of my kids came to me and said, “Dad, I’m going to study chess instead of going to college.”

Master a sport? Shouldn’t that have been done during the high school years? And, if it’s been “mastered,” shouldn’t it warrant a college scholarship of some sort?

Personally, I think this guy’s crazy.

I’m not saying everyone needs to go to college but I think I would have approached this differently and recommended trade schools. There will always be a demand for welders, plumbers, electricians, etc.

1. Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products, make purchases to get needed farm supplies at the best rates. Annual salary: $62,450

2. Multimedia artists and animators create special effects, animation or other visual images.
Annual salary: $62,810

3. Loan officers evaluate, authorize or recommend approval of commercial, real estate or credit loans.
Annual salary: $63,210

4. Arbitrators, mediators and conciliators help out with alternative resolutions to settle disputes outside of court. The processes are less formal than a court trial.
Annual salary: $63,250

5. Insurance underwriters review applications for insurance coverage and accept or decline them based on the degree of risk involved.
Annual salary: $63,330

6. Diagnostic medical sonographers perform ultrasounds that physicians order for patients.
Annual salary: $63,640

7. Film and video editors edit motion picture soundtracks, film and video.
Annual salary: $63,680

8. Food scientists and technologists analyze the composition and properties of food.
Annual salary: $64,370

9. Animal scientists study the life cycle and related biological issues of farm animals.
Annual salary: $64,510

10. Writers and authors write material for scripts, magazines, books, websites and other publications.
Annual salary: $64,560

11. Urban and regional planners create plans to use land and physical facilities in towns, cities, counties and metropolitan areas.
Annual salary: $64,680

12. Landscape architects plan and design areas for landscaping projects.
Annual salary: $65,910

13. Accountants and auditors give financial advice based on accounting records.
Annual salary: $67,430

14. Market research analysts estimate the business potential for an organization’s marketing and promotional efforts based on research they conduct in different markets.
Annual salary: $67,500

15. Dental hygienists clean teeth and examine a patient’s mouth, head and neck for signs of oral disease.
Annual salary: $67,860

16. Speech-language pathologists help individuals who have trouble speaking as a result of hearing loss, physical conditions or language barriers.
Annual salary: $68,350

17. Nuclear medicine technologists work with radioactive materials and equipment used in nuclear medicine procedures.
Annual salary: $68,450

18. Budget analysts examine budget estimates and analyze budgeting and accounting reports to ensure controlled spending.
Annual salary: $69,240

19. Occupational therapists develop rehabilitative programs to help disabled people gain independence.
Annual salary: $70,680

20. Geographers study the Earth and its land, features, inhabitants and phenomena.
Annual salary: $71,420

21. Clinical, counseling and school psychologists diagnose and treat mental disorders; learning disabilities; and cognitive, behavioral and emotional problems.
Annual salary: $72,310

22. Fashion designers create clothing and accessories, from shoes to clothes to jewelry and more.
Annual salary: $74,410

23. Operations research analysts study management and operations issues through engineering and other scientific methods.
Annual salary: $75,370

24. Sociologists study human society and social behavior.
Annual salary: $76,190

25. Physical therapists develop rehabilitative programs that improve patients’ health.
Annual salary: $76,220

26. Architects design buildings, homes and other structures for various clients.
Annual salary: $78,880

27. Education administrators manage the everyday operations of educational facilities.
Annual salary: $80,140

28. Environmental engineers study environmental problems and create solutions that governments and the general population can put into practice.
Annual salary: $80,750

29. Civil engineers design and oversee the construction of large-scale public works, such as bridges, dams and airports.
Annual salary: $81,180

30. Materials scientists research and study the structures and chemical properties of various natural and manmade materials.
Annual salary: $82,350

I didn’t see chemical engineers on that list. Nor did I see plant operators. Both of those positions pay really well.

Of course the main question is: How does a person find one of these jobs in today’s environment?

That’s the number I get when I divide $16,500 (the 2011 maximum allowable employee 401(K) contribution) by 2000 hours (40-hour work week, 50 weeks per year).

It seems like a lot. Granted, it does not include the tax savings on contribution. The actual dollar amount would be lower after taxes. Still, the amount is pretty high. That’s why this information should be provided to high school and college students. They need to see this information when deciding what career path to take.

These numbers also do not include the company match, which I think you should look at as icing on the cake and shouldn’t be considered in figuring your contributions.

Next, I’ll look at how much the maximum contribution could grow to over a career. Interesting stuff.