Hostess/ job tips/ scams

Nov. 27 Hostess: Hostess has finally closed down.  I first heard about it on Jay Leno.  I did read in the business section of the newspaper that they were trying to get some buyers.  That didn't work out.  I'm not a big fan of Twinkies, but what other company makes them? Here's an article: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/hostess-closing-job-loss.html I Google "Who else makes Twinkies?" and here's a recipe where you can make your own: http://leitesculinaria.com/71100/recipes-homemade-twinkies.html Here's another one.  This has a funny picture of a Twinkie.  It says "NEVER FORGET 11/16/12." http://www.theblaze.com/stories/dont-freak-out-over-twinkies-demise-make-your-own-one-blaze-writers-d-i-y-twinkies/ Nov. 29 Bank job: Today is my day off and here is something I haven't done in months: I looked for a bank job.  I applied to some today with my office jobs. Information security analyst: This career is mainly to protect information like in healthcare and banks.  This is really good job security because everybody uses computers and needs to protect information.  It looks like you need a bachelor's degree. http://www.infosecinstitute.com/jobs/security-analyst.html Job tips: Claudia Frederick sent me this article "43 Things Your Future Boss Wants You to Know."  It's "How to", "What not to do" and "Facts and rules of thumb."  It's a fast and easy article to read. How to: answer the phone, actively listen, use social media, and exit gracefully (in case you want to come back to get hired again.) What not to do: Don't friend your boss on Facebook.  My co-workers have friended our ex-boss on Facebook, but I haven't. "#29: Your boss will want you to identify and tackle problems without having to ask you. Don’t be too concerned about the results, the effort is the important part." That last line about effort was good. Facts and rules of thumb: That you have to work at the company for a yr before you're considered an asset, that you have to pay your dues as in doing stuff that no one wants to do. http://www.thebestcolleges.org/43-things-your-future-boss-wants-you-to-know/ Nov. 30 Job: Today at work was so busy because one person was sick.  At least we managed.  I also got to go home on time.  I thought I was going to have stay later. Dec. 1: Someone quit her job at my restaurant.  Maybe she got that other job she was being interviewed for.  I don't know. News update: I was reading in the Globe and Mail business section, and it says Hostess is still having buyers bid on their company. Eaton Canada: Have you heard of this electrical company?  My brother picked this brochure up at a job fair, and I decided to look it up.  The company is way over at the west side.  This is actually an international company. http://www.eatoncanada.ca/EdmontonPowerCentre/contact.shtml Scams: World Financial Group: I think it's in 2010 I applied to them.  I got a call back and I asked my dad about it.  He says it's not really a bank.  I Google "Is World Financial Group a scam?"  I found this forum with people's comments: Person: Someone I know tried to recruit me to be their agent. Basically, they try to obtain funds thru the agent's relatives/friends, or use them to recruit other people. Once recruited, you are paid based on how many friends/relatives you can convince to pool money into their funds. Scam at its worse. Person #2: a close friend of mine is in WFG and so are his parents. His parents make a sh*tload of cash, but i avoid them like the plague. All they ever do is try to recruit every single person they come in contact with, and brag about how successful they are. http://forums.redflagdeals.com/world-financial-group-578783/ National Travel Associates: This place is also a scam.  Better Business Bureau rated it an F: http://www.bbb.org/southern-nevada/business-reviews/hotels-reservations/national-travel-associates-in-henderson-nv-90009318 Here's the Kijiji job ad: http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-jobs-customer-service-Home-Based-Travel-Agents-W0QQAdIdZ436369297 Zellers: Susan Krashinksy wrote an article about them in the Globe and Mail on Oct. 5,2012.  The CEO Mark Foote did a social media campaign.  Zellers got more than $8 million in sales because of the digital coupons on the social media sites.  It was the "most successful 4th quarter results in a decade with profitability up 16%" compared to last yr. "The Festive Finale campaign won gold in the social media category at the IAB Mixx Awards at Advertising Week in New York." Shoppers who got the coupons from the Facebook website, on average spent 2.5 time more money than people who were Facebook fans. "Mr. Foote says he wishes Zellers had done this kind of thing years ago." "1900 is the number of sumbissions that have come in from people and organizations looking to adopt Zeddy.  Proposals have included having him call out numbers at a bingo hall, and installing him as a guard bear at an auto wrecker's yard." Me: Those sound like fun and creative ideas. Dec. 4 SDI Marketing: I found this ad on Kijiji.  I Google "Is SDI Marketing a scam?"  I got some good and some bad.  It's approaching people to sign up to credit cards. "Yeah my friend actually referred me, and I got called for the training. I went today for the training, which they told me is also paid. 12 dollars / hr, selling in Nofrills/Superstore, etc. They say you are on like probation for a week, then they decide if they want you on. It's very flexible too as you choose what stores you want to work at, and how many hours/times each day. Seems like a good job and I'll definitely try it out. I've always been told to be wary of these "Marketing" companies, so I was a bit curious." "It is boring and if you don't meet your quota and saying the amount they want is impossible you will be terminated." Feelings: I got a job interview 2 days from now.  I'm really nervous because I haven't had a job interview in 2 months.  I had taken a productive break in Oct. because I got a second job at Call Centre #6 and was busy researching careers.  In Nov. I started applying again and got a little phone interview with some preliminary questions.  Successful teams: Crystal Hall sent me this article "10 Scientific Facts about Successful Teams." "#1 Circumstances mean more than content."   When planning an event: "Painstakingly selecting the right venue, audience, and times prove far more potent indicators of success rather than actually comprehending the subject inside and out." Some things I know already like: "Likewise, when only individuals receive any sort of feedback, the entire team dynamic weakens as a result."  "#8 Set clearly defined goals."  It's like the saying by Peter Drucker: "What gets measured, gets done."  It's like at the call centre yesterday.  They told us how many completes we needed to get done.  A couple of hours later he told us how much we completed.