03Feb 2014 by CJ

Technology has made applying for a job more difficult than ever

Information & Education, Life & Living
Most people will tell you that technology has revolutionized the way in which we live our lives. But I’m not most people, and while I do believe our lives have benefitted greatly from technology it hasn’t made everything easier. For example, ask anyone who’s applied for a job lately and they’ll probably mention the introduction of online forms. Years ago you could easily print out a cover letter and resume, fold it, seal it in an envelope and have it dropped at the nearest post office in no time flat! You could efficiently send out ten resumes in less than ten minutes – leaving you with a feeling of accomplishment and self-worth over the possibilities in your hands. But no more. Today applying for a job is a time consuming,…
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18Oct 2013 by CJ

Teacher evaluations should be adopted by all employers

Information & Education, Life & Living
Many of you are probably unaware of this, but teachers in New Jersey must now adhere to a rigorous evaluation process (instituted by Governor Chris Christie and his team) in order to measure their overall effectiveness in the classroom. While evaluations, in both the private and public sectors, have been practiced religiously for decades, I’m not sure they’ve ever been utilized to this degree. Over the duration of the school year, teachers will find themselves observed 18 times in 10 months – rated as effective or ineffective. When the final results are tallied, enough ineffective scores are grounds for dismissal. This evaluation process got me to thinking – why isn’t the rest of the working world adopting such a lofty measurement system? I’ll tell you why. Because if this evaluation…
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19Sep 2013 by CJ

Working hard or hardly working – does brown nosing equal success?

Information & Education, Life & Living
My grandfather used to always say if you work really hard, it will pay off and people will notice. He was a firm believer that success came in direct correlation to your efforts, and it’s a lesson I’ve taken with me throughout my own life. But I’ve noticed something alarming of late – something that may not have existed during my grandfather’s long career. Today, working hard doesn’t seem to propel you up the corporate ladder as much as you might expect. It seems the business environments of today are more about popularity than anything else. Time and time again I see people who go to great lengths to prove their worthiness to management through their dedication and efforts, only to be overshadowed by those who spend more of their…
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12Sep 2013 by CJ

Why would anyone NOT want to be part of a union?

Information & Education, Life & Living
For many of us who aren’t public/government employees, we have little understanding of what it means to be a part of an organized union – which first started appearing in the mid-19th century in response to the industrial revolution. I’d venture to say if you asked anyone in America what their thoughts were on unions, they’d probably have something negative to say. Who could blame them when politicians have painted such an unflattering picture. Admittedly I knew very little about unions until I met my wife – a dedicated teacher for the last 17 years. It was only then that I began to understand the fundamental difference between organized unions and its popular replacement known as the human resources department. It led me to ask myself the question, “why would…
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03Sep 2013 by CJ

As a new school year begins, show children the importance of an education

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth
As a new school year begins, so does the evolution of how we educate our children and measure its effectiveness. As the business world looks to evaluations and statistics to measure production, quality and even employees, our schools are now turning to many of the same practices - utilizing standardized testing to rate the performance of teachers, curricula’s and students. While some might argue the biased nature of such testing, the results weigh heavy on the minds of school administrations around the country. But as this new school year begins, I’m reminded of something President Obama said during one of his State of the Union addresses several years back. Take a look… “That responsibility begins not in our classrooms, but in our homes and communities. It's family that first instills…
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