Consumer confidence brightens: what does that mean?

By Ted Young
Business Services Manager

Many times we read or hear on the news that consumer confidence has improved and that it is one of the key indicators to watch regarding movements in the economy. Beyond the obvious, what does that mean? How does that affect my economy? To answer those questions we probably need to start with a brief definition of the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI).The CCI is a measure of consumer optimism toward current economic conditions. This index was based on 100 and is adjusted monthly on the basis of a survey of 5,000 households. The index gauges consumer opinion on both current and the individual’s perceived future economic circumstances. Forty percent of the index outcome is based on current conditions; the other sixty percent of the index is based on the consumer’s future expectations. The Consumer Confidence Index is closely watched because many economists consider consumer optimism an important indicator of the future health of the economy.
The index base of 100 is moved up or down by the responses received as a result of the survey. For example increased consumer confidence indicates economic growth in which consumers are spending money, indicating higher consumption. On the other hand decreasing consumer confidence implies slowing economic growth, and so consumers are likely to decrease their spending. The thought is that the more confident people feel about the economy and their jobs and incomes, the more likely they are to make purchases. Hence more consumer spending and consumption equals more demand for more products and services which should eventually lead to job growth. In theory this is how it works, but like everything else regarding economic theory, it is debatable.

Project Reconnect

Project Reconnect is to help those with less than stellar backgrounds. It is an orientation specifically designed for individuals with a misdemeanor or felony conviction. The orientation has been updated with all new materials and there are great books that are available for loan.

It is held in Daytona the 2nd and 4th Tuesday, at 2 p.m. and the 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 2 p.m. in DeLand.

A preview of our new materials

Unfound Talents Could Be a Gold Mine

By Suzy Kridner
CBE Administrative Assistant

Do you have hidden talents? And if you found them, could they be beneficial in your job search?

According to Mike Michalowicz, an entrepreneur, lecturer and author, we all have talents but we are not always good at identifying what they are. Sometimes they can be right in front of us, and we miss them.

Whether you are searching for that perfect job, or a business to open or you want to find ways to grow the business you have, you may find the answer in your personal talents.

Michalowicz says people are often too close to what is going on for them to notice their natural abilities. So these gems go unnoticed and untapped for years.

When you know what your talents are, you feel more in tune with your life.


Read more about Michalowicz’s suggestions for finding your hidden talents.

HOW DO YOU PROVE YOUR AGE IS AN ASSET?

Posted by: Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC Training Coordinator When clients tell me that they’re having a hard time finding a job because of their age, I tell them this. If you believe your age is a barrier to you getting a job, it will be a barrier to you getting a job. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Stop thinking it. Stop saying it. Stop believing it. Click here to read an article on proving that age can be an asset.

Register now for the Seventh Annual CBE Business Express…Connections on the Go

By: Lori Stone, APR, Director of Business Operations & Communications

Center for Business Excellence

Don’t miss CBE’s Seventh Annual Business Express…Connections on the Go. The event takes place at the Daytona Beach Hilton, 100 N. Atlantic Ave., Wed., June 1, from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The morning will kick off with keynote speaker Ken Lawson. Lawson was recently appointed Secretary of Florida’s Dept. of Business & Professional Regulations. The lunch keynote speaker is Joe Malarkey and, well, just check out his info on the provided link below.

Additionally, there will be six workshops to choose from throughout the day. Early bird registration is $50 per person and expires May 15.

For more detailed information about the speakers and workshops as well as how to register, please click on the link below. See you there!

http://www.centerforbusinessexcellence.net/BusinessExpress/BusinessExpress2011/player.html

Who's Smarter? You or Your Phone

This seems to be etiquette week.

Thursday’s blog was about having good manners.
Today it’s about smartphones and how they are taking over the world, or at least taking over conversation among friends and family.

My grandchildren are occasionally caught sitting demurely at the dinner table with heads bowed. Are they practicing "children should be seen and not heard" -- NOT. They’re texting or watching videos or looking at the latest photos sent by their friends on their smartphones.

Those with the latest gadget can’t wait to be asked to find a restaurant location, an NBA playoff score during a game or the calories in dinner tonight. Then there’s tweeting and catching up with Facebook.

Technology is wonderful and has made the world a much smaller place. However, smartphones can derail a job interview, a sales call or a meeting with the boss.


Here are 10 smartphone blunders to avoid. 

Mind Your P's and Q's

By Suzy Kridner
Administrative Assistant
In this day of instant communication and instant gratification, are manners and good etiquette going by the wayside?
We were always taught to say please and thank you, to properly introduce adults to our friends, and to address all adults as Mr. and Mrs.
Phone etiquette also was important in a large household, especially answering with the required “Anderson house, Suzy speaking.” You never knew if it was one of our parents calling in.
Thank you notes also were something that my parents made us do, especially at Christmas and birthdays.
In today’s world, thank you notes -- and good manners -- become even more important, especially if someone helps you get a job, gives you a reference, or does a favor for your business.

Read more about how to thank those who have helped you – even if it’s a thank you email.

No energy! Here Are Some Tips to Help

By Suzy Kridner

CBE Administrative Assistant

Do you get up every day after plenty of sleep and still feel like you’re dragging? And after lunch does your energy level drop even lower?

Employers, employees, job seekers – in fact all of us – can always use tips to make sure we start each day with maximum energy and also be able to keep renewing our energy supply throughout the day.

It’s a real challenge when you start the day with that tired feeling or run out of steam as the day progresses. We all need to find ways to make better use of our limited, shrinking, and in some cases already scarce resources. Since we all have more to do each day, we need more energy to get the job done.

Sheevaun Moran, host of the radio show, “Master Your Energy, Master Your Life,” supplied a double fistful of tips to author Matthew E. May.

HOW IMPORTANT IS NETWORKING?

Posted by: Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC
Training Coordinator


Many people will tell you that without it, your job search is dead. The reality is, yes, it's a vital part of any job search.


Don’t just take my word for it, read this article with interviews from a variety of job seekers and employers.
Click here.

Do you include or exclude others with your body language?

By: Lori Stone, APR, Director of Business Operations & Communications

Center for Business Excellence

We’ve all felt this way at one point or another. L-O-S-E-R! No matter how confident, competent and/or accomplished you may be, at some point you feel like a pariah when approaching someone to engage in conversation.

I found this interesting link on stance and what type of vibe it gives out to someone coming your way. Good stuff to be aware of so we don’t make someone else feel like the loser!

http://www.lilliancommunicates.com/?tag=include-or-exclude-others

You Can Make a Difference

By Suzy Kridner

CBE Administrative Assistant

Coming to work today I saw people waving signs saying "Thank you" on street corners. "It's our way of saying thank you back to the community," said Ray Salazar, president of United Way of Volusia and Flagler Counties, since April 10-16 is National Volunteer Week. He said the sign-wavers are from United Way member agencies, clients and special vounteers.

Fortunately I work for an agency that encourages its employees to volunteer. My co-workers are involved with the Red Cross, Halifax Urban Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Children's Advocacy Center, the United Way, Children's Home Society and many others.

Volunteering also can be a means to a job for the unemployed. You'll feel useful and when you're active helping others, you may be considered when a position opens up.

Today the United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties is honoring its Volunteers of the Year at a luncheon in Daytona Beach. It is held in conjunction with National Volunteer Week and Florida Volunteer Month.

Are you looking for ways to help others -- and help yourself? Opportunites abound!

The United Way's Volunteer Center is a good place to start.

Community Health Work Program, Bethune-Cookman University

Bethune-Cookman University will be training Community Health Workers for our community.

What is a Community Health Worker???

Community Health Workers are lay members of the community that work either for pay or as a volunteer in association with the local health care system in both urban and rural environments and usually share the same ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status and life experiences with the community members they serve.

How can I get more information???
By contacting:

In Daytona Beach:
Kathy Spencer, 323-7031

And in DeLand
Elizabeth Fernandez, 740-3264

You May Want to Ignore Hot Job Lists

By Suzy Kridner
CBE Administrative Assistant
Is the job you've been searching for on the Hot Job List or the Current Job List -- or the Obsolete Job List?

There are very few positions advertised these days for newspaper reporter/editor, a job I loved for years, the last 28 in Daytona Beach. It's bad enough getting laid off, but even worse when all newspapers in the country have cut back on employees, pages, news and benefits. Some say newspapers are a dying breed. But I still enjoy lying back in my recliner reading my local paper.

If your profession is on the way out, that's when you have to reinvent yourself, write multiple resumes for multiple jobs, practice for interviews with diverse companies. And you may be as lucky as I was to get a job in a completely different field.

At the Center for Business Excellence/One-Stop Career Centers, where I am currently employed, we say, "It's a full time job looking for a job." We are fortunate to have three One-Stop Centers in Volusia and Flagler Counties that provide a myriad of services for the unemployed. For more information, go to http://www.onestops.com/ But I digress. How do you determine what's the newest hot job or hot career and are you qualified? Most of these lists are worthless. Instead, it's time to look for a realistic job.

Here are seven reasons to ignore these lists of hot jobs.

The Art of Listening

Posted by: Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC Training Coordinator

Whether it’s your boss, your child, a co-worker or your significant other listening is important and most of us do a lousy job of it. I can hear you already. You’re thinking, “What’s she talking about I’m a good listener?” We all want to think we’re good listeners however, the reality is that most of the time, we (and yes I include myself in that ‘we’) are thinking of our response before the person talking is even half way finished. This is not good listening. What does it take to be a good listener? 1. First, pay attention to not only the words being spoken but the body language of the speaker. 2. When the speaker finishes, take a few moments to process what you think you heard. 3. Next, in your own words, tell the speaker what you think they said. 4. Once you and the speaker agree on what the speaker said, you can formulate a response. Listening is a valuable skill on the job and in life in general. Communication, or rather miscommunication is the source of most relationship problems from parent to child, subordinate to boss. Friendships have been destroyed and jobs lost over miscommunication. Practicing good listening habits will help you in all aspects of your life. Think about it before you go on that next interview.

Emotional vampires…how to identify and slay them

By: Lori Stone, APR, Director of Business Operations & Communications

Center for Business Excellence

Life can be stressful enough without added drama, right? I’m not talking about the occasional guilty pleasure, like watching something on Bravo, for a brief escape from reality.

No, I’m talking about routine interactions with people who seem to push your buttons for some reason. Even further, we may be pushing someone else's buttons. Hmmm…

I found this interesting link about the various types of emotional vampires. Check it out:

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/10/27/5-emotional-vampires-and-how-to-combat-them/

7th Annual Business Express

The Business Express is back! Join us for the 7th installment of this incredible event. Secure your spot in the region’s premier event for successful employment practices. Socialize with influential executives – make new connections. Also, break away from the monotony of everyday business and enjoy our guest speakers. Registration for this event is now open. This year early registration will save you money! Admission will be $50 per person until May 15th, and $60 afterwards. So make your reservation now! Click here to register!

Tell Me About Yourself

By Suzy Kridner CBE Administrative Assistant The interview question, "Tell me about yourself," has stymied many job candidates who aren't prepared. And it's one question that is asked at almost every job interview. This isn't the time to talk about your personal life, your hobbies, your educational background (that's on your resume). But it is the time to give a brief "elevator speech," a three-minute account of your experience, skills and abilities. And you can gear your answer to topics that relate directly to the job you're seeking. Or you can give a brief answer and steer the interview to other topics you're more comfortable discussing. And ask questions of your own, such as who would be an ideal candidate for the job, or how does the position fit into the overall operation of the company. Here are more ways to handle the question, "Tell Me About Yourself."

How Long Should Your Résumé Be?

Posted by: Darlene Duncan CWDP, JSS, CCC Training Coordinator
The reality is that there is no firm, set in stone number of pages for your résumé. The short answer is this: your résumé needs to use the space allotted efficiently, be accurate and sell your skills and abilities effectively while achieving its mission. What is the mission of a résumé? The answer is, to get you an interview. For more in depth information on résumé length click on this link.

Make up your mind already! Why indecision drives some people nuts.

By: Lori Stone, APR, Director of Business Operations & Communications

Center for Business Excellence

“This indecision’s bugging me. Esta indecisión me molesta.” These lyrics from the Clash’s song, “Should I stay or should I go?,” ring true with me on most occasions.

Certainly, important decisions and choices should be thought through. However, I typically find your gut instinct usually leads you down the right path –whether it’s choosing a nail polish color for your pedicure or deciding which college to go to.

I go bonkers waiting for someone to get off the proverbial “fence” and move forward in some manner. This is probably because I tend to run at moch speed and would prefer to check something off the list than to have to loop back around and tackle it later. I’m not saying I’m right…it’s just the way it is for me.

I found this interesting link on the subject that is decisively helpful for the indecisive and those who love them: http://healing.about.com/od/declutter/a/mentalclutter.htm