Archive for the ‘Career Coaching & Career Exploration’ Category

Twitter is the fastest growing source for finding employment on the Internet. More than 1 million job openings are Tweeted per month!

If job seekers aren't signed up and using Twitter in a meaningful way to find employment, it's time to start embracing this social media tool!

Join The Career Clinicians, Kathy Sweeney, NCRW, CPRW, CEIC, CCM of The Write Resume, and Norine Dagliano, NCRW, CPRW, CFRW/CC of ekmInspirations as they interview Susan Britton Whitcomb, Chandlee Bryan, and Deb Dib, co-authors of "The Twitter Job Search Guide: Find a Job and Advance Your Career in Just 15 Minutes a Day!"

Don't miss this show, as our expert guests will share fantastic advice and insights with job seekers on how to turbo-charge their employment search!

In addition, they will share success stories from actual job search candidates who effectively utilized Twitter to land a great job!

The radio show will air live on BlogTalkRadio on Wednesday, May 12th at 7 pm ET.

Listeners can tune in to The Career Clinicians Radio Show here: http://bit.ly/aceZyd

We will be taking live calls during the show at (917) 889-9043.

I recently taught a two-day career transition workshop to a group of professionals who had lost their jobs through a company downsizing. As is often the case, one of the participants in the group had had her fill of the corporate world and was interested in starting her own business. In an effort to help her evaluate this as a viable career option, I shared with her some traits and characteristics that seem to define most successful entrepreneurs. Here are a few:

Family Background: If one or both of your parents were or are self-employed, you are more inclined toward this employment option. In addition, being an entrepreneur is highly correlated to being the oldest child, having immigrant parents or grandparents and being raised in a home where competition and excellence are common behaviors.

Education: Entrepreneurs respect people with education, but do not view education as the answer to success – but rather a tool to achieve success. They tend to rely more upon their own skills than education to open doors for them.

Interpersonal Skills: Words like “creative, driven, independent-minded, socially bold, opinionated, bright, articulate, courageous, workaholic” are often used to describe an entrepreneur.

Employment History and Work Traits: Although they have diverse employment backgrounds, entrepreneurs are often characterized as innovators who challenge the status quo. Because they are typically more outspoken and not highly collaborative, it is common for them to have been fired from a job more than once.

Motivations: Entrepreneurs are more interested in gaining and servicing customers than they are in building a large organization to fuel their egos. They are constantly looking for purpose and the bottom line in business and social encounters and are bored by shallow people and issues.

If you’re thinking of bailing out of your current profession to start your own business, take a look at these traits and see how you measure up. Or, if getting fired is getting old, perhaps the universe is trying to tell you something – it may be you were destined to be an entrepreneur all along!

As the employment market continues to suffer with a lack of high-paying jobs and many industries outsourcing their positions to overseas locations, job seekers are turning to entrepreneurship to control their destinies.

While self-employment may be a good alternative, job search candidates need to understand what it takes to start and build a successful business.

Our guest has done that – several times over – and he is only 25!

Join The Career Clinicians, Kathy Sweeney and Norine Dagliano as we interview our guest, Cameron Johnson, author of “You Call The Shots: Succeed Your Way-- and Live the Life You Want-- with the 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship.”

Listeners may remember Cameron as the runner-up on Oprah’s “Big Give” TV show in 2008.

The radio show will air live on BlogTalkRadio on Wednesday, April 21st at 7 pm ET. Listeners can tune in to The Career Clinicians Radio Show here: http://bit.ly/a1buFW

We will be taking live calls during the show. Listeners can call (917) 889-9043 to ask questions of our guest.

So, who is Cameron Johnson?

Cameron started his first business when he was nine with $50 and a home computer. By age 17, he earned his first million dollars.

Before he'd turned 21, he'd started twelve successful businesses and was offered $10 million in venture capital to grow his hot Web company, CertificateSwap.com.

And, he has done it without ever taking out a loan!

Cameron will discuss:

• How to determine if entrepreneurship is right for you
• The secrets to starting a successful business
• The risks involved with being an entrepreneur
• How to research ideas to determine whether they are viable
• How much capital you should invest
• How to keep your business profitable
• The role that outstanding customer service plays in the success of a company
• How to know when to sell your business

Don’t start a business without listening to this important show!

Many times I speak with clients who have been laid off and propose the idea of starting a business. While it may sound like a great idea, there are many things to consider before starting a company.

In this post, I will outline some lessons and provide a few pieces of advice that I have learned throughout my 23 years in business.

At the end of the post, I have included two organizations that can help with starting a business.

While this post will not be an "all-encompassing" guide to starting a company, it will provide you with a framework of very basic principles.

1. Be properly funded.

It takes capital to start a business. Most banks will not lend you money until you have been in business at least five years. So,  you may have to tap into savings or borrow from family or friends. The rule of thumb is to have at least SIX months of business operating capital, along with funds to pay your household expenses.

2. Decide whether you will offer a product or service.

In my opinion, service businesses are less expensive to operate, as you will not have to carry inventory. Further, you can start out smaller and then add employees (or subcontractors) as you grow.

3. Will you start your own business or buy into a franchise?

There are pluses and minuses to each. Just make sure you read the fine print on any franchise contract and talk to other franchise owners. Often, franchisees are bound by a lot of rules, and can't use "out-of-the-box thinking" when it comes to marketing, as the "brand" needs to remain consistent. When you have your own business, you call all the shots.

4. Be realistic about whether your idea holds merit.

Conduct due diligence, which includes researching the competitive marketplace,  identifying your target demographic, and determining pricing. In addition, determine which licenses or permits you will need to run your business.

5. Build a business plan.

This is your road map to guide you.  Make sure that you identify EVERY cost you will incur. In fact, enter amounts that are MORE than you think something will cost. That way, you won't be stuck if prices change. However, make sure your business plan is a fluid document. If you find that something isn't working, change it.

6. Create a marketing plan.

This is one document which entrepreneurs typically neglect to formulate. Identify the "advertising" mediums that will bring you the most business for the least amount of money.

One thing to note. When you start your business, you will get calls from every kind of advertising company trying to sell you their service. Never sign on the dotted line until you have given yourself 24 hours to think about it.

7. Network and form alliances with businesses who can enhance your offerings.

For instance, I do not conduct career coaching. So, I have a network of colleagues to whom I can refer my clients.

Another example would be a plumbing company that establishes trusted relationships with heating / air conditioning companies and / or pest control services.

8. Be an expert in your industry.

Participate in continuing education in your industry. Keep up on emerging trends in your business and be ready to jump on those opportunities. However, carefully evaluate whether the trend is real based upon fact-based research or if it is made up by someone just to bilk money from customers.

9. Provide outstanding customer service and deliver a quality product / service!

There is a saying: People buy from people they like and trust. By providing exceptional customer service and delivering quality work, you will set yourself apart from your competition. Further, you will gain referrals. As your referral base grows, you can knock out advertising costs.

In the resume writing business, I have thousands of "competitors." Some of them charge less than I do and others charge more.

However, I have built a strong level of trust with my clients by consistently creating and delivering interview-winning resumes, selling them only what they need for their job search, and providing advice about the employment market. This has resulted in a 98% referral rate. Now, I spend very little money on advertising.

Where Can You Go For Help?

There are great resources available in your community which provide free counseling, including SCORE and Small Business Development Centers, which are funded by the Small Business Administration.

Remember though, just because someone gives you advice, it doesn't mean that it's the only way to run your business. Take the advice given and run it through your mind to determine whether it makes sense.

Do you have a digital footprint? Do you know what one is? Is your online presence getting you "turn downs" instead of "offers" from employers?

More than 90% of recruiters and 50% of employers perform Internet searches on candidates before making a hiring decision. If job seekers don’t have a solid, online presence with a strong career brand, the chances of impressing a potential employer are greatly diminished.

Join The Career Clinicians, Kathy Sweeney and Norine Dagliano, as they interview Barbara Safani, an expert in social media and career branding, regarding the importance of building online profiles and participating in social media / business networking sites.

The show airs live on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7 p.m. ET on BlogTalkRadio (http://bit.ly/bXzi0t). The Career Clinicians will be taking live calls at (917) 889-9043.

During the show, Barbara will discuss:

• How job seekers can find out what kind of digital footprint they possess.
• Specific websites where job seekers should have a presence, including LinkedIn, Google Profiles, ZoomInfo, Facebook, and Twitter.
• The differences and benefits between the sites.
• Which type of person is right for each online medium.
• Privacy concerns.
• How a great (or poorly written) profile can impact a job search.

Don't miss this important show to find out the best ways to ensure your digital foot is a positive one!

Considering attending a job fair to search for employment? Not sure what to expect or how to prepare to ensure success? Have you been to a job fair and thought it was a waste of time?

If any of the above questions apply to you, then don’t attend a job fair until you have listened to this important show!

Join The Career Clinicians, Kathy Sweeney, NCRW, CPRW, CEIC, CCM of The Write Resume, and Norine Dagliano, NCRW, CPRW, CFRW/CC of ekmInspirations for their next show, "How To Be Successful At Job Fairs!"

The show airs live on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 7 p.m. ET on BlogTalkRadio (http://bit.ly/99qIBK). The Career Clinicians will be taking live calls at (917) 889-9043.

They will discuss key strategies and cover what steps to take before, during, and after the career expo to be triumphant, including:

• Conducting company research
• Developing a 30-second Introduction
• The importance of having a stellar, updated resume
• How to be prepared for “on-the-spot” interviews
• How to follow-up after the job fair

After listening to this show, job seekers will be prepared to attend a job fair with confidence!

This past weekend, I watched an interesting documentary surrounding the history of Sears. The story is fascinating, as it chronicled the rise, fall, and re-branding (several times) of the company since 1893.

The key theme throughout the history centered around meeting the market need through innovation and reinvention. However, there were times when the company believed it was unstoppable and ignored the competition.

As a resume writer and career strategist, I began to think about the relation of this story to job search candidates.

First, I believe it is important for readers to understand the history of Sears. Then, I will apply the lessons learned from Sears to job seekers.

The History of Sears

Richard Sears, the company's original founder, started his "career" as an agent of the Minneapolis and St. Louis railway station in North Redwood, Minnesota. He was delivering a shipment of watches that was refused by a local jeweler. Seizing the opportunity, he purchased the watches himself and sold them to other station agents, making a handsome profit. In 1886, Sears began the R.W. Sears Watch Company in Minneapolis.

He advertised for a local watchmaker to cut out the middleman. The person who answered the ad was Alvah C. Roebuck. From there, they entered a partnership, which ultimately became Sears & Roebuck.

Sears saw an opportunity to expand his newly formed company through the catalog ordering and delivery business, which was targeted to rural America. Through volume purchasing of every kind of merchandise possible, he met the needs of these customers who were getting upset with local merchants charging them double the wholesale price for everyday products.

Sears was not the best organizer of systems, and his catalog was so popular, he was having a hard time fulfilling the orders. So,  Julius Rosenwald, a Chicago clothing manufacturer bought into the company in 1895 and brought order out of chaos.

Sears & Roebuck grew exponentially over the years, and sold everything under the sun, including tools, bicycles (they made Schwinn a household name), violins, lumber, clothing, and home remedies. And, they guaranteed what they sold. However, some of the home remedies were "questionable" in nature, and the company decided to incorporate laboratories to test every product sold. This was the beginning of Sear's reputation as a quality retailer.

Innovation at Sears

Sears continued to be innovative, penetrating even more markets with the goods they sold or finding ways to boost sales. The most fascinating product to me was the "home kits." Individuals could purchase these kits and construct their own homes. This was Sear's answer to their lagging lumber sales. The largest order placed was by Standard Oil Company in a coal town and many of the homes are still standing today.

In 1924, Sear's opened the first retail store in Chicago to corner the market on "city dwellers" and it was an instant hit. The company expanded to numerous markets and became the largest retailer in the US, as they played on the theme of the "one-stop shopping experience." The company then decided to focus on the affluent customer. While it worked for several years, it eventually became the downfall of the company.

Complacency in the Marketplace

Sears had become very complacent, believing that no other company could topple their market dominance. However, K-Mart and Wal-Mart entered the picture, offering customers mass amounts of merchandise at a low price. Sears couldn't compete, lost market share, and went from #1 to #3 on the list of top retailers in the 1980s.

The Reinvention of Sears

Sears decided to reinvent itself by bringing on model Cheryl Tiegs to design a new line of clothes. They also opened AllState Insurance Company to meet the need for car insurance, and real estate and financial services and placed those offices in their retail stores. However, some of these ventures were short-lived.

Even though Sears tried to recapture the market dominance they once held, it was the opening of The Great Indoors, and the acquisition of K-Mart and Lands End specialty catalog that proved to be most beneficial. Even though the retailer struggles today, the public still embraces the company as a trusted retailer.

Relevance to the Job Search

As a job seeker, there are many lessons that can be learned from Sears, as detailed below.

Find a need in the market and fill it.

Just as Richard Sears found a niche in the late 1800s,  job seekers need to look at the current job market and determine where their skills can best be utilized.

Be Innovative.

Sears continued to be innovative in their approach to attaining more business. Professionals need to be continually striving to either come up with new ideas to help their companies make money or meet a market need. Further, recommending and leading new projects that are on the cutting-edge of a particular industry are great ideas, as well.

Don't Get Complacent In Your Career.

Many individuals get complacent in their careers. They believe achievements or tenure with a company will be enough to keep their jobs. I have found this is not always the case with my clients. When it is time for downsizing at a company, there are typically two standards that are measured - performance and cost of the employee. Sometimes companies will cut the highest salaried employees to make it easier for them to reach the "bottom-line number" to achieve stability.

So, how can someone combat complacency? There are many ways to do this. Be indispensable to a company or industry by being a thought leader. Develop a blog focused on a particular industry. Invest in continuing education, sign up for extra projects, earn credentials, and build the "brand" of a person who is always abreast of the latest trends.

Always Be Ready for the "Unexpected."

Even if professionals follow the suggestions above, it doesn't mean they won't be replaced by a company with someone who is younger or less expensive. Watch company or industry trends. If it appears that jobs are at risk, be prepared.

Have an up-to-date resume with measurable accomplishments and the proper format depending on position level. Start connecting with people now through LinkedIn or other social media websites. That way, if downsized, time won't be wasted locating people who could assist in the job search.

Reinvent Yourself.

As mentioned above, if your industry is in turmoil, figure out a way to reinvent yourself so you won't be left behind. Whether it is training in a new field or determining how to exploit your old industry, such as being a consultant to companies in your field, put the skills you have gained throughout your career to good use.

Always Develop and Guard Your Reputation.

My dad always says that the only thing you really "own" in this life is your reputation. Guard it well! No matter what, Sears has always had the reputation as a retailer than can be counted on with quality products.

Develop and guard your reputation. Be the trusted source of information, help other people with their careers, always be willing to take on a task without complaining, don't gossip about others, and be pleasant in your work environment.

In conclusion, if you approach your career with tenacity, innovation, preparedness, reinvention, and a stellar reputation, the likelihood of landing on your feet, no matter what shape the economy is in, is greatly increased.

What we have here is an example of a “loaded question.”  Are you asking because you think it does, and you need someone to confirm it? Or perhaps you love the dress and are fishing for a compliment. Another possibility is that you really do not know how it looks and you need someone to tell you. How one answers that question varies from individual to individual and has as much to do with personal preferences as it does with good fashion sense. Ask 10 people, and you may get 10 different answers.

A similar scenario holds true when a job seeker solicits feedback on their résumé. Here’s a recent example of how this plays out: Last week I completed the first draft of a résumé and sent it to the client. She was extremely pleased and with some minor adjustments, we were ready to finalize it. Then she showed it to a “headhunter” who recommended some additional changes. After incorporating those changes, she met with another headhunter, who also recommended changes. I would be willing to bet that if she were to show it to two or three other headhunters, colleagues, friends or family members, she would hear two or three additional recommendations of what she should change.

For most people, looking for work is not something they enjoy doing. No one likes to put themselves out there and risk being rejected. Often job seekers will avoid putting them selves out there by repeatedly “massaging” their résumé until it is “perfect.” And as long as they keep soliciting feedback that will lead to more changes, the résumé will never be perfect – thus they can avoid the stress of putting themselves out there.

When a job seeker asks me to give them feedback on their résumé, I always begin by asking three questions:

•  Is the content accurate?
• When you read it, do you feel proud – does it show off your best features and make you “look fabulous?”
• Is it getting you interviews for the types of positions you are seeking that pay you the salary you deserve?

If he or she answers “yes” to every question, than it really does not matter what I - or anyone else - has to say about the document. As with dresses, there are many styles of resumes and many opinions about what is good and what needs fixing. Find what works for you – then use it!

In today's technologically advanced environment, many people are using social media tools to communicate with friends and family, and reconnect with old acquaintances. But, should you use social media to look for work? Absolutely!

However, before charging out and jumping on the social media bandwagon, I think it is important to understand how to utilize social media to attain the most positive results.

In the first post of this two-part series, I will cover why job seekers might want to use social media as an avenue to attain a job, the types of tools available,  and some guidelines. In Part Two, I will share stories of people who have successfully utilized social media to land a great job.

Why Should Job Seekers Use Social Media?

Social media tools can be very helpful in the job search, if utilized wisely. They can help highlight your expertise, provide visibility in search engines when HR or Recruiters decide to Google your name,  and allow you to network with current / former colleagues and friends who may be able to assist in your goal of landing a great position.

What Social Media Tools Should Job Search Candidates Use?

While there are many social media tools available to job seekers, I am going to cover the major players. It is important to not only know what they are, but how they differ, and the methods to successfully utilize them.

Blogs:

Blogs (aka Weblogs) can be utilized by job seekers to show their expertise in a certain subject matter or industry. Successful blogs have a consistent brand - the readers have a clear picture of who the blogger is and can identify a consistent theme to the posts.

In a blog, job search candidate can convey information on industry trends, provide opinions on topics (without offending or bashing anyone), and seek to educate readers. The content should be engaging and useful to the reader.

Putting together a blog is rather easy. There are several free services available, including WordPress and Blogger, that can walk you through the process of establishing a blog.

If you aren't technically savvy, I would suggest enlisting the help of someone who is. If you don't have friends or family members who can help, you can have your project completed rather inexpensively on Elance.com.

LinkedIn.com:

LinkedIn is a free website where you can develop your professional network and look for jobs. It is the most prominent tool used today by recruiters to source "active and passive candidates."

On LinkedIn, it is important to convey your personal brand with a strong profile and "job title." When using this tool, I would suggest linking with people who can help with your job search, which includes current or former colleagues, customers, vendors, etc.

One very important measurement recruiters use when reviewing candidates profiles is the amount of solid recommendations you have on your profile. They need to be very specific to your expertise and from individuals who have directly worked with you in some capacity.

While the "magic number" of recommendations hovers around 3-5, I would suggest you tap into your network and obtain as many "comprehensive" recommendations of your expertise as possible.

Remember though - networking is a two-way street. If you ask for recommendations, be sure to provide them, as well.

Facebook:

Facebook is a great place to connect with old / current friends and family, and if you want, current / former colleagues. It is more of a relaxed atmosphere than LinkedIn. However, stay true to your brand, and don't post information that is too personal or pictures that show you in a bad light.

While you can set your "home page" as "public," I would suggest setting your other pages to "friends only." This way, your private information and photos cannot be seen by HR Managers and Recruiters.

Twitter:

Twitter is a great tool to convey information in a very concise way - you only have 140 characters to get your information out there. The posts you make on Twitter are called "Tweets."

So, what should you "Tweet" about? You can post a short description and link to a blog post you wrote or specific industry information gleaned from articles you have found on the Internet, such as, "SalesForce.com introduces new tool (then link to the article)."  You can also "Tweet" general factual information you have found through research, for instance, "38% of computer users are switching to Mac."

You will need to have an account to "shorten" your URLs so your "Tweets" don't surpass the 140 character limit. I suggest Bit.ly, as it allows you to track how many people have clicked on the links included in your Tweets.

Also, a great book has recently been published regarding how to use Twitter in your job search: The Twitter Job Search Guide: Find a Job and Advance Your Career in Just 15 Minutes a Day.

Guidelines for Effectively Using Social Media

Here are some general and specific guidelines to follow when using social media:

General Tips:

• Post a picture of yourself on all of your social media pages. However, make sure the photo is a professional head shot. There are several freelance photographers listed in US-Photographers or formal portrait studios, including B2BPortraits or JC Penney that can provide you with a digital photo format.
• Establish your brand and stick to it.
• Don't write about controversial topics unless it relates to your personal brand.
• Make sure what you are writing is fact-based - not some information or trends you have made up.
• Make sure your opinions on a particular topic are useful and positive.
• Contribute to "conversations" on other people's blogs. But, do it in a positive, meaningful way. Post information that solves problems - not creates more discourse.
• Remember that your reputation is key to your success - don't bash other people or products.
• Think before you post. If what you are writing can be misconstrued, don't write it.

Blogs:

• Do not write blog posts that are inconsistent with your brand. An example would be a computer expert blogging about different programs and / or industry trends. Then, out of the blue, he posts a message about Healthcare Reform. Unless he can tie information technology to health care reform, then the post should not be written.
• Don't post 10 blog topics in a week and then not post for a month. The key to successful blogging is to be consistent. If you only have time to blog once a week, that's fine. Just set a day every week to write a blog post and stick with it.

Twitter:

• Do find and follow other experts who don't directly compete with you. For instance, if you are a dog trainer, you don't want to connect with other dog trainers (unless it is Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer). Why? Because this negates the purpose of being viewed as an expert. However, you might want to connect with veterinarians, canine nutrition experts, and small business owners who sell merchandise, like collars, leashes, dog beds, etc. These people can enhance your knowledge and will show your followers that you aren't a "one-trick pony."
• Do "retweet" (think of this like forwarding an email to someone) Twitter posts made by experts you follow that are relevant to your brand or industry. Not only will it provide them with visibility, but it will show you are connected with experts and they will likely "retweet" items of interest that you post.
• Don't Tweet about topics that are off-brand. These include tweets about how you are walking your dog, having breakfast, or getting ready to go on vacation.  Once again, be consistent in your theme and ensure the content is useful.

LinkedIn:

• Do connect with people that can help in your job search.
• Make sure you have a descriptive job title and thorough profile that highlights your expertise and skills.
• Don't "spam" people you don't know to try and connect with them - you'll get your account taken away from you.
• If you do want to connect with someone you don't know, either find someone in your network that's connected to the person or write a meaningful "in-mail" that conveys WHY you want to connect with the person.
• Ask for and provide solid recommendations to people in your network.

Facebook:

• Do be careful what your write in your updates. Don't post personal information about your divorce, how you are going out drinking every night, etc.
• Don't post pictures of yourself in compromising positions, i.e., photos of drinking, nudity, etc.
• Don't be a lurker. If friends posts something about their family, job, or life in general, write a comment. Just be sure you don't comment on posts related to their "bad behavior."

Watch for my next post that will highlight job seekers who have successfully utilized social media to land a great job!

I received a call this morning from the accountant working on my tax return; it seems I still owe taxes beyond what I prepaid quarterly in 2009. I could use this space to write about how I sunk into an instant depression right after shaking my fist at the "income tax demons." Instead, I decided it would be much more beneficial to me and readers of this blog if I were to offer some useful information about where my (and your) tax money is going.  And, more importantly, how some of our tax dollars are actually creating jobs.

Enter Recovery.gov, the official U.S. government stimulus package website. If you have not logged on to the site, I recommend checking it out - especially if you are in the market for a new job.

Recovery.gov isn't a jobs site,  per se, so you will have to do some digging for what you really seek -- specific open jobs created from the stimulus package. Across the top of the home page are several tabs; there are two you will want to click on.

The first is labeled "Opportunities." Here is where you will find links to actual job openings. You can search by keyword, job title, location or any of the other usual ways you would search a job board.  There are job opportunities listed in every field imaginable and every industry - private sector, as well as federal positions.

The other tab to click on is labeled "Where is the Money Going?" If you are willing to dig into the site, you will find a gold mine of information, including the names of new projects funded by the Recovery Act and the companies who have been awarded the funding. From this link, follow this four-step process to mine for opportunities:

1. Query for contracts awarded in your state (or any state where you would like to target your search).
2. After you've honed in on your state, take a look at the kinds of projects that are funded.
3. Make a list of 10 or so companies and projects for which you can anticipate extra people power will be required.
4. Head over to the Websites of the companies awarded contracts and apply on the company site. Indicate in your cover letter that you found out about the company by doing research at the Recovery Act grants page. This extra work alone might be impressive enough to get you the interview.

I can't guarantee that these activities will lead to a happy ending in your job search, but every savvy job seeker knows that the more strategies one employs to uncover opportunities, the shorter the job search.  Plus, it really does take some of the "sting" out of having to pay taxes when you see that some of our tax dollars are creating jobs - and that's good news for all of us!