Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Journal.

Enough
I was taught young to take pride in my work, work with integrity, and be dependable and reliable. I'm an 80s baby and this was even a course in high school. They called it a business class and taught me how to speak, how to dress, how to have a good work ethic; they taught me that this is how you build security and grow in a company. Unsure if it is a grand scheme, but they conditioned me to believe that was it—no options. I stepped into the world believing I had to work for a company.
By Kristen Bryant8 years ago in Journal
The Year that Kohl's Saved Christmas
2017 was a bit of a rocky year and the turbulence hit a frenzied level when I lost my job at the beginning of May. What followed was five months of struggle—collecting unemployment, a small part-time “consulting” type gig that was inconsistent at best and the fear that at age 53, my best years as a marketing professional were behind me.
By Jonathan Pullano8 years ago in Journal
Work Stories - Easter Sunday
EASTER SUNDAY In my younger days, I was a head banger and it showed. I wore heavy metal shirts (always long-sleeved, never any other color than black), torn baggy jeans, steel-toed Doc Martens, had a chain wallet (with 3' chain), and had slightly longer than shoulder length hair and a goatee. I didn’t wear makeup because that shit is for posers. My attitude was metal and that is how I carried myself. When I was at work, the need to tone down the attitude was there. I would put on my work shirt, a maroon polo with the store logo… tucked in, my name tag, and pulled my hair into a pony tail. That was my “business” look, if you will.
By Dee Jay8 years ago in Journal
Risking It All to Thrive as a Financially Successful Creative Artist
The subtitle above is deliberately phrased: “Risking It All To Thrive As A Financially Successful Creative Artist.” Am I implying that sacrifice is necessary to earn a greater than full-time income through your art?
By Joel Eisenberg8 years ago in Journal
How to Write a Job Interview Thank You Email
I’d like to talk about how to write a job interview thank you email, but first I’d like to mention some excellent advice a friend of mine once gave me: “Go on every job interview you can,” he said. “It’s an experience you can’t pay for.” He was absolutely right. You can pay someone to drive your car to Seattle or toss you out of an airplane or bury you up to your neck in sand, but you can’t pay someone to interview you—you can, of course, and your friends probably need the money, but what good would it do? As all job seekers know, the interview, phone or, even better, face to face, is like knocking at the gates of Oz. It’s all about exhilaration and terror and trying to stay at the absolute top of your game for at least an hour.
By David Porter8 years ago in Journal
Professionalism in Theatre: For the Youngsters
THANK YOU. Get that in your brain right now. Thank you, thank you, thank you. "Thank you" can mean you are actually thankful. "Thank you" can be said sarcastically after your director makes you re-run a scene or a set change over and over and over and you are TOTALLY FED UP WITH THAT DIRECTOR. "Thank you" can be the most professional manner of responding to a note or a suggestion from your director. "Thank you" can be the appropriate reaction to a positive note you get from a director. Okay, okay, by now I've probably tired you of the "thank you." But it REALLY is important. This post is dedicated to being more professional in the theatre world by what you say, do and think.
By Kevin Rothlisberger8 years ago in Journal
How To Know Whether You Would Make a Good Mortician
The first thing I imagine people think I should say is that you need to have a strong stomach. This couldn’t be less true. I have been a Mortician for almost two years now and I have never been in a situation where my weak stomach has almost turned inside out. Sure, when I first began, the initial shock of seeing a person inanimate was a bit intimidating. You expect them to sit up or roll over and say “just kidding guys!” But they just continue to lay there with their mouth agape. And when I was presented with somebody who had laid in a pond for over a week, even then my stomach didn’t turn because I had a job to do and you tend to be much too focused on that. So my initial statement is this: you do not necessarily have to have a strong stomach to become a mortician.
By A. Crimes8 years ago in Journal
How to Handle Stress During a Job Interview and Keep Your Cool
There aren't many situations that are as stressful as a job interview. Ever wonder how people thrive in stressful environments like these? There are tons of tactics and tricks that people follow, but we have come up with a list of the top ten tips for how to handle stress during a job interview.
By Kelsey Lange8 years ago in Journal
Walking Down a Life Path
As a kid, you learn the simple side about money. You become very happy to even have a quarter or a dollar. As you get older, you acknowledge the harsher side of money. You learn that money is what makes your country and the world run. You learn that the best life you can have depends mostly on money; to have a phone that suits your taste, to have a house, to have a car, to buy the clothes you want, to be able to travel, and so much more.
By Maki Jackson8 years ago in Journal
Working in TV Part 4
Happy New Year to you. Thank you for reading my journals up to now. Hopefully you have had a look at some websites and maybe even created yourself a profile. If you need further advice about that particular step then please feel free to get in touch.
By Jo Wheatley8 years ago in Journal
Becoming a Freelancer. Top Story - January 2018.
So, you want to be a freelancer? Let me be the first of many to start out by telling you that it sure as heck isn’t going to be easy. If you have thick skin and endless determination, then you “may” have what it takes! Being without steady and/or stable work can cause even the most level-headed of us to crumble under pressure. The pressure to land contacts, jobs, and make connections intensifies when our own livelihood is at stake.
By Nicole (Nikki) M.8 years ago in Journal
Millennials—Lazy, Unfocused, Undriven Geniuses
The millennial generation has earned itself a pretty bad rap, if you ask corporate America. Actually, if you ask just about anyone in business, many have very few good things to say about us. We’re lazy, no work ethic, constantly calling off, taking vacation, no drive, can’t stay off our phones, always on Facebook, and constantly leaving "normal jobs" after a few months because we feel "a lack of accomplishment." We are the "right now" generation; the snowflakes. Whenever I hear a business owner talking about Millennials in this way, I always have one thought—wow, here’s a business that won’t be around in ten years.
By Ben Moody8 years ago in Journal