Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Journal.
My Adventures in Elderly Care
At the age of 18, I graduated high school months earlier than my class, so I had free time to work and do other things with my life I had been severely ready to enjoy. One of the things I had never tried, led me to work in an elderly care facility, unfortunately as a laundry attendant. My shifts consisted of 4 AM -12 PM and/ or 11 AM - 6 PM, five days a week, and in that time I learned a lot about what growing old is all about.
By Raven Rose8 years ago in Journal
Best Tips and Tricks for Organising Your Small Business
A well-organised business is a good business. Some people are born with great organisational skills, but some of us need a little push in the right direction. Here are some great organisational tips you can use to ensure that your business runs efficiently and smoothly.
By Carolin Petterson8 years ago in Journal
Notes From a Site Engineer 2
I'm clumsy. I'm not clownishly clumsy to the point no one trusts me to carry things. I'm not cute clumsy either. I'm big, blundering, blunt instrument clumsy. I have always blamed it on being tall, it often feels like my brain doesn't really know what my feet are doing. So, I have a tendency to blunder into things, and this blundering is both metaphorical and literal. I feel, however, I cannot be alone in this. There must be others who venture on site who are the same way inclined.
By Fiona Wark8 years ago in Journal
Make Your Business Grow by Engaging Your Employees
A company’s success depends on many factors, including market trends and management. However, the employees are the ones who make sure that all the mechanisms of that well-oiled machine function properly. And they cannot do that right if they are not motivated. The secret of making your business grow actually lies in making your people grow. This is something you can achieve with a solid employee engagement strategy. Unfortunately, there is no one strategy to fit them all, and each business has its unique requirements. Still, there are some basic guidelines we can give you and you can tailor your plans from there.
By Carolin Petterson8 years ago in Journal
Love Your Cashier
I've now been working as a cashier for almost four months and I can honestly say that I love it. It's hands down the best job I've ever had which is saying quite a lot. I love my boss, my coworkers, and the work itself. The work is easy and has a nice rhythm to it. However, as with ever job I'm sure, there's always that one thing that I don't really care for: the customers. Sure, some customers are really nice people and always hold really great conversation with me, but nine times out of 10, customers are rude, angry, or just downright have a bad attitude about everything. Even though I haven't been a cashier for very long, I've dealt with quite a few awful customers.
By Jenna Conley8 years ago in Journal
5 Pro Tips for Starting Your Own Online Business
We live in the age of internet and it’s no wonder online businesses are on the rise. And if you’ve been thinking about entering the world of business, making it web-based is definitely a good idea. The best thing about this is that you don’t really need much in order to get started – a PC, a good business plan and certain set of skills is all your new business will require. Even if you have all of these, getting some help from the pros can’t hurt. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of 5 pro tips that will help you see your online business off to a great start.
By Carolin Petterson8 years ago in Journal
Notes from a Site Engineer
Here's a little secret: as a graduate engineer, I hated site work. I had to be pushed and poked and prodded until I left the office. I resisted all attempts to send me to site. I preferred the office ivory tower, sitting behind a desk writing reports and sending emails. I did not grab life on site with both hands. I must have been an absolute nightmare for my seniors to manage. Looking back, I know the reasons why I was the way I was, and I can understand anyone else entering the industry who feels the same way as I did. I want to tell them—it's OK. Nobody expects you to be perfect and nobody expects you to know everything and nobody expects you to exude confidence from every pore from the second you are sent on site. Confidence, or the ability to fake being confident, comes naturally to some people and less so to others. It does not come naturally to me, and if you're in the same boat as I am, then you're not alone. Never let this industry of big characters and machismo make you think everyone knows exactly what they're doing all of the time. They don't. Some of the time, just like you will be, they're winging it.
By Fiona Wark8 years ago in Journal
