Men Lie, Women Lie, but the numbers don't!

A  44-year-old McDonald’s  employee Mr Johnson has worked at the fast food chain for two decades, yet still makes just $8.25 an hour, and doesn't get 40 hours a week of work. So Johnson has TWO  jobs at Chicago McDonald's, scrubbing himself down in the bathroom between shifts, because he may be denied a raise if he smells bad. Twice a month he goes to church food pantries to stock up on cereal, soup and powdered milk.

Johnson would have to work for 1.1 million hours to earn the $8.8 million that McDonald's CEO James Skinner was paid last (1)year. If he worked for 40 hours a week, every week of the year, that would take five centuries. 

Retail And Fast Food: Fast-Growing Industries 
Opportunity is bright, profits are soaring, and the jobs are horribly paid. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, retail sales employed 4.5 million Americans in 2010, and fast food restaurants employed 2.1 million. The annual salaries for these jobs are $20,990 and $18,070, respectively. And these are no longer part-time jobs for teenagers; the vast majority of workers are in their 20s and older, and many of them are raising families.

Employers Are Organized To Keep Wages Low
The service industry, unlike manufacturing, has very little history of its workers organizing to demand better pay or hours. Restaurant chains, on the other hand, are very organized at keeping pay down. As Patton points out, restaurant chains and their franchisees spent at least $960,000 to fight minimum-wage increases in six states in 2006.

Income Inequality Widens
Between 1978 and 2011, worker compensation grew by 5.7 percent, according to an analysisby the the Economic Policy Institute, a think tank that advocates for lower-wage workers. In the same period, CEO compensation ballooned by 725 percent.

Below is a list of 11 of the biggest fast food and retail chains, along with how long an average low-level employee would need to work to make the amount his or her CEO took home last year. It seems the annual worth of one CEO is now equal to many other human beings' lifetimes.

CEO compensation data are from the companies' most recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Average employee salaries are from Glassdoor.com. The number of years it would take an employee to earn the CEO's compensation is based on working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. 

11. DUNKIN' BRANDS

CEO Nigel Travis' total compensation: $2.0 million

Crew member: $7.83 an hour

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 250,000 hours or 120 years

10. PAPA JOHN'S

CEO John Schnatter's total compensation: $2.7 million.

Average delivery driver salary: $7.19 an hour.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 382,000 hours or 184 years.

9. DOLLAR GENERAL

CEO Richard Dreiling's total compensation: $3,832,000.

Average sales associate salary: $7.62 an hour.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 503,000 hours or 242 years.

8. BEST BUY

CEO Brian Dunn's total compensation: $7.1 million.

Average sales associate salary: $9.73 an hour.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 730,000 hours or 350 years.

Average sales associate salary: $9.73 an hour.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 730,000 hours or 350 years.

7. HOME DEPOT

CEO Francis Blake's total compensation: $10.8 million.

Average sales associate salary: $11.47.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 941,000 hours or 452 years.

6. MCDONALD'S

CEO James Skinner's total compensation: $8.8 million.

Average crew member salary: $7.65 an hour.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 1.1 million hours or 550 years.

5. CVS CAREMARK CORPORATION

CEO Larry Merlo's: $11.4.

Average cashier salary: $8.86 an hour.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 1.3 million hours or 619 years.

4. WALMART

CEO Michael Duke's total compensation: $18.1 million.

Average sales associate salary: $8.84 an hour.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 2.1 million hours or 986 years.

3. WENDY'S

CEO Roland Smith's total compensation: $16.5 million.

Average crew member salary: $7.66 an hour.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 2.2 million hours or 1038 years.

2. TARGET

CEO Gregg Steinhafel's total compensation: $19.7 million..

Sales floor team member: $8.29.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 2.4 million hours or 1,143 years.

1. YUM! BRANDS

CEO David Novak's total compensation: $20.4 million.

Average KFC / Pizza Hut / Taco Bell crew member: $7.50.

How long a crew member would have to work to make CEO annual pay: 2.7 million hours or 1,308 years.

 

Killer Looks for an Executive Job.

Must-know Tips on Executive Job Search.

It is normal for every person to strive for career advancement and growth. It makes them feel that all of their hard work has paid off and that a promotion is, indeed, the best reward they can get.

However, for some whose luck seems to be so illusive, they have to find their own growth somewhere else. That is why most of them opted for executive job searches, where they hope that someday they would be lucky enough to find the executive job that they have long been dreaming for.

But is it really just luck? Or are there some factors that need to be considered when searching for that executive job of their dreams?

Landing a good executive job is not dependent on luck.  For people who wish to learn some tips regarding executive job searches, here are some pointers on how to get that dream job:

1. Killer looks                          

The saying, “Looks could kill” is not an understatement. Though the word kill is only used literally and the word look is sometimes associated with stares. But what is being pointed out here is that looks can definitely kill a person’s chances on landing his or her executive job if the applicant had missed one great factor: appearance.

As the saying goes, first impressions last, so it would be better to make that first impression by looking just right for the job.  After all, if a person wants to have an executive job, then, he should dress appropriately for the position. In this way, the executive job he had been searching for might just become a reality.

2. Show some mastery 

For an executive position, most employers would want to hire those who are already an expert in their own field. This means that the applicants should be adept in the areas concerning their chosen careers. This will show that the applicant has already started a coherent career track and is already knowledgeable in the field.

It will do no good to an applicant who claims to be a “jack of all trades but a master of none.” Six out of 10 applicants are hired because of their expertise on a certain field. This only means that employers are more concerned with people who have already mastered their career and have established continuous career growth.

Finding an available executive job could be one thing but actually getting that dream executive job is another thing.  Looking and acting the part is a must to landing that dream job!

Entry-Level Jobs 101: 4 Must-Know Tips

For most people, aiming for a higher position at once is the key to job search success. However, for some people who know that in order to succeed in the job market, they have to, literally, start from scratch. This means that people who want to grow positively in the working world; they have to learn the basics and fundamental principles of working, how it is to love the work most people do, and how to establish a good working relationship with his or her colleagues.

In order to enjoy all of these, one must submit himself or herself to an entry-level type of job. This refers to a job that requires minimal skills and expertise with no experience requirement needed.

Because of its nature, entry-level jobs are characterized by low salary, require physical work, and sometimes need field work.

Most often than not, people who are into entry-level jobs have very low hourly rates and may or may not entail insurance. This would mean that any hospital expenses caused by accidents that happened while the worker is at work may or may not be compensated by the employer, meaning there is no guarantee or whatsoever.

What’s more, most entry-level jobs are on a part-time basis. Examples of entry-level jobs are receptionist, apprenticeship, those who are working in a fast food restaurant, customer service, cashiers, etc.

Contrary to popular belief, entry-level jobs should not be ignored.  What people do not realize is that entry-level jobs offer more than just low wages. These jobs are the foundation of all other positions available in the job market.

In most cases, people who start to work on higher positions right after they graduate from college are easily bored from their work. What is even worse, there is no room available for personal growth and career advancement.

Entry-level jobs are the stepping-stone to success in careers. So, for people who wish to grow and be promoted to a higher position, here are some tips that they can use:

1. Workers who are in the entry-level position should show enthusiasm, efficiency, caring, and love for his work.

2. They should master their skills and hone their craft.

3. They should be an expert on customer service.

4. They should know how to impress a customer who happens to be seeking an employee who knows optimum customer service.

These are just a few of the qualities that must be employed by an entry-level worker in order to advance to a higher position. And once he reaches the top, he knows that work is definitely something worth valuing for.

Searching for an Accounting Job

Accounting graduates, have broader choices and specific paths to follow with their careers. Accounting requires a lot of skills when it comes to business and that is why every company has an employee that is an accounting graduate. If you are an accounting graduate, you can apply in any kind of firm. Areas may include tax, audit, financial analysis and management accounting.

It is best that you apply for a job that matches your interests and expertise. There are careers that have been proven by most accounting graduates to bring them to the top of the success ladder and you may want to consider entering these fields.

If you are an accounting graduate who excel in public accounting, the entry-level positions that best fit this skill are Tax Staff, Consulting/ Management Services and Staff Auditor. With these positions you will do your duties reporting to a senior. Once you have acquired three to six years of experience in any of these positions, you may then want to consider applying for the higher levels like Tax Senior, Senior Auditor, and Consulting Senior where the position entails reporting directly to a Manager. After six years of excelling with these potions, then you may consider the positions Partner level and Senior Partner.

Having an edge with corporate accounting, one to three years of experience will qualify you to become a staff member in Internal Audit, Tax Accounting, Management, and Financial Accounting. Moving up the higher lever after three to six years, you will be eligible for the Senior Level for Internal Audit, Tax Accounting and Management Accounting. Six years thereafter, you may want to consider aiming for the positions like the Tax Manager, Internal Audit Manager and Financial Accounting Manager.

Expertise in Financial Management, Staff for Financial Planning, Cash Management, and Credit Analysis are options for entry-level positions. Once you have gained the enough experience, you may aim for the Treasury Operations, Credit Analysis and Senior Financial Planning. Higher positions will include Treasurer, Manager for Credit Analysis and Financial Planning.

These career options are traditional paths that were found to fit best for accounting graduates.  However, it does not mean that they are the only way to climb up the success ladder. You should go beyond not just limit your skills to accounting. It is still recommended that you gain enough work experience, acquire knowledge in different aspects of education, and continue to improve your character to be a step ahead with other job seekers.

Best Jobs

Employers have said that they are more likely to be 12 percent more graduates this year than last year. It is the first projected increase since the year 2000.

In another study, a projected 60 percent of US business plan to employ the same number of graduates this year as with last year. That is an increase of fifty-five percent from last year, according to the CERI (Collegiate Employment Research Institute) at MSU.

According to recent studies, US Corporations and businesses will employ more graduates with a bachelor’s degree in business, biological and physical sciences. Those with construction management, engineering degrees, health care and accounting will also experience an increase in hiring. Other fields will have a slight decline.

On the average, companies are hiring forty three percent of its interns to fulltime and regular status. The expected increase in the hiring of graduates coincides with an expected growth forecast of the economy next year according to a recent survey by the Federal Reserve Bank.

A lot of companies are coming out of a slump and are now hiring their interns and looking for more. A lot of companies are posting jobs and coming into different campuses.

Most experts advise that during the holidays, whether you’re looking for permanent employment or internship, it is time to step up your search.

Take advantage of the holiday events you’re going to, discuss what you’re looking for and your goals. Businesses don’t want to be flooded with calls and faxes of resumes. They will probably rely on word-of-mouth to get a handful of candidates The holidays are a perfect time to network.

What to expect:

Companies will hire more students earning bachelor’s degree in business and management, physical and biological sciences. Engineering, health care and accounting degrees also would experience an increase. Other degrees will experience a decrease in hiring

Businesses expect to employ about the same volume of MBAs this year as last year. Businesses have found employees with bachelor's degrees being able to do some work being done by MBAs.

It will be harder for graduates with computer science degrees to find work.


Companies are more likely to employ students who have undergone internships. The work experience, they say, makes a lot of difference. Federal agencies will employ more graduates but not nearly enough to offset the decrease in hiring by the state and local government agencies.


On average, starting salaries will increase by 1 to 2 percent.

5 Ways to Improve Your Employee Motivation Skills

Look around at the successful businesses in your area or anywhere in the world.  What made them successful?  Reasons for business success are many and complex but one of the underlying reasons for success in most businesses is employee motivation. 

If your employees are not motivated, your business will suffer from the inside out and it could begin to crumble one employee at a time.  Soon, you’ll be surrounded by poor, dissatisfied employees with the good ones gone seeking job fulfillment.

Without question, people work to make money, to make a living and support their family and the lifestyle to which they’ve become accustomed or would like to achieve.  But, if your business strives to maintain a healthy environment it must go beyond monetary reward.  If we fail to gain fulfillment in our work and feel needed then the paycheck becomes secondary and may not be worth it at all.

1.  Treat your employees with respect.  If possible, learn their names and address them as such each time you see them.  If their job gives them no dignity they will dread coming to work and want to leave as soon as possible.  Without respect, there is no company loyalty and they will undermine you each chance they get.

2.  Earn your employees trust.  Make them feel an important part of the company’s success.  Share with them company plans for change and expansion.  Communicate with employees individually and as a group. 

If they hear about a change in their company from an outsider or on the news, they feel left out and even betrayed.  Be generous with inter office memos to be followed with meetings in person.  Lack of communication with employees is one of the chief reasons for inter office turmoil.  When the truth is not shared, false rumors can triumph.

3.  Listen to what your employees have to say.  In many cases, your employees are closer to the job than you are.  They have a feel for what’s right and what’s wrong and will be willing to share this information with their employer if they’ll listen.  You may not want to take action on all their suggestions, but give them an opportunity to vent.  You may be surprised at what’s going on right under your nose.

4.  Show your appreciation.  Merit raises are nice but sometimes not feasible.  Schedule an appreciation day with a small party or get together.  Perhaps name an employee of the month. 

Present them with small tokens of your gratitude such as a bonus, employee pin or a coupon for dinner.  Your appreciation should be spread throughout the year, not just at an annual meeting.  Frequent boosts of employee morale are essential.

5.  Provide employees incentives for advancement.  No one wants to work in a dead end job.  Find out what each employee wants in the job and in life in general and express an interest in helping him or her to fulfill those desires.  Many times you’ll learn they want nothing more than to love what they do and feel they’re contributing to the overall effort.

Your employees deserve to have your respect, trust and appreciation.  Communicate with them and provide work incentives and your employee motivation skills will greatly improve.  So will your business.