Some of the local kids (including mine) came around today asking to wash cars for a small sum. The motley collection of kids got together and came with buckets and sponges in hand. Being the easy pushover that I am, I offered to hire them for the job. I put them to work immediately.

It was fun to watch as they fell to and began their chore. They had soap everywhere and had a river of water flowing into the street. I was glad that they were learning the value of working for their money and encouraged them with important tips on car washing. I was glad when they finally finished and I gave them an appropriate fee. They went off to find another pushover and I was glad to see them go!

Around our office, we have many important clients who come to visit. They may need to settle an account or are just interested in how we work. There are times though, when a big meeting is going to take place. In those cases, we usually provide some refreshments or some kind of thank you bag.

Many times I am put in charge of putting together some kind of package. When it comes to corporate gift items, I usually like to get things everybody likes. That’s why I turn to one of my favorite websites, gertrudehawkchocolates.com. I always find a great selection of gourmet chocolate packages. They never fail to satisfy even our toughest clients. I have always been complimented on the great job I do in this department. I just wanted to say thank you Gertrude Hawk.

With so many people looking for work these days, I thought I would try to help them out a little. I have some experience in actually hiring people and have a few suggestions of what to do.

1. Make sure you have a professional sounding e-mail address. Hot -mama@ freelove.com is not a good idea.
2. Proof read your resume. Misspelled words on your resume are a definite no-no.
3. Read the company website. Having knowledge of what the company does and what their needs are will be helpful.
4. Be ready to answer questions. Companies don’t want people who do not know their mind.
5. Send a thank-you note. In case of a tie, the person who follows up will usually win out.

I hope you will find these tips helpful. Now get out there and good luck!

Life is about making decisions. Sometimes we have the chance to make a choice that makes a difference. I had such an opportunity the other day. I was looking to buy a button maker. I had found two online that I was thinking about getting. One was not made in our country, the other one was. I wanted to support our countries businesses. I like to make purchases that support American workers as well.

I am glad I was able to help support the American economy. I like the fact that when I make a button now that says Made in USA, it really was and used our materials and labor to do so!

Around our office, space is limited. Our building used to be of sufficient size, but due to growth has become too small. We were looking into ways to make better use of the space we had. After researching the issue, I think we found an answer.

We found a company that makes laboratory furniture. By taking advantage of their designs, we were able to eliminate some furniture all together. Our workers like it as they are able to have all they need in one place. I wish I could find something like this for my house!