Don’t overlook working for Ronald & Company…

McDonald's is hiring

“Explore a golden opportunity!” That’s what the job application states at McDonald’s, and in all honestly, they might not be kidding.

According to emerging signs in the recent economic recovery, McDonald’s plans on hiring near 50,000 people later this month –better yet, in a single day – on April 19th.

A large part of this massive hiring move is due to more golden arched locations staying open 24 hours, in addition to America’s “jobless recovery.” To put it simply, several of the chains are in need of more and more people – daily. In fact, people who had at one time never considered the food colossus are now changing their minds as a result of the growing opportunities available to them. No longer is McDonald’s just a place for prepubescent teens to find work during high school – it’s become more than just a McJob, it’s become a career ladder of opportunity.

Despite all the negativity Micky D’s received after documentaries like 2004’s Supersize Me hit theaters – spawning a growing concern for high-calorie foods in an already unhealthy America – the fast-food kingpin has shifted its reputation into a company built on helping sculpt careers. Now that doesn’t mean that every drive-thru and grease fryer is going to end up owning a location or sitting in a desk that says CEO, but it does show promise knowing that most of McDonald’s higher ups have had to ask at some time or another “What kind of drink would you like with your value meal?”

If you’re looking for a career – a growing career with plenty of outlook and opportunities, don’t overlook the big M. Good news is that if you do move up the corporate chain, you’ll already be used to wearing a shirt and tie to work every day – minus the name tag. If you aren’t sure what you want to do with you life, take our free career assessment to get a feel for what line of work may fit you best.

Famous billionaire Donald Trump owns thousands of hotels and other properties worldwide. This man with a trademark hair style also wants to become president of the United States. Even with all of his properties, companies and television contracts, Trump still has considerable debt. Most individuals are surprised to learn this. Trump’s debts reach into the hundred-millions. He was also ordered to surrender his $25 million mansion in a divorce settlement.

Toni Braxton is a well-known singer. After coming from a small church choir originally, Braxton went on to build her way to the top, winning six Grammy awards and multiple other recognitions. She has sold over 40 million records. Despite her success, fame and fortune, the singer and mother has accrued a debt of more than $10 million dollars. She is certainly not hurting to survive; her record sales are well over $188 million.

M.C. Hammer, legally known as Stanley K. Burrell, also has significant debt. His debt reaches into the $40 million bracket. He is not only a rapper, but an entertainer, entrepreneur, actor and dancer. Even after selling 50 million records worldwide, his monetary problems persist. This could be a result of his desire for luxurious living. To give an example of just how much this famous artist shells out for his accommodations, he spent over $2 million on a marble floor for his bathroom.

Mike Tyson also had debts that reach into the $40 million range. He has spent his life boxing, acting and accepting many other well-paying jobs, but he also has some expensive hobbies. Tyson’s passions include exotic animals. He has several pet tigers, which cost over $4,000 each month to keep.

There are many other celebrities that spend lavishly. Elton John spent $468,000 on flowers, Nicholas Cage reported spending $276,000 on a dinosaur’s skull and Kim Basinger actually purchased an entire town for $20 million. Most average workers read these statistics with their jaws wide open in surprise. Although most people could never fathom spending this much money, it is always possible to earn more than the current salary. Most people simply aren’t in their optimal career field. Take a job aptitude test to determine which fields are the most suitable. Career assessments and job aptitude tests determine the best possible jobs for each person, based on their individual answers.

Debt is something that almost every American is experiencing today. With prices constantly on the rise and wages staying the same or decreasing, it is becoming difficult for many to stay afloat. Many people find themselves taking a career assessment or job aptitude test to find a new better-paying career. Getting a better job is one of the best ways to get out of debt faster. Don’t lose heart, though – everyone experiences debt, even celebrities. It is a well-known fact that celebrities spend a lot of money on houses, clothes and vehicles, but some celebs have gotten themselves into deep debt. Several have spent their money on some strange items, which are certainly not things most people would consider essential.

Self-employed individuals have long been the envy of many who are employed in the private sector. The United States and United Kingdom are two of the countries with the highest rates of successfully-self-employed workers. Eventually these workers may take a job aptitude test and enter the ranks of salaried workers. In recent years, research has been conducted to find out which country has a better success rate among those who are self-employed. The United States came out on top, with its self-employed citizens earning about $13,720 more on average than those in the United Kingdom. Average annual wages of self-employed citizens in the United States are $45,092, while the UK average is $31,372. To put that difference into perspective, it is enough to buy 3,843 Big Mac burgers from McDonald’s.

To earn the same as a salaried worker, self-employed citizens in the United Kingdom must work an average of 146 hours more than a United States self-employed person. That time difference is enough to watch 204 episodes of Glee – or almost any other one-hour television show. In the United States, there are 21,351,320 self-employed people; in the United Kingdom, there are 4,070,059. If these two numbers were put into perspectives of the population of countries, the United States’ self-employed population would be equal to the total number of people in Australia. The United Kingdom’s total number would be equal to the population of Liberia, which is significantly smaller.

The amount of self-employed workers per capita in the United States is also higher than the UK’s. In the United States, 13.8% of the population is self-employed, while 8.96% of the UK’s population is self-employed. The United Kingdom also has a significantly higher tax rate than the United States. Tax rates in the United States are 35%; in the UK, they are 50%. The IRS received $962,791,527 in revenue, which is enough to wrap dollars around the moon’s equator more than nine times.

Being self-employed appears to be more attractive in the United States. Although most self-employed workers can quickly dispel all of the positive misconceptions about not having to take orders from a boss. Nearly everyone is enticed by the idea of being their own boss, but the reality is that taxes are higher for self-employed people, both in the United States and the UK. In addition to higher taxes, the income isn’t always guaranteed. Whether a self-employed person works as an independent contractor or a has a business they run as a separate entity, there are many other financial obligations that must be met before the self-employed individual can actually “pay” themselves with the funds. Starting a business or becoming self-employed takes a lot of research, hard work and diligence. Having a steady job is an asset to anyone and eliminates the worry and stress of wondering where money will come from. Those who feel lost in the job search benefit from taking a career assessment test or job aptitude test. Both of these tests provide helpful suggestions for finding optimal employment, based on personal strengths and weaknesses.

Technology in the Classroom

The more technology is developing in our country, the more parents, teachers, and administrators are concerned about making sure that students understand how to use it. Schools are now integrating technology into the curriculum This can involve training in the use of computers, navigating the internet, and exposure to virtual classrooms. These schools also make options available such as career assessment tools, postsecondary education courses, AP testing aides, or credit recovery.

The standards used to determine the scores of each state were divided into two groups: capacity and use. The capacity a state has was determined by how adequately trained the teachers and administrators are, whether their initial license requires technology courses, and if it requires ongoing technology training or testing as a part of relicensing. The use of a state was determined by whether a state has a standard requiring technology education, tests students on technology, establishes virtual schools, and establishes computer-based assessments.

Surprisingly, most of the highly integrated states are located in the Southeast. They also offer the most additional options such as state standards for technology education, required technology courses, virtual schools, and computer based assessments. These states are some of the most economically depressed, and yet, they offer students the most in technology education.

New England was only average in their technology leadership scores and offered only a few of the options that the Southeast offered. New England, however, is the most economically healthy region in the union. Many of these states offered only state standards and computer-based assessments.

The three lowest scoring states were Montana, Nevada, and the District of Columbia. Montana is one of the more prosperous states in the unions though, just as with the case of New England. The District of Columbia failed outrightly. While the District of Columbia is only a province, they are still equipped with federal funding and school systems.

The mention of the economic stability of the region is to demonstrate that these statistics do not align with the assumption that economic stability ensures technology advances within school systems. These schools offer nothing more than a state standard and in all three cases they failed in their ability to provide the capacity for technology education. That means that students had barely any education in technology presented to them during their federally funded education.

The importance of training students in technology in preparation for their future cannot be stressed enough. Whether it’s providing them with the opportunity to take a simple job aptitude test or give them college credit through virtual classrooms, students need the chance to grow with technology. Yet, it’s surprising exactly where these students would have to go in order to gain the most technologically advanced education. States such as West Virginia, Georgia, and South Dakota are some of the last states that people would think of. Yet, some of the states that people would expect great technology opportunities from such as Vermont, California, or Connecticut are providing only average scores.

Job Search Continues for Millions

The economic state of the union is complicated to economist and down-right confusing to people who never stepped foot into an economics class. The many components that determine the health and vitality of the American marketplace go far beyond aspects such as interest rates, stock prices, or unemployment rates. Even such statistics as crime rate, personal income per capita, and fastest growing occupations are considered when describing the state of the economy. While it sounds as if these things only make the economic situation seem more baffling, a simple graph (http://blog.careerexplorer.net/ce-general/the-state-of-jobs-in-the-usa) can help visually explain.

As with real estate, the economic health has improved or suffered regionally. Someone living in the upper regions of Middle America and New England has the highest economic health of the country. Those living in the South has the most depressed economic heath. The Southwest states are surprisingly hit hard by the economic downturn, with states such as Nevada and Arizona rated as lowest overall economic health. The West coast fared little better as well, while the upper East coast is prospering with above-average results.

There are things that can be done to help better personal situations despite the overall economic outlook. Surprisingly, truck driving, food preparation, and cashiers account for only 10% of the most employed jobs. Retail (selling goods of any kind) account for a staggering 82% of most employed jobs in America. Within that 82% is wide range of skills, personalities, and interests which are needed. A career assessment can help an applicant not only narrow their search, but understand what personal interests they possess. If fashion and clothing is of interest, selling clothing in a middle-level clothing chain would be a far more attractive prospect than selling books in a locally owned bookstore.

A job aptitude test is a series of questions that the applicant answers. There are no right answers, simply the choice that explains the applicant best. There are many of these career assessment tests available online for free. The results explain what jobs an applicant is qualified for or has the personal skills to preform well. A person who can’t stand the great outdoors would not survive well as a forest ranger. While this seems obvious, some careers are not as easy to determine how well a person is suited for it. If someone has a hard time making friends or speaking with strangers, than even a job as a secretary can seem daunting and hard to cope with. Likewise, if someone has a difficult time being solely responsible for decisions and making them quickly in high stress situations, then management would cause anxiety and unhappiness. These tests are tools to help ensure that the applicant can find a career that will fit for years, not just until a better one comes along.