Location: addison,il
School name: Technology Center of DuPage
URL:
Contact name: Jim Baker
Contact phone number: 1630-543-2760
E-mail: jbaker60101@yahoo.com
CNC related degrees offered:
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? Yes
Computer aided manufacturing? No
3d programming?No
CNC manual programming? No
Setup and operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC:
Lab equipment:
Machine types:(3)Haas CNC's
Location: Chicago, IL
School name: BIR Training Center
URL: www.birtraining.com
Contact name: Arkady Rubensteyn
Contact phone number: 773-866-0111
E-mail: contact@birtraining.com
CNC related degrees offered: Certificates in
1) CNC Machine Tool Operations,
2) CNC Machine Tool Technology,
3) Comprehensive CNC
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? Yes
Computer aided manufacturing? Yes
3d programming?No
CNC manual programming? Yes
Setup and operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC: MasterCam
BIR has partnered with numerous machine shops in the area to provide hands-on training in a live machine shop environment. We believe this provides our students with the best training and best preparation for getting a job in CNC.
Location: Elgin, Illinois
School name: Elgin Community College
URL: www.elgin.edu
Contact name: Tony Schuls
Contact phone number: 847-214-7238
E-mail: tschuls@mail.elgin.cc.il.us
CNC related degrees offered: YES
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? Yes
Computer aided manufacturing? Yes
3d programming?Yes
CNC manual programming? Yes
Setup and operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC: MasterCam
Lab equipment:
Machine types:1Mazak, 4Bridgeports
Control types: Fanuc, Bridgeport
CAD system/s: MasterCam
CAM system/s: Pro-E, Autocad
Earn an Industrial Manufacturing Technology Degree or complete course work in many related areas of manufacturing. Ceritficates available for Tool and Die Making, Mold Making and CNC Operator. Credit awarded for work experience and prior education and training.
Location: Glen Ellyn, IL
School name: College of DuPage
URL: www.cod.edu
Contact name: Dr. Mark E. Meyer
Contact phone number: 630 942 2038
E-mail: meyerm@cdnet.cod.edu
CNC related degrees offered: Associate of Applied Science
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? Yes
Computer aided manufacturing? Yes
3d programming?Yes
CNC manual programming? Yes
Setup and operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC: GD&T, Solid Modeling
Lab equipment:
Machine types:Haas, Daewoo
Control types: Fanuc
CAD system/s: FeatureCam, SurfCam
CAM system/s: TopSoldis, SolidWorks
The largest single campus Community College in the US. Small class size.
Location: Maple Park, IL
School name: Fox Valley Career Center
URL: http://www.angelfire.com/il3/maplepark/pt/ptpage1.html
Contact name: Ken Gage
Contact phone number: 630-443-3449
E-mail: ovot@aol.com
CNC related degrees offered: none
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? Yes
Computer aided manufacturing? Yes
3d programming?Yes
CNC manual programming? Yes
Setup and operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC:
Lab equipment:
Machine types:Rhino Robotics lathes & mills
The Principles of Technology program (available through the Fox Valley Career Center) is currently hosted in Room 403 at St. Charles North High School. This class is unique in that it offers high school students (sophmores to seniors) a chance to learn Fanuc G-code programming through hands-on experience with a CNC slant-bed lathe and CNC horizontal mill. The robotics portion of this class (wherein CNC is taught) is just one part of this applied physics program.
Location: Rockford, Illinois
School name: Rock Valley College
URL: www.rockvalleycollege.edu
Contact name: Stan McCord
Contact phone number: (815) 921-3064
E-mail: S.Mccord@rvc.cc.il.us
CNC related degrees offered: Automated Manufacturing, tool & die apprentice
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? Yes
Computer aided manufacturing? Yes
3d programming?Yes
CNC manual programming? Yes
Setup and operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC: cnc vocational certificates (non-degree)
Lab equipment:
Machine types:Haas Vert. MC & Sl-20 Lathes
Control types: Haas
CAD system/s: Featurecam, Mastercam, Unigraphics
CAM system/s: Unigraphics, Autocad, Solidworks
Location: Skokie, IL
School name: Symbol Job Training
Contact name: Aleksandr Levit
Contact phone number: (847)674-1109
E-mail: symbol.job.training@gmail.com
CNC related degrees offered: CNC Operator, CNC Set-up, CNC Programmer
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? No
Computer aided manufacturing? No
3d programming?No
CNC manual programming? Yes
Setup and operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC: Courses for both begginers and advanced.
Lab equipment:
Machine types:3 HAAS machines
Control types: FANUC
We are a very unique school, compared to anybody else, because we combined years of experience, practicality, knowledge, professionalism, into one very intensive course, which now enables us to train somebody to become a CNC operator, set-up, and programmer in only 16 weeks. Our experienced instructors will be able to answer any questions that you might have and teach you in a way that you will learn and get hand's on training in our actual machine shop that will prepare you for the REAL world.
Location: Skokie, IL
School name: Symbol Job Training
Contact name: Diana
Contact phone number: 847 674-1109
E-mail: info@symboljobtraining.com
CNC related degrees offered: Certificate Upon Completion
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? Yes
Computer aided manufacturing? Yes
3d programming?Yes
CNC manual programming? Yes
Setup and operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC: Metal Technology
Lab equipment:
Machine types:Turning Centers & Machining Centers
Control types: Fanuc Competitive
Symbol Job Training, Inc. is certified by the Illinois State Board of Education. Symbol specializes in hands-on training with a maximum of 10 students per class.
SKOKIE, IL
School name: OAKTON COMMUNITY COL
URL: WWW.OAKTON.EDU
Contact name: JOE KOTOWSKI
Contact phone number: 847/635-1861
E-mail: koto@oakton.edu
CNC related degrees offered: A.A.S and certificatecredit courses in CNC machines (lathes & mills)
Courses related to:
Basic machining practice?: Yes
Shop math? Yes
Blueprint reading? Yes
Computer aided design? Yes
Computer aided manufacturing? Yes
3d programming? Yes
CNC manual programming? Yes
Setup & operation? Yes
Other courses related to CNC: PROBING, PARAMETRICS
Lab equipment:
Machine types: HAAS,DENFORD,HERCUS
Control types: FANUC AND COMPATIBLE
CAD system/s: AUTOCAD,PRO/E,CADKEY
CAM system/s: MASTERCAM,SMARTCAM
WE ARE LOCATED JUST NORTH OF CHICAGO. OUR ENROLLMENT IS ABOUT 10,000 STUDENTS. OUR CNC LAB IS LOCATED IN SKOKIE,IL NEAR HOWARD AND LINCOLN AVE. OUR CLASSES ARE HANDS-ON. RECENTLY, WE HAVE INVESTED $150K TO UPGRADE OUR CNC EQUIPMENT.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Goal Tending
Do you have career goals you'd like to meet, but find yourself afraid to tackle them?
Listen to some of the excuses you make-they might be holding you back, and may not even be valid.
People often make self-imposed excuses.
'I don't know what I want, but I know it's not this'- Julie Jansen (Penguin)
Listen to some of the excuses you make-they might be holding you back, and may not even be valid.
People often make self-imposed excuses.
'I don't know what I want, but I know it's not this'- Julie Jansen (Penguin)
Extra
When creating a resume, don't forget to include any extracurricular activities you may have been involved with at school.
Employers look for people that are able to go beyond the standard parameters of a job.
If you organized basketball league or helped raise money for grass roots organization, put it on your resume.
It shows that you're capable of a little bit more than your classmates.
Employers look for people that are able to go beyond the standard parameters of a job.
If you organized basketball league or helped raise money for grass roots organization, put it on your resume.
It shows that you're capable of a little bit more than your classmates.
Get it write
If you successfully navigate the job market and find a job, don't settle for a firm handshake and pat on the back when you receive the actual job offer.
Instead, ask for everything in writing, including your new salary and benefits package.
You should also ask for a written job description, so you know exactly what's expected of you.
It will provide a blueprint for your initial work and give you a concrete guide for comparison during your first review.
Instead, ask for everything in writing, including your new salary and benefits package.
You should also ask for a written job description, so you know exactly what's expected of you.
It will provide a blueprint for your initial work and give you a concrete guide for comparison during your first review.
Great Leaders
Effective leaders see people as appreciable assets with unlimited potential.
They clearly define competecies for key roles.
They integrate performance development as well as selection with those competencies, and establish an infrastructure that reinforces learning and feedback.
They clearly define competecies for key roles.
They integrate performance development as well as selection with those competencies, and establish an infrastructure that reinforces learning and feedback.
Stress Break
To use stress breaks effectively, you need to build them routinely into your work week and when you're not working.
Know when you have reached your stress quotient.
Know when you have reached your stress quotient.
Gate Gourmet
flight coordinator (9.75-10.65$)
Recruiting office: off Manheim Road, 1 block North of Irving Park Rd
10am-4:30pm
phone: 773-686-9162
fax: 773-686-9209
Recruiting office: off Manheim Road, 1 block North of Irving Park Rd
10am-4:30pm
phone: 773-686-9162
fax: 773-686-9209
Associate Degree Requirements (Transfer)
Associate in Science: 64 hours*
37-41 hours of General Education
23-27 hours of additional graduation requirements, electives,and concentration area requirements
The General Education component of both degrees equates with the IAI General Education Core Curriculum and consists of courses that are IAI approved as follows:
9 hours of Communication :English 101, English 102, and Speech 101
3-6 hours of Mathematics
9 hours of Social Sciences:no more than 2 courses from any one discipline
9 hours of Humanities and Fine Arts:
1 course from Humanities
1 course from Fine Arts
1 course from either Humanities or Fine Arts)
Humanities includes Humanities, Philosophy, Literature, Religion, and Foreign Language 104 and above.
The Fine Arts category does not allow studio art courses.
7-8 hours of Science
one course each from the physical and life sciences at least one of which must be a lab course)
Note: The IAI General Education requirements for particular areas may vary. Information about the IAI requirements is described at the IAI Website address www.itransfer.org.
At least one course must meet the State's Human Diversity requirement. The course descriptions on the IAI Website for Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social and Behavioral Sciences include the designations "D" for courses designed to examine aspects of human diversity within the United States and "N" for courses designed to examine aspects of human diversity from a non-Western perspective.
37-41 hours of General Education
23-27 hours of additional graduation requirements, electives,and concentration area requirements
The General Education component of both degrees equates with the IAI General Education Core Curriculum and consists of courses that are IAI approved as follows:
9 hours of Communication :English 101, English 102, and Speech 101
3-6 hours of Mathematics
9 hours of Social Sciences:no more than 2 courses from any one discipline
9 hours of Humanities and Fine Arts:
1 course from Humanities
1 course from Fine Arts
1 course from either Humanities or Fine Arts)
Humanities includes Humanities, Philosophy, Literature, Religion, and Foreign Language 104 and above.
The Fine Arts category does not allow studio art courses.
7-8 hours of Science
one course each from the physical and life sciences at least one of which must be a lab course)
Note: The IAI General Education requirements for particular areas may vary. Information about the IAI requirements is described at the IAI Website address www.itransfer.org.
At least one course must meet the State's Human Diversity requirement. The course descriptions on the IAI Website for Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social and Behavioral Sciences include the designations "D" for courses designed to examine aspects of human diversity within the United States and "N" for courses designed to examine aspects of human diversity from a non-Western perspective.
Associate Degree Progress
Fall 2008---WR--CHEM 201-----General Chemistry I-----5.00
Fall 2006---WR--ENGLISH 101--Composition-------------3.00--B
Fall 2006---WR--CIS 101------Intro To CIS------------3.00--B
Fall 2006---WR--CHEM 121-----Basic Chemistry I-------4.00--A
Spring 2006-WR--PHYSICS 236--Engr Phy II Elec & Magn-4.00--F
Fall 2005---WR--PHYSICS 235--Engr Phy I Mech & Wave--4.00--B
Fall 2005---WR--PHIL 108-----Philosophy Of Religion--3.00--F
Fall 2004---WR--ENGLISH 101--Composition-------------3.00--D
Summer 2004-WR--MATH 210-----Differential Equations--3.00--A
Spring 2004-WR--BUSINES 211--Business Law I----------3.00--B
Spring 2004-WR--GEOG 101-----World Geography---------3.00--A
Spring 2004-WR--MATH 209-----Calculus & Anal Geo III-5.00--B
Fall 2003---WR--BUSINES 111--Intro To Business-------3.00--B
Summer 2003-WR--CIS 120------Intro To Microcomps-----3.00--B
Spring 2003-WR--MATH 208-----Calculus & Anal Geom II-5.00--A
Fall 2002---WR--MATH 207-----Calculus & Anal Geom I--5.00--B
Fall 2006---WR--ENGLISH 101--Composition-------------3.00--B
Fall 2006---WR--CIS 101------Intro To CIS------------3.00--B
Fall 2006---WR--CHEM 121-----Basic Chemistry I-------4.00--A
Spring 2006-WR--PHYSICS 236--Engr Phy II Elec & Magn-4.00--F
Fall 2005---WR--PHYSICS 235--Engr Phy I Mech & Wave--4.00--B
Fall 2005---WR--PHIL 108-----Philosophy Of Religion--3.00--F
Fall 2004---WR--ENGLISH 101--Composition-------------3.00--D
Summer 2004-WR--MATH 210-----Differential Equations--3.00--A
Spring 2004-WR--BUSINES 211--Business Law I----------3.00--B
Spring 2004-WR--GEOG 101-----World Geography---------3.00--A
Spring 2004-WR--MATH 209-----Calculus & Anal Geo III-5.00--B
Fall 2003---WR--BUSINES 111--Intro To Business-------3.00--B
Summer 2003-WR--CIS 120------Intro To Microcomps-----3.00--B
Spring 2003-WR--MATH 208-----Calculus & Anal Geom II-5.00--A
Fall 2002---WR--MATH 207-----Calculus & Anal Geom I--5.00--B
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Vec dugo vremena sam bio zainteresovan za konsulting poslove software inzinjera za koje treba putovati od ponedeljka do cetvrtka, i petkom se radi od kuce.
Sutra putujem u Toronto (iako je kompanija iz USA) da se nadjem sa dva menadzera, i tu ce mi objasniti sve detalje, a najverovatnije i dati konkretnu ponudu.
Svrha ovog puta je da i ja budem siguran da je ovaj novi posao nesto sto mi se svidja i da cu biti veoma zadovoljan pozicijom (tj. da necu biti razocaran i naci nesto novo nakon par meseci).
Pravim listu pitanja koja cu pitati oba menadzera i evo te liste (vecinu sam nasao na internetu). Svaki savet je dobro dosao! Narocito me zanimaju pitanja u vezi putovanja.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
—————————
• What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition and who is the biggest competitor?
• How important does upper management consider the function of this department/position?
• What is the organization’s plan for the next three years, and how does this department fit in? (i.e. what’s in the project pipeline?)
• What is the company’s policy on providing training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones? (more specifically java/j2ee certifications)
• What do you like most about this company? What’s been your best experience working at this company?
ABOUT THE POSITION
—————————
• Why is this position open?
• What are the day-to-day (and overall) responsibilities of this job?
• Can you tell me a little bit about my team and people I’ll be working with on projects?
• What kind of work can I expect to be doing the first year?
• What are the major frustrations of this job?
• Who will review my performance and how is it measured? How often?
• What’s a typical career path for this position?
• How much opportunity will I have for decision-making in my first assignment?
• When top performers leave the company why do they leave and where do they usually go?
• Now that we have talked about my qualifications, do you have any concerns about me fulfilling the responsibilities of this position?
ABOUT THE TRAVEL
————————
• Which cities are good candidates for my first assignment?
• How are traveling expenses reimbursed?
• What is covered under traveling expenses?
• Who arranges flights, hotel rooms, etc?
• Do you typically book a hotel room that is a walking distance from the client’s site?
Sutra putujem u Toronto (iako je kompanija iz USA) da se nadjem sa dva menadzera, i tu ce mi objasniti sve detalje, a najverovatnije i dati konkretnu ponudu.
Svrha ovog puta je da i ja budem siguran da je ovaj novi posao nesto sto mi se svidja i da cu biti veoma zadovoljan pozicijom (tj. da necu biti razocaran i naci nesto novo nakon par meseci).
Pravim listu pitanja koja cu pitati oba menadzera i evo te liste (vecinu sam nasao na internetu). Svaki savet je dobro dosao! Narocito me zanimaju pitanja u vezi putovanja.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
—————————
• What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition and who is the biggest competitor?
• How important does upper management consider the function of this department/position?
• What is the organization’s plan for the next three years, and how does this department fit in? (i.e. what’s in the project pipeline?)
• What is the company’s policy on providing training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones? (more specifically java/j2ee certifications)
• What do you like most about this company? What’s been your best experience working at this company?
ABOUT THE POSITION
—————————
• Why is this position open?
• What are the day-to-day (and overall) responsibilities of this job?
• Can you tell me a little bit about my team and people I’ll be working with on projects?
• What kind of work can I expect to be doing the first year?
• What are the major frustrations of this job?
• Who will review my performance and how is it measured? How often?
• What’s a typical career path for this position?
• How much opportunity will I have for decision-making in my first assignment?
• When top performers leave the company why do they leave and where do they usually go?
• Now that we have talked about my qualifications, do you have any concerns about me fulfilling the responsibilities of this position?
ABOUT THE TRAVEL
————————
• Which cities are good candidates for my first assignment?
• How are traveling expenses reimbursed?
• What is covered under traveling expenses?
• Who arranges flights, hotel rooms, etc?
• Do you typically book a hotel room that is a walking distance from the client’s site?
Thursday, May 8, 2008
- You can never send too many resumes
- Working more than 4-6 hours a day can result in anxiety, exhaustion and a poor quality of life. Although some employers may scoff at the idea, researchers believe a shorter work day will increase productivity.
- You can never really learn everything about a workplace's environment - a crucial element to overall job satisfaction-by just asking questions about it during your interview. Instead, tour the facility and notice the employees: do they look happy, bored, stressed? A quick assessment of the facility and its workers can help you decide if it is a workplace environment where you can thrive.
- Working more than 4-6 hours a day can result in anxiety, exhaustion and a poor quality of life. Although some employers may scoff at the idea, researchers believe a shorter work day will increase productivity.
- You can never really learn everything about a workplace's environment - a crucial element to overall job satisfaction-by just asking questions about it during your interview. Instead, tour the facility and notice the employees: do they look happy, bored, stressed? A quick assessment of the facility and its workers can help you decide if it is a workplace environment where you can thrive.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Start fresh
Create a game plan for finding love.
Life coaches suggest:
1. Adjust your attitude.
Make sure you’ve got a positive mental attitude before you leave the house or start looking at online profiles. “Start looking for evidence to support what you want to believe,” she says, rather than your negative self-talk. “Notice all the good single people around, listen for stories of fun dates others are having, pay attention to people who are the type you are seeking, and observe all the people who are in love with less-than-model types. Then choose a new attitude, and say positive things to yourself whenever you need to hear them.”
2. Don’t perpetuate patterns.
Do you keep dating someone even after the thrill is gone? This is the best way to make sure you don’t meet your match. If you feel like you’re dating someone who’s not right for you, stop dating that person immediately.
3. Pace yourself.
“An accelerated pace often leads to heartache,” counsels John Van Epp, author of How To Avoid Marrying A Jerk. “Taking time to get to know someone is crucial for building the groundwork for a long-term relationship, as is keeping your eyes wide open in the process. Accelerated relationships do just the opposite—they create imbalances that do not hold the promise for long-term stability and tend to mask problem areas that should either be dealt with or walked away from. There are significant or revealing patterns that don’t surface until around the third month of a new relationship.” So take your time and heed any warning signs that you should probably be dating someone else.
4. Live your life.
“Your focus should be on living a rich life in which you are responsive to what the world offers,” “This is the position from which you can be open and available to a positive relationship experience. Why? Because if you are living your life based on personal acceptance and resolution, judgments of others will never be an issue and there will simply not exist a chance that someone will be overlooked.” So pursue activities you enjoy to enrich yourself and your chances of meeting someone who shares them.
5. Trust your gut.
“We often get communication from our inner guidance system about what the right thing is to do,”“It’s just that so few of us can hear it over the noise all around us—and particularly inside our heads. That is the subtle voice that whispers, ‘This is not the right person for me.’ It’s letting you know through the tightness in your solar plexus or the nagging feeling you have that something is wrong. If you learn to listen to that voice and trust it, there is no doubt in my mind you will make better dating decisions.”
Life coaches suggest:
1. Adjust your attitude.
Make sure you’ve got a positive mental attitude before you leave the house or start looking at online profiles. “Start looking for evidence to support what you want to believe,” she says, rather than your negative self-talk. “Notice all the good single people around, listen for stories of fun dates others are having, pay attention to people who are the type you are seeking, and observe all the people who are in love with less-than-model types. Then choose a new attitude, and say positive things to yourself whenever you need to hear them.”
2. Don’t perpetuate patterns.
Do you keep dating someone even after the thrill is gone? This is the best way to make sure you don’t meet your match. If you feel like you’re dating someone who’s not right for you, stop dating that person immediately.
3. Pace yourself.
“An accelerated pace often leads to heartache,” counsels John Van Epp, author of How To Avoid Marrying A Jerk. “Taking time to get to know someone is crucial for building the groundwork for a long-term relationship, as is keeping your eyes wide open in the process. Accelerated relationships do just the opposite—they create imbalances that do not hold the promise for long-term stability and tend to mask problem areas that should either be dealt with or walked away from. There are significant or revealing patterns that don’t surface until around the third month of a new relationship.” So take your time and heed any warning signs that you should probably be dating someone else.
4. Live your life.
“Your focus should be on living a rich life in which you are responsive to what the world offers,” “This is the position from which you can be open and available to a positive relationship experience. Why? Because if you are living your life based on personal acceptance and resolution, judgments of others will never be an issue and there will simply not exist a chance that someone will be overlooked.” So pursue activities you enjoy to enrich yourself and your chances of meeting someone who shares them.
5. Trust your gut.
“We often get communication from our inner guidance system about what the right thing is to do,”“It’s just that so few of us can hear it over the noise all around us—and particularly inside our heads. That is the subtle voice that whispers, ‘This is not the right person for me.’ It’s letting you know through the tightness in your solar plexus or the nagging feeling you have that something is wrong. If you learn to listen to that voice and trust it, there is no doubt in my mind you will make better dating decisions.”
Subtitle
- Subtitle koji stoji u prezentaciji od pocetka do kraja
Subtitle Workshop - u njemu napravi titl koji zelis i stavi mu trajanje od početka do kraja video clipa (znaci samo jednu liniju)
Imaš mogućnost: da ostavis da se posebno pokrece taj titl ili da ga nalepis
Imaš alate za razne stvari, kao npr.video montiranje (Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere, Pinnacle studio (dosta jednostavan)
Subtitle Workshop - u njemu napravi titl koji zelis i stavi mu trajanje od početka do kraja video clipa (znaci samo jednu liniju)
Imaš mogućnost: da ostavis da se posebno pokrece taj titl ili da ga nalepis
Imaš alate za razne stvari, kao npr.video montiranje (Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere, Pinnacle studio (dosta jednostavan)
What to do after a car accident
If you're in a car accident, you'll need to be familiar with the policy, the process and the payments.
Now here's what you need to do once the dust settles.
You should:
• Keep your auto insurance information in the glove compartment, including a pre-printed form allowing you to provide the particulars of any accident, including a sketch of the scene. (Even better, use that disposable camera you keep in the car. You don't? You should.)
• Stay at the scene of the accident until police have come and gone, making sure you have the name of the officer(s) and that they have your version of what happened. Do not assume a police report will "take you off the hook" or even that one will be generated in the event of a minor accident ("minor" may mean no one is injured even though your car suffers a direct hit).
• Exchange names, addresses, driver's license and insurance information with the driver of the other car.
• Review your policy to make sure of your coverage. Make a list of questions and related information you want to know.•
Report the accident promptly to your insurance company. This may not seem wise or necessary to you. The accident may be minor, you may not want to risk seeing your rates rise or you may live in a no-fault state and think that the other driver's insurance company will pay for everything. But state laws generally protect you from higher rates unless an accident was your fault. And even though you may think no-fault lets you off the hook for the other driver's medical expenses, it does not. It simply says his insurance will pay for his expenses (up to the limits of his coverage), regardless of who is at fault. But rest assured his insurance company will come knocking on your insurer's door seeking repayment if it believes you were at fault in the accident. The point is, your insurer should be informed.
Look in the back for what are called the conditions of your policy - what you are supposed to do in the event of an accident. These requirements are pretty straightforward, although compliance may seem like a hassle when you're already upset by the accident itself. But you may forfeit some of your rights if you don't follow these instructions.
Next, look at the cover sheet of the policy, which is called the declarations page and which lists the types and dollar limits of your coverage, including short-hand references to any discounts or special provisions you have elected to purchase.
Last, there's the actual insuring agreement itself, which explains what your insurer is protecting you against, including definitions of terms used in the agreement and explanations of what's not covered (called the exclusions).
If you don't understand your policy, keep calling your agent and/or state insurance department until you get clear answers to your questions.
Most people have heard that ignorance is no defense under the law, but they don't think they'll ever have to find out. Auto accidents are one of the most common ways to discover the sobering cost of ignorance.
The payments
Hopefully, your accident involves only damages to things and not to people.
And, hopefully, it wasn't your fault.
Even if it's just your car that's banged up, repairs can be a major headache.
This is where the reality sets in that replacement cost is not the same thing as market value.
Your car can easily be declared a total loss even though the money you'd receive is nowhere near what it would cost you to replace the vehicle.
The best advice about getting your car fixed is to remember that the money may be coming from the insurance company but you should control the repair process.
This means refusing to settle for a repair job you don't like.
And it may also mean refusing to accept the use of generic replacement parts instead of the original manufacturer's parts (your policy may give your insurer the right to use generic parts, so it's important to check the fine print to know your rights).
Even if your favorite shop doesn't do the repairs, you can still have your mechanic look at the car (although this may be at your personal expense) and provide an assessment of what should be fixed. Ultimately, it's your car and your call about what's done to it.
Talk to your agent and/or insurer about your rights (better still, you should really ask these questions before you buy a policy).
And if you don't like the answers, call your state insurance department.
Now here's what you need to do once the dust settles.
You should:
• Keep your auto insurance information in the glove compartment, including a pre-printed form allowing you to provide the particulars of any accident, including a sketch of the scene. (Even better, use that disposable camera you keep in the car. You don't? You should.)
• Stay at the scene of the accident until police have come and gone, making sure you have the name of the officer(s) and that they have your version of what happened. Do not assume a police report will "take you off the hook" or even that one will be generated in the event of a minor accident ("minor" may mean no one is injured even though your car suffers a direct hit).
• Exchange names, addresses, driver's license and insurance information with the driver of the other car.
• Review your policy to make sure of your coverage. Make a list of questions and related information you want to know.•
Report the accident promptly to your insurance company. This may not seem wise or necessary to you. The accident may be minor, you may not want to risk seeing your rates rise or you may live in a no-fault state and think that the other driver's insurance company will pay for everything. But state laws generally protect you from higher rates unless an accident was your fault. And even though you may think no-fault lets you off the hook for the other driver's medical expenses, it does not. It simply says his insurance will pay for his expenses (up to the limits of his coverage), regardless of who is at fault. But rest assured his insurance company will come knocking on your insurer's door seeking repayment if it believes you were at fault in the accident. The point is, your insurer should be informed.
Look in the back for what are called the conditions of your policy - what you are supposed to do in the event of an accident. These requirements are pretty straightforward, although compliance may seem like a hassle when you're already upset by the accident itself. But you may forfeit some of your rights if you don't follow these instructions.
Next, look at the cover sheet of the policy, which is called the declarations page and which lists the types and dollar limits of your coverage, including short-hand references to any discounts or special provisions you have elected to purchase.
Last, there's the actual insuring agreement itself, which explains what your insurer is protecting you against, including definitions of terms used in the agreement and explanations of what's not covered (called the exclusions).
If you don't understand your policy, keep calling your agent and/or state insurance department until you get clear answers to your questions.
Most people have heard that ignorance is no defense under the law, but they don't think they'll ever have to find out. Auto accidents are one of the most common ways to discover the sobering cost of ignorance.
The payments
Hopefully, your accident involves only damages to things and not to people.
And, hopefully, it wasn't your fault.
Even if it's just your car that's banged up, repairs can be a major headache.
This is where the reality sets in that replacement cost is not the same thing as market value.
Your car can easily be declared a total loss even though the money you'd receive is nowhere near what it would cost you to replace the vehicle.
The best advice about getting your car fixed is to remember that the money may be coming from the insurance company but you should control the repair process.
This means refusing to settle for a repair job you don't like.
And it may also mean refusing to accept the use of generic replacement parts instead of the original manufacturer's parts (your policy may give your insurer the right to use generic parts, so it's important to check the fine print to know your rights).
Even if your favorite shop doesn't do the repairs, you can still have your mechanic look at the car (although this may be at your personal expense) and provide an assessment of what should be fixed. Ultimately, it's your car and your call about what's done to it.
Talk to your agent and/or insurer about your rights (better still, you should really ask these questions before you buy a policy).
And if you don't like the answers, call your state insurance department.
You need 500$ in the bank
Having a few hundred bucks at the right times in your life can make all the difference.
Here's how to tuck away money for emergencies, even if you don't have much.
Most of the talk about financial cushions centers on the importance of an emergency fund, that stash of cash that's supposed to equal three to six months' worth of expenses.
A $500 pad is something that just about everyone can scrape together with enough determination.
And it can make a real difference.
Start by keeping an extra $100 in your checking account. If you maintain this pad and resist the urge to spend it, you'll greatly reduce your chances of bouncing a check. If you keep track of your balance online or via an ATM, you'll have to mentally deduct the $100.
Then funnel $400 into your savings account. It may not seem like much, but $400 will cover a good chunk of the real emergencies that come your way, e.g. replacing an appliance that breaks down. Even if the unexpected expense is higher than $400, you'll at least reduce the amount you need to scrape up from other sources.
Then leave it alone unless you're facing a real emergency.
If the spending is absolutely necessary, you're better off paying cash than paying interest on money borrowed from credit cards or payday lenders.
Then you can concentrate on rebuilding your cushion as soon as possible.
The first $500 is the hardest
Eventually, you should try to build your pad of cash into a real emergency fund.
But that can come after you've taken care of more-pressing financial needs, such as paying off high-rate debt and saving for retirement.
Here are some ideas for scraping up the initial $500:
- Your tax refund - The typical refund check is more than $2,000
- Try a "buy nothing" month - many are surprised at the amounts of cash they're saving by buying only necessities for a single month, don't eat out, bring your lunch and snacks to work and avoid shopping for 30 days
- Sell stuff: try yard sales, consignment stores and online auction sites such as eBay, sell your books on Half.com or Amazon.com. Make sure the cash you raise gets put into savings immediately, or it will get spent.
- Save your change. save hundreds over the course of a year, even making a game of it with children.
- Review your bills - If you haven't already, go through your regular bills and see what you can trim. Once you've trimmed, channel the extra savings into your bank account. If you save $10 on your phone bill, for example, put that much into savings each month.
- Make it automatic. Setting up a regular electronic transfer from your checking to your savings account is much better than making the transfers manually. If you have to make the decision to save every month, you'll probably decide to do something else with the money. If the decision is made for you, it's more likely to stick.
- - - - - - - - - - -
If you've been living paycheck to paycheck for a while, you may be unclear about what constitutes a true emergency.
Essentially, it's an event that puts your livelihood or your family's safety at risk. The television dying, for example, is not an emergency. The furnace dying is.
A car repair may or may not be an emergency, depending on whether you have alternate transportation.
Regular, predictable expenses are not emergencies. Neither are gift-giving occasions like weddings, holidays and birthdays.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Raises are hard to come by at many jobs this year, so don't wait for the boss to be struck by the sudden realization that you're valuable.
Give yourself a raise by spending less of your hard-earned cash.
Following any one of these tips can save you as much as $500 per year.
If you do all 10, you'll save at least $5,000 a year.
That's a heck of a lot more than the measly 3% increase that your employer is likely to hand out. And the best part about it is that you don't have to smile and say "thank you."
10 suggestions for painless frugality
1. Drive less.
If you have a 25-mile commute, persuading the boss to allow telecommuting one day a week, or squeezing 40 hours of work into four days, will definitely put you ahead about $500 per year.
2. Bring your own stimulant.
Stop buying coffee at the chichi coffee joint down the street from work. Bringing coffee from home in a thermos or brewing it in the break room will actually improve the quality of your morning shot of energy, as well as cut its cost dramatically. You can get 40 cups of coffee from a pound of beans. Even the gourmet ones can be purchased for $4 per pound. If you're spending $2 per day on coffee -- easy to do in most workplaces -- you'll go from spending $500 a year to about $25 by making your own.
Save even more by taking cans of soda or bottled water to work instead of buying them out of the vending machine. Bottled water sells for 14 cents a bottle at a big-box grocery store, and soda is 16 cents a can (less for off-brands). Compare that to the 75 cents or more that you'll spend at the machine, and it's a no-brainer. You can go even further by cleaning your small plastic water bottles and replenishing them with drinking water from a gallon jug. (It's an environmentally friendly move, too.)
3. Conserve energy.
Turn off the TV when you leave the room. Using less energy is a painless way to save. Heat and air conditioning are the largest home-energy hogs.
Switch to U.S. Energy Star-approved light bulbs and save $60 a year. You can also save more than $200 a year just by turning off the TV when nobody's watching it. Running a 32-inch TV four hours a day costs $3 per month, but many families use the TV for background noise, letting it play 24/7. Washing clothes in cold water is good for another $60 a year, and powering down your computer at night saves $70.
4. Dig gardening.
Not only does gardening burn lots of calories, but a nice yard adds value to the house. If you do it all yourself, it's pure profit.
5. Go small or pet-free.
Expect to pay these annual costs of pet ownership: cat, $640; small dog, $780; medium dog, $1,115; large dog, $1,500. Obviously, smaller is cheaper.
6. Don't flush money down the commode.
No-name-brand toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, paper cups, plastic wrap, plastic bags, etc., are all available at half the price of similar name-brand products when you buy them in bulk. You don't even have to wait for a sale. Such stores as Wal-Mart, Kmart, Costco and Sam's Club offer these items all the time at bulk rates.
For instance, you can buy 15,000 sheets of toilet paper for about $15, compared to the 4,224 sheets of the "squeezably soft" variety that routinely sells for $9 in a 12-pack. Big-name plastic wrap is 10 times more expensive than the big-box variety -- 0.04 cents per square foot versus 0.004 cents per square foot. Commercial laundry detergent is 34 cents per pound, versus a small box of familiar-name powder at $2.10 per pound.
Of course, bulk buying requires having some cash on hand, transportation to carry large quantities and enough storage space for these items. If you can manage those basic requirements, buying big can be a tremendous deal and easily cut costs by $500 per year.
7. Limit media.
Who watches 300 channels anyway? The easiest way to cut costs: Just take a deep breath and cancel everything but the basic plan. Most cable companies have a very limited plan for $10 or $15 per month that offers local channels and a few other networks.
If you have greater-than-average do-it-yourself skills, consider installing an antenna and capturing high-definition television signals over the air. . A page on the National Association of Broadcasters' Web site lists the stations you can expect to receive. In most cities, that's all the networks plus PBS.
Next, examine your phone service -- particularly your cell. What kind of user are you? If your phone's for short calls only -- "I'm on my way home now, dear" -- consider a pay-as-you-go plan like Virgin Mobile. It has cool phones, and, for a total of $80 per year, you can make those kinds of calls and have peace of mind. It's a big bargain.
Family plans are another possibility. Nobody checks your DNA, and Sprint Nextel doesn't even require sharers to be in the same area code. Four people on the same plan will cost about $25 each.
8. Sign up for tax-advantaged plans at work.
The possibilities include education, health, transportation and child-care savings accounts.
If you're in the 25% tax bracket, you'll be $500 ahead once you spend $2,000 in pretax dollars on these necessities. If your company doesn't offer these plans, ask for them to be added. It's a cost-free benefit that even the smallest and most cash-strapped employer can offer.
9. Eat in.
Replace one $20 trip per week to McDonald's with a large $7 carryout pizza from any of the billions of cheap pizza places in every city.
Better yet, buy pizza at the grocery store.
10. Don't bank on it.
Pay credit-card bills in full as soon as possible, and take advantage of free bill pay.
The real savings can be had by avoiding credit-card debt and paying off what you've accumulated as quickly as possible.
For instance, if you owe $4,000 on a card charging you 18% interest, and you pay three times the minimum payment every month, or $300, you'll pay off the card in 15 months and spend about $500 in interest. If you spread the cost out and pay $200 per month -- still twice the minimum payment -- you'll pay off the bill in 24 months and pay out $4,800 in total -- $800 in interest. If you can bite the bullet and pay as much as $400 each month, the debt will be gone in less than a year and you'll save between $100 and $700 in interest over the other options.
Saving money doesn't have to take an ugly bite out of your lifestyle. Once you put these strategies in place, you won't feel pinched, because you're not giving up much at all.
Here's how to tuck away money for emergencies, even if you don't have much.
Most of the talk about financial cushions centers on the importance of an emergency fund, that stash of cash that's supposed to equal three to six months' worth of expenses.
A $500 pad is something that just about everyone can scrape together with enough determination.
And it can make a real difference.
Start by keeping an extra $100 in your checking account. If you maintain this pad and resist the urge to spend it, you'll greatly reduce your chances of bouncing a check. If you keep track of your balance online or via an ATM, you'll have to mentally deduct the $100.
Then funnel $400 into your savings account. It may not seem like much, but $400 will cover a good chunk of the real emergencies that come your way, e.g. replacing an appliance that breaks down. Even if the unexpected expense is higher than $400, you'll at least reduce the amount you need to scrape up from other sources.
Then leave it alone unless you're facing a real emergency.
If the spending is absolutely necessary, you're better off paying cash than paying interest on money borrowed from credit cards or payday lenders.
Then you can concentrate on rebuilding your cushion as soon as possible.
The first $500 is the hardest
Eventually, you should try to build your pad of cash into a real emergency fund.
But that can come after you've taken care of more-pressing financial needs, such as paying off high-rate debt and saving for retirement.
Here are some ideas for scraping up the initial $500:
- Your tax refund - The typical refund check is more than $2,000
- Try a "buy nothing" month - many are surprised at the amounts of cash they're saving by buying only necessities for a single month, don't eat out, bring your lunch and snacks to work and avoid shopping for 30 days
- Sell stuff: try yard sales, consignment stores and online auction sites such as eBay, sell your books on Half.com or Amazon.com. Make sure the cash you raise gets put into savings immediately, or it will get spent.
- Save your change. save hundreds over the course of a year, even making a game of it with children.
- Review your bills - If you haven't already, go through your regular bills and see what you can trim. Once you've trimmed, channel the extra savings into your bank account. If you save $10 on your phone bill, for example, put that much into savings each month.
- Make it automatic. Setting up a regular electronic transfer from your checking to your savings account is much better than making the transfers manually. If you have to make the decision to save every month, you'll probably decide to do something else with the money. If the decision is made for you, it's more likely to stick.
- - - - - - - - - - -
If you've been living paycheck to paycheck for a while, you may be unclear about what constitutes a true emergency.
Essentially, it's an event that puts your livelihood or your family's safety at risk. The television dying, for example, is not an emergency. The furnace dying is.
A car repair may or may not be an emergency, depending on whether you have alternate transportation.
Regular, predictable expenses are not emergencies. Neither are gift-giving occasions like weddings, holidays and birthdays.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Raises are hard to come by at many jobs this year, so don't wait for the boss to be struck by the sudden realization that you're valuable.
Give yourself a raise by spending less of your hard-earned cash.
Following any one of these tips can save you as much as $500 per year.
If you do all 10, you'll save at least $5,000 a year.
That's a heck of a lot more than the measly 3% increase that your employer is likely to hand out. And the best part about it is that you don't have to smile and say "thank you."
10 suggestions for painless frugality
1. Drive less.
If you have a 25-mile commute, persuading the boss to allow telecommuting one day a week, or squeezing 40 hours of work into four days, will definitely put you ahead about $500 per year.
2. Bring your own stimulant.
Stop buying coffee at the chichi coffee joint down the street from work. Bringing coffee from home in a thermos or brewing it in the break room will actually improve the quality of your morning shot of energy, as well as cut its cost dramatically. You can get 40 cups of coffee from a pound of beans. Even the gourmet ones can be purchased for $4 per pound. If you're spending $2 per day on coffee -- easy to do in most workplaces -- you'll go from spending $500 a year to about $25 by making your own.
Save even more by taking cans of soda or bottled water to work instead of buying them out of the vending machine. Bottled water sells for 14 cents a bottle at a big-box grocery store, and soda is 16 cents a can (less for off-brands). Compare that to the 75 cents or more that you'll spend at the machine, and it's a no-brainer. You can go even further by cleaning your small plastic water bottles and replenishing them with drinking water from a gallon jug. (It's an environmentally friendly move, too.)
3. Conserve energy.
Turn off the TV when you leave the room. Using less energy is a painless way to save. Heat and air conditioning are the largest home-energy hogs.
Switch to U.S. Energy Star-approved light bulbs and save $60 a year. You can also save more than $200 a year just by turning off the TV when nobody's watching it. Running a 32-inch TV four hours a day costs $3 per month, but many families use the TV for background noise, letting it play 24/7. Washing clothes in cold water is good for another $60 a year, and powering down your computer at night saves $70.
4. Dig gardening.
Not only does gardening burn lots of calories, but a nice yard adds value to the house. If you do it all yourself, it's pure profit.
5. Go small or pet-free.
Expect to pay these annual costs of pet ownership: cat, $640; small dog, $780; medium dog, $1,115; large dog, $1,500. Obviously, smaller is cheaper.
6. Don't flush money down the commode.
No-name-brand toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, paper cups, plastic wrap, plastic bags, etc., are all available at half the price of similar name-brand products when you buy them in bulk. You don't even have to wait for a sale. Such stores as Wal-Mart, Kmart, Costco and Sam's Club offer these items all the time at bulk rates.
For instance, you can buy 15,000 sheets of toilet paper for about $15, compared to the 4,224 sheets of the "squeezably soft" variety that routinely sells for $9 in a 12-pack. Big-name plastic wrap is 10 times more expensive than the big-box variety -- 0.04 cents per square foot versus 0.004 cents per square foot. Commercial laundry detergent is 34 cents per pound, versus a small box of familiar-name powder at $2.10 per pound.
Of course, bulk buying requires having some cash on hand, transportation to carry large quantities and enough storage space for these items. If you can manage those basic requirements, buying big can be a tremendous deal and easily cut costs by $500 per year.
7. Limit media.
Who watches 300 channels anyway? The easiest way to cut costs: Just take a deep breath and cancel everything but the basic plan. Most cable companies have a very limited plan for $10 or $15 per month that offers local channels and a few other networks.
If you have greater-than-average do-it-yourself skills, consider installing an antenna and capturing high-definition television signals over the air. . A page on the National Association of Broadcasters' Web site lists the stations you can expect to receive. In most cities, that's all the networks plus PBS.
Next, examine your phone service -- particularly your cell. What kind of user are you? If your phone's for short calls only -- "I'm on my way home now, dear" -- consider a pay-as-you-go plan like Virgin Mobile. It has cool phones, and, for a total of $80 per year, you can make those kinds of calls and have peace of mind. It's a big bargain.
Family plans are another possibility. Nobody checks your DNA, and Sprint Nextel doesn't even require sharers to be in the same area code. Four people on the same plan will cost about $25 each.
8. Sign up for tax-advantaged plans at work.
The possibilities include education, health, transportation and child-care savings accounts.
If you're in the 25% tax bracket, you'll be $500 ahead once you spend $2,000 in pretax dollars on these necessities. If your company doesn't offer these plans, ask for them to be added. It's a cost-free benefit that even the smallest and most cash-strapped employer can offer.
9. Eat in.
Replace one $20 trip per week to McDonald's with a large $7 carryout pizza from any of the billions of cheap pizza places in every city.
Better yet, buy pizza at the grocery store.
10. Don't bank on it.
Pay credit-card bills in full as soon as possible, and take advantage of free bill pay.
The real savings can be had by avoiding credit-card debt and paying off what you've accumulated as quickly as possible.
For instance, if you owe $4,000 on a card charging you 18% interest, and you pay three times the minimum payment every month, or $300, you'll pay off the card in 15 months and spend about $500 in interest. If you spread the cost out and pay $200 per month -- still twice the minimum payment -- you'll pay off the bill in 24 months and pay out $4,800 in total -- $800 in interest. If you can bite the bullet and pay as much as $400 each month, the debt will be gone in less than a year and you'll save between $100 and $700 in interest over the other options.
Saving money doesn't have to take an ugly bite out of your lifestyle. Once you put these strategies in place, you won't feel pinched, because you're not giving up much at all.
Monday, January 28, 2008
ATC
Licenses: Applicant must possess an FAA Control Tower Operator certificate or CTO Certificate of Grades, and an Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) certificate. A current Air Traffic Control flight physical.
Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
Throughout the United States - Many Vacancies; Full Time
Duties: This announcement includes vacancies for both the Terminal & En Route (center) Air Traffic Control (ATC) options. The Terminal option controls air traffic at airports and give pilots taxiing and takeoff instructions, air traffic clearances, and advice based on their own observations, information from the National Weather Service, Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs), flight service stations, pilots, & other sources. Terminal Air Traffic Controllers transfer control of aircraft to the En Route Center controller when the aircraft leaves their airspace, and they receive control of aircraft coming into their airspace. Air Traffic Controllers in the En Route (Center) option give aircraft instructions, air traffic clearances and advice regarding flight conditions while en route between airports. They provide separation between aircraft flying along the Federal airways or operating into or out of airports.
As a new Air Traffic Control Specialist, you will spend your first several weeks of employment in an intensive training program at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK.
While attending academy training you will be on a temporary appointment. Upon successful completion of the Academy initial training program and other employment requirements, you will continue your training at your assigned facility on a permanent appointment with a salary between $37,463 and $43,867.
As a new controller you will receive pay increases as you successfully complete the progressive phases of controller training at your assigned facility with a potential to earn over $100,000 annually.
Upon successfully completing training & passing all required evaluations you may be given a permanent appointment at an air traffic control facility nationwide. You will be provided an opportunity to identify which locations you are interested in working at a later date.
POSITIONS ARE LOCATED throughout the United States, in Puerto Rico, in Guam, and also in the Virgin Islands.
Minimum Qualifications:
The maximum entry age for these positions is 30 years of age i.e., you must be hired prior to reaching your 31st birthday.
Prior experience or training in air traffic control is not required.
Applicants will be evaluated based on their responses to the online application.
You may qualify for this position on the basis of work experience, college education, or a combination of both. To qualify based upon work experience, interested individuals must have three years of progressively responsible full-time (40 hours per week) experience that demonstrates the potential for learning.
Progressively responsible experience might include for example: an increase in leadership duties, working with less supervision, or an increase in financial responsibility.
You are encouraged to include any experience that is directly related to the air traffic control occupation.
To qualify based upon education, applicants must have a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree.
You may also qualify by combining your work experience and college credits; one year of undergraduate study (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours) is equivalent to 9 months of general work experience.
Successful candidates must be able to speak English clearly enough to be understood over radios, intercoms, and similar communications equipment.
Other Job Requirements: Requirement for pre-employment medical clearance: Applicants selected for ATCS positions must pass a medical examination that includes psychological screening prior to appointment. Applicants with prior military service are encouraged to obtain a sealed copy of their military medical records prior to discharge and to retain these records to be provided upon request if selected.
Requirement for security clearance: This position requires an Access National Agency Check and Inquiry with Credit (ANACI) or higher, based on the facility, prior to appointment unless a waiver is obtained.
Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program: This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying covered positions will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.
Training Requirements: Developmentals will enter the appropriate phase of field training as determined by the assigned facility to prepare for advancement to the Certified Professional Controller (CPC) level. They must learn the skills needed for operation at higher levels of responsibility. Failure to meet training requirements for or accept promotion to higher grade ATCS positions may constitute grounds for reassignment, demotion or separation from employment.
Certificate and Rating Requirements: ATCS's must possess or obtain a valid ATCS Certificate and/or Control Tower Operator Certificate (CTO) if appropriate. They must also obtain the facility ratings required for full performance at assigned facilities within uniformly applicable time limits.
Interview: Candidates for ATCS positions may be subject to pre-appointment interviews to determine whether they possess the personal characteristics necessary to perform air traffic control work.
Requirement for nonstandard duty hours or work week: Incumbent may be required to work irregular duty hours or a nonstandard work week or tour of duty.
Key Requirements: Candidate must be a U.S. Citizen
One-year probationary period may be required.
Moving expenses (PCS) will NOT be paid. After the announcement close date, be sure to log into ASAP to check your status to take the AT-SAT test as well as your test score and continue to check for referral list updates. Updates on your status can be acquired through the online application system.To be considered applicants should selected "UNITED STATES" and "THROUGHOUT THE NATION" for their location preference. Duty locations/facilities assignments will be determined at a later date.
Entrance exam: Applicants must achieve a qualifying score on the authorized FAA pre-employment test. Not all applicants will be selected for testing. Travel to & from testing locations will be at expense of applicant.
At election of agency, testing will be done at any of below locations:
Seattle, WA
Daytona Beach, FL
New York, NY
Atlanta, GA
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX
Miami, FL
Oakland, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Oklahoma City, OK
Fort Worth, TX
Training Requirements: Individuals selected & hired will be placed on temporary appointments & must pass a rigorous training program in air traffic control conducted by FAA to continue employment.
New hires spend several weeks at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK receiving initial training.
Those who are successful & meet all other requirements will be given permanent appointments & continue training at their air traffic facility. Academy students receive basic air traffic control training at the FAA Academy, which includes:
a. A complete occupational indoctrination including highlights of Federal employment, familiarization with organizational structure & functions, aircraft, air traffic control system, and aviation industry.
b. Classroom instruction & workshop exercises relating to the air traffic control system.
c. Skills training related to the work of air traffic control specialists in air route traffic control centers. Newly hired ATCS's will be paid long term expense rate (per diem) for Oklahoma City, OK to help offset daily cost of living while attending FAA Academy. The FAA will also pay for cost of travel in accordance with applicable agency travel policy.
For more information about this job, call Aviation Careers Division at 405-954-4657. Servicing HR office: Aviation Careers Division P.O. Box 25082 AMH-300 Oklahoma City, OK 73125 405-954-4657
FAA is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee
Throughout the United States - Many Vacancies; Full Time
Duties: This announcement includes vacancies for both the Terminal & En Route (center) Air Traffic Control (ATC) options. The Terminal option controls air traffic at airports and give pilots taxiing and takeoff instructions, air traffic clearances, and advice based on their own observations, information from the National Weather Service, Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs), flight service stations, pilots, & other sources. Terminal Air Traffic Controllers transfer control of aircraft to the En Route Center controller when the aircraft leaves their airspace, and they receive control of aircraft coming into their airspace. Air Traffic Controllers in the En Route (Center) option give aircraft instructions, air traffic clearances and advice regarding flight conditions while en route between airports. They provide separation between aircraft flying along the Federal airways or operating into or out of airports.
As a new Air Traffic Control Specialist, you will spend your first several weeks of employment in an intensive training program at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK.
While attending academy training you will be on a temporary appointment. Upon successful completion of the Academy initial training program and other employment requirements, you will continue your training at your assigned facility on a permanent appointment with a salary between $37,463 and $43,867.
As a new controller you will receive pay increases as you successfully complete the progressive phases of controller training at your assigned facility with a potential to earn over $100,000 annually.
Upon successfully completing training & passing all required evaluations you may be given a permanent appointment at an air traffic control facility nationwide. You will be provided an opportunity to identify which locations you are interested in working at a later date.
POSITIONS ARE LOCATED throughout the United States, in Puerto Rico, in Guam, and also in the Virgin Islands.
Minimum Qualifications:
The maximum entry age for these positions is 30 years of age i.e., you must be hired prior to reaching your 31st birthday.
Prior experience or training in air traffic control is not required.
Applicants will be evaluated based on their responses to the online application.
You may qualify for this position on the basis of work experience, college education, or a combination of both. To qualify based upon work experience, interested individuals must have three years of progressively responsible full-time (40 hours per week) experience that demonstrates the potential for learning.
Progressively responsible experience might include for example: an increase in leadership duties, working with less supervision, or an increase in financial responsibility.
You are encouraged to include any experience that is directly related to the air traffic control occupation.
To qualify based upon education, applicants must have a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree.
You may also qualify by combining your work experience and college credits; one year of undergraduate study (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours) is equivalent to 9 months of general work experience.
Successful candidates must be able to speak English clearly enough to be understood over radios, intercoms, and similar communications equipment.
Other Job Requirements: Requirement for pre-employment medical clearance: Applicants selected for ATCS positions must pass a medical examination that includes psychological screening prior to appointment. Applicants with prior military service are encouraged to obtain a sealed copy of their military medical records prior to discharge and to retain these records to be provided upon request if selected.
Requirement for security clearance: This position requires an Access National Agency Check and Inquiry with Credit (ANACI) or higher, based on the facility, prior to appointment unless a waiver is obtained.
Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program: This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying covered positions will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.
Training Requirements: Developmentals will enter the appropriate phase of field training as determined by the assigned facility to prepare for advancement to the Certified Professional Controller (CPC) level. They must learn the skills needed for operation at higher levels of responsibility. Failure to meet training requirements for or accept promotion to higher grade ATCS positions may constitute grounds for reassignment, demotion or separation from employment.
Certificate and Rating Requirements: ATCS's must possess or obtain a valid ATCS Certificate and/or Control Tower Operator Certificate (CTO) if appropriate. They must also obtain the facility ratings required for full performance at assigned facilities within uniformly applicable time limits.
Interview: Candidates for ATCS positions may be subject to pre-appointment interviews to determine whether they possess the personal characteristics necessary to perform air traffic control work.
Requirement for nonstandard duty hours or work week: Incumbent may be required to work irregular duty hours or a nonstandard work week or tour of duty.
Key Requirements: Candidate must be a U.S. Citizen
One-year probationary period may be required.
Moving expenses (PCS) will NOT be paid. After the announcement close date, be sure to log into ASAP to check your status to take the AT-SAT test as well as your test score and continue to check for referral list updates. Updates on your status can be acquired through the online application system.To be considered applicants should selected "UNITED STATES" and "THROUGHOUT THE NATION" for their location preference. Duty locations/facilities assignments will be determined at a later date.
Entrance exam: Applicants must achieve a qualifying score on the authorized FAA pre-employment test. Not all applicants will be selected for testing. Travel to & from testing locations will be at expense of applicant.
At election of agency, testing will be done at any of below locations:
Seattle, WA
Daytona Beach, FL
New York, NY
Atlanta, GA
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX
Miami, FL
Oakland, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Oklahoma City, OK
Fort Worth, TX
Training Requirements: Individuals selected & hired will be placed on temporary appointments & must pass a rigorous training program in air traffic control conducted by FAA to continue employment.
New hires spend several weeks at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK receiving initial training.
Those who are successful & meet all other requirements will be given permanent appointments & continue training at their air traffic facility. Academy students receive basic air traffic control training at the FAA Academy, which includes:
a. A complete occupational indoctrination including highlights of Federal employment, familiarization with organizational structure & functions, aircraft, air traffic control system, and aviation industry.
b. Classroom instruction & workshop exercises relating to the air traffic control system.
c. Skills training related to the work of air traffic control specialists in air route traffic control centers. Newly hired ATCS's will be paid long term expense rate (per diem) for Oklahoma City, OK to help offset daily cost of living while attending FAA Academy. The FAA will also pay for cost of travel in accordance with applicable agency travel policy.
For more information about this job, call Aviation Careers Division at 405-954-4657. Servicing HR office: Aviation Careers Division P.O. Box 25082 AMH-300 Oklahoma City, OK 73125 405-954-4657
FAA is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Prava pitanja - dobri odgovori
Без обзира на популарност мање или више стручно прављених и писаних приручника, рецепт за остављање најбољег могућег утиска на пословном разговору ипак не постоји. Да, постоје одређена правила, али строго дефинисан пут који ће вас одвести право до циља - не.
Утисак који ће неко ко је у позицији да одлучује формирати о нама у великој мери зависи од нас самих - од наших ставова, начина на који их пласирамо, енергије којом зрачимо, сигурности коју уливамо саговорнику.
Наравно, када су пословни људи у питању, општи проблем је присутна клима неизвесности.
У актуелним околностима тешко је прогнозирати шта ће се догодити већ сутра.
Ипак, иако се до радног места тешко стиже, и мада је, без обзира на квалификације, степен стручне спреме, радно искуство и општу културу, и даље свима неопходно фамозно зрнце среће, свест о себи и својим способностима (али критичка) темељ је успеха и просперитета.
У преводу, чак и када су најгоре, околности нису довољне да бисте оправдали неуспех, и то нипошто не би смеле да буду.
Либерални капитализам, који је код нас још увек у формирању, тражи одговорне личности, лишене несигурности и дилема, свесне свакодневне конкуренције и спремне да се потпуно посвете ономе што раде. Културни јунак нашег времена је менаџер, константно укључен у све токове, ужурбан, елегантан, онај који поставља права питања и увек има подједнако добре одговоре.
Утисак који ће неко ко је у позицији да одлучује формирати о нама у великој мери зависи од нас самих - од наших ставова, начина на који их пласирамо, енергије којом зрачимо, сигурности коју уливамо саговорнику.
Наравно, када су пословни људи у питању, општи проблем је присутна клима неизвесности.
У актуелним околностима тешко је прогнозирати шта ће се догодити већ сутра.
Ипак, иако се до радног места тешко стиже, и мада је, без обзира на квалификације, степен стручне спреме, радно искуство и општу културу, и даље свима неопходно фамозно зрнце среће, свест о себи и својим способностима (али критичка) темељ је успеха и просперитета.
У преводу, чак и када су најгоре, околности нису довољне да бисте оправдали неуспех, и то нипошто не би смеле да буду.
Либерални капитализам, који је код нас још увек у формирању, тражи одговорне личности, лишене несигурности и дилема, свесне свакодневне конкуренције и спремне да се потпуно посвете ономе што раде. Културни јунак нашег времена је менаџер, константно укључен у све токове, ужурбан, елегантан, онај који поставља права питања и увек има подједнако добре одговоре.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
What your IT Department Won't Tell You
In between typing up reports and poring over spreadsheets, we use our office PCs to keep up with our lives.
There's only one problem with what we're doing: Our employers sometimes don't like it. Partly, they want us to work while we're at work. So they've asked their information-technology departments to block us from bringing our home to work.
End of story? Not so fast. To find out whether it's possible to get around the IT departments, we asked Web experts for some advice. Specifically, we asked them to find the top 10 secrets our IT departments don't want us to know. How to surf to blocked sites without leaving any traces, for instance, or carry on instant-message chats without having to download software.
Lifehacker.com
BoingBoing.net
Here, then, are the 10 secrets your IT department doesn't want you to know, the risks you'll face if you use them -- and tips about how to keep yourself (and your job) safe while you're at it.
1. How to send giant files
If you send anything larger than a few megabytes, chances are you'll get an e-mail saying you've hit the company's limit.
Companies cap the amount of data employees can send and store in e-mail.
The Trick: Use online services such as YouSendIt Inc., SendThisFile Inc. and Carson Systems Ltd.'s DropSend, which let you send large files - sometimes up to a few gigabytes in size - free of charge. To use the services, you typically have to register, supplying personal information such as name and e-mail address. You can then enter the recipient's e-mail address and a message to him or her, and the site will give you instructions for uploading the file. In most cases, the site will send the recipient a link that he or she can click to download the file.
How to Stay Safe: Some of the services are more reputable than others. YouSendIt, for instance, is a start-up run by a former Adobe Systems Inc. executive and funded by well-known venture-capital firms.
2. How to use software that your company won't let you download
The first is easier. Say your company won't let you download the popular AOL Instant Messenger program, from Time Warner Inc.'s AOL unit. You can still instant-message with colleagues and friends using a Web-based version of the service called AIM Express (AIM.com/aimexpress.adp). There's also Google Inc.'s instant-messaging service, Google Talk, accessible at Google.com/talk.
All three of our experts pointed to a company called Rare Ideas LLC (RareIdeas.com), which offers free versions of popular programs such as Firefox and OpenOffice. You can download the software onto a portable device like an iPod or a USB stick, through a service called Portable Apps (PortableApps.com). Then hook the device up to your work computer, and you're ready to go. (But if your company blocks you from using external devices, you're out of luck.)
3. How to visit the Web sites your company blocks
The Problem: Companies often block employees from visiting certain sites -- ranging from the really nefarious (porn) to probably bad (gambling) to mostly innocuous (Web-based e-mail services).
The Trick: Even if your company won't let you visit those sites by typing their Web addresses into your browser, you can still sometimes sneak your way onto them. You travel to a third-party site, called a proxy, and type the Web address you want into a search box. Then the proxy site travels to the site you want and displays it for you - so you can see the site without actually visiting it. Proxy.org, for one, features a list of more than 4,000 proxies.
Another way to accomplish the same thing, from Frauenfelder and Trapani: Use Google's translation service, asking it to do an English-to-English translation. Just enter this -- Google.com/translate?langpair=en|en&u=www.blockedsite.com -- replacing "blockedsite.com" with the Web address of the site you want to visit. Google effectively acts as a proxy, calling up the site for you.
The Risk: If you use a proxy to, say, catch up on e-mail or watch a YouTube video, the main risk is getting caught by your boss. But there are scarier security risks: Online bad guys sometimes buy Web addresses that are misspellings of popular sites, then use them to infect visitors' computers, warns Lobel. Companies often block those sites, too -- but you won't be protected from them if you use a proxy.
How to Stay Safe: Don't make a habit of using proxies for all your Web surfing. Use them only to visit specific sites that your company blocks for productivity-related reasons - say, YouTube. And watch your spelling.
4. How to clear your tracks on your work laptop
The Problem: If you use a company-owned laptop at home, chances are you use it for personal tasks: planning family vacations, shopping for beach books, organizing online photo albums and so on. Many companies reserve the right to monitor all that activity, because the laptops are technically their property.
In IE7, click on Tools, then Delete Browsing History. From there, you can either delete all your history by clicking Delete All or choose one or a few kinds of data to delete. In Firefox, just hit Ctrl-Shift-Del -- or click Clear Private Data under the Tools menu.
5. How to search for your work documents from home
The Problem: You're catching up on work late at night or over the weekend - but the documents you need to search through are stuck on your office PC.
The Trick: Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and IAC/InterActiveCorp's Ask unit have all released software that lets you quickly search your desktop documents. On top of that, some will let you search through documents saved on one computer from another one. How does it work? The search company keeps a copy of your documents on its own server, so it can scan those copies when you do a search remotely.
To use Google's software -- among the most popular -- follow these steps on both your work and home PC. First, you'll need to set up a Google account on both machines by visiting Google.com/accounts. (Be sure to use the same account on both computers.) Then go to Desktop.Google.com to download the search software. When it's up and running -- again, do this on both machines -- click on Desktop Preferences, then Google Account Features. From there, check the box next to Search Across Computers. After that point, any document you open on either machine will be copied to Google's servers -- and will be searchable from either machine.
The Risk: Corporate technology managers offer this nightmare scenario: You've saved top-secret financial information on your work PC. You set up desktop-search software so that you can access those files when working from home on your laptop. Then you lose your laptop. Uh-oh.
On top of that threat, researchers have found vulnerabilities in Google's desktop-search software that could let a hacker trick a user into giving up access to files. (Those vulnerabilities have since been fixed, but more could crop up, he says.)
How to Stay Safe: If you have any files on your work PC that shouldn't be made public, ask your IT administrator to help you set up Google Desktop to avoid accidental leaks.
6. How to store work files online
The Problem: Desktop search aside, most people who often work away from the office have come up with their own solution to getting access to work files. They save them on a disk or a portable device and then plug it into a home computer. Or they store the files on the company network, then access the network remotely. But portable devices can be cumbersome, and company-network connections can be slow and unreliable.
The Trick: Use an online-storage service from the likes of Box.net Inc., Streamload Inc. or AOL-owned Xdrive. (Box.net also offers its service inside the social-networking site Facebook.) Most offer some free storage, from one to five gigabytes, and charge a few dollars a month for premium packages with extra space. Another guerrilla storage solution is to e-mail files to your private, Web-based e-mail account, such as Gmail or Hotmail.
The Risk: A bad guy could steal your password for one of these sites and quickly grab copies of your company's sensitive files.
How to Stay Safe: When you're thinking about storing a file online, ask yourself if it would be OK for that file to be splashed all over the Internet or sent to the CEO of your company's top rival. If so, go for it. If not, don't.
7. How to keep your privacy when using Web mail
The Problem: Many companies now have the ability to track employees' e-mails, both on work e-mail accounts and personal Web-based accounts, as well as IM conversations.
The Trick: When you send e-mails - using either your work or personal e-mail address - you can encrypt them, so that only you and the recipient can read them. In Microsoft Outlook, click on Tools, then Options and choose the Security tab. There, you can enter a password - and nobody can open a note from you without supplying it. (Of course, you'll have to tell people the code beforehand.)
For Web-based personal e-mail, try this trick from Frauenfelder: When checking e-mail, add an "s" to the end of the "http" in front of your e-mail provider's Web address - for instance, https://www.Gmail.com. This throws you into a secure session, so that nobody can track your e-mail. Not all Web services may support this, however.
To encrypt IM conversations, meanwhile, try the IM service Trillian from Cerulean Studios LLC, which lets you connect to AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and others -- and lets you encrypt your IM conversations so that they can't be read.
The Risk: The main reason companies monitor e-mail is to catch employees who are leaking confidential information. By using these tricks, you may set off false alarms and make it harder for the IT crew to manage real threats.
8. How to access your work e-mail remotely when your company won't spring for a Blackberry
The Problem: Anyone without a BlackBerry knows the feeling: There's a lull in the conversation when you're out to dinner or an after-work beer, and everyone reaches for their pocket to grab their BlackBerry, leaving you alone to stir your drink.
The Trick: You, too, can stay up to date on work e-mail, using any number of consumer-oriented hand-held devices. Just set up your work e-mail so that all your e-mails get forwarded to your personal e-mail account.
In Microsoft Outlook, you can do this by right-clicking on any e-mail, choosing Create Rule, and asking that all your e-mail be forwarded to another address. Then, set up your hand-held to receive your personal e-mail, by following instructions from the service provider for your hand-held. (That's the company that sends you your bill.)
9. How to access your personal e-mail on your BlackBerry
The Problem: If you do have a BlackBerry, you've probably got a different problem: You want to get your personal e-mail just as easily as work e-mail.
The Trick: Look at the Settings area of your personal e-mail account, and make sure you've enabled POP -- Post Office Protocol -- a method used to retrieve e-mail from elsewhere. Then log in to the Web site for your BlackBerry service provider. Click on the Profile button, look for the e-mail Accounts section and click on Other e-mail Accounts. Then click Add Account and enter the information for your Web-based e-mail account. Now your personal e-mails will pop up on the same screen as your company e-mail.
The Risk: Your company probably uses a whole bunch of security technology to keep viruses and spies out of your files. When you receive personal e-mail on your BlackBerry, it's coming to you without passing through your company's firewall. That means viruses or spyware could sneak onto your BlackBerry via a personal e-mail, says Mr. Schmugar of McAfee. Worse yet, he says, when you plug your BlackBerry into your work computer, there's a chance that the malicious software could jump onto your hard drive.
How to Stay Safe: Cross your fingers and hope that your personal e-mail provider is doing a decent job weeding out viruses, spyware and other intruders. (Chances are, it is.)
10. How to look like you're working
The Problem: You're doing some vital Web surfing and your boss turns the corner. What do you do?
The Trick: Hit Alt-Tab to quickly minimize one window (say, the one where you're browsing ESPN.com) and maximize another (like that presentation that's due today).
The Risk: The good news is that there are no known security risks.
How to Stay Safe: Get back to work.
There's only one problem with what we're doing: Our employers sometimes don't like it. Partly, they want us to work while we're at work. So they've asked their information-technology departments to block us from bringing our home to work.
End of story? Not so fast. To find out whether it's possible to get around the IT departments, we asked Web experts for some advice. Specifically, we asked them to find the top 10 secrets our IT departments don't want us to know. How to surf to blocked sites without leaving any traces, for instance, or carry on instant-message chats without having to download software.
Lifehacker.com
BoingBoing.net
Here, then, are the 10 secrets your IT department doesn't want you to know, the risks you'll face if you use them -- and tips about how to keep yourself (and your job) safe while you're at it.
1. How to send giant files
If you send anything larger than a few megabytes, chances are you'll get an e-mail saying you've hit the company's limit.
Companies cap the amount of data employees can send and store in e-mail.
The Trick: Use online services such as YouSendIt Inc., SendThisFile Inc. and Carson Systems Ltd.'s DropSend, which let you send large files - sometimes up to a few gigabytes in size - free of charge. To use the services, you typically have to register, supplying personal information such as name and e-mail address. You can then enter the recipient's e-mail address and a message to him or her, and the site will give you instructions for uploading the file. In most cases, the site will send the recipient a link that he or she can click to download the file.
How to Stay Safe: Some of the services are more reputable than others. YouSendIt, for instance, is a start-up run by a former Adobe Systems Inc. executive and funded by well-known venture-capital firms.
2. How to use software that your company won't let you download
The first is easier. Say your company won't let you download the popular AOL Instant Messenger program, from Time Warner Inc.'s AOL unit. You can still instant-message with colleagues and friends using a Web-based version of the service called AIM Express (AIM.com/aimexpress.adp). There's also Google Inc.'s instant-messaging service, Google Talk, accessible at Google.com/talk.
All three of our experts pointed to a company called Rare Ideas LLC (RareIdeas.com), which offers free versions of popular programs such as Firefox and OpenOffice. You can download the software onto a portable device like an iPod or a USB stick, through a service called Portable Apps (PortableApps.com). Then hook the device up to your work computer, and you're ready to go. (But if your company blocks you from using external devices, you're out of luck.)
3. How to visit the Web sites your company blocks
The Problem: Companies often block employees from visiting certain sites -- ranging from the really nefarious (porn) to probably bad (gambling) to mostly innocuous (Web-based e-mail services).
The Trick: Even if your company won't let you visit those sites by typing their Web addresses into your browser, you can still sometimes sneak your way onto them. You travel to a third-party site, called a proxy, and type the Web address you want into a search box. Then the proxy site travels to the site you want and displays it for you - so you can see the site without actually visiting it. Proxy.org, for one, features a list of more than 4,000 proxies.
Another way to accomplish the same thing, from Frauenfelder and Trapani: Use Google's translation service, asking it to do an English-to-English translation. Just enter this -- Google.com/translate?langpair=en|en&u=www.blockedsite.com -- replacing "blockedsite.com" with the Web address of the site you want to visit. Google effectively acts as a proxy, calling up the site for you.
The Risk: If you use a proxy to, say, catch up on e-mail or watch a YouTube video, the main risk is getting caught by your boss. But there are scarier security risks: Online bad guys sometimes buy Web addresses that are misspellings of popular sites, then use them to infect visitors' computers, warns Lobel. Companies often block those sites, too -- but you won't be protected from them if you use a proxy.
How to Stay Safe: Don't make a habit of using proxies for all your Web surfing. Use them only to visit specific sites that your company blocks for productivity-related reasons - say, YouTube. And watch your spelling.
4. How to clear your tracks on your work laptop
The Problem: If you use a company-owned laptop at home, chances are you use it for personal tasks: planning family vacations, shopping for beach books, organizing online photo albums and so on. Many companies reserve the right to monitor all that activity, because the laptops are technically their property.
In IE7, click on Tools, then Delete Browsing History. From there, you can either delete all your history by clicking Delete All or choose one or a few kinds of data to delete. In Firefox, just hit Ctrl-Shift-Del -- or click Clear Private Data under the Tools menu.
5. How to search for your work documents from home
The Problem: You're catching up on work late at night or over the weekend - but the documents you need to search through are stuck on your office PC.
The Trick: Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and IAC/InterActiveCorp's Ask unit have all released software that lets you quickly search your desktop documents. On top of that, some will let you search through documents saved on one computer from another one. How does it work? The search company keeps a copy of your documents on its own server, so it can scan those copies when you do a search remotely.
To use Google's software -- among the most popular -- follow these steps on both your work and home PC. First, you'll need to set up a Google account on both machines by visiting Google.com/accounts. (Be sure to use the same account on both computers.) Then go to Desktop.Google.com to download the search software. When it's up and running -- again, do this on both machines -- click on Desktop Preferences, then Google Account Features. From there, check the box next to Search Across Computers. After that point, any document you open on either machine will be copied to Google's servers -- and will be searchable from either machine.
The Risk: Corporate technology managers offer this nightmare scenario: You've saved top-secret financial information on your work PC. You set up desktop-search software so that you can access those files when working from home on your laptop. Then you lose your laptop. Uh-oh.
On top of that threat, researchers have found vulnerabilities in Google's desktop-search software that could let a hacker trick a user into giving up access to files. (Those vulnerabilities have since been fixed, but more could crop up, he says.)
How to Stay Safe: If you have any files on your work PC that shouldn't be made public, ask your IT administrator to help you set up Google Desktop to avoid accidental leaks.
6. How to store work files online
The Problem: Desktop search aside, most people who often work away from the office have come up with their own solution to getting access to work files. They save them on a disk or a portable device and then plug it into a home computer. Or they store the files on the company network, then access the network remotely. But portable devices can be cumbersome, and company-network connections can be slow and unreliable.
The Trick: Use an online-storage service from the likes of Box.net Inc., Streamload Inc. or AOL-owned Xdrive. (Box.net also offers its service inside the social-networking site Facebook.) Most offer some free storage, from one to five gigabytes, and charge a few dollars a month for premium packages with extra space. Another guerrilla storage solution is to e-mail files to your private, Web-based e-mail account, such as Gmail or Hotmail.
The Risk: A bad guy could steal your password for one of these sites and quickly grab copies of your company's sensitive files.
How to Stay Safe: When you're thinking about storing a file online, ask yourself if it would be OK for that file to be splashed all over the Internet or sent to the CEO of your company's top rival. If so, go for it. If not, don't.
7. How to keep your privacy when using Web mail
The Problem: Many companies now have the ability to track employees' e-mails, both on work e-mail accounts and personal Web-based accounts, as well as IM conversations.
The Trick: When you send e-mails - using either your work or personal e-mail address - you can encrypt them, so that only you and the recipient can read them. In Microsoft Outlook, click on Tools, then Options and choose the Security tab. There, you can enter a password - and nobody can open a note from you without supplying it. (Of course, you'll have to tell people the code beforehand.)
For Web-based personal e-mail, try this trick from Frauenfelder: When checking e-mail, add an "s" to the end of the "http" in front of your e-mail provider's Web address - for instance, https://www.Gmail.com. This throws you into a secure session, so that nobody can track your e-mail. Not all Web services may support this, however.
To encrypt IM conversations, meanwhile, try the IM service Trillian from Cerulean Studios LLC, which lets you connect to AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and others -- and lets you encrypt your IM conversations so that they can't be read.
The Risk: The main reason companies monitor e-mail is to catch employees who are leaking confidential information. By using these tricks, you may set off false alarms and make it harder for the IT crew to manage real threats.
8. How to access your work e-mail remotely when your company won't spring for a Blackberry
The Problem: Anyone without a BlackBerry knows the feeling: There's a lull in the conversation when you're out to dinner or an after-work beer, and everyone reaches for their pocket to grab their BlackBerry, leaving you alone to stir your drink.
The Trick: You, too, can stay up to date on work e-mail, using any number of consumer-oriented hand-held devices. Just set up your work e-mail so that all your e-mails get forwarded to your personal e-mail account.
In Microsoft Outlook, you can do this by right-clicking on any e-mail, choosing Create Rule, and asking that all your e-mail be forwarded to another address. Then, set up your hand-held to receive your personal e-mail, by following instructions from the service provider for your hand-held. (That's the company that sends you your bill.)
9. How to access your personal e-mail on your BlackBerry
The Problem: If you do have a BlackBerry, you've probably got a different problem: You want to get your personal e-mail just as easily as work e-mail.
The Trick: Look at the Settings area of your personal e-mail account, and make sure you've enabled POP -- Post Office Protocol -- a method used to retrieve e-mail from elsewhere. Then log in to the Web site for your BlackBerry service provider. Click on the Profile button, look for the e-mail Accounts section and click on Other e-mail Accounts. Then click Add Account and enter the information for your Web-based e-mail account. Now your personal e-mails will pop up on the same screen as your company e-mail.
The Risk: Your company probably uses a whole bunch of security technology to keep viruses and spies out of your files. When you receive personal e-mail on your BlackBerry, it's coming to you without passing through your company's firewall. That means viruses or spyware could sneak onto your BlackBerry via a personal e-mail, says Mr. Schmugar of McAfee. Worse yet, he says, when you plug your BlackBerry into your work computer, there's a chance that the malicious software could jump onto your hard drive.
How to Stay Safe: Cross your fingers and hope that your personal e-mail provider is doing a decent job weeding out viruses, spyware and other intruders. (Chances are, it is.)
10. How to look like you're working
The Problem: You're doing some vital Web surfing and your boss turns the corner. What do you do?
The Trick: Hit Alt-Tab to quickly minimize one window (say, the one where you're browsing ESPN.com) and maximize another (like that presentation that's due today).
The Risk: The good news is that there are no known security risks.
How to Stay Safe: Get back to work.
Job Seekers Mistakes
You talk too fast.
You avoid eye contact.
You ask too many questions.
You wear too much perfume.
You lie about your work history.
You show up late to interviews.
You don’t do your research.
And you wonder why you haven’t gotten a job yet?
There’s no such thing as an error-free job search, most mistakes can be avoided with a little attentiveness.
“The best way to get a great job is to have a laser beam focus,” Davidson says. “The more targeted and specific you are, the more powerful your job search will be.”
Younger applicants approach their job search with a “what’s in it for me” attitude, they lack humility and their expectations exceed their qualifications.
Seasoned job seekers, on the other hand, oftentimes come across with more attitude, indicating they may be uncoachable or won’t adapt to a new career environment.
Don’t shoot yourself in the foot during your next job search.
Here are common mistakes job seekers should avoid:
1. Fire … Ready, Aim
Don’t waste your time shooting out résumés before you’ve aimed for your ideal job. Take the time to ready your job search, aim for what you want and pursue your career with fiery determination.
2. Assuming you’re on a first-name basis
Never call your interviewer by his or her first name, including interviewers younger than you, says career management expert Sally Haver. Until you hear, “You can call me Fred,” or the equivalent, address the interviewer formally.
3. Your life’s an open book
Keep your private life private.
4. Winging it
One of the biggest turn-offs for a hiring manager is when a candidate they are interviewing has not done the research necessary to understand both the position and the company they are applying for. Unless you are more prepared, more practiced and more passionate than the other candidates, you are wasting everyone’s time.
5. Neglecting your appearance
You’ve heard it once. You’ll hear it again: dress for the position you want to have.
6. Applying just to apply
Apply only for the jobs and companies that interest you. “Go after that job like an Olympic athlete goes for a medal. Don’t waste time sending out résumés for positions you don’t really want.
7. Not talking the talk
An interviewer is not looking for a yes or no response to their question. They do want a direct response, but it is OK to support your point with specific examples that are relevant to your work experience. On the other hand don’t too talk too much. It reveals nervousness or the inability to deliver a direct response.
8. Sending a phone book
Sending a 10-page résumé is a mammoth error. Highlight your abilities in one page. Remember the person reviewing résumés has 15 seconds to decide to bring you in.
9. Doing it alone
Not networking with everyone you know cuts your chances of finding a great job. The more people you involve, the better your chances are.
10. Forgetting to say thank you
Always send a thank you e-mail to the hiring manager. Use it as an opportunity to leave an impression on him or her by referencing something you discussed in your interview.
Behn says job seekers often “nail” the interview, get a job offer and then send a mistake-riddled thank you note - that’s a great way to get your offer rescinded.
11. Talking negatively about past employers
Regardless of how valid your point of view is, it’s not necessary to trash your past employer. If you’re asked to talk about your previous job, be prepared to put a positive spin on it, showing you valued the experience.
12. Not asking good questions
Not asking open-ended questions is a sure-fire way to show that you don’t care about the company or the position you’re interviewing for.
Ask questions like, “Where do you see this position going?” “What is going to make the person who takes this position successful?” “Why is the position open?” or, “How do you see me fitting in here?”
by Rachel Zupek
You avoid eye contact.
You ask too many questions.
You wear too much perfume.
You lie about your work history.
You show up late to interviews.
You don’t do your research.
And you wonder why you haven’t gotten a job yet?
There’s no such thing as an error-free job search, most mistakes can be avoided with a little attentiveness.
“The best way to get a great job is to have a laser beam focus,” Davidson says. “The more targeted and specific you are, the more powerful your job search will be.”
Younger applicants approach their job search with a “what’s in it for me” attitude, they lack humility and their expectations exceed their qualifications.
Seasoned job seekers, on the other hand, oftentimes come across with more attitude, indicating they may be uncoachable or won’t adapt to a new career environment.
Don’t shoot yourself in the foot during your next job search.
Here are common mistakes job seekers should avoid:
1. Fire … Ready, Aim
Don’t waste your time shooting out résumés before you’ve aimed for your ideal job. Take the time to ready your job search, aim for what you want and pursue your career with fiery determination.
2. Assuming you’re on a first-name basis
Never call your interviewer by his or her first name, including interviewers younger than you, says career management expert Sally Haver. Until you hear, “You can call me Fred,” or the equivalent, address the interviewer formally.
3. Your life’s an open book
Keep your private life private.
4. Winging it
One of the biggest turn-offs for a hiring manager is when a candidate they are interviewing has not done the research necessary to understand both the position and the company they are applying for. Unless you are more prepared, more practiced and more passionate than the other candidates, you are wasting everyone’s time.
5. Neglecting your appearance
You’ve heard it once. You’ll hear it again: dress for the position you want to have.
6. Applying just to apply
Apply only for the jobs and companies that interest you. “Go after that job like an Olympic athlete goes for a medal. Don’t waste time sending out résumés for positions you don’t really want.
7. Not talking the talk
An interviewer is not looking for a yes or no response to their question. They do want a direct response, but it is OK to support your point with specific examples that are relevant to your work experience. On the other hand don’t too talk too much. It reveals nervousness or the inability to deliver a direct response.
8. Sending a phone book
Sending a 10-page résumé is a mammoth error. Highlight your abilities in one page. Remember the person reviewing résumés has 15 seconds to decide to bring you in.
9. Doing it alone
Not networking with everyone you know cuts your chances of finding a great job. The more people you involve, the better your chances are.
10. Forgetting to say thank you
Always send a thank you e-mail to the hiring manager. Use it as an opportunity to leave an impression on him or her by referencing something you discussed in your interview.
Behn says job seekers often “nail” the interview, get a job offer and then send a mistake-riddled thank you note - that’s a great way to get your offer rescinded.
11. Talking negatively about past employers
Regardless of how valid your point of view is, it’s not necessary to trash your past employer. If you’re asked to talk about your previous job, be prepared to put a positive spin on it, showing you valued the experience.
12. Not asking good questions
Not asking open-ended questions is a sure-fire way to show that you don’t care about the company or the position you’re interviewing for.
Ask questions like, “Where do you see this position going?” “What is going to make the person who takes this position successful?” “Why is the position open?” or, “How do you see me fitting in here?”
by Rachel Zupek
Monday, January 14, 2008
Student Aid
http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/
Use 'MyFSA' to create personalized folder to record your interests, career and college searches and any relevant personal information. Track your progress in the college planning and application process.
www.studentaid.ed.gov/completefafsa
Direct Loan web site: http://www.dl.ed.gov/
US Depoartment of Labor's Occupational Handbook - info on various careers and earning potential: www.bls.gov/oco
SAR - Student Aid Report contains application results
FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
-----------------------------------------------------
PREPARE --> APPLY --> RECEIVE --> REPAY
-----------------------------------------------------
Apply for FAFSA:
1) Get a PIN - Personal Identification Number. Safeguard your PIN !
http://www.pin.ed.gov/
2) Collect the documents - list available at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
- SSN
- W-2 forms
- Income Tax Return
- Current Bank Statements
- Alien Registration Card
3) Complete the application between January - July
4) Review SAR, make corrections if necessary and resubmit. Complete, correct SAR will contain Expected Family Contribution - EFC number used to determine federal student aid eligibility
5) If you are selected for verification, school financial aid office will ask you to submit documents as appropriate. You need to meet deadline!
6) Contact your financial aid office
.......................................................................
3 categories of federal student aid:
I) G R A N T S - does not have to be repaid and are awarded based solely on financial need.
There are 2 types:
- Federal Pell Grant
Awarded only to undergraduate students.
The amount of other student aid does not affect the amount of your Pell Grant..
Depends on: EFC, cost of attendance, whether you are full or part-time student and whether you are attending for full academic year or less.
For 2006-07. it ranged 400$-4050$
- FSEOG - Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity
Awarded to those with exceptional financial need - lowest EFC, range from 100$-4000$.
The amount you receive depends on the amount of other aid you get and the availability of funds at your school. The schools financial aid office decide how to award these funds.
II) W O R K S T U D Y
III) L O A N S - borrow money with interest. Loans are legal obligations. Types:
- Federal Perkins Loan - repayed to school
- Stafford Loans - must be enrolled as at least a half-time student. Financial need is not a requirement to obtain Stafford Loan, however if you demonstrate financial need, the US Department of education will pay the interest that accrues on this loan during certain period. There is a fee of up to 4% of the loan deducted proportionaly from each loan disbusement and because of this deduction you'll receive slightly less than the amount you are borrowing.
* Direct Stafford Loan - borrow directly from the US Department of Education at participating schools
* FFEL Stafford Loan or Federal Stafford Loan - private lenders provide funds that are guaranteed by the federal government. You repay it to bank or private lender that made you the loan
- Consolidation Loans allow you to combine several types of federal student loans into one loan with one monthly payment
APPLICATION FOR PERKINS OR STAFFORD LOAN
You apply by completing FAFSA. However, you'll need to sign a promissory note, which is a binding legal contract that says you agree to repay your loan according to the terms of the promissory note. Read this note carefully before signing.
HOW MUCH CAN I BORROW?
* Subsidized Stafford Loan available to students with financial need. US Department of Education pays the interest:
- while you are in school at least half time,
- for the first 6 months after you leave school
- during a period of deferment - postponement of loan payments
- loan can not exceed your financial need
- Unsubsidized Stafford Loan - available to students with no financial need
School is using this equation to detrmine
Amount of your Unsubsidized Loan =
Cost Of Attendance - Federal Pell Grant - Subsidized Stafford Loan - Any other Aid you receive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can receive a subsidized loan and an unsubsidized loan for the same enrollment period as long as the total of these loans does not exceed the annual loan limit.
CAN I CANCEL MY STUDENT LOAN?
Your school must notify you in writing whenever it credits your account with your loan funds.
You may cancel all or a portion of your loan if you inform your school within 14 days after the date your school sends you this notice or by the first day of the payment period, whichever is later.
............................
Eligibility requirements:
- financial need
-US citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Must have valid SSN - Social Security Number http://www.ssa.gov/
- must be enrolled as a regular student and working toward degree in eligible program
- Pass an approved ATB - Ability To Benefit Test
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
......................
Check filed complaints about school: http://www.bbb.org/
School info:
* school accreditation
* school's loan default rate - percentage of students who attended school, took out federal loan and failed to repay it on time
* school's job placement rate - percentage of students who are placed in jobs relevant to their courses of study
...................................
FINANCIAL NEED = COA (Cost of Attendance) - EFC (Expected Family Contribution)
...................................
To be eligible for Federal Pell Grant (2006-07), EFC must be < href="http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs">www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs. Click on the year under the 'The EFC Formula'
If you are eligible for financial aid, the financial aid office at each school will send you an award letter outlining the amount and type of student financial aid available from all sources. It states the type and amount of financial aid the school is willing to provide if you accept admission and register at that school.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The financial aid administrator must have compelling reasons to use professional judgement to make adjustments because of special circumstances.
---------------------------------------
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
http://www.collegezone.com/
Leveraging Educational Assitance Partnership (LEAP) Program - state aid
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
US Department of Education database:
http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/ , 'Funding' , 'State Aid'
-------------------------------------------------------
Byrd Program: www.ed.gov/programs/iduesbyrd/index.html
---------------------------------------------------------------
IRS:
(*) The Hope Tax Credit - worth up to 1500$, available for 1st and 2nd year students enrolled at least half time
(*) The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit is tax benefit equal to 20% of a family tuition expenses - up to 10000$
www.irs.gov
IRS publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education
----------------------------------------------------------
www.students.gov
Site provides access to government resources to help you plan and pay for your education. Besides, you can use this site to file your taxes, searcxh for a job and take advantage of other government services.
-----------------------
www.consumer.gov/idtheft or 1-877-IDTHEFT
--> You must reapply for federal student aid every year
--> Save all records and materials used to complete your FAFSA, make a copy of your application-you might need them later to prove the information you reported was accurate (verification)
HELP: www.studentaid.ed.gov/completefafsa or 1-800-433-3243
--> To add or change school later, you just need PIN to do it online, or by phone 1-800-433-3243 when you need DRN (Data Release Number) located in your SAR, your address and answer to question 31 (concerning a drug conviction)
-----------------------
SAR (Student Aid Report) contain your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) used in detrmining your eligibility for federal student aid.
Youl'll receive results by e-mail within a few days after your FAFSA has been processed
Review carefully your SAR to make sure it's correct and complete. If it is, and it contains your EFC, contact the school you are interested in attending.
If the school you want to attend is not listed on your FAFSA, you must submit your SAR to that school for processing by the last day of enrollment in 2006/07 or by September 17, 2007, whichever comes first.
REPAYING YOUR LOAN
(1) the interest you pay is lower than commercial rates (fed. gov. subsidizes the rate)
(2) you don't begin to repay the amount you borrowed until you leave school or drop below half-time
--------------------------
(*) When you sign a promissory note, you are agreeing to repay the loan according to the term of the note
(*) The note states that even if you don't complete your education, you must repay your loan, and even if you can't get the job after you complete the program
(*) You must make payments on your loan even if you don't receive a bill or repayment notice
(*) You are obligated to make payments even if you don't receive any reminders (coupon books)
(*) You must make monthly payments in the full amount required by your repayment plan - partial payments do not fulfill your obligation to repay your student loan on time
(*) You must continue to make payments until you have been notified that your request has been approved if you applied for a deferment, forbearance or a loan discharge
(*) Keep a copy of any request form you submit, and document all contact you have with the firm that holds your loan
(*) Keep in touch with your lender or loan servicing agency and notify them when you:
graduate, withdraw from school, drop below half-time status, change name or address or transfer to another school
(*) You must receive entrance counseling before you are given your first loan disbursement and exit counseling before you leave school, your school will provide important information about your loan and your lender will give you additional information
BORROWER'S RIGHTS
--- Before the first loan disbursement
Before your school makes your first loan disbursement, you must receive the following information about your loan from your school, lender or Direct Loan Servicing Center:
* The full amount of the loan and the current interest rate
* the date you must start repayment
* A complete list of loan fees you must pay and info on how those charges are collected
* info about the yearly and total amounts you can borrow
* info about the max repayment periods and the min repayment amount
* An explanation of default and its consequences
* An explanation of available options for consolidating your loans and a statement that you can prepay your loans at any time without a penalty
--- Before you leave school
* A current description of your loans, including average anticipated monthly payments
* The amount of your total debt (principal and estimated interest), your current interest rate and the total interest charges on the loan
* The name of the lender or agency that holds your loans, where to send payments, and where to write or call if any questions* An explanation of the fees you might be charged during the repayment period (late charges and collection of litigation costs if you are delinquent or in default
* A reminder of available options for loan consolidation and a reminder that you can prepay your loan without penalty at any time
* A description of applicable deferment, forbearance and discharge (cancellation) provisionsRepayment options and advice about debt management
* Notification that you must provide your expected permanent address and the name and address of your expected employer
GRACE PERIOD - you have the right to a grace period before your repayment period begins ( 6 or 9 months depending on the type of the loan)
Fedral Perkins Loan - 9 months
Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans - 6 months
- subsidized loan - you don't have to pay any principal and you won't be charged interest
- unsubsidized loan - you don't have to pay any principal, but you will be charged interest, you can pay it as you go along or it will be capitalized-added to the principal
Loan repayment schedule
School, lender or Direct Loan Servicing Center must give you a loan repayment schedule that states:
* when your first payment is due
* the number and frequency of payments
* the amount of each payment
HELP: www.studentaid.ed.gov , click on 'Repaying' or www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs
DEFAULT occurs when you fail to meet the terms and conditions of the promissory note such as not making timely payments.
Time to repay loans
- Fedral Perkins Loan - up to 10 years
- Direct and FFEL Stafford Loans - 10 to 30 years
How often do I make payments
Direct Stafford Loan-usually monthly payments using your PIN at www.dl.ed.gov
FFEL Stafford Loan-usually monthly payments to the private lender that made the loan
Federal Perkins Loan-monthly payments to school that loaned you money
Repayment Options
When it comes time to repay, you can pick a repayment plan:
* 10-year Standard Plan with a minimum payment of $50
* An Extended Plan
* A Graduated Plan with a monthly payment that starts low and then increases gradually during the repayment period
* Income Sensitive Reapayment Plan-Income Contigent Repayment Plan
* If you don't choose a repayment plan when you first begin repayment, you'll be placed under the Standard Repayment Plan
* You can change plans to suit your financial circumstances ( Direct Loan - you can change plan anytime, FFEL - you can change plan once a year)
Tax incentives for paying back student loans
This benefit applies to all loans used to pay for postsecondary education costs, including loans. The max deduction is $2500 a year.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 970: Tax benefits for Higher Education
POSTPONING LOAN REPAYMENT (DEFERMENT AND FORBEARANCE)
These periods don't count toward the length of time you have to repay your loan. You can't get a deferment or forbearance for a loan in default.
A DEFERMENT is a period of time during which no payments are required and interest does not accrue (accumulate) unless you have an unsubsidized Stafford Loan, in which case you must pay the interest.
Use 'MyFSA' to create personalized folder to record your interests, career and college searches and any relevant personal information. Track your progress in the college planning and application process.
www.studentaid.ed.gov/completefafsa
Direct Loan web site: http://www.dl.ed.gov/
US Depoartment of Labor's Occupational Handbook - info on various careers and earning potential: www.bls.gov/oco
SAR - Student Aid Report contains application results
FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
-----------------------------------------------------
PREPARE --> APPLY --> RECEIVE --> REPAY
-----------------------------------------------------
Apply for FAFSA:
1) Get a PIN - Personal Identification Number. Safeguard your PIN !
http://www.pin.ed.gov/
2) Collect the documents - list available at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
- SSN
- W-2 forms
- Income Tax Return
- Current Bank Statements
- Alien Registration Card
3) Complete the application between January - July
4) Review SAR, make corrections if necessary and resubmit. Complete, correct SAR will contain Expected Family Contribution - EFC number used to determine federal student aid eligibility
5) If you are selected for verification, school financial aid office will ask you to submit documents as appropriate. You need to meet deadline!
6) Contact your financial aid office
.......................................................................
3 categories of federal student aid:
I) G R A N T S - does not have to be repaid and are awarded based solely on financial need.
There are 2 types:
- Federal Pell Grant
Awarded only to undergraduate students.
The amount of other student aid does not affect the amount of your Pell Grant..
Depends on: EFC, cost of attendance, whether you are full or part-time student and whether you are attending for full academic year or less.
For 2006-07. it ranged 400$-4050$
- FSEOG - Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity
Awarded to those with exceptional financial need - lowest EFC, range from 100$-4000$.
The amount you receive depends on the amount of other aid you get and the availability of funds at your school. The schools financial aid office decide how to award these funds.
II) W O R K S T U D Y
III) L O A N S - borrow money with interest. Loans are legal obligations. Types:
- Federal Perkins Loan - repayed to school
- Stafford Loans - must be enrolled as at least a half-time student. Financial need is not a requirement to obtain Stafford Loan, however if you demonstrate financial need, the US Department of education will pay the interest that accrues on this loan during certain period. There is a fee of up to 4% of the loan deducted proportionaly from each loan disbusement and because of this deduction you'll receive slightly less than the amount you are borrowing.
* Direct Stafford Loan - borrow directly from the US Department of Education at participating schools
* FFEL Stafford Loan or Federal Stafford Loan - private lenders provide funds that are guaranteed by the federal government. You repay it to bank or private lender that made you the loan
- Consolidation Loans allow you to combine several types of federal student loans into one loan with one monthly payment
APPLICATION FOR PERKINS OR STAFFORD LOAN
You apply by completing FAFSA. However, you'll need to sign a promissory note, which is a binding legal contract that says you agree to repay your loan according to the terms of the promissory note. Read this note carefully before signing.
HOW MUCH CAN I BORROW?
* Subsidized Stafford Loan available to students with financial need. US Department of Education pays the interest:
- while you are in school at least half time,
- for the first 6 months after you leave school
- during a period of deferment - postponement of loan payments
- loan can not exceed your financial need
- Unsubsidized Stafford Loan - available to students with no financial need
School is using this equation to detrmine
Amount of your Unsubsidized Loan =
Cost Of Attendance - Federal Pell Grant - Subsidized Stafford Loan - Any other Aid you receive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can receive a subsidized loan and an unsubsidized loan for the same enrollment period as long as the total of these loans does not exceed the annual loan limit.
CAN I CANCEL MY STUDENT LOAN?
Your school must notify you in writing whenever it credits your account with your loan funds.
You may cancel all or a portion of your loan if you inform your school within 14 days after the date your school sends you this notice or by the first day of the payment period, whichever is later.
............................
Eligibility requirements:
- financial need
-US citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Must have valid SSN - Social Security Number http://www.ssa.gov/
- must be enrolled as a regular student and working toward degree in eligible program
- Pass an approved ATB - Ability To Benefit Test
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
......................
Check filed complaints about school: http://www.bbb.org/
School info:
* school accreditation
* school's loan default rate - percentage of students who attended school, took out federal loan and failed to repay it on time
* school's job placement rate - percentage of students who are placed in jobs relevant to their courses of study
...................................
FINANCIAL NEED = COA (Cost of Attendance) - EFC (Expected Family Contribution)
...................................
To be eligible for Federal Pell Grant (2006-07), EFC must be < href="http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs">www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs. Click on the year under the 'The EFC Formula'
If you are eligible for financial aid, the financial aid office at each school will send you an award letter outlining the amount and type of student financial aid available from all sources. It states the type and amount of financial aid the school is willing to provide if you accept admission and register at that school.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: The financial aid administrator must have compelling reasons to use professional judgement to make adjustments because of special circumstances.
---------------------------------------
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
http://www.collegezone.com/
Leveraging Educational Assitance Partnership (LEAP) Program - state aid
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
US Department of Education database:
http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/ , 'Funding' , 'State Aid'
-------------------------------------------------------
Byrd Program: www.ed.gov/programs/iduesbyrd/index.html
---------------------------------------------------------------
IRS:
(*) The Hope Tax Credit - worth up to 1500$, available for 1st and 2nd year students enrolled at least half time
(*) The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit is tax benefit equal to 20% of a family tuition expenses - up to 10000$
www.irs.gov
IRS publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education
----------------------------------------------------------
www.students.gov
Site provides access to government resources to help you plan and pay for your education. Besides, you can use this site to file your taxes, searcxh for a job and take advantage of other government services.
-----------------------
www.consumer.gov/idtheft or 1-877-IDTHEFT
--> You must reapply for federal student aid every year
--> Save all records and materials used to complete your FAFSA, make a copy of your application-you might need them later to prove the information you reported was accurate (verification)
HELP: www.studentaid.ed.gov/completefafsa or 1-800-433-3243
--> To add or change school later, you just need PIN to do it online, or by phone 1-800-433-3243 when you need DRN (Data Release Number) located in your SAR, your address and answer to question 31 (concerning a drug conviction)
-----------------------
SAR (Student Aid Report) contain your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) used in detrmining your eligibility for federal student aid.
Youl'll receive results by e-mail within a few days after your FAFSA has been processed
Review carefully your SAR to make sure it's correct and complete. If it is, and it contains your EFC, contact the school you are interested in attending.
If the school you want to attend is not listed on your FAFSA, you must submit your SAR to that school for processing by the last day of enrollment in 2006/07 or by September 17, 2007, whichever comes first.
REPAYING YOUR LOAN
(1) the interest you pay is lower than commercial rates (fed. gov. subsidizes the rate)
(2) you don't begin to repay the amount you borrowed until you leave school or drop below half-time
--------------------------
(*) When you sign a promissory note, you are agreeing to repay the loan according to the term of the note
(*) The note states that even if you don't complete your education, you must repay your loan, and even if you can't get the job after you complete the program
(*) You must make payments on your loan even if you don't receive a bill or repayment notice
(*) You are obligated to make payments even if you don't receive any reminders (coupon books)
(*) You must make monthly payments in the full amount required by your repayment plan - partial payments do not fulfill your obligation to repay your student loan on time
(*) You must continue to make payments until you have been notified that your request has been approved if you applied for a deferment, forbearance or a loan discharge
(*) Keep a copy of any request form you submit, and document all contact you have with the firm that holds your loan
(*) Keep in touch with your lender or loan servicing agency and notify them when you:
graduate, withdraw from school, drop below half-time status, change name or address or transfer to another school
(*) You must receive entrance counseling before you are given your first loan disbursement and exit counseling before you leave school, your school will provide important information about your loan and your lender will give you additional information
BORROWER'S RIGHTS
--- Before the first loan disbursement
Before your school makes your first loan disbursement, you must receive the following information about your loan from your school, lender or Direct Loan Servicing Center:
* The full amount of the loan and the current interest rate
* the date you must start repayment
* A complete list of loan fees you must pay and info on how those charges are collected
* info about the yearly and total amounts you can borrow
* info about the max repayment periods and the min repayment amount
* An explanation of default and its consequences
* An explanation of available options for consolidating your loans and a statement that you can prepay your loans at any time without a penalty
--- Before you leave school
* A current description of your loans, including average anticipated monthly payments
* The amount of your total debt (principal and estimated interest), your current interest rate and the total interest charges on the loan
* The name of the lender or agency that holds your loans, where to send payments, and where to write or call if any questions* An explanation of the fees you might be charged during the repayment period (late charges and collection of litigation costs if you are delinquent or in default
* A reminder of available options for loan consolidation and a reminder that you can prepay your loan without penalty at any time
* A description of applicable deferment, forbearance and discharge (cancellation) provisionsRepayment options and advice about debt management
* Notification that you must provide your expected permanent address and the name and address of your expected employer
GRACE PERIOD - you have the right to a grace period before your repayment period begins ( 6 or 9 months depending on the type of the loan)
Fedral Perkins Loan - 9 months
Direct or FFEL Stafford Loans - 6 months
- subsidized loan - you don't have to pay any principal and you won't be charged interest
- unsubsidized loan - you don't have to pay any principal, but you will be charged interest, you can pay it as you go along or it will be capitalized-added to the principal
Loan repayment schedule
School, lender or Direct Loan Servicing Center must give you a loan repayment schedule that states:
* when your first payment is due
* the number and frequency of payments
* the amount of each payment
HELP: www.studentaid.ed.gov , click on 'Repaying' or www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs
DEFAULT occurs when you fail to meet the terms and conditions of the promissory note such as not making timely payments.
Time to repay loans
- Fedral Perkins Loan - up to 10 years
- Direct and FFEL Stafford Loans - 10 to 30 years
How often do I make payments
Direct Stafford Loan-usually monthly payments using your PIN at www.dl.ed.gov
FFEL Stafford Loan-usually monthly payments to the private lender that made the loan
Federal Perkins Loan-monthly payments to school that loaned you money
Repayment Options
When it comes time to repay, you can pick a repayment plan:
* 10-year Standard Plan with a minimum payment of $50
* An Extended Plan
* A Graduated Plan with a monthly payment that starts low and then increases gradually during the repayment period
* Income Sensitive Reapayment Plan-Income Contigent Repayment Plan
* If you don't choose a repayment plan when you first begin repayment, you'll be placed under the Standard Repayment Plan
* You can change plans to suit your financial circumstances ( Direct Loan - you can change plan anytime, FFEL - you can change plan once a year)
Tax incentives for paying back student loans
This benefit applies to all loans used to pay for postsecondary education costs, including loans. The max deduction is $2500 a year.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 970: Tax benefits for Higher Education
POSTPONING LOAN REPAYMENT (DEFERMENT AND FORBEARANCE)
These periods don't count toward the length of time you have to repay your loan. You can't get a deferment or forbearance for a loan in default.
A DEFERMENT is a period of time during which no payments are required and interest does not accrue (accumulate) unless you have an unsubsidized Stafford Loan, in which case you must pay the interest.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
What not to share with your co-workers
By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer
It’s happened to everyone before. The constant flow of words that just keep coming, long after you’ve made your point (if there ever was one) and even longer after people stopped caring. The kind of gibberish that just won’t stop unless someone else starts talking. The type of chatter that inevitably ends with you wishing you’d put a sock in it.
Yes, verbal diarrhea is never a good thing.
Some people talk to hear the sound of their own voice;
others share because they don’t really have a life and, by revealing details you’d rather not know, they create the illusion of one,
then there is the person who believes gossip, even about them, creates instant emotional intimacy. It doesn’t.
Walk the line
Some workers have trouble drawing the line between business and friendship, says Susan Solovic, co-founder and CEO of SBTV.com, and author of three books, including “Reinvent Your Career: Attain the Success You Desire and Deserve.”
“It’s a social environment as well as a work environment. However, you must remember while you can be friendly and develop a good rapport, business is business and friendship is friendship.”
Most workers don’t realize that what they say has as much impact on their professional images as what they wear. People who say too much, about themselves or others, can be seen as incompetent, unproductive and unworthy of professional development.
To avoid your next case of verbal diarrhea, here are 13 things to never share or discuss with your co-workers.
1. Salary information
What you earn is between you and Human Resources. Disclosure indicates you aren’t capable of keeping a confidence.
2. Medical history
Nobody really cares about your aches and pains, your latest operation, your infertility woes or the contents of your medicine cabinet.
3. Gossip
Whomever you’re gossiping with will undoubtedly tell others what you said. Plus, if a co-worker is gossiping with you, most likely he or she will gossip about you.
4. Work complaints
Constant complaints about your workload, stress levels or the company will quickly make you the kind of person who never gets invited to lunch. If you don’t agree with company policies and procedures, address it through official channels or move on.
5. Cost of purchases
You don’t want others speculating on the lifestyle you’re living –or if you’re living beyond your salary bracket.
6. Intimate details
Don’t share intimate details about your personal life. Co-workers can and will use the information against you.
7. Politics or religion
People have strong, passionate views on both topics. You may alienate a co-worker or be viewed negatively in a way that could impact your career.
8. Lifestyle changes
Breakups, divorces and baby-making plans should be shared only if there is a need to know. Otherwise, others will speak for your capabilities, desires and limitations on availability, whether there is any truth to their assumptions or not.
9. Blogs or social networking profile
What you say in a social networking community or in your personal blog may be even more damaging than what you say in person. Comments online can be seen by multiple eyes.
10. Negative views of colleagues
If you don’t agree with a co-worker’s lifestyle, wardrobe or professional abilities, confront that person privately or keep it to yourself. The workplace is not the venue for controversy.
11. Hangovers and wild weekends
It’s perfectly fine to have fun during the weekend, but don’t talk about your wild adventures on Monday. That information can make you look unprofessional and unreliable.
12. Personal problems and relationships – in and out of the office
‘Never get your honey where you get your money.’
13. Off-color or racially charged comments
You can assume your co-worker wouldn’t be offended or would think something is funny, but you might be wrong. Never take that risk.
It’s happened to everyone before. The constant flow of words that just keep coming, long after you’ve made your point (if there ever was one) and even longer after people stopped caring. The kind of gibberish that just won’t stop unless someone else starts talking. The type of chatter that inevitably ends with you wishing you’d put a sock in it.
Yes, verbal diarrhea is never a good thing.
Some people talk to hear the sound of their own voice;
others share because they don’t really have a life and, by revealing details you’d rather not know, they create the illusion of one,
then there is the person who believes gossip, even about them, creates instant emotional intimacy. It doesn’t.
Walk the line
Some workers have trouble drawing the line between business and friendship, says Susan Solovic, co-founder and CEO of SBTV.com, and author of three books, including “Reinvent Your Career: Attain the Success You Desire and Deserve.”
“It’s a social environment as well as a work environment. However, you must remember while you can be friendly and develop a good rapport, business is business and friendship is friendship.”
Most workers don’t realize that what they say has as much impact on their professional images as what they wear. People who say too much, about themselves or others, can be seen as incompetent, unproductive and unworthy of professional development.
To avoid your next case of verbal diarrhea, here are 13 things to never share or discuss with your co-workers.
1. Salary information
What you earn is between you and Human Resources. Disclosure indicates you aren’t capable of keeping a confidence.
2. Medical history
Nobody really cares about your aches and pains, your latest operation, your infertility woes or the contents of your medicine cabinet.
3. Gossip
Whomever you’re gossiping with will undoubtedly tell others what you said. Plus, if a co-worker is gossiping with you, most likely he or she will gossip about you.
4. Work complaints
Constant complaints about your workload, stress levels or the company will quickly make you the kind of person who never gets invited to lunch. If you don’t agree with company policies and procedures, address it through official channels or move on.
5. Cost of purchases
You don’t want others speculating on the lifestyle you’re living –or if you’re living beyond your salary bracket.
6. Intimate details
Don’t share intimate details about your personal life. Co-workers can and will use the information against you.
7. Politics or religion
People have strong, passionate views on both topics. You may alienate a co-worker or be viewed negatively in a way that could impact your career.
8. Lifestyle changes
Breakups, divorces and baby-making plans should be shared only if there is a need to know. Otherwise, others will speak for your capabilities, desires and limitations on availability, whether there is any truth to their assumptions or not.
9. Blogs or social networking profile
What you say in a social networking community or in your personal blog may be even more damaging than what you say in person. Comments online can be seen by multiple eyes.
10. Negative views of colleagues
If you don’t agree with a co-worker’s lifestyle, wardrobe or professional abilities, confront that person privately or keep it to yourself. The workplace is not the venue for controversy.
11. Hangovers and wild weekends
It’s perfectly fine to have fun during the weekend, but don’t talk about your wild adventures on Monday. That information can make you look unprofessional and unreliable.
12. Personal problems and relationships – in and out of the office
‘Never get your honey where you get your money.’
13. Off-color or racially charged comments
You can assume your co-worker wouldn’t be offended or would think something is funny, but you might be wrong. Never take that risk.
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