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Corporate Wasteland Forum Thread for the week of December 4, 2006
Check out this thread currently being discussed in the Corporate Wasteland forum on BootsnAll:
Asheai is in college now, and trying to figure out what to do when she grows up. All she knows now is she’d like to have a career that involved travel. So, what careers might you suggest for her?
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Date: December 8th, 2006 |
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Travel Jobs - US Foreign Service: So You Want a Travel Job but You Couldn’t Sell a Rebel Flag at a Nascar Race…
Be a US Foreign Service Officer. It’s another way of avoiding jobs where “closing the deal” is necessary to remaining employed, while still allowing you the freedom to travel. Foreign Service Workers are those dedicated souls who work their hearts out at the US Embassies around the world. In my travels, I’ve only dealt with the embassy in Peru. The person who helped me obtain my emergency passport was incredibly friendly and offered great advice.
Foreign Service jobs are not for the lazy or the faint at heart. If you’re looking for an easy way to travel the world, I would look someplace else. It takes an enormous amount of effort to even get the job. The Department of State is looking for candidates with Liberal Arts or Business degrees, but if you have Slavic, Middle Eastern or Asian language skills, you’re probably ahead of the curve. There are 5 major career tracks to choose from, including: Management Affairs, Consular Affairs, Economic Affairs, Political Affairs and Public Diplomacy. According to the BNA thread, it looks like the Political Affairs section is the most competitive.
Date: November 30th, 2006 |
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Get Real Time Parking Information Online
Real time services for cell phones and blackberries have been cropping up left and right. As of last Tuesday, a new service is currently being implemented in Santa Monica, California to help drivers find available parking in the parking spot deficient central shopping district.
According to the AP article, “[The system] updates a new, city-run Web site every five seconds, displaying the numbers of available spaces in downtown structures and at beach lots.” In addition, signs listing available parking will be continuously updated in front of parking areas and garages. The …
Date: November 24th, 2006 |
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Hotel Reviews: Some are More Fake than Michael Jackson’s Nose
Hotel and restaurant owners around the world have been pulling the wool over the eyes of potential customers for some time by faking reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor. No kidding. I used to work for a company who sold copiers and thought I’d seen some shady practices in business but this comes as a shock to even me.
The Times Online recently published an article on this very subject. According to their study, a hotel can boost it’s rating on trusted sites such as Fodors by 3 stars just by posting fake glowing reviews. Owners are jumping on the bandwagon posting positive reviews to boost ratings. For the most part I’m pretty anti-establishment, but with hotels it may actually be best to stick with the big names. In most cases, a Sheraton is a Sheraton is a Sheraton wherever you go.
Date: November 19th, 2006 |
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Travel Jobs - Chief Beer Officer: So You Want to Travel for Work but You Couldn’t Sell a Nudie Mag in a Boys’ Locker Room…
Be the Chief Beer Officer. That’s right, another non-sales travel job. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is looking for a Chief Beer Officer. CBO - it’s like being a CEO, but WAY cooler. So if you’re one of those people who has your name immortalized on the wall of your favorite beer bar for trying all 237 types of brew, or if you’re part of the “Beer Police” (I am) at the local microbrewery, you might want to listen up.
The search started yesterday, so you better get on the move. The lucky person will have a host of benefits, including expense account, frequent travel and loads of Starwoods points. What does it pay? Who cares? You’re traveling the globe drinking. I would just about pay to do this job.
Date: November 17th, 2006 |
1 comment
Travel Jobs: Peace Corps - So You Want to Travel for Work but You Couldn’t Sell a Cheesehead Hat at a Packers Game…
Be a Peace Corps Volunteer. That’s right, one more way to get out of the cube farm without having to sell anything.
Peace Corps jobs are for those who are really dedicated to travel and aren’t afraid to commit. I’m pretty dedicated, but the word “commitment” gives me the willies so I guess this type of work really isn’t for me.
The Peace Corps is a government run organization, created to assist developing nations, currently serving 73 countries around the world. Career areas include: education, youth outreach, and community development; business development; agriculture and environment; health and HIV/AIDS; and information technology. Specific jobs within each career area can differ greatly. This affords travelers an opportunity to provide much needed services in areas in the world where alternatives are few. You live and work in the community for the duration of your employment, which gives you the chance to become really involved with and understand the people.
Date: December 7th, 2006 |
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Airline Food (Snacks) Calorie Guide by Diet Detective
Charles Stuart Platkin with DietDetective.com recently surveyed the cuisine for several major airlines to determine whose packing on the pounds in the stratosphere. We all know business travelers tend to plump up like a Ballpark Frank, and this time of year the problem is compounded by the holiday munchies. So it’s definitely worth your while to know how many calories you’re shoving in to your mouth on the 757. Here are the results, along with a little 411 on how to keep healthy in the air:
DietDetective.com Airline Snack and Health Survey results:
(Health Score 5 stars = highest rate, 1 star = lowest rating)
Date: November 29th, 2006 |
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American Airlines Self-Service Check In for International Flights
American Airlines is launching check in for international flights using self-service kiosks at the airport. Most passengers traveling on e-tickets will be able to use the new service. If you hate the idea and want to deal with a person rather than a machine, that option still exists as well.
All new passports issued have the ability to be “swiped” by the machine like a credit card with its built in passport reader. If a passenger is using an older passport, the information can be added manually. Travel documents will still be verified by an airline employee, either at the time of check in or at the gate.
In another time-saving attempt, passengers now have the ability to enter required information on the American Airlines website, such as emergency contact information and country of residence. This can save a few minutes at the kiosk.
Date: November 20th, 2006 |
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Corporate Wasteland Forum Thread for the week of November 13, 2006
Check out this thread currently being discussed in the Corporate Wasteland forum on BootsnAll:
GingerSpesh wants to know if you have less of a desire to travel if you really love what you do for a living… I’ll take it one step further - if you travel for work, do you really want to travel for fun? Or do you want to just stay home at that point?
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Date: November 17th, 2006 |
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College Football is Almost Over. Don’t Miss the Game Because of Business
Sick at the thought of missing the big Michigan vs. Ohio State game just because of that stupid business trip? Maybe you won’t have to. Okay, really the only way you’d have to miss THAT game is if you’re out of the country or dead. The point is, a company called LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation is expanding an AWESOME service that I’ve never even heard of until today - Hotel SportsNetSM.
Hotel SportsNetSM offers nationally branded sports programming to hotel guest rooms on a daily subscription basis. Like the pay-per-view packages you can get at home, but for your hotel room. Included now are NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, NHL Center Ice, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN Full Court and College Sports TV. Beginning this spring, MLB Extra Innings will be added to the lineup as well.
Date: November 14th, 2006 |
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