The Nation's Top Retailers to Work For

At a time when almost 10% of us are unemployed, many are seeking and accepting jobs in a place they never would have considered before they lost their executive position or found themselves on the other end of a pink slip.

Some will find, over the holidays, when taking a temporary job to make money for Christmas, that there are some really decent retail employers out there, amongst all the horror stories that you hear about working in retail.

Forbes has done their homework and has compiled a list of the top 10 Best Employers in Retail. The retailers that made this list have a number of things in common. Their owners, presidents, CEOs, et al, all have high favored rankings among their employees. They seem to "get" their employees and know how to relate to them. They offer healthy discounts, remarkable incentives and that regular "pat on the back" that goes so far to encouraging employee loyalty and morale. They offer flexible schedules and seem to take an interest in their employees' futures. These guys know that many people that work in retail are "just passing through" on their way to something better. The difference is that these retailers accept it and even expect it and offer a helping hand up to every single employee that makes their best effort.

So, number 10 on the published list of 100 is still a fantastic place to be! Best Buy is the home for tech gurus. With the latest in technology always available, not only do tech gurus get "hands-on" fun, they ingest an amazing amount of information that will surely help them in their future endeavors. They get first dibs on new products, a decent employee discount and they get to work in a place that is known as flexible and friendly.

Sitting at number 9 on this prestigious list is L.L. Bean, Inc. This company encourages their employees to follow their passions. They have a "use room" where employees can check out outdoor gear at their Freeport, ME headquarters and one of the perks for L.L. Bean employees is access to their cabins situated along the Rangeley Lakes. Their Maine headquarters rivals just about any retail store, described by their employees and customers as "awesome".

Number 8 is Nordstrom. This up-scale department store is touted as having a "friendly" workforce and a work environment that is more like being around family. The store pays commission, which in some atmospheres can harbor unhealthy competitiveness and make for "back-stabbing" and "name-calling", seeming to foster the feeling in their employees that their "hard work is rewarded" and therefore; commission is a good thing.

Unashamedly coming in at the number 7 spot is Costco Wholesale. When asked, employees will tell you that the competitive pay and the benefits keep them happy and working here. Supervisors make $20.96 and cashiers average $15.39 an hour. That, and the fact that Costco employees absolutely love Jim Sinegal, their CEO, with the second highest employee approval rating, only following Overstock.com's CEO, Patrick Byrne, makes for a good relationship amongst the employees and staff, which in turn makes it a great place to work.

Somewhat surprisingly, Hot Topic made the list at number 6. The employees love punk/rock music and are encouraged towards self-expression through their dress. They also enjoy flexible work schedules that allow them to attend, and be reimbursed for, concerts. Hot Topic has some of the most quirky, but loved, employee bonuses.

Coach, a world-class luxury leather outlet, seems to attract Type-A personalities, or the 'powers-that-be' are very good at picking them out. But, since Coach doesn't pay commission, their sales people must be highly motivated to succeed. Coach has a goal-based system that isn't attractive to slackers and seems to bring out the very best in an over-achiever. They don't care about the extra money, as long as they get "bragging rights". Coach can brag on their 5th place ranking, out of the top 100!

Nike seems to be favored for their office setting and culture above all else, which has them sitting nicely at the number 4 spot. A highly innovative competitor in athletic apparel, its employees seem to be caught up in the same kind of excitement. They live it and breathe it and love going to work.

Maurices is a small-town specialty retailer that seems to cater to the fun-loving, young-at-heart. Their product line seems to be the draw for their customers, who one manager says are "great"-98% of the time. Employee discounts are generous and they have an exceptional management-training program that many times is sorely missing in retail environments. According to their employees, Maurices' deserves the number 3 ranking.

Recreation retailers have some big boots to fill when it comes to meeting or exceeding REI, the retailer who is the first runner up for the top position. The employees here value the communication and workplace recognition that is passed from the top on down, far surpassing other just as well-known recreation retailers.

And the number one retailer to work for? Overstock.com got achieved that status. Let's start at the top. The CEO/Chairman Patrick M. Byrne has a 92% approval rating among his employees, the highest on the list. This Salt Lake City-based online company is known for its deep discounts and really inexpensive shipping costs, but the employees love it for entirely different reasons. They say the atmosphere is fun and relaxed and that keeps the nauseous office politics that run rampant in other organizations, to a bare minimum. Kudos to Overstock.com. Keep up the good work!

So, if you find yourself looking for a retail position, either to fill a financial void or because you have no other choice, you might head first to the internet to do a little research. A quick search will turn up current and former employee comments about the companies they work(ed) for, while further research will tell you if they are financially stable and what their opportunities for advancement are.

Sammy lives too far out in the country to think about working at any retailer, though she researched this article for daughters that live in metro areas. Sammy, herself, has started a second career, freelance writing, to make ends meet during these tough economic times. She also has a vegetable garden that is expanding every year. She supplies her 7 children and 14 grandchildren fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year, by growing,harvesting and preserving what she has grown herself. Sammy also shops online in order to save time and money and has found that Garden Harvest Supply always comes through with quality products and on time delivery. This year she is starting a perpetual asparagus bed and has pre-ordered her asparagus plants for spring planting. She has also ordered her organic vegetable seeds, which she will start indoors in April, transplanting to her Oklahoma garden in May.

Health Care Reform - Unconstitutional?

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has become so controversial especially because it is deemed unconstitutional that many states are filing a lawsuit against it. If this was written genuinely for the interests of the people then it should have had a fight in the Supreme Court Justices.

However there's a lot of shady transactions and compromise involved. If you want further information with regards to this, you can see it in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.

Federal law falls under the blanket of laws that stretch from sea to shinning sea and must remain equal for all citizens. The Federal Government does not have the ability to initiate and pass laws that are state specific or group specific and this is where the difficulties with the health care reform come into play.

Some of its provisions lean in favor towards only a few states. This is not according to the Commerce Law in our Constitution. It is now up to each state government to decide to participate or not. It will be intriguing to see how each state government will deal with the problem of changes.. Don't forget, that when the dust settled at the end of the War Between the States (Civil War), it was the individual states that assumed power to the Federal Government for the good of a strong, stable Union.

Let's find out how the single payer health insurance reform will unfold. Are they going to add provisions to the law? Will the Republicans win in their call to have it repealed?

What will happen to people who will still refuse to purchase Will these individuals be refused access to other adjoining states? The health insurance reform bill is considered to fall under the interstate commerce clause. Only time will be the judge as to how this new health insurance reform will be implemented.

Predicting the Future - Four Tips to Hone Your Intuitive Skills

Nobody is left who lived between the two World Wars to relate to us what it was like and what were the signs approaching...

The Great Depression of the 1920s lasted over ten years and was followed by the rise to power of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany. If history has the habit of repeating itself this current recession could well last another 5 or 10 years and usher the rise to power of the antichrist - the champion of globalisation, dividing the planet into ten regions under the umbrella of a revamped UN mashed European Union and combining all religions into one. It doesn't take a genius to see it is just around the corner.

So what would constitute four easy pointers to watch for?

Globalisation: Every time an industry is uprooted by unfair foreign competition we lose a piece of our independence. Every time we give up something as a nation we were quite capable of doing ourselves we become enslaved to global trade for our sustenance. Nations are being robbed of their identity. When elections worldwide turn into a popularity contest you can see how people are eagerly waiting for some charismatic figure with a compelling propaganda to make the great deal of the century (a 7 years peace treaty between Israel and its neighbours...)

Political correctness. Unnatural ideas are being pushed onto people under the guise of "tolerance" and "diversity" and "equal rights". New mumbo jumbo words are being coined to labels things we do not understand nor can control. Carbon footprint, bio-diversity, global warming are terms that were unheard of 10 years ago.

Collapsing birth rate in the western civilization. Within 20 years the next generation will be missing in action. Governments are panicking that there won't be enough taxpayers to fund all the looming pensions soon due to be paid to people who live longer and longer. Their answer is to open wide the doors to immigration. This creates social and racial unrest as the newcomers do not integrate in the society.

Destruction of the family unit. The divorce rate is so high that an entire generation of children is coming up - not having experienced the loving care of a stable home, and looking up to the role models of a man and woman committed to each other for a lifetime. People will enter adulthood with issues - not the strength to cope with any challenge.

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What Visa Fears Most About The New Debit Card Legislation

New legislation - the Durbin Amendment was signed into law by Barak Obama on July 21st, 2010. The amendment grants the Federal Reserve power to set debit interchange rates, taking control away from Visa. These are "unchartered waters" for Visa, and a cause for alarm. What will the Fed do, and how will Visa respond?

Visa's Chief Financial Officer, Byron H. Pollitt Jr., says that U.S. debit transactions produce 16% of their net revenues. Couple that with the fact that new legislation, the Durbin Amendment (which was signed into law by Barak Obama on July 21st, 2010), grants the Federal Reserve power to set interchange rates, taking control away from Visa.

These are "unchartered waters" for Visa, and a cause for alarm. The greatest fear for now is the fear of the unknown. How will 16% of net revenues be effected? What can they do to offset the potential loss of income?

Until this legislation it was the card associations - Visa and MasterCard, which had exclusive power over interchange. This was a fact which caused lobbyists from the National Retail Federation (NRF) to cry "foul". According to the NRF this amounted to nothing less than a monopoly, which resulted in excessive profits for the associations at the expense of the nations retailers.

To respond Visa has formed "strategy teams", to consider a whole range of possible outcomes, along with appropriate actions to take. As you would expect, Visa is doing all it can to "educate" the Fed on how the debit card industry works and all the potential ramifications of their decisions.

A "Loophole" of Sorts

One fact about the new legislation which most people aren't aware of is the new laws only apply to debit card issuing banks with $10 billion dollars or more in assets. Critics charge issuers may use this as a loophole and either reposition assets or find other ways around the legislation's intent.

Stay tuned for more on how the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act, along with the Durbin Amendment, will effect the card associations profits, the nations retailers, and our overall economy.

Virgil Stanphill works as a Consultant in the Payment Processing Industry. If you need fast cash for your business you can get help here.

If you want to qualify for some of the best credit card processing programs in the industry you can visit his blog and learn more here.

The Year 2012 - The End of the World

A lot of different disasters have been happening to the Earth lately. Massive earthquakes, super typhoons, global warming, floods, and even other severe crisis and disasters have been shaking up people's view about the state of our beloved planet. Some say these events are signs that all point to the Year 2012 Apocalypse.

Many different points of views that all point towards this major event have been causing a wave of panic and unrest among many. People have started asking many questions regarding the 2012 prophecies and are trying to find out if this will really be the end of the world as we know it.

It is hard to determine what is true and what is a hoax. It's hard to verify fact from fiction with the many websites spreading rumours, viral campaigns, and doomsday movies? Can this widespread panic be a cause of genuine fear, or is it just a product of man's power to manipulate facts for their own personal gain? It is a sad fact that people are getting more and more restless in their search for answers.

If you take a closer look at the facts you will find out that Science, Religion, and even parts of History all believe that the earth as we know it will come to an end in 2012. The Bible, Nostradamus, the Mayans, and even countless scientific theories all provide speculations about the year 2012 Apocalypse.

So the big question is: will the world really end 2012? Some say apocalypse 2012 will take place, others say it won't. Some have their Faith to hold onto, while others turn to Science for answers. One acceptable answer to the big question is that it will depend on the amount of energy of the Earth. This theory is based on the Second Law of Thermodynamics which justifies the possibility of Heat Death or the eventual stopping of the mechanical movement of the Earth due to its total and irreversible loss of energy.

Whichever way people choose to look at it, one simple truth really matters, and it's that all good things must come to an end. And if God made all things "good", then maybe it's just a matter of time before the earth comes to an end too.

Sometimes, answers to seemingly hard questions are just right at our fingertips. Maybe the end of the world doesn't really rely on the cycles or movements of Comets, or Mayan beliefs, or even the wrath of God. Maybe the coming of the Apocalypse is an unavoidable fact that everyone has deal with whether they like or not, and that the end of human existence whether it be in some days or in 2012, will only depend on the way Man takes care of our world.

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Santa Clarita Rotary Club Veteran's Project - Showing Our Fallen Heroes and Families That We Care

My Rotary Club, located in Santa Clarita, California, does great work in our community. Recently they honored the 8 young men who have given their lives for our country during the past three years. Watching the moving ceremony and dedication made me think about how fortunate I am to be a part of this caring community, as well as a member of the Rotary Club.

We always allow our guests to speak, and having former military is quite an honor. One of the speakers was a former member of the United States Air Force, and he described our community as an island. This brought some laughter, because Santa Clarita is located in the middle of the desert. He went on to explain that what he meant was that we were unlike other cities and towns in California in that we are so concerned with the families of these fallen heroes, and with helping the young men and women who are returning from their time overseas in the armed forces.

I also found out that we are one of the only states within the United States that does not offer a license plate to honor our soldiers. That would be a great thing if we could purchase that to start a fund to help these brave warriors and their families.

Our Rotary Club has a garden where we now have marble tiles with the names of those who have died serving their country. This is a great honor and it is important for us to remember that these people have made the ultimate sacrifice to uphold the values we all share.

Connie Ragen Green has been a member of the Rotary Club of Santa Clarita since 2006. Find out more about this club by visiting http://www.AdventuresoftheSCVRotaryBell.com, and find a club near you by going to http://Rotary.org.

What Are the Views That Employers Hold to the Certificate Fever?

For the recently hot social situation of certificate fever, employers have their own opinions.

One University investigated from 102 enterprises and institutions shows, 70% of enterprise leaders express the view that, although many university students hold many certificates, but they have paid less attention on their major learning and professional capacity. 30% of the leaders hoped the university student has the practical application ability. The standard to hire employee emphases on student's practical ability, this is the most employer's view.

Project Manager Mr. Huang indicated that, the genuine good company does not regard these certificates as important as you think; the qualifications certificate only indicates they have passed the related test, but it does not mean that university student has the ability which matches with the certificate. Therefore, the employer thinks the actual operative ability is of more significance.

(Shanghai) Power Advancement Company human Manager Li Xiangdong tells the university student do not place too much energy on various certificates. He said that, the students must understand many certificates are useless, in particular computer certificate. According to Li Xiangdong's introduction, the new staff all has three month-long training period in the his company, company in each month can carry on the inspection to their work, if the first month-long inspection result is not ideal, they will carry on the reminder and the suggestion to them, so is the second month. If they do not have any improvement, then they have to leave.

Meanwhile some employer regards more on the credentials. Bank of China Shanghai Branch Human affairs Training office director said, Bank of China must recruit more than 100 the university student every year, requesting English and computer capacity which the graduate must have stands out the most rigorous test.

The SenDa group a mister indicated that, they are willing to pay extra wage for the staff to get a certain technology certificate, some enterprises even give staff's wages difficultly according to the credentials rank.

University students may feel surprise to know the opinions of employers holds for them, for they regard it would be better for them to seeking a job and being more competitive among all employees with more certifications. Actually, this attitude needs to be corrected as soon as possible.

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