Ok. So the rumor mill has it that obese workers are treated unfairly during the hiring process and those already on the job. So what is the problem? Should obese [potential] employees get treated fairly? I mean like, such employees care little about themselves but somehow employers should care more about such workers? That just isn't the real world. Obesity on the job is not only costly to the employee i.e. health risks, job performance but also costly to the bosses that be i.e. increased group health care premiums, lost job performance, moral, etc. Sure there are the few that have valid medical conditions contributing to the weight issues but most of the time obesity points to a lack of self-control. That's simply something employers don't want to deal with. Who can blame them? The bottom line is that having weight issues is a visible sign to hiring managers that you may not be able to a) perform the required duties b) cost the company a bunch of money in health care costs. So if you really want the job [or keep the job you already have] it may be a good idea to demonstrate commitment to one’s own health first. Chances are high the boss will notice which could even lead to new opportunities given the demonstration of commitment to a rather personal challenge such as losing weight. Food for thought.

In the not so distant past, for those looking for new employment opportunities it was "...go south young man..." Now, it seems like jobseekers, entrepreneurs, and even large corps are changing that slogan to "...go south young man..." So much for the Golden State huh. So what’s driving employment opportunity seekers to head south? Well for one thing, job growth. If the jobs head south, so too will the people. What about businesses, why would a business from the North or West go south, knowing the history of the south? One word -- taxes. Even better -- three words - "dirt cheap taxes." For business owners, entrepreneurs and large corps the huge reduction in taxes adds up to millions in savings. Think about it...why else would anyone want to live in Alabama versus say New York or California? Bottom line is cheap taxes for business means jobs growth in the south -- especially in Alabama and Georgia. The flip side [there's always a but] is that such a move may not be so good for job hunters, who often have to trade in certain rights found in more progressive states such as New York or California, to have a job in the south. Oh well, guess that's an individual decision...maybe a job with no rights in the south is better than no job in New York with rights.

Some say the job market is healing, while others think the job market is struggling. One thing is true -- the current job market trend is good for some and bad for others. If you're in one of the industries like Information Technology (IT), you could very well be one of the winners. Why? The lack of hiring from the unemployment pool is signaling that IT employers are having a hard time finding good help within the huge pool of unemployed -- well over 12 million plus unemployed. You know what that means. Supply and demand kicks in buddy. A low supply of experienced labor in the IT job market in conjunction with rising demand for IT services means wages in the IT job market will continue to rise. Good news for the geeks huh. What about the rest of us?...well i guess there is always "door #2" or "door #3" -- keep hope alive.

Who doesn't like fun in the sun right? Well maybe it's time to resolve, for the New Year, to head east for sunny South Carolina in search of new job opportunities. Manufacturing is amongst the leading industries for the state and the trend is expected to continue for the New Year. Tourism is, also, big in the Grand Strand area which incidentally is looking up for 2012. Granted, we aren't talking about 100,000 new jobs to the area, but hey every job counts these days. Besides, you only need one job anyway, unless of course you're married, in which case the extra spousal income would really be helpful.

In the Grand Strand area, an above average wage is in the $15 - $20 dollar range. With wages in that range, it's a little hard to purchase a home without the extra spousal income. For those that are married and both can find work in the area, there are some really great real estate deals right about now. The local real estate market is slumped and not looking to make any significant surge during 2012. That's good news for new home buyers. Not so good news for preexisting homeowners. Oh well, that's how it goes sometimes. In any event, for the adventurous job seeker, looking to make a move, manufacturing jobs are heading east to sunny SC. This is in addition to a strong tourism industry already. That translates into job opportunities, priced to sell real estate, and fun in the sun. Sounds like a good time, to me, for investing in that beach bungalow. What else is there...are you on your way yet?