Poor Search Engine Coverage

If you are doing business in a common niche, like electronics or publishing, then a lot of people are going to search engines to find you. If you are in one of these common niches, you should definitely invest in SEO.

However, there are some obscure services that are rarely looked up in search engines. If you run an obscure service, like “manual balloon blowing,” then it doesn’t matter how much SEO you do. No one, or very few people, will be using search engines to find you.

Poor Website Usage

This is mostly for people with professional services, such as medical or consulting. If you are in a good part of town, and most of your clientele is coming through the door, then working on your website and SEO might not be too beneficial. Many doctors and other professionals have noted success when using SEO, but there are also many others that say their website brought in very few clients, if any.

If your website is able to draw in more clients, then SEO should be worth it. If people are coming to your door, rather than your website, then there might be no need to invest in SEO.

Too Much Competition

SEO can really improve your chances of being found in a competitive niche, but some niches are just too difficult to rank for unless you have a lot of time and a huge budget for professional SEO services. For example, if you are trying to break into the “game computers” niche, you might have a chance because this is a specialized niche.

If you are trying to break into the plain computers niche, then you might have some trouble. When there is just too much competition to get a good spot, it is usually better to concentrate on other traffic methods. SEO is a good secondary option, and if you get a large Web presence it might be good to invest in, but initially you will not get much of a response.

Second or Third Page

The fact is that about 75-90% of all search engine traffic clicks on one of the websites on the first page. Most of these people click one of the top three websites. If your company website is on the second or third page, but you just can’t seem to get any higher, then investing in SEO is a great idea.

This means your company already has a good web presence, but it can be dramatically increased with just a little bit of work. For most niches, this can greatly improve your revenue and traffic.

Local Businesses

Many local businesses that just have one or two shops think they cannot benefit from SEO, but this is far from the truth. Actually, geo-optimizing a local business is fairly easy, and can get you a lot of website traffic and customers. Local businesses that pay attention to their website and implement SEO strategies often see an increase in revenue.

This is because many people search for terms like “[city] TV repair” or “[city] computer store.” It is usually easy to get a good spot for these keywords, and they often bring in a lot of people. This can even be beneficial if you don’t sell anything online, as many people go to search engines for business listings.

Spend Time vs. Money

When you invest in SEO you either have to spend time by doing the work yourself, or spend money by hiring an SEO firm. For most businesses, it is better to spend money.

If you do not know anything about SEO, then you first have to learn how it works and how to implement it. Not only that, but you have to ensure that you don’t stab yourself in the foot with poor or outdated SEO practices.

An SEO firm frees up this time so you can devote yourself 100% to business, while the firm takes care of the SEO work. Plus, professionals know what works and what doesn’t.

1. Many people think that they can substitute their urine with a sample from someone who is clean. Most drug testing facilities either require the individual to remove their clothes and wear a gown while others require that the individual provide their urine specimen in the presence of a witness. In addition, testing laboratories test how fresh the urine is and can determine if the specimen is fresh or synthetic.
2. There is a common belief that the use of diuretics to dilute the drugs in their system. This practice does make the individual go to the bathroom a lot but not enough to flush all the chemicals out of their system. THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, stores in the body’s fat cells and the only way it will leave the system is through abstinence and a significant period of time. Diuretics and other flushing agents will not remove chemicals fast enough from an individual’s system if that individual recently used an illegal drug.
3. Adding a cleansing agent to the specimen to neutralize illicit drugs is also a common idea that does not work, primarily for the same reasons of substitution. Testing facilities have a security system in place that makes it nearly impossible to smuggle the additive and mixing it with the specimen. In addition, laboratory processes detect such additives and raises a red flag to the administrators of the testing facility. Any time a red flag is raised, the facility will usually require a second testing, with little or no notice. The second time that the test is administered, the testing facility will take even greater security precautions to ensure that the individual produces an accurate and fresh specimen. In addition, there are some misconceptions as to what may cause a false positive result. Drug testing facilities are also aware of such triggers of false results and they have adjusted their laboratory procedures to compensate for any potential misleading test results. People do need to take into consideration that when they are working for a company that requires drug testing or if they are unemployed and applying for positions at companies that may have pre-employment drug testing, that they may have to make changes in their lifestyle, including associations with people who use illegal drugs.
4. People are usually concerned about showing a positive result for a drug test if they have somehow come into contact with second hand marijuana smoke. It is true that the body may have a detectable trace of illicit drugs in their system, but the amount is insignificant and is not at the same levels as that of an individual who uses the drug in the regular way. This may or may not raise a red flag with the testing administrator and may require secondary testing. Again, this is why it is important not to go around places where people use illegal drugs.
5. A very old myth involves that of eating some type of food that has poppy seeds. As with inhaling second hand smoke, poppy seeds have so little opium that an individual could safely eat a couple dozen bagels with poppy seeds and still not have enough in their system to give a positive result for opium. One thing that concerns many people that have to take a drug test is that they may be taking medication that a doctor has recently prescribed for them. This is usually not a problem as most medications do not contain the same chemicals as illegal drugs and if the individual happens to be taking a prescribed medication that renders positive results on a drug test, a quick confirmation of the prescribed medication will usually clear the individual.

How alcohol affects a person’s safety

Even if the person doesn’t consume alcohol on the job, the individual’s job performance may be affected by the alcohol dependency. Here are some ways that alcohol may affect the individual. These statistics are based off of using a 150 lb. male consuming two drinks in 1 hour to equal a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.04 percent as reference.

• Brain’s control of eye movements – Low to moderate Blood Alcohol Content (0.03 to 0.05 percent) can interfere with voluntary eye movements and impair the person’s ability to track a moving object.
• Eye-to-hand reaction time – May be significantly impaired with as low as 0.035 percent BAC and the impairment increases as the BAC increases.
• Information processing – Alcohol impairs every aspect of the brain’s information processing, but especially narrows the amount of information the person pays attention to. Impairment begins at approximately 0.04 percent BAC.
• Divided attention deficits can occur with just 0.02 percent BAC, and these divided attention deficiencies can interfere with communications with 0.04 percent BAC.
• Serious planning and performance errors, procedural errors, and vigilance failures can begin at the lowest BAC (0.025 percent) and increase as the BAC increases.

In comparison to their non-abusing co-workers, substance abusers are 10 times more likely to miss work. They are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in on-the-job accidents, while being 5 times more likely to cause an injury to themselves or others in the process. The substance abusers are 5 times more likely to file workman compensation claims while being 33% less productive. The abusers and substance dependent individuals are responsible for 40% of all industrial fatalities.

These employees tend to lower productivity and increase the work load for other employees, as well as raise the cost of insurance and health care. They also compromise product/service quality, tarnish the company’s image and can cause financial ruin for the employer.

What the employer can do

To ensure the safety and well-being of all employees and the company, employers can conduct drug testing and drug screening programs. Abusers and substance dependents tend to apply for employment at places that do not require drug screening and testing. Since most small businesses do not conduct testing, they are especially vulnerable.

Drug testing required

All employers and educators should also be aware that there are some federal and state regulations that require certain types of drug testing. Some are geared towards specific occupations, while others are more general in nature. However, non-compliance with these laws and regulations can result in substantial fines, loss of business privileges, and sanctions.

Fortunately, there are now companies like USAMDT that make it easy to comply with these laws. USAMDT is one-hundred percent mobile, providing on-site drug and alcohol testing services to all types of clients. Not only does USAMDT provide drug and alcohol testing, they also provide a variety of other services to help their clients identify, manage, and avoid alcohol and drug problems. These other services include conducting background screening and providing drug and alcohol training classes. USAMDT’s mobile service makes it more convenient and less expensive for a company to keep the workplace drug-free and safer.

First, you have to do your homework. Know the company you want to work for. Know its mission, its clients, and its key players. Employers want to know that you’re actually interested in their company and that you’re not just there so you can pay the bills. Know what the desired position requires. You may think you have all the knowledge you need if you just graduated. Wrong. We never stop learning. If the position is at a sign shop, study up on sign printing. If the company does advertising for upscale clients, it might be a good idea to study their work and get an idea of who their clients are. There may be parts of the position that you aren’t familiar with. Don’t let that stop you. Take some time to fill in those gaps of knowledge. Don’t expect to become a pro in the few days before your interview, but you can build a firm base to start from.

Now that you’ve done your homework, be prepared. Think of the basic questions you’ll be asked in an interview. Two you can expect are “Tell me about yourself,” and “What are your strengths and weaknesses.” To be honest with you, I hate these questions. Where do you begin? What does an employer really want to know about you? You don’t really want to hear about my weaknesses, do you? Think about why you love graphic design. Think about what motivates you. What are your hobbies? Who knows, you might have something in common. This question gives you a chance to build a relationship with your employer. What are your strengths? Be honest. Don’t try to pump yourself up to be the design messiah. No one likes a know-it-all. If you love fonts and typography is your strength, say it! If you love designing newsletters, say it – especially if that’s a major part of what your job function will be. What are your weaknesses? Mine is production speed. I went from a job that had deadlines every two weeks to a job that has deadlines daily or weekly. Don’t be afraid to tell the truth. You can put a positive spin on it by saying “I believe that working in this type of environment will help me work harder to solve this issue.” Employers want a graphic designer that shows promise and potential.

Practice answering the questions beforehand. Write down your answers and say them out loud. The more comfortable you become with saying the answers, you more natural you’ll feel in the interview. Practice saying them in the mirror. You may feel like an idiot standing in the bathroom talking to yourself, but it works. When your facial expressions match your words, you’ll begin to feel more confident.

Always come dressed to kill. It’s popular belief that graphic designers sit around in their jeans and t-shirt all day. Even if you find out that the atmosphere of the company you’re interviewing for is casual, you need to look your best. Iron your clothes, don’t just roll out of bed and throw something on. It’s another way to show your professionalism. It’s not just your portfolio the employers are looking at. I know you’re excited, but get a good night’s sleep! Go to bed early and get up early. You can get rid of pre-interview nerves by getting up early to go over your interview questions. Now you are the Zen master of interviews. You won’t even break a sweat.

Now it’s show time! Make sure you have your portfolio and a pen and paper. I know some who’ve depended on their portfolio site to showcase their work at an interview. Make no mistake. There’s nothing like seeing printed work. Bring the pen and paper to write questions down or any pertinent information the employer may share with you. Now, off with you! Be prompt and get there 15 minutes early. It lets your potential employer know that you’re excited and serious about the interview. Walk in with a smile and a firm handshake. It only takes about 3 seconds for your interviewer to sum you up. The first impression is important. Look your interviewer in the eye, speaking clearly and confidently. If there are aspects of the job that you have little experience in, express your willingness to learn. Employers want to see that you’re excited about the company, the job, and the vocation. Graphic design isn’t just a job; it’s a way of life. At the close of the interview, make sure you leave a promotional item. I could be your business card, a notepad, or even a fold-out poster of some of your best work. Find a way to stay on the employer’s mind.

The show isn’t over yet. Send a thank you card. Do it now! Don’t wait until tomorrow, do it as soon as you get home. Your potential employer took time out of their day to see you. Make sure they know how much you appreciate it. Some send thank you emails or typed letters. I think a handwritten note speaks volumes. It shows that you care and it continues the relationship building process with the employer. Now sit back and wait. Your phone should be ringing again real soon.

While some employers may hesitate to start drug testing staff, it can help a business in several ways. First, it gives employees the impression that there is no tolerance toward drug use, which will often scare casual drug users enough for them to stop using. Even occasional drug use can have a serious effect on reflexes, mood, concentration and energy, so getting off of drugs will improve an employee’s overall productivity. Second, when drugs are found during routine drug testing, employers can help the employee find support to help overcome their addiction. Getting caught during a drug test is often a wake-up call for an addict, who will choose to get treatment over losing his job. While some might feel like drug testing is an invasion of privacy, in many cases it can help addicts and even save their lives.

In the past, workplace drug testing was a hassle for both the employees and business itself. Such testing would require employees to visit an off-site lab to have tests done. This would take the employee away from work and often set a business back until testing was complete.

Mobile drug testing companies, such as USA Mobile Drug Testing, provide a more convenient alternative to traditional off-site drug testing. Employers don’t need to be concerned with giving the employee enough time to drive to the testing facility, get tested and drive back. In most cases this would take several hours out of the work day. With a mobile testing unit, the employee can simply take the time needed to complete the test and immediately go back to work. This gives the employee more time to do his job as well as takes some of the stress away from the testing process.

Mobile drug testing also costs employers less than traditional off-site drug testing in several ways. First, since employees aren’t missing work productivity is higher, therefore employers aren’t paying for time the employee isn’t actively working. Secondly, most employers have to cover the cost of the gas or public transportation it takes to get the employee to the testing facility. Those are the expenses paid in addition to paying the lab for their services. With a mobile testing unit, the employer just pays for the testing.

Drug testing done on-site also processes results faster than traditional labs. Off-site drug testing facilities will have to test employees over the span of several days or weeks, which can delay the speed at which the results come in. Since mobile drug testing tests the employees over a much shorter space of time, the results are processed and delivered to the employer much faster, often within 24 to 72 hours.

Sadly, drug use is a reality in the United States today, and therefore drug testing in the workplace is often necessary. The mobile drug testing services available today quickly give results without taking employees away from their work for too long. This reduces costs and increases productivity for the business. Why continue to put employees in harm’s way by allowing them to work with someone whose judgement may be obscured by drugs and alcohol? Protect employees as well as one’s business by hiring a mobile drug testing unit.