Month: July 2021

2021-07-15T16:29:27

(BPT) – As vacation destinations and businesses reopen across the country, the hospitality industry is poised for significant growth. According to the latest jobs report, there were 343,000 new hires in the leisure and hospitality industry — the sector with the biggest portion of employment gains — in June alone. Many experts expect this momentum to continue to grow as travelers resume their typical summer vacation habits.

Whether you have experience in the hospitality field or not, heightened demand could mean big opportunities for job seekers. This is especially true for people interested in working in the vacation rental industry. According to a recent Skift Research survey of vacation rental users, 52% of guests plan to stay in a vacation rental more often in a post-pandemic environment.

“To meet growing demand, we’re hiring for seasonal and full-time positions in top vacation destinations from the Carolina beaches to New England and the Oregon Coast,” said Aurora Moore, a talent acquisition manager at Vacasa, a vacation rental management platform in North America. “Vacation rentals have rebounded quicker than any other segment of the travel industry, and we’re in a position to offer good jobs and competitive pay to people who have lost work or had their hours reduced during the pandemic.”

The need for employees — and seasonal hiring incentives — is great news for people on the job hunt. If the hospitality industry sounds like a good fit for you, there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re searching and applying for new job opportunities:

1) Apply now: Hiring is hot right now and will continue into peak travel months as necessary. To find the ideal job for your schedule and skill set, explore opportunities early before others scoop them up, as hiring is happening fast.

2) Ask about bonuses: With demand for hospitality staffing so high, some companies are offering incentives if you accept a job offer and stay in the role for a certain amount of time.

3) Consider safety: While safety protocols are common for guests, it’s important companies are taking additional steps to keep hospitality employees safe as well. Make sure you ask about and are comfortable with current COVID protocols.

4) Know application necessities: Some companies will require an official resume while others may have a simplified application process. For example, candidates can text “Vacasa” to 97211 to start their application process.

5) Explore job fairs: Look at different companies’ career pages and social media sites to learn about job fairs. Whether in person or virtual, these events provide the opportunity to meet with companies about multiple positions at once.

6) Know your availability: Know when you’ll be able to start, what hours you can work and if you want a seasonal position or would prefer permanent employment. Look for companies that offer the flexibility to meet your needs.

7) Research training: The hospitality industry is ideal for entry-level roles and for those who want to build their skills. To ensure you’re successful, ask about a company’s training program during the interview process.

8) Factor in growth opportunity: Your “right now” job could turn into the right opportunity with advancement to grow. Ask about career paths and opportunities for moving up in the organization.

9) Check your gut: If you feel like the company you’re applying for is reputable and betters the community where it is located, you can feel good about working hard for them and supporting their mission.

“We’re looking for dedicated, reliable and passionate team members who want to grow their careers in hospitality,” said Moore. “You can start at an entry-level position and, with hard work and team-first mentality, there’s no limit to the long-term opportunity. It’s a fun industry and an exciting time to be a part of it.”

2021-07-15T10:21:00

(BPT) – Surprisingly, the answer to that question is not very clear. A new survey shows that nearly two-thirds of Americans (65%) — including a whopping 76% of millennials and 83% of Gen Z — have had longer relationships with their current mobile providers than they’ve had with their romantic partners. And in that survey, conducted by Xfinity Mobile in partnership with Wakefield, more than 40% of consumers only choose to stay with their current mobile plan because “breaking up” with them is just too complicated.

Sound familiar?

Breaking up is hard to do

The survey also found that 82% of Americans are looking for ways to break away from bad habits they’ve developed over the last year. And whether that means a bad relationship, an unsatisfactory mobile provider or any other bad habit, change can be a challenge.

If you’ve been on your parents’ mobile plan forever and finally need a plan of your own, or if you and your family are frustrated with your current mobile service, switching to a new provider may seem like a major hassle — and an even bigger deal than trying to break up with a romantic partner. Just thinking about the red tape and fear-inducing contact and image transfers to a new device are enough to make you stay stuck in the relationship with your provider that just isn’t working for you anymore.

What if someone could help you break free?

In the survey, over three-fourths (76%) of Americans reported they would indeed break up with their mobile provider — if someone else did it for them.

Xfinity is putting their “Switch Squad” of experts to work to break up with your mobile provider for you. The company celebrated “National Break Free from the Big Three Day” on July 14, to help you take control of your mobile plan.

How does the Switch Squad work?

All you need to do is visit the “Switch Squad” at an Xfinity Store near you. For a limited time, when you switch or add a line to your existing mobile plan, Xfinity Mobile is offering consumers a free Moto G Play through July 20 or $200 off an iPhone through August 10.

Looking for inspiration to help motivate you for your new start?

Check out special content on Xfinity’s X1 and Flex Video platform by saying, “Break Free from the Big Three” into your Xfinity Voice Remote for a specially curated list of films that encourage a fresh start, like: “The Break-Up,” “Eat Pray Love,” “How to be Single,” or “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” Or you can listen to 12 iconic break-up songs on the same destination on X1 and Flex.

Learn more about how you can break up with your current mobile provider at BreakFreeFromTheBigThree.com.

2021-07-15T14:01:00

(BPT) – Welcoming a new cat or kitten into your home is an exciting event. However, like any new experience, it can feel daunting to prepare your home for your new furry family member. Now is the peak season for finding kittens and adult cats available for adoption, as it’s the height of the kitten season. And of course, there are always wonderful adult and senior cats in need of forever homes, all year round.

Cats make excellent pets, especially for those who live in apartments or other areas with limited green space, which would be needed for a dog. Cats are also an excellent option for those with limited mobility who are in need of companionship. If you are considering opening your home to a new cat, here are some tips to help make the transition easier — both for you and for them.

1. Prep your home ahead of time

Before you go to pick up your new cat or kitten, make sure you’re all set up with the appropriate supplies. Here is a quick checklist of things to do and buy:

• Crate or carrier to safely bring home your new feline friend
• Food dish and appropriate food for your kitten or adult cat
• Water dish
• Quiet area to set up food and water
• Litter box, litter scoop and litter (if you have more than one cat, supply one box per cat so they have adequate space)
• Cats are very curious, so remove breakables on shelves or tables that cats could access
• Make sure you have no ductwork, HVAC registers or other holes that could be hazardous — or cover them up.

2. Choose a “starting room”

When you first introduce your cat to their new home, pick one room to isolate them for a few days so they can slowly get used to the new sights, sounds and smells of your home. It should be the same room where their litter box is kept, so they’ll know that location from the start. Make sure to supply your new furry friend with clean water and food.

After a few days in the starting room, gradually open up more rooms of the house so your cat can explore. If you’re introducing them to other animals in the house, do so very gradually. Let them get used to each other’s smells first by swapping rooms for several days, before allowing any supervised face-to-face interactions.

3. Offer them a cozy hideout

Cats love small, enclosed places where they’ll feel safe and secure. You can leave a cat carrier open or supply a cardboard box or covered cat bed. Make sure the box or carrier is big enough for the cat to stand up and move around in. Put down a soft blanket or towel to make the box comfy.

If possible, position the box or carrier so it faces the door to the room. That way they won’t be startled by people or other pets entering.

4. Set up their first vet appointment

After adopting a new cat, it’s always a good idea to have it checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible. You’ll want to immediately get a sense of health issues and any special care that may be required. If your cat is adopted from an animal shelter, they may have recommendations for vets in your area.

5. Let them come to you

A new cat will likely be nervous at first. Give them time to become accustomed to their surroundings without rushing them or pushing them to be affectionate. If you’re quiet and still, they are more likely to come out and visit. Teach your children to wait patiently for the cat to come to them — and they will be rewarded over time. If your children aren’t used to cats, make sure to supervise them the first few weeks.

You can gently coax your cat to interact with a fun feather toy or tempting treats, and it won’t be too long before they’re ready to socialize — and to show you how happy they are to be living in their welcoming new home.

Are you ready to adopt a new cat or kitten? You can participate in PetSmart Charities’ National Adoption Days, from July 19 through July 25.

Learn more about how you can support animal rescue efforts, foster or adopt a new pet at PetSmartCharities.org.

2021-07-15T09:01:00

(BPT) – The joys of being a cat parent are endless, yet nothing is quite like the stress of creating a perfect litter box setup that you can feel good about. Cats can be picky, so it can be challenging to appease their needs while also making the box a less intrusive part of the household. Discord on either side can lead to smells, messes, frustration and resentment. But there are some simple ways to create harmony that also benefit a greater good.

“A recent study surveying cat owners (American Pet Owners, September 2020) revealed 60% of parents are attracted to litters that benefit or are better for their cats. This is essential to creating a positive litter box experience for your cat,” said Lisa Mak, VP of Marketing, Cat’s Pride. “Cat owners also want to feel good about the litter they purchase and look for purpose-driven litter brands that are committed to helping animals in need.”

Mak adds that a philanthropic-minded brand is important to consumers, and so are traditional litter innovations such as easier clean-up/convenience, innovative odor control, clumping and low dust/tracking. By combining these traits with some other best practices, litter box harmony can be achieved.

A harmonious litter box experience for you and your cat begins with three steps:

1. Choose the right box: The best litter box is one that fits your cat, not your home. The box should be large enough that your cat can use it several times without the risk of standing on already soiled cat litter. It should also be placed somewhere convenient and obvious, somewhere safe (no risk of being scared or surprised) and, if you have more than one cat, away from other cats.
2. Choose the right litter: As the study above indicates, both cats and cat parents can be picky about litter. Cat’s Pride Max Power Total Odor Control Litter provides cat parents with these key features in one litter. The patented Max Power dual-clay formula works immediately to trap and eliminate odor for 10 days. It’s 99% dust free so it’s perfect for sensitive cats and owners and forms strong clumps for easy, no-mess cleanup. As with any new litter, avoid making an abrupt change and presenting your cat with the unfamiliar (they hate unfamiliar). Give your cat time to adjust to the new formula. If done gradually, your cat may not even notice you’ve switched.
3. Choose the right cleaning routine: Clumps and solids should be scooped from the box daily. If you use clumping cat litter, the box should be cleaned and refilled with fresh cat litter at least every two weeks. If you use non-clumping cat litter, then you’ll need to scrub the litter box more often — ideally weekly before it reaches the saturation point. Better yet, you can avoid the caked-on mess and laborious scrubbing entirely by using a liner, such as Jonny Cat Heavy Duty Litter Box Liners. These liners are tear-resistant, so they stand up to cats’ claws. When it comes time to change the litter just pull the convenient drawstring, close and toss.

Cat’s Pride products are available for purchase at most major grocery stores and online at Chewy, Amazon, Walmart.com and Target.com, and every litter purchase helps support animal welfare organizations through the Cat’s Pride Litter for Good program. For every jug of Cat’s Pride litter purchased, Cat’s Pride will donate a pound of litter to an animal shelter so that more cats in need can find their forever homes. Visit https://catspride.com/ for more information.

2021-07-15T09:23:01

(BPT) – Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future of transportation, offering a fun to drive alternative to traditional gas-fueled cars as well as lower maintenance costs. Almost every major automaker is introducing new electric models – from SUVs and trucks to sports cars and motorcycles – providing drivers with a variety of desirable options now, and even more in the near future.

EVs are becoming so widely available that more than 500 different EV models will be available globally by 2022, according to estimates from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. That means potentially millions of new EV drivers will soon be saying goodbye to gas and hello to electric recharging.

To support this growing need for EV recharging, significant investments are being made concerning charging stations, making it easier than ever to own an EV. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that more than 42,000 total EV charging station locations exist in the United States as of June 2021 – and the president has set a goal to reach 500,000 charging stations nationwide by 2030.

As the auto industry becomes more electrified, learning about the basics of EV charging like how and where to charge, is the first step in helping drivers feel more comfortable – and even excited – about the idea of switching to an EV that fits their lifestyle.

Types of EV chargers

Charging at home, work and other public locations all require different types of chargers – and it’s important to understand the differences.

Public Fast DC-chargers

Currently, the fastest way to charge an EV is with direct current (DC)-fast chargers, which are usually found in public and commercial settings like grocery store and shopping center parking lots. These stations provide charging speeds faster than what drivers would find in home chargers, allowing them to get back on the road more quickly. Fast charging is a good option for when drivers need to charge quickly while further away from home, especially on longer-distance trips.

Electrify America, for example – the largest public ultra-fast DC charging network in the U.S., with more than 640 charging stations and more than 2,860 individual chargers – offers the fastest available charging speeds today, allowing capable EVs to add up to 20 miles of range per minute. Most EV models on the road today can use Electrify America’s ultra-fast DC-charging stations, but owners should consult their vehicle’s manufacturer to learn more about charging capabilities.

Home chargers

One perk of an EV is the ability to power up without even leaving the house. At home, drivers use either a Level 1 or Level 2 charger, with the difference being how long it takes to get the car’s battery fully recharged.

Charging at Level 1 is most often used overnight, as these chargers usually add, on average, only 2-5 miles of range per 1 hour of charging to a depleted battery – meaning it will take about 8 hours to add 40 miles of range. Because Level 1 chargers expend less energy, they typically use a standard household outlet – like the one used to charge a smartphone or plug in a blender – and there’s no special charging equipment installation required. Level 1 chargers are a good option if most daily EV driving is done close to home, where drivers can easily recharge each day.

Level 2 charging is the faster charging option, which is commonly found in multi-unit dwellings. Examples include work offices, apartment complexes and hotels. This option also allows for drivers charging to fill up on more battery range in less time.

Level 2 charging requires the purchase of special charging equipment and uses the kind of outlet needed to run larger, more powerful household appliances like a washer or dryer. Depending on the vehicle’s battery size, Level 2 charging will add, on average, about 10-20 miles of range per one hour of charging from a depleted battery. Home chargers offer convenience and flexibility, such as Electrify America’s new HomeStation.

Paying for public charging

When plugging into a public EV charger, drivers will pay one of two ways, depending on the state where they’re charging – either by the number of minutes a car is plugged into the charger, or by the amount of energy the charger uses in one hour, known as kilowatt hour or kWh pricing.

Kilowatt hour pricing is similar to paying for gas by the gallon – the price is based on the amount of energy that’s going into the battery, regardless of how many minutes it takes to charge. An EV’s battery size is measured in kWh, so think of this like the size of a traditional vehicle’s gas tank: it’s different for every model and will determine how much energy a car can handle while charging.

New technologies make paying for a charge even more efficient than filling up at a gas pump.

For example, Electrify America became the first public charging network to offer “Plug&Charge” payment technology, allowing users with capable cars to pay for a charge by activating an Electrify America account and inputting a payment method, and then simply plugging in their EV. Plug&Charge charging sessions will then be billed automatically to that account.

Quality charging experience

Connected services are making the charging experience easier than ever. Electrify America’s easy-to-use mobile app, for example, means customers can manage aspects of the charging session – such as payment and remote monitoring of the session status – directly from their smart phones. The company is also introducing solar-powered canopies at select station locations, providing customers with weather protection while potentially storing energy.

EVs are an exciting part of the future of transportation, and understanding the charging process is key as more drivers consider an EV lifestyle. As charging companies build more stations and apply new technologies to enhance the overall charging experience, the world moves even closer to making public EV charging as simple as filling up at a gas station – perhaps even easier.