Monday, March 23, 2020

How to Fix the 500 Internal Server Error in WordPress

Internal server errors in WordPress are the worst (aka. http error 500). They provide no real information about the problem and are rarely actual server errors (ie: usually your server is working fine).In this article, Ill try to make sense of this internal server error in WordPress and show you how to get rid of it: The only thing thats certain is that the error is caused by some operation that went wrong on the websites end. Particularly in WordPress case, this can mean that a script thats part of a theme or a plugin did something it shouldnt have done, and now your server has crashed.Dont sweat, though, there are some good solutionsHow to resolve 500 internal server errorMost of the time, you can have the 500 internal server error solved in 6 steps:1. Turn on debuggingWhenever WordPress throws you a white screen of death or a server error, I recommend turning your debugging on. While this may not fix the problem, it may give you more insight into whats going on.You can turn debugg ing on by editing your sites wp-config.php file. Once youve accessed this file, search for WP_DEBUG within. If you find it, you should be able to set it to true. If you dont see it in there, youll need to create it yourself. Either way, at the end of the day, you should have a line that looks like this:define( "WP_DEBUG", true );Once saved, reload your site to see if anything has changed. If youre lucky, the server error may disappear and might be replaced with a different error, one that actually tells you where the issue is.If this is the case, take a look at where the error is located. If it is within a plugin folder, disable that plugin, the error should go away.Even if turning on debugging doesnt give you a great result, it is a good idea to leave it turned on until the issue is resolved. It will give you and any developers more insight into whats going on. Dont forget to turn debugging off once everything is a-ok and youre done with the maintenance!2. Deactivate all plugins an d switch themesIf you have access to your dashboard, you should deactivate all your plugins and see whats what. If your website loads without the server error the issue was with one of your plugins. You can switch them on one-by-one to figure out which one caused the issues.You can also switch your theme to a default, unaltered WordPress theme like Twenty Fifteen or Twenty Sixteen. If the site loads without the internal server error, the issue was within your theme.Ive noticed that quite a few of these errors are actually caused by plugins, so this will be your best bet.3. Check your .htaccess fileThe .htaccess file, if it exists, contains a number of rules that tell the server what to do in certain circumstances. It is commonly used for rewriting URLs or preventing access to your site for malicious intent.Use your FTP editor and check if you have an .htaccess file in your WordPress root folder. You may need to make sure your FTP editor lists hidden files before you do this.If there is an .htaccess file there, make a backup and then delete all the contents within, or the whole file. This may remove some important rules, but if the internal server error was caused by a mistake within the file, this will tell you.If the error is now resolved, the issue was with the .htaccess file. Try restoring the file and then deleting blocks of it. If at some point the site starts working, you know which block the issue is in. You can narrow it down to a single line like this usually. You can then remove that line or ask your developer or your host for further assistance.4. Increase your memoryIve never personally run into this issue, but Ive heard that increasing your memory limit may help I assume this is more of an issue in shared environments. To get this done, open your wp-config.php file in the WordPress root directory and search for WP_MEMORY_LIMIT. If it exists, change the value to something like 64M. If it doesnt, paste the following line into the file:define('WP_ME MORY_LIMIT', '64M');If this works then youve only solved the issue temporarily. Chances are that you have a faulty bit of code somewhere (which could be a third party plugin) that is exhausting your resources. If your host has monitoring available, take a look at your resource usage with various plugins on/off to get a better idea of what is wasting those precious megabytes.5. Ask your hostThere are a few uncommon issues which can lead to internal server errors in WordPress, but at this point it may be best to ask your host. The issue could be a genuine server issue, which they can at least confirm and they can also look at things like file permissions and other sources.Or, you might just want to switch to a better host that has servers that are more optimized to run WordPress sites. This doesnt have to be expensive. There are hosts that give you an okay WordPress experience for as little as $0.8 a month.6. Reinstall WordPressI shouldnt think this would help in most cases, but there are some edge cases where a reinstall of WordPress could fix the issue. It may even fix file permission problems along the way.To get this done, I recommend following the manual WordPress Update instructions in the WordPress Codex, or ThemeIsles own guide to installing WordPress.SummaryInternal server errors in WordPress are usually not caused by actual server faults. Most of the time, they can be corrected relatively easily using the methods described above. If in doubt, always ask your host, they have far more sophisticated tools than you do to locate and fix issues.I always recommend switching on debugging while youre working things out and ruling out plugin and theme issues since this is what any support technician would ask your to do first, or they would do it themselves. How to fix the 500 internal server #error in #WordPress 🠤â€"

Friday, March 6, 2020

What retirees can expect from their Costco job application

What retirees can expect from their Costco job application By: Scott Lawson Getting a part-time or a seasonal job when retired is becoming a more and more popular choice. Boomers and recent retirees alike often choose to supplement their retirement income through a job. A retail chain like Costco is a great place to start a job search. According to Time.com, Costco was praised by current employees for offering livable wages and benefits available to all employees.Here’s a brief guide for securing a job with Costco including steps and explanations from this Costco job application guide. After we walk you through the main careers to be pursued with Costco, you should be able to complete your job application easily. Let’s go!Costco careers at a glanceCostco is a complex operations chain of warehouses offering furniture, clothing, food, pharmacy goods and much more. Their careers are just as multi-faceted. What we mean by that is, depending on your background and skills, you may find very different pathways laid out before you.Here are the main types of jobs that Costco recruiters are always looking to fill:Warehouse and customer support jobs (Examples: warehouse and depot jobs, call center support positions, web trade positions, packaging positions, meat and merchandise processing jobs, counter jobs, business delivery jobs.)IT jobs (Examples: programmers, junior programmers, web developers and graphic interface designers.)Regional and home office jobs (Examples: human resources specialist, buying, and accounting positions, as well as legal counsel.)Licensed professions positions (Examples: opticians, pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, hearing aid specialists, optometrists, etc.)Popular jobs among SeniorsDepending on your background and the skills you acquired before retirement (or since you retired if you took advantage of the extra time), you may qualify for a position within the IT department or licensed professions. Some of these jobs are available on a part-time basis, but most of them do require a full- time commitment.Most seniors, however, seem to find employment within the warehouse and customer support jobs. This is due to both their background and experience (since there are more people trained for these positions), and the greater flexibility offered.Examples of warehouse, depot and customer support positions are these: cashier, clerk, cashier assistant, food court worker, stocker, and store manager.If you prefer a 4 or 6 hour a day schedule and think you have what it takes, go ahead and apply for a warehouse, depot or customer support job. This type of position involves working with people on a day to day basis and keeping those customer service skills polished.Now the fun part! Here’s the application process.Steps to complete your Costco job applicationGo to the Costo careers portal and click the Apply Now button to be redirected to the jobs page.At the top of the page, click on the Apply to a Specific Position tab. There you can start searching for positions. If you prefer to explore whatever vacancies you can find in your proximity, then you should stay on the second tab.If you’re searching for jobs nearby on the second tab, you can introduce your zip code and the website will return all available positions within a reasonable radius from that location.If you want to find a job within a specific department, you can also click on the following tags to filter only the available positions pertaining to them. Filter  jobs according to Contact Center, Costco Travel, Depots, Warehouse Store and more.If you see results for multiple positions with the same name but different locations, simply click on the name of the store you would like to work. Once you find the position and location, you’re ready to start! Click the red button that says Begin Application.Register for an account on the Costco careers portal, or sign in if you already have created an applicant account in the past. If you forgot your password, you can easily reset it by clicking Forgot My Password.Next, you will be asked to fill in your contact information. Fill in all the required fields, using your primary email address and a cell phone number. Make sure they are able to reach you easily if you get selected.Then, upload your resume to their portal. You should have a CV prepared beforehand somewhere on your computer, and upload it when prompted.You may be asked some questions next, about your previous experience, expected start date and so on. If you get asked hypothetical behavior questions, like ‘How would you react if confronted by an angry customer?’ Focus on describing a calm and sympathetic response. Most questions will focus on facts regarding your background and last job you held. This portion shouldn’t take longer than a few minutes.Review your application details and submit it when you’re sure everything is correct. You’re done!Next, you should simply wait for a phone call from a Costco HR representa tive. If they select you for an interview, you should hear from then within a couple of weeks. Costco is an equal opportunity employer, and there are plenty of seniors who managed to find employment opportunities in their team. Keep a positive outlook and good luck with your application! About the author: Scott Lawson is an HR manager devoted to his career. During his 5-year work span, Scott developed a taste for writing and helping others. This materialized into a website, JobApplicationWorld, that aims to help others tackle the hiring process.