A Better Job

Looking for work is an energy-devouring ordeal, often leading to running in circles and not getting anywhere. A systematic approach can help you focus on your goal, avoid wasting the energy you need to conserve for interviews and employer contacts, and lower your stress level.

Some resources you might find helpful include:

1. Newspaper classified. Pro: you know that an opening does exist or a company wouldnt spend money to advertise. Con: there may be thousands of applicants for one position. Value depends upon the kind of work you are looking for and the uniqueness of your skills and experience. Certainly worth a weekend check but cannot be exclusively relied upon unless you have your heart set on a telemarketing position.

2. Registering with agencies. Pro: they only make money when you obtain work so they are motivated to get you employment. Con: they need you to take a job, any job, so they can earn their fees and they work to keep their real clients, employers, happy so often screen you out of the really good jobs if they have any doubt about how well you will fit.

3. Internet resources. There are some good resources -Monster.com and Careerbuilder and the job finder section of most major home pages. Beware of wasting time on groups. While some a very few are well-managed and inappropriate postings screened out, others many are choked with pornographic messages.

4. Job hotlines. These are useful for a weekly check-in but they are primarily available with large employers and jobs are more likely to be found with small and medium-sized employers. The same caveat holds true for job fairs.

5. Cold-calling. If your skills lie within a particular industry where employers typically cluster together -industrial parks, medical centers, retail - walking into offices cold, with a smile, a resume, and a confident air, can sometimes identify an open position long before any search for applicants begins.

6. Personal contacts. Listed last but of prime importance. By networking -- contacting everyone you know to obtain help, and following up on their contacts -- you may be able to marshal several hundred job hunting aides which increases your chances enormously.

7. Prioritize your activities. Assess each method for what looks most promising, try them for a short period, and determine where you, personally, feel comfortable. Spend the major part of your job search time there to avoid squandering your energy on fruitless pursuits.

About The Author

Dr. Bola developed innovative job search techniques for disabled workers for 20 years. A licensed psychologist, she appeared as a Vocational Expert in a variety of administrative and civil courts. Author and e-zine publisher, she can be found at: http://www.virginiabola.com

With all the excitement regarding high protein diets, one area that is often not talked about is a diet rich in protein can be a major contributor to bad breath. Actually, there are several causes of bad breath, many of which most people have given little, if any, thought to.

Have you ever thought of the impact a person’s breath can have on their career Often, the only place the smell of your breath is mentioned is in the dentist’s office. Yet, it is definitely something to think of.

Think of the last time you encountered someone with bad breath. Did you tell them Probably not. It’s not as easy to say, “By the way, your breath is offensive,” as it is to say, “You have something on your shirt.”

Have you ever wondered if your breath is offensive Maybe you’re someone who is constantly popping breath mints, chewing gum or spraying your mouth before you talk with others. Consider what repeatedly chewing gum or sucking on a sugar mint might be doing to your teeth.

The purpose of this article is to give you a simple understanding of where bad breath comes from and what you can do about it. As previously mentioned, high protein diets can cause bad breath. Bad breath is caused from bacteria in your mouth or throat. Decay of your teeth can also contribute to bad breath. In addition, illness, smoking, alcohol, diabetes, mucous from the throat and certain foods you eat contribute to an unpleasant odor. In extreme cases the smell is so offensive it indicates serous medical problems.

Contrary to popular belief, rarely is bad breath caused by stomach problems. Nor do mouthwashes cure bad breath. If anything, they act as a temporary solution and add to the problem over the long haul. However, mouthwash in conjunction with flossing, tooth brushing and tongue cleaning can help.

There are simple solutions for better breath and there are more drastic measures some may need to take. On the simple side, cleaning your tongue can help a great deal. You can use your toothbrush to do this. Try to go back as far as you can in order to gain the best result. Some people may initially experience a gag reflex. The more you put this into your oral hygiene practice, the easier it becomes.

Regular professional teeth cleanings are another simple solution. The best part of having a regular cleaning with your dental hygienist is you will be able to catch any contributing problems as soon as possible.

If you have any teeth that need repair such as lose fillings, apparent decay, or chips see you dental professional as soon as possible. Not only will you be able to lessen the problems you may have with bad breath, you will reduce the long-term negative effects such things can have on your mouth and overall health.

Regardless of your profession bad breath is something that impacts you in unspoken ways. With the simple steps outlined in this article you eliminate the possibility that you may be offending someone without even knowing it.

If you are in sales or any profession where you deal with the public, this is especially important for you. Can you risk the chance of offending a customer with something you have the capability of correcting I think not.

About The Author

Dr. Scott Kiser has been practicing general dentistry in Salt Lake City, Utah for over 20 years. Dr. Kiser has used only mercury-free substances in his treatments since the mid 90’s and concentrates his practice in the areas of sedation dentistry and complete smile makeovers. Consumer Research Council of America selected him as Utah’s Top Cosmetic Dentist of 2003 – 04. Dr. Kiser is a member of AACD – American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Visit www.greatsmilesutah.com to sign up for a FREE monthly online newsletter or for more information on Dr. Kiser and all of his services. Skiserdds@aol.com

1. Differentiate yourself using a Personal Value Proposition. A PVP a description of how your unique mixture of five key elements creates and/or adds value for an organization and the people in it. A personal examination of these elements reminds you of all the strong, positive things you bring to the table and it points out the gaps you need to close before you can position yourself more effectively. Examine each element separately, combine all the data and created a succinct summary of what you have to offer.

The five elements are: The knowledge you have about the events and trends in areas critical to or of most interest to your company and clients; The kinds of internal and external networks that you can tap into to meet corporate/client needs; Your ability to generate and implement superior solutions to organizational issues and concerns; The academic, technical, or interpersonal tools you can bring to bear in key situations and; finally, The personal attributes and strengths you have that sets you apart from others in the organization.

2. Describe yourself in terms of the outcomes you create, not the activities you engage in. Fashion a one-line proclamation, a marketing slogan if you like, that reflects the outcomes you create for your company and its customers.

3. Make it your personal mission to always make others, including your boss, look good. Someone once said, “you can have anything you want; all you have to do is give others what they want.” While there is the odd exception to be sure, most people are fair and honest—willing to share credit where it’s due. Making others look good sweeps you up in their success and almost guarantees that they will help you enjoy successes of your own.

4. Be a can-do person; take to heart the words of the old song, “the difficult I can do right now; the impossible will take a little while.” Instead of saying “I’ve never done that,” say, “I’ll learn how to do it.” Don’t be afraid of steep learning curves. Remember the organization hired you because you were smart. Look for the opportunity in difficulties rather than the difficulties in the opportunities.

5. Develop success from failures. Don’t be afraid to fail or make mistakes. But if you do either take responsibility—don’t project or rationalize. Admitting a mistake or failure and moving forward is proactive not reactive. Above all, identify and remember the learning opportunities in the situation. Forget about everything else and move on.

6. Ask for help. IQ expands exponentially. Together, two people bring four times the intelligence. Super-hero individualism is often counter-productive.

7. Remember the Pareto principle, or the 80/20 rule as it’s more commonly known. Eighty percent of your effectiveness comes from twenty percent of your activities. Manage your priorities and don’t waste time spinning your wheels by engaging unimportant activity.

8. Get yourself in front of an audience. Learn to make effective presentations and make as many as you can. Good presentations are the mark of a true professional. You, your ideas and skills receive broader corporate exposure that, in my experience, can result in challenging new assignments, larger budgets, greater general recognition and even raises and promotions.

9. Develop and use internal and external networks, both formal and informal. People who network well often receive and move information faster, cut through organizational politics more quickly and, create solutions better suited to the needs of their companies. Research in different types of organizations shows that those who develop and use networks usually get to serve on more successful teams, receive early promotions more often, get higher compensation, and get better performance reviews.

About The Author

© Dr. Tom Olson 2004, all rights reserved Permission to reprint article granted as long as this signature remains intact.

Dr. Tom Olson is the author of Don’t Die With Your helmet On. Visit www.Dontdiewithyourhelmeton.com for more information about Dr. Tom, the book and his work info@dontdiewithyourhelmeton.com

"Know your Ruling Star. One man is better received by one nation than another, or is one welcome by one city than another. He finds more luck in one office or position than in another, and all though his qualifications are equal or even identical. Let each man know his luck as well as his talents. Follow your guiding star and help it without mistaking any other for it. Know how to transplant yourself. There are nations with whom one must cross their borders to make ones value felt.” — Balthasar Gracian, Spain, 1600s

Have you ever felt, “Here I am, best job I ever had, good money, an excellent career move — but, what in the world am I doing here where I feel so alone and out-of-place with my surroundings How did this happen to me”

I’ve been there, because someone offered me a job and I accepted, knowing ahead-of-time, intuitively I wouldn’t feel at home in the town and surroundings.

Or — maybe you love your location but, sadly, are unable to find any openings in your field. I’ve been there also. Looking back on my years in Austin, Texas, I can’t believe the number of short-term, soul-emptying jobs I tried very hard and unsuccessfully do to. My job-duration ranged from only two hours which was long enough when you hate what you are doing! to several months each day seeming like an eternity before my opportunities in broadcasting finally came.

It’s a rare person these days who is able to say, “I love this community, love my home, love the work I do, get along great with my business colleagues and supervisors. How do you beat perfection”

There is a wonderful quote I repeated to myself many, many times during my ups and downs in Texas.

“Hence the first principle in changing one’s character is to seek another environment, to let new forces play upon our unused chords, and draw from us a better music.” — Will Durant

That’s what I wanted! I wanted another location — another place — where new forces could play upon my unused chords and draw from me a better music.

“There are nations with whom one must cross their borders to make ones value felt." — Gracian

Yes! Yes! Yes! That’s what I wanted. To cross borders and feel my native talents valued again.

"Know your Ruling Star,” the Spanish priest Gracian wrote in The Art of Worldly Wisdom. “One man is better received by one nation than another, or is one welcome by one city than another. He finds more luck in one office or position than in another, and all though his qualifications are equal or even identical.”

We are better received in certain locations or areas than in others, welcomed when we show up, and we most certainly do find more luck in one place than another.

“But where, where, where is THAT PLACE” I wondered.

In Texas, for every 100% plus I gave in my career, the returns feeling valued, appreciated, and being monetarily rewarded, always fell short.

I hosted a noon talk show for awhile at an Austin TV station. Our ratings were great. The guests I booked were top names in the literary, entertainment, self-improvement, and political arenas.

After our ratings came in one spring, I couldn’t believe how well the show was doing.

Several days later, however, the General Manager wanted to see me.

After all the years of my show’s success, he said, “James, I can’t complain about your ratings. That’s good for ad revenue, but I finally got a chance to see your show yesterday. As you know I only have a tenth grade education, never finished high school, started in sales, worked my way up to where I am today.” He beamed proudly, “I didn’t understand it.”

I knew when he said, “I didn’t understand it,” my show was doomed.

The GM was the standard by which all business decisions at our stations were made.

I wanted to call him, “Idiot,” but restrained myself.

My favorite line in Texas TV came from a female news director who told me, “You have a master’s degree. We don’t need people that smart to do the news.” I never worked at that station.

“Let each man know his luck as well as his talents. Follow your guiding star and help it without mistaking any other for it. Know how to transplant yourself,” Gracian reminds us.

Know how to transplant yourself!

Finally, I did transplant myself, once again. It was time to move from the newsroom and go into teaching; use, finally, that masters degree referred to earlier that wasn’t needed to report the news.

“There is a simple answer to the question ‘What is the purpose of our individual lives” A.J. Ayer wrote. “They have whatever purpose we succeed in putting into them.”

Yet, if you believe you are being guided by and toward a higher destiny, as I do, use what others know their gifts and resources to inform and enlighten yourself.

I’ve also successfully used relocation astrology as an essential tool to follow my guiding star. Through my sessions with Cait Benten, I’m finding, as wed all like to do, a balance of the “right place” and the “right work” combined.

“This time, like all other times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

http://www.astro-earth-relocation.com/james%20by%20phone.htm

http://www.astro-earth-relocation.com

About The Author

Now, after a career as an award-winning media communicator and as a university professor, James has shared meaning-filled conversations with film stars, recording artists, US Presidents and first ladies, state governors, world-famous authors, scientists, and people from most every walk of life.

You’ll get wet but the reward just might be a more fulfilling ride!

In Survival is Not Enough, author Seth Godin says change is the "new normal.” Rather than thinking of work as a series of stable times interrupted by moments of change, Godin says we “must now recognize work as constant change, with only occasional moments of stability."

For many of us this very thought stirs both a nervous anxiety and an enjoyable excitement. Even if we are fearful, we crave change: the opportunity to try something new, to build on what we know, to stretch our professional muscles.

So how do we deal with the fear, change that career horse in mid-stream and move down the career exploration path on a new stallion

First we have to acknowledge our fears. They may not be rational even to us but we are not seeking our rational thoughts. We are in search of those underlying fears that operate whether or not we are fully aware of them.

Try this…take out a piece of paper and write down all the reasons you can’t or won’t make a career change or job move. Don’t hold back. What are your fears, concerns, reservations etc Are they related to a loss of income or the expectations of others Fear of failure Success Don’t get caught up in how you should feel or that you know a concern is not entirely valid. Just write them down. Think of yourself as a researcher looking for information in a non-judgmental way. We are simply observing ourselves, reserving our conclusions for later.

As you study your list you can easily see that underlying most of our fears is your reluctance to trust your ability to be capable, creative, and resourceful. But a close examination of your track record will reveal that this lack of trust is unfounded. After all, haven’t you accomplished many professional and personal goals Haven’t your setbacks lead to a renewed determination To an enriched experience To a more well rounded professional outlook

Now take a look at that list again. Read each fear or concern slowly and ask yourself, where am I in all or nothing, always or never, black or white thinking Are your thoughts fraught with extreme terms like… If I change jobs I’ll be broke. If I take less money my family will hate me. If I change careers my parents will go berserk. If I pursue a new career my education and experience will be for nothing. If I make the wrong choice I’ll never recover.

Are these statements really true Can you know for a fact that if you make a professional move something terrible will happen While your worst fears could happen, how likely are they to occur if you trust your record of resourcefulness and creatively You may have heard that FEAR is an acronym for False Expectations Appearing Real. Our fears are generally rooted in the perspective that the worst will definitely happen. After all if we really understand the true odds we would move forward with far less anxiety.

In short, coach yourself to be honest about your irrational thoughts. Name your fears. Review them and look for the misconceptions in them. Where are you in an all or nothing perspective Don’t judge yourself for having irrational thoughts. Acknowledge them when they happen and remind your self that such thoughts only trip us up when we pretend we don’t have them!

Once we become aware of our fears we become more agile and willing to cross the proverbial stream with a new horse. The following seven steps will keep you astride that lively and spirited career steed even when things are bumpy and unpredictable.

1. Money isn’t everything. Don’t expect to take a pay cut, especially if you have transferable skills. But, if you do accept a lower salary, make sure it’s a fair exchange for a more rewarding career. Be careful here. Sometimes we get caught up in how it will look to others if we take a pay cut and what does that say about us Remember only you can assess whether a pay cut is worth it.

2. Know your passion. When youre true to your mission, you experience peace and stability. When you ignore the truth, you experience disharmony, indecision and doubt. Work at achieving goals that are compatible with your passion. Trust that your resourcefulness and creativity will make things happen.

3. It’s your life. Close friends and family members may have trouble envisioning you in a different career. Expand your network; make an effort to meet new people. Attend professional events, join an industry association or meet other job seekers online. Remember, what do you want If you know that answer, your personal power will help you achieve your goals.

4. Jump often. Risk taking gets easier with practice. Start with small risks in daily activities. Think of a risk you would like to take. What would you gain from taking it Whats frightening about it Whats the worst thing that could happen if it turned out badly If the worst happened, what would you do What could you do to minimize this What information would make this less risky If you broke the risk into small steps, what would the first step be When could you take it

5. Get creative. Become involved in activities, relationships, hobbies, and spiritual/community activities. With this new focus you may even discover you’re enjoying that unsatisfying job now that you have a more balanced perspective.

6. Don’t give up. The career path is not linear – it’s more like a spiral. On average, it takes four years to change careers, according to Herminia Ibarra, the author of Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career. It’s a process of trial and error – you will likely face a few disappointments and failures.

7. Be a cheerleader. As you go through a career transition, enthusiasm can help you meet the challenges and overcome the obstacles. When youre networking or job hunting, your enthusiasm can often overcome the reservations potential employers may have about your career change.

About The Author

Merci Miglino is well qualified to help you take the next step to accomplish what you want in your professional and personal life. Merci was educated as a teacher and worked as a journalist, paralegal, communications director and campaign manager. She has also been on the front lines of the retail, hospitality and advertising industries. Armed with this background Merci is a noted speaker, trainer and career coach. She is also a facilitator of the Personal CatalystTM , a unique, web-based life and career design tool that inspires extraordinary achievement. As if that were not enough, she has written a book, From Doormat to Diva© Taking Center Stage in your life. This woman knows success, personally and professionally, and she knows how to help you find it too. merci@matpounders.com

There has been a lot of talk recently about American jobs moving overseas…offshoring is the buzzword for it. During difficult economic times it is often easy to find a scapegoat to blame for a downturn in jobs. While government reports and politicians try to downplay the impact, offshoring is something to take seriously. This article will discuss the permanent effect offshoring will have on U.S. jobs and what you can do to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Economic crises of the last thirty years have tended to blames overseas competitors for America’s financial woes. During the seventies it was foreign steel to blame and during the eighties it was foreign agriculture. The current trend of moving American jobs overseas, particularly to India, The Phillipines and other developing nations has been troubling to many. While some people think this is a temporary situation, shifts in the American economy and world politics indicate otherwise.

One of the effects of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War has been the increased globalization of trade. On this continent, economic borders have opened up due to the North America Free Trade Act NAFTA. In Europe, the collapse of the Iron Curtain has opened the borders of the eastern countries. And the European Union has made a significant impact on the economy; standardizing currency in 13 countries in 2000 and adding 10 new member nations last month…mostly former Eastern Bloc nations. Even China has joined the global free market, contributing $620 billion in trade to the world’s markets in 2002. China has taken control of Taiwan and regained Asia’s economic powerhouse – Hong Kong – after 100 years of British rule.

These global economic changes are big and they will not go away. American companies have taken advantage of the global market, establishing icons of American culture like fast food, retail stores and computer software everywhere. With all these events and situations, it only makes sense that American companies would turn to foreign labor.

Besides, the economic impact of the world’s political shift, the American economy has transformed itself. The rise of the computer has shifted the United States economy from an industrial nation to a nation of information and service. This means there will be less jobs in making things and more jobs in marketing and servicing things. Unfortunately the American education system has been ill prepared for this inevitable change. In the mid to late nineties, thousands of well paying computer jobs went to foreign nationals on temporary work visas. Additionally, domestic workers on a whole will move from being permanently hired employees to contract or temporary employees. As a worker, it will be more important to market yourself, keep a good network of contacts and maintain your technical skills.

Although this news sounds grim, it’s really not. Most of the jobs going overseas are in the lower salary ranges like customer service and technical support positions. Meanwhile, the new “hot jobs” pay very competitively, even for workers who lack employment experience.

If you’re afraid your job may be going overseas, or you want a better paying career with more advancement opportunities, take a look at these hot jobs: IT Security IT Project Management IT Outsource Management IT Database Administrators Health Care - Medical Assistant Health Care – Nursing Health Care – Home Health Health Care – Dental Hygienists Health Care - Medical Coding Health Care – Medical Office Administration

Find out how you can begin the education for one of these great careers at www.top-colleges.com.

About The Author

Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA http://www.degreesource.com/articles Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. For daily updates, read our blog at http://degreesource.blogspot.com

My experience working with thousands of leaders world wide for the past two decades teaches me that most leaders are screwing up their careers.

On a daily basis, these leaders are getting the wrong results or the right results in the wrong ways.

Interestingly, they themselves are choosing to fail. They’re actively sabotaging their own careers.

Leaders commit this sabotage for a simple reason: They make the fatal mistake of choosing to communicate with presentations and speeches -- not leadership talks.

In terms of boosting one’s career, the difference between the two methods of leadership communication is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.

Speeches/presentations primarily communicate information. Leadership talks, on the other hand, not only communicate information, they do more: They establish a deep, human emotional connection with the audience.

Why is the later connection necessary in leadership

Look at it this way: Leaders do nothing more important than get results. There are generally two ways that leaders get results: They can order people to go from point A to point B; or they can have people WANT TO go from A to B.

Clearly, leaders who can instill “want to” in people, who motivate those people, are much more effective than leaders who can’t or won’t.

And the best way to instill “want to” is not simply to relate to people as if they are information receptacles but to relate to them on a deep, human, emotional way.

And you do it with leadership talks.

Here are a few examples of leadership talks. When Churchill said, “We will fight on the beaches ... “ That was a leadership talk. When Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you ... “ that was a leadership talk. When Reagan said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” That was a leadership talk. You can come up with a lot of examples too. Go back to those moments when the words of a leader inspired people to take ardent action, and you’ve probably put your finger on an authentic leadership talk. Mind you, I’m not just talking about great leaders of history. I’m also talking about the leaders in your organizations. After all, leaders speak 15 to 20 times a day: everything from formal speeches to informal chats. When those interactions are leadership talks, not just speeches or presentations, the effectiveness of those leaders is dramatically increased. How do we put together leadership talks It’s not easy. Mastering leadership talks takes a rigorous application of many specific processes. As Clement Atlee said of that great master of leadership talks, Winston Churchill, “Winston spent the best years of his life preparing his impromptu talks.” Churchill, Kennedy, Reagan and others who were masters at giving leadership talks didn’t actually call their communications “leadership talks”, but they must have been conscious to some degree of the processes one must employ in putting a leadership talk together.

Here’s how to start. If you plan to give a leadership talk, there are three questions you should ask. If you answer “no” to any one of those questions, you can’t give one. You may be able to give a speech or presentation, but certainly not a leadership talk.

1 DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE AUDIENCE NEEDS

Winston Churchill said, “We must face the facts or they’ll stab us in the back.”

When you are trying to motivate people, the real facts are THEIR facts, their reality.

Their reality is composed of their needs. In many cases, their needs have nothing to do with your needs.

Most leaders don’t get this. They think that their own needs, their organization’s needs, are reality. That’s okay if you’re into ordering. As an order leader, you only need work with your reality. You simply have to tell people to get the job done. You don’t have to know where they’re coming from. But if you want to motivate them, you must work within their reality, not yours.

I call it “playing the game in the people’s home park”. There is no other way to motivate them consistently. If you insist on playing the game in your park, you’ll be disappointed in the motivational outcome.

2 CAN YOU BRING DEEP BELIEF TO WHAT YOU’RE SAYING

Nobody wants to follow a leader who doesn’t believe the job can get done. If you can’t feel it, they won’t do it.

But though you yourself must “want to” when it comes to the challenge you face, your motivation isn’t the point. It’s simply a given. If you’re not motivated, you shouldn’t be leading.

Here’s the point: Can you TRANSFER your motivation to the people so they become as motivated as you are

I call it THE MOTIVATIONAL TRANSFER, and it is one of the least understood and most important leadership determinants of all.

There are three ways you can make the transfer happen. CONVEY INFORMATION. Often, this is enough to get people motivated. For instance, many people have quit smoking because of information on the harmful effects of the habit. MAKE SENSE. To be motivated, people must understand the rationality behind your challenge. Re: smoking: People have been motivated to quit because the information makes sense. TRANSMIT EXPERIENCE. This entails having the leader’s experience become the people’s experience. This can be the most effective method of all, for when the speaker’s experience becomes the audience’s experience, a deep sharing of emotions and ideas, a communing, can take place.

There are plenty of presentation and speech courses devoted to the first two methods, so I won’t talk about those.

Here’s a few thoughts on the third method. Generally speaking, humans learn in two ways: by acquiring intellectual understanding and through experience. In our schooling, the former predominates, but it is the latter which is most powerful in terms of inducing a deep sharing of emotions and ideas; for our experiences, which can be life’s teachings, often lead us to profound awareness and purposeful action.

Look back at your schooling. Was it your book learning or your experiences, your interactions with teachers and students, that you remember most In most cases, your experiences made the most telling impressions upon you.

To transfer your motivation to others, use what I call my “defining moment” technique, which I describe fully in my book, DEFINING MOMENT: MOTIVATING PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION.

In brief, the technique is this: Put into sharp focus a particular experience of yours then communicate that focused experience to the people by describing the physical facts that gave you the emotion.

Now, here’s the secret to the defining moment. That experience of yours must provide a lesson and that lesson is a solution to the needs of the people. Otherwise, they’ll think you’re just talking about yourself.

For the defining moment to work i.e., for it to transfer your motivation to them, the experience must be about them. The experience happened to you, of course. But that experience becomes their experience when the lesson it communicates is a solution to their needs.

3 CAN YOU HAVE THE AUDIENCE TAKE RIGHT ACTION

Results don’t happen unless people take action. After all, it’s not what you say that’s important in your leadership communications, it’s what the people do after you have had your say.

Yet the vast majority of leaders don’t have a clue as to what action truly is.

They get people taking the wrong action at the wrong time in the wrong way for the wrong results.

A key reason for this failure is they don’t know how to deliver the all-important “leadership talk Call-to-action”.

“Call” comes from an Old English word meaning to shout. A Call-to-Action is a shout for action. Implicit in the concept is urgency and forcefulness. But most leaders don’t deliver the most effective Calls-to-action because they make three errors regarding it.

First, they err by mistaking the Call-to-Action as an order. Within the context of The Leadership Talk, a Call-to-action is not an order. Leave the order for the order leader.

Second, leaders err by mistaking the Call as theirs to give. The best Call-to-action is not the leaders to give. Its the people’s to give. Its the people’s to give to themselves. A true Call-to-action prompts people to motivate themselves to take action.

The most effective Call-to-action then is not from the leader to the people but from the people to the people themselves!

Third, they error by not priming their Call. There are two parts to the Call-to-Action, the primer and the Call itself. Most leaders omit the all-important primer.

The primer sets up the Call, which is to prompt people to motivate themselves to take action. You yourself control the primer. The people control the Call.

The primer/Call is critical because every leadership communication situation is in essence a problem situation. There is the problem the leader has. And there is the problem the people have. In many cases, they are two different problems. But leaders get into trouble regarding the Call-to-action when they think it’s only one problem, mainly theirs.

For instance, a leader might be talking about the organization needing to be more productive. So, the leader talks PRODUCTIVITY.

On the other hand, the people, hearing PRODUCTIVITY, think, YOU’RE GOING TO GIVE ME MORE WORK!

If the leader thinks that productivity is the people’s problem and ignores the “more work” aspect, h/she’s Call-to-action will probably be a bust, resulting in the people avoiding committed action.

Let’s apply the primer/Call dynamic to the productivity case. The leader talks PRODUCTIVITY: but this time uses a PRIMER. The primer’s purpose is to establish a “critical confluence” – the union of your problem with the problem of the people.

In this case, the leader creates a critical confluence by couching productivity within the framework of MORE MEANINGFUL WORK.

The primer may be: LET’S GET TOGETHER AND SEE IF YOU CAN COME UP WITH AN ACTION PLAN THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE PRODUCTIVITY GAINS YOU IDENTIFY AND EXECUTE WILL ENABLE YOU TO WORK AT WHAT’S REALLY MEANINGFUL TO YOU.

Note what we’ve done: The primer is LET’S GET TOGETHER AND SEE IF YOU CAN COME UP WITH AN ACTION PLAN.

The actual Call is from the people to themselves: LET’S INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY BY WORKING AT WHAT’S MEANINGFUL.

With that Call, the leader moves from just getting average results YOU MUST BE MORE PRODUCTIVE: i.e., you’re going to solve MY problem to getting great results YOU COME UP WITH WAYS TO TIE PRODUCTIVITY INTO MEANINGFUL WORK: i.e., you’re also going to solve your problem.

So, here’s what the leadership talk Call-to-action is truly about: It’s not an order; it’s best manifested when the people give themselves the Call; and it is always primed by your creating the “critical confluence” -- they’ll be solving their problem as well as yours.

The vast majority of leaders I’ve worked with are hampering their careers for one simple reason: They’re giving presentations and speeches -- not leadership talks.

You have a great opportunity to turbo charge your career by recognizing the power of leadership talks. Before you give a leadership talk, ask three basic questions. Do you know what the people need Can you bring deep belief to what you’re saying Can you have the people take the right take action

If you say “no” to any one of those questions you cannot give a leadership talk. But the questions aren’t meant to be stumbling blocks to your leadership but stepping stones. If you answer “no”, work on the questions until you can say, “yes”. In that way, you’ll start getting the right results in the right way on a consistent basis.

2004 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

About The Author

The author of 23 books, Brent Filson’s recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. – and has worked with thousands of leaders worldwide during the past 20 years helping them achieve sizable increases in hard, measured results. Sign up for his free leadership ezine and get a free guide, “49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,” at http://www.actionleadership.com.

As it does with every main life aspect, feng shui also provides tips and guidelines to help you improving your career. If your career is not moving on in the way you wish, that is due to a lack of balance and harmony within your environment and the elements that affect it. Feng shui career tips intend to help you reach that harmony, but besides of following these specific tips, you should try to follow feng shui guidelines for all your life areas, since your life should be balanced as a whole as well.

One first and very important feng shui career tip talks about your desk position. The desk or table you use for working should be placed in a position that allows you to see the main door. Your desk should never be with your back at the door, since that would be very harmful for your career. And if possible, you should also try to place it in such an angle where you can also see the window.

You should be careful of not having your back towards a sharp edge or a poison arrow. If you cant avoid this, you could minimize the harmful effects by placing a plant or a crystal covering it. In case you have a door or a window at your back, you can also place a plant or a crystal to neutralize bad consequences.

It is also important that you design your office or working space according to the bagua map indications. If possible, you should try to create your working space at the south of the environment where it will be. According to the bagua, south symbolizes the life area corresponding to career, and therefore it is the ideal place for such purpose.

Another important thing to take into account is tidiness. Your working space, and especially your desk, should be tidy. You should get rid of clutter from your working space and maintain it as clean and tidy as possible. Besides, it is particularly important that you keep the south area of your desk free of objects since this area is the one which corresponds to career according to the bagua map.

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.fengshuicrazy.com Please visit his website and learn all the feng shui tips youll ever need!

Photography is a vast world. There are many different types of photography and many different kinds of people that enjoy it. It’s a hobby that be relatively inexpensive or one that you can invest a lot of money on. Photos are so special because they give us memories of times and places and events in our lives. We can hold onto these memories forever with a photograph.

As much as people love photos, many people love taking them even more. Whether it’s a mother who takes photos at every of her children’s moments in life first smile, first step, first spaghetti meal or maybe it’s the father who never forgets his camera for a football or basketball game, or maybe it’s the young girl who loves nature hikes with her camera; these people are not exceptions. They all have an eye for those special moments and they all appreciate the camera’s ability to capture that moment and freeze it in time forever.

What is Freelance Photography

What if you love photography so much you wish you could do it for a living I mean, you actually get paid for your photographs! But you work solely for yourself, selling each photo or series of photos individually. You don’t have a boss. You work sometimes on assignment and you may sell to magazines. That is freelance photography.

Freelance photography may be your entire career or it may start out as something you do in your spare time but begin making money from it. It’s just like freelance writing in this sense that many people turn it into a career and enjoy the freedom of working essentially for themselves on their own time and making money doing something they love doing anyway.

How to Build a Portfolio

To start getting jobs as a freelance photographer, you need a portfolio. A portfolio will show samples of your work. Even if you have never had photographs published or publicly displayed, you can start a portfolio of your best work and then add onto it if you win photography contests or start receiving paid work.

How to Get Jobs

As we mentioned, building a portfolio is the first step in submitting your work for pay but when it comes right down to it, it’s the quality of the photo that will determine if you get paid for it. Some people have more of a natural talent for taking great pictures than others but it is a skill that anyone can learn. There are schools dedicated to the art of photography and you can even get a degree in it. If you are just getting started, you can look into classes provided by your local community center or community college. Some cities have photography groups that meet to share photos and tips. There are also many groups online dedicated to photography and freelance photography.

You need to view as many famous photographs as possible. Take a look at what is getting published and compare it to your own photos. This allows you to compare and learn from other’s work. It takes more than just point and shoot to get a great photo. You need to learn about focus, lighting, colors and backgrounds and much more.

Once you start learning about photography and creating a portfolio, you can start submitting your photos to contests and magazines. Get a list of photography markets and start submitting to ones that accept your type of photos. Don’t expect to make it to the big times right away. Few people actually achieve this but you can start small and eventually make your way into a nice living from freelance photography.

About The Author

Looking for information about Photography Go to: http://www.asaphotography.com ASA Photography is published by Colin Hartness - An excellent resource for Photography! Check out more Photography articles at: http://www.asaphotography.com/archive

Why Career Advice Is So Important

Choosing a career presents a nerve-racking decision, as it can have a life-long impact on you. Do not fret, as you can gain a clearer outlook into your future by thorough career planning.

Having a clear vision of the future can guide you by helping you set career goals and helping you on your way towards attaining them. Whether you are starting out on a new career or looking to change your current career, you will benefit enormously from taking sound advice.

Dont Spend Most of Your Life Doing ...

Chances are that you will be spending a great deal of time at your job, about 40 hours a week. Career advice and career profiling can guide you to a job that is enjoyable for you and matches your interests.

There are many reasons people change their careers and career advice can help them along the way. Some frequently cited reasons are: Stuck in a dead end job. Lost interest in current line of work. Gained a new interest in a different career option.

A Job For Life ... Not Anymore

In today’s world, there is increased job rotation ... also with the down turns in the economy, many people can be laid-off. Good career advice for unemployed persons would be to consider a career change.

Some of the fastest growing occupations are Medical Assistant, Network Systems Analyst, Physician Assistant, etc. Occupations that are struggling to gain workers can be a suitable option for currently unemployed individuals.

People often back off from changing careers if they are unsure of the effort it might take to start a new career and learn a new trade. If you are one of these people, career advice from professionals can help you make a knowledgeable decision.

How To Identify Your Career Choices

When choosing a new career field, career advice and career planning can help you figure out your career choices. When embarking on a new career, you need to take into account your previous education and work experience. You should start thinking about the skills you currently possess and how they can be beneficial in each of the new career options available to you.

Have You Considered a Career Test

Valuable career advice can come from aptitude test as they can help in identifying suitable job options. Career tests include tests such as personality profiling, leadership skills, motivation, management style, etc. The results of such tests can give you the career advice that can direct you to a suitable career, by matching your interests with career options.

Many career tests are offered online. They may be free or available for a small fee. Many experts provide the career advice to employment seekers to take some time to plan their career and set their goals.

Knowing your career goals can provide you with valuable guidance.

Remember that career planning and goal setting is an on-going process, changing as you continue on your career.

The web can be a great source to find valuable career advice. It can provide you with many resources to research new career choices and find out information on a particular career field such as average salary, work environment, job responsibilities, etc.

Use Resumes That Give You an Advantage

Whether you are starting a career, changing careers or looking for a different job in your present career, the best career advice is to have a great, eye-catching resume.

You may be thinking about using your old resume, maybe the one you made after graduating from college. However, you will have to make changes to that resume to make it relevant to your present situation.

Upgrade your resume with the additional skills and experiences you have acquired.

People going through a career change, need to present the skills they have acquired through the years in a way that makes it relevant to the new career jobs for which they are applying.

You may not have all the standard education for that career, so you need to convince potential employers that your previous education and work experience have given you the skills that make you a suitable candidate to transition into that job.

Career planning involves gaining information that can ease your transition to a new career. This information can help get you out of your current dreary jobs and into a dynamic and interesting career.

Act Now... and Take Control of Your Career

Its never too late to think of making a career change... seek professional career advice and give yourself the best chance of achieving your career goals.

About The Author

Roger Clark BSc has over 25 years experience in career development & recruitment at a senior level through top management positions he has held with major international companies.

You can visit his "Top Career Resumes" website for a wealth of top quality information relating to the employment market.

http://www.top-career-resumes.com

http://www.top-career-resumes.com/resume-cover-letters

info@top-career-resumes.com

Do you have what it takes to become an FBI special agent Do you have a sincere desire to enforce federal laws and investigate crimes

This job requires hard work and can often times be dangerous and stressful. Youll undoubtedly be in close contact with crimminals and victims of crime. But a special agents job is rewarding if you enjoy serving the public. Long before applying for a job as an FBI special agent, youll need to plan carefully what you need to do to qualify.

The FBI Special Agent

Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI special agents are the Governments primary investigators, who investigate criminal violations of over 260 statutes not assigned to another federal agency. Agents may conduct surveillance, monitor wiretaps, examine financial records, or participate in undercover assignments, just to name a few.

The FBI investigates organized crime, white collar crime, such as health care fraud, counterterrorism, copyright infringement, civil rights violations, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, terrorism, espionage, violent crimes, drug trafficking, and other violations of Federal statutes.

The following was adapted from The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Facts and Figures 2003, FBI Priorities http://www.fbi.gov/priorities/priorities.htm

The FBIs priorities are to: Protect the United States from terrorist attack. Protect the United States against foreign intelligence operations and espionage. Protect the United States against cyber-based attacks and high-technology crimes. Combat public corruption at all levels. Protect civil rights. Combat transnational and national criminal organizations and enterprises. Combat major white-collar crime. Combat significant violent crime. Support federal, state, county, municipal, and international partners. Upgrade technology to successfully perform the FBI’s mission.

Entry Requirements Be a U.S. citizen, or a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands Be at least 23 of age but under 37 Be available to work when and where needed Pass hearing and vision tests, including a color vision test Possess a valid drivers license. Be in excellent physical condition Possess a national or regionally accredited 4-year degree in a foreign language, law, accounting, or another field plus three years of full time employment.

The FBI looks for job applicants who have skills in interrogation, report writing, surveillance, and giving testimony. The selection process also includes cognitive tests, an interview, background check, polygraph test, and drug test.

The FBI also looks for individuals with character traits, such as honesty and sound judgement.

Physical Training Requirements

An example of a requirement would be the PRT, a 1.5 mile run test, passed with scores of 14 minutes 10 seconds or under for females and 12 minutes 40 seconds or under for males.

Forensic Science

The candidate for a scientist position must first qualify under an existing entry program and have a degree in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, nursing, bio-chemistry, Forensics, Medical specialties, or related field. The candidate for a Forensic Scientist position should major in biochemistry, biology or biotechnology. The Forensic scientist analyzes evidence such as hairs, firearms, DNA, photographs, fingerprints, and handwriting examples and testifies verbally and in writing.

Advice from a former FBI profiler

John Douglas, a former FBI profiler, offers the follow advice for aspiring FBI special agents: Seek leadership opportunities. Develop skills the FBI desires. Do community service. Maintain a clean record--no jail term or felony and good credit. Maintain good grade point average. Consider ROTC. Complete an internship.

Dont major in a course you dislike, such as accounting, because you think it will help you to become a special agent. "Make sure your primary focus is finding a career you enjoy," says Douglas.

For more information on employment as a FBI Special Agent, check your phone directory for your state FBI office. Or visit the FBI online.

Sources

the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002-2003, US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Federal Bureau of Investigation www.fbi.gov

John Douglass Guide to Careers in the FBI,1998, Kaplan Books, Simon and Schuster, New York.

About The Author

Diana Clarke has taught job search skills to students in Silicon Valley. Her career and business articles have appeared in publications including the San Jose Mercury News, Cupertino Courier and the Saratoga News. www.yourskinandsun.com dianaclarke2001@yahoo.com

Tough words….but I truly believe that folks who make career changes should be applauded for their courage. The courage to live closer to their authentic selves. The courage to put aside all the negativity we hear about the economy. The courage to face their own fears.

Most people will change careers 5-10 times in their lifetimes. Not just jobs – but whole new careers. At the same time, we’re not taught how to go about this in the best way –how to evaluate what careers fit us best – how to choose work that makes our heart sing!

If you are considering a career change, here are some tips to get you started:

1. Know thyself. Give yourself time to really get in touch with yourself. What do you value most in your work What skills do you really love doing What natural talents and gifts do you have that you must use to serve others

2. Go on an exploration. Be curious. Ask lots of folks about their work. Make a list of everything you’ve ever considered doing –even if it seems outlandish. Then make a list of questions you’d like to get answered about those careers. This website can give you some good information about skills needed, education requirements and salary ranges for many careers: http://online.onetcenter.org/. As you get your questions answered, start making commitments about what you WILL have in your next career. Narrow down your choices until you’ve settled on one to target.

3. Go after it! Put together a job search campaign. Make a list of at least 5 different strategies you’ll use to go after your best work. These can include networking, making a list of contacts to call, online job seeking on specialized job boards, online seeking of specific companies’ job postings, sending targeted letters to organizations you’d like to work for even if they don’t have jobs posted.

Set weekly and daily goals and get a support partner to help keep you accountable to reaching your goals.

Changing careers takes good strategies, courage and support. And it can be the most rewarding thing you’ve ever done. Congratulations on taking this first step!

About The Author

Ann Ronan, Ph.D., Certified Career Coach and author, works with professionals in career transition. If you’d like more tips, strategies and support check out the 90 Day Career Change Is Not For Wimps eCourse delivered to you by daily emails with weekly telephone support calls – www.authenticlifeinstitute.com/CareerChange.htm

©Ann Ronan, Ph.D. 2004 ann@authenticlifeinstitute.com

So you want to work in the Information Technology field In this article ill provide some advice to those seeking employment in this field. Keep in mind these are my opinions, others may agree or disagree.

Mechanic or Engineer

The first question to answer is which direction do you want to go Typically there are two types of IT Staff. Those who administer and and those who create. What do I mean by this Ask yourself if youd rather sit in a cube and write software, create and maintain databases and develop applications, or would you rather install software, manage an e-mail system or create a network or remote access solution.

The two areas are usually comprised of employees with very different mind sets.

The administrators tend to follow a career path that goes something like this. IT Intern or PC Technician performing break/fix tasks on PCs. As they advance they may manage the larger rollout of operating systems or software applications. Keep in mind the focus is on more mechanical or problem solving tasks. Later in their career they may move on to network or server administration. The larger the impact of a mistake the further up the ladder in their career. Eventually they may manage a team of other administrators or perform some consulting services.

The engineers typically come from computer science backgrounds. They may have learned programming of various languages in college. The particular language is not important only the fact that they are creating or maintaining applications for systems and databases rather than focusing on the workings of the system its self. Many of these employees are introverts. They would prefer to work within their group and make a cube or office their home. The administrator would be perfectly happy being "visable" within the company.

Education

First let me say that a four year Bachelors degree is valuable to anyone seeking employment in the IT industry. Not sure what direction you want to go Get a basic Business BA because it will teach you how a business operates and get you the open door to most job interviews. More accurately it will prevent you from being excluded simply because you do not have a degree. If you are the administrator type id also recommend a basic BA unless you find a program that has the current skills you are seeking. Mainly a variety of desktop and server operating system and networking skill path focusing on TCP/IP , DNS, WINS, DHCP and routing.

If you are on the applications path than a Computer Science major is going to get you headed in the right direction. Often companies hire right out of college because they have been teaching login and application development for decades.

Those looking into administration can count on resuming their education either by self-study using technical books, certification paths, home built networks and lastly for those with the money private non-accredited coursework at various ATECs

Once your in your in. Until your in your way out....

When I got into this field ten years ago I took a pay cut to move from my sales position to my PC Technician position. This is because it is VERY difficult to get hired if youve never been hired. There are so many great applicants that there is no reason to take a chance on someone who only can tell you what they know. Multiply this statement X 10 with the economic downturn after the dot com boom. So get whatever resume worthy experience and references you can as fast as you can. To land even the most entry level job youll need it.

How to get experience

Internships are a great way to get in the door anywhere. These are positions that everyone understands and they are the mark of a hungry student. If you can get an internship preferably paid at a company so much the better. If you cant start volunteering for any organization that will take your skills. Churches and schools or charitys are a good start. The key is to get something on your resume that says youve been in the business.

Self Employment

The IT world is great for the self employed. For those who want to accept side work there are many ways to find it and you can do as much or little as you want. When your first starting out why not perform PC Technician or entry level web or application development and get paid Individuals are more likely to hire you for a few hour of work and youll gain business skills and have yet another thing to add to that resume. Remember the key is to walk into your first interview as if youve been in the biz.

Conclusion

In closing keep in mind, know your direction, get an education, and its never too early to start building that resume. Good Luck

John Gall Gall Consulting - Elk River Minnesota http://www.gallconsulting.com

About The Author

John Gall works as a full time IT Manager in Minnesota and is self employeed as a Consulant for Gall Consulting http://www.gallconsulting.com jgall@gallconsulting.com

Press Release

January 20, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Printed Promotion Products For Direct Sales Reps and Online Teamwork

Work at home mom of three, Michele Barber of www.ChelesTreasures.com, has been making printed promotional products for direct sales representatives since April of 2002. Chele’s Treasures offers affordable alternatives to corporate printing prices and graphical restrictions. All Michele’s designs are original and created on her computer, so direct sales consultants don’t have to worry about copyright infringements or any other disruptions to their marketing efforts.

Labels, business cards, postcards and stationery from Chele’s Treasures offer a polished business presentation for consultants for any business whether home grown or direct sales oriented. When asked which direct sales companies Michele did most of her work for, she answered, “I will print for any direct sales company. The company categories listed on my web site are those that Ive done the most repeat business for. I originally started with the beauty companies because I had personal experience with them. Word of mouth referrals from beauty consultants were responsible for my success with direct sales consultants from other companies.”

Word of mouth is certainly living proof that Michele Barber’s work brings repeat business again and again. Given the large distance that much of Michele’s printing work travels once it arrives home with an advertiser, and the virtual local effects of having an internet based business, word of mouth has allowed her client base to grow nationally from coast to coast.

Chele has seen her highest printing demands fluctuate seasonally and is sometimes surprised by the products her customers most desire to see specialty printed. Candy wrappers, treat bags, recipe cards, and business cards roll in and out of favor. But the item she sells the most to both business and non-commercial customers is personalized note pads. “Everyone loves to add their own personality to their notes and personalized note pads allow them to do just that.”

While much of Michele’s client base is work at home moms, Michele herself is a work at home mom raising three children. The decision to work from home was ultimately made when as a newly single parent, Michele’s third child arrived with severe acid reflux and eczema. Many sleepless nights, trips to doctor’s offices, specialist hospitals and the demands required by two other children made it clear in Michele’s mind that corporate America wouldn’t have a place for her and her special time constraints. Working at home allows her to make a living without giving up parenting as her number one priority. Michele concedes that this isn’t always easy. “The most challenging part is being in charge of EVERYTHING! I am essentially the employer, employee and daycare provider lumped into one little person.” But she has risen to, and mastered, the challenge.

Michele admits that she and ChelesTreasures.com couldn’t have completely undergone the task alone. “Ive been blessed with the right people in my life at the right time and supportive family members. My mother and grandmother have also been extremely instrumental in helping with the children to meet deadlines, special projects and in giving me the much needed "me" time that becomes so rare as a WAHM.”

Michele does not feel the need to march to the beat of the same drummer as her corporate America counterparts. She measures success in a manner that really matters. Says Michele, “The important thing to remember is that I have been blessed with these lovely gifts to juggle and as long as all needs are being met for each, then Im succeeding. The old saying stands true, ‘You can do everything right with the wrong attitude and fail to succeed, but you can do everything wrong with the right attitude and succeed.’"

Not only has Michele’s business blossomed, but her personal life has as well. On March 17th, she received a marriage proposal from Donald Neisler of www.Donalds-Hobby.com whom she’d met online in a local internet forum.

Donald also owns a local retail store and serves as the secretary and treasurer of the Paris R/C Association. His online customers find him via internet search engines, local advertising, sponsored pilots, and word of mouth from popular radio control forums and sites.

With their common interests in the internet and their goals, Michele and Donald began helping one another with their respective businesses. The relationship developed into something much more as did each of their businesses as a result of their working together. Donald’s certifications as a Microsoft Systems Engineer and Cisco Network Professional has aided in the growth of Michele’s business, including customizing and simplifying her ordering process. Michele has streamlined many aspects of Donald’s Hobby Center including newsletters, advertising, shipping, and customer follow up services. The teamwork has proven beneficial for both businesses.

Donald and Michele each bring a work at home parent aura to their businesses and to the internet community as a whole. Together, Donald and Michele will continue to serve their respective internet clients and serve future internet populations with their joint venture, Neisler Hosting. The internet has truly become a place to work and play for this high-tech couple!

Busy and well rounded, Michele totally exemplifies the self-employed home executive. Many people think that a work at home mom washes clothes, cooks and cleans all day, then squeezes in a little work time on the side. Michele is just the opposite, as are most WAHMs. We balance the demands of our homes and our families with the demands of our work. Perhaps we work a few unconventional hours or conduct business on a cell phone from mom’s taxi service, but we make up a growing part of the American business population. Chele’s Treasures has provided the marketing and community support to make it possible for many others.

About The Author

Shannan Hearne is the owner of SuccessPromotions.com and the co-founder of ShoppingInTheSouth.com shannan@successpromotions.com

The universal acceptance of computers into our daily lives, both at work and at home, has decreased the image of computer users as being “geeks.” The word geek itself has evolved a bit - going from meaning a socially inept person who gets along better with computers than people, to someone who is an expert with computers, a guru even. In fact, many computer service companies utilize the name geek in their nomenclature because of this new meaning.

Not everyone who is proficient in using a computer is a geek, but there are people out there who are so interested in computers and so well versed in them, they wear the title geek with pride. Many of these people may not have had formal training. They’ve been playing with computer hardware, or software since they were ten years old. So what should you do if you have this kind of computer knowledge A few years ago, it was very easy to get a well paying computer job, without any post secondary education. Advances in technology, the dot-com implosion and wider acceptance of technology doesn’t make it so easy any more. The good news is, you don’t need a four year degree to secure a well paying job in the computer field. Even if you’re not a self professed computer geek, if you have an interest in a computer career, here are some good fields to study.

Computer Networking

Computer networking jobs entail designing, repairing and maintaining PC networks, usually in a business setting. There is no industry standard for software, but Microsoft dominates, with Novell taking a distant second place. Cisco dominates the category in hardware routers. Courses of study available include A+ basic computer hardware, MCSE Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, MCSA Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator, Novell Netware and Cisco Certification.

Career positions in this category include network design, network administration and network security. Depending on the employer, a computer networking professional may do all, or some of these duties.

Computer Security

Computer security is another growing field. Many businesses have created networks, websites and become reliant on computer technology, without employing safeguards to protect their data. There are many malevolent computer geeks out there who attack systems, or software for fun, curiosity or profit. Data extortion is now a common organized crime method for the Russian mafia!

Security violations have created new careers in network security and software development. Courses of study are mainly in Microsoft products and software development languages like Visual Basic, C++, .net, compiler and assembly languages.

Career positions in this category include network security, software programming, web design, web development and website administration server side.

Databases

The acceptance of computers into business has created a great demand for databases. Almost every industry has a need for databases for marketing, client retention and daily operations. Industries such as banking, insurance, hospitals and utilities absolutely rely on them. Terrorism threats have created new laws, like the Patriot Act, that require a database of all foreign nationals who enter the country.

Creation of these databases relies on software, mainly developed by Oracle for large scale databases, Microsoft SQL for web based applications and Microsoft Access for smaller scale and custom applications.

Jobs in the database category include data architects, database administrators and information systems managers.

The information age has created a wealth of career opportunities for computer geeks, elevating their status as knowledgeable professionals and compensating them well financially. If you’re a computer geek, or would like to become one, a career in any of these professions can be obtained in less than two years of study.

www.top-colleges.com.

About The Author

Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA http://www.degreesource.com/articles Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. For daily updates, read our blog at http://degreesource.blogspot.com

For thousands of years now, education has played a critical role in the progress and evolution of mankind. It has allowed us to live longer, live better, develop and use new technologies, increase productivity and so on. For many of us today, we find ourselves in the vast IT employment workforce, struggling and competing for that better position and higher salary. Our present level of education is usually a direct reflection of our current position, salary and quality of life. Therefore, the higher your level of education, the better job placement you will receive and the better salary you can expect as well.

In this struggle to consistently enhance and improve your career, one must be very cautious as to the education and training decisions made. Better education and training decisions will bring about better results in your career. Pass-Guaranteed.com offers the Best IT Certification and Training Career Enhancement opportunities available today! This IT Certification Training system is most accurate and has helped thousands successfully pass their IT Certification Training Exams efficiently, saving them much needed valuable time and money.

Have you ever wanted to make a change in your career This is a very difficult thing to actually go through and many of us are turned off by the fact that it would take a very long time and lots of money to do this. Using the latest Pass-Guaranteed.com IT Certification Training Solution, you will be able to achieve quick and immediate results regarding enhancing your IT Career. Pass-Guaranteed.com offers the Best IT Career Enhancement opportunities because they provide the most efficient IT training system available. You can prepare yourself for your next IT Certification Exam in the least amount of time possible. Stop wasting your valuable time and money on expensive training classes and start making better education and training decisions today.

Pass-Guaranteed.com offers the Best IT Career Enhancement Opportunities because it has been proven over and over that the more certifications you have, the more you will get paid, and the better position you will be offered. Many of our customers have successfully passed their IT Certification Exams using our Training Solutions and then within 2 months, gained an increase in their salary and/or were offered a promotion. If you want that promotion or an increase in salary, then you need to start increasing and expanding on your education. Your employer will find your integrity to continue learning and gaining certifications as a positive element that they want to keep within the company long-term. So if you are looking to increase your salary, get that promotion or just enhance your career, then check out http://www.pass-guaranteed.com as they offer the Best IT Career Enhancement opportunities available today.

Whether you’re a newcomer or a certification exam expert, you will know that IT Certification Training is often very time consuming, expensive and usually a waste of time. Not only do you invest much of your time and effort into these expensive training classes, but in the end, if you fail your exam, you are not offered and recourse for your failure or more accurately the training classes’ failure to prepare you properly for your exam. Pass-Guaranteed.com offers the Best IT Certification Training Career Enhancement solutions in that if you fail your exam, you will be refunded the full price of your study guide solution, no questions asked!

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About The Author

After realizing the great demand for effective certification training exam resources, Shengtao developed a leading edge IT certification and training system that is affordable and produces results. With the help of expert senior certified staff, Shengtao now offers his leading edge certification training system to everyone at http://www.pass-guaranteed.com

newedge@mail2world.com

Hollywood helps those who help themselves! In you want to get your movie career fast tracked then here are three common sense tips to help you on your way.

1. Borrow the Boy Scouts Motto: Be Prepared.

Once you start the ball rolling you never know when youre going to get a casting call. When that call comes there isnt going to be any time to get all of the basics covered so get them out of the way right now.

Get your portfolio in order. Have plenty of copies of your PROFESSIONALLY done publicity photos on hand.

Have all of your stage and screen credits listed even if its only summer stock and school performances.

List any special skills you have, such as dancing, juggling, yodelling, foreign languages, anything which might catch a casting directors eye.

List any union memberships such as SAG, AEA or AFTRA.

Build a web site that contains everything thats included in your portfolio and make sure that there is contact information available. If you have an agent then list the agents contact information instead of yours. If you stink at building web sites then pay a pro to do it for you. Hire a copywriter as well if you have no writing talent. Register your name, if possible, and make that your domain name.

2. Stay Connected

Join local theater groups, read the trades looking for casting calls, hang out where other actors hang out so you can stay on top of the local gossip and happenings. Sometimes you can pick up a valuable tip or hear about a film crew thats coming to do some local shooting. I know a girl who landed an extra role in Robert Dineros Meet the Parents by "accidentally" showing up at the train station in Oyster Bay, NY where a scene was being shot. She picked up that juicy tip at an actors workshop she attended.

3. Make your own luck

The harder and smarter that you work the luckier you get. Remember my friend from Meet the Parents Whats the chances that shed have that screen credit if she didnt go out of her way to "get lucky".

If you live in Podunk, and no one ever films in Podunk, then move somewhere where they do film.

If your state or city has an agency that works with movie companies to help scout locations and strip away red tape, call them and see if they have a mailing list or any other way of finding out IN ADVANCE when a film crew will be shooting. SHOW UP on shooting days. Dont make a pest of yourself but be "noticeable". Hey, you might just get noticed. If you have enough advanced notice then find out who the casting director is and fire off a copy of your portfolio. Sure, its likely to get "filed" but you never know when yours will show up and be the right thing at the right time.

If you look like someone famous then make that work for you. Now, I dont mean that you kind of resemble Julia Roberts if only you lost 60 pounds, got a cut and dye, and had your teeth capped. But if people come up to you in restaurants and ask for your autograph then you could have an instant ticket to the movies!

Get a recent publicity photo of Ms. Roberts and take it to the hair salon. Have your stylist cut, style and color your hair to exactly match the style and color in the photo. Then make your way to the local boutique and buy something to wear which matches as closely as possible what Ms. Roberts is wearing in the photo and then get a professional photographer to shoot you in the exact same pose.

Now, take the real photo of Julia and your own and fire it off to her agent, your agent, any agent you can find. Send it to casting directors, heck, send it to the local and national newspapers. Write a letter asking: Can you tell which one is the real Julia Roberts Might not work for you; but Ill tell you this -- It doesnt have any chance of working at all if you dont at least try it.

The road to Hollywood can be long an never ending, or it could be the next exit on your journey through this world. The fun thing is: You never know!

For more info: http://www.TalentInternet.com

About The Author

Bas de Baar is editor of www.TalentInternet.com, a site with everything about movie and modeling auditions.

For more info: http://www.TalentInternet.com.

One of the fastest growing sectors of the medical industry is that of home health. There are many reasons for this growth, but most important are:

The number of aging and infirm citizens in the country.

The lower cost of care in relation to hospitals and long term care facilities.

The fact health providers consider home care to be the most humane and compassionate form of care.

Because of the rapid growth in this category of healthcare, a variety of employment opportunities have become available. Many hospitals are turning to home health as a method to recapture revenue that would be otherwise lost. Despite the efforts of hospitals to enter the home care market, private companies dominate home health. Since these are primarily businesses that have not been in existence for long, they need to hire not only for in home providers, but also for support and administrative positions.

The future demand for home care will be staggering. In 1997, over 22.4 million households provided home care to a loved one over 50. Over time, this drain on physical and emotional resources will result in a desire for outside help in the home. Additionally, Medicare funding of short term home health care is projected to more than double by 2010. Meanwhile, workers employed in the home health field actually dropped by 29,000 in 2000. The projected employment outlook for just home health aides leads all medical job categories at a whopping 66.8%!

One may think the vast majority of home health related jobs are lower paying aide jobs. Fortunately, this is not the case. As previously mentioned, private home health companies will need to increase their administrative and support positions like medical coders, accounting and billing, medical secretaries, nurse managers, shift schedulers, information technology and marketing. Working for a home health company doesn’t necessarily dictate providing direct patient care.

Even among the patient care positions, there is a lot of variety. Though patient care is primarily provided by lower paid home health aides; as demand increases, wages are expected to rise. There are also a lot of opportunities for CNAs, LPNs and registered nurses RNs. Some patients only require short term care – a few hours a day, or for a fixed period of time. Others require long term care – 24/7 for the rest of their lives.

The bottom line is, there are a lot of employment opportunities in the field of home healthcare. The best paying jobs will be those that require some post secondary training. There is also a lot of variety of work needed, not all employment will provide patient care. If you want a solid future, in one of the most stable industries in the country, studying to be part of the home healthcare market is a wise choice.

Home Healthcare Job Fields

Certified Nurses Aid - CNA

LPN

Registered Nurse

Physician’s Assistant

Nurse Manager

Medical Coder

Medical Secretary

Medical Administration

Information Technology

Sales and Marketing

Operations Manager

Find a school in your area - www.top-colleges.com

About The Author

Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA http://www.degreesource.com/articles Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. For daily updates, read our blog at http://degreesource.blogspot.com

Licensed Practical Nurse LPN Careers

Licensed Practical Nurses provide the most amount of direct patient care within the nursing category of healthcare. If you’re interested in a healthcare career dealing directly with patients, becoming an LPN is a rewarding opportunity.

LPN Job Description

LPNs provide a large portion of direct patient care. LPNs may be assisted by nurses’ aides CNAs and other assistants in some of their duties. LPNs are directed by doctors and nurses RNs & nurse managers. Typically, a LPN’s work duties include:

Taking vital signs Preparing and administering injections and enemas Applying dressings and bandages Watching catheters Treating bedsores Providing alcohol massages or rubs Monitoring patients and reporting changes Collecting samples for testing Provide patient hygiene Feeding patients Monitoring food and liquid input/output

LPNs work in a variety of settings like hospitals, outpatient facilities, long term care facilities, clinics and home care. Tenured LPNs may supervise nursing aides and assistants.

Salary Ranges

While nursing jobs in general are in high demand nationwide, LPN positions in hospitals are declining. However, since this has been caused by an increase in outpatient services, LPN positions in long term care facilities and home health is in as much demand as other nursing categories.

The U.S. Department of Labor has published the median income for LPNs as $31,440 in 2002. The range was $22,860 to $44,040 based on geographic location and work experience. Contract LPNs made the most money, while doctor’s office nurses made the least on average at $28,710.

A nursing career offers other benefits including a flexible schedule, a short work week three 12 hour shifts with four days off, tuition reimbursement and signing bonuses.

Education / Getting Started

Because of the high level of patient responsibility, nursing is highly regulated, requiring both education and a license. Graduates must complete a state approved practical nursing program and pass a licensing examination. An LPN certificate can be completed in less than a year. Some RN students become LPNs after completing their first year of study. Course work in the LPN program includes anatomy, physiology, nutrition, biology, chemistry, obstetrics, pediatrics, first aid as well as nursing classes.

Becoming an LPN is the fastest path to a nursing career. Advancement can take many forms, but additional education is usually required.

If you possess the traits necessary to become a successful nurse and want to secure a well paying, important profession caring for others, getting an LPN degree in nursing is a great way to secure your professional future.

About The Author

Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. www.degreesource.com/article maxstein_9@hotmail.com

Let’s face it…not everybody likes going to school and high school can be a terrible experience for many students. Whether you’re the hands on type who preferred Shop class to English class, or an athlete who liked working as a team more than studying alone, or even someone who liked schoolwork more than schoolmates; the idea of four more years of school is unbearable. If you identify with any of these types, but still want to secure a good future, there are some great options out there for you.

For you hands on types there are a lot of great careers out there that allow you to work with your hands and they pay well. There will be some coursework in things like shop math, reading schematics or architectural drawings, but most of this will be reinforced in your daily work. The schoolwork won’t seem useless because you will be using it everyday. Best of all, most of the schooling will be finished in two years or less. Most hands on jobs have an apprentice, or on the job training aspect as well, so you can get to work right away.

Some of the careers in this category include:

Electrician – Installation or troubleshooting of electrical wires and connections. Work may take place in new or existing constructions. Licensing is required. The lowest starting wage for an electrician is $11.81 per hour, while the median is $19.90 per hour.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Tech HVAC Tech – Installation or troubleshooting of heating and air conditioning systems in homes or businesses. Licensing is required to work with refrigerants. The lowest starting wage for HVAC Tech is $10.34 per hour, while the median is $16.78 per hour.

Home Appliance Repair – Repair of in home appliances like refrigerators, ovens and washers and dryers. The lowest starting wage for Home Appliance repair is $18,200 per year, while the median is $30,390 per year. The skills learned for this job can advance you to other higher paying careers.

For students who paid more attention to extracurricular activities than schoolwork, there are plenty of careers where you can capitalize on your social skills. The healthcare field is one such career. Nurses, physicians assistants and medical assistants all work directly with people – both patients and their families. If healthcare doesn’t appeal to you and you have an appetite for technology, being a help desk technician allows you deal directly with people and computer technology. You might also take business classes and work your way up to become an office manager in any number of industries.

If you’re someone who loves to learn and prefers talking to people on a limited basis there are plenty of jobs you can train for as well. Computer based jobs like software development, web design or database administration immediately come to mind. If you’re creative and visually talented, the fields of graphic design and multimedia design might suit you. A great job for someone who likes to perform research is that of a paralegal. That job offers many of the tasks a lawyer performs, without having to go to court. And it pays well. You can even find jobs in the healthcare field where there is limited or no contact with patients like medical coding or office administration.

The bottom line is, even if you didn’t like high school, that’s not a reason to bypass education and your shot at a good future. Career colleges get right down to business and offer specific training for well paying careers in a short period of time.

Careers for graduating seniors who hate school: HVAC Tech Home Appliance Repair Electrician Help Desk Analyst Nurse Medical Assistant Office Management Paralegal Database Administration Medical coding

www.top-colleges.com

About The Author

Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA http://www.degreesource.com/articles Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. For daily updates, read our blog at http://degreesource.blogspot.com

If YOU Answered YES, Then Start An Online Newsletter…It’s Easy, Here’s How!

I’ve always praised the benefits of using a newsletter to promote your music, but this article give a bit more detail into how to go about it.

First, there are tons of different providers out there that can send out your email newsletter. Some are expensive while other like cafepress.com allow you to make one free if you sell products through them. Although this isn’t EVERYTHING you could do it is a good starting place.

Define the letter – is it going to be strictly about your band or other acts in your genre You might be able to pick up other readers/listeners who weren’t aware of your music, but know other acts if you go broader.

Develop a schedule. Are you going to do it daily, weekly, monthly Whatever you choose does not matter. The most important part is to stick to it, once people get to reading and enjoying your newsletter, they’ll expect to receive it on time, all the time.

How much content will it contain

Are you going to have one page or six pages Try to make the content the same size each issue.

K.I.S.S – Yet again, keep it simple stupid. That means staying on topic and writing in a tone that is both understandable and friendly.

Ask for reader feedback. Perhaps someone might have an idea for a new feature or they may have a hot news tip. Always answer your reader’s requests and emails regardless of if you use their idea or not.

Keep copy short and in the active voice. Avoid passive words if you can and give your articles some kick. You’re writing for people, not Harvard educators so keep your tone to one that people will enjoy looking at each week.

Extra set of eyes. Always have an extra set of eyes look over everything you send out. Even with our newsletter and sites, www.MusicIndustrySuccess.com, www.Order-Yours-Now.com and www.TheIndustryYellowPages.com we always have someone look the pages over for typos, spelling, grammar, etc. You want to inform people, but you also want to come off as intelligent when you do it.

A newsletter is not a difficult feat, in fact you can easily get started in an afternoon. If you lack the time and skills then hire someone to do the task or see that your manager and/or promoter informs your followers of all the news they need to know.

About The Author

This article was written by Ty Cohen, the music industrys most recognizable voice!

Ty is the C.E.O of Platinum Millennium Publishing, Platinum Millennium Records as well as owner of www.MusicContracts101.com and www.MusicIndustrySuccess.com.

Some of his work includes: books, directories, mini-courses and software programs including the titles: "How to Make a Fortune in the Music Industry by Doing it Yourself" and "How to Make $500,000.00 "or More" A Year in the Music Industry by Doing it Yourself".

Ty@PlatinumMillennium.com

Multilevel Marketing, commonly called MLM, Network Marketing or direct sales is one of the highest potential income sources anywhere, but particularly on the Internet. It has been claimed that in the last 10 years more people have become millionaires through MLMs than in any other business or profession.

I dont know how true that is, but I do know a lot of people have made a lot of money through MLMs.

Multilevel Marketing is also known as Pyramid Schemes and a number of other less-than-complimentary names. This is unfortunate because MLMs do have a lot of potential.

There are some points you should consider first before you join an MLM though:

You need to be selling something. It can be selling a product or a service, but it must be selling. If all the MLM does is recruit new members, then it is what is called a "Ponzi Scheme" and its illegal.

They have to have a good product. You can send all the traffic in the world to an MLM website, but if the product they are offering has no appeal, it wont sell no matter what you do. If it doesnt sell, you wont make any money. Simple as that.

They have to have "staying power.” That is, they have to be good enough to last for a long time. Many MLMs are gone in a year or two and no matter how well they were paying you, once theyve folded, you wont get any more money.

Plan on working at it for a long time to realize any significant income. MLMs dont usually build quickly, so you have to be very persistent. Once they do start to build though the growth is exponential and the income unlimited.

You have probably heard of some MLM companies, and maybe youve even been a member of one or more of them. Odds are, if you were a member, you dropped out after a while because it was just too hard to promote these systems successfully.

One of the worst parts of promoting MLMs is the rejection you will face. Try to think of this differently. I like to think of myself as the miner prospecting for gold during the gold rush. I sift through tonnes of dirt to find my one or two pieces of gold. All I am doing is prospecting, the more dirt I can sift through the closer I am to finding my gold.

If you have done the research on your MLM company then you will have chosen one with a product that has an attraction to a mass market so you are not limited to one demographic of the community. Look at the economic environment, what are the trends or boom industries

Research has shown that health, weight management and anti-ageing are some of the fastest growing industries worldwide. - A huge market is starting to unfold as the baby boomer generation ages and increasingly becomes more concerned with staying healthy and youthful.

If nothing else, being involved with an MLM company can teach you business and personal skills that can be used in any walk of life. Most MLM companies are very proactive in the area of personal development and from my experience it is this that is the key to a persons success with an MLM business - and maybe in life generally. Taking a close look at ourselves is one of the hardest things to do. We can blame multilevel marketing, the company, the products or even the weather for our demise but lack of personal development would definitely be one of the main causes.

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You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

About The Author

Paul Marsland is an independent distributor for a network marketing company with 25 years of experience and trading in 59 countries worldwide. Along with his wife Annette they run a successful MLM business, full time from home, around their young family. For more information please go to: http://livin-the-good-life.biz/refid=artcit-567883264 ezybucks4u@hotmail.com

The challenges of raising a child by yourself, whether you’re a mother or father, can be very difficult. Add the burden of having to be out of the home for 40+ hours per week to work and raising a child at the same time can be nearly impossible. This article describes ten careers you can train for that will give you the money to support your child and the time to be there for them.

These careers all take less than two years to complete training for, some take only six months. They all offer flexible work schedules with above average pay. Best of all, with a certificate or associates degree, it will be easy to find a job.

Healthcare careers

Jobs in healthcare are in great demand right now. The largest generation in the American population is aging and retiring from the workforce. Increased life spans are placing a huge burden on the healthcare industry. While hospitals and their 24 hour operation offer the most employment flexibility, there are health care positions that don’t take place in a hospital. Home care positions also offer scheduling flexibility.

Nursing – 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $33,970 annually.

Dental Hygiene – 1 & 2 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $17.37 hourly.

X-ray technician - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $27,190 annually.

Medical Assistant –1 & 2 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $17,640 annually.

Medical Coding - 2 year program. Approximate starting wage: $16,460 annually.

Creative careers

These creative careers are also in great demand. Employers typically offer standard hours, but many people employed in these fields are able to work from home. Others open their own businesses and can work later at night or otherwise exercise more control on when they work.

Graphic Designer - 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $21,860 annually.

Desktop Publisher - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $18,670 annually.

Web Designer - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $33,970 annually.

Help Desk Analyst - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $23,060 annually.

Bonus Career

If you like working with technology and don’t want to sit behind a desk all day, you’ll be surprised how lucrative this career can be.

Machinist – 10 -14 month programs. Approximate starting wage: $9.57 hourly. This wage is deceptively low. New machinists are making much more due to a sudden upturn in demand.

Learn how you can train for one of these careers here. www.top-colleges.com.

About The Author

Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA http://www.degreesource.com/articles Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. For daily updates, read our blog at http://degreesource.blogspot.com

Ask yourself this question: “Do I like what I do for a living” If you answered “no”, what are you doing about it Maybe you have a “good” job, but it’s not very rewarding to you personally. Maybe you have job with good pay, but bad hours or worse – a job with good hours, but bad pay. Perhaps you’ve just done your job for too many years, or are excited to work in some of the new careers that just weren’t available when you finished school.

Whatever the reason is for you wanting to switch careers, there are some practical considerations to take into account.

How long will it take

How will I find the time to do it

How much will it cost

This article will answer these questions and point you towards a more fulfilling career.

How long will it take to train for a new career

The answer to this depends on what you want to train for. But, the majority of well paying careers that are currently seeking workers, take two years or less to train for. For example, becoming a machinist takes about 10 months. Training to become an X-ray technician can be done in a year. There are other training options that can get you a new job in only six months!

Your experience can also count. For example, if you work with computers on your job now, you won’t have to take word processing and spreadsheet classes if you want to be a medical coder. If you tinker with computers in your spare time while you’re working a retail management position, you’ll be ahead of the class when you train to become a help desk technician. Also, if you like working on projects around your house more than your job in an office, you’ll be more likely to obtain employment as an HVAC tech or electrician.

How will I find the time to go to school

If you decide you want to train for a new career, there are many educational options. Traditional universities and colleges are one option, but tend not to offer a lot of flexibility in their class times. Community colleges are a better option since they have flexible classes, but due to limited resources, some of the most in demand training programs like nursing and dental hygiene have several year waiting lists in many markets across the U.S.

The educational option many working adults choose is a career college. Career colleges offer flexible scheduling and have the proper resources to greatly reduce waiting lists, if they have any at all. The biggest drawback is they cost more to attend. Consider a career college to be like a private community college. However, the flexible scheduling and the shorter time to graduation compensate for the higher initial cost of a career college.

How much will career training cost

This is probably the most difficult question. If you’re like most working adults, you don’t have an eight month emergency reserve fund stashed away but, you do have credit card bills, a car payment, possibly children and that nagging monthly rent/mortgage payment. Chances are you’re not in a position to quit your existing job. Due to flexible class schedules you’ll still be able to work and keep that income. Student loans or grants are a possibility to pay for tuition. Also, check if your company has a tuition reimbursement plan. Even though you’re thinking about leaving your job, your company may have a need for the career you’re interested in training in.

The bottom line is if you don’t feel satisfied with your current job, you don’t have to stay with it for the rest of your working years. There are a number of great careers available that pay well and require less than two years of training time.

Check out your career options here. WWW.top-colleges.com/s/site-map.html

About The Author

Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about a number of business, education and marketing subjects.

Reprint/republish rights to this article are granted, as long as it is not modified and the resources plus signature remain unchanged.

Copyright 2004 DegreeSource.com

One of the great myths associated with the “American Dream” is that you need to have a four-year college degree to be successful. As the economy has shifted to the information age, with a greater reliance on technology and services, this belief applies less and less.

The new economy relies on technology more than any time in the past. In fact 70% of existing jobs require specific technical knowledge and this technology is being applied in newly created industries like biometrics, homeland security, nanotechnology and reusable energy.

Eighty percent of existing jobs don’t require a four-year degree, while only 25% of students who begin college actually graduate. Of those who do graduate, 30% don’t get a job that actually requires a degree!

The solution to these issues for many graduating high school seniors and workers unsatisfied with their current careers rests in a specialty technical school. These schools provide specific technical training in a variety of career fields. Career training courses take less than four years to complete, most take less than two. These schools offer online and night courses, so you can have a job or a family and the best part is graduates earn 50% more than high school graduates.

Here is a list of ten great careers that offer high employment prospects and competitive pay. Nursing Medical Assistant Dental Hygienist Help Desk Analyst Graphic Design Multimedia Design Medical Coding/Billing Medical Office Administration Paralegal HVAC Technician

Education at www.top-colleges.com.

About The Author

Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA http://www.degreesource.com/articles Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. For daily updates, read our blog at http://degreesource.blogspot.com

Were you once a successful, professional woman who had a significant status level and received adequate remuneration for your work

Have you re-located to a new country where the educational degree you worked so hard to achieve is neither recognized nor considered valid

As a result, have you now settled for a job for which you are overqualified and living paycheck to paycheck

If you once had a successful professional career and answered yes to the above, you probaby understand how frustrating it is, to be unable to practice your profession in a new country.

The decision to immigrate to another country is a courageous act which involves leaving everything that you know and everything that makes up who you are. It usually means starting over, making changes and finding a new job or career.

As a skilled professional woman, you already have a unique combination of marketable skills and experiences, optimism about your future prospects in the new country, education, commitment and motivation to work in your field of expertise, language ability and a desire to learn new things expertise...so, it’s really puzzling and shocking when you suddenly find yourself unemployed or unable to find a job in your field.

It is therefore important that you wake up from your slumber and do something about making your life a success.

To start making something of your life in a new country, you need to:

1. Stop being in denial.

Accept change and be ready to change! Your past successful life is always going to be a part of you and no one can take that away from you. However, the rules of the game in the new country may mean that you may no longer be the successful, lawyer, doctor, CEO or professional you once were.

As painful as it may be to accept…dont spend your days talking about who you were in the past and dwelling in the glory of your past success. Dont live in denial any longer than you must. Accept the fact that your circumstances have changed and start looking for constructive ways to make the best of your life in the new country.

2. Take a stand for your life.

When people move to a new country, they usually want to live in a place where they have some contacts, relatives or friends. However, some of these people you know, may have resigned themselves to living unfulfilled lives and may try to prevent you by their comments or actions from expecting more for yourself.

If you want to make a success of your life, you must take a risk, go against the negative majority, choose to be different and take a stand for a positive future. The decision to get out from among people, who will hold you back from doing something with your life, is worth it!

3. Don’t lose your sense of self-worth.

Your professional occupation is a large part of your identity and an integral part of your life. However if you have settled for less and are now overqualified for your job, you may feel that the work you are doing is not a valuable contribution to society. As a result, you may start questioning yourself and feeling worthless.

You are not worthless! Find meaning and purpose in what you want to do and begin to pursue it with vigor. After counting the cost, make the decision to do what you have to do to make your life a success. Stop settling for less than you deserve, start standing up for yourself and for your dignity.

4. Stop being invisible.

If you were used to being recognized by members of your community who were aware of your professional merits, you may be feeling very “anonymous” in the new country.

If you were previously a highly active, social and professional woman, don’t chose jobs that will relegate you to the back office and hide you behind a pile of meaningless paperwork. Look for a job that projects your social qualities and allows you to interact more visibly.

Find a career that allows you to fully utilize your skills. This could mean starting your own business, finding a new career, going back to school or finding means and ways to become actively involved with people in your profession in the new country or abroad.

5. Be informed about the work culture of the new country.

This may seem pretty basic but it should not be taken for granted. If you want to get ahead you must stop running around like a headless chicken and begin to familiarize yourself with the lifestyle, culture and work ethics of the new country. For instance, do you understand the work place terminology What kind of transferable/employable skills do you need Do employers require curriculum vitae or resumes What is the academic equivalent of the professional qualification you hold

Sometimes the hardship you are facing is not brought about by you as a person but by your lack of research on the basics. Make the adjustment easier for yourself by tailoring your life to fit into the new place and not vice versa.

6. Increase your social networks.

There is always a close connection between ones occupation and social status. When you are unable to transfer the occupation that you once held to the new country you now live in, you also lose social status. It is therefore important to have a network of people that you can trust and depend on.

You can have personal networks like friendship groups and social organizations and also join and actively participate in professional associations, community networks and support groups that are involved with issues that interest you. These networks also play a useful role in combating the feeling of being alone in a new place and can also be good idea or lead generators for a new job.

7. Don’t be complacent…do something!

Don’t wallow in self-pity. Hold on to your dreams and your goals. Work steadily and take risks to achieve them. Persevere and be resilient. Do what you have to do, to ensure that you make a success of your new life.

Be strong! Although there are many barriers to be overcome in a new country, let not your spirit be tarnished. Look within yourself for the strength to move forward with your life. With a positive attitude, you will find that there are a lot of things that can bring you ultimate success.

About The Author

Caroline Jalango is a life coach for unstoppable women who are willing to step up to the plate and take a shot at living exceptional lives wherever they are. www.motivationzone.com Caroline@motivationzone.com

Your career, like any journey, has a beginning, an end and a direction. For many people, the present direction of the career is probably not a result of entirely their own choices. If, for some reason, you are not happy with the direction of your career, there is a way out: Take charge of your career and change its direction.

1. Know yourself

Has it happened with you that after desperately looking for something e.g., keys all over the place, you eventually found it right in your pocket or drawer

Thats exactly the case with finding a new career direction. Usually, we try to search for a new career direction by looking all around, for example, at hot jobs, emerging fields, prestigious companies, friends career, whats safe and so on. Ironically, we fail to look for the answer where it actually lies: inside us.

The secret of finding the right career direction is not to look outside but to look inside. Know yourself and you will automatically know the right direction for your career.

2. Dig deeper

Most people define themselves is terms of what they write in their resumes. Thats just the tip of the iceberg. To really know yourself, dig deeper and uncover your:

a Strengths b Personality c Values d Interests

a Strengths

Your strength is what you do well and enjoy doing it. We never fail to admire strengths in top athletes, painters, writers, leaders but fail to ask "What is my strength"

Strengths have a solid connection with a persons career. According to Peter Drucker, a person can only perform from his strength. In other words, mediocrity is guaranteed if we fail to use our strengths. So know your strengths and get into a career that allows you to leverage your strengths to the maximum.

Discover your strengths by asking: What am I good at and also enjoy doing What makes me feel energized What comes naturally and easily to me

b Personality

Personality is the sum total of a persons behavioral, temperamental and emotional traits. For example, some people are by nature extrovert and enjoy meeting other people. But some people are born introvert and feel more comfortable when left alone.

Studies show a direct link between a persons personality and his career. Indeed, if you are an extrovert person, you would do well in roles such as sales, marketing, public relations. But an introvert person would be better off in roles that do not require public dealing.

To know your personality in detail and its implications on your career, appear at personality tests such as Myers Briggs Test Instrument MBTI.

c Values

Values are what you consider important and valuable. Values differ from person to person and can range from things like money, prestige and power to more subtle things like respect, harmony and independence.

Your values hint towards the kind of work that will suit you. For example, if you value "achievement, "you would do well in roles that regularly throw challenges at you. Someone else, however, may value "helping others" and, therefore, would do well in occupations that provide an opportunity to serve others.

To know your values, ask yourself what is important to you, make a list and prioritize the items. You can also use value inventories on the Internet to identify your values.

d Interests

Should the work be interesting Yes, for an important reason: If your work arouses your interest, you are going to do well. History shows that great achievers always pursued what fascinated them. Akio Morita shunned the option of joining the family business of sake brewing to pursue what he was interested in: an electronics start-up. And he created Sony.

Doing the work that interests you can have a lasting impact on your career. To uncover your interests, find out what fascinates you and draws your attention.

Knowing your strengths, personality, values and interests is like having a compass with its needle pointing towards the right direction for your career.

About The Author

Atul Mathur © 2004. All Rights Reserved.

Atul Mathur is a career coach and author of the ebook "The Secret Of Finding The Right Career Direction."

Web site: http://atulmathur.com

atul@atulmathur.com

I want to start with what I think good career coaches do for people who are looking for new jobs, facing downsizing, ready to retire, but want to work longer, etc. Any category of job seeker is who we want to work with. Ill start with my own definition..

1. Coaches can become friends with you. Friends of a kind that you can tell your secrets to and not fear recrimination or judgement about you and your decisions.

2. Coaches have resources for you. All kinds of resources to give you or ask you to find for yourself. They are: videos, books, websites, people, you name it. These resources are meant to awaken your desire to find the information that only you need to make a career decision.

4. Coaches guide you towards the decisions you want to make. Most job seekers know what they want, but need confirmation of what they really want to do, regardless of how zany the choices may be. The career coach helps the job hunter make firm decisions.

5. The career coach is also a cheerleader. A cheerleader who wants the job seeker to win, and win at the job or career decision

What a Career Coach Cannot Do: The coach is not a therapist and cannot solve deep personal problems. However, the coaching experience may be therapeutic with the job seeker becoming more authentic in the coaching process, simply by having a person who is interested in their welfare.

A career coach is not someone who can solve your financial problems either. Talking about what you need to do as a joint venture about how money affects you is a possibility in the coaching process, but not how to spend or budget money. Thats the kind of advice a financial advisor is better suited to handle.

Lastly, a good career coach is a person who can celebrate with you when you have successes. The coach will be there when you need more information, resources, or just a pat on the back. Go find one when you need career help.

About The Author

c, 2004 Permission is granted to reprint, not for commercial use Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A. Certified Job & Career Transition Coach Email: doitnow@nwinfo.net Web: www.doitnowcareers.info

Ever dreamt of giving up the daily grind Want to strike out on your own and work from home, but don’t know what you could possibly do to make a living Full time Nasdaq trader Harvey Walsh wondered just that, and now he asks “Is day trading the ultimate work from home job”

We’ve probably all had the same thought at some time or another, as we trudge off towards another day at work – the same work we’ve been doing day in day out for years – “surely there has to be a better way” Slaving away to make somebody else rich just doesn’t seem right somehow, but what alternative Setting up a new business, or buying an established one, are both expensive and risky prospects. So how can the disenchanted employee ever hope to make the switch from wage-slave to total independence

Those are thoughts I had almost every day, before I quit the safety of full time employment and decided to strike out on my own. I asked myself the same question day in and day out; surely there has to be a better way. What about the internet, I wondered, isn’t that supposed to be bringing new and exciting opportunities to all I researched a lot of so-called work-from-home opportunities that promised untold riches, apparently mine for the taking just by sitting in front of my PC. Needless to say, in reality those schemes turned out to be about as fulfilling as, well, filling envelopes for a living. No, I knew there had to be another way – something real – something where I could be in control of my own destiny.

And then one morning on the train to work, I read about a couple of Wall Street boys who had struck it rich thanks to some huge bonuses, and were now going it alone setting up their own day trading shop. That was when I discovered day trading, and I realised that this was exactly the opportunity I had been searching for. I decided there and then that I was going to make a full time living from the stock markets, whatever it took to succeed.

The advantages of day trading as a job are numerous to say the least; there is no boss to answer to, no customers to satisfy, no suppliers to let you down, no waiting for invoices to be paid, I could go on. In fact, I will: trading is a location-independent activity – I can work from anywhere with an internet connection, which effectively means anywhere in the world with a telephone line. I regularly trade from my laptop whilst travelling. I can trade when I feel like it, and take time off when I like, which means I can spend quality time with my family.

Now let’s get this straight, trading can be a risky activity, there is no doubt about that. So is driving a car to work, but the risks of getting from A to B on four wheels are well understood and are managed accordingly, to the point where we don’t think twice about getting behind the wheel. And in the same way, provided a trader is disciplined in their approach to the job at hand, and understands the associated risks of the work, so those risks can be managed.

On the subject of risk, day trading is almost unique in that it can be learnt and practised with absolutely no financial risk at all, by means of paper-trading – that is - trading using freely available simulation software. Thus in the same way a trainee airline pilot won’t be let loose into the skies without having learnt and rehearsed their skills in a simulator, so a new trader can employ the same technique before they start trading real money. I “sim-traded” before I gave up the day-job; it made it easy to leave the safety-net of a monthly pay check knowing from my simulated trading sessions that I could already make money in the markets.

And that brings me to the most satisfying aspect of trading for a living; money. On an average day trading the Nasdaq, it is not unusual to make more money in a couple of hours than I used to make in a whole month working full time as a wage-slave. There are bad days of course, days where things just don’t work out, but they pale into insignificance over the course of a week or a month. It certainly took some intensive studying and a lot of practise before becoming a consistently profitable trader. But the end result of that hard work is an immensely valuable life skill that nobody can take away, and which allows for incredible freedom.

Since I first started trading, the learning curve has become even easier for the aspiring day trader, with a multitude of new websites, training courses, and books all covering the subject. I envy anyone starting out in this business today – they certainly have many more learning aids available to them than I had at the same point in my own career.

So is day trading the ultimate work-from-home job No. I firmly believe it’s the ultimate work-from ANYWHERE job!

About The Author

Harvey Walsh is a full time Nasdaq day trader, and part time trading tutor. He trades from his home, or indeed wherever he happens to be when travelling. He can be contacted via his website: http://www.day-trading-freedom.com

Though the name itself may seem a bit mysterious, the concept of mystery shopping is actually straightforward. Also referred to as secret shopping, performance evaluations, service checks and frontline evaluations to name a few, mystery shopping allows companies to obtain a “snapshot in time” by trained researchers who know in advance what they are to evaluate. It provides management a method to quickly yet efficiently evaluate their business practices, deliverables, and employees from the perspective of a non-biased consumer. Mystery shoppers visit or call businesses posing as ordinary customers and provide detailed evaluations of their experience using written reports or questionnaires.

Mystery shopping is used in a wide variety of industries such as retail, restaurants, financial institutions, convenience stores and gas stations, service providers, manufacturers, department stores, travel and entertainment, etc.

Though there is a certain level of responsibility and professionalism required to be an effective mystery shopper, you should never have to pay to get a job. There are dozens of companies claiming that by paying them a registration fee they will send you job opportunities and teach you the steps to becoming a shopper. This may be true, but is also completely unnecessary.

The legitimate mystery shopping companies in the industry NEVER charge fees to the shopper. Training, tips for improvement, and shopping opportunities are provided free to registered shoppers. Mystery shoppers are either paid a pre-arranged fee for a particular shop, a reimbursement for a purchase or a combination of both. Though it is possible to make a living solely from mystery shopping, it is not very common. Most shoppers view this as a second income source or as a way to obtain fully reimbursed meals, products, and services.

The registration process with leading mystery shopping companies has improved over the years. Most provide a simple online form that takes only a few minutes to complete. Once you have registered with a company or two, they will start informing you of shopping opportunities. Most of these are “first-come, first-serve”, so be sure to provide the company with an email address that you check regularly, and a phone number where you can be easily reached.

Be willing to accept last minute assignments and treat bottom-of-the-barrel assignments just like top-of-the-line assignments. At first, take whatever you can get. This will allow you to build a reputation with each company. The old adage, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” is exceptionally true in this industry. Make sure you completely understand the instructions for the particular shop, be impartial, and focus on accuracy. You may be required to document employee names and descriptions, prices, inventory evaluations, etc.

Go hi-tech. More and more mystery shopping companies are requiring shoppers to have access to the Internet, email and a fax machine. Some shops even require the use of a digital camera to capture product placement, signage, cleanliness or other focus points.

Complete all assignments on time. If you absolutely cannot complete an assignment, contact the mystery shopping company immediately so they can reschedule the assignment. Dependable shoppers get the best assignments!

Assignments can be as basic as sitting in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant for 20 minutes to document drive-thru service times to taking an all-expense-paid trip to a resort for 2 weeks to document your daily service experiences.

Now that you understand the mystery shopping industry a little more clearly, the next step is to locate a few top mystery shopping providers and register, remembering that even if a firm doesn*t have a client in your area today, they may next month. Once registered with a company, it would not hurt to call or send an email to express your willingness to shop and to confirm your professionalism and attention to detail. Just make sure that you do not send an email full of typos and grammatical errors – definitely not the type of first impression that you want to leave.

Another method for finding potential shopping opportunities and to gather further industry knowledge is by monitoring online mystery shopping message boards and forums. To locate a few, type words like “mystery shopping message board” or “mystery shopping forum” into your favorite browser.

Mystery shopping may not become your next career, but it will provide you with some extra income, free goods, and maybe even a few adventures along the way!

About The Author

Steve Pearce is the Dir. of Business Development for National Shopping Service. NSS has been a pioneer in the mystery shopping industry since 1972, offering customizable solutions to businesses that provide the information they need to understand and affect their businesses at points of customer interaction. http://www.nationalshoppingservice.com - 800-800-2704