Career Planner

Writen by Tony Jacowski

Whosoever said that your professional career starts only after you graduate from college or is only partly right. If you don't include career planning as the fundamental stepping stone for your future, you will be doing yourself a disservice. Yes, your career can wait until you are out of college but planning can't. Whether you are a new grad or a professional seeking to switch gears, now is the right time to consider your options.

Starting Early

No matter how much professional experiences you acquire, developing a list of positive choices is always going to be difficult and no matter what. It is commonly accepted that proper planning must be perfected. This theory stems from the idea that thinking alot allows for refining and correcting before you put the plan into action. While you are still in the planning stages and possibly your current position, you have the advantage of having time on your side when you can correct the nuances without scathing your face.

Career Planner for New Grads and Seasoned Professionals

The career planner here is broad-based so that anyone wanting to make a specific career choice will be able to adopt this to their specific circumstances.

1. Listen to your mentors: Mentors are very important factors in your career development. Discuss with them what they think would be a good career move for you, based on their observations. They have probably experienced missed opportunities or observed someone failing, so they potentially know better than you do in this area.

2. Identify your area of interest: Throughout your career, you probably have had some ideas that you weren't able to implement due to circumstances. You can convert some of them if you play your cards right here. Identify those areas that interest you most and think seriously about them. Discuss the pros and cons of them with your mentor, a career coach and your significant other.

3. Know your strengths and weaknesses: Analyzing your strengths and weaknesses will tell you a lot about yourself and your suitability for a certain career. You will know where and what you are lacking, leaving room for you to developing the skills you need for a given profession. This is an opportunity for you to minimize your weaknesses by honing and polishing your strengths.

4. Set your goals: Have a reasonably broad spectrum of area of interests so that you can broaden your goals. The broader the goal, the greater your chances are of achieving it. Setting narrower goals demand larger task preparations and leaves you with stiffer competition.

5. Set up a time frame: Set up a timetable for acquiring/honing skills based on the realities of the market and your situation.

6. Go for it: This is the actual preparation stage when you need to get down to the specifics of needs of your chosen career. Work hard on them, including broadening your knowledge base. Strengthen your aptitudes in areas such as statistics. This helps you stand a better chance of moving up the career ladder, especially if you are considering a career in Six Sigma, which is a growing field requiring expertise in the use of statistical tools.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Changing To A Computer Career For Retired Baby Boomers

Writen by Richard Stooker

Us baby boomers're going to shake up the world in retirement, and so we better get ready. The first baby boomers become eligible for (early) Social Security retirement benefits in 2007.

Those of you who really want to change to a computer career, now's your chance.

In the years to come, large numbers of boomers are going to leave the workforce. Many of them, I believe, will simply change from full time jobs they hate to full or part time careers they enjoy.

Many boomers are going to leave the IT industry in huge numbers. Who will replace them?

In many cases -- other baby boomers.

According to a recent article in the Salt Lake Tribune, the number of new Computer Science degree majors is dwindling. So many in the young generations are going into other fields.

And sure, a lot of routine technical work is going to be outsourced to India and other low-wage countries. That's inevitable.

But who's going to tell the outsource contractors what to do?

Somebody here in the U.S. and other developed countries must continue to understand enough computer science and technologies just to organize the projects.

Somebody needs to speak directly with customers and get specifications and feedback.

Somebody needs to help small businesses hook databases up to the Internet.

Computers are fast becoming as common in our society as cars. True, only a handful of top automotive engineers design the automotive breakthroughs for the manufacturers.

And it's also true that the number of people employed in the manufacture of automobiles has declined by huge numbers in the U.S. and other developed countries. Much (though not all) of that work has been in effect "outsourced" to low-wage countries.

Yet in one way or another, countless numbers of people make their living from automobiles. They sell them, lease them, appraise them and repair them.

I've heard that a good auto mechanic who's certified and up on the latest technologies can command around $100,000.

When you need your head gasket replaced, you can't send your car to India or Vietnam.

When you need a new motherboard, you can't send your PC to China.

So the first place to start if you want to change to a computer career now or after you start collecting Social Security and a pension, is with the CompTIA A+ certification for installing, upgrading and repairing PCs.

Other options include:

1. Helping small businesses.

Google and Microsoft won't hire you, but Joe's Candles and Gifts needs computers almost as much as large enterprises . . . to store customer data, inventory, sales and all other information. Plus have an interactive web site.

But they can't afford to hire that kind of full time expertise. Show them how they can save money on inventory, market more effectively, make doing their taxes easier . . . by installing some simple equipment and software and hiring you as their part time consultant.

Charge ten or twenty small businesses to service their networks and other computer operations and you could make some good money.

There're also security concerns. All networks will be increasingly attacked by hackers. Cracking into a gift store's network may not be as dramatic as the Department of Homeland Security, but it'll be far easier, unless you're there to tell them what steps they need to take to safeguard their data.

The possibilities from helping small businesses with their IT needs are nearly limitless.

2. Sell your own software over the Internet.

Yes, lots of software programming is going to be outsourced. But you can come up with your own idea, write the program and sell it online using just a web site.

3. Hold classes in high tech toys for other senior citizens.

I've had a PC and been online for nearly 15 years. Plus I've written about various high technologies. So I think I'm up on a lot of computer-type stuff.

But I know from zip to squat about cell phones, digital cameras, Tivos, high definition TV, chatting online, using laptops in wireless environments, electronic games, iPods and probably stuff I don't even know that I don't know.

There's just too much to keep up with when you're working full time. I'm sure I'm not the only boomer whose knowledge of the info tech world is limited. But when we have more time and money, we'll want to check some of these gadgets out.

When you're collecting a pension and Social Security, you don't want to work for big name technology companies any more than they want you.

And that's ok -- there're plenty of smaller companies and people whom you can make a good income from helping with high tech skills.

c 2006 by Richard Stooker Richard Stooker is the author of Secrets of Changing to an Info Tech Career and Computer Careers Blog

How To Receive Payment As A Freelance Translator

Writen by Khalid Belamdini

A problem most freelance translators are facing with is how to receive payment. In particular: How to receive payment for small jobs. Many translation agencies are reluctant to pay small fees via wire transfer due to the transaction fees; often they will send you a check instead. And I suppose I don't have to tell you: The banks charge an enormous commission when you come and want to cash in your check.

Then along came PayPal …

Basically PayPal lets you send and receive payment over the Internet. It bases its service on the existing bank and credit card networks, but it is not a bank in itself.

Registering is free; all you need is an email address. Sending money is free - receiving money however, is not. You pay 3.4 % of the received amount unless you are receiving dollars; in this case you pay 2.9 % of the received amount. Then you have to pay a flat fee for each transaction: 0.35 Euros or 0.30 Dollars. In addition you have to pay a cross boarder fee of 0.5 % - 1.0 % if you receive payment from someone located in another country.

Then you have to pay a small fee when you withdraw your money to your regular bank account. (Unless your bank is located in the United States; then you don't have to pay this fee.) How much this is depends on the country you are located in. I for instance live in Switzerland and have to pay 0.50 CHF to withdraw to my account. Banks in countries within EU, except the United Kingdom, all charge 1.0 Euro.

Lets have a look at an example. I perform a small translation and charge a minimum fee of 20 Euro. 3.4 % of 20 Euro is 0.68 Euro, plus the flat fee of 0.35 Euro. Add the cross boarder fee of 1%, which is 0.20 Euro. So, of my 20 Euros PayPal takes 1.20 Euros. In addition comes the fee of 0.50 CHF for withdrawing the money to my regular bank account.

If the agency sent me a check instead of using PayPal, my bank would charge 7.50 CHF (4.80 Euros) for cashing the check for me. Each bank has its own fees for cashing checks and receiving wire transfers. But for smaller amounts PayPal is definitely the cheapest way of accepting payment. You will have to do a small calculation and see how large amounts you can receive before the PayPal fees exceed the fees your bank charges.

But is it safe?

Most freelance translators using this way of receiving payment are satisfied with the service and have had no problem with PayPal. I have only heard of one-two translators having their accounts frozen by PayPal for no legitimate reason.

Some negative aspects of PayPal

The problems with PayPal only start when you have a problem, so to speak. Resolving a problem can be very time-consuming and frustrating, and in many cases no solution is reached. Their customer support is not exactly something to brag about. It is very difficult to get behind their wall of auto responders and answering machines!

Another thing to be aware of are scams. There are numerous scams around, from people sending out emails pretending to be from PayPal asking you to confirm your credit card numbers, to hackers going in to your account and spending all your money.

Other negative aspects of PayPal are that it is not available in all countries and you can only receive payment in a few currencies.

By using PayPal you take a large risk compared to using the normal banking system. The chance of loosing your money is there. At the moment there are several lawsuits filed against PayPal and a lot of people who have lost money and not received any compensation.

Have a look at these web sites:

http://www.paypalwarning.com
http://www.aboutpaypal.org/

A few tips for using PayPal

The majority of the people having problems with PayPal are people selling items via auctions etc. Some examples: Payment is cashed from the buyers account and not transferred to the sellers account. A buyer uses a stolen credit card number to purchase items from you and your account risk being frozen for being involved with criminal activity.

As long as you use PayPal to receive money and don't connect you PayPal account to a credit card the risk is relatively low. In the worst case you could lose the money available on you PayPal account, threw whatever reason: hackers getting in to your account, PayPal freezing your account etc.

Having read a few of the horror stories about PayPal, I am very cautious using their system. But I still use it for receiving small payments. Basically out of lack of alternatives. PayPal was the first company to offer this kind of service, and for a long time it was the only company providing this service.

In the last year or so a few other companies have started providing the same service or very similar services. Most of them are very new companies and still not industry standard. When I ask agencies if they pay via Moneybookers for instance, they have never heard of this. But many of them can offer payment threw PayPal.

I am sure there soon will be very good alternatives. But for now it seems we are stuck with PayPal whether we like it or not.

Guidelines for using PayPal

The only advice I can give is to be careful using PayPal. Here are some tips to help minimize the risk of loosing money threw PayPal.

1. Only receive smaller amounts through PayPal.

2. Never leave large amounts on your PayPal account: Withdraw your money as soon as you have a couple of hundred Euros/Dollars.

3. Log in to your account and check that everything is ok each time you expect to receive payment.

4. Be prepared to lose the money on your account.

Get more info at Vertaalbureau Metamorfose Vertalingen

Khalid Belamdini is a freelance webmaster working at Vertaalbureau Metamorfose Vertalingen

What Are The Common Types Of Marketing Jobs

Writen by Khemal Dole

When you hear someone mention that they are in marketing, what do you think they do exactly? What does "Marketing" mean and what kind of jobs are their in the marketing field. When someone says they are in Marketing there are a number of specific jobs they could be referring to. Marketing jobs are varied in their type and structure, so if you think marketing is something you might enjoy doing, you should consider what that can encompass. Here are a few of the more common marketing jobs you may see in your job search.

Some marketing jobs refer to account managers, which are sometimes called account executives. They generally are the point person for specific client accounts. As an account executive, you would be helping clients form strategies to market their businesses as well as implementing those strategies for them. You might also me known as I consultant to the clients. They come to you when they need things done. You get those things done for them. You need to have good people skills in order to me an account manager. This is obvious since you will be dealing with people all the time. But what if you don't like to deal with people?

Luckily marketing jobs aren't always about dealing with customers. You could be a product or brand manager as well. For such marketing jobs you would be responsible for creating strategies and marketing publicity for physical products or brand names. You would probably gain understanding of the market for the product and target niches and specific sects of the market. There would of course be an account manager who deals with the client. But your jobs is simply to focus on marketing and not customer relations.

Sometimes marketing jobs have weird sounding names like MarCom manager. As stang as it sounds this job, though, is important. Generally, in this role, you would be responsible for the direct marketing strategy for a company or in some cases a product. You would also create materials and organize the entire marketing program from scheduling, budget to implementation in terms of the communication side of things. This job demands experience in the whole cycle of marketing.

Then there are marketing managers. In this, perhaps the most commonly referred to of marketing jobs, you would be in charge of all activities and decisions in the marketing department of a company. You would be required to communicate, organize, analyze, and manage all at the same time. Plus you would be ultimately responsible for the people who work for you. You are, after all, their boss. This job role demands years of experience in all forms of marketing roles. Typically you would have be promoted up the ranks of all other job roles to get here.

As you can see, marketing jobs are varied, but offer something for everyone. There's a job for every type of person, whether you like dealing with people or not. By understanding just a few of the more common jobs out there for those in marketing, you can get an idea of where you should be looking and what might work best for you and your skills.

Khemal Dole owns and operates http://www.PaychecksDirect.com, a completely F*R*E*E service which helps many first-timers and even experts find their perfect Work At Home job. Visit http://www.PaychecksDirect.com right now and see for yourself why so many are flocking to his site.

Paid Travel For Adventurous University Graduates

Writen by Jason Cresswell

Is it possible for recent university graduates to get a job where they can save over $1000 a month, get flown around the world, and have their accommodations furnished and paid for?

If this seems too good to be true, you're right about one thing: it is good, but, in fact, it also happens to be true.

Almost everyone has heard of teaching English as a second language overseas. But, most people don't think that it applies to them. "Most people think that you have to be a certified teacher, or have some special training, when in fact, university graduates of any major are able to do this," says Jason Cresswell, co-owner and CEO of Access South Korea Now (ASK Now Inc.).

According to Cresswell, who himself spent five years teaching in South Korea, the main qualifications are that the applicant be a native English speaker, be a graduate of university, and have a passport from a country where English is the first language (Canada, the United States, U.K., Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa). Beyond that, the person must be willing to commit to a year in another country.

When asked why the schools are willing to pay such a good salary to recent grads, and even pay for their flight and apartment, Cresswell responds, "English is the international language. Korean people are ambitious and aspire to travel, do business outside of their borders, and be part of the global community. In order to accomplish these goals, they must be able to communicate in English."

So that explains the demand end of the equation, how about supply? "Take a survey amongst your friends. See how many of them who have graduated would be willing to pack their bags and leave the comfort of their familiar surroundings in exchange for a place and culture they know nothing about."

While it's true that most people aren't able to pack up and leave for a year, there are those who are perfectly suited to this. ASK Now's website, www.asknow.ca, features comments from some of those whom Cresswell and company have sent to South Korea. "I'm the VIP foreigner wherever I go." "We're not sure if one year is long enough to see everything." "We have learned the Westerner mantra, Beware of Soju (Korean alcohol)" and "We went to Japan and met a bunch of other foreigners there."

Reading the comments, you can tell immediately that the type of person suited for this opportunity is adventurous, curious, and looking for a major change in their life.

It is not only money that is a motivator. Travel, exposure to a new culture, and having a stand-out resume are also reasons people go.

"It's great for those just entering the full-time job market. They spend a year or two paying off student loans, return home, and stand out immediately from their competition when applying for a job," says Cresswell.

An employer faced with choosing between two candidates with similar education would be very likely to favor a candidate with international work experience. It shows the person can adapt to change, is independent, and can be trusted to finish what they start.

What if you can't speak Korean? "No problem," says Cresswell. "My first year in Korea, I barely learned any Korean. On the plane ride home after my first year, I decided I would be going back and that I should learn some more of the language. I did. It made my experience much better. Actually, it allowed me to meet, and eventually marry my wife who didn't speak English."

Cresswell married his wife, So Young, a Korean model, after a courtship in Korean. "Learning the language worked out well for me," he understates.

When asked about the cost of using his company's services, Cresswell responds, "Free. And if you deal with a company that wants to charge you to find a job, you should discontinue your relationship with them. We are paid by the schools to find qualified, quality candidates."

If you're intrigued by this opportunity and you can picture yourself packing your bags, visit http://www.asknow.ca to learn more. According to the website, qualified and eager candidates can begin their new life in as little as a month.

Jason Cresswell is co-owner and CEO of ASK Now Inc., a company that helps university graduates find employment teaching English in South Korea. He spent 5 years teaching and traveling to countries such as South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and Taiwan. He is married to a Korean model, speaks Korean, and divides his time between Canada and South Korea. Jason is available for interviews for radio, television, newspaper, magazine, and other media.

Jason Cresswell ASK Now Inc. jason@asknow.ca http://www.asknow.ca 705-673-7179 or 705-662-2043

Certified Financial Advisors

Writen by Elizabeth Morgan

A certified financial advisor is a person who has a certification from a professional association or government registry. He must have a thorough knowledge of financial affairs, from personal finance to market behavior.

Most of them have credentials like the CFP certification or CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst). Verify with the organization that issued the credential that your CFA is in good standing with the organization. NSAD's Understanding Investment Professional Designations can be very helpful in this regard.

The other professional body that certifies these financial professionals is the CFP, or Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. The Board is an independent regulatory organization that gives licenses to financial planners. It's better that you check whether the professional is certified as a CFP professional, and whether there are incidences in his professional career that has lead his or her suspension of the certificate by the Board. You can also call the Board at (888) 237-6275 to obtain additional information about the professional.

Financial advisers have to register with either the SEC or the state securities agency where they have their principal place of business, depending on their size. Investment advisers who manage $25 million or more in client assets must register with the SEC. If they manage less than $25 million, they must register with the state securities agency in the state where they have their principal place of business. This is one form of certification or registration that makes the professional accountable.

The investment advisers have to fill out a form called ""Form ADV" and file it with either the SEC or the state securities agency, depending on the amount of assets they manage.

The ADV includes two parts. Part I contains vital information about the professional's education, business, and whether they've had problems with regulators or clients. Part II outlines the services, fees, and strategies. Before you choose someone to be your investment adviser you should examine both parts of the ADV, which is also one form of certification.

Financial Advisor provides detailed information on Financial Advisor, Certified Financial Advisors, Independent Financial Advisors, Financial Advisor Careers and more. Financial Advisor is affiliated with Free Financial Help.

Want To Make It Big In The Entertainment Industry Consider Sales Management Training

Writen by Sherry Harris

So you want to be in entertainment? That is a tough nut to crack and every little advantage helps. Everyone knows the business is dog eat dog so how can you give yourself the edge over all the other competition particularly if you have not yet established any connections? A good key to success is preparation. When an opportunity arises you will be in a great position to capitalize on it if you are prepared for it.

Being in the entertainment business has a great deal to do with how you present yourself. Whether you are seeking to be a musician, rapper, talent manager or some other position in the music business you will be judged on how you present yourself. Should you meet someone of importance to your potential career it is crucial to make a good first impression. As the old saying goes, "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression." This is where the preparation comes into play.

To put your best foot forward you need to get the proper training. A career training course on Sales Management is the perfect preparation tool for those aspiring to have a career in the music industry. The Sales Management course will teach you how to negotiate, present yourself in a business environment, gain rapports with the right people and much more. If you want to make it in the business you have to sell yourself. If you do not believe you have what it takes to be successful in the industry no one else will believe it either. Having a firm knowledge of how to sell yourself can boost your confidence and others will notice the difference. Completing the Sales Management course can give you the necessary skills to improve your self image. Projecting confidence and competence will impress the people who count the most.

It is easy to receive career training in Sales Management. If you have access to a computer with an internet connection you can quickly enroll in a Sales Management course. You choose the days and the hours when you wish to study the course and you don't have to drive to a campus and sit in a classroom. Your time is your own to schedule it as you see fit. This will leave you with valuable time to seek out those all important business connections. Once the Sales Management course has been completed you will be ready to take the music industry by storm. Knowing how to sell yourself will put you way ahead of the competition and get you started on the road to success.

If you truly want to be a huge success in the entertainment industry do yourself a favor and check out a Sales Management course. Go ahead make a good impression.

Copyright 2006 Sherry Harris

Sherry Harris is the President of online career training school, Malibu Institute. For more information on master certificate courses and career education offered, go to: http://www.MalibuInstitute.com

Bigfoot Recruiting How To Find Talent That Does Not Exist

Writen by Jim Stroud

It is sometimes a comedy of errors to observe the (sometimes) disconnect from reality between recruiters and well-meaning hiring managers.

A recent article in VOIP Magazine discussed how a certain HR manager of a certain cable broadband provider contacted a certain expert for assistance in finding experienced IP communications people. It seems that this certain company had made a decision to deploy Voice over IP next year to round out a consumer package. What this certain HR manager wanted specifically, was a Director Of VoIP Operations. Since Director Of VoIP is a brand spanking-new position, involving a new technology, and a new service model for the company, whomever landed that gig would need an excellent understanding of emerging technologies and a crystal clear view of the impact that this service would have on this cable broadband provider's business model. The writer of the article was not wholly optimistic of the HR manager's success. Why? Long story short, there are not many people around that fit the job description the HR manager described. And this had me thinking.

"Self," I said to myself, "How would you go about recruiting Bigfoot candidates?"

"Bigfoot candidates?"

"Yes," I continue to say to... ummm... myself. "Bigfoot candidates are those candidates that some people believe exist, but most folks accept them as general myth."

Bigfoot citings are not uncommon in HR, as they usually occur whenever new technologies become popular. Case in point, when the JAVA programming language was released in 1995 (or was it 1996?), it was not uncommon to see job postings for Java developers with 5 years (or more) experience. This was laughable on one level and frustrating in every other sense for both recruiters and hiring managers alike. How was a recruiter going to find the perfect candidate when (overall) they did not exist as the technology itself was barely a few months old?

I ran into this when I was recruiting Executive and Technical personnel for startup companies in the 90's. So what happenned back then? Well, some businesses changed their mind on how they chose to proceed on certain projects, delayed their initiatives (until the dotcom bubble burst), or dropped them alltogether. If I could go back in time, I would rattle off a list of what they could do (or I could have done) to find Bigfoot candidates skilled in Java or any other hot new emerging technology. Alas, I can not go back in time; but perhaps you dear reader can benefit from these finite pearls of wisdom.

When you are asked to find a candidate with years of experience in a technology that is only a few months old, do one (or all) of the following:

1. Look for the best of the best in last year's technology.

Ask yourself this, "What technology out there is like (fill-in-the-blank) technology?" If (fill-in-the-blank) technology does the same thing as (last year's technology), but faster, perhaps I can find a potential hire from someone who is really good with (last year's technology) and potentially could take it to the next level? I should focus on those candidates that innovated (last year's technology) and really stretched it in different ways.

2. Convince the business to add training time into its development cycle.

Explain to your client that experts in (fill-in-the-blank) technology are in short supply and that it would be infinitely easier, more productive and cost effective to train the engineers already on the payroll in (fill-in-the-blank) technology and factor their training with the development cycle of the new product.

3. Consider the source

Every technology, has a creator, so consider recruiting the people who invented the (fill-in-the-blank) technology (or buying the company they started).

4. Forget about Beta, go Alpha!

Get a working prototype online ASAP and post it online for people to kick around. Pay close attention to those who give the best technical feedback and recruit them.

5. Use your Lego building blocks

Look for technology that can perform a portion of what the (fill-in-the-blank) technology can do and then find another and then another. Imagine putting these technologies together (like a Lego set) as a means of competing against the (fill-in-the-blank) technology. Once you have all of the parts together, search the patents behind each piece of technology. Every artist signs his work, so find out who was good at making these pieces and then recruit them as well.

6. Spill the beans

This is a risky play and worth it in the end, but I advise doing this ONLY with the full approval of the company (especially the tech department). Leak reports on what you are doing to the blogosphere and study the reactions. I speculate that you will find:

A. People who will debunk it as heresay.
B. Who will be impressed and speculate on the final product.
C. People who will not be impressed and cite other companies who are doing similar things and doing it better (at least, in their opinion).

You want to pay closest attention to "C." Why? Elementary my dear Watson, they are providing you information on companies and/or technology that you might not have been aware of. This is intelligence you can use to find more potential hires. Its a sneaky play, but works VERY well if executed correctly. Ummm... At least, I have heard that it works well (wink).

When confronted with a Bigfoot search, convince your customer of the time wasted in finding what does not exist (or is extremely rare at best) and steer them in the direction of training the developers they have in the latest technical fashion trend. Afterall, it is easier to build a "Bigfoot" than to waste time looking for one. Still, I am reminded of all those explorers who refuse to believe what is most likely true and pursue a mythical beast that has been seen (only) with a shaky camera. For those recruiters who service clients with similar folktale faith, you have my pity.

About The Author

Jim Stroud is a "Searchologist" with an expertise in the full life-cycle placement of Executive and Technical personnel, Recruitment Research and Competitive Intelligence. He has consulted for such companies as Google, Siemens, MCI and a host of start-up companies. He presently serves Microsoft as a Technical Sourcing Consultant.

Quite recently, Jim Stroud launched "Jim Stroud 2.0," which is a blog where he rants about the recruiting industry, explains innovative sourcing strategies and whatever else comes to mind. Jim Stroud was nominated for a "Best Blog Award" by Recruiting.com in 2005.

Visit Jim Stroud's blog at: http://blogcharm.com/jimstroud

Finding A Work At Home Telemarketing Job

Writen by Aaron Schuelke

Many of us have been fooled by the latest work at home hype that is popular today. Letter stuffers, medical transcription, online pyramids, surveys, and even eBay stores may all sound promising, but many times they let our hopes down. In the field of work at home telemarketing you may have discovered that there too just like the others are a lot of promising offers that are nothing more than cheap scams. This can be very disheartening when trying to start a new career. You may even wonder if there really is any legitimate work at home telemarketing jobs out there.

The good news is there is! Right now there are many telemarketers making a substantial amount of money by working right out of their own home. The bad news is that these careers take a lot of work to find. Don't let the hype fool you. Thought it may sound like there are millions of telemarketers making a great deal of money in the comfort of their own home, this is simply not true. While the industry is starting to really take off, there are not as many workers as you may think.

The problem is that there are many online scams. Since so many online sources do not offer legitimate jobs, if you really have your mind set to working at home as a telemarketer you are going to have to do some serious homework.

Keep in mind before you get started that though many work at home scams may try to convince you that you little or no experience, as well as very little skills are required, this is simply not true. You will not be able to just start a career up in this field by reading an e-book in one hour. Not only will you need good communications skills just like you would in a regular call center, but you also must be able to be knowledgeable about any services or products your company carries. Knowledgeable enough to perform customer service duties, take orders, make sales, and of course you must able to run any software associated to the job.

Once you feel you are ready to take on the task of finding a legitimate telemarketing job, remember stay realistic. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Figure you will need to put in slightly less time finding a legitimate job as you would working a legitimate job. Do not limit your search to just the internet. Try calling legitimate call centers to see if they offer or know of any work at home positions. Ask around locally to see if anyone knows of any leads you can follow.

Remember, real telemarketing positions are out there! Don't let all the scams get you down. With hard work, luck, and a little help you will be on your way.

Telemarketing Information and Resources at http://telemarketing.advertising-selling.com/

Tips To Help You Start Your Own Allround Translation Business

Writen by Fester Leenstra

There is no shortage of translators who take the plunge and set up shop as self-employed freelancers, but few have the ambition or the spirit to start up their own all-round translation agency. This is not surprising, of course, as the establishment of a full- scale translation agency is a quantum leap compared with what it takes to launch a viable freelance practice. Nevertheless, the intellectual and financial rewards of business ownership can be substantial. Below I will discuss various aspects you will have to take into account should you consider beginning your own professional and all-round translation business.

All-round translations
First of all, what is meant, in this particular context, by the term 'all-round'? Basically, it refers to the scope of your product. As a freelancer your output would be confined to your own language combination and degree of specialisation; as an agency owner you will be able to supply your clients with translations across a whole range of source and target languages and disciplines, including commercial, technical, medical and legal documents. In theory, your range would be limited only by the number of staff you would be prepare to contract.

Internal organisation
If you want to establish your own translation company, you would be well advised to find a competent partner first – unless you are willing to hire staff right from the start (which, in most cases, is not a recommendable procedure). Ideally, your business partner should be a person whose qualities are complementary to your own, if only because in such cases the division of tasks is usually quite obvious (and a potential source of conflict is removed). There are good reasons to separate responsibility for product quality (i.e., the quality of the translations) from organisational responsibilities (order processing, account management, etc.). These two roles do not go together very well in practice, and the associated skills are not usually combined within one and the same person anyway.

Find suitable office accommodation that includes at least two rooms: one library-style room where you can work in peace, and one nerve centre where the business is done. Make sure you have at least three computer workstations (one spare station is no luxury) and an office printer, a telephone switchboard with at least two external lines and a fax. Get yourself a straightforward high-quality accounting programme with a CRM module and document your working methods in detailed systematic procedures.

Don't forget to lay down and formalise a number of essential agreements on tasks and responsibilities with your business partner, so as to prevent any misunderstandings.

Business Plan
Once you have gathered all the information you need, you should draw up a Business Plan. Examples of such plans are available at your local Chamber of Commerce, or can be downloaded (for a fee) from the Internet. These specimen copies are structured in such a way that they will assist you in each step of your own Business Plan. One of the main advantages of having a reliable Business Plan is that it will present you with a realistic estimate of the money you will need to get your agency off the ground. If your capital requirements exceed your private budget (and it is quite likely that they will), you will have to present a thorough Business Plan to the bank in order to persuade them that your plans will pay off.

High-quality freelance translator network
The main asset of any translation agency is obviously its network of reliable translators. Incidentally, you need not be a networking freak to build up such a freelance network. Many freelancers will present themselves to you spontaneously as soon as they get wind of your existence; alternatively, you can actively recruit them and check out CVs on a variety of collective freelance websites, such as Translators Café or GoTranslators. The snag is that you will be hard put to appraise a freelancer's skills if you do not master the language concerned. CV assessment is important, but by no means sufficient: you will need to be able to judge the quality of a freelancer's actual output before entrusting him or her to your clients!

To obviate this problem, check your own network of colleagues or friends for highly-educated native speakers of the language concerned, ask several freelancers to submit (free) trial translations, have them assessed and select the two or three most promising freelancers for each language combination you intend to offer. Carefully document the strengths and weaknesses of each selected freelancer and list the specialisations. Note that you won't get a truly reliable picture of a freelancer's capacity and skills until he/she has had the opportunity to do several translation jobs for you.

Once you have a pool of reliable freelance translators for each language combination, you can obviously also ask them to check and assess trial translations submitted by other candidates.

Another point to bear in mind is that the freelancers you decide to work with should comply with all the requirements imposed by your country's Tax & Customs Administration. Each freelancer should be able to produce a formal statement, issued by the tax authorities, attesting to his/her status as an independent translator.

Reliable network of suppliers
Your freelance translators are obviously your most important suppliers, but the supply network comprises other parties as well that will need to be carefully selected as you will need to use their services on an ongoing basis. These include the bank, the accountant, the printer and the graphic designer.

Marketing
Once the internal set-up of your agency is in place, your first priority should be to recruit clients in a systematic manner. For many start-ups in the translation business, this is the most difficult hurdle. Obviously there is a multitude of strategies that can help you attract clients in the business-to-business segment (which accounts for most of the turnover of any self-sufficient translation agency). One very helpful tool, if used correctly, is Direct Marketing. In principle, two different Direct Marketing strategies are available:

1. Internet marketing
One effective and relatively cheap method of generating business in the short term is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), a term that refers to a variety of techniques to help you strengthen your presence on the Internet, and to help prospective clients find you there. A strong position in Internet search engines will increase the number of times you are invited to submit a quote for a translation job, for the simple reason that you will be more likely to be selected if you are easy to find on the Internet.

Some Internet facility agencies have specialised in Search Engine
Optimisation and will be able to improve your search engine rating within a couple of months. Most of these companies charge annual subscription fees. If you want immediate results, ask for an adword campaign.

2. Database marketing
This a rather more expensive client acquisition technique. Call large international corporations and government agencies likely to produce texts for translation on a regular basis, and ask for the name of the person who is responsible for translation services (usually an official at the Director's Office, Communications or the Marketing Department). Gather the information in a database and mail the contact persons four or five times a year. The mailing could comprise your company brochure, a letter of recommendation, flyers, a magazine for business relations or any other item that will help remind the reader of your name and the level of quality that you offer.

An effective database contains at least 1,000 companies or other organisations, and should also contain the names of the contact persons. It goes without saying that you will also have to invest in continually updating your database.

Fester Leenstra is co-owner of a translation agency in the Netherlands.
Please visit: http://www.metamorfosevertalingen.nl or http://www.oost-europavertalingen.nl

Career Are You Feeling Victimized

Writen by CD Mohatta

Are you feeling that you are getting a raw deal in your job? Do you feel that you are being blamed wrongly? That you are being given more responsibilities than you can handle? That no body bothers about your comfort? You don't get any appreciation? That your smallest mistake is being blown out of proportion and you are made to feel bad? You may be getting emotionally abused? Are you getting a strong sense of discomfort? If yes, please read on.

Before you decide that you are being victimized, please think about what is happening at your work place. If possible talk to few co-workers and tell them of what you think. After thinking and deliberating on this, decide if the victimization is real and not imaginary.

In some instances, we feel strongly about a issue, but after further investigation we find that the truth is different. Therefore it is important to find out the truth before you proceed further. Once you decide that the victimization may be real, write all those demands, and behaviors that make you feel bad about. Find out about those that you can cope with. And separate those that you feel impossible to bear any more. Prepare a note explaining all that is happening and talk to your top management about this. Please be aware that if your top management is not just, you will be further shouted upon for making imaginary complains. But if they understand, they will surely talk to you and try to redress what they can.

This situation depends on the individuals and one has to decide himself/herself about the worst-case scenario. There is no growth in a life when you get the feeling of being victimized in your job. We all must grow and therefore take steps to come out of this problem.

The author, C.D.Mohatta writes for screen savers and desktop wallpapers at http://www.screene.com/ on topics like nature, spirituality, motivation, love, holidays, animals, etc. He also writes fun quizzes and fun tests at http://www.funquizcards.com/ on topics like love, personality, dating, relationships, friendship, movies, tv, music, business, etc. The third site, the author writes for, is http://www.ecarduniverse.com/ - it has free ecards on holidays, birthday, love, friendship, family, expressions, celebrations and all events and occasions.

So Your Made A Mistake

Writen by Ramon Greenwood

Of course, mistakes are important. Two facts put those you make in perspective. One, everyone who plays the game makes mistakes. Two, that you make mistakes is not nearly as important as what you do about them.

That's hard to remember when you are wallowing in the bed of regret, second-guessing and even being eaten alive by fear that usually follows on the heels of a mistake.

Nevertheless, it is true. "The way you follow up on the errors you make has a greater impact on the future of your career than what you did or didn't do wrong," according to Ramon Greenwood, head of CommonSenseAtWork.com.

It is worthwhile to restate the axiom that everyone who is out there making an effort to get things done makes mistakes.

Carly Fiorini refused to delegate authority and tone down her style while she traipsed around the world like a jet-set celebrity. She made the mistake of defying her board of directors at Hewlett-Packard when they asked her to change her ways and she got booted out as CEO.

Kodak lost its market dominance when it failed to anticipate the success of Polaroid.

On the other hand, Coca-Cola made a major miscalculation when it decided the world needed a new flavor of its favorite beverage. When the market said, "You made a mistake" the company quickly turned its back on "New Coke." Ford Motor Company pulled off a "Lulu" by producing a dud, the Edsel automobile. It lost no time in dumping the mistake when buyers turned thumbs down.

So, mistakes are bound to occur, even among the best of us.

TURN MISTAKES INTO LEARNNG EXPERIENCES

"Smart careerists learn early in the race to capitalize on mistakes by turning them into learning experiences," says Greenwood.

When he was chairman of Quaker Oats Company, William Smithburg declared, "There isn't one senior manager in this company who hasn't been associated with a product that failed, or some project that failed. That includes me. It's like learning to ski. If you're not falling down, you're not learning."

The next time you make a mistake, keep in mind the following nine steps that achievers take when they goof up.

1. Don't panic. Follow the admonition of the television commercial, "Never Let Them See You Sweat."

2. Stop long enough to clear your head. Then act pronto.

3. Get the facts so you can define the mistake.

4. Answer these questions. What is the worst thing that can happen? The best outcome? Will the mistake really make any difference one week, one year, five years later?

5. Report the mistake to the boss immediately. It is far better for you to tell him about your mistake than to have it come from others. Help the boss keep it in perspective. A Confucian proverb advises, "Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes."

Let the boss and your colleagues know you regret the error. Nothing is likely to infuriate your supervisor and colleagues more than your appearing not to care when you make a mistake.

6. Accept the responsibility for your mistakes.

7. Feel the pain and mourn a little, but for only a little while. You will feel better later.

8. Perform a post-mortem. Look at the facts. How can a repeat performance be avoided? What did you learn from the experience?

9. Forget the mistake; give it a decent burial, but remember the lessons learned.

Remember, the only truly unforgivable mistake is to repeat a mistake.

Former Senior VP of American Express; professional director, American Express International, financial institutions and consumer goods companies; Senior Careet Counselor, CommonSenseAtWork.com., and consultant to a wide variety of businesses; author of four books including How To Make The World of Work Work For You and a syndicated column, Common Sense At Work.

As People Live Longer They Will Also Be Working Longer

Writen by Lance Winslow

Each day in the news we see more and more people are living into their centurion years. It used to be real news when someone lived to be over 100 years old and yet it is now becoming more and more common. With lifelong longevity on the rise many people who are now 30 and 40 years old will most likely all live into their hundreds.

As people living longer they will need to work longer in order to enjoy retirement without running out of money. It is therefore necessary to stop the mandatory retirement age of 60 at most jobs and extend it for those who wish to extend it. It may also be necessary that we raise the retirement age from 60 years old to 70 years old. Of course those who are near retirement now will not appreciate this but it is something we need to think about anyway; especially with the Social Security running into trouble in 4039.

If people have more productive years well into what use to be old age this means that middle age really starts after 50 and extends to 75 or 80. And old age is now 80-100 years. What is nice about all this is folks can have multiple careers and enjoy more choices and produce more for the civilization, while having time to better themselves in many more endeavors of their choosing. Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

If You Dont Toot Your Own Horn Then Theres No Music

Writen by John Carvana

There used to be a time when outstanding performance on the job was reinforced, recognized and rewarded by employers. Nowadays, employees are expected to perform "above the line" in terms of their performance. The reward, if any, is the employer's expectation that the employee should be glad to have a job at all. Sounds pretty cynical doesn't it?

Think about it. Oftentimes, good work is rewarded by more work or not rewarded at all. It's been shown that the reason why most employees quit their job has less to do with money and more because they (employees)perceive their sense of value within the organization is not being recognized.

Doing a good job and building a reputation as being competent at something means that anytime a similar project surfaces within the organization, you are the one being called. Instead of cultivating others, employers continually "go back to the same well" when it comes to recognizing talent.

Consider also the employer who professes their selection of project managers is based upon the level to which the employee will be "challenged to grow" by leading the assignment. What a crock! One of the biggest detriments in today's business practices is the failure of organizations to build in any type of succession plan. More often than not, the employee is being selected because the supervisor has too few others to select from. The decision is not based on the right person for the job, but the one who is perceived by the supervisor as being the most available (or the one who will do the least amount of damage if things go wrong) is the one often selected. Another basis for selection is the "likeability" factor, which I will deal with at another time.

So what does this mean to the employee who aspires to grow within the organization and to further develop their skills? The answer is: you have to let everyone know your (positive) results and outcomes. Don't rely upon anyone other than yourself to keep the real movers-and-shakers within the organization informed of your value. It's also a good idea to make sure others outside your organization who are in your field are also aware of your accomplishments. This can be done by conducting informational interviews, arranging lunches with key influencers, attending and presenting at meetings and conferences, and brainstorming / collaborating with others.

Remember: your career is your responsibility. Others may help you along the way, but it's up to you as to how far you may actually go.

John P. Carvana is a certified Life Purpose and Career Coach. With almost thirty years as a career service practitioner, John has assisted hundreds of individuals in career transition. He is the president and founder of LPF Consulting and can be contacted at http://www.discoveredpurpose.com. He also serves as the director of career services at the University of the Pacific.
Copyright 2005 John P. Carvana, LPF Consulting

10 Major Signs Of Job Dissatisfaction

Writen by Dee Davis

The New Year is a great time to analyze your job and the satisfaction you get from doing it. Running the rat race is just that, scurrying around only to find that at the end of the day or week you are still not happy about who you are and what you do. For many people they think exercise, changing their eating habits, or learning a new sport or language will make a difference in their emotional and physical well being. Fortunately for some that's all it takes, but for others a complete job makeover is the only way.

Today, changing employers is nothing that can be accomplished over-night. It may take a year or more because good paying jobs are scarce. There are, however specific things you can do to begin this metamorphosis. You must first acknowledge that a change is imminent and that drastic measures are needed. Below are ten signs that clearly indicate that you need a complete job makeover.

1. You become physically ill upon arriving at work or feel the need to drive past the parking lot and return home

2. Friday offers no relief, it is just a distressing reminder that Monday looms in the not too distant future

3. Work activities are dull and boring and you sit with your door closed or in your cubicle playing computer games

4. You physical health is failing, you feel exhausted and listless

5. You stop playing office politics and avoid trying to please your boss and keep peace with co-workers

6. You come to a realization that no matter how hard you work or what you accomplish nothing satisfies you

7. Your promotional options no longer exist; the company has permanently frozen the Human Resource Department

8. You go home talking to family and friends about how horrendously unhappy you are at your job

9. You dream of leaving your job and moving to a remote island in the South Pacific, no seriously, leaving friends, family, your life and never looking back

10. You feel lost, hopeless and no matter what anyone says there is no real answer, it's a lose-lose situation

It's no secret that most people will not admit that life has gotten this bad, but for those special few it is a sad reality. What's a worker bee to do? Exercise your options. Research your career field and consider a career change. Changing jobs can mean exchanging one sad situation for another or it can be the life saving rope that pulls you into a new existence. Don't just start putting in for jobs, go to different companies that peak your interest and ask to visit and talk to those who work in your "ideal" field. The best time to do this is when you have a job and you're not pressed for a new one. Make little personal calling cards, not business cards, calling cards that say:

John K. Doe Project Manager (555) 555-5556 Cell (555) 555-5557

The back of the card should read:

Just a reminder…

I visited on (date) to get information about (your project management teams) Thanks for your assistance,

I will keep in touch. (And do just that, every 8-10 weeks drop the person an email and find out how things are going at their company, you have now possibly made a friend or at least a contact in an industry of interest)

Update your employment information and references

Write a new resume and begin calling your references to make sure you are still in good standing. Apply for a few jobs out of state or in another city. You don't have to accept an interview but you do need to see who is hiring and what they are expecting from the new applicants they're bringing onboard.

Once you decide that you must follow through with this transformation, brush up on your interviewing skills and start to prepare for the best. Nothing lifts the spirits more than knowing you are of real worth to another employer.

There is no reason to walk through life being unhappy when you are spending almost half of your "life-time" at a job you dislike. Don't plan in a vacuum, let your family know how you feel, their support is important. Whether you are a mom, dad, or single worker bee you are the glue that binds your family and friends together and your happiness is essential. If a cross-country move is in order, do it. Plan accordingly and know that change is truly an natural part of life.

D. D. Davis is a writer with over 20 years of experience, and has produced a series of e-Books that support parents in creating a good life for their family. Dee may be reached at detra_davis@supportingourchildren.com, or by mail at J. Davis & Associates Publishing, P. O. Box 44782, Detroit, MI 48244-0782, Attention: D. D. Davis. To learn more visit: http://www.supportingourchildren.com

Fired Before Youre Hired Five Ways To Ruin Any Interview

Writen by Gwendolyn Lee

Arrive on time. Dress well. Write a thank-you note. Don't lie on the application. You have the job-hunting basics down, but the gods of employment have plagued your people with a drought. Whether you're interviewing after a layoff, seeking a change of employment or documenting your futile interviewing plight to milk yet another unemployment check, be aware of these five deadly interviewing sins.

1. Don't get too friendly.
You're chatting with the interviewer, discussing professional experiences and swapping war stories; however, a relaxed interviewing environment is no excuse to become complacent in your professionalism.

An ex-colleague of mine was looking to migrate back towards substance-abuse counseling, his original area of study and expertise. He was cordial, outgoing and a hard worker. He had plenty of experience and great references, but he met his downfall while making small talk. After the interview, the hiring manager mentioned in passing that he had recently received a DUI. My colleague, attempting to empathize, admitted that he, too, had received a DUI ticket. On three separate occasions. Lesson learned: get job first. Tell war stories later.

2. Don't forget to train rigorously.
Reading job-seeking books, articles and studying potential interview questions are all great ways to prepare, but these resources don't exactly put you in the interviewing hot seat. You wouldn't expect to run a marathon just because you've read several books about running, would you? Get a friend or significant other to give you a dry run through a hypothetical interview with suggested questions from these books or articles. Even better, if you know someone who is a hiring manager or works in human resources (for a different company, of course), ask them to administer the mock interview.

By humbling yourself and asking for the help of others, you'll receive constructive criticism and be able to integrate another perspective into your response. You may even be asked a question that you never considered answering, making great practice for unexpected interview surprises.

3. Don't forget to shut up.
When you're done answering the question, shut your mouth. The two deadliest kinds of interviewers we will refer to as the "poker face" and the "yes man." The poker face will ask you a question and give no signs of life during the answer. In hopes of eliciting a smile, nod or comprehending grunt, you will elaborate. And elaborate. You will continue elaborating until you realize that the poker face is playing a game. By the time you realize you are involved in a game, you have already lost. Take this knowledge and answer the next question completely, concisely and without superfluous commentary.

The yes man is just as deadly, if not more so, than the poker face. He will nod his head and seem to understand and agree with every answer. Feeling encouraged by this enthusiasm, you will elaborate. And elaborate. You will continue elaborating until you realize that you could say your career goals to sleep with the boss, publish trade secrets and burn the building down, and the yes man would still nod his head.

In the yes man's defense, sometimes he may actually agree with what you are saying at first, but, towards the end, every nod means "Yes, I understand. Just like I understood ten minutes ago. Please stop talking, lest I puncture my own eardrums with this letter opener."

4. Don't forget to tone it down.
Everyone knows not to bad-talk a previous employer, but even a comment where you feel you have restrained yourself may ring sour with the interviewer. If you're jaded and bitter with your current job or the interviewing process, try to keep the disillusion to a minimum. Take yourself to a happy place. Reminisce about the time you unwrapped a vending machine sandwich, locked it in your manager's file cabinet and allowed their office to smell mysteriously foul for weeks. If your personality is sarcastic or dry, make sure to take this down a notch as well. While your friends and family may understand your charismatic quirks, a complete stranger may not.

5. Don't forget to bring enough supplies to make a Boy Scout proud. Bring a notepad, pen and three copies of your resume and references. Taking notes shows a proactive attitude and commitment to the interview. Additionally, these notes will be useful later when writing a personalized thank-you note to the interviewer.

If multiple members of management are administering the interview, make sure to provide a resume for each person. Worst-case scenario: you only bring one resume and end up with back-to-back interviews, thus leaving you empty-handed for the second round.

Whether you're rebounding from a layoff, looking for a different job or seeking excuses to stay unemployed, these tips will help you accomplish your objective. By becoming aware of these deadly interviewing sins, you've taken the first step towards meeting your goal!

Gwendolyn Lee is a statistician and analyst of Internet-related metrics of rubber stamps at http://www.rubberstamps.net. She has researched and implemented business models to maximize profitability, efficiency and advertising tracking.

Advance Your Career

Writen by Fritz Brunner

Effective Business Ideas

Advance Your Career

How can you effectively advance your career? You may have tried Goggling 'career advancement.' What you get is links to tests, lists, and degrees. And how these help you get headed in the right direction? Tests may say that you are good in this area and a degree may say you are qualified to start out in this area. However what tells you that you will be fulfilled, satisfied and happy in an area?

Traditional career advancement planning involves setting a career goal and adding steps you need to complete so you will achieve that goal. Good sound advice and utterly wrong-headed in most cases. Of course it is important to have a goal. Without a goal and steps you will never move forward. My point is that it needs to be the right goal. Your goal should be to have a rewarding career that matches your life's purpose; not a particular job description.

Be Effective, Plan with Purpose
Job Description - When a job description is your goal you will have blinders on as you run down the road. All you see are the steps needed to get the degree, then the experience, and then the title and money. What happens if someone brings you an idea that doesn't fit the plan? You usually don't even hear them. All your focus is on the plan.

Life's Purpose - When planning is congruent with you life's purpose you will find that your view widens to include all the jobs that fit within that frame. What this means is that you look at jobs and careers that match with your purpose. If one aspect of your purpose is have peace in your life then you will find yourself attracted to situations that promote peace, setting that are peaceful, and/or companies that work toward peace.

Will planning with your purpose in mind mean that you will never have to think in terms of a job description? No. However, it will help you to see beyond the immediate description and think about the larger aspects of how a job will help you to fulfill your purpose. Will you be able to stop making three year plans? No. Planning is a good thing as long as it is aligned with your purpose.

The important thing to remember is to find out what your purpose is first. Don't wait till you are a long way down the road to find out it isn't taking you where you want to go.

© Fritz M. Brunner, Ph.D. 2005

Fritz M. Brunner, Ph.D. is a coach and consultant engaged in working with people wanting to excel in life and business. Please visit his web site at http://www.fmbrunner.com or contact him at fritz@fmbrunner.com

Staying In Shape

Writen by Alvah Parker

Why Lawyers Should Eat Bananas by Simon Tupman is a book that caught my eye both because of its unusual title and because I coach lawyers who are growing their practices. The book cover says it gives "Inspirational Ideas for Lawyers Wanting More Out of Life"

Much of what Mr. Tupman writes about is appropriate career advice for anyone, lawyer, business person or manager . He is an advocate of "Working smarter not harder" and so am I. I really liked his list of attributes for smart workers and number 8 on the list particularly appealed to me because it underscores much of what I say to my clients.

Number 8 says that smart workers "stay in S.H.A.P.E." Each letter of course stands for an element that he believes is vital in order to stay marketable.

Skills Today all workers have a responsibility to keep their skills up to date. If you are waiting for someone else to pay for your training you may wait yourself into obsolescence. If you are in business, someone else will take away your business if you let your skills stagnate. If you work for someone else, your employer may find that another employee who has more advanced skills can do your job better or faster. In my AT&T days the Internet was just coming into general use. Those people who could support it technically were the ones whose jobs were more secure.

Health It is something you may take for granted but you need to be proactive about your health. Proper diet, enough sleep, and exercise all help you to have the energy you need to do your job. Often my clients will say to me that they just don't have time to exercise or have a well-balanced meal. They say they have other priorities. I ask all my clients to make themselves their number one priority. You can't be good to others (clients, family, co-workers, friends etc.) unless you are good to yourself.

Attitude How do you approach a problem or something new? If you believe you can't do something, you won't be able to. As a sales manager I found it was so much easier to work with sales executives who were proactive and saw lots of possibilities rather than the ones who had a negative attitude and whined about their problems. People with positive attitudes attract success.

Persistence Life has its ups and downs. Everyone will have the experience of trying something that doesn't work out as planned. What do you do when this happens? Do you quit or do you use the failure to learn and grow? Thomas Alva Edison said, "Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won't work." Rather than being upset by failure regard it as just one more data point on the road to success.

Enthusiasm What is it that keeps you working at your job, business or job search? Somewhere in your mind you must have a vision of what you want to achieve that really excites you. Having enthusiasm for the end state (your vision) will get you through the toughest days.

As you can see the critical element here is knowing yourself. Look at each of the 5 elements and ask yourself how you stack up. Is there something that is holding you back?

Take action!

1. Identify the area that you would like to improve.

2. What is one step you could take to improve yourself in that area?

3. What are your challenges?

4. What steps can you take to overcome those challenges?

5. Take the step and start again.

Having difficulty? A coach may be able to help you to overcome the obstacles and move forward.

Alvah Parker is a Business and Career Coach as well as publisher of Parker's Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. Parker's Value Program© enables her clients to find their own way to work that is more fulfilling and profitable. Her clients are managers, business owners, sole practioners, attorneys and people in transition. Alvah is found on the web at http://www.asparker.com. She may also be reached at 781-598-0388.

It Consulting Career Making The Leap To Fulltime

Writen by Joshua Feinberg

How do you know it's a good time to leave your current full time employment and launch into a full-time IT consulting career? Start now.

We have broken down the process into 21 steps that will take you over about 90 days, or 3months, to do. You'll need to understand what your utilization rates is and how much you're able to bill out consistently on a regular basis.

Understand your Expenses

Know what your living expenses are before you leave your full time job. You need to understand what's in your sales funnel, or pipeline.

Prepare for The Unexpected

You need to know and be a little prepared to know what to do if all of a sudden the launch that you were planning on happening 6 months from now all of a sudden gets moved up. You may wake up and find you have been laid off of your current job. What was going to be slow and gradual has now thrusted you into your IT consulting career.

Focus on Getting Steady Clients

How can you give up your steady check the benefits, the vacation, the lifestyle, the perks, the sick time and still have a lifestyle that is a good lifestyle? What is extremely important in your IT consulting career is that you have steady clients and steady income with some regularity in your business.

Charge Appropriate Rates

Don't undercharge your clients. You need to charge rates that are close to the top of the market. You can't afford to be messing around with cheapskates and tightwads. And you can't afford to be messing around with people that aren't serious.

Finding steady clients and charging the right rates for your services and not cheating yourself is so very, very important for a successful IT consulting career.

Consider Moonlighting

We have a 21-step checklist that will take you through your first 90 days. We also can help you adapt to a sudden launch of your IT consulting career. But in the meantime, you should make the most of your moonlighting opportunities to make it build toward something.

Copyright MMI-MMVI, Computer Consulting 101. All Worldwide Rights Reserved. {Attention Publishers: Live hyperlink in author resource box required for copyright compliance}

Joshua Feinberg, co-founder of Computer Consulting 101, helps computer consulting business owners get more steady, high-paying clients. Learn how you can too. Sign-up now for your free access to field-tested, proven computer consulting secrets at Computer Consulting 101.

Your Interview Questions Are A Serious Matter

Writen by Peter Fisher

Of course interviews are mainly about you answering the questions they put to you, but at the end of your allotted interview time, the questions that really matter most are yours. You should hope to hear the interviewer ask you:

"Have you any questions?"

But even if they don't ask, you should grasp the opportunity and say:

"Do you mind if I ask a couple of questions?"

However you must be careful when planning what questions you're going to ask, and make sure that they are not ones that you should already know the answer to because it's been covered in the interview.

Try to make sure that you ask questions that are relevant to the job. You could ask things like:

• Is this a new position?

• Who would I be responsible to?

• How many other people do a similar job?

• When did the last person leave this job? (And why?)

• When will I know the result of this interview?

• What opportunities are there for progression or further training?

• Do you have time to show me around the area where I will be working?

• Is there anything else that I can tell you about my experience or background?

And the most important if you can ask it is:

"Did I answer all your questions fully?"

If they do have any reservations, this just might bring them out and let you have another shot at giving a better answer.

You probably also want to know about pay, benefits and holidays too, but now is not the right time to ask — and it's important not to ask too early. You'll get a chance when they show they're interested in you for the job.

If they covered all the points you were going to ask :

Try paying the interviewer a compliment:

"I think you've covered all the points I was going to ask you about."

"I wanted to know about the department structure and the systems that you use, but you have covered all those areas, thank you."

Show that you have taken an interest in the company:

"I read that you have ten outlets in Yorkshire. Are you intending to expand any more during the next year?"

Try for the opportunity to summarise for one last time why the interviewer should offer you the job. This means that you will leave on an upbeat note with your skills and experience the final things that they remember about you:

"Could I summarise why you should seriously consider me for this position?"

Interview questions are not only your best leads because they let you know what is important to the interviewer, but your interview questions let them know you are interested.

It also means that the interview doesn't just fizzle out but ends positively.

With over 25 years running businesses, and as a Career Coach and Consultant in many sectors, Peter Fisher is well placed to guide job seekers through the steps needed in order to achieve that all important new position. He has personally coached thousands of individuals to career success.

His distillation of these years of experience includes all the essential facts and actions you must complete in order to achieve your own success. He is very clear that you shouldn't be misled by others into thinking of "acing interviews" or "finessing" your way into a business; the most sustainable and fulfilling roles are gained through understanding your own specific needs and creating your strategy accordingly.

For specific guidance on how you might best prepare for your interview go to http://www.your-career-change.com/interview-preparation.html

To learn more about his dynamic and comprehensive approach to career change, with every page dedicated to helping serious career changers go to http://www.your-career-change.com/index.html

Air Traffic Controller Employment Crisis Looming

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many industries in the United States of America face severe crisis due to not enough skilled labor to run the infrastructure or man all the jobs. One of the most serious looming crisis is in employment is coming in the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic controller job sector.

Due to the number of people retiring or air traffic controllers and the increasing air traffic in the United States due to impart globalization we simply will not have enough air traffic controllers by the year 2012. In fact we will be over 20,000 people short at that time and it will only get worse.

What is the Federal Aviation Administration doing to curb this looming crisis? Well a couple of things; one, they are working with NASA to build artificially intelligent supercomputers to control the air traffic and alleviate some of the human responsibility, which so often also is associated with human error causing accidents, incidents or mishaps.

Will this be enough? No, probably not in fact the GAO recently published a report of just how dire the situation was for air traffic controllers in this country now and in future years. Things look pretty bleak.

If you are looking for a job with the Federal Aviation Administration and wish to become an air-traffic controller you will find yourself in a very high paying and rewarding job with excellent benefits and you will help this looming crisis. Please consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Making A Successful Career Change 4 Keys To Success

Writen by Louise Fletcher

Most people who have made the decision to change their careers face the same problem: How can I get hired when I don't have relevant experience?

It is true that not many companies will hire you as a graphic artist if you simply send a resume outlining your ten-year career in tax accounting! Even the best resume cannot hide the fact that your previous work experience has not qualified you for the position you seek.

The good news is that there are ways to gain entry into your chosen profession.

As Nicholas Lore explains in his exceptional career change book, The Pathfinder, "you gain admittance into any group, social or professional, by creating agreement." In other words, people are accepted into a group (or career field) because other people agree they belong. Agreement is developed through the things we say, the way we act, the knowledge we have etc. If a struggling, unpublished writer says "I hope to be a writer some day," she has already made it clear that she does not consider herself to be a writer. Others will agree with her categorization and accept that she is not a writer. But if she writes every day, submits short stories to small publications, attends writer's conferences and writes free articles for websites and local newspapers, she is now beginning to create agreement that she is, indeed, a writer.

The goal therefore is to become your new profession. Don't wait until someone hires you before you think of yourself as a computer programmer. Start to think of yourself that way now. Begin gathering the knowledge and experience you will need. Surf websites and chat rooms. Join associations and networking groups. Talk to other programmers. Read books. Practice. And most importantly, build a body of work.

The key then is to act as you wish to be perceived. Jeff Davies is a perfect example. A nurse by profession, Jeff was also a talented musician. He wanted to get into the video game industry, writing soundtracks and creating sound effects but he had little success when he first sent out his resume. The few responses he got were standard 'no-thanks' emails. Eventually, a friend suggested that Jeff take a different approach. Instead of sending in his resume, he created a demo reel of music he had written for famous video games. In each case he replaced the existing soundtrack with his own music. Then he started to network his way into the industry, attending game industry conferences and trade shows. He met people and kept a database of his contacts. He subscribed to industry newsletters to keep up to date with technological and industry developments. He created a website and sent a link to key industry figures. He received several calls praising his creative approach although no immediate job offers. Once a month, he stayed in touch with his network of contacts by sending a short email with a snippet of new music attached as an MP3 file. After four months, Jeff was called in to interview for a position as an entry-level sound engineer with an independent game developer. The call came from the company's creative director who had met Jeff a year earlier at a trade show. The company is not Jeff's ideal employer as they make games for children and Jeff is much more interested in role–playing action games, but he plans to stay there for a year learning all he can and then start to apply to the larger game companies.

Jeff's success was well-deserved. He took a proactive approach to his career change and dedicated much of his spare time to demonstrating his skills. By the time he was hired, he already thought and spoke and acted as a video game sound engineer.

Jeff's story highlights that career-changers must take a different approach to job search. If you are frustrated with your own job search, try following Jeff's example:

1. Get started. Don't wait for someone to pay you to be what you want to be. Just do it! If you want to prove you can design logos, for example, volunteer to redesign the logo for your friend's small business. Or simply redesign some existing corporate logos for demonstration purposes.

2. Learn everything you can. Read books, join associations, go to education events and trade shows. Read newsletters. Visit industry web sites and chat rooms. Learn the language and jargon of the industry you want to enter. Stay up to date with the newest trends and technologies. Become an expert.

3. Make contacts. Build a network of influential people within the field you want to enter. Find creative ways to approach them and maintain the connection once it is made. For example, why not offer to write an article for a trade magazine or website? You can choose a topic which gives you a reason to contact key people within the industry.

4. Find Creative Approaches. Do not rely on the standard resume and cover letter. This will almost always fail when you are trying to make a shift to a new career. Most people will scan your resume to see how your past experience matches with their current needs. Therefore, applying to job postings is unlikely to help you make the change to your new field.

Making a career change is both challenging and exciting. The biggest problem you will face is the resistance of others who doubt your qualifications in your new field. The key is to stop looking for your dream job and start doing it. Eventually – like Jeff - you will gain acceptance and your transformation will be complete.

Louise Fletcher is the President of Blue Sky Resumes (http://www.blueskyresumes.com). She is also the Co-founder and Managing Editor of Career Hub (http://careerhub.typepad.com), a leading source of free job search information for professionals and executives. Louise is a frequent contributor to job search publications such as Monster.com, The Ladders, Net-Temps, Job Bank USA and Employment Spot, and her work is featured in numerous resume books, including the JISTworks "Expert Resume" series. A recognized leader in cutting-edge job search techniques, Louise has helped 1,000s of professionals secure a better position through effective career marketing.

Networking Your Way To A Pharmaceutical Sales Job

Writen by Ryan Stewart

Surfing the net for a pharmaceutical sales job is tiresome and looking at classified job ads can be tedious and well… boring. But what about business networking? No, it's not as tedious as it sounds. In fact, it can be fun and interesting because you get to meet lots of people that are in the pharmaceutical sales profession and get the chance to hear about great job opportunities even before they are advertised!

To engage in networking, you must first identify venues to attend. First off, 'stick close to home'. List down all the people you know who either have a pharmaceutical sales career or knows somebody who is into the industry. Friends, family, former colleagues, neighbors, teachers, classmates… it doesn't matter. Get the list started and start calling!

Another great idea is to list yourself up in one (or more) of the many pharmaceutical sales seminars or conventions that are often hosted by pharmaceutical firms or their marketing arms. You can also initiate informational interviews by contacting several pharmaceutical sales professionals and asking for an interview.

Now that the 'stage is set'. Keep in mind the following networking tips.

* Have a good memory for names and don't forget to always have a business card in hand.

* Just before you end a conversation, ask for referrals or suggestions about other people you should talk to.

* When in an informational interview, always prepare a good resume just incase the interviewee asks for one.

* Be organized. Manage your network by getting all their contact information and keeping a record in your desktop or online address book.

* Never take your network for granted. Always let them know what your current status is and don't forget to always thank them when they do something nice and helpful to you.

* Re-establish old contacts and continue making new ones. You never really know what might turn up from which contact.

Important Thoughts about Pharmaceutical Networking

Being in pharmaceutical sales is fulfilling because you get to know different people everyday and you get that feeling of accomplishment every time you make a successful sale. The rewards are high and the perks are addicting. It's never too late to start learning how to network your way into the pharmaceutical sales world. Don't forget that the human resources department does not make the final decision when it comes to hiring you or someone else. Make friends with the pharmaceutical sales people and gather as much information as you can to prepare you.

Bear in mind that honesty and integrity matters as well. Pharmaceutical networking is about building relationships and you do not want to appear phony to your contacts or future employers.

Further, networking is a two-way street so never hesitate to do a favor or two yourself for someone because you never really know what that person can do for you later on.

Ryan Stewart has coached hundreds to pharma sales success (and he's done it all for free). To jump-start your pharmaceutical sales career go to pharmaceutical-sales-representative.com

Ten Ways To Redefine Yourself For Retirement Shifting Gears To Successful Retirement

Writen by Cynthia Barnett

If you're like most folks, you have your doubts about retiring. On one hand you may be elated. On the other hand, you may be a bit frustrated because you have no idea what the future entails. We'll, we're here to tell you that shifting gears from a working professional to a successful retiree can be easy. In fact, we consider it like simply shifting gears to a different lifestyle and being open to redefining yourselves. It is not about giving up. It is about undergoing a career transformation, maintaining your professional and personal identity and taking control of your life. It is about being productive, not losing touch with that inner you that makes you special.

In this article, we'll discuss ten proven ways that you can use to redefine yourself and transition into the initial phase of retirement. These ten tips will help you adapt positively to your post-retirement years and are as follows:

1. Partial disengagement – In order to transition smoothly, you must partially disengage yourself from your full time working life. This isn't to say that you must go cold turkey. Instead, you have to develop a different mindset that retirement, although a time for change, is a period of new growth and a time for self fulfillment. At this point, many go from full time to part time and some go from full time to no work at all. Trust your instincts and go with what you feel works for you.

2. Changing our image – You must change your internal image about what your career means. After all, don't focus on 'What am I to do now that I'm retired?" instead think "What will I become once I'm refocused and retired?" Therefore, you have to change your perception and realize that you can succeed as a retiree if you believe that you can.

3. Appreciating ourselves – Remember that you're a unique individual and you need to celebrate this fact, every single day! Your personal worth is far beyond the work you did in the past. You have so much to give and contribute to the world and retirement is the perfect time to let your "inner light shine" and let this light shine as far as you can see.

4. Staying connected – You should be committed to interacting with people with whom you have a common interest. Finding such people can be done by improving your social life to include more people, places and things. Make it a point to get to know people with similar interests as yours. Join clubs and groups, participate in activities, and have a great time.

5. Remain active – Do not think of retirement as only a period of rest and relaxation. Times have changed, and so has the concept of retirement. Being inactive is "OK" if this is all that you want to do. This is about you. Some people take a period of a few months to a year to just cool out and relax before moving on into a more active life. Whether you decide to be "active" or "inactive" and how long, it is totally up to you. You know yourself better than anyone else and you must do whatever makes you happy.

6. Consider your options– Consider your many available options. Whether you 'ease' into retirement, take a course at a college, or work some part time job or pursue a volunteer position, do what you want to do and let no one tell you what you need to do while in retirement. This is your personal time and you are in control of your life.

7. Increase our knowledge – There is no end to educating yourselves. As long as you've got breath in your body, you should increase your knowledge base. After all, learning is a lifelong process and there are many things that you can do to increase your knowledge and in the process share your knowledge with others. For instance, you can learn computers. You can learn how they operate, how to fix them, and many other things. The possibilities are endless.

8. Explore Your Dreams - Retirement is a perfect time to fulfill your dreams, especially now that you have some time to devote primarily to your needs. Take some time and really think about what you want to accomplish in life and then make those dreams a reality!

9. Join a Cause – Retirement does not mean that you are worthless. To derive a feeling of self worth and fulfillment, commit yourself to a worthy cause that you truly believe in. For instance, you might chose to help people become aware of the devastation of HIV or breast cancer.

10. Maintaining youthful attitude - Retirement from a job does not mean that you give up everything and retire to 'watering plants'. Just because you are s0 does not mean you have to act your age! It is the attitude that counts.

Redefining yourself after retirement is not as difficult as you might imagine. By maintaining a youthful attitude, joining a cause, exploring your dreams, increasing your knowledge, considering your options, remaining active, staying connected, appreciating ourselves, changing your image and partially disengaging from work force, you can redefine yourself.

Dr. Cynthia Barnett is a "refired" educator who had reinvented her life moving from the school house to an entrepreneurial venue.. She is the author of "Stop Singing the Blues: 10 Powerful Strategies for Hitting the high Notes in Your Life, and RE-FIRE, Don't Retire: 7 Secrets of Highly Successful Retirees She was featured by Time magazine for their article on women in mid-life who have reinvented themselves.

If you are ready to "RE-FIRE" your life sign up for my free 7 day audio mini course on the 7 biggest mistakes retires make and how to avoid them for an extraordinary life at http://www.refiredontretire.com

You Had A Great Job Interview Now What

Writen by Shari Hearn

So, you finally had that job interview. You know the one. The interview you tried so hard to land. The interview for which you prepared so hard? The interview you know you nailed? It's all over. You can sit back, relax, and wait for the phone to ring with a job offer. Right? Wrong!

Winning a job interview is the first part of the battle. Performing well in the interview is the second part of the battle. Now comes the third part of the battle: The follow-up contact.

But, "wait a minute," you say, "won't I look desperate if I follow up?" Well, yes, if your follow-up is a phone call saying, "oh please, oh please, oh please hire me. I will die if I don't have this job!" That would be desperate. A simple thank-you note is showing interest and keeps your name alive.

Here are a few tips on what to do after your job interview which can help increase your chances of getting hired:

* Send a thank you note right after the interview, ideally after a couple of days. This is a way of getting the prospective employer to hear from you again. Will it ensure you get the job you interviewed for? No. But, if you don't get hired for that particular job, this might impress the company enough to keep your information on file for future consideration.

* Be accurate in getting the contact information of perspective employers. Double check and triple check your thank-you note so that their information is correct and there are no typographical errors contained in the note. In this day and age of e-mail and instant messages, some may think that there are fewer stigmas placed on spelling errors and typos. Remember, this is the business world you're dealing with. Spelling errors and typos are indications of sloppiness, and no one wants to hire someone who will be sloppy in the work environment.

* If you have left character references with the prospective employer, do alert those references that they can expect a call from the company. It doesn't look good if the prospective employer calls a reference who is caught unaware. Also, it's not very considerate to your reference.

* Make sure that you leave all of your contact information, including your cell and landline phone numbers, e-mail address and home address. With regard to your outgoing messages on your cell and home phone answer machines and voicemail, make sure there's no cute outgoing message which might turn off a prospective employer. Cute's great for your friends, but might turn off a future employer. Don't give anyone a reason to dislike you.

* Always be on the positive side. Should you not get hired for a particular position, do thank the company for the consideration, and ask they keep you in mind for future hiring.

While these tips can't guarantee that you'll receive the job for which you interviewed, they can at least help tip the scales in your favor, if not for the current position, but for future positions within the company.

Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of Training for a Different Career, where you can learn all about At Home Career Training