Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom 4 Reasons to Use Social Media to Market Yourself

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom 4 Reasons to Use Social Media to Market Yourself My friends Miriam Salpeter and Hannah Morgan are always on the cutting edge regarding the efficient use of social media for your career. Now, in their new book, Social Networking for Business Success, they provide advice for how to launch and grow a business or personal brand using social media. Here are four gems to start. Keep up with the economic trends Research shows the global workforce will become more and more reliant on freelancers and independents to get jobs done. Use social media to begin to market yourself and you will be ahead of the curve. Grow your network When its time to land a new job or gig, you cant always rely on your close network to help you connect to opportunities. When you use social networking tools, you can engage with people from around the country and around the world and become a thought leader in your field. Demonstrate your expertise Anyone who hires you will want proof that you are as good as you say you are. When you use social media to demonstrate your expertise, you can show how well you know whats going on in your industry. Highlight your emotional intelligence Social media is great to showcase those hard to categorize skills, such as leadership, communication and judgement. When you maintain a vibrant community online, for example a LinkedIn group or Google+ community, you show an employer your leadership potential. Similarly, when your social media streams are 100% professional, they demonstrate you can stay out of trouble and represent an organization well.

Top 3 Benefits of Online Education

Top 3 Benefits of Online Education The traditional learning system is faced with lots of challenges all from high tuition fee, course limitation, and time restriction. A lot of individuals have given up on pursuing their dream college courses as they feel that they cannot afford to pay for them or they have other responsibilities that do not allow them to go to class every day.    The good news is that they now have an alternative, and you can finally chase after your dreams at your convenience. Online education has come in to make things easier for working students, parents, and anyone who finds the traditional system inconvenient. All you need to do is search for a trustworthy and reliable platform to enroll like Cloud Learning and get started. If you are still skeptical about online education, here are the top benefits and reasons why you should consider the idea. Comfort and convenience You no longer have to wake up early in the morning, dress up and deal with the annoying road traffic to get to class. Online learning allows you to learn from the comfort of your home or whichever place you wish to be. This is super convenient, especially for the busy individuals that have to go to work during the day and learn at night. You get to choose your ideal learning schedule. With this, it is easy for you to plan your day and decide what time is best for you to study. It allows you to plan your study time around other activities and not the other way around. You do not have to go to the library for research, as everything you need is readily available online. All the learning resources are offered online. You do not have to spend on fare or gas to get to class, and you do not have to compromise on having fun or sleeping to get to class on time. You have a variety of courses to choose from With online learning, you can take whichever course you want. Unlike traditional education, here, there are no limitations. Once you decide on which course you wish to take, you can simply search for it and view all the platforms offering what you are looking for. The choices are endless. Affordability Online classes are way cheaper compared to the traditional campus fee setting. The online fee varies from one course to the other, but it is definitely much affordable. The online courses providers do not have to pay for facilities such as classes or school development, and this explains why the fee is much low. If you feel that you cannot afford to pay for college, try this out and note the difference. Other than the fee, online learning saves you from commuting expenses, hostel, or buying food. The costs are minimal in this case. How amazing is this? You can finally pursue your dreams, and that does not mean that you have to drop your current job or stop being a present parent to your kids. You can plan your study time and save money, and these are just a few of the benefits to expect once you enroll in your favorite platform. What other excuses would you probably have for not going after your dreams?

Determining Your Career Path How Do You Know Which to Choose

Determining Your Career Path How Do You Know Which to Choose Finding the right career and industry for yourself isn’t always an easy step in your life. It’s a journey that is deeply thought through.   And it creates questions about your desired future you may have never thought about before. Nearly everyone  is unsure of which industry they should stick their toes in or what kind of job they see themselves actually enjoying and excelling in. Step 1: What’s your personality? When it comes  time  to pick a direction for a career  is the point most people struggle with the most. The first step to choosing a career is having a clear perception of your personality strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivations and emotions. In a work environment, every position has a purpose and there isn’t only one personality type that serves the responsibilities of the role.  There are 6 personality types and each job role typically requires a combination of 2 or 3 of these personality types. Figuring out which personalities best describe you  can help you more quickly navigate how to select the right path. There are assortments of career options that align with each personality type.  Are you the builder, the organizer, the creator, the problem solver, the persuader or the people person? Step 2: What are you passionate about? After finalizing your personality type, now it is time to determine what you are truly passionate about.  Whatever your passion may be, there is a career for it! A passion for video games or social media can result in video game designer or social media manger that has a starting median salary of $44,000. Choosing a career based on your passion is especially important.   Because it won’t feel like you are just stuck working a job â€" you will be enjoying your daily activities. Loving what you do is going to lead to doing great work; you will find your perfect fit. Once you’ve become self-aware, you must think â€" what are my priorities? For some, financial security is more important than being an entrepreneur. For others, it is important to live in a big city. It’s important that you choose a career in an industry that lets you keep your biggest priorities at the forefront. Step 3: Do you know what’s available? The final step in choosing a career is world awareness.   That involves understanding what careers and industries are out there, and being aware of how to pursue them. Now that you’ve identified your personality strengths, found your passions and identified your priorities, it’s time to find a career and industry suitable for you. You can log onto www.gladeoX.org and do multiple tests that will merge your strengths and your interests giving you the best careers to look into. If you already know what industry you want to have a career in, you can go on and see the facts, education, how to land the job and videos on specific areas of that career. Not everyone has the opportunity to have a mentor that can pave a path for them; every individual deserves the chance to follow their goals and helps them along the way. Having access to multiple careers paths helps in narrowing your choices before it feels too late. Image credits Main

Turn Your Seasonal Gig Into A Full-Time Position - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Turn Your Seasonal Gig Into A Full-Time Position - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career So you’ve landed a temporary seasonal job. But you’d like to stick around even after the holidays are over. While full-time positions may be few and far between when the holiday rush is over, you already have your foot in the door as a seasonal worker, so you’re one step ahead of the pack. What else can you do to secure your place and turn your seasonal gig into a full-time position? Start with these tips: Communicate your desire to stay. Sometimes, supervisors don’t consider the possibility that a holiday worker may want to stay after the temporary gig is up, so make it clear that you’re interested. “Tell [your supervisor] verbally, without being a pest,” says Erin Peterson, recruitment outsourcing practice leader with Aon Hewitt, a global leader in human capital consulting and outsourcing solutions. “Or write him or her a concise but well worded note regarding how much you’ve enjoyed being on the holiday team and state your interest in remaining after the holidays.” Be proactive. Don’t just wait to see if your supervisor will ask you to stay; be on the lookout for job postings and apply for any open positions that may be a good fit for you, Peterson says. When the recruiter or hiring manager sees a familiar name (yours) among the pile of applicants, you may have a leg up. Behave like a full-time employee. Rather than operating as though you, as a temporary hire, have no stake in the company or its success, behave as though you’re in it for the long haul. “Show up on time, ready to work,” Peterson says. “Limit distractions such as texting and phone calls and focus on the task at hand. And engage with customers; it will be noticed.” Go the extra mile. If you really want to make a good impression, do all the things a good employee does, and then do a little more. “Volunteer for extra hours or tasks that no one else wants, such as inventory,” Peterson says. “Make improvement suggestions and implement them, if possible. Surprise customers with service they don’t expect.” When demand for new workers extends beyond the holiday season, the temporary employees who are likely to be asked to continue are those whose work stands out as excellent and those who have let it be known that they are committed to being there long term if the opportunity arises. If you want to turn your holiday job into your real job, be one of those employees! Author: Nancy Mann Jackson is an award-winning journalist and corporate communicator who writes regularly about small business, parenting and workplace issues. Since 2001, she has worked as a freelance writer and has written hundreds of articles for publications including Working Mother, CNNMoney.com, Entrepreneur.com, MyBusiness and dozens of others. She also writes and edits annual reports, blogs, and newsletters for companies in industries including finance, technology and construction. Nancy is also a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

Home Office Decorating Ideas to Better Utilize Space Cool, Warm and Neutral - CareerMetis.com

Home Office Decorating Ideas to Better Utilize Space â€" Cool, Warm and Neutral Source : UnSplash.comIt’s an absolute dream to have a home office where you can do your work at home in the easiest way possible. For this, you need to know how it is possible for you to mix style and utility to craft a room where you will be happy to work.The tips provided in this article will certainly streamline your home office and render working at home conveniently and entertaining.Source : UnSplash.comHome Office Decorating IdeasevalCreate your desired home office â€" it may be a whole room or placed in a part of your drawing room â€"a lovely space to work. You may look at the images of home offices to discover decorating and organizing ideas and find out how you can draw up an office in the manner that suits you.evalFind out how you can take along color and elegance to a room that requires being practical. Your office should embrace smart storage combined with attractive details. Get encouraged by looking into the pictures and generate a well-designed and operational home o ffice.Source : UnSplash.comBetter Utilization of SpaceA home office may appear rather a luxury, but today people are increasingly doing their work at home and thus a home office has become a vital part of the home sweet home.A devoted space in which they can be focused and creative while suppressing the family life is what someone working at home requires, whether they work on a part-time or full-time basis. You need not be anxious if there is no separate room in your house to put up the home office.Careful planning and compact furniture will imply you can include a wholly operational workspace into a tiny room, part of a drawing room or even a tidal cove beneath the stairs.Source : UnSplash.comPicking out FurnitureFurniture is an excellent place to begin while designing your home office. If you plan to sit at your desk for long hours at a stretch, it is crucial to pay for a fully adjustable chair which is ergonomically designed so as to locate a spot that is cozy for you.Preferably , your screen top should be along the lines of your eyes to facilitate you do not strain your neck as a result of looking up, and the arms should lie ease on your desk perpendicularly order that the shoulders are not upstretched clumsily.Source : UnSplash.com When you look for desks, pick prudently. Can you combine a desk and storage into one entity?evalNumerous people have drawers at their sides, which are impeccable for arranging tabs and curtsies and papers, as you keep them close at hand.But obviously, if you have drawers on both sides, it will influence on the extent of leg space you have beneath the desk and you may favor a more exposed design.Source : UnSplash.comA goodstorage for your home officeis significant. Nothing is more disturbing than loads of paper in a setting where you require to be constructive.If you produce heaps of paperwork, the filing cabinet will be an excellent investment. But then you ought to be capable of making do with certain storage files or boxes. W all-mounted shelves are wonderful as they do not pick up any space on the floor but will make available lots of additional surfaces.evalMaintain everything gracefully prearranged in ring-binders after labeling your folders so that you do not waste time as a result of seeing things.Source : UnSplash.com If you do not possess a devoted room needed for the home office and must find a proper space for the home office, consider resourcefully about how you can re-jig the layout.The study zone could as well be a bedroom for your guests and a library too if you act smartly with your furnishings.For instance, you might have an efficient desk, tall bookshelves, and the sofa bed. If your guests come, all you must do is open up the bed and you have transformed the home office into a nice bedroom.Source : UnSplash.comIf there is not sufficient space, multifunctional rooms could be the alternative. Other choices embrace placing a desk skillfully in a corner spotin the living roomâ€"suspend shelve s over the desk to gain access to your files or books you may require.Likewise, if there is an open space under the stairs, you can slot a desk effortlessly into this position. Ensure that you incorporate good lighting as windows may be absent nearby.You may go wirelessas these days laptops, computers, routers and printers all are having wireless facilities â€" so you may make use of this to send away unappealing cables from the scheme of your home office.Creating Cool, Warm and NeutralHome office decorating ideas have been evolved a great deal with extremely progressive and creative concepts plus techno-savvy amenities. It is correct that the color plans chosen for beautifying are a chief factor in creating the interior decoration more attractive, revitalizing and comforting.It can influence the attitude of the persons who concentrate on the flawlessly styled environment.evalThe influence of color plans on eminent classical paintings has been known for several centuries. All the an cient, as well as modern artists, apply the configuration of the color plans, hot vigorous colors besides cool calming colors, with ample care and devotion to obtain maximum influence on the imaginative efforts.This is correct for Interior decorations too. If you utilize appropriate color mixtures, it can give an invigorating and attractive feeling in favor of the persons in your home office. Source : UnSplash.comUsually, people must spend several hours a day in office at a time. Therefore, it is worthwhile to perform suitable home-work prior to planning on decorating designs.One must select the one that aids the workers in calming their both body as well as mind and similarly helping them to remain focused. Otherwise, it should be something which will make them refreshing and more applicable.Cool colors in decorating schemes will make the environment of the office serene. The array of colors â€" blues, greens, and purples â€"can produce the greatest cooling effects. The peaceful at mosphere will cause the workers to be more concentrated.The cool areas of the calming colors are healthier if you get difficulty in concentrating on the work. It will make you cool, calm and collected.Source : UnSplash.comWarm colors are beneficial for making you alert. If you want to be very alert in your work, the spectrum of warm colors can be employed for decorating your home office. Warm colors are orange, yellow and red. These colors make the ambiance of the office invigorating and your brain gets alerted.If you decorate your office making use of these warm colors, you will be able to avoid sleeping temptations. You may find the middle ground between these wholesome extreme colored decorating plans and the pleasant plans with light hues like russets.Source : UnSplash.comNeutral color plans with colors such as light shades may be given importance after the discussion on cool and warm colors. When your office space appears very compact, you will be advised to accept neutral colo rs for using in internal decorations.One benefit of the neutral colors is their ability to become accustomed to any supplying colors and these are also very likely to make the office spaces seem more roomy and lively.Choosing apt decorating plans needs certain artistic aptitudes and originality. Appropriate selection will render your home office rejuvenating, refreshing and stimulating.

The Danger of Being a Do-er

The Danger of Being a Do-er Are you a do-er? Someone who likes getting things done, achieving goals, and being busy? And when someone makes a good suggestion or asks you to take on a task, do you like to jump on it and get going right away? My husband observed that about me last week, and boy was I annoyed (which is a sure sign he’s right!). Instead, I fancied myself to be a strategic thinker. But on reflection, my behavior is definitely do-er, through and through. Not only do I get a sense of accomplishment from getting things done, it’s even joyful for me. But somehow, I saw it as a negative. I guess we always want the things we don’t have. And as Groucho Marx said, “I don’t want to be a member of any club that would have me as a member”. My husband went on to explain that it’s great that I’m a do-er. The world needs people who get things done rather than only talk about it without taking action. While I know he’s right about that too, I’m also aware of the downsides of being a do-er. In my experience, there are at least three dangers for us do-ers. Busy doing the wrong things The first is that I like to be busy doing things. But are they the right things? Am I expending a lot of energy splashing around but not getting to the other side of the pool? Or worse yet, running really fast but in the wrong direction? One of the CEOs in my Idea Enterprise group advises people to adopt the “ready, fire, aim” approach rather than “ready, aim, aim” and never taking action. But we do-ers are already on the “ready, fire, aim” course. The problem is, you can get pretty far down the road before you wake up one day and wonder how you got here, and whether it was worth it. Do-ers need to guard against being like moles who dig away 247 and find themselves at the center of the earth rather than going across the continent as intended. True, sometimes you can’t know if something was worth it until you’ve done it. But still it’s useful to check in to see if you’re in the right zip code during the journey. It’s good to make sure you’re directionally correct, and not wait a decade or two before evaluating. The stress of “what’s next?” The second danger is stress and anxiety. It’s nerve wracking when you’re not sure of what to do next, especially when you’re worried whether you’re doing the right things. And when opportunities come up that aren’t on your list of things to do, it’s stressful having to figure out on the spot whether to drop everything and take on that new project, or stick to the original one. A life of regret And this leads to the third danger, which is having a busy life doing what others have put on your plate, then looking back and regretting how you’ve spent your time and energy. In a recent interview with The New York Times, David Letterman talks about looking back at his career as a hyper successful talk show host and wonders, at the age of 69, whether that was enough. He seems to conclude that it wasn’t, saying, I’m a little embarrassed that, for 33 years, it was the laser focus of my life It took a lot of energy, and it probably would have been better expended elsewhere. Now it just seems like, really, that’s what you did? The way forward for do-ers If you’re a do-er too (or know someone who is), then I want to share a great way forward. It’s called having a game plan. Create your Game Plan What I mean by this is a written plan that goes beyond just your daily “to do” list. I’ve recently put mine together based on one I’ve used successfully with my clients. It starts with your vision of a successful life, then links back to interim milestones you need to reach for your vision to be true, and then identifies a few priorities for the next 90 days along with the associated specific action items. Anything that doesn’t fit with the 90-day priorities goes into a separate “not now” list. Refer to the Game Plan The benefit of that game plan is to help you decide what to do now versus later versus not at all. That’s why it’s important to have it in writing and in a place where you can refer to it regularly. For me, having that written guide has been essential, as I’ve had several new proposals come my way in the last month. Historically, I would say “yes” to all of them because they’re all great projects. Then I would suffer because my efforts would be spread across too many things, many of which had nothing to do with the most important things I want to accomplish. Now I have a document on my desk that I can refer to to ensure I'm making the right decisions on what to say “yes” to and what to turn down. Or at least say, “not now”. Thanks to referring to my game plan, I’ve discovered that two of the new proposals don’t deliver on either of my top priorities for the next 90 days. As a result, I’ve put them onto the “not now” list and given an answer swiftly to the proposers. I’m sure this will go a long way toward preserving my relationships with them as well. Your game plan helps you create a really useful to do list that represents your most important priorities. It helps you make conscious choices so you know why you’re doing some things and not other things. All you have to do is refer to it. Refresh it regularly For me, this one-page game plan is a living document that I refresh regularly. I recommend that you do the same. As things change, it’s important to amend the document. And when the 90 days are almost up, it’s time to review what you want to prioritize for the next 90 days. As I’ve become clearer on my priorities, I’ve moved more into the “not now” category so I can actually accomplish the few most important ones. For do-ers, this “not now” category is a life saver. Otherwise, it would be all too easy to get distracted and go off on a tangent that makes you miss the main point. It’s like those cooking competitions where a chef creates the perfect dessert, but neglects to have the main course ready at the buzzer. Going forward When you have your game plan, you can go forth with confidence knowing that you’re working on the right things. Over time, you will look back and feel proud that you’ve accomplished what matters most to you. You will live a no regrets life. What more can we ask? So if you’re a do-er, schedule time to put together your game plan so you can stay on purpose. And if you know and care about someone who is a do-er, show them this blog post so they can enjoy a wonderful no regrets life too! Leave a comment and let me know your next steps for creating or executing on your game plan.

What Im Honoring Now (or, Why I Didnt Write My Dear Future Me Letter this year)

What Im Honoring Now (or, Why I Didnt Write My Dear Future Me Letter this year) if you change nothing by mobijo Here I am, January 1st at 8:53pm, procrastinating. Today has looked different from the New Years Days past, mostly because Luke I spent the vast majority of the day driving home from the loveliest of visits with our friends their kids, and by the time we got home we were wiped wiped wiped (yes, 3 wipes are entirely accurate and necessary). I gave myself time to sit on the couch, read the paper, watch Bobs Burgers (which always solicits audible Yay!s from me.I need to pay attention to what else solicits audible Yay!s.), eat some delivery, and then.there it loomed my Dear Future Me letter.   My tradition. My sacred time. My.procrastination? I answered emails. I went on Facebook. I read my blog comments. All the while asking myself why I was avoiding it. The fact of the matter is: I dont wanna face it. I think its gonna upset me, which seems ridiculous because if I wrote one for last year a mere 6 weeks after being diagnosed with boob cancer, and going into what I knew would be, oh, just the worst year ever pretty much what the heck is stopping me now? Luke and I joked around that 2013 is going to be a good year because the bar is set really low, and its funny because its true. But because Im really quick now to not say Im done with my surgeries! or Its all behind me! and because of some other, more personal stuff Im not ready yet to talk about here I dont think 2013 is going to be easy.  I still feel the fighter in me, and she thinks shes gonna still need to carry those gloves around with her wherever she goes. Also? Staying true to my 2013 word, and being so, so committed this year in really and truly learning the lesson that busy does not equal successful, the thought of writing down all that happens to me in 2013 seems to play into that. I mean, even my 2012 By The Month postI dont want to have to see all my accomplishments or all Ive went through to breathe easier and cut myself some slack. I mean, its ridiculous. I know I do enough, I know I am enough, I know Ill get to where I yearn to be on a professional and monetary levelbut in the intention to allow myself to be, the Dear Future Me letter seems to not be what I want to honor this year. My birthday is January 14th and Ill be in Jamaica on vacation then, and I have a feeling that the letter might come to me organically then, an intention, a playful exercise, the sacred space and time Im used to it giving me. But until then, Im holding off. Its not where Im at now or where I want to be, and Ill no longer play into either of those things. Im feeling myself changing. *******