Paul in Minnesota 22 Levels Deep!

Paul in Minnesota 22 Levels Deep…! On this mornings Focus Friday webinar I was astounded to read a comment from Paul in Minnesota about how many levels of connections he reached before he landed his job. Some context: on many of my webinars, Ive repeated one of the greatest things I learned in my own job search, which is that you find your job leads from your third and fourth degree contacts, not from your first and second degree contacts.  This is such a profound concept. the idea that as we develop relationships with people, we continually ask for introductions.  More often than not, you wont have your first or second degree contact. Unfortunately, the way LinkedIn works, they mess up how we track this.  But in JibberJobber we can track down to the nth degree. Anyway, Paul wrote this comment on our webinar today, in response to talking about the free vs. premium levels of JibberJobber (note that we were talking about the email2log feature which is premium, but the tracking to of referrals is in the free level): [The upgrade is] totally worth it.  I would say its the best investment for  your job search. I got down to 22 levels of contacts before I landed my position and JibberJobber was the  tool that helped me keep track. (No way I could have done this on my own). Ive heard this type of gratitude for JibberJobber before and I love hearing it (especially on a Friday, what a great way to end my work week :)).  But what floored my was what Paul was doing: 22 Levels? That is so awesome! That is how an effective job search is done!  Talk to people, ask for referrals, do informational interviews.! Great job Paul! An inspiration to us all! Paul in Minnesota 22 Levels Deep…! On this mornings Focus Friday webinar I was astounded to read a comment from Paul in Minnesota about how many levels of connections he reached before he landed his job. Some context: on many of my webinars, Ive repeated one of the greatest things I learned in my own job search, which is that you find your job leads from your third and fourth degree contacts, not from your first and second degree contacts.  This is such a profound concept. the idea that as we develop relationships with people, we continually ask for introductions.  More often than not, you wont have your first or second degree contact. Unfortunately, the way LinkedIn works, they mess up how we track this.  But in JibberJobber we can track down to the nth degree. Anyway, Paul wrote this comment on our webinar today, in response to talking about the free vs. premium levels of JibberJobber (note that we were talking about the email2log feature which is premium, but the tracking to of referrals is in the free level): [The upgrade is] totally worth it.  I would say its the best investment for  your job search. I got down to 22 levels of contacts before I landed my position and JibberJobber was the  tool that helped me keep track. (No way I could have done this on my own). Ive heard this type of gratitude for JibberJobber before and I love hearing it (especially on a Friday, what a great way to end my work week :)).  But what floored my was what Paul was doing: 22 Levels? That is so awesome! That is how an effective job search is done!  Talk to people, ask for referrals, do informational interviews.! Great job Paul! An inspiration to us all!

Body Shaming Why You Should Ignore It And Be The Best Version Of You

Body Shaming Why You Should Ignore It And Be The Best Version Of You Once upon a time, we all lived in a world where size and shape didn’t matter. We didn’t take an awful lot of notice of how anyone else looked. Instead, we were more concerned with covering up and getting on with our daily lives to be caught up with something so trivial as the shape of our bodies. And if we did happen to sneak a peak, we’d feel a slight pang of jealousy over curves we didn’t have. Oh if only that were still the case. In today’s modern society, this thing called body shaming exists. Who knows where it came from, or why anyone thought it was okay to start doing it. In short, body shaming sucks. It’s ignorant, mean and just plain rude. To comment on another womans (or man’s) figure seems like a right to online trolls, even if an opinion was neither asked for nor needed. As the internet has gone from strength to strength, it seems, so has body shaming. Where once we could only see other bodies in person or magazines, now, we have instant access to them online. When once we may never have dreamt of commenting on a friend or family members figure, or felt the need to say anything about the polished silhouettes in magazines, now it seems suddenly ‘okay’ to some those that do it online. Why They Shame In all honesty, you’d probably have to ask serial body shaming troll to find out why they do it, but there have been theories as to why it started in the first place. Surprisingly, body shaming isn’t all that new. It’s something that some of us have been doing for decades, but subconsciously. While in some, it may sound like ‘her figure is incredible, I wish I had one like it’ as a thought in the mind, in others, it would appear more like ‘how disgusting, how could she look like that? Sometimes, jealousy can transfer what should be a kind comment into an unkind one, and the spiral starts from there. And yes the references to ‘her’ and ‘she’ have been used, because let’s face it, women can often be worse than men! But it isn’t always jealousy that causes the shaming to start. In fact, it’s a lot more in-depth than that. Jealousy will always be a factor for why some people dislike or lash out at others, it’s sad but true. It isn’t the only culprit that started the idea of body shaming. How Media Escalated It It’s a commonly known cause, but the media has a lot to answer for. Just like in those days when we had no other form of comparison to make between ourselves and others than in magazines, the same sort of ideals are available now. Because that’s what the media portrays (most of the time) ideals of life, ideals on happiness, and ideals on how a ‘normal’ or ‘healthy’ body should look. Although the media are entitled to print whatever they choose, within reason, of course, they’re effectively overexposing us all to what something ‘should’ look like. In this case, it’s a body. So, subconsciously, when we look at any other shape that is other than the ideal we’ve been exposed to, we start to think it’s wrong. Thus, the body shaming begins. Despite the reasons for why it happens, we may never understand what causes an individual to think such mean things about others and then go on to say them or, as they’re more commonly shared, typed out online. Should You Listen? Never. Why should you? If you’re happy and you’re healthy, then who are online trolls to tell you to change? You may not have received any first-hand body shaming before, but when you read about it going on, or hear others saying things, it can have an effect on your self-esteem. As long you are the best possible version of yourself, you should never feel pressure to change. If you’re unhealthily overweight and you make a decision to change your lifestyle to benefit your health, then you’re making a decision that is best for you. And that’s okay. But if you’re within a healthy weight range and have curves in all of the right places, never feel like you should change your natural body shape, because others say it’s ugly. In fact, what you should do it start your own feel-good campaign. Life is too short to stress over other people. Instead, start to love yourself and the skin you’re in. Be Comfortable In Your Skin It’s not always easy to feel comfortable just as you are, but all you can do is work on it. If you’re constantly trying to be your best, love yourself and be happy in your life, you’re off to the perfect start. One of the best ways to improve your inner confidence is to stop comparing yourself. After all, from what we’ve learned about the origins of body shaming, it seems that comparisons have a lot to answer for too. When you compare yourself to someone else, you’re instantly setting yourself up for failure. There’s a well-known quote that sums it up nicely: “Never compare your beginning to someone elses middle” And it couldn’t be any more relevant. If you’re comparing the way you look to others, you’re missing the point. You are you and you can only ever be you. And you may not look anything like the person, or people that you’re comparing yourself too, so you’re messing with your self-esteem by even thinking that you’re insignificant or worthless, just because you look nothing like them. You can change your hair color, you can wear makeup, you can get plastic surgery, you but you’ll still be you inside. It’s time to start loving yourself for who you are. You can care for your hair, experiment with makeup and even get surgery if it’s what you want (here’s why we should stop shaming that too), as long as you start to feel happy in your own skin, because that’s what counts. Be The Best Possible Version Of Yourself Your Can Be And that brings us back to you. Being the best version of yourself isn’t about listening to negative comments or letting online trolls get to you. It’s about focusing on you, your goals and feeling good about who you are as a person, inside and out. In fact, as well as the hate that can be found online, there’s a lot of inspiration available too. You can find inspirational vloggers on YouTube, bloggers, and influencers who can help you to achieve your goals. Say you want to lose weight, not because you’re searching for a body ideal, but because you don’t feel good in yourself anymore. You’re tired and lethargic and want to get that spring in your step back. Well, there are so many inspiring voices out there that might just be able to give you the motivation you need to get it done. But these voices are not just online. You can find them in books too, even in the media. It’s not all bad, despite the impression that the body shamers have given you. You just need to learn to block out the negativity and find the good. And yes, that mantra can work with people too. None of us have time for negativity in our lives, and that includes people that bring us down. If you’re trying to be the best possible version of yourself, it might mean cutting a few individuals lose. But that’s okay. Because for every one bad egg you find, there’s be a diamond backing you up, spurring you on and fighting your corner. And they are exactly the kind of people you want to keep around (they’ve probably never trolled online either)! Find Your Healthy Balance When we talk about weighing up the bad people with the good, the body shaming comments with the inspirational, we’re talking about balance. It’s finding a healthy balance that can get you through tough times. To you, that might mean taking care of yourself. Getting your hair cut regularly, making that dentist appointment (if you’re behind, find a local one here http://www.dentists.local24hour.com) or joining a gym the things you do to take care of YOU! And that’s okay, because self-care is so important in today’s society. It might be the only thing that can allow us to break through body shaming and trolling when we start to get sucked in. As long as you’re working on you, basing your decisions on what healthy looks like to you, then you’re doing just fine. Do you best to ignore negativity and never pay attention to anyone that wants to try and put you down for the way you look You only get one body, treat it well, and it will do the same to you. When you find the balance that works well for you, happiness is never that far away. Image credits. Main.   Shame.     Fat.     Self.  

Obamas New Stimulus Plan and YOU.

Obamas New Stimulus Plan and YOU. Heres a brief breakdown of how the new stimulus plan could help you! First-time homebuyers who purchase their homes before December 1, 2009 would be eligible for an $8,000 tax credit, and people who buy new cars before the end of the year can write off the sales taxes. College students-or their parents- are eligible for tax credits of up to $2,500 to help pay tuition and related expenses in 2009 and 2010. We can expect to see about $13 extra in our weekly paychecks, starting around June, thanks to the new $400 tax credit to be given through the rest of the year. Couples would get up to $800. Those receiving un-employmet benefits this year wouldnt pay any federal income taxes on the first $2,400 they receive. For those who have lost their health insurance as a result of losing their job, the government will now pick up up the tab for 65% of the cost of continuing insurance through the COBRA plan for the first nine months while you look for a new job. COBRA is typically very expensive, often over $1,000 per month so this is a huge cost savings for job seekers. Homeowners who add energy-efficient windows, furnaces and air conditioners can get a tax credit to cover 30% of the costs, up to a total of $1,500. Information from the Associated Press.

Boston University Students Open Their Eyes To a Brand You World - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Boston University Students Open Their Eyes To a Brand You World - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Yesterday I presented to students at Boston University. Most of the concepts and thoughts I mentioned during my talk where reflected in my previous presentation at the University of Massachusetts last week. The difference this time is that I decided to focus is more on the marketing and career development aspects of personal branding, while keeping it general enough that they could put everything in context. I was unable to record the presentation, due to some technical difficulties and I must say that it was my best one yet. I put the students through the exercise of choosing between four different cars: a Dodge Ram truck, Ferrari 360 Modena, BMW 645ci convertible and a Jeep. The four brave students selected their cars and explained why they did, concentrating on how they describe themselves in relation to the car. One student said she was a Dodge Ram because she had a hard exterior. The big moment was when I explained how schools teach you about history and math, but not how to get a job, which is the main reason why you go there in the first place. Everyone agreed on this, as well as the professor. Then I clicked the slide and it animated with a picture of an empty classroom, with the words personal branding on the chalkboard, to symbolize how this is the future of education. Each presentation I give, I use a famous brand to make a point. Oprah was the victim this time and the first word that came out of someones mouth was rich. I pushed them further, asking them to focus on her behaviors. The goal here is to recognize that a name and a picture are important and that we are all known for something, whether it comes from someone else or the individual. You will also notice my Personal Branding Toolkit slide, where I expose all the tools you can use when you create your brand, such as a video resume, business card and CD portfolio. My favorite slide is the one that mentions basic blogging tactics and methodologies. There is a picture of a 7-year-old on the slide, to show that anyone can start a blog and there are no excuses. I really tried to keep the social media part focused, such that Facebook, LinkedIn and blogging were the highlights. What I find challenging is describing social media, without expanding into Digg, del.icio.us and all the other items we see everywhere. I really tried to hammer in that life is about networking. I said look around, your network starts in this classroom. Every college student has to understand that its the network that is going to allow them to bypass the standard recruiting process and uncover hidden jobs. I had one slide that said 80% of your time should be spend on networking and 20% on traditional submission methods. I ended with some action items, such as purchasing theirname.com, starting a blog, joining LinkedIn.com and Facebook and to viewthis blog and Personal Branding Magazine, which are great resources if they have further interest in this subject matter. Again, Im noticing that schools, as well as companies, are far behind, but in order to prepare them for the future, we must start today. This is my calling and I hope to have your support as we help breed the new worker of tomorrow. My Presentation [slideshare id=313039doc=keynote-boston-university-1205895771167608-3w=425] Feedback from students Really enjoyed your advice. Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us and I really want to use what you said! Tom Peters would be proud; you have created a raving fan in me. Dan, hey i really enjoyed the presentation tonight. I am going to get on LinkedIn and the weblog site. I guess I will just have to keep updated on LinkedIn, any other pointers on the blogging would help. I just am not too familiar with the concept but am intrigued. Thanks. Thanks for coming to our class to speak- very informative as I am graduating in May with a BFA in graphic design. Thanks again.

Choosing the Right Business Partner - What You Need to Know CareerMetis.com

Choosing the Right Business Partner - What You Need to Knowâ€" CareerMetis.com Starting a business can be equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. With so many moving parts to any business, it can be daunting to take every aspect on by yourself.Conversely, the excitement and thrill of engaging in the entrepreneurial spirit can sometimes be enough to overshadow any fears regarding starting up a new business.evalHowever, there is an option in which you can share the workload as well as the uplifting aspects of beginning a business venture. Business partners can help to make a business more successful than ever imagined, and they can make the process of getting things up and running much easier.Taking on a business partner can absolutely do wonders for your business, as long as you make sure you’re choosing the right partner.What Taking on a Business Partner MeansevalA business partnership is a lot like a personal partnershipin a few ways. In both situations, you are both pooling money towards a common purpose, sharing resources and individual skills in order to achieve goals, as well as sharing in the often uncertain and tumultuous world of profits and losses.It is up to both partners to work their hardest to ensure that a business, like a relationship, lasts for years and results in a happy outcome for both parties involved.Building a business or expanding a franchise with a business partnerrequires a mutual understanding of both parties regarding what exactly everyone is getting into.Both people’s roles in the business needs to be clearly defined so that undue burden isn’t placed on either party. It is also essential that, before entering business together, potential partners discuss how to share profits, resolve disputes, and in the worst case, what to do if one partner wants to dissolve the partnership.Choosing a business partner is a huge commitment, so be sure to do your due diligence to ensure it is the right choice for you and your business.evalWhile you share the pressure of starting up a business when you take on a business partner, you still need to consider all the responsibilitiesthat are required of both of you. As business owners, you’ll have to jointly manage employees, file your own taxes, and closely monitor the economy for any information that might benefit or harm your business.Taking on a business partner means that if you had a plan set for the future, you may have to change it in order to suit the needs of both you and your newfound business partner.Benefits of a Business PartnershipGoing into business with another individual has a whole host of benefits, both for you as an individual and for the business itself as well.If you’ve chosen the right business partner, they will help you first of all through the balancing of responsibilities of the business. Business partners also help by bringing a different, unique set of skills to the equation that might be able to take on the problems that you’re unable to.evalDifferent types of businessesoffer different benefits and protections to bu siness owners. Among these are sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, corporations, s corporations, and several varieties of business partnerships offering different benefits.There are general partnerships, limited partnerships, and joint ventures, and while they all operate slightly differently, they are all relatively inexpensive and simple, and all have the benefit of sharing financial burdens between multiple people.Business partners can offer up a greater depth of expertise and may be able to assist in effectively completing tasks that you may prefer to hand off or are out of your knowledge or skill level. They can provide a different, fresh perspective on business decisions and may be able to help you make important decisions regarding the direction and actions of the business itself.Additionally, business partners provide a support system to you, relieving a good deal of the stress associated with operating a business by sharing the responsibilities and workload, as well as sharing in the businesses successes and failings equally.What to Look for in a Business PartnerThe act of choosing a business partner can be quite difficult, as you have to take the time to weigh all of an individual’s strengths and weaknesses before making the huge decision to enter into a business partnership with them. While not all business owners require an advanced degree to operate a successful business, taking on a business partner that has one can be a good decision, particularly if you don’t.Those who have pursued their education further than a bachelor’s degree have better networking opportunities, and the prestige and esteem associated with holding a master’s degree can open many doors that may have previously been shut to you.Choosing the right business partnercan ultimately come down to whether or not you like the individual. Of course, you should also look to whether or not you hold shared values, especially in regards to business, and have compleme ntary skill sets. Study up on the multiple intelligences theory.It speaks to the idea that people have multiple learning styles and therefore multiple means of acquiring skills. Look for a business partner whose intelligences may not match your own but complement your skill sets.You should also place just as much value in how well you get along with the individual in day-to-day interactions. After all, though someone may look perfect as a business partner on paper, the likelihood of a business flourishing under your shared guidance is slim at best if you can’t stand to be around them for long periods of time or flat-out don’t enjoy their company.evalThe right business partner will display a lot of the same skills as other entrepreneurs, like an inherent creative spirit, the ability to comfortably communicate to large groups, and the ability to identify business opportunities.You and your business partner should be able to trust and respect one another implicitly, as you will bot h have the other’s well-being in your hands in some measure. Look for a business partner who is able to fully and effectively communicate with you, is able to easily mend relations after arguments of any size, and supports your weaknesses while enhancing your strengths.Choosing the right business partner is a huge decision that could make or break your business. It is important to know that you’re making the right decision before you commit to a business partnership.Don’t be afraid to test out a partner before you make the commitment, as you’ll be sharing a lot with them in the coming years.eval

Jump-Starting Your Job Search - Pathfinder Careers

Jump-Starting Your Job Search - Pathfinder Careers Jump-Starting Your Job Search An all-too familiar scenario: After months of applying for jobs and endlessly sending in résumé after résumé for open positions without hearing anything, you are worn down, discouraged, and just plain tired of being unemployed. This sucks, you think to yourself. Why bother? Why bang my head against the wall? If your job search has slowed down to a snail’s pace, all the advice in the world about how to revamp your job search wont matter. You need to recharge. There’s an old adage that “Looking for a job is a full-time job” is entirely accurate.   It  IS a full-time job, requiring a tremendous amount of energy, focus, and attention. But you can’t expect to do a full-time job without a break somewhere and sometime.   And it is completely okay to give yourself permission to take a vacation from looking for work. This doesn’t mean you get to book that all-inclusive trip to Hawaii (unless you can afford it), but it is just as important to schedule mental break time from the grind of looking for work.   Let’s face it: Looking for work IS wearing, and it does become difficult not to take rejection personally. This is precisely  when you need a break. Take time to re-energize by doing something that you do enjoy.   Reminding yourself that there are things that bring joy to your life is critical to fortifying yourself and  gaining resilience to weather the rigors of job searching. Pencil in vacation time and be very specific about start and end dates.   Youll have something to  anticipate and savor.   Once that break time is done, then you will be able to re-direct your attention to resuming the search after you charge up your batteries. It is amazing how taking a few days off  can jump-start your job search much more than just trying a new tactic or gimmick.   Youll be sharper, more focused, and energized to jump right back in and keep up a positive attitude. And that can make all the difference.

Why You Should Do Resume Writing Reviews

Why You Should Do Resume Writing ReviewsResume writing reviews are an important part of the search for the perfect job. In fact, a resume is the first thing employers see when they interview you and is one of the first things that matters in determining whether or not to hire you. Unfortunately, a poorly written resume can be as bad as a poorly written job application.Many people are aware of the importance of these various resume reviews but many fail to follow through on their written recommendations. Sadly, there are far too many people who don't follow through and write a properly formatted resume. Because of this, they end up with a poor resume that does not get them the job they want.When you follow the recommendations of many resumes writers, it helps you take the guesswork out of your resume and you can ensure you get a smart resume. The truth is that most resumes need to be written differently to get to the same position. A carefully crafted resume can open doors to a great job and a bad resume can close them.Another reason why many people don't do the research to find top resume writing reviews is that they are unsure how to write a good resume. Fortunately, if you have any experience at all writing resumes, you should be able to figure it out. All you need to do is follow the instructions that come with the various online resumes services that are available.Writing a resume is much easier than you might think. While some people might say it's a lot of work, the truth is that it doesn't have to be hard work. You just need to know what to put in it and what to avoid.There is a need to list all of your previous jobs, even if you have only worked for a company for a short time. If you have worked at different companies, you should list them as well. This helps to show that you have some experience and it also shows the employer that you have worked at some other companies.Most of the best online resumes are designed to be very user friendly. This makes i t a lot easier to submit your resume and make sure that it is correct. If it is incorrect, your future employer will find out quickly and you will lose the job.It is a lot easier to put together an excellent resume than you might think. It is as simple as doing the research and following the instructions of those in the business. Once you take the time to do this, you can save yourself a lot of time and money by not wasting time trying to get a good resume.