Save on shoes because life is short!

Save on shoes because life is short! Sometimes, a Career Girls gotta do what a Career Girls gotta do. And, sometimes, you want to do what you have to do I suppose its that last point that really irks me about the phrase.  It is no more or less thrilling than any other satisfactory experienceeven if that experience is fulfilling a responsibility.  For example, at this particular moment, my saying would read Life is short; rock that paper.  While that certainly isnt as cutesie or as painless as the original, it is so much more meaningful. When life is truly as short as the saying implies, wouldnt you rather spend it responsibly?  That is not to say you never drink champagne or take a fabulous vacationthose things have their virtues.  By responsibly, I mean, live your short life in a way that fulfills, not only your immediate desires, but your promises to others and yourself. Here is the kicker:  it is thrilling to be responsible.  Pick your jaws up off of the floor and proceed to the following example, please.  The thought of being responsible sounds TERRIBLE.  Your six-year-old-self is inches away from smashing that piggy bank, I know.  ITS THE SHOES, MOLLY! you squeal, HOW CAN I ENJOY MY LIFE WITHOUT BUYING THE SHOES?  But then, something happensmaybe you rent your first apartment, maybe you pay your first bill, maybe you donate to something you really, truly care about.  All of a sudden, you feel themthe responsibility thrills!  As a newly minted adult, for me its the combination of validation and satisfaction.  I find myself thinking, I really can do this!  For those of you who are still doubtful, I have plenty of fun maybe more than my mother would approve of,  and still thoroughly enjoy finishing that paper and writing that rent check. What gives you the responsibility thrills? Happy life-making!

Wow. Im Seen As Older - Is This The End

Wow. I'm Seen As Older - Is This The End What a wake up call I got the other day! I had approached my bank of 40 years to extend a loan to complete a small property development I have been doing. Let me say right up front, I’m into my 60’s now. Financially I’m OK, don’t have any real borrowings, am still working in a profession I love, and frankly have no real intentions of throwing it in until my clients tell me I no longer add value.Anyway, back to my story. I received a note from my banking Relationship Manager saying I needed to provide a whole lot of additional information. Now, they know my financial state of health very well and so I went back and asked why I was being put through this particular mill. In writing she said I needed to understand that, although financially secure and with a squeaky clean track record I was…..well……older It got me to thinking. How easy it must be for an older job seeker to give up in the face of apparent ageism. How hard it must be for them to front up to the job search me rry go round thinking that they may well be automatically be rejected. So, I thought, let’s explore that subject.There is a lot of research that shows that working on into life keeps us young and, frankly, alive. It keeps us connected, contemporary, focused on bigger things. It keeps us relevant, engaged. What many people seem to forget is that it gives us a chance to pass on knowledge gathered over a lifetime of work. That in turn helps equip a newer generation to cope more quickly, more efficiently, more relevantly and, hopefully, with fewer mistakes along the way.So, you’re an older job seeker. What can you do to market yourself effectively?THE TEN RULES OF SELLING YOURSELF IN TODAY’S EMPLOYMENT MARKETeval1. KEEP FITTake care of yourself. Implement that exercise program you put off until “tomorrow”. Start walking or swimming, and stick to it. Research shows that interviewers make their first decision about you at the 30 second mark. Yes, that’s right, 30 seconds! In t hat time all they can do is give you the once over, so look that part. Look healthy and well.2. DRESS CONTEMPORARILYNo, I’m not advocating the “mutton dressed as lamb” approach. What I’m suggesting is making sure that when you present at any meeting you look right at home. Make sure that your tie width and suit is reasonably “modern”, the hemline of your skirt reflects the time â€" all things dress and grooming are noticed when they don’t fit the pattern.3. TAILOR YOUR RESUMEBring it right up to date and make sure it is tailor made to address the role for which you are applying. Ensure it reflects your experience in doing the specified tasks before and, importantly, provide evidence of what you have achieved in doing them. It is your achievements, in other words what you can prove you have contributed, that will set you apart from your competitors.4. TAILOR A SHORT COVERING LETTERevalJust a one pager, that’s all. Carefully identify the selection criteria and show not only how you meet them, but also how well you have contributed in those areas. Quantify those achievements as research shows that numbers have more impact than words.5. UNDERSTAND AND SELL YOUR PATTERN OF SUCCESSevalThe best and most switched on interviewers are looking for the patterns that make up our life and our work. It is this pattern that enables them to predict the trend, that is, what we will be like in the job and work environment if they hire us. Make sure that your resume and interview performance highlight those successes, those ways of working over time that have set you apart. After all, past “behaviour” predicts future behaviour, so let the employer see the advantages that accrue if they hire you.6. UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFERWe older workers offer employers a lot of advantages. We have “been there, done that”. We have worked in, or managed businesses through the ups and downs, we have managed difficult people, we have a strong The employment market ri ght now is competitive and tough. You have to hang in there understanding it is a numbers game. The more you network, the more applications you make, the more companies you approach direct, the better your chances of winning that next job. Sure, you’ll get rejections along the way, but don’t be deterred. Remember your objective. Hang in there. The opportunities will drop.10. STAY IN CONTROLI’m talking about you being in control of your own job search. Don’t look to consultants as the “silver bullet”. They handle only about 30% of the available jobs. Look at making direct approaches, look at extending your network and working it hard. Tap into the hidden job market. Work the numbers and the results will follow. It is YOUR job search and only you will devote 100% effort to it.So, back to my bank. Well, I’m not going to give up on them BUT I am going to follow my own advice. I am going to explore options and look for other financial institutions for whom age is just a num ber. I know that there is a bank or credit union out there who will value the business I bring to them. It is up to me to take control of my search for that institution, to make my case and sell myself as a good investment.I can do that because I have done it before.I know the rules and I know how to play the game.Do you?

How Freelancers Should Create LinkedIn Profiles - CareerEnlightenment.com

Step No. 2: Create Experience Sections for Noteworthy WorkIf youve ever been hired by a recognizable brand or received amazing testimonials from a single client, separate those out into two or three experience sections. This strategy will help improve your chances of showing up in search results for related work. It will also help tell your story, since you can segment out testimonials and media examples for your best work.These tangential sections should each have a beginning and an end date. You want to avoid looking like you have too many pots on your stove. The only Experience section that should be set to Present should be the catch-all from Step No. 1.Think of these sections as highlight reels, to illustrate the level of work you are capable of, what you’re the most proud of and whom you rub elbows with.Be careful when putting a large brand as an employer, though. Many brands monitor the people who say they’ve been their employees. So in the Position line, really make it cl ear that this was freelance or consulting work.Here are some essential elements to include:3 to 5 recommendations as testimonials for each sectionBullets for the work you did and the business outcome you helped the companies achieveMedia, such as slides, video or images showing your workSo your final output will look something like this, times two or three:Big Brand Bob, March 2011-May 2011Title: Contractor3 to 5 bullet points showing your main activities and the results you achieved3 to 5 recommendations that would function as testimonials of a job well doneMedia entries showing your final outputStep No. 3: Your ProjectsProject sections are like Experience sections, but they don’t let you attach media or collect testimonials. They offer you a chance to share a website, add names of other people who helped you and let you associate the projects with your catch-all Experience section.You can move this entire section to the bottom of your LinkedIn profile and not let it clutter up t he flow for your reader.So if you want to collect information regarding past projects or other significant work, put it here.Step No. 4: Headlines and Summary SectionsThe basic structure of LinkedIn mirrors a newspaper article â€" the most important information goes at the top and more details are revealed the further down you read.Therefore, if you are trying to get more gigs as a freelancer, make sure your headline and current employer reflect this.Your headline might be a simple benefit statement of what you do and the results you provide. The goal here is to inspire someone who has done a search to click on your LinkedIn profile from the list of search results.Your current position needs to show the catch-all Experience section from Step No. 1.Your Summary section should function as your brochure â€" your sales pitch.A good sales pitch should have these four elements told in first-person story form:1) A description of the problem you solve2) Your unique promise in fixing the pro blem3) Overwhelming proof that you have done so before4) A call to actionThanks for Your InputI want to thank the following people for their input and for inspiring me to write the article: Lynda Bundock, Anna Camacho, Stephanie McDonald, Mark Lynch, Garrett Brown, Teddy Burriss, Lynne Cogan, Joel Renner, Kevin Grubb, Howard Fox, Jeff Stoltzfus, Pauline Foley, Sabrina Woods, Jim Brennan, Ella M. W. Kellum, Heather Krasna, Sharla Taylor, Greg Miraglia and Teresa Adams

Professional Resume Writing Services in Minnesota Can Help You Land That Job

Professional Resume Writing Services in Minnesota Can Help You Land That JobThere are professional resume writing services in Minnesota that can help you get a job as well as help you and your resume to land on the top of the pile. Resume writing is an art, and some people have very good ideas on how to write a resume and do it quickly and effectively. There are certain skills that you need to be able to master if you want to find a job that is going to allow you to live a better quality of life.If you want to find a career that is going to allow you to do what you love for a living and make more money doing it, then you are going to have to take the steps to accomplish this and develop these skills so that you are ready to succeed. You need to make sure that you're looking for a career that will allow you to help people with their needs in today's society and also learn the skills that will get you where you want to go. If you want to be successful in your future, you're going to ha ve to master the skills needed to do this.You are not going to be able to handle all of these things if you just sit around and wait for career advancement to come to you. You need to find a way to start earning money right now and continue to earn more of it for years to come. If you find yourself to be in this position, you need to look for professional resume writing services in Minnesota to help you get that career that you want to pursue and all the skills you need to be successful.These skills are extremely important because it will allow you to do a lot of things. You can learn many different things that will allow you to know how to handle all of the different issues that you will encounter during your career. Your career advancement will come to you instead of you having to look for it.This means that you have to learn how to perform these things that allow you to write a professional resume. It also means that you have to learn how to use these skills properly, especially when it comes to your cover letter. A cover letter is going to be the single most important document in your entire career and if you're doing a good job with it, you will be remembered for the rest of your life.The cover letter is also going to be the one that is going to make or break your chances of getting a job offer because you will be showing the hiring manager why you are qualified for the position and what you can do for them in the job. This is the reason why you need to hire a professional resume writing service in Minnesota. They have the experience and the knowledge to be able to help you craft a cover letter that will stand out and impress the hiring manager.It might sound easy to you, but a good resume really needs to be written to make an impression on the hiring manager and to impress them. If you don't believe me, then go online and try to find a sample resume that someone has written that matches your skill set. Most likely, you're going to find that you wrote it yourself because you had no idea how to do it correctly and you were still able to finish it in less than 30 minutes.However, if you use a professional resume writing service in Minnesota, they are going to spend the time to understand your skills, your personality, and your writing style so that they can develop a resume that is going to be great for you. You can make this career choice and succeed if you are ready to put in the effort.

Tips for Writing My Resume After Staying Home With the Kids

Tips for Writing My Resume After Staying Home With the KidsWriting my resume after staying home with the kids is never easy. My kids are not good writers and they have no idea how to present themselves or be sincere in their application. Most of the time I find myself left scratching my head for answers and so it is tough but the good thing is I am here to help you. Even though this is a little difficult for me, it is better for you if you follow some tips and strategies so that you are free from all the problems that come with writing your resume after staying home with the kids.The first step is to actually do the work and write your resume. You may need to consider outsourcing this to the help of a freelance writer and that way you will not be wasting your time and money because you will not need to spend time editing your resume and that too, at all cost. A free resume template can also come in handy for you as it will enable you to format your resume quickly and easily.The secon d step is that you have to read and think what you want to get out of your resume. If you know your audience, you can easily gauge their likes and dislikes and even make the required changes to make them more suitable for the job of yours.The third step is that you have to carry out proper research and gather information. Before you can create a great resume, you have to be sure that you have thoroughly done all the research and have the required information before you start writing your resume.The fourth step is that you have to ensure that you have actually created your resume. You should put in the background information, necessary experience and contacts of your past employers. It is important to make a strong cover letter to spell out your personal specifications so that you can easily explain your qualifications for the job.The fifth step is that you should develop your resume in a sequential order. You need to develop the basic information first, followed by the experience an d then your skill set.Writing my resume after staying home with the kids is never easy but the most important thing is that you have to persist until you come up with the perfect resume for the job. Your resume will come up in the interview, in short, it is a way of informing the employer of your qualifications and the accomplishments in the past. So, it is important that you are ready to carry the burden and prepare yourself.

Unanswered Concerns on Writing Occupational Therapy Resume

Unanswered Concerns on Writing Occupational Therapy Resume The absolute most important issue to consider about when filling out a resume is what the employer is searching for. When looking around, you will realize that making a resume as an occupational therapist is extremely much like making a resume for any sort of job. Research potential employers in order to have a better idea who you might want to work for. On the flip side, sometimes your latest job experience is not what you would like to highlight. If it's been awhile since you've searched for work, make the most of any work search training sessions that might be offered locally. On the flip side, should you get the job and ask your new employer what you might do in order to make your resume look better, they may take it to mean you don't mean to stay very long. The One Thing to Do for Writing Occupational Therapy Resume The most important aim is to allow it to be feasible for the patients to use the brain effectiv ely so they may use the eyes to comprehend the info and react to it. Writing a resume can be a lengthy, involved process that may be tedious. Use sub-headers to create easy reading sub-headers make it simple for people to rapidly search for key things they need to look at. Writing home exercise programs for clients that isn't difficult to understand is important. Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Writing Occupational Therapy Resume Our resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a couple of minutes. If your OT resume is cluttered and difficult to read, the typical manager won't bother looking through all the info. It's easy to compose a resume that gets the very best PT jobs. When applying for your very first job after school, you don't have any true work experience within the field to draw on.

How To Deal With Conflict In The Workplace - Work It Daily

How To Deal With Conflict In The Workplace - Work It Daily Have you ever been through a rough time at work? I don’t mean the kind of stress that many of us experience with tight deadlines, full plates, and work-life balance nowhere in sight. I'm talking about a rough time with people. A personal struggle that involved one on one difficulties or disagreements that escalate beyond the typical, every day conflict in the workplace. Related: 4 Tips For Becoming The Co-Worker Everyone Loves Have you ever had a knock-down, drag-out disagreement with your manager about the quality your performance on a particular project or even a full year of performance? Have you ever received performance feedback that extended into the realm of an attack on your personal character? Have you ever had a colleague or a leader who constantly beat you down with strictly negative feedback that was often caustic and hurtful? You can certainly influence someone’s behavior in the workplace, but your behavior is the only thing that is totally under your control. Your response to the situation is the only thing you have absolute control over. Every situation and every response will be unique, but here are three things you can consider in order to determine exactly how you need to respond: Consider the patterns Consider the source Consider your options 1. Consider The Patterns Have you heard feedback in the past that is similar? Be honest â€" have you ever had an inkling that the message you received might have elements of truth, even if this person delivered it harshly and ineffectively? If there is some truth in the feedback received, you can at least gain from the self awareness that comes with identifying a challenge. After you have cooled from the encounter, recall the content of the message separated from the tone and the delivery. Make a list of feedback or input that you accept and make changes as desired. 2. Consider The Source Of course you want to do a good job at work and it is important that your manager believes that you create value in the workplace. There is some truth to the fact that we have to please our leaders in order to remain gainfully employed! An important question, though, is whether or not you will allow this person’s opinion to have an impact on your professional self-concept or confidence in what you know and are able to produce at work. In other words, consider the source of the feedback. Is the person a respected colleague who simply behaved badly or had a bad day? Do you typically align with the person in terms of what you value and how you define ‘good’? Or, is this person a known “bully”, self-aggrandizing, unrelenting tough guy (or gal) with whom you have very little in common? 3. Consider Your Options Once you have considered the patterns and considered the source, you have choices to make. And, the good news is, you are in total control of two things now â€" your outward response and your mental response to the situation. A mature response requires a level of self-awareness on your part. If it makes sense, seek the opinion (or a ‘reality check’) from a trusted advisor who will be honest with you. Test your interpretation of the situation with an outsider to ensure you are not missing something while you are in the heat of the situation. The answers to the questions about the source may not impact your actual outward response to the situation, but they should certainly have an impact on how you internally process the episode â€" do you take it to heart? Do you adjust how you feel about yourself professionally? Or, do you recognize that the “problem” is not within your control and simply move on? You, and only you, determine how you will ‘feel’ about yourself post-encounter. You can allow the emotional encounter, whether based in truth or not, to have a negative impact on your perception of self. You can allow it to escalate your stress level. Or, you can take whatever good ‘content’ there was in the message, but not allow the attack to have an impact on your mental well-being. Whether or not you confront the person about the actual encounter is a tough call and will vary based on your situation, your relationship, your own style, and the potential value to be gained from follow-up versus moving on. If you do decide to confront the person about the episode, remember, you are still only in control of your response. (Disclaimer â€" if your experience ever reaches the realm of harassment or a hostile work environment, it is wise to seek support and expertise from your Human Resources group or a trusted leader in the company.) This post was originally published at an earlier date. Related Posts 3 Reasons For Stress In The Workplace 4 Tips For Avoiding Conflict In The Workplace 5 Tips For Dealing With Difficult Co-Workers Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!