Discovering Career Opportunities in Your Local Community Building Your Future Now

Discovering Career Opportunities in Your Local Community Building Your Future Now Whether we live in a city, town, farm, cottege etc..there is always an chance to discover what career opportunities it offers. If you are a writer for example can you do something that developes your writing career? Is there a niche opportunity somewhere in your community? The focus is professional growth and the continued development of your skill sets, experience and relationships with others within the area. How can you offer something that is unique while providing a service or product that is needed within your area? Research, analysis and understanding are all key factors that need to be executed in order to get the gears going. Networking is also important. Communicating you goals and alligning them to your communitys challenges and overall aims can lead to a fruitful development of a niche opportunity for you. Involve others that are in the sames headspace you are in and continually expand on concepts and ideas that can be feasibility rolled out within the local area that you live and/or work. Image: Whitfieldink

How to Write a Resume to Work in the Financial Industry

How to Write a Resume to Work in the Financial IndustryWriting a resume can be one of the most frustrating parts of getting a job. One has to sit and read it over many times before he can even begin to understand what it says, if anything at all. This is why you should learn more about one of the most overlooked aspects of writing a resume: spacing.When you get yourself up and about on the job hunting grounds, you will find that there are different career stages you will have to go through. Each stage of the industry will bring with it certain skills and talents that will be needed in order to be successful.So, when it comes to finding your way through this industry, you don't want to stray from your goal because you may end up not being successful. So you have to make sure that you cover these crucial steps to getting the most out of the job you are after.The first thing you need to do is create multiple resumes in order to cover all the stages of your career. When you are looking f or different positions you will come across a different type of position you have to prove your expertise in, so make sure that you cover all the stages.As you are researching your options, you will find that each stage requires a different type of resume. So you need to understand that there is a difference between one resume for a high level position and another for a low level position. You need to be able to write a resume for each stage.Don't forget to separate these different stages into a resume that covers each stage. The reason for this is that you will have to present your skills in a different format as well.The reason is that when you submit a resume to a company, they have a specific way they want to seethe resume formatted. They don't care about what stage you were in or how much experience you have in that stage, they only care about the specific details you have written about on your resume.The way you get around this is to write your resume so that the specific deta ils that are written can be seen by the right person. It is essential that you go over your resume with a fine tooth comb so that you can ensure that every single detail is covered.

Promiscuous LinkedIn Connections and Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Promiscuous LinkedIn Connections and Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Yes, you heard me right, promiscuous connections. What the heck is a promiscuous connection? I got the term from LinkedIn Director of Insights James Raybould. He was on a video talking to a recruiter who complained of getting endorsements from people he had never worked with and didn’t know at all. James Raybould’s response was “You have promiscuous connections.” In other words, this recruiter connected with anyone. By the numbers LinkedIn advises you only connect with people you know personally. But when you first get your LinkedIn account, your numbers look so puny. Those people with 500 connections look so influential. It’s tempting to beef up the numbers and, especially if you don’t meet new people all the time, fudge the lines of who you “know.” But here’s the question: What is the purpose of your LinkedIn profile? If you’re a business owner, it might be to become visible to prospective clients, partners and vendors. If you’re working for a company, it might have the same purpose, except that you’re representing your company. If you’re looking for a job, it’s to highlight your skills and connect you with people who might be able to help. So you should decide: What is your profile supposed to do and who should you connect with that will help it serve its purpose? Probably that doesn’t mean sending invitations to total strangers in other industries, or accepting them. That would be promiscuous connecting. I am an author. My book Repurpose Your Career â€" A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers was published in January, 2013. I was recently on a book publishing webinar run by social media guru and published author Guy Kawasaki. Guy said you want as large as a following as you can get on Social Media. In order to promote a book you will want a large following. Hmmm…. This makes sense. Does that mean that in some cases promiscuous connecting is fine? What do you think when someone has thousands of connections? When someone has tens of thousands of LinkedIn connections, can you go to them for an introduction? What do you think when they are connected to controversial figures? Here are some options On LinkedIn, if you haven’t met the person either online or offline and you receive a connection request, search for a button (it’s very hard to find) that says, “reply but do not connect.” Ask the person if you’ve met before or if they can tell you why they want to connect. If they have a good answer, go ahead and connect. What about other social media platforms? Some people connect with everyone they meet on Facebook. Some only with close friends or family. Me, I connect with people I’ve personally met and ignore requests from people I haven’t. It’s the same with Twitter. Some people follow everyone who follows them and some people who don’t. I use Twitter to promote my business, so as long as you tweet in English, the only language I speak fluently, and are not pornographic in your tweets, I will follow you back. I struggle with Google+. I use it to promote my business, too. When someone “circles me” and I cannot classify their profile to put them in an existing circle, I place them in the circle called “huh”. As long as they speak English, I connect with them. So when it comes to promoting my business, I don’t really care who you are as long as you might buy my book or hire me. I’m pretty promiscuous. But Facebook is personal and I’m definitely not. What do you think of people with hundreds of “friends” and “connections” ? Do you think, wow that person is popular and influential or that person is promiscuous? Does having a lot of connections promote your personal brand? What do you think? Author: Marc Miller is the founder of Career Pivot which helps Baby Boomers design careers they can grow into for the next 30 years. Marc authored the book Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers, published in January 2013, which has been featured on Forbes.com, US News and World Report, CBS Money-Watch and PBS’ Next Avenue. Marc has made six career pivots himself, serving in several positions at IBM in addition to working at Austin, Texas startups, teaching math in an inner-city high school and working for a local non-profit. Learn more about Marc and Career Pivot by visiting the Career Pivot Blog or follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.

Modern Calligraphy The Art of Handwriting is Alive

Modern Calligraphy The Art of Handwriting is Alive Type the phrase, “Is calligraphy dead,” into any search engine, and you will be certain to find a number of articles that claim it is no longer with us, but is that really true? Although you won’t find many people who still write in cursive, calligraphy’s cousin, the art of calligraphy is still very much alive and kicking. Unlike cursive, there is no replacement for the artistic expression of calligraphy. And although many people think it is only good for wedding invitations, the many uses of this ancient art form may surprise most. Young and old alike are once again picking up the pen to create elaborate writings. The process itself is special, from choosing the right pen and ink, to picking the best paper and patterns. Cursive as a Career Some businesses and organizations use the services of calligraphers. Wedding planning services hire calligraphers to create invitations. Educational institutes use the services of calligraphers to create degrees and diplomas. Graphic design companies often keep a professional calligraphers onsite for special orders. Many professional calligraphers work as freelancers. They advertise their services and clients hire them to create original lettered items, like official documents, invitations, business cards and more. Some calligraphers often use free wedding invitation templates as a blank canvas for creating their finished products, adding their own special touches. Another place calligraphy is still a booming business is in our nation’s capital. The Washington Post recently reported that the White House uses the services of two staff calligraphers to create thousands of addressed invitations, envelopes, programs, signs, place cards and much more every year. The calligraphy office still uses the basic tools of calligraphy in the East Wing office, which is illuminated by natural light to help them determine the different ink colors. In 2013, the calligraphy office produced materials for over 140 White House events, hand-addressing 10,000 envelopes for holiday greetings. Calligraphers have had the pleasure of being a part of American history, like creating a certificate for the National Medal of Arts to present to the famous childrens author, Beverly Cleary. The Tools of the Calligrapher Although modern fonts are a poor imitation, calligraphy is an art form, rather than just printed letters on the page. It is usually best for formal invitations, official documents, and even works of art. If you are interested in learning calligraphy, you should know the basic tools you will need, as well as techniques that are most often used. The Pen â€" The most important tool for calligraphy is the pen and there are many options for artists. Some use a cartridge pen, which lets them change out the nib or writing point. A wide nib creates large letters while a narrower nib results in smaller ones. Using a cartridge pen enable you to also change the ink, so you can change colors whenever you want. Others prefer a dip pen, which is a pen they can dip into a small pot of ink when they want to write. A modern option is the felt tip pen, which is convenient and easy to use because they often have one ink and two different nibs. With felt pens, you simply take off the cap and start writing without needing to use a separate ink pot, or switching out nibs. It is often helpful to have a few felt pens for calligraphy, since black ink is best for formal documents and most want to use different colors for artwork. The Technique â€" Because every nib produces a different result, practice writing with a variety of nibs on your pens. Many nib sets come with a chart to guide you, so you will know which nib is best for your purposes. Practice as much as possible, so you’ll have a better sense of which nibs and ink colors to use. The Balance â€" Basic calligraphy uses a balanced combination of ovals and lines, depending on the letter. You need to be sure to use an equal amount of space between each letter, and make sure all uppercase letters are the same height. Lowercase letters should also be the same height in order to produce an artistic and elegant piece. The Flow â€" The calligraphy ink needs to flow smoothly, so the words flow beautifully across the page. Avoid changing nibs or ink colors in the middle of a word. The words must not look choppy or written in haste. Take your time writing every word, every stroke, so that your calligraphy looks more like a work of art, than quick scribbles. Practice Makes Perfect As with all things, practice makes perfect, and that applies to the art of calligraphy. Read books like [amazon template=productasin=1250016320] and learn your craft. Start small, and don’t try to do important documents or wedding invitations until you have honed your skills. Get the right tools and take lots of time to enjoy and practice your new craft. Soon you’ll be immersed in this ancient and art form that is surely here to stay forever. Jerry Leung is the chief designer and founder of 983invitation.com. Apart from wedding invitation and graphic design, Leung also has a great interest in architecture and the cultural aspects of weddings.

Make Sure That You Write a Grant Writing Resume

Make Sure That You Write a Grant Writing ResumeYou can't be successful at getting a grant without a proper grant writing resume. You must have at least some of the basic grant writing skills to be eligible for this process. Here are a few things that you should know to help you with your resume.First, to write a grant writing resume, you should know what you want to say about yourself. Make sure that your resume highlights what your expertise is. Do not exaggerate in any way.Second, there are some general steps that you can follow to increase your writing skills. These steps are so simple that you could copy them by doing them. What these steps are, are just basic instructions that you can easily implement. They will allow you to start writing your resume faster than ever before.The first step that you can do to improve your writing skills is to make sure that you use a Microsoft Word application. You may need to use Word to write a grant writing resume as well.The second step is to outline out the information that you will include in your resume. This will help you focus on the points that you will want to say. If you are unsure of how to do this, you can find templates online that you can use for the purpose.The third step that you can do to enhance your writing skills is to make sure that you list down every single bit of information that you can think of. List everything down from experience to skills. This will help you organize the information better.Finally, when you are writing your resume, use common sense and consistency. Make sure that you include every skill in your resume that you can think of. Your resume must be a good combination of all of the skills that you possess.These are just a few tips that you can use to improve your writing skills. With a little work, you can be sure that you will be able to get more money than you thought possible through grants. Remember that your grant writing resume will help you get that grant writing job you want.

Five ways living in university halls prepares you for adult life

Five ways living in university halls prepares you for adult life This post was written by an external contributor. Lucy Pegg looks at all the life skills you can gain from living in student halls and apparently that doesnt include living off frozen pizzas for a whole month Living in halls is a key part of the university experience. It can be a nightmare or a heavenly freedom, but in general it’s simply a weird and wonderful way of living. But perhaps halls can provide us with something other than a year’s worth of anecdotes. Maybe it teaches us a few life lessons, and I don’t just mean how to invent new sports that only use supermarket delivery crates as their equipment. Here are five ways that halls might just be getting us ready for the “real” world. Inconvenient fire alarms = practise for that 9-5 commute A lot of students complain when their timetable features anything at 9am, but in the working world you’re likely to be expected to start at 9am five days a week. Plus, unlike university, you can’t show up in your pyjamas/onesie/last night’s alcohol sodden clothes, either. What with having to make yourself look smart, the inevitably congested commute, and the fact that getting told off by your boss for lateness probably means a bit more than getting tutted at by your lecturer, you’ll need to be up bright and early. But you can do it you’ve done it involuntarily before, after all. As you’re crawling out of bed during your first week of work, call on that strength you used to go outside when some idiot decided to burn their chicken nuggets at 4am, setting the fire alarm off. Is getting up for work worse than the realisation that you can’t just sleep through that alarm and risk burning to death? Perhaps it is, but at least this time you’re getting paid for it. Learning to live peacefully with random flatmates = learning to work peacefully with random colleagues I can think of few other situations in life where you turn up at your new flat and have no idea who it is you’ll be living with. They might be your new best friends for life, but there’s a high chance at least a few really won’t be. Whichever it is, you have to learn to at least tolerate each other, and learning to do that is a skill that’ll come in handy for the rest of your life. In your workplace there’s going to be colleagues you really like, as well as those you’re not so keen on â€" and you’re probably going to have to learn to work with all of them. It’ll be fine though, because you lived in halls, so you know how to get along with a whole range of people. And the advantage of the workplace is you get to leave, so you can return home to a home hopefully filled with people you actually like. Sleeping through parties = ability to live in that cheap, but noisy, neighbourhood In freshers week you swore you were going to be the life and soul of every party and pre-drinks, but by mid-October you’re realising you can’t sustain that promise. Unfortunately, just because you’ve opted for some responsible shut-eye of an evening, that doesn’t others have. Over the course of your year in halls you develop the ability to sleep through raucous noise â€" and let’s just say partying isn’t the worst you might hear… All of this will come in handy when you graduate and have to find somewhere to live with a likely limited budget. Yes, that reasonably priced flat is next to a motorway, a train line and a building site, but after halls you know it’s no big deal. Dealing with club promoters = developing assertiveness Club promoters are the city bankers of student life; they seem to be hanging out at glossy parties, they probably have more money than you, but 90% of people hate them with a passion. Everyone knows they’re not meant to be covering university accommodation with their flyers, but somehow no source of authority actually stops them doing it. So when they keep bothering you (or sneaking into your kitchen during freshers and covering the fridge in posters, a scenario I wish I didn’t have first-hand experience of) standing up to them is up to you. It’s an opportunity to develop your assertiveness and resolve a conflict in a mature manner. Once you move out of halls, pesky landlords will provide yet another opportunity to exercise these valuable skills. Small talk with your cleaner = small talk with anyone In adult life, there are lots of people you’re expected to engage in small talk with to seem like a mature human being; supermarket cashiers, unfamiliar colleagues, your friend’s new significant other. Anyone who’s lived in halls will be prepped for this though, having had a weekly session of small talk practise whenever they encounter the halls’ cleaner. You want to be friendly to make up for the fact they’re cleaning up your mess, but it’s hard to chat to someone you know nothing about. Instead you desperately make conversation about the weather, the university, the weather… If you still can’t deal with small talk after that, just move to London instead â€" apparently no-one makes conversation with you there. So there you have it â€" halls wasn’t just a year of overpriced accommodation, it was a training ground for the next stage of your life. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Should you seek passion or duty at work (Pssst The answer is passion). - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Should you seek passion or duty at work (Pssst The answer is passion). - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog In an opinion pice in the New York Times, professor Firmin DeBrabrander argues that you should not approach work as your passion but as your duty. Looking for passion at work, he says, will make you stressed and is bound to fail anyway. I think thats complete nonsense! I know what a shocker :) But worst of all its poorly reasoned nonsense that relies on a string of terrible arguments and deliberate ignorance of the research in the field. Here are the top 5 fails from DeBraranders article and why you should most definitely seek work youre passionate about. 1: He blames the long US working hours on peoples passion for their jobs The United States offers a curious paradox: Though the standard of living has risen, and creature comforts are more readily and easily available ? and though technological innovations have made it easier to work efficiently ? people work more, not less. Why is this? One theory is that Americans have come to expect work to be a source of meaning in their lives. There are no studies showing that people who find work meaningful work more hours than those who dont. If you want to actually know why working hours are still on the rise in the US, I think it makes much more sense to look at some of these factors: Bad management practices Workplace cultural norms Economic insecurity caused by a hugely challenged middle class that are one pay check away from financial disaster. The? high cost of college educations and the huge amount of debt that many young people graduate with meaning that they absolutely must work or face personal bankruptcy. Put people with huge financial insecurity in a workplace that expects and demands 60, 70 or 80-hour work weeks, and they most often have no option but to go along and work themselves to death. 2: Being passionate about your work means that you experience constant bliss Most people are certainly guaranteed to fail in this pursuit [of passion at work]. Even people who love their jobs will report they must do thankless tasks from time to time. Few, if any, experience nonstop bliss, where sheer passion sustains them through long hours on the job. Notice what DeBrabrander did there? He just redefined being passionate about your work to mean that you experience nonstop bliss and sheer sustained passion. This is whats? known as a strawman argument, where you exaggerate, misrepresent, or just completely fabricate someones position, to make it easier to attack. Just to be clear: Being passionate about your job does not mean that you experience nonstop bliss. Everyone has bad days at work and thats perfectly OK. And of course every job contains a mix of tasks that you enjoy and tasks that suck and thats OK too. 3: Young people burn out because they seek passion at work There is plenty of evidence that our high-octane work culture has serious consequences. It is at least partly responsible for high levels of burnout among millennials. This is an especially bad argument because studies show that people who find meaning at work experience less stress and burnout. And while there definitely is an increase of stress, burnout, depression and mental problems among young people,? its intellectually lazy to just conclude that its caused mainly or even partly by their search for passion and meaning at work. Young people are also facing many other pressures, including a global climate disaster that no one is doing much about, while they are of course the ones who will have to live with the consequences of that inaction. Might that be a source of stress for them? No, says DeBrabrande their real problem is that they expect their jobs to be meaningful. 4: If you seek passion in your work, you will fail A recent study of priorities among young people found that achieving one?s career passion ranks highest of all Finding a fulfilling job is almost three times more important than having a family, teenagers in the study reported. It is daunting to contemplate. Most people are certainly guaranteed to fail in this pursuit. Got that? If you seek passion at work, you are almost guaranteed to fail. Really? How would he know? Of course, hes previously redefined passion at work to mean constant bliss and if thats your goal, of course you will fail. And just to make it worse, the study he links to in support of his claim is not even about passion at work. The actual finding is that 95% of US teenagers surveyed say that having a job or career they enjoy is important to them. 5: Passion means that work is the ONLY source of meaning in your life We might begin by rejecting the notion that work should consume our lives, define and give meaning to them Again, the article dishonestly redefines passion to mean that work consumes your life and gives meaning to it. In reality, passion for your job simply means that you are passionate about the work you do not that its the only thing are passionate about. In fact, studies show that people who are passionate about their work are happier and more active outside of work as well. Why you absolutely should seek work youre passionate about This kind of attack on happiness at work is nothing new. Many serious people are coming out of the woodwork to declare that happiness at work is stupid, impossible, na?ve, silly, manipulative and/or bad for you. In the video above we cover their 20 most used objections to workplace happiness and why theyre wrong. DeBrabranders analysis is poorly argued and of course also wrong. Everyone should absolutely seek work theyre passionate about. There are many reasons why, but the most important are these: It will make you happier at work It will make you happier in life It will make you more successful at work It will protect you from doing harmful work whereas not trying to find meaning at work makes it more likely that you will end up doing work that exploits or harms others Work is where you will spend many of your waking hours of course you should spend that time doing something you care about Work is where you will invest most of your energy, skills and competencies all of that effort should be invested in the service of a cause you care about Paradoxically, I actually think DeBrabrander agrees! When he talks about approaching work as duty rather than passion, he bases this on an understanding of duty that comes from stoic philosophy. I have many, many issues with stoic philosophy not least that it is based on the idea that we are all subjects to a predetermined fate but it has recently become very fashionable, especially among silicon valley tech bros. In the NYTimes pice, DrBrabrander recounts The advice of Seneca, one of the most prominent stoics to define duty like this: Seneca?s advice to Serenus is to focus on doing his duty. He must perform the job he is best disposed and able to perform, as determined by his nature, and the needs of those around him. And he must forget about glory or thrill or personal fulfillment ? at least in the near term. If he performs his duty, Seneca explains, fulfillment will come as a matter of course. Duty, in this definition, is not just about having a Shut up and do your job approach. Its about doing work that youre good at and which meets the needs of those around you. BUT THATS EXACTLY WHAT MEANINGFUL WORK IS! If DeBrabrander had been the tiniest bit curious about the research in this field, he would have found that this is precisely how Amy Wrezniewski and others define the calling approach to work: In the ?calling? orientation, people are working not for career advancement or for financial gain, but instead for the fulfilment or the meaning that the work itself brings to the individual. People who see their work more as a calling see the work as an end in itself that is deeply fulfilling and regardless of the kind of work they?re doing, they tend to see the work as having a societal benefit. Its ultimately about working for something bigger than yourself. The upshot This opinion piece is poorly researched and dishonest so of course the advice it gives is bad. Seeking passion and meaning at work is the path to more career happiness and success and less stress and burnout. Its also one way you can help create a better world, by making sure that all of your professional skill and energy is spent in the service of something that you can clearly see is making the world a better place, rather than in just obtaining a pay check or career advancement. I have to say, if you make your career choices with no consideration for where your passions lie, I honestly pity you. Related posts Jobs, careers and callings why having work you care about makes you happier and more successful 5 reasons why you cant motivate employees with money Terrible advice from Mark Cuban: Ignore your passion and just work hard The best and clearest company purpose Ive ever seen The meaning of life is happiness just not your own Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

4 things to try on LinkedIn -

4 things to try on LinkedIn - You know you should be using LinkedIn to create your digital footprint â€" what people know about you online. You signed up and created a profile, but opportunities are not flooding in. Are you making  mistakes on LinkedIn  or missing something important? Here are four things you can do to use LinkedIn more effectively. 1. Jazz Up a Boring Headline The headline appears directly under your name in LinkedIn and shows up whenever your profile comes up in search. Does it say something that will make someone want to click through to learn more about you? If it is a job title, its not likely to be very compelling. Consider your headline an opportunity to pitch your unique value proposition â€" what is special about you â€" to anyone who comes across your profile. Include keywords that people will use when they search for someone like you as well as a promise of something you will do for them. For example: Leadership Development Management Consultant: Build effective work culture and accelerate employee performance. Be sure you choose words for your headline that people will type into the search bar when they are looking for someone like you. When you incorporate a promise or a pitch, youll be a step ahead of the competition. 2. Connect with Alumni LinkedIns most successful users engage and interact with colleagues and mine new contacts. One great tool is under the Network tab: Find Alumni. Click through and youll be able to find information about alumni of your schools. You can see where they work, what they do and where they live. Its a great opportunity to easily find and connect with people who share your alma mater. 3. See Whos Viewed Your Profile Under the Profile tab, scroll to Whos Viewed Your Profile. Even with a free account, you can see the last several people who clicked through to your profile. If they allow you to identify them (some people are anonymous), you can ask them to connect with you or reach out to offer to network with them. Keep an eye on this tab and you may wind up connecting with someone who can make a big difference in your career. 4. Choose Your Groups Maybe you joined some groups, but you arent actively involved. Or, perhaps youre trying to decide which groups to join so you can be  more productive? Did you know you can learn about groups before you join them, or check out some stats to decide if you should be active? Click into the group you want to investigate. Then, select the I (its on the right side of the toolbar in the Group). Youll see another toolbar pop up below with information about the group, including Group Statistics. You can learn what type of people are members, where they live and how active the group is based on discussions and jobs posted. Once you pick the right groups for you and  prioritize  the ones best suited to your needs, youll want to be active and post discussions and updates in your favorite groups. Also, be sure to request notifications from groups so youre aware when someone posted something youll want to see and be able to respond. 5. Add Rich Media I promised 4, but heres a bonus: add rich media to your profile. Its easy all you need to do is click on the blue box icon when you edit your profile, and you can upload a file or share a link to something about you online. See the screen shot below to get an idea of how it works. Keep in mind Once you have a firm handle on how to use LinkedIn, dont miss the opportunity to use other social media tools including  Twitter  and  Google+  to land a job. More advice: Questions you should always and never ask at an interview Nail the one question every interviewer asks 12 traits of valuable employees Originally appeared on AOLJobs.com.