Personal time management skills with To-Do Lists

Personal time management skills are essential skills for effective people. People who use these techniques routinely are the highest achievers in all walks of life, from business to sport to public service. If you use these skills well, then you will be able to function exceptionally well, even under intense pressure.

One way to achieve this is with To-Do Lists

By keeping a To-Do List, you make sure that you capture all of the tasks you have to complete in one place. By prioritizing work, you plan the order in which you'll do things, so you can tell what needs your immediate attention, and what you can quietly forget about until much, much later. Start with the most important tasks at the top of the list, and the least important tasks at the bottom.

Here are 3 FREE online To-Do list tools

1. Orchestrate uses a unique method to help you organize your to do lists. Rather then simply allowing you to create a list, it lets you create multiple lists each with their own name.
2. Ta-da List, is a to do list and nothing more. It’s clean and simple, gets right to the point, and only provides feature that you actually need.
3. Remember the Milk is a more feature packed task management solution. It allows you to organize your tasks into tabs and tags, make time specific tasks with automatic reminders and repeat intervals, and even has collaborative features.

Are you TWITTERING? You should if you want to network and find a job!

Tired of the online resume posts ? Cant find anyone to talk to to get yourself in a new job...then its time to TWITTER yourself into a new job.

What is TWITTER ? Twitter is a mini-blogging application that you can use to send quick messages out to friends, family and anyone on the web and via cell phones.

You can use Twitter to communicate "What you are doing", "Where you are headed" etc. Great place to promote products, share your ideas - quick and easy. In this day and age of "way-too-much-info" you want quick and easy spurts of info to keep you connected. So twitter about yourself and someone will find you....instead of the traditional - other way around.

Is an image consulting business right for you?

Ok so you have spent all your time learning how to impress others. Well you have all those tips under your belt. And you still cant find a job....

Well, good looking ! Why not make a career out of being an " Image Consultant"

Article from http://www.atotalwaste.com/getajob/imageconsultant.html

You might have seen them while watching TV shows such as Extreme Makeover, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, or What Not to Wear. Or you might have heard that Martha Stewart should have used them to give her advice on how to look sympathetic to a jury.

We’re talking about Image Consultants, and they have one of the hottest new businesses today.
Also known by such titles as wardrobe consultant, fashion stylist, or makeover consultant, image consultants are paid to show people how to create a fabulous impression. They might recommend wearing different colors or new styles, go through closets to toss out clothing that isn’t working, shop for a new wardrobe, and put together incredible outfits. They might advise a change of hairstyle, makeup, or grooming.

However, image is more than physical appearance. In addition to how someone looks, we also form impressions based on how someone talks and behaves. So image consultants may also advise people on their vocal communication (voice, grammar, vocabulary, etc.), non-verbal communication (handshakes, posture, eye contact, etc.) and etiquette – from dining to cell phones.

Most image consultants also develop a network of strategic partners they can refer clients to, such as hair stylists, makeup artists, nutritionists, dentists, personal trainers, plastic surgeons, and voice coaches.

Image consultants offer the kind of advice that can help people land a job, get a promotion, find someone to love, or just feel good about themselves.

It’s no wonder they are so well rewarded, typically earning at least $50 per hour advising individuals how to present a better image. A particularly lucrative avenue is presenting training programs for corporations. Image consultants can earn thousands of dollars a day teaching seminars on dressing professionally (including dos and don’ts for casual Fridays), telephone etiquette for customer service staff, communication skills for new supervisors, and other topics.
TIP: If you are one of the rare few who think image doesn’t matter, try shopping at a fine store dressed in what you would normally wear to clean your basement or move furniture. Then visit the same store looking well-groomed and wearing your best suit. Chances are the staff will treat you quite differently!The first step to becoming an image consultant is to decide what kind of services you want to offer. You could specialize in wardrobe or fashion consulting, offer advice on communication skills and etiquette, or be a makeover consultant who gives feedback on “the whole package.”

The next step is to get some experience. While there are a variety of books and training programs you can use to quickly learn the basics, nothing beats hands on experience. Offer free makeovers for friends and family members who will agree to let you take “before and after” photos. You can then put the photos in a portfolio or on a web site to help you get paying clients.
There are many types of clients who use the services of image consultants, including: women who want a new look, job-seekers, corporate executives and their spouses, beauty pageant contestants, lawyers and their clients, cancer survivors, television personalities, transgender individuals, politicians, and singles seeking a partner.

“It is a great time to get into the field,” says celebrity image consultant Gloria Starr. A 20 year industry veteran who has helped shape the image of clients such as Destiny’s Child, 3M, and Celebrity Cruise Lines, she shares expert advice on how to get started in the FabJob How to Become an Image Consultant.

“This is the busiest time in my 20-plus years. People are looking for the edge in business,” says Starr. “Presenting themselves for success by dressing well and using appropriate business and dining skills opens the doors for greater recognition and success.”

Is an image consulting business right for you?

Skills that can help you succeed in this career are a strong visual sense as well as excellent communication skills. You must be able to diplomatically tell someone what they need to improve about their appearance.

1. Image consulting is a service business so it doesn’t require a large investment to get started.
2. You can start part-time while working at another job.
3. To be credible, you must have a professional image yourself.

Tapping into the 'hidden job market'

If you're currently in the job market, here's the little known secret to tapping into the most lucrative, yet hidden jobs available.Even in this economy, there are still millions of great jobs out there. It's just that many of the best ones never make their way to the classifieds. Instead, they're taken by people who know about them before they're ever advertised.

Imagine how great it would be if you had thousands of friends who'd always tell you about unadvertised jobs that you're perfect for. As they say, it's not what you know it's who you know. The secret to getting the unadvertised jobs is to make friends out of really good recruiters. And not just a few, but LOTS of them.

Here's why, and how you do it:Recruiters, otherwise known as headhunters or search consultants, are hired by companies to find candidates to fill open positions. These jobs are often never advertised. But the secret of how to best use recruiters is to first realize that contrary to popular believe, you aren't their employer. They don't work for you in the traditional sense. They don't wake up and say, "I'm going to do everything I can to find "x" a job."This is an important fact that most job seekers don't understand. The key to maximizing recruiters is to understand the following:

Recruiters don't find jobs for people -- they find people for jobs. It's an important distinction to understand if you want to get a job through a recruiter. In other words, recruiters service the companies who will pay them today. And unless you're paying a recruiter out of your pocket today, don't expect them to canvas the world to find you a job. You'll only be disappointed.

Recruiters will be interested if a paying client has offered to pay them if they can find someone with your skills (or they believe they'll soon be asked to fill a position for a client who generally likes people with your skills). So to get the hidden jobs, you have to realize it's a numbers game and you must play it well by getting your resume to as many recruiters as you can, that specialize in people with your skills, in your field and in your geographic area.

You can search the Internet and find various lists of executive recruiters. However, they're not well organized, complete or easy to find. It might take you a great deal of time. It's never too late or too early to start networking with recruiters in your area who specialize in people like you.

Excerpt from : The Career News

Telling Good Stories...Are you good at that?

Acing interviews is like being able to spin a great story about yourself to the big boss behind the desk. Making them believe in you and your abilities.

When someone says, "Tell me about yourself," they don't want to hear you rattle off a list of what you've done or what you've accomplished. Telling stories about yourself takes practice. So the length of your story will depened upon the time you have for the interview.

If you have only a few minutes, color your life in a way that the person listening to you will remember what you just said. Practice the answer to this very "STANDARD" yet very very important question numerous times before you go for any interview. Do it aloud and you will see how you sound to yourself.

I have been asked that many times...here is one of my many responses...

..well, I love to create and I have created a website for Indian Cuisine & Culture Made Easy in the United States, which has recipes, cultural tid-bits and a wealth of information on India. Also, since creativity is my passion, I create Elegant personal and corporate Gift Baskets that people love to give or get that are filled with some very yummy goodies.

Mind you I did write the "schpeel" down and altered it many times before it flowed as if it were not practiced. So sit down and write your "schpeel" and practice the story of your working life so far....interview related, and see how much easier your next interview is.

Fun Careers With An Information Technology Degree

Note : This article caught my eye, as everyone wants a fun career, and nowadays this is realy really possible. With the technology boom and the infinite oportunities because of the new Web 2.o there are careers you would not have taken into consideration years ago. Enjoy !

Fun Careers With An Information Technology Degree
by: Andy West
Reprinted with permission : ArticleCity.com

Are you a technology junkie? Do you have all of the newest gizmos and the most modern cell phone? Do you shake with excitement and anticipation every time a new game system is released? Are you the one your friends call when they have problems with their new laptops?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it is time put your love of technology into a fun and rewarding career. Don't you think it's time you received an information technology degree? An information technology degree will give you the opportunity to turn your hobby into an exciting career. Computer programming, network security, and network engineering are just the tip of the IT iceberg. With an associate's degree in information technology, a successful, not to mention fun filled, future is practically guaranteed.

So what are your options? Your career selection is almost limitless. There is an IT job for all individuals who want to have a fun career, as well as earn a substantial living. The career title Webmaster has a nice ring to it. The Internet is hotter than ever. Everyone wants to be online. Whether you own a small business, such as a pet boutique, looking to expand your clientele by advertising your unique wares online, or a huge international non profit association seeking to explain your mission statement in order to solicit more donations from the tech savvy crowd, you need a web site. As a Webmaster, you will always be in demand. This is why an information technology degree will guarantee you a gratifying career. It's really that simple. With an IT degree as an Internet Webmaster, you will be qualified to build, fix, and expand sites on the Web. Graphic designers are artists who use mostly computer technology to design marketing materials, magazine layouts, websites, logos for businesses, and much more.

So, as long as there are magazines, newspapers and web sites, graphic designers will be in demand. In fact, according to some researches, graphic designers are among the five design professionals that are anticipated to have the newest positions available through 2014. Some individuals are employed as graphic designers after receiving their bachelor's degree, but to receive the best paying, more technical jobs, an information technology degree is necessary. By attending a school that offers an IT track, you will receive all of the software certification necessary to become proficient graphic designer. Do you love playing video games? Why not use your imagination and skills to create your own games? With an IT associate's degree you could concentrate on designing your own video games. When you choose this field, your will be offered a well rounded curriculum that teaches the basics of artist design, project management, digital content creation as well as the more advanced courses in 3D modeling and character design. Imagine playing video games as a career. It is definitely possible when you assert yourself and earn your IT degree.

As fun and exciting as all of these fields of information technology are, earning your degree is hard work. You need to be dedicated to the world of IT because there are always going to be other people fighting for the same jobs you will be striving for. However, the IT world is expanding daily, and more and more jobs are becoming available. Be a part of the web and earn your information technology degree today.

About The Author
Andy West is a freelance writer for Virginia College. Virginia College offers many Information Technology Degree programs. Please visit Virginia College at http://www.vc.edu/site/department.cfm?deptID=2 to select the IT program that is right for you.

Office Romances become more common place

Abridged: Knowledge@Wharton

In a study conducted by the Society of Human Resource professionals and the Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal.com, 40% of employees surveyed said they had had an office romance at some point in their careers -- a finding replicated by three other recent surveys conducted by private companies. One of those studies, by career website Vault.com, also reported that 19% of employees admitted to having office "trysts," with venues ranging from "the boss's office" to "in my car driving to meet a customer."

Funny video - Free Love Freeway - Office Romance



While that last finding might raise some eyebrows -- and prompt you to knock next time you open the supply closet -- the overarching frequency of office romance should not come as a surprise, says Deborah Keary, director of human resources at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). "The workplace is the new neighborhood. People spend an enormous amount of time in the office, and if romance is going to happen, it will happen there," she says.

Demographic trends feed the phenomenon, note Keary and others. With the average age of marriage increasing, young employees are more likely to be single. As women continue to join the workforce and rise through the ranks, they are more likely than ever to be working shoulder to shoulder with men. Employees have become more confident about pursuing office romance and less careful to some degree about concealing it. In fact, 76% of employees surveyed in a joint Lawyers.com/Glamour magazine survey, said workplace relationships were more common than they were 10 years earlier.

At Askmen.com Curt Smith writes
http://www.askmen.com/dating/curtsmith/getiton10.html

Young professionals often spend more time at the office than at home. Consequently, there are a lot of single men and women who don't have the time to meet new people. Naturally, they seek their potential partners within their surrounding environment -- the office. Single people feel that work is a natural place to meet new people. After all, you spend at least 40 hours a week there, with individuals of similar backgrounds and interests. Relationships with co-workers can be especially tempting because hard work doesn't leave much time for socializing.

The 6 Risks of Office Romances, by Karen Card
http://hr.blr.com/whitepapers.aspx?id=75365
Karen writes about the 6 risks of an office romance !
Good article !

Analyze your career !

Try this webiste to analyze your career.....

Career Change? Do You Have a Job – Or a Career?

You have a job – but do you have a career? Are you happy with where that career track is taking you? Have you considered a career change?

If your answer to one or both questions was 'no' or 'yes, but...' or just 'well...' – welcome to the crowd.

A lot of us get through life with work that is 'good enough.' 'Good enough' work pays the bills. It provides security. It involves spending 40 hours a week or more on activities we don't mind, with people we like well enough. But 'good enough' work can't provide us with the pleasure and satisfaction we seek out of life.

Some of us even stay in jobs we hate. We feel trapped and unhappy but hesitate to try something else because we are afraid of being without income, or we don't think we can do any better, or we simply don't know what our options or even our preferences are. What many people don't realize is that career changes are becoming more and more popular as we are looking for better opportunities in the work place.

TOP 10 things your boss hates about YOU !

This article hits the nail on the head when it lists the top ten reasons your boss would hate you. Do you know what they are?

Yup this one made the front page of DIGG !

Overworked, mistreated and underappreciated? Think you're the only one with a right to complain? Think again. Mira Katbamna reveals 10 things your boss hates about you !

In short they are.... but you HAVE TO READ THE ARTILCE to understand why !

1. Lateness
2. Lack of initiative
3. Too much initiative
4. Bitching and whining
5. Disloyalty
6. Lack of passion. Or interest
7. Trying to be their best friend
8. Petty lying
9. Childishness
10. Wanting their job
    

Dressing the Indian Working Woman !

Dress up for success
By: Nirralee S.Mehta

The new millennium working Indian woman definitely needs to appear right, feel right & deliver right. With the incredible rise of MNC’s & working women in India, there definitely is a great need for a wardrobe makeover. The professionalism the women of today display in the office must translate in their dressing. What to wear for work, from where will I get it, why r women in west always dressed so chic…. Aren’t all these questions we ask ourselves very often? Yes, we do. Indian fashion world still needs more practicality, more stylizing, & of course more awareness.

What you wear to work is arguably the most important part of your wardrobe. You may think this sounds presumptuous and work should count more than your wardrobe, but it is a proven
scientific fact that your dressing can effect your career future. Your appearance can be the
difference between getting that promotion and being stuck in the same position forever.
Till now, corporate wear has not been addressed in India-no one has educated the new breed of
professionals on the appropriate look and style. Check out the following pointers to make sure
your work attire doesn't let you down. And as for the inspired shopping expedition that will follow reading this article, heed my advice-Think in term of outfits when you shop, and be practical.

Ask your self some questions:
• Do you have anything you can mix and match with it? Does it match your lifestyle?
• Will it be comfortable, nonchalant, and easy to wear?
• Is it machine wash or dry clean only?
• Is it of good quality? Quality counts, it is better to have four or five mix and match out fits
of quality, than 8 or 10 'steals.'
• Is the colour right for your skin tone?
• Is the fit proper to suit your body type?

Clothes Styles and Body Shapes
• Avoid high collar shirts, it shortens your neck.
• Tight tops with short sleeves and breast pocket are detracting from your figure. The torso
can be shortened or narrowed with seam lines, belts, bows, and collars.
• Avoid bold prints, animal prints, bold stripes, & bright colours.
• Play more with pastel shades, like, black, white, brown, beige.
• Do not forget to accessorize yourself with a scarf, a formal purse of the same pastel
colour plate, & most important of all that will give you a confidant look will be your shoes.
• When buying pants be sure they fit well. Flaws in figure are emphasized in a pair of pants
that may go unnoticed in a skirt.

Petite women.
Petite women need to keep clothes in line, slim narrow belts. A slight contrast in colors and fitted lines will flatter you endlessly. Also stay with fabrics that are soft and flowing that fits well. Over powering prints should be avoided.

Tall women.
Tall women can indulge in wide belts, avoid tight clothes and skirts that are to short or to long.
Tall women should play down their waist by wearing their blouses over the pants and skirts and
avoid tight belts.

Hip heavy triangle woman.
A hip heavy triangle and round full figured women can use clothes with vertical lines to make an
up and down illusion. V-necks and skirts with slits up the sides are also good. Clothes with small padded shoulders should be chosen . Too big pads will make you look like a foot ball player.
Wear long tops that go passed your hips. Choose jackets, tailored suits and shirtwaist dresses
with straight, classic cuts.

Hip heavy women should choose lighter colors on top, this brings eyes up. Wear dark stockings
and avoid patterns. Select vertical, fluid patterns and avoid bulky fabrics. Adopt the just below the knee look in dresses and skirts. Choose accessories close to the same color clothes you are
wearing including shoes. This gives your body an unbroken slimmer look. Avoid very wide
pinafore skirts. Stay with straight or Aline skirts.

Top heavy woman.
The top heavy body types need to choose long jackets without shoulder pads. Do not wear
blouses with fancy details and ruffles. Do not wear clingy fabrics on top, choose darker colors on
top. Do not wear tops that are to light. Tops with dolman or raglan sleeves and ones that fit loose and slims down to hug the hips and waist are good.

Wear pants or skirts that are pleated to bring the eye down. Choose thin materials like cotton, or cotton jersey. One color dressing will also be thinning. Flat shoes are best unless you are short,
then wear heels. If your legs are in good shape shorter hem lengths will draw attention away from your top.

Rectangular type woman.
The rectangular type can accentuate curves by wearing jackets or tops that hug the waist. Use
patterns in your tops or bottoms to add dimension. Round out the neckline with necklaces,
scarves and other accessories.

Style tips
• Know your body type; do not get carried away with the trends and go overboard for office
wear.
• Avoid chunky and flashy jewellery.
• Prefer high heels to flats.
• Prefer A-line or straight fit skirts to trousers.
• Be more feminine with the taste of clothes you select.
Following some of these tips should bring about a definite change in your personal style. Once
you start on the path to self-awareness in your dressing, you will feel a surge of confidence in
yourself. And the compliments coming your way won’t hurt either!
A
bout the author:
Nirralee Mehta, a fashionista from Mumbai went to London to study the art further, and has now returned to revolutionise the fashion industry in India. Studying in one of the most prestigious schools- The London University Of Fashion, which is right in the middle of the stylish districts of Bond & Oxford streets, was her dream come true. Having had numerous successful exhibitions in Mumbai between 2000-2002, and having designed for celebrities, she knew that as a designer she was accomplished.

www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article

Top 7 Quotes for Leaders to Remember & Use

I love to speak and do a lot of it for my classes, but it is important to grab the audience in the first few minutes of your speeh. And the best way to do this is by using a great quote !
Here is an article by : Kevin Kearns is President of Kearns Advantage

The Bible is a great place to find quotable wisdom. One of the things I like about the Bible is that it tells you to "think on these things." It does not say, "read this, say to yourself 'yeah, I like that' and then forget all about it in your life." My intention with these quotes is that you read them, remember them, and use them!

Teamwork: "Michael, if you can't pass you can't play" -Coach Dean Smith during Jordan's freshman year at UNC. Why I love it: it points out so clearly that even a superstar needs to work as a team player. Their great individual accomplishments mean little if they do not help the entire team succeed.

Leadership: "Leadership is not magnetic personality - that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not 'making friends and influencing people' - that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations" -Peter F. Drucker. Why I love it: isn't obvious?

Action!: "You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do" -Henry Ford. Why I love it: even the most talented people with the best ideas will not accomplish great things if they do not take action.

Normal: "The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well" -Joe Ancis. Why I love it: everyone, no matter how polished on the outside, has moments of fear and doubt. Nobody has it all together all of the time. The leaders you look at with admiration, deal with the same things as you.

Change: "Sometimes things change Daddy" -Maren Kearns (7 years old.) Why I love it: my daughter said this to me when I commented to her "but I thought you didn't like her very much." Her statement is true in the business world. Everything is the way it is until it isn't. Then it is another way. Be it lazy employees, poor performance - sometimes things change. In many cases, a leader like you can be the catalyst of a positive change!

Sincerity: "Always be sincere, even when you don't mean it" -Irene Peter. Why I love it: this quote reminds me to let things go. Even when I shouldn't, even when I am right and they are wrong, even when they did it on purpose. Letting things go means that I do it "sincerely." It does not mean that I let it go only on the outside while I do a really bad job of faking nice.

Gossip: "A rumor without a leg to stand on will get around some other way" -John Tudor. Why I love it: people often reinforce gossip with the belief that if there wasn't at least some truth in it, then it would not be spreading. This quote points out that gossip does not need truth to live. All it needs is a willing transport system. As a leader, you must set the example.

Kevin Kearns is President of Kearns Advantage, a leadership coaching company. Kearns Advantage has a proven track record of developing strong leaders. Kevin holds a Master of Science degree in Organization Development and is a member of the Coachville Graduate School of Coaching. Subscribe to Kevin’s free leadership newsletter at http://www.kearnsadvantage.com.

10 Majors That Didn't Exist 10 Years Ago

Just like new career choices here are 10 new majors that have come into existence as society and technology has advanced. Bridget Kulla has done a great job highlighting them.....

by Bridget Kulla

Want to try something new? Really new? That list of majors in the course catalog isn't static. As technology advances and business evolves, fields of study that weren't imagined or that may have been limited to a few specialized classes emerge as full-blown majors. Check out these ten fields of study that hardly existed a decade ago:

1. New media

Online media is one of the fastest-growing areas of journalism. New media majors combine traditional journalism studies with courses on the design and management of digital media.

Some programs, such as the new media program at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, concentrate on computer skills and design of online media. Other programs, like the one at Indiana University/Purdue University, Indianapolis, integrate communications and digital skills.

2. Biotechnology

Biotechnology combines biology and technology to solve agricultural, food science, and medical issues. It is an interdisciplinary field and is often combined with a business degree, as in the joint degree program at Johns Hopkins University. Most biotechnology degrees are at the master's level, yet bachelor's degrees in biotechnology, such as the one at Delaware State University, are starting to emerge as this field becomes more in demand.

Related fields include bioinformatics and biomedical engineering.

3. Organic agriculture

The first organic agriculture program in the United States began at Washington State University (WSU) in 2006. Demand for those knowledgeable in organic agriculture is growing. "Large corporations increasingly are interested in meeting the nation's growing appetite for organic foods [and] are seeking employees who understand organic agriculture systems," says Dr. Cathy Perillo, coordinator of WSU's organic agriculture program, in a press release.

This major is not widespread, but other institutions are looking into adding an organic agriculture degree program, including the University of California, Davis. The University of Florida (an MSN Encarta advertiser) also launched an organic agriculture major in 2006.

4. Homeland security

New degree programs in homeland security have been established since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Homeland security majors study everything from psychology to disaster relief and federal law to handling hazardous materials. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security offers scholarships and fellowships for homeland security majors and runs an intensive 18-month degree program at the Center for Homeland Defense and Security.

Homeland security education is expanding rapidly at community colleges. Close to 85 percent of students trained in homeland security-related fields graduate from community colleges, according to the American Association of Community Colleges.

5. E-business/e-marketing

This field focuses on buying, selling, and marketing items on the Internet and may also include communicating with customers, employees, and business partners. Demand for employees in this field is expected to grow faster than average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Degree programs in e-marketing are usually in universities' business schools and are more common at the graduate level. Some schools, such as the University of Akron, offer bachelor's programs in e-marketing, while others, like Missouri State University, offer a minor for business students.

6. Computer game design

Students playing video games in their dorm rooms can now avoid a lecture from their parents by majoring in computer game design. Computer game design programs were nearly nonexistent a decade ago. Today more than 150 colleges offer programs and courses in game design.

Some programs, such as the program in computer games development at DePaul University, focus on the programming of games while others, like the game art and design program at the Art Institute of Phoenix, concentrate on the visual design. Michigan State University is launching a Serious Game Design master's degree program in the fall of 2007 for students with "a desire to create and study games which change the world." The International Game Developers Association offers resources, including a scholarship, for students interested in game design.

7. Forensic accounting

The controversy surrounding recent corporate scandals has drawn attention to the expanding field of forensic accounting. While it has existed for many years, forensic accounting is now the fastest-growing field of accounting. Forensic accountants are like money detectives--they investigate suspected financial mishandling and assist in legal matters. Forensic accountants must have a broad understanding of business practices beyond standard accounting skills.

Bachelor's degrees in forensic accounting, like the program offered at Franklin University, are required for most careers in this field. Students can also earn a master's degree and post-graduate certificate through a program like the one at West Virginia University (an MSN Encarta advertiser).

8. Human computer interaction

Human computer interaction (HCI) majors focus on designing ways to improve human experiences and work practices with technology. HCI investigates the impact of technology on individuals and organizations. While courses in this field have been offered since the 1960s, degree programs in HCI have been growing. Human computer interaction majors are usually located in schools of computer science, but studies are multidisciplinary.

Most HCI programs are at the graduate level, such as the program at Iowa State University, but some, including the HCI program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, have a bachelor's degree program.

9. Society and the environment

Society and environment majors study the interactions between society and the environment. Degree programs in this field go by slightly different names, like Indiana University's joint environmental science and public affairs degree and Columbia University's climate and society program. Students in these majors apply social science theories to environmental issues. Most programs are at the master's degree level, but programs such as the one at UC-Berkeley offer undergraduate degrees as well.

10. Nanotechnology

Developments in technology have made it possible to control matter at smaller and smaller levels. The field of nanotechnology works with systems at the molecular level and can be applied across many different disciplines, including physics, engineering, and chemistry. Interest in nanotechnology is growing and is being encouraged by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, organized in 1998. Most nanotechnology programs are at the graduate level, but several programs provide a background in nanotechnology studies, like the bachelor's program in nanosystems engineering at Louisiana Tech University.

Panel Interviews - An Intimidating Position To Be In !

In a panel interview, two or more interviewers play off each other while taking turns asking you questions. A panel interview is appropriately nicknamed a "tag-team interview".

It's primarily to see how well you handle stress while facing a "firing squad". A panel interview also measures how you interact with different people, especially your future bosses, work peers, or both.This kind of interview is conducted by an interviewing panel that is made up of the supervisor and some members of the team. The interview panel can also consist of top level CEOs although this depends the kind of position you are applying for.

I had faced a Panel interview once in my career and it can be pretty intimidating. In fact it was a panel of 8 people. I am usually great with a bunch of people but, being starred down by 16 eyeballs was surely not fun, especially since I could not see everyone's reactions to my answers. At this point you have to go with your gut. Just be yourself, afterall the fit for the job has to be both ways !

You will be asked questions from all the panel members, sometimes the same question by different panel members. It is difficult to build the kind of connection with the interview panel as you can in a one on one interview.

You can buy time by asking your own questions. You should always remain calm and composed during a panel interview. Take a breath and even count to five (in your head), if you see the situation getting out of hand.

Bring a Cheat Sheet as it is a great way to relive the stress of remembering all the dates, names etc. Your interviewing “cheat sheet” should focus on key assets you’ll bring to the position.

Take Names and Use Them as people like to hear their name during a conversation. It’s important to know who is interviewing you, so ask their names and write them down within your notes — in order of where each is seated. Don’t be afraid to use their names or ask questions throughout the process.

Top 7 Ways To Use Your Intuition Within Your Job by Dan Knapp

Human beings come equipped with an intuitive sense. Many people ignore or reject the intuitive sense and their lives lack for the bounty it can provide.

Our world requires you to make decisions fast and you have little room for error. At the same time, you don't have many of the facts you need to decide as well as you would like. Yet, some people thrive while others flounder. Why? In many cases, using your intuitive ability makes the difference in mastering the real world.

Intuitive ability comes with the human condition. As with mathematics, chess, golf or cooking, the more you use your intuitive talent, the more skill with it you develop. As with gravity, you can claim it doesn't exist but violate it at your peril.

In this Top 7 list, you will learn seven basic applications for intuitive capacity and two basic ways to approach the development and use of your intuitive ability.

Part I - Environmental Scan


In this part you will specifically define what you want. The act of specific definition will tune your senses to detect your targets easier and quicker:

Information. Examples: marketing ideas, process improvements, demographics of your target market, accounts payable, accounts receivable, threats to your business.


Customers. Examples: clusters of your target market, changing needs, different applications of your product or service.

Opportunities. Examples: franchising opportunities, new products to bring to market, new customer problems, investment vehicles.

Once identified, preferably in writing, you will notice your information, customers or opportunities in circumstances where in the past you would have missed them. Once you notice, make note and take action. You will find the information, customers and opportunities quite tailored to your needs.

Part II - Dealing with Uncertainty

When you encounter uncertainty, your first step usually consists of imposing logic and deterministic techniques to select the most rational solution. Good as far as it goes. Your challenge is that in looking at options, you become mesmerized by their intended results.

Along with intended results, every decision made also falls victim of the law of unintended results. These are results, both good or bad, but unanticipated, that come from your decision.

Your intuitive ability allows you to select options based upon the combination of the intended and the unintended results. Of course, this assumption requires a leap of faith. Start with low risk opportunities to apply your intuitive ability and learn to trust it before betting the farm on a major decision. At the same time, check your current decisions with our intuitive skills and, if you see a conflict, try to resolve the conflict before committing resources. You must first learn to recognize your intuitive input and second you must develop the confidence in yourself to respond with your intuitive input.

Remember when you had a decision to make and all the facts supported a course of action? Deep down you had a feeling that the decision, although rational, was wrong. Did you go with your "gut feel" and later find the almost-chosen option would have been a disaster. Or, did you ignore the gut feel and encounter the disaster?

In each of the following applications, the system works the same. First, ask yourself if you have enough options! If you think you need more options, insist on obtaining more before committing to any course of action. Second, step away from the heat of the moment and ask yourself which option would really be best for you. Your first reaction is the right answer!

Decision making. Are you deciding a yes-no issue; a choice between two options; a choice among three or more options; or a choice where there are no clear options? Once you structure your decision and identify proposed courses of action, ask yourself which one really would work best. Go with that choice.

Problem anticipation. Ask yourself what can possibly happen. Once you have a slate of possibilities, ask yourself which one(s) really poses a serious threat. Take precautions against that threat.

Reading people. When conversing, what do you think about what the other person is saying? Keep in mind, they may be entirely sincere - just wrong. Reading body language helps detect lies, intuition detects honest mistakes. Use your intuition to ask additional questions or ask the other person to clarify their points. If a question comes to mind, immediately ask it. If the point seems vague, immediately ask for clarification.

Setting priorities. Yes, you can set relative priorities using whatever system works for you; but did you get the priorities right? When you set your relative priorities, ask yourself if you need to make adjustments. Go with the revisions your intuition feeds to you.

Intuition works for you, just learn to receive the message and take action on that message.
Dan Knapp, Personal & Professional Coach. Visit Dan's Web page www.danknapp.com for schedule of free teleclasses, subscribe to the free monthly newsletter "Tips from the Coach," read articles and complete mini-courses in personal development. Email dan@danknapp.com for direct contact.

Dan Knapp
Personal and Professional Coach
Achieve Your Goals - Grow Your Business
Dan@danknapp.com www.danknapp.com
407 679-9134 Orlando, FL

Source: http://Top7Business.com/?expert=Dan-Knapp

What You Should Know - How to Write that Cover Letter. Improve Your Chances of Getting the Interview

by Niall Kennedy

Nearly all job seekers are well aware of the importance of a resume when applying for a professional opinion, but few realize the vital role that an accompanying cover letter plays in the selection process. In fact, your cover letter is just as important to your job search as is your resume.

Consider this: recruiters and managers often receive dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants for every one available position. With so many applicants to review, interviewers do not have much time to determine if you are qualified for the job. In fact, a recruiter typically spends between one and two minutes quickly glancing over a resume, hardly enough to thoroughly investigate if your skills set and experience is a good match for the position.

This is why a cover letter is such a critical tool to the job seeking process. The purpose of a cover letter is to clearly express your interest in and qualifications for a position to a prospective employer. So while the resume is a generic advertisement, your cover letter tailors your application to each specific job. By condensing your resume into key points and drawing the recruiter's attention to the most relevant areas of your experience, you are assisting the recruiter in matching up your qualifications to that of the open position. And by taking the guesswork out of your resume, you greatly increase your chances of getting a call for an interview.

A cover letter has to "sell" your qualifications to a complete stranger and convince them that you are worthy of an in-person meeting. Therefore, as you can imagine, it is not an easy document to write. There are several guidelines, though, that should assist you in the cover letter development process.

Typically a cover letter is less than one page in length and has four main sections:

1. the introduction
2. a highlight of your qualifications
3. a summary of why you are interested in the position
4. and a concluding follow-up.

Before you start listing a litany of skills, though, it's important to do some research on the company and the position for which you are applying to give you a better understanding of the company's products or services, history, values, and target customer market. This will help give you a better idea of what recruiters are likely to be seeking in a candidate, and allow you to tailor your cover letter to specifically address those areas.

Part 1 - The Introduction:

Your cover letter should be addressed to the hiring manager, whenever possible. Specifically mention the position(s) that you are seeking. Let the recruiter know how you heard about the position. If you saw the position advertised or were referred by someone, be sure to include this information. Grab the reader's attention and stimulate their interest in you right away!!

Part 2 - Summary of your Qualifications:

Highlight your strongest qualifications for the position you are seeking. Be sure to limit your qualifications to only those that are the most relevant to the position. Show, rather than simply tell, the manager your qualifications by including specific, credible examples from your experience.

Quantify these qualifications whenever possible by focusing on pertinent figures, projects, awards, and equipment/software/tools you've used that are relevant to the job you want. For example, rather than highlighting your "excellent customer service skills" indicates that you "achieved a 98% customer satisfaction rating" or "increased department sales by 25% in the first quarter".

Part 3 - Why you are Interested in the Position:

Let the recruiter know why you want to work at their company. What is it about the company that appeals to you? Why does this particular position appeal to you? Indicate why you are a good fit for the company. How will be an asset to the team?

Part 4 - Conclusion and Follow-up:

Refer employers to your enclosed resume so that they can review your qualifications in further detail. Request a personal interview or meeting with the hiring manager. Indicate how the recruiter should contact you. Be sure to provide a working phone number or e-mail address. Set a time to follow up. For example indicate that you "will call to follow up on Monday afternoon".

Thank the reader for his or her time.

One final note: your cover letter is the first impression that recruiters will get of you. A strong focused cover letter can convey a powerful, positive first impression. A weak non-focused letter, though, can kill any interest a recruiter may have in your qualifications, regardless of how strong of a fit you may be for the position. Be sure that you proofread carefully for grammatical and typographical errors before sending any correspondence.

Source : http://www.valuablecontent.com/

Websites
Cuisine Cuisine.com, LLC
Food is Culture . . . Culture is Food !
Elegantly Expressed Gift Baskets
Memorable Gifts . . . Lasting Impressions !

Blogs
Musings About People, Places & Things Intriguing
CuisineCuisine.com's BlogoRama
Life In Digital Pixels
Career Tips N Tricks
The Gift Gazette

Shops
Bazaar! Bazaar! Indian Gift Shop
Indian Gift Baskets, Indian Cookbooks & Indian Spices

5 Strategies from Dave Lorenzo for "Effective Interviewing"

Dave Lorenzo is a business coach and he has some great tips.
In his article for "Effective Interviewing" he highlights 5 strategies that will help you land the job.

------------------------------

For those of you who are unhappy in your current positions and looking for employment elsewhere, I applaud you for refusing to settle for work that does not reward and satisfy you. After applying for a job and getting called for an interview, you have an excellent shot at landing the position. The following strategies will help you ace any interview:

1. Relax
2. Be specific.
3. Don’t talk about yourself.
4. Be positive.
5. Ask questions.

http://careerintensity.com/blog/2006/07/13/effective-interviewing/trackback/

Websites

Cuisine Cuisine.com, LLC
Food is Culture . . . Culture is Food !
Elegantly Expressed Gift Baskets
Memorable Gifts . . . Lasting Impressions !

Blogs

Musings About People, Places & Things Intriguing
CuisineCuisine.com's BlogoRama
Life In Digital Pixels
Career Tips N Tricks
The Gift Gazette

Shops

Bazaar! Bazaar! Indian Gift Shop
Indian Gift Baskets, Indian Cookbooks & Indian Spices

Saying "Thank You" after the Interview

Following an interview, promptly, which would be no later than within 2 business days, write the interviewer a letter expressing appreciation and thanks for the interview. The purpose of this letter is to:

•Show appreciation for the employer's interest in you.
•Reiterate your interest in the position and in the organization.
•Review or remind the employer about your qualifications for the position. If you thought of something you forgot to mention in the interview, mention it in your follow-up / thank-you letter.
•Demonstrate that you have good manners and know to write a thank-you letter.
•Follow up with any information the employer may have asked you to provide after the interview.

Here is a simple format

Dear _______,

Thank you very much for the interview today. In reviewing the opportunity with [name of company], I am most eager to start. In closing, let me say that no matter how many people you interview, what their education or experience is, you won’t find anyone who wants to work for you more than I do.

Very truly yours,

[your name]

DoSomething.org & The BRICK Awards !

Ok so you have a good job and your career is going swell. So how about you turn your efforts to doing something good.

DoSomething.org is a community of people wanting to make a change in the world. Their website is a community where young people learn, listen, speak, vote, volunteer, ask, and take action to make the world a better place. Currently, only 23% of this generation actively volunteers. Our hope is to create a do something generation: a world where more than 51% of young people are involved with community action.



This website gives people like you and me a place to connect, a place to be inspired, be supported, be celebrated. They have harnessed the connectivity of the Internet to help young people change the world. They believe that young people have the power to make a difference. It is their aim to inspire, support and celebrate a generation of do-ers: people who see the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action.

They are giving out the BRICK AWARDS on the CW on April 12th 2007

You can vote : on which of these world-changers deserves a 2007 Golden BRICK Award® and an extra $15,000 for their cause.

There are 12 Finalists in 4 Categories

Global Impact

• Ruth DeGolia - Links Latin America's most rural and economically disadvantaged women's cooperatives to the US market.
• Kimmie Weeks - Survivor of the Liberian Civil War who vowed to help children in war torn countries.
• Cheryl Perera -Put herself on the line by posing as a decoy to catch a pedophile in Sri Lanka.

Education & Environment

• Ashley Rhodes-Courter - Raises awareness about poor conditions in foster care
• William Hwang -Teaches underpriveleged student Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM).
• Kelly Voigt - Safety advocate who has reached thousands of kids.

Health

• David Fajgenbaum - Started a network of students to support each other through times of bereavement.
• Jennifer Staple - Bringing vision and curbing preventable eye disease worlwide
• Jennifer Zwilling -Is an advocate for understanding and acceptance.

Community Building

• Divine Bradley - Converted his home into a community center, giving kids in tough neighborhoods an alternative to crime.
• Hannah Taylor - Speaks out all over Canada about homeless people and how to help them.
• Jacob Komar - Obtains discarded computers, teaches prison inmates how to refurbish them and distributes them to local needy.

Vote for them : http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/brickawards/

http://www.brickawards.com
http://www.dosomething.org

Have you tried getting paid for blog reviews?

Unheard of this a year ago, there are web sites, out there right now, that facilitate payments to bloggers to post reviews. Welcome to the new wave of making money on the web. Anyone with great writing talents can become : Reviewer and GET PAID !

These sites that match bloggers with advertisers are growing in number. Among the better known are

• PayPerPost.com
• Review Me.com.
• SponsoredReviews.com, a product of 360 Enterprises, will make its debut soon.
  
  Word-Of-Mouth has a proven record of being the BEST kind of advertising there is ! These new sites broker payments to bloggers to review products in their posts. The bloggers are required to disclose that they are getting paid to post the reviews. None of the sites allows marketers to review copy before it is posted.

Trying to find the best on the web is liek looking for a pin in a haystack, so blog reviews are seen as a way for advertisers to monetize their Web site traffic, generate viral marketing and get some much-needed feedback on how their products are faring in the marketplace.

ReviewMe, which debuted in November, currently has in its network 5,500 bloggers, who have written approximately 750 paid reviews. Advertisers browse ReviewMe.com's marketplace of blogs and purchase reviews from what they deem relevant bloggers. The bloggers must write a minimum of 200 words per review. They get paid $40 to $500 per post. Once a review is completed, ReviewMe.com splits the revenue equally with the blogger.

PayPerPost has in its network 14,000 bloggers, including "high-traffic bloggers and low-end, smaller audiences from social networks," according to Ted Murphy, founder and CEO. "Our focus is on real people who don't necessarily blog for a living but are passionate about a particular subject." PayPerPost's bloggers concentrate on technology, marketing, health care, entertainment and finance.

So hone your writting skills and start blogging about something you are passionate about ! Then get paid for doing it !

Payday Loans = Costly Cash warns the FTC

This article by the Federal Trade Commission warns against Payday Loans ....

"I just need enough cash to tide me over until payday."

"GET CASH UNTIL PAYDAY! . . . $100 OR MORE . . . FAST."

The ads are on the radio, television, the Internet, even in the mail. They refer to payday loans - which come at a very high price.

Check cashers, finance companies and others are making small, short-term, high-rate loans that go by a variety of names: payday loans, cash advance loans, check advance loans, post-dated check loans or deferred deposit check loans.

Usually, a borrower writes a personal check payable to the lender for the amount he or she wishes to borrow plus a fee. The company gives the borrower the amount of the check minus the fee. Fees charged for payday loans are usually a percentage of the face value of the check or a fee charged per amount borrowed - say, for every $50 or $100 loaned. And, if you extend or "roll-over" the loan - say for another two weeks - you will pay the fees for each extension.

Under the Truth in Lending Act, the cost of payday loans - like other types of credit - must be disclosed. Among other information, you must receive, in writing, the finance charge (a dollar amount) and the annual percentage rate or APR (the cost of credit on a yearly basis).

A cash advance loan secured by a personal check - such as a payday loan - is very expensive credit. Let's say you write a personal check for $115 to borrow $100 for up to 14 days. The check casher or payday lender agrees to hold the check until your next payday. At that time, depending on the particular plan, the lender deposits the check, you redeem the check by paying the $115 in cash, or you roll-over the check by paying a fee to extend the loan for another two weeks. In this example, the cost of the initial loan is a $15 finance charge and 391 percent APR. If you roll-over the loan three times, the finance charge would climb to $60 to borrow $100.

Alternatives to Payday Loans

There are other options. Consider the possibilities before choosing a payday loan:
When you need credit, shop carefully. Compare offers. Look for the credit offer with the lowest APR - consider a small loan from your credit union or small loan company, an advance on pay from your employer, or a loan from family or friends. A cash advance on a credit card also may be a possibility, but it may have a higher interest rate than your other sources of funds: find out the terms before you decide. Also, a local community-based organization may make small business loans to individuals.

Compare the APR and the finance charge (which includes loan fees, interest and other types of credit costs) of credit offers to get the lowest cost.

Ask your creditors for more time to pay your bills. Find out what they will charge for that service - as a late charge, an additional finance charge or a higher interest rate.

Make a realistic budget, and figure your monthly and daily expenditures. Avoid unnecessary purchases - even small daily items. Their costs add up. Also, build some savings - even small deposits can help - to avoid borrowing for emergencies, unexpected expenses or other items. For example, by putting the amount of the fee that would be paid on a typical $300 payday loan in a savings account for six months, you would have extra dollars available. This can give you a buffer against financial emergencies.

Find out if you have, or can get, overdraft protection on your checking account. If you are regularly using most or all of the funds in your account and if you make a mistake in your checking (or savings) account ledger or records, overdraft protection can help protect you from further credit problems. Find out the terms of overdraft protection.

If you need help working out a debt repayment plan with creditors or developing a budget, contact your local consumer credit counseling service. There are non-profit groups in every state that offer credit guidance to consumers. These services are available at little or no cost. Also, check with your employer, credit union or housing authority for no- or low-cost credit counseling programs.

If you decide you must use a payday loan, borrow only as much as you can afford to pay with your next paycheck and still have enough to make it to the next payday.

To Complain/For More InformationIf you believe a lender has violated the Truth in Lending Act, file a complaint with the FTC.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them.

To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Getting Noticed On The Web !

This article written by Jason Goldberg of Jobster.com makes a lot of sense.
The ways of getting a job have changed. You need to change your ways of looking for one.

Jason writes some tips and tricks for harnessing these new web 2.0 technologies to get a leg up in your job search:


Turn to the new breed of Meta Job Search Engines.

Overwhelmed by the number of job boards to choose from and by the hundreds of corporate employment sites to keep track of? New sites like Jobster.com, Indeed.com, and Simplyhired.com take the hassle out of searching for your next job by providing one-stop-searching across most of the major job sites. Think of these sites as “Google for jobs.” Conduct one search and get results from many job sites and employers. Jobster and Indeed also search jobs directly from many employers, which is helpful as many leading employers are scaling back their job board budgets and shifting their focus instead towards promoting their own employment sites. Jobster now searches more than 5 times the number of jobs as the largest job board.

Make Use of Referrals and Social Networks to Get Noticed.

Mark Mehler from CareerXroads points out that a referred candidate has a 35 to 1 chance of getting hired vs. 500 to 1 for the typical candidates. That’s because with so many resumes coming in to companies every day, most employers rely on referrals as a way to spot great candidates. New sites such as Jobster and LinkedIn include “social networking” technology which can help you identify which of your contacts may know people at the companies you want to work at. Jobster goes a step further and can help you request a referral directly into the hiring team at many employers. Jobster also has a feature called “My Jobster,” which enables you to keep tabs on jobs that you can get referred for via the people you know and the people they know.

Sign up for e-Mail Alerts and RSS Feeds.

Tired of searching and searching and searching? e-Mail Alerts and RSS Feeds enable you to have jobs delivered to you instead. Leading job sites now enable you to receive daily email alerts about the latest jobs which meet your specific search criteria. The meta search engines, Jobster, Indeed, and Simplyhired, provide customizable alerts spanning millions of jobs from thousands of employers and job sites. Subscribe to RSS feeds and get live feeds of jobs as they are posted. Jobster also has a feature called, “insider alerts” which provides email alerts of jobs that you can get referred for.

Know where the Jobs Are.

If you want to land your dream job, you need to know where it is available. Several sites are now adding interactive mapping features so that you can see what jobs are being posted where and when. Indeed.com provides a map showing where the highest concentration of job postings are. Jobster.com offers two interactive maps: one which shows live job searches as they are conducted in real-time, and another which displays on a Google local map where the jobs are nearest to your search area.

Read Blogs.

According to a leading blog search engine, Technorati, there are now more than 14 million web logs or “blogs” and 88,000 new blogs are created daily. Blogs are written by citizen journalists who desire to share their opinions and expertise on specific topics with the broader internet audience. Many employers are turning to blogs to find candidates for their jobs. Increasingly, employers are advertising their positions on blogs, as they recognize that the individuals reading blogs on specific topics are most likely to be interested in working at companies who are pursuing related initiatives. At Microsoft, for instance, more than 2000 employees write blogs about topics pertinent to their work; now Microsoft is using those blogs to develop a dialogue with potential hires.

Write a Blog.

A common complaint from employers is that resumes don’t tell the full story about an individual’s interests and accomplishments. Write a blog and help potential employers learn about the “real you.” Express yourself freely, but don’t write anything that might be construed as potentially embarrassing or overly controversial. Google offers a free blogging service for beginners called “Blogger.” Moveabletypes’s “Typepad” is also very popular for novice bloggers. I’ve also found wordpress to be quite simple to get started on, albeit a bit less polished than typepad.

Maintain an Online Professional Profile.

Another great way to introduce yourself to employers is by maintaining an online professional profile. These profiles typically go beyond basic resumes to introduce your professional experience and accomplishments. Create a public profile on Jobster and have select employers find you. Or, join LinkedIn and establish your profile in the LinkedIn network. Zoominfo is a search engine used by many recruiting organization for mid-level and senior managers; if you are looking for a mid-level position, it is advised that you update your Zoominfo profile as well.

Join an Online Group.

Associations and affinity groups are often a great source of information about job openings. Whether it’s your fraternity or sorority, your bowling team, or a trade association, networking within your groups can help you learn about and get noticed for great opportunities. Jobster enables members to create and join online groups to share jobs and job search tips amongst people with like interests. Sites like The Facebook for college students can also be helpful.

Dress for Success Career Books

First impressions are critical. In fact you are assessed within 15 seconds of your interview by your potential employer. Should you be judged by what you wear? Perhaps not, but the reality is, of course, that you are judged.

How should you dress?

Dressing conservatively is always the safest route, but you should also try and do a little investigating of your prospective employer so that what you wear to the interview makes you look as though you fit in with the organization. If you overdress (which is rare but can happen) or underdress (the more likely scenario), the potential employer may feel that you don't care enough about the job.

How do you find out what is the proper dress for a given company?

You can call the Human Resources office where you are interviewing and simply ask. Or, you could visit the company's office to retrieve an application or other company information and observe the attire current employees are wearing -- though make sure you are not there on a "casual day" and misinterpret the dress code.

Finally, do you need to run out and spend a lot of money on clothes for interviewing?

No, but you should make sure you have at least two professional sets of attire. You'll need more than that, but depending on your current financial condition, two is enough to get started and you can buy more once you have the job or have more financial resources

Hints for Dress for Success for Men and Women

Attention to details is crucial, so here are some tips for both men and women.
Make sure you have:

• clean and polished conservative dress shoes
• well-groomed hairstyle
• cleaned and trimmed fingernails
• minimal cologne or perfume
• no visible body piercing beyond conservative ear piercings for women
• well-brushed teeth and fresh breath
• no gum, candy, or other objects in your mouth
• minimal jewelry
• no body odor

Finally, check your attire in the rest room just before your interview for a final check of your appearance -- to make sure your tie is straight, your hair is combed, etc.

Here are some books I would recommend

1. Buff and Polish: A Practical Guide to Enhance Your Professional Image and Communication Style , by Kathyrn J. Volin (Pentagon).
2. How to Gain the Professional Edge: Achieve the Personal and Professional Image You Want, by Susan Morem (Ferguson).
3. New Women's Dress for Success, by John T. Molloy (Warner).
   Attention to Detail: A Woman's Guide to Professional Appearance and Conduct, by Clinton Greenleaf and Stefani Schaefer (Greenleaf Enterprises).
4. Casual Power: How to Power Up Your Nonverbal Communication & Dress Down for Success, by Sherry Maysonave (Bright Books).
5. First Five Minutes: How to Make a Great First Impression in Any Business Situation , by Mary Mitchell, with John Corr (Wiley).
6. Looking Good: A Comprehensive Guide to Wardrobe Planning, Color & Personal Style Development, by Nancy Nix-Rice and Pati Palmer (Palmer Pletsch).
7. Your Executive Image: The Art of Self-Packaging for Men and Women, by Victoria A. Seitz (Adams).

Researching New Careers with Skill Matching

Once you've discovered (or rediscovered) your passion, spend some time researching the types of careers that center around your passions.

Don't worry if you're feeling a bit unsure or insecure -- it's a natural part of the career change process. How much research you do also partly depends on how much of a change you're making; for example, changing from a teacher to a corporate trainer versus switching from a nurse to a Web designer.

You can find some great career information and a skills-matching service at O*NET Online from the U.S. Department of Labor. The O*NET system serves as the nation's primary source of occupational information, providing comprehensive information on key attributes and characteristics of workers and occupations. It also has some great questionnaires that can be used by employers as well as someone trying to find a job. So explore the site and take advantage of all the free resources.

Free Online Classes - Small Business Administration

Have you ever wanted to start your own business? There are many opportunities in the market place for that. But in order to understand where you are, what you want to do and where you want to go with your ideas, you must have a plan...of sorts.

The SBA or the US Small Business Association is one of the best places to start, research and grow your ideas.

About the SBA

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.

We recognize that small business is critical to our economic recovery and strength, to building America's future, and to helping the United States compete in today's global marketplace. Although SBA has grown and evolved in the years since it was established in 1953, the bottom line mission remains the same. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

The SBA offers free courses online. Take advantage of the many high quality links that they have and make an informed decision for your future.

FREE ONLINE COURSES will take you to the websites outside the SBA. Some of them are offered by trustworthy institutes/businesses like the Trump University, Constant Contact and more.

100 Best Companies to Work For 2007 - Fortune Magazine !

YES ! Google makes its debut in the number one position on FORTUNE's 10th annual "100 Best Companies to Work For" list. I am of course a fan of Google as it exemplifies all the principles, values and ethics that I hold dear.

"The 100 Best Companies to Work For" list is compiled for FORTUNE by Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz of the Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco. Any company that is at least seven years old with more than 1,000 U.S. Employees is eligible. The deadline for applying for next year's list is March 31, 2007; for an online nomination form, go to www.greatplacetowork.com.

1 Google
2 Genentech
3 Wegmans Food Markets
4 Container Store
5 Whole Foods Market
6 Network Appliance
7 S.C. Johnson & Son
8 Boston Consulting Grp.
9 Methodist Hospital Sys.
10 W.L. Gore & Associates
11 Cisco Systems
12 David Weekley Homes
13 Nugget Market
14 Qualcomm
15 American Century Invest.
16 Starbucks Coffee
17 Quicken Loans
18 Station Casinos
19 Alston & Bird
20 QuikTrip
21 Griffin Hospital
22 Valero Energy
23 Vision Service Plan
24 Nordstrom
25 Ernst & Young
26 Arnold & Porter
27 Recreational Equip. (REI)
28 Kimley-Horn & Assoc.
29 Edward Jones
30 Russell Investment Grp.
31 Adobe Systems
32 Plante & Moran
33 Intuit
34 Umpqua Bank
35 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
36 Goldman Sachs
37 Northwest Community Hospital
38 Robert W. Baird
39 J.M. Smucker
40 Amgen
41 JM Family Enterprises
42 PCL Construction
43 Genzyme
44 Yahoo
45 Bain & Co.
46 First Horizon National
47 American Fidelity Assur.
48 SAS Institute
49 Nixon Peabody
50 Microsoft
51 Stew Leonard's
52 OhioHealth
53 Four Seasons Hotels
54 Baptist Health Care
55 Dow Corning
56 Granite Construction
57 Publix Super Markets
58 PricewaterhouseCoopers
59 Pella
60 MITRE
61 SRA International
62 Mayo Clinic
63 Booz Allen Hamilton
64 Perkins Coie
65 Alcon Laboratories
66 Jones Lang LaSalle
67 HomeBanc Mortgage
68 Procter & Gamble
69 Nike
70 Paychex
71 AstraZeneca
72 Medtronic
73 Aflac
74 American Express
75 Quad/Graphics
76 Deloitte & Touche USA
77 Principal Financial Grp.
78 Timberland
79 TDIndustries
80 Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Ntwrk.
81 Baptist Health S. Florida
82 CDW 3
83 EOG Resources
84 Capital One Financial
85 Standard Pacific
86 National Instruments
87 Texas Instruments
88 CarMax
89 Marriott International
90 Men's Wearhouse
91 Memorial Health
92 Bright Horizons
93 Milliken
94 Bingham McCutchen
95 Vanguard
96 IKEA North America
97 KPMG
98 Synovus
99 A.G. Edwards
100 Stanley

Milton Moskowitz and Robert Levering write :

While many commentators long for the workplace of old --- with fully paid health care, generous pensions, and lifetime job security --- from our ringside seat as compilers of the "100 Best" list for the past decade, we've seen that for many lucky employees, the workplace has never been better. Today's workplace is better in these respects:

It's more flexible.
It's more of a learning environment.
It's more diverse in terms of female and minority representation.
It's more supportive of employees raising a family.
It's more democratic in terms of employee stock ownership.
It's more open in terms of communication upwards and downwards.
It's more fun: parties and celebrations galore.

For your company to be considered for the list to be published in January 2008, you can submit your nomination form by March 31, 2007. Link

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Job.com - Founded in 2001, Job.com enables employers to connect with potential employees through the use of its online job board and resume database.

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WorkTree - A unique job portal linking you to the thousands of job sites & resources on the Internet. They take the pain out of the search process. Thousands of job sites and career resources have been pre-researched and indexed to save you hours if not days with new information added daily! More importantly, many of the resources listed in our website can't be easily found through the traditional search engines.

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Why People in Your Dream Career Might Discourage You

There are a number of ways to get the scoop from industry insiders about how to break into their career including: joining professional associations, attending networking events, going on information interviews, or asking for advice on Internet message boards. However, if you are hoping that everyone who works in the industry will welcome you and be willing to help, you may be disappointed. Instead of getting fabulous career advice or job leads, you may be left feeling discouraged about the career and thinking you should consider doing something else with your life. Think again. If you are left feeling less than excited about a career after speaking with someone working in it, you are probably talking to the wrong person. Here are some reasons an industry expert may not be helpful to newcomers:

They want to feel special

Many successful people got where they are today because of their talent and effort. When asked how they did it, however, their story may sound like the one that parents used to tell about walking in the snow for miles every day to get to school and home again - uphill both ways. In other words, they make it sound much more difficult than it is. And while it's possible it really was difficult for someone else, you might have what it takes to achieve success in your chosen career more quickly. Few people will tell others that it's easy to break into their career or that almost anyone with determination can do it, even if that's true. By saying that it takes a rare ability or many years to succeed in a career, someone who is already working in that career validates themself and what they have achieved. Keep this in mind when speaking with someone working in the career, and don't say you hope to get a job like theirs right away. If you acknowledge their success and show respect for their achievements they may be more willing to assist you.

They are struggling

Someone who is struggling in a career may have spent years in the profession without achieving the kind of success they had hoped for. This type of person may try to "help" you by pointing out the "reality" of the profession you want to work in. They will tell you that at least 80% of those who enter their field will drop out or never achieve great success. But that's true for the vast majority of careers. In a recent issue of Harvard Magazine, it was reported that the average person will have six different careers in their lifetime, which means the average person will leave five careers. Why let that stop you from following your heart now? Another reality is that virtually every career - from acting to real estate - has only a few people who reach the top. It is insulting for someone to assume you will not be one of the successful ones. However, someone who has not made it to the top themself after years of struggle simply may not be able to see how a newcomer can. If you can overlook their discouraging attitude, this person may actually be able to help by filling you in on industry jargon, types of employers, and other career information. Just don't waste your time trying to convince them that you will succeed where they haven't.

They have a scarcity consciousness

People with a scarcity consciousness believe there will be less work for them if more people enter the profession. They see newcomers as potential competitors and will do what they can to discourage others from entering the field. The moderator of a message board for one career said in response to our recent posting that if everyone who wanted to enter the career actually did so, "it would stop being a fab job for everyone else as there would be very few who could ever make a living doing this." Fortunately, there are people in every industry who have not only achieved success, but are willing to help others do the same. As Mark Twain said, "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great."

I think this article makes you realize that ll the advice out there may not really be helpful.....especially if it is coming from a person who wants to climb the same ladder you are !