Jan 11, 2006 Why didnt I leave earlier

Jan 11, 2006 Why didnt I leave earlier Third day laid off, but still in the office so I could transition the new president to take the reigns. I thought about the key people I had working for me who had since left the company.  Greg was awesome. He was the whole package, as far as I was concerned.  When he told me he was leaving I left work early that day, because I need to be away, and have a place to think.  He was key to the company. And he left. Want to know what I told him?  You need to do whats best for you and your family dont worry about us or this company. Thats the same thing I told Cory, who was my right hand man.  I loved working with Cory.  He was amazing.  And the day he left I think I went home, baked a cake, and ate a bunch of cake and ice cream (not in celebration, more as a comfort food tactic.  Hey, Im human :p). Whats best for you and your family.  Thats what I always said. I wondered why I never did what was best for ME and MY FAMILY. I gave too much to this damned company for them to let me go the way they did. I gave too much to this company to get a few piddly weeks of  severance. Why did I not take care of ME and MY FAMILY? Never again never again.  What I sowed, I did not reap.  And now I had some relationships to fix.  Little did I know I wouldnt be whole enough to work on them for years down the road. Please, I implore you: Do whats best for YOU and YOUR FAMILY. Jan 11, 2006 Why didnt I leave earlier Third day laid off, but still in the office so I could transition the new president to take the reigns. I thought about the key people I had working for me who had since left the company.  Greg was awesome. He was the whole package, as far as I was concerned.  When he told me he was leaving I left work early that day, because I need to be away, and have a place to think.  He was key to the company. And he left. Want to know what I told him?  You need to do whats best for you and your family dont worry about us or this company. Thats the same thing I told Cory, who was my right hand man.  I loved working with Cory.  He was amazing.  And the day he left I think I went home, baked a cake, and ate a bunch of cake and ice cream (not in celebration, more as a comfort food tactic.  Hey, Im human :p). Whats best for you and your family.  Thats what I always said. I wondered why I never did what was best for ME and MY FAMILY. I gave too much to this damned company for them to let me go the way they did. I gave too much to this company to get a few piddly weeks of  severance. Why did I not take care of ME and MY FAMILY? Never again never again.  What I sowed, I did not reap.  And now I had some relationships to fix.  Little did I know I wouldnt be whole enough to work on them for years down the road. Please, I implore you: Do whats best for YOU and YOUR FAMILY.

Free Resume Writing Ebooks - How You Can Find Them

Free Resume Writing Ebooks - How You Can Find ThemFree resume writing ebooks are available in so many different ways. They can be purchased, or they can be obtained by means of free online resources.Many people that are interested in using resume writing books to help them to get their dream job do not have the time to spend on doing this. It is a time consuming task, and many people do not have enough time to spend on it. However, there are other options for obtaining these materials for free.There are plenty of resources available for free resume writing ebooks. This is where you can get your resume essay finished by means of some wonderful looking applications. Many people have difficulty understanding how these applications are supposed to work. The fact of the matter is that many of these applications that you can get for free are user friendly, and that it can be fairly easy to use.The idea behind these applications is that they can be used by anyone, whether an individual comp any. The idea is that you are going to sign up for a free account with one of these websites. Once you are signed up for an account with one of these sites, you will be given access to a number of features that will assist you in writing your resume essay. These applications will also be able to convert your resume essay into an excel file that you can then open and edit using a standard word processing program.A great application that is available for free is resume guide application. This application is going to be able to provide you with a great deal of information regarding a wide variety of jobs that are available in your area.Another great benefit that you can gain from this free application is that it is one that is designed to be used by anyone. The fact of the matter is that it can also be used by individuals that work as freelance writers. Therefore, if you are looking to promote yourself as a freelance writer, then you can do so by means of using this application.In addi tion to the above mentioned programs, there are many more programs available for free resume writing ebooks. Therefore, you should have no trouble finding what you are looking for.There are a number of things that you can find when you are looking for free resume writing ebooks. By all means, take advantage of these resources.

Single plain STANDARD peaceBOMB bangle

Single plain STANDARD peaceBOMB bangle Merry Christmas!  I hope you are enjoying a fabulous and relaxing day with your loved ones! Todays Holiday giveaway for the classy career girl is a single strand bangle made from aluminum war scrap metal during the Vietnam conflict which left Laos the most heavily bombed country per capita in history. You can learn more about the peaceBOMB project here. There are three reasons why I love this bracelet: This bracelet presents an opportunity for women to become active contributors to the economic well being of their families. My jewelry style for work is simple and classy.  This bracelet fits! I love this story of war and peace. Destruction and reconstruction.  30% of the bombs dropped did not detonate.  At the current rate of removal, it will take an estimated 800 years to clear the unexploded bombs.  The people of Laos are overcoming loss and challenge and melting the remains into beautiful jewelry such as this. Want to win this classy bangle AND make a difference? Leave a comment below with your email address. This giveaway is open to all residents of the US and Canada. It begins NOW and ends on Dec 31st at 9pm PST. The winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.   You have 24 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. Good luck!  For more information, make sure you check out their Facebook page here.

3 Mistakes All New Entrepreneurs Make

3 Mistakes All New Entrepreneurs Make Your problem is quite simple. You think you will not get hired.So, you go into business for yourself. Then you realize you need more than determination and a great idea.The mistakes were made, and you lost money. Now, you have to go get a job again. What went wrong?Most likely, you made one of these 3 mistakes all new entrepreneurs make.Case Study: The Best Mac and Cheese in the WorldThe case study below is based on a true story. This 1st-time entrepreneur wanted a new career.But she lasted only 4 months before going out of business. This forced her to go back into the workforce.Entrepreneur Mistake #1: All Plans and No ProductGreat: Your spouse says you make the best mac and cheese in the world.Not-so-great: It will go mainstream. You know the world will love it. So, you formulate a strategy and plan to hire the best people for the job. This is expensive.Mistake: The problem is you never created a prototype of the product to sell. All you have is that one time you made a great dinne r. Speed to market is great, but you need something consistent to sell.Entrepreneur Mistake #2: Expecting Customers to Magically Show UpGreat: Your idea sounds great to everyone you speak within your network.Not-so-great: The product has gotten attention. Some strangers tried it. Unfortunately, so did the Food and Drug Administration. And so did the US Patent and Trademark Office. A trademark infringement was filed against you.Mistake: You launched your product. But now your network was afraid to try it because the FDA had to investigate you. The trademark infringement left your network afraid to talk about your product.Your friends loved it. But how much customer-retention can you expect from your friends? They cannot eat mac and cheese every day. No customer bothered to try it due to negative media attention.And you forgot to do one thing: Market your product. Your network and family was not enough to generate a loyal customer-base.Entrepreneur Mistake #3: You Kept Your Idea a Sec retGreat: You knew you would have competition! So, you kept your idea a secret. After all, you have a family recipe that dates back more than 100 years!Not-so-great: Your idea was such a big secret that no one knew about it.Mistake: You forgot the one rule of thumb for starting a business: Competition is good for business.Competition challenges people to be better. Conflict in a market drives customers. Customers love to shop at companies competing for their dollars. Customers get bored if you are the only business doing one thing.Good competition forces businesses to innovate. Innovation drives change, growth, and leadership in an industry. This business closed after only four months and $1500 in sales. At least it was a learning experience for her next job.And if your company fails, it will be a stain on your resumeduring your next job search.Think About It Before You Make the LeapPick an industry. Think of all the businesses currently thriving in that industry. How many businesse s can you name off the top of your head?Everything that works well can always be improved. Perhaps, you have an industry-disrupting idea.Make sure you have a product, market it well, and never become complacent. Customers shop in businesses that fight for their love.And companies hire people with successful track records.

What Are the Best Resume Writing Services Available Today?

What Are the Best Resume Writing Services Available Today?There are many individuals who opt to hire the best resume writing services available today, but only few of them really know what to look for. This is because most of them tend to go through a lot of companies that claim to be topnotch when it comes to resume writing services. The first thing that you need to do is take a look at their previous works. This will help you in determining the best one that you can hire.You will find that the ones who have had a lot of work can make you able to figure out the various factors that they possess. You can also compare different resume writing services by going through the recent projects that they have completed and the testimonials from their past clients. The testimonials of their past clients can give you a detailed look into their work and their capability as well. This will help you determine which one to hire and which ones not to hire.Another important factor to look into is th e amount of money that you are going to spend on their services. You should get a feeling about the amount of money that they offer in terms of the quality of the resume. You can always find other companies which offer more than what they say they can do.You can also try to talk to some of their past clients in order to get an idea of how much they were able to achieve and how good their resume writing services are. If the last client mentions that they received excellent results from their resume writing services, then you can be assured that you are paying a very good price for these services. It is best to ask for the reviews before you make a final decision so that you can come up with the best one for yourself.If you are a novice, you should definitely hire a company that provides resume writing services for those who need it most. You can also get advice from them to become a better writer. This is a matter of concern because if you can't stand the stress of writing a resume, then you should never have gone into the field of resume writing in the first place.This is because it is one of the most stressful things in life, and only a person who is skilled at writing services will be able to handle it. These are the companies that provide services to people who need them most. They use the best tools to give you the best result and this is the only way to be successful in this industry. You can search for resume writing services in the internet and choose from among the best ones.You will find that the best companies also have various resume writing services for various clients. You will get an opportunity to create a resume for your own requirements. You can hire these companies for any job that you need, as they do great work for all kinds of jobs. They even specialize in certain industries, and you can never go wrong hiring them.The best thing about them is that they will help you in getting all the help that you require, as they know the ropes of the in dustry well and they take time to teach you how to use their services for your particular needs. You should remember that different things can affect your chances of getting a job if you don't use the right resume writing services. Make sure that you get the best ones to increase your chances of success.

Explore. Dream. Discover. Work Your Passion! - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Explore. Dream. Discover. Work Your Passion! For about a year, Ive been contributing to the Career Development Carnival, a monthly event hosted alternately by Hannah Morgan (@CareerSherpa) of CareerSherpa.net and Lynn Dessert (@LynnDessert) of ElephantsAtWork.com. The  Carnival  spotlights relevant blog posts from various career and job search experts, giving bloggers like me more exposure and consolidating  some great blog posts for job seekers, all in one place.   This month, the blog posts we contribute have a theme: What is your favorite inspirational quote and why? What quote moves you to action? What’s the story behind it? How has it affected you? Why are you drawn to your favorite quote? I’ve chosen a wonderful quote from Mark Twain from a list of favorites I’ve been compiling over the years. This one pulled at me because of the connection to personal branding and working one’s passion: Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didnt do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. The value of this advice is fairly self-evident. It nags at those who always play it safe  in their careers . . . never (or rarely) taking risks . . . never being fully satisfied with the work they’ve chosen. As a near life-long entrepreneur in various industries, I’ve been fortunate to do work that fulfills my passion for writing, and get paid for it. I’ve been able to take the risks that allow me to adjust and grow, as I branch out in new directions in my business. Does Twain’s quote hit home with you? Does it shake you up a little and make you want to rethink your  next career move? If your career path has been unsatisfying for years, maybe it’s time to reconsider continuing to walk down the same path. Do you fear taking that first big step to pursue your passion and  get paid for work you truly love doing? Or do you think you’re too old, and it’s too late for you to strike out in a new direction? Maybe it’s time to get serious and create a game plan for getting there. It may not be too late to shift gears and go in another direction.  You’ll never know unless you try. Do some reading . . . talk to people doing the kind of work you want to try . . . research the possibilities. We all deserve to work our passion. ???????????????????Look for this months Career Development Carnival on Hannah Morgans blogsite, CareerSherpa.net, the week of February 18th. Related posts: 10 Reasons To Love Your Personal Brand Top 10 Personal Branding and Executive Job Search Blog Posts of the Year New Year. Time To Revitalize Your Executive Career Brand photo by Phillie Casablanca 00 0

Moving Towards Efficiency in the Online Job Search Process - CareerAlley

Moving Towards Efficiency in the Online Job Search Process - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. With the unemployment rate still lingering above eight percent and business owners complaining about a lack of qualified workers, its no secret that somethings gone wrong with the evolution of the online job search process. Theres been a lot of change over the past decade as we moved from newspaper Want Ads to job boards, professional networking sites, and social media recruiting tools. While these developments revolutionized the way we find jobs and good employees, theyve also created a whole new set of challenges and inefficiencies. Recruiters are tasked with becoming social media experts while whittling down a much larger stack of resumes than ever before. Job seekers are competing against larger pools of applicants and spending too much time searching as new channels become available and the job board market becomes increasingly flooded and fragmented. New technologies like aggregated job boards, tailored job search alerts, and applicant tracking systems that weed out unfit applicants are cropping up every day to manage these challenges. But even these lead to trouble as candidates outsmart the system by writing resumes meant to be read by search engines instead of humans, loaded with keywords that may or may not accurately represent their qualifications. This leaves recruiters spending more time looking for needles in haystacks, and high-fit candidates wondering why their resume isnt getting noticed. Companies are starting to take a more creative approach by leveraging comprehensive recruiting technologies. Theyre looking for services that can: Harness social media platforms to reach targeted populations Find passive candidates who arent even looking until the right opportunity comes along See past inflated resumes and screen out the truly unqualified applicants Provide access to a database of candidates Consider all angles of a candidates fit with the job and the company including personality and company culture Leave hiring managers and recruiters with a much more manageable list of high-fit candidates Job seekers who want to be on that list should pay close attention to what services recruiters are using, and determine how adapt their job search habits accordingly. Many of these resources even offer free job matching services for candidates. While the rest of the competition is busy stuffing keywords into their resume, those who are more interested in finding the right fit should look for job matching partners who are after the same goal. Danny Simon is the Founder and CEO of JobSync, which recruits for many Fortune 500 companies, matching high-fit candidates to open positions based on experience and personality. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook

30 Networking Conversation Starters

30 Networking Conversation Starters You already have a network of connections: your friends, your co-workers, your family and all of their connections with whom they’re willing to connect you. In business, though, it’s always advisable to grow your network â€"  just ask Forbes magazine, which ranked networking as one of the six best ways to find your next job. Of course, it’s not always easy to put yourself out there and meet new people. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 30 tried-and-true conversation starters to break the ice at your next networking event. Try one and watch as the conversation flows and the connection grows. The Essentials “Hi, my name is…”  This is perhaps the simplest conversation starter there is, but it gets the job done, so keep it in your conversation-starter bank. Don’t be shy! “So, what do you do?” The point of networking is to build connections that you can use to leverage your potential and prowess. Finding out you work in a similar field as someone can open the door to more conversation, as well as to a connection you can count on in the future. “Mind if I join you?” Perhaps your next networking event will have tables or chair circles, in which case you can use this line to break the ice when you sit next to someone new. “How do you all know each other?” Again, it might be a bit weird to hop right into a conversation that’s already happening, but you can do it. Just make sure to ease in and get to know everyone a little bit. Understanding the connection between them is a great way to do so. “What’s your story?” It’s open-ended, so don’t have any expectations when you pose this question at your next networking event. You never know â€"  you might discover that you have something random in common with a stranger. “Are you from around here?” Especially if you work in a big city, you’re likely to find some out-of-towners who have moved for work. There are plenty of easy follow-up questions on this topic, too, so the conversation will definitely move along. “I like your [insert clothing item or accessory here].” Everyone loves a compliment. And hey, there might be a story behind a funky piece of jewelry or a perfectly tailored suit that your new connection is wearing. Work, Work, Work, Work, Work “I need to talk to someone besides my OWN  colleagues!” It’s great when your company has a strong showing at a networking event, unless everyone clings together and squanders the opportunity to meet new people. Make your way on your own with this conversation starter. “I know you! I love your work.” In some fields, and in some cities, the community in which you’ll network is small. Therefore, you might be familiar with some of the faces in the crowd despite not knowing them personally. It’s never a bad idea to add someone well known to your network, and complimenting hard work is a surefire way to get the ball rolling. “How do you like working at XYZ Company?” You covered the basics when you broke the ice, so ask your conversation partner the nitty-gritty: how’s work going? You’re likely to get an interesting answer that’ll lead to more conversation. “How did you get into this field?” Again, you’re sure to hear a story, and you might even be able to relate to it if you both work in the same field. “What do you envision for yourself in the future? How does this event play a role?” This is a tough question, so you might not want to lead with it, but your conversation partner probably has an idea of what he or she wants for the professional future. Who knows? Sharing it at a networking event could help it happen down the line. Food- or Drink-Centric “What are you eating/drinking? It looks good!” Take note of an interesting finger food or cocktail and turn it into a conversation! “Have you tried the finger sandwiches/cocktails? They’re actually really good!” If someone isn’t eating at the moment, you can still turn a smorgasbord into small talk. Lead in with your favorite snack or drink from the table. “Want to grab another finger sandwich/cocktail with me?” Just because you’re chatting with someone doesn’t mean you can’t keep eating or drinking. Simply invite him or her to grab another with you â€"  it could lead to further bonding over the grub. Event-Related Chatter “Have you been to one of these before?” Perhaps you and your newfound connection are both networking newbies â€" that’s something to bond over! “This venue is incredible, huh? Have you been here before?” A hotel banquet hall probably won’t inspire location-related conversation, but if your networking event happens to take place somewhere that’s truly remarkable, you can throw that into a conversation. “How did you hear about this event?” Perhaps the organizing person or party is a connection that the two of you share. “What did you think of the speaker/training?” An opinion-based question related to the event itself is easy to ask when you first meet someone. “How did you get here?” Once you learn a bit about your conversation partner, you can ask about the roads they used to get to the event. Traffic, train lines and construction can all lead to further conversation! “What brought you here?” or “What do you hope to get from today?” Everyone has a reason for attending a networking or industry-related event. If you find someone with similar intentions, you’ll probably have an easier time making a connection. Meet the Press “Can you believe [insert headline of the day here]?” There’s always something conversation-worthy in the news. Just make sure you choose a topic that’s not likely to divide you and your newfound networking buddy. “How about this weather today?” Weather is a current event, and one that’s hardly ever divisive, unless you meet that one person who loves an unexpected torrential downpour or snowstorm in April. “Who do you think will win the game this weekend?” Sports is one of the few news-related topics in which our differences make conversations more passionate â€"  without becoming heated. Bring up the big game if you think it’ll help move things along. If You Feel Like Trying Something New   “Aren’t you friends with [insert name here]?” Use this one in a scenario in which you genuinely think you recognize someone, or one in which you don’t, but you want to drum up a conversation. The latter will require a bit of acting on your part, but a case of mistaken identity is always grounds for a bit of chatter. “What are you up to this weekend?” This might read a bit too familiar, but at a work-related function, it’s totally fine to ask a new connection. At the very least, you’ll get an interesting answer â€" and a breather from industry-centric conversation. Best case scenario? You’ll have a plan or interest in common and go from there. “You guys seem to be having more fun than the last group I was talking to! Mind if I jump in?” A great way to have an engaging conversation is to hop into one. See what you can add to the conversation. “Can you recommend a good restaurant in the area?” Whether you’re speaking to a lifetime resident of your city or someone who simply lives in the same neighborhood as the event, you can always tap his or her brain for food or entertainment suggestions. “Is the WiFi working for you?” It’s 2016: everyone can bond over the misery of a bad Internet connection. Use it to your advantage if you’re not getting a signal at your next networking event. “These networking events can be so overwhelming.” Let’s face it: nobody really likes to network. It’s tiresome and nerve-wracking. If you’re feeling comfortable enough with your conversation partner, throw this sentiment out there. Chances are, it’ll bond you together â€"  a connection that might lessen your dislike of these types of events in the future. We’d say, then, that it’s worth a shot. Or, maybe, it’ll help you approach someone in a quieter area where it’s easier to talk. What’s your favorite ice breaker?  Share yours in the comments! And while you’re here, be sure to  subscribe to the PC newsletter  for more great advice to grow your career!