Grow your own beef.

Grow your own beef. When I got laid off I went through the mourning process. I had the emotions relationed to loss (sad, mad, etc.) and, like many who have lost their jobs, wondered what I did wrong (or could have done better). As I began my journey, first as a super-aggressive job seeker (the first 6 weeks I spent about 10 hours a day, 6 days a week in the job search), then thinking about and designing JibberJobber, I began to have one of those whats it called? paradigm shifts. It was helpful to me to network with other high-level exectutives that had lost their jobs, and were finding that getting a new job that met their needs was not an overnight process. As I found that this was more the rule than the exception, I began to pick apart what was happening. It is summarized in C.M. Russells blog, which is taken from a page or two out of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters. I recommend you read this short blog post by C.M., as it is the beginning of a paradigm shift which is put quite nice in the last six lines. So what does this mean? Well, weve all heard that there are no more cradle-to-grave jobs anymore. I remember when the FBI even dumped their pension plan and moved to a 401k-like program. Luckily my dad was grandfathered into the pension plan, but any new agent would not get a pension (that is one reason that I wasnt interested in going into the FBI there were many ;)) I have one friend my age that worked for a company (Dupont, I think) that offered a pension. The rest offer 401k with matching. In those last six lines that you just read my favorite is Jobs are temporary in the new economy henceforth you always need to be looking for the next opportunity. This was a huge part of my shift. Back in Steven Coveys first book he talks about job security, or economic security, and how it does not come from your employer, rather from your employability. How do you have employability? Can you create employability? Yes, but creating employability is, for me, different than what I thought it was 7 months ago. Heres what I think the formula is: First, have beef! Have substance. Everyone knows someone that was all talk and no action, or no results, or whatever. Develop your skills, become a SME subject matter expert. Good looks and charming personality may get you past an interview, but you need to be deeper in your job performance than you may have been in your interview (I hired a guy that was sparkly and awesome in the interview only to later discover that he had very little substance oops!). Second, have credentials! This may come in the form of degrees (Ive got two an undergrad and a masters) or job titles (mine were pretty sweet from programmer to IT Manager to CIO to VP to General Manager) or results (I worked on an e-commerce project where we increased revenue by 500%, which was sustained even after the dot-com crash!). These are things that would go on your resume, or create the basis of your answers in an interview. Dont live in the past but be able to summarize what you were able to do, which should lead the interviewer to the idea that youll be able to do great things for them! and this, I thought, was the ticket to my employability. I thought this when I first read Coveys book (note that this was the only paragraph that really stuck out in my pre-college brain). Having the right degrees and the right background (job titles) was going to be my ticket. That was back in 1991 and I thought it worked out quite nicely until I got laid off. Many of you who have been following my blog know that I thought my time unemployed was going to last just a few weeks and it really turned into many months. What was wrong with my formula (I-could-do-the-job + I-had-2-degrees + I-had-cool-job-titles = highly-desireable!)?? In my job search I grossly underestimated the power of who you know. I had always hated this concept because I never really knew many folks I had moved around my whole life as an FBI kid, and was always a newcomer. But, alas, it is true. Who you know is a significant part of this formula, and a part that I had neglected thus Third, get to know people. As Ferrazzi mentions, it is all about intimate relationships. I cant even say enough about this (good thing I have a blog, so I can pepper it in all the time!), but if you hate networking, you arent doing it right! If you dont know anyone, you dont understand networking! If you are getting overwhelmed with managing your network, you arent using JibberJobber! If you think that networking is getting LinkedIn, youre going to be in a tough situation when it comes to a real job search (why do you think I say this? Because I dont like LinkedIn? Nope because having relationships on LinkedIn is NOT having intimate relationships.). So what is your formula for creating employability? Is it good enough for this new paradigm? Grow your own beef. When I got laid off I went through the mourning process. I had the emotions relationed to loss (sad, mad, etc.) and, like many who have lost their jobs, wondered what I did wrong (or could have done better). As I began my journey, first as a super-aggressive job seeker (the first 6 weeks I spent about 10 hours a day, 6 days a week in the job search), then thinking about and designing JibberJobber, I began to have one of those whats it called? paradigm shifts. It was helpful to me to network with other high-level exectutives that had lost their jobs, and were finding that getting a new job that met their needs was not an overnight process. As I found that this was more the rule than the exception, I began to pick apart what was happening. It is summarized in C.M. Russells blog, which is taken from a page or two out of Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters. I recommend you read this short blog post by C.M., as it is the beginning of a paradigm shift which is put quite nice in the last six lines. So what does this mean? Well, weve all heard that there are no more cradle-to-grave jobs anymore. I remember when the FBI even dumped their pension plan and moved to a 401k-like program. Luckily my dad was grandfathered into the pension plan, but any new agent would not get a pension (that is one reason that I wasnt interested in going into the FBI there were many ;)) I have one friend my age that worked for a company (Dupont, I think) that offered a pension. The rest offer 401k with matching. In those last six lines that you just read my favorite is Jobs are temporary in the new economy henceforth you always need to be looking for the next opportunity. This was a huge part of my shift. Back in Steven Coveys first book he talks about job security, or economic security, and how it does not come from your employer, rather from your employability. How do you have employability? Can you create employability? Yes, but creating employability is, for me, different than what I thought it was 7 months ago. Heres what I think the formula is: First, have beef! Have substance. Everyone knows someone that was all talk and no action, or no results, or whatever. Develop your skills, become a SME subject matter expert. Good looks and charming personality may get you past an interview, but you need to be deeper in your job performance than you may have been in your interview (I hired a guy that was sparkly and awesome in the interview only to later discover that he had very little substance oops!). Second, have credentials! This may come in the form of degrees (Ive got two an undergrad and a masters) or job titles (mine were pretty sweet from programmer to IT Manager to CIO to VP to General Manager) or results (I worked on an e-commerce project where we increased revenue by 500%, which was sustained even after the dot-com crash!). These are things that would go on your resume, or create the basis of your answers in an interview. Dont live in the past but be able to summarize what you were able to do, which should lead the interviewer to the idea that youll be able to do great things for them! and this, I thought, was the ticket to my employability. I thought this when I first read Coveys book (note that this was the only paragraph that really stuck out in my pre-college brain). Having the right degrees and the right background (job titles) was going to be my ticket. That was back in 1991 and I thought it worked out quite nicely until I got laid off. Many of you who have been following my blog know that I thought my time unemployed was going to last just a few weeks and it really turned into many months. What was wrong with my formula (I-could-do-the-job + I-had-2-degrees + I-had-cool-job-titles = highly-desireable!)?? In my job search I grossly underestimated the power of who you know. I had always hated this concept because I never really knew many folks I had moved around my whole life as an FBI kid, and was always a newcomer. But, alas, it is true. Who you know is a significant part of this formula, and a part that I had neglected thus Third, get to know people. As Ferrazzi mentions, it is all about intimate relationships. I cant even say enough about this (good thing I have a blog, so I can pepper it in all the time!), but if you hate networking, you arent doing it right! If you dont know anyone, you dont understand networking! If you are getting overwhelmed with managing your network, you arent using JibberJobber! If you think that networking is getting LinkedIn, youre going to be in a tough situation when it comes to a real job search (why do you think I say this? Because I dont like LinkedIn? Nope because having relationships on LinkedIn is NOT having intimate relationships.). So what is your formula for creating employability? Is it good enough for this new paradigm?

Natural Ways To Avoid Sunburn This Summer

Natural Ways To Avoid Sunburn This Summer With summer upon us, most of us are eager to get outside and enjoy the sunshine at last. However, as we all know very well, sunburn poses a serious threat in the summer months. While the immediate effects of minor pain and redness are merely temporary, your risk of skin cancer increases drastically with each sunburn, as does your likelihood of getting wrinkles and an uneven complexion. To protect yourself from the sun, go for a natural fix. Dr. Christopher Calapai, suggests the following natural solutions to relish the sunshine without sacrificing your wellbeing: Pay attention to the timing of your sun exposure Peak sunburn hours are around  11:00-2:00  (or more broadly,  10:00-4:00), so if you’re planning on spending a prolonged period of time outdoors, aim to do so earlier or later in the day than this time frame. Additionally, limiting your time in the sun is beneficial, as people of all skin complexions can absorb maximum vitamin D from the sun within an hour, and for fair-skinned people it can take as little as 10 minutes. Smaller segments of time in the sun will decrease risk of burn. Plus, as your skin gets darker over the summer through short increments, your skin will acquire an increased tolerance to the sun’s rays and you will be able to spend more time in the sun sans damage. Defend your skin from the inside out Many people do not know that what you eat has a massive impact on your skin’s reaction to sunshine. Build up reserves of powerful antioxidants in your body with a varied, healthy diet in the warm months. Green tea, tomatoes, red wine, fatty fish like salmon, almonds, citrus fruits, and greens all contain vitamins and antioxidant phytochemicals that can support the skin’s response to UV rays and greatly impede skin damage. As a general guideline, focus on colorful, whole foods and avoid refined oils and processed foods to maximize the skin’s response to the sun. Keep your skin moisturized prior to sun exposure Hydrated skin is healthy skin. Apply moisturizer before going outside in the sun to make sure your skin is in its most prime state to defend itself and not get dry, red, and damaged. Keep in mind, moisturizer is not enough in itself to prevent skin damage, but as an added measure, it can be very effective. Check your medications Many common medications, both prescription and OTC, can increase your skin’s susceptibility to irritation and damage from the sun. These include, painkillers like ibuprofen, antibiotics, antidepressants, and acne medications, among others. Check your medication’s labels to ensure that it is safe to be in the sun while on them. Consider wearing light clothing You do not need to have all of your skin exposed to enjoy the summer’s warmth and sunshine. Wearing loose clothing made with light fabrics like cotton or linen protects the skin from damage while allowing you to stay cool. Don’t forget your sunglasses, and you can enjoy the sun in comfort, style, and great health. Use a  mineral-based  sunscreen, rather than a chemical-based one. Mineral-based sunscreens include those that are zinc oxide- or titanium dioxide-based. These reflect, rather than absorb, the sunlight and seem to be safer than their chemical-based counterparts. As a rule of thumb, 15-30 SPF is as much protection as you need. Furthermore, the more familiar the ingredients are in your sunscreen, the better it probably is for your skin. Look for ones enriched with vitamins, natural extracts, and other antioxidants. These can greatly improve your skin’s response to potential UV damage. About Dr. Calapai Dr. Christopher  Calapai, D.O. is an Osteopathic Physician board certified in family medicine and anti-aging medicine. Proclaimed the The Stem Cell Guru by the New York Daily News, Dr.  Calapai  is a leader in the field of stem cell therapy in the U.S. His stem cell treatments have achieved remarkable results in clinical trials on patients with conditions as varied as Alzheimers, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, frailty syndrome, heart, kidney and liver failure, lupus, MS and Parkinsons. He has worked with Mike Tyson, Mickey Rourke, Steven Seagal, and Gothams Donal Logue; and as a medical consultant for the New York Rangers. Connect with him via twitter @drcalapai or at  www.drcal.net

Part 2 of 3 Teachers Talk About Social Media in the Classroom and Personal Branding! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Part 2 of 3 Teachers Talk About Social Media in the Classroom and Personal Branding! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career This is part 2 of 3 in a series where I talk to two college teachers about their use of social media in the classroom. In part 1, they discussed why blogs are important in classrooms and the advantages of using blogs as a learning vehicle. Todays discussion is around the relevancy of Blackboard, which is an online teaching center that many colleges use and how the teachers are actually using social networks, blogs and wikis for their class. I know many schools use Blackboard for homework assignments, the class schedule, etc. Do you think blogs will take away Blackboards relevancy? Corinne: I don’t think classroom management systems such as Blackboard will ever go away altogether. Yes, some of the functions performed by these systems (i.e. posting homework assignments, distributing class announcements, etc.) could easily be performed by blogs, but I think the key distinguishing factor is a privacy issue. Universities are required by law to abide by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects the privacy of student education records. Since Blackboard is a closed-wall system, it is easy to ensure that student records stay private. Your question points to a powerful tension between the desire to take advantage of all the collaborative learning opportunities that the social web can provide on the one hand, and the necessity to protect students’ privacy on the other hand. I think what will be interesting to watch in this regard is Blackboard’s Beyond Initiative, which is trying to walk that fine privacy line with projects such as Blackboard Sync (a Facebook application that synchronizes students’ Blackboard and Facebook accounts) and Scholar (a social bookmarking application). Tammy: Blackboard has a lot more going on than what today’s blog currently offers (assessments, drop boxes, grade books, etc). I wouldn’t be surprised in Blackboard eventually takes on some weblog characteristics, but I don’t see it being replaced. How are you using wikis, blogs and social networks for your class? Corinne: I am using blogs and wikis in a number of different classes although my Social Media for PR class is the only class in which students are required to keep an individual blog. That’s because the class focuses on social media and allows me to cover important issues such as blogging etiquette and reputation management in detail before unleashing my students onto the blogosphere. In my Intro to Public Relations and my Presentational Speaking classes I have used a course blog instead and required students to contribute to it throughout the semester. For instance, my Presentational Speaking students had to locate a speech they liked on a video sharing site, upload it to the course blog, and critique it using concepts learned in class. This semester, the students in my PR for Nonprofits class will be developing a PR campaign for a nonprofit client using a wiki as a collaboration tool. Each student team will create its own wiki and grant its client and me access to the wiki. That way, the client and I can see the project evolve and provide feedback throughout. Another advantage of using wikis for this teamwork intensive project is that wikis log the history of a project and display each member’s individual contributions â€" a great way to encourage equal participation rates on behalf of all team members! Tammy: For academic classes, I’ve primarily used blogs as a way for students to create individual research projects. In one class, for example, students are asked to analyze a poem using alternative media. Weblogs are one way they can chose to do this. To be continued….. The next and final post will be where I ask both teachers about their definition of personal branding and why its so important for college students.

7 Books Every Feminist Is Reading This FallÂ

7 Books Every Feminist Is Reading This Fall   Whether she’s your friend, sister, or mother, make sure the feminist in your life does not go without these titles this fall. With everything from historical fiction to captivating memoir, this list is sure to keep you busy before the holiday season. You Can’t Buy Love Like That  by Carol E. Anderson Leading up to the feminist movement, this memoir revisits the life of a tenacious young girl struggling with the reality of being a lesbian in the 60’s. While learning to embrace who she really is, the opportunity for her father’s acceptance deteriorates due to sudden tragedy. Carol must find it in herself to come out to her mother in this story of self, compassion and courage. Her Body and Other Parties: Stories  by Carmen Maria Machado A collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror stories,  Her Body and Other Parties  breaks genre rules, bringing light to the realities of women’s lives and the violence inflicted on their bodies. Machado’s newest book is a must-read for any feminist who stands for the right to control one’s own body. Feminist Fight Club: A Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace  by Jessica Bennett This paperback re-release of the  Wall Street Journal  bestseller  documents the meetings of a real-life fight club minus the men and the fighting, of course. From women who have experienced sexist-job frustrations, this read is filled with the invaluable strategies of how to tackle the incessant male presence in your office. The undeniable sense of camaraderie among women makes this a must-read for any feminist in today’s workforce. Women Within  by Anne Leigh Parrish What do you get when you throw three multi-generational women into one novel? An interweaving of grace, hope and romance. Parrish encaptures the true experience of what it is to be a woman at all stages of life in this story of three inconceivably strong women.   Perfect for the feminist of all ages in your life. Where the Past Begins: A Writer’s Memoir  by Amy Tan This memoir brings to question every action and decision made in Amy Tan’s young life. Amy takes life lessons she has learned from childhood into adulthood and intertwines them with her own fiction writing.   Where the Past Begins  is a piece about using weaknesses in your favor and the emerging success of a writer who refused to let her past define her future. Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II  by Liza Mundy The strength of feminism has always been important, according to this October release. During a time of war and extreme masculinity, one group of highly skilled women led the way for future generations through code-breaking, saving lives and opening up new career paths for women. Mundy unveils the untold story of a very important part of American History that otherwise would have been kept secret. Trauma: A Collection of Short Stories  by Elizabeth Jaikaran This is collection of true stories about abuse imposed on women, girls and members of the LGBT community in Guyanese. It will give all feminists another reason to keep up the good fight this fall. Through a new lens of storytelling, Jaikaran reveals the far-reaching presence and influence of violence and strict cultural norms plaguing our world.

7 ways the graduate job hunt is like online dating - Debut

7 ways the graduate job hunt is like online dating - Debut This post is written by a member of the Debut Student Publisher Network. Read on for  Christines thoughts on the awkwardness of the graduate job hunt:   Step one: creating your best looking profile. Step two: going through a multitude of potential matches only for things to fall apart again and again. Step three: hopefully actual results. Sound familiar? Thats the process of the graduate job hunt, and gosh, what an exhausting process it is. Interestingly, its not so different from another part of taking your first steps into the post-graduate world  romance.  Here are a few ways that the graduate job hunt is like online dating. 1. Because you wish it were like the movies You wish you were in a film. Thats where the protagonist already has the job, or thats where you have an adorable meet-cute with the equally adorable love interest and you end up living happily ever after. Sadly, real life requires a little more effort. 2. Because there are too many options that all do the same thing While they may seem varied, all the job hunt websites and dating apps are essentially intended towards the same purpose. Sure, you may find slightly specified ones that focus on location or industry, but at the heart of it all you use all of them in the hope that at least one of them will actually work. Tinder or OkCupid? Milkround or Reed? It can all be so intimidating. Eventually, youll find one that seems to fit you, and then its time to formulate your profile. What are you looking for? 3. Because you set filters that dont seem to actually work It seems that despite whatever parameters and filters you use, you dont get the potential matches you wished for. Looking for a graduate job in advertising? Youre going to receive e-mails about being a senior business developer instead. Maybe youll swipe right on someone cute, but nothing happens, and then you get a match with someone you tipsily swiped right on and now they keep trying to talk to you and you feel super weird about it.  It gets extremely frustrating receiving potential matches that just dont  work for you. Tired of the endless graduate job hunt? Download Debut today and employers like LOreal, Microsoft and EY swipe right on  you.   4. Because it gives you a  sense of false hope You get a match, but they never talk to you. You receive a response from a company, but two weeks after your interview they still havent gotten back to you. Maybe its even worse;  you think everythings going well and then the very next day receive an outright rejection. Hope is a rollercoaster, and youll accustom yourself to the dips and turns as you keep on plugging away at trying to find your match. 5. Because it teaches you how to deal with  rejection On that note, its easy to sink yourself into a pity stupor after a long while of not getting any results. Many potential employers and dates have a tendency to ghost, leaving you wondering. Take it in your hands to know for sure. Give them a text or an e-mail so you know if you need to move on. However, when outright rejected, its important to not only take that in stride, but  to bounce back. Youll find your match eventually. 6. Because youll be just as nervous about your first meeting So youve been texting/emailing for a while, which brings you nicely to  your first meeting. Job hunting or online dating, its the same level of primping and pruning. How does your hair look? Is your makeup appropriate? Whats the latest you can get there by without actually being late? The anxiety of making a good first impression is  real.   Theres a need to strike the balance between approachable and formal, and youll generally walk away from this meeting with an idea of where it could go from here. Sometimes youll already know it wont work out, and its time to start your search all over again. But maybe one day 7.  Because hopefully, itll all be worth it The moment youve been waiting for. If all goes well, you meet up more and more, and eventually the commitment is confirmed. You get the job, or you get the guy/girl, and you live happily ever after. At least, thats what were all hoping. Good luck on your hunt, be it for employers or relationships. Follow Christine  on Twitter  @slytherchris Connect with Debut on  Facebook  and  Twitter

Great Expectations Precede Great Success - Jane Jackson Career

Great Expectations Precede Great Success - Jane Jackson Career I had a dream that I was afraid to pursue for years there was always something else that was more important, something else that lead me away from creating what I thought could be amazing.   Did I have time to devote to this dream?   Would it work?   Finally, after years of pondering, wondering if I had the time, the energy, the funds to be able to take that first step, I made a decision.My decision was to take that first step.Its amazing what happens once you actually move forward rather than hover momentum builds and things start to happen.After years of coaching my clients to take control of their dreams and make them happen, I have done the same for myself and in October launched a sideline business born from my passion for pearls. A Passion for Pearls celebrates this passion!What appears to be one BIG step really was a series of small steps and not so daunting after all.   Within weeks of making my decision and taking action (and I wont pretend that it was easy, there was a lo t of hard work involved and there still is!) the ball was rolling and several months later, is just getting bigger and bigger!   My progress is documented on my A Passion for Pearls Facebook Page become a fan and you can be a part of this growth too and perhaps win a lovely piece of jewellery for yourself or a loved one along the way.What helped me along the way?   The support of wonderful friends and colleagues and the following inspirational quotes:GREAT EXPECTATION PRECEDES GREAT SUCCESSHigh expectation always precedes high achievement. Youre as small as your controlling desires, or as great as your dominant aspirations. Once your mind stretches to a new idea it never goes back to its original dimensions.Think little goals and you can expect little achievement. Think big goals and youll win big success. The first ingredient of your success is to dream a great dream.You must dream big and think big to be big.YOU MUST ACT ON THOSE DREAMSYou have to make your own opportunities. Yo ur future is not a matter of chance. Its a matter of your choice. Its not something you wait for. Its something you must actively pursue. Dont wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Opportunity can come disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat.Start today, right where you are. Distant fields will always appear greener. Yet, golden opportunities are all around you.You can live a great dream if you pursue it.Have you pursued your dreams lately?   If not, whats holding you back?   Take that first step and see where it leads you.Jane is a Career and Life Coach.   If you need a little inspiration, contact jane@janejacksoncoach.com

How to Write a Resume For a Job With No Experience

How to Write a Resume For a Job With No ExperienceIf you are looking for tips on how to write a resume for a job with no experience you are in luck because this article will be able to show you some of the best techniques that you can use in order to land the position of your dreams. If you are wondering how to write a resume for a job with no experience then you need to know a few things first.The first thing that you need to do when looking to get a job is to have your work experience already. If you don't have any then you need to think about getting it, it will be impossible to get a job without at least a few months of experience. Most employers expect candidates to have some experience at least, so if you don't have any you might want to think about getting it.The next thing that you need to know is what to put on your resume. There are three main sections that you need to be sure to include on your resume and these are education, skills, and experience. Let's take a look at ea ch of these in more detail.When it comes to the education section of your resume, you need to be sure to include your highest level of education. Don't worry about explaining all of your credits but make sure to write down all of them and send it in as soon as possible. This will help you to not only increase your chances of being hired but also your chances of being offered the job. After all, an employer wants to hire someone with a college degree because he knows that a college degree means that you will have a higher chance of finding a job and making more money.On the skills section of your resume, you should list your most recent job that included direct experience in the skills that you are seeking. If your skills don't show up on your current job orhaven't shown up yet, then you will want to try to add them onto your resume as soon as possible. The skills that you want to write down on your resume are those that will be required for the job that you are applying for. For exa mple, if you are applying for a job as a handyman then you want to list the basic skills that you learned and the skills that you have developed in the past.When it comes to the experience section of your resume, you should look at your current position. Many employers want to see evidence of work experience on a resume, so make sure that you list your position first. Next, list your most recent job as a few lines behind your current job. After that, include direct experience of the skills that you want to be considered for the job. Then, list your work history and direct experiences that you are seeking for your resume.There are some other things that you should consider when writing a resume for a job with no experience. You should always include your contact information in the top left hand corner. This will help to make it easier for the employer to contact you if they are having problems with a particular candidate and make it easier for them to get in touch with you if they ne ed more information about you.If you are unsure how to write a resume for a job with no experience, just remember that there are some important elements that you will need to keep in mind before you send in your resume. By following these tips, you should be able to get a great job and land a good job for yourself.