CAREERS ARTICLES

‘CAREERS IN THE ADVERTISING BUSINESS INTERNET MARKETING STYLE’

By Daegan Smith

So you are interested in seeking a job with an advertising business Internet marketing firm?

The first step would be to gain enough knowledge in marketing theory and practical applications. A four-year college degree is helpful but those without a college degree can still land a job with a top firm if they have enough real-world experience. You must have a genuine love for advertising to be successful. Often the initial salaries are small and job turnover is high. But with a strong determination, you can succeed in the advertising business Internet marketing field.

When entering the advertising business Internet marketing arena, try to become as familiar with successful clients as possible. Learning how successful firms have succeeded in business will give you an idea on how to be successful yourself. Also, if you do a good job working with a dominant firm, they may direct you into your next step in the advertising world. Learn what clients need and want from an advertising firm and seek to fulfil their needs.

A second step toward a career in the advertising business Internet marketing world is making bold moves. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little after you have established yourself. Your superiors will recognize innovation. Look for great advertising program and try to figure out how they work and why. Apply the knowledge in projects you are involved with. Always be willing to improve your work and clients will see your efforts.

Another important thing to remember when learning about the advertising business Internet marketing industry is to keep the client first. Visualize his perspective in all your work. By keeping the client first, you will gain their respect and their advertising business for a long time. Gaining loyalty is a major asset in the advertising world. If you choose to someday join another firm, often times your clients will move with you.

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Why do Some Get Filthy Rich Online and Others Dont?

`THE SABOTEUR WITHIN`

By Dr Robert Anthony

`Why You Don’t Have What You Really Want`

Let’s face it, most of us from time to time feel that life is just one big struggle with a series of never ending problems. Yet the truth is that life does not have to be this way. In fact, it can be just the opposite. Life is not about struggle and overcoming problems. Life is about pursuing and creating what we truly desire in an easy, stress-free manner.

Is there something in your life that you want, but it seems to elude you? Why is it such a struggle to create the things we want?

In short, if you don`t have what you want (you name it) your subconscious holds some contradictory intentions for you.

To put it simply, you want something and it doesn’t.

For example, you may say, ‘I want more money,’ but your dominant subconscious belief may be, ‘Earning the amount of money I want is very difficult’.

Notice anything different about these two statements? They are going in different directions. So after years of frustrating and contradictory messages you still don`t have what you want.

What is really happening is that your conscious and subconscious are almost always in conflict. You consciously say, `I want more money` and then after listening, your subconscious says, `No matter what you do, it is too difficult to create that amount of money`. As a result there is no agreement between your conscious and subconscious. When this happens they cancel each other out and give up on assisting you to create what you would like to have in your life.

What is critical to understand is the competition, conflicting agendas, and disharmony between your conscious and subconscious is keeping what you from having what you desire. Why?

Because when your conscious and subconscious are not in agreement they produce negative emotion. And it is that negative emotion or energy that attracts the things you don’t want.

Let me explain to you what is really happening.

Every thought is received by the brain, which is the organ of the conscious mind. It is here that it is subjected to our power of reasoning. When the conscious or objective mind has been satisfied that the thought is true, it is sent to the subconscious mind to be brought into the world of reality through quantum physics or the law of attraction.

It is no longer susceptible to any argument whatsoever. The subconscious mind cannot argue. It only acts. It accepts the conclusions of the conscious mind as final. This is the point at which the uncreated becomes the created, the universal becomes individualized, and the invisible becomes visible.

Put simply, every thought that you think has its own energetic vibrational frequency. That thought is impressed into your subconscious mind. Then, through the Law of Attraction it will energetically attract another person, place, thing or circumstance that has a vibrational match or is vibrating at the same frequency.

Your subconscious mind cooperates complete with your conscious mind when it understands and agrees with what you consciously want. In other words, this is when your conscious and subconscious are not in conflict.

When you feel negative emotions they are signals from your subconscious that you are not in harmony with what you desire and this creates emotional energy blocks within your electromagnetic system.

You are not alone. Conflict, manifested as an emotional energy block, is common in almost everyone.

Have you ever wondered why... athletes get into slumps? This defies normal logic. There is no physical reason for an athlete to perform below par. He or she is the same highly trained athlete before, after and during the slump. Yet, no matter how highly skilled, all athletes go through this consistently throughout their careers. Why?

Addictions are so hard to overcome?

Most addicts want to be free of their destructive patterns. They know, and will often admit, that their addiction is costing them their health, their relationships, their money and even their life! Yet they continue with it. Why?

Depression is so hard to overcome?

Depression is one of the most difficult psychological issues to handle. It is not unusual for an individual who suffers from depression to go through years of expensive therapy and not make much progress. Why?

Healing sometimes takes so long?

We have a lingering cold that just won`t go away, a headache or pain that keep coming back again and again or a sprain or broken bone that takes forever to heal. Why?

We self-sabotage ourselves?

We try to change our behaviours or become more successful in our business or career yet we often manage to fall back into our previous `comfort zones` with little or no real progress. Why?

The reason we have these experiences is that we do not correct the negative emotion IN THE MOMENT. Regardless of what you have read or heard, you cannot correct this through positive thinking. You must go BEYOND POSITIVE THINKING to get rid of the ‘Saboteur Within’. I call this ‘Right Thinking’. It is right because it is based on truth, not illusion.

Here is something you can do right now. Notice when you are feeling any negative emotion or conflict. That is your ‘inner guidance system’ telling you that you are not in harmony with your desire. This is your first clue.

IN THAT MOMENT you MUST self-correct. Change your FEELING right then and there because how you FEEL as a result of a thought is what causes the negative emotion. The negative emotion then causes the conflict. And the conflict attracts more of the things you DON’T WANT!

So, if you do nothing else, remember that you MUST correct and STOP the negative attraction in the MOMENT if you are serious about getting rid of the ‘Saboteur Within’ that will clear the way for you conscious and subconscious to work in harmony to bring your desire.

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‘RESUME WRITING - THINGS TO CONSIDER’

By Martin Smith

You are looking for a job and you are out to land the job of a lifetime. It can happen! Before you consider want ads, job websites, or making inquiries of companies you are interested in, you will need a resume. Your resume writing can either make or break a job opportunity.

The first thing your resume must be is functional. It is to give the employer the most information possible in one page. Resumes that are longer than one page are often put aside.

Employers just don`t have the time to read every page. At best many just scan your resume and count on your cover letter and maybe an interview to glean anything else about you before you are considered for hire.

In order for your resume to be functional you group your skills into different sections and your titles at the bottom. This is the format people who are changing careers typically use. They don`t want to draw attention to gaps in employment or their lack of direct experience.

The chronological resume is well organized listing of skills, education, and employment in order from the most current experience backward or reverse order. The categories of your resume should be concise and relevant to the position for which you are applying.

If you are fresh out of college and unemployed put your education first, directly below the letterhead. You will list your school, your degree, your major and your graduation date. If space allows, you can list your relevant course work, related academic awards, and/or your grade point average.

Other categories include relevant work experience, volunteer experiences and other skills such as computer skills, any publications you may have written or contributed to, and language skills as they might apply to the position.

Finally, you will list your references or make the statement ‘References will be furnished upon request’. Let me give you important advice about references. Do not list someone as a reference unless you have obtained his or her consent to do so.

You will want the person you ask for a reference to be a former boss, teacher, long time friend who is familiar with your abilities, and possibly your clergyman.

The appearance of your resume is very important. The font you use should be clear and easy to read. The suggested font for a resume is a Sans Serif font like Arial or Verdana. These fonts come out more clearly in faxes.

The format of your resume should be simple and plain. It should showcase your accomplishments. The prospective employer should be able to scan the page and get a good grasp on whether or not you would be good for the position.

Another important consideration for your resume is the type of paper you use. The most acceptable colours are white, cream, off white, and gray. They are easiest to read and the font will stand out nicely. You should use the same type of paper for your resume, your cover letter, and your envelope. Many stationery stores have sets of paper and envelopes for your resume. Go in and consult with a sales person to find out what they have to offer. You could always put it on a disk and bring the disk to a printer and have it professionally done.

When describing your skills, your education, or your experience. Use action words. Instead of starting a sentence with a noun use a strong verb. When you need to put in numbers use percentages, and dollar amounts. List the number of people you supervised as well.

Keep the length of your resume to one page. As has been stated employers do not have the luxury of spending a lot of time on the resumes they receive. Some companies can get a great number of resumes and most of the time they scan the resumes. Include only the most relevant information. You can fill in information in a cover letter or an interview.

An important piece of your resume is the job objective. Are you going for a teaching position? Your resume should reflect your teacher training, your scores on specialty tests. If you were applying for a job in a department store you would list your babysitting experience. It`s all relative.

While the cover letter is not a resume, it does give you the opportunity to expand somewhat on the information you put forth in the resume. Here again use strong action words and strong descriptions. Be sure all information in the resume and the cover letter is as accurate as it can be.

There are numerous resources available for you such as pre-employment counsellors, the career office at your college, and a number of books on resume writing and how to get a job. Search online, the sources on the Internet are almost limitless. If necessary go to the human resources department of a business that is similar to the one you are interested in.

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‘AVOID THE 11 COSTLY MISTAKES CAREER-SEEKERS MAKE’

By Bill Dueease

Most people spend approximately 25% to over 67% of their waking hours working. Eventually, most everyone will want to work in a career that they enjoy and are paid well enough to live a prosperous life. Yet, far too many people end up being miserable in their job and find themselves stuck in a career that they did not choose. People then get discouraged, produce less, and become disgruntled.

Unfortunately, people then blame themselves or those they work for, when in truth there is rarely anything wrong with them or the people they work for. Instead, maybe their job selection process is flawed which causes them to fall into the wrong positions.

You have considerable control over selecting your work conditions to get the position you are passionate about by following these 11 steps.

Step # 1 Avoid following the normal trial and error career selection process

You probably follow the trial and error path to select your job or career. You take jobs that appear to be the best opportunities and try them out. You adjust to what your bosses and the companies want in hopes of advancement. You eventually discover that you are stuck in jobs or careers that you really don`t like. You might switch to other jobs and try them out and eventually end up in the same unhappy position. You will want to avoid falling back into the trial and error selection process.

Step # 2 Avoid following a career path to please others

Many people feel obligated to follow a career to please others or that they feel they “should” pursue. Spousal influence, peer pressure, family tradition, parental pressure, societal pressure, and other outside influences are frequently allowed to dictate career paths. In these situations, you end up working to suit the needs, wants and expectations of someone other than yourself and deep conflicts arise. These conflicts cause you stress, unhappiness and income reduction. You end up working at a position you do not like and eventually disappoint the people you wanted to please in the first place.

Step # 3 Focus first on what you want and enjoy in your ideal career

You have your own inner wants, needs, and feelings. Many times it is easier to follow how others view you than to look for and accept the truth about yourself. The only way you will know which career is best for you is to focus first on YOU to discover what YOU want and what is important to YOU.

Step # 4 Discover your true passions

Most people are passionate about something, but have suppressed their feelings for a number of reasons. You will want to discover what you are passionate about so you can find the position that will allow you to feel fulfilled. Your passions are always with you and you probably do not recognize or understand them. You will know you are passionate about something when you become naturally excited just thinking about it and even more excited about doing it.

Step # 5 Discover your true desires and priorities

Most people do not take the time to discover what their desires and priorities are in life. They seem to just go with the flow and hope that they are heading in the right direction. Yet, the one big reason people feel so frustrated while working is that it conflicts with their true desires and priorities. An example of a desire is: wanting to work outdoors with people. An example of a priority is: placing your family first.

Step # 6 Discover your true values

Everyone has his or her own value system. Unfortunately, people rarely look into their own values and instead frequently accept the values imposed by the companies they work for. Just look at the damage caused to the many employees of Enron, World Com, Global Crossing and others whose beliefs did not agree with the misguided values of the CEO`s and higher executives. Were all of the employees misguided? Certainly not. Yet, most failed to discover their very honest values, and were penalized anyway, because they conflicted with the values of the leaders of the companies.

Step # 7 Discover your true talents

The most productive and enjoyable position for you is the one that comes naturally and is easier to do because it fits your talents and skill levels. You will enjoy working, be much more productive, and generate more quality results when you maximize the use of your talents at work. Your increased productivity and higher quality results will attract greater rewards to you.

Step # 8 Create or find the position the matches you

Unfortunately, many people who actually know what their ideal income positions really are choose not to pursue them. Either they feel guilty pursuing them, or they feel that they are unattainable, or more frequently they do not know how to get them. You want to find or create the position that will allow you to fulfill your passions, desires, values and talents. Now you can create the position to suit you, instead of taking a position and adjusting to it.

Step #9 Get help from the right person

People are led to believe that they can easily look within themselves and discover themselves on their own. Self-help books and assessment tests claim that reading the books or taking the tests will reveal all you need to get your ideal career. Yet, both methods fall very short of actually getting to the truth. Discovering what you really want, what your true talents or values are is not a self-help process.

We humans cannot see our face without using a mirror or a photographic image. Just as you must look into a mirror to see what you really look like, you must have another person act as your objective mirror to see what you really want to do and be in life.

Your other-person-mirror must be totally devoted to you and must be able to actively assist you in seeing within, where you may have been reluctant to look before. They must provide you an objective, non-critical mirror. Seek out and get someone to be your objective mirror to discover the truths about yourself, to find or create your ideal position. Career coaches are trained, motivated and focused on assisting you in becoming ‘The World’s Leading Expert on You’.

Step # 10 Go after the position that best suits YOU

Devise a program to attain your very distinct target positions. You will not be trying to ‘get a job’ like so many others. You will be able to focus on getting a very specific income positions. You will not waste time, money, effort or emotional energy on pursuing unwanted position. You will want to recruit your ideal positions, even if they appear not to be available. Why?: because you have now become an extremely valuable and in essence, very marketable source of productivity. You will be very surprised how easy it is to actually get the position you love. Bosses prefer people who are enthusiastic about a job because they love it, and customers are easily attracted to professionals or business owners who love their work.

Step # 11 Recognize that your career wants and needs will change

Many people think that because they finally found the position they are passionate about, that they will want to stay in it forever. The position that is ideal today will probably not be ideal in a couple of years. Why?: because your passions, desires, priorities and needs will most likely change with time. Your values, or at least your understanding of your values, might also change. As they change, your ideal career positions will also change. You will want to continually keep a pulse on yourself to determine your new priorities to reshape your career positions to what is important to you in each stage of your life.

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This has been provided as an educational service by Bill Dueease of, The Coach Connection, where, ‘connecting great people with great coaches’ is their goal. You may receive a free copy of the article ‘The Ten Paths to Human Improvement’ by contacting The Coach Connection at 800-887-7214 or 239-415-1777 or coaches@findyourcoach.com, or www.findyourcoach.com/0o-career-coach.htm

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‘TESTING THE WATERS OF ONLINE EDUCATION: REASONS TO GIVE DISTANCE LEARNING A TRY’

By Zachary Chouteau

Online learning is still a relatively new format for the delivery of classroom instruction. And while the benefits of attending a virtual classroom instead of a physical classroom are many -- ranging from convenience and affordability to better collaboration and accessibility -- there are still a number of potential students out there who are reluctant to give it a try.

Yet, there is a way to test the waters of online learning to figure out if online study is right for you. Unlike, say, parachute jumping or becoming a heart surgeon, you can find out without taking a big scary plunge.

While traditional colleges and universities normally require you commit to a full semester or even year of courses, that is anything but the case with most online schools. Without any commitment, and very little (if any) expense, you can decide firsthand whether or not online education is a good fit for your unique learning style. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

That being said, online learning isn’t just about earning a degree any longer -- far from it in fact. There are countless certification courses out there -- offered by top-tier and accredited universities -- that can be taken to learn a new skill or brush up on an old one. From graphic design to massage therapy, certification courses can lead to a new hobby and even a new career.

‘Personal growth’ courses also abound, and range from discovering your inner peace and improving your positive thinking to photography and screenwriting. While these kinds of online courses might not enhance your resume, necessarily, the impact they have on one’s life can be profound. You won’t find a more convenient or affordable way to pursue some serious -- and seriously fulfilling -- self-improvement.

So why not give online learning a try -- or try online learning to test that career path you’ve always dreamed of?

Here are some reasons to give online learning a try.

Dream Big

You only live once, so why not look into the true dream job or career you would want most out of life? With today’s countless options online, anything is within your grasp ‘whether you’ve considered becoming a private eye, trial lawyer, or heart surgeon.

No one wants to be wondering years down the road whether they should have taken the chance on a career that they really would have loved. You never know what’s possible until you try!

Get Creative

Online learning isn’t just about getting a degree or improving your technical skills. It’s now an educational arena more and more people are turning to for art, music, photography, and other creative endeavours.

At the very least, you’ll liven up your current life with a fulfilling creative release. And who knows, your creative passion might even lead to a whole new career!

Try Something New

As we mentioned, distance learning can be a convenient and affordable way to investigate a new passion, learn a new skill, or sample a new career direction -- with no risk and little expense.

Maybe you’re a receptionist that’s always wanted to try graphic design? Or a paralegal itching to get into IT? Statistics show that most people change careers at least once in their lives, and gaining expertise in a new field is a great way to test-drive a new career. Online courses let you sample a new field without leaving your current one, and can generally be worked into your busy schedule with ease.

Take a Step Up

On the other hand, maybe you’re already happy with your job and chosen field, but would like a quick career boost. You’d likely be surprised at how much learning one new skill can impact your job standing. An accountant learning a new bookkeeping program, for instance, or a graphic designer getting a grasp of the newest cutting-edge software, can make all the difference in the world when a promotion is at stake.

Additionally, your employers will almost certainly be impressed with your drive and initiative -- not to mention your tangible new skill. Some businesses will even cover the cost of your tuition if the course directly applies to your work with them.

Help Yourself

If you’re a small-business owner, or just aspire to be, there’s a perfect online course just waiting out there for you. What shop-keeper, e-commerce seller, or innkeeper couldn’t stand to improve their bookkeeping skills, know more about saving on their taxes, or gain crucial knowledge on business management?

Imagine the money you could save by handling your own financial ledgers, or dealing with your own tax filing at the end of the year!

And for the aspiring entrepreneur, your only challenge will be choosing the right business to explore. Whether you’re considering opening a B& B, restaurant, import-export service, or other small business, there’s likely an online course available to show you the ropes.

Strengthen a Weakness

It’s safe to say that everyone has at least one weakness -- from the technically handicapped, to the financially clueless, to those who struggle to communicate better or run their office in a more organized manner.

That monkey on your back has been there too long, but you can give him the boot with one thorough online course. You’ll feel a weight off your shoulders and won’t feel so much at the mercy of your bookkeeper or office IT staff.

Satisfy Your Curiosity

Maybe you’ve always wondered what it was like in the world of graphic design, or how those computer gamers come up with such amazing results. Everyone has something they’re curious about but never looked into. Our pragmatic side, or fear of failure, tells us “that’s not for you”, or “you’re an accountant, not an interior designer, darn it!”

With the accessibility and affordability of distance courses, you can now satisfy your curiosity without breaking the bank, or even a sweat. Even if you don’t end up making a career change, you’ll get to see how the other half lives and gain expertise in a brand-new area.

Stop Waiting!

Regardless of your choice with distance learning, there’s no time like the present to give it a try. The field as a whole has grown to be so extensive there is literally no end to your online options.

For someone who`s unsure whether or not they want to start pursuing a full degree online, a certification or personal development course can be ideal for getting a true feel for what online learning is all about. If you like it and feel you can succeed at it, then you can take the plunge and move on to a legitimate degree program. If it’s not your cup of tea, no big deal, since the monetary and time commitments are fairly nominal.

But the fact is, you won’t know how you feel about online learning, or that dream career you’ve always thought about, or learning a new skill, until you give distance education a test-run.

You have little to lose and a world of possibilities to gain.

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‘CAREERS ONLINE - STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS’

By Austin Culley

This article pertains to those wishing to start a small business online with the number of employees starting at one. It is assumed that you intent on building your own web site and will be the administrator of all aspects of your new business until revenue permits you to hire help. The main objective here is to focus on a long-term goal: permanent full-time self-employment.

1. Investment: Time is your primary investment. Most people would assume that capital is the primary investment, but this is not the case. The capital required to run your business will initially be your own salary, your computer and an Internet connection, and your costs to buy your domain and host your site.

2. Goal: The focus should never be on the short-term windfall, you stand a good chance to fail due to impatience. Expenses can stress your ability to hang in there, and if so, get a side job to pay the bills, but don’t ever quit on the objective, which is working for yourself, even if the word is ‘eventually’.

3. Change: Leave yourself open to changing your plan of attack so-to-speak. You may find, and more than likely will, that what you thought would work, doesn’t, or doesn’t quite. This would be due to online inexperience. Stay open to moving with the current of the consumer.

4. Have at your disposal the right tools for success This means investing in a reasonably good computer. Maintenance of your computer is critically important. Ref – ‘The Newbie`s Guide to Personal Computer Maintenance’

5. Choose a domain that is short, yet specific to what it is you intend to do with your business. Do not pay for any less than a two-year term. You have to allow yourself more than a year to succeed. Choose a web host that caters to commerce. Never ever choose a free hosting package for a business.

6. If you don’t have any experience with web design, sign up to receive newsletters from any web design source and browse forums for answers to your questions.
Ref – ‘The Newbie’s Guide to Small Business Web Design’

7. Once you have bought your domain and begun building your business, make a point to be thorough with regards to the basics of web design, such as having rich content, and acquiring inbound links to your site. The ‘backend’ of your web site, meaning the placement of keywords and tags, will eventually help your inevitable success. Be a perfectionist here, but don’t spend too much of your time trying to be #1 on the search engines. Let your future webmaster worry about that.

The key point to remember here is to allow yourself time to succeed without wasting time trying to be a millionaire tomorrow. Plan to be in business for fifty years, and go from there. Save your first home page as a reminder to show down the road to your many employees as to where you were. Tell them all how you started out with nothing and made the company ‘what it is today’ from this simple beginning.

Don’t run the human race, but break free from the rat race, by making your move.

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‘JOB INTERVIEWS -- WHAT YOUR PRE-INTERVIEW RESEARCH SHOULD COVER’

By Mary Brent

When you go in for a job interview, you`re not just a candidate seeking a job. You`re a potential problem solver and contributor. To play that role effectively, you must be armed with the right kind of information. That`s what pre-interview research is all about.

Break down your research efforts into four broad areas. That`ll make it easier to manage and also ensure you don`t leave anything out.

#1: Get insights into the organization

This is the best place to start your research.

Obviously you should find out about the organization`s products and services, the markets it serves and how long they have been in existence. Plus, you need to know their organization structure, who the top management is, recent trends in growth, profitability and how their stock is performing.

However, to differentiate yourself, you must go beyond these basic facts. Find out a bit about the organization culture. Learn about what they look for in employees. What areas are they expanding into in the near future?

What are the key challenges facing the company? Are these the same challenges facing the industry as a whole? What unique difficulties do they face?

What do people working there think about the organization? Is there high staff turnover, especially within senior management? What do competitors think of the company?

Based on this information, try to think of what could be done to solve some of their problems. What innovations could help them? What contributions could they value?

#2: Find out about the job

In many cases, you`ll have to wait for the interview to get all the job details. However, you need to do some digging beforehand, e.g., Who will you be reporting to? What is his / her background and reputation?

Find out about the general responsibilities in the job. What are you expected to deliver on a daily basis? What results do you need to achieve every quarter, every year?

Where does your department fit in within the hierarchy? Who held this job before? Why did he leave? How many people have held this job over the past five years? Who are the people you`ll be supervising?

What are the biggest obstacles to performing this job well? What kind of person do they want for this position? What personal qualities are they looking for?

You will need to tap into your network to find answers. Look for leads into the target organization and try to get introductions to people working there. The company`s clients, vendors and bankers are also good sources of information.

#3: Get to know about the interviewer

A key part of job interview success is about building rapport with the interviewer. That`s why it helps to find out something about him.

Learn about his background -- educational qualifications and career progression are good starting points. Get an idea about his reputation within the organization.

Find out details like his professional affiliations, hobbies and family. Try to get a sense of his values and personal style -- what kind of person is he?

See if you have anything in common with him. Whether it`s hobbies, city where you grew up or anything else. If there is, it`s easier to build rapport. Even if there isn`t, the fact-finding you`ve done will allow you to conduct yourself appropriately at the job interview.

#4: Be up-to-date on the industry and profession

This is the big-picture context you must be aware of. Know about trends and developments in the career you`ve chosen.

This is particularly important if you`re changing careers. In that case, your focus will be on your transferable skills. You need to prove that you know what you are getting into and how your existing skills and experience will help you in this new career / profession.

Apart from mainstream news media, trade publications are a great source of information. In addition, seek out someone in your network who can give you the inside scoop on what`s happening.

At the job interview, you should be able to discuss trends, career paths and the skill-set needed to succeed. You are aiming to convey that you have a firm grasp of what the industry and profession is all about and that you are prepared to function effectively.

Learn all pertinent facts about the industry. How profitable has this industry been over time? What are the current growth trends? Is this a mature, slow-growing industry or one of the newer faster-paced ones?

How important is your profession to this industry? Is it a core profession or something that`s peripheral to the industry`s success?

What developments could disrupt growth and profitability? These could be related to technology, distribution, changes in market preferences and much more.

This information will allow you to talk intelligently about your industry and profession.

Research is the base on which good strategy is built. Take the time to do it well and you will have a considerable lead over your competitors.

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‘RESUME 101 - ENHANCING YOUR MARKETABILITY
DESPITE THOSE EMPLOYMENT GAPS’

By Annemarie Cross (CPRW, CRW, CEIP, CCM, CECC, CWPP)

Involuntary career breaks, or dare we say it, ‘unemployment’, can often be a frightening situation for anyone to be in. After the initial shock of unexpectedly finding yourself without a job, it doesn’t take long before disillusionment sets in, particularly when days turn into weeks, then weeks into months or even longer, and you begin to panic: how you are going to handle the ever-increasing employment gap on your resume?

The belief that the longer you are out of work, the more difficult it will be to regain employment is understandable. However, it is important to stress that many people at one time or another have found themselves jobless whether through their own doing (such as taking a career break to raise children or scheduling a well-deserved holiday), or in situations that have been beyond their control such as with layoffs, redundancies or company closures.

So if you currently find yourself unemployed, don’t be discouraged as many have experienced job losses and have eventually re-established successful careers. Rather than letting fate take its course, they have implemented various strategies that increased their marketability to a potential employer, and believe it or not you too can follow these tactics and hopefully shorten the gap that lays between where you are now and the light at the end of what seems like a never-ending tunnel.

Following these initiatives should assist you in transforming a potential employment gap into a learning experience, and provide you with marketable solutions for use in your resume.

* Demonstrate your commitment to remaining current with industry trends through reading publications, periodicals or trade journals, or even researching the internet.

* Join a professional association within your field and get involved. Not only is this another way of keeping current with industry trends, but also a fantastic opportunity to grow your network; meet and develop relationships with potential employers; and even generate/source some great job leads from other members of the group.

* Take a class or a professional development course to enhance your knowledge. You may even find yourself developing new skills that can open doors to a new and more challenging career path.

* Consider the possibility of providing advice in your line of expertise through consulting or projects/assignment work performed as part of your own business. This will allow you to develop strategic relationships with other companies, which could possibly lead to full-time employment, and/or allow you to continue developing your network of contacts.

* Provide your knowledge/services on a voluntary basis. Just because this is on a non- paid basis does not discredit any great results or contributions you may have made within an organization.

* Become a mentor and support someone else’s knowledge growth. Knowing that you have facilitated or contributed to another person’s journey of knowledge

enhancement can be extremely rewarding.

* Write articles for a publication in your industry which is a great way to portray your expertise and raise your credibility and profile among your peers.

* Offer your services within family/associates’ businesses either on a voluntary or paid basis. Not only will you be contributing to the overall running of their business, but ensuring you skills remain up-to-date.

There are also various techniques you can use when developing your resume in order to draw attention away from potential gaps.

* Rather than presenting your resume in a reverse chronological format (which is the most common) providing contact details and professional experience with the most recent at the forefront, try the combination or functional formats, which list your transferable skills, competencies and accomplishments relevant to the position at the forefront. This way you are demonstrating at the outset what you can contribute to the position.

* Another strategy is to omit the months when providing dates, so that instead of stating 10/1997 - 5/2002, you would just write 1997 - 2002.

* List any education or professional development courses at the forefront as this will demonstrate your initiative and commitment to expanding your knowledge.

* Treat consulting, assignments, or self-employment as professional experience, as with any voluntary work performed within the community or even for the family business. There is no need to disclose that this was unpaid, nor even the fact that you were related to the manager; only concentrate on your accountabilities and accomplishments.

Your job search should be treated as your full-time job and each day should be organized and prioritized with time allocated to sourcing suitable positions, sending off applications, following up, and continually working and expanding your network of contacts to maximize your overall job search campaign.

Maintain your health, physical fitness and personal appearance to ensure your positivity and enthusiasm do not diminish. Therefore, when finally called into an interview, you will not bring with you a blanket of self-doubt and disenchantment. During the interview remember to portray all of the relevant experience and achievements (gained through the above strategies) with enthusiasm, while demonstrating your ability to continue contributing your expertise toward the ongoing success of their company.

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‘WHAT IS MY LIFE PURPOSE?’

By Jo Ball

Why am I here?

If you haven’t already asked this question, I’m sure you will. Sooner or later most of us do.

It’s not an easy question to answer. It’s broad in terms of possibility.

Right now you might be a go-getter in the city; but you could just as easily be a procrastinator in a suburb. Same question, different perception.

But whatever we’re searching for in life, be it a bigger home, a wonderful relationship, a new car, top job with a superb salary, loving children or just a little peace in our hearts, it’s clear to see we are all united in our search for one thing. But what is that thing?

It’s a simple thing. It’s at the heart of all of our decisions, yet it often passes us by too easily, too often. When we do catch it, it is a marvellous experience.

I believe we’re all searching for happiness and I believe the reason why we miss it so often is because of how we search for it. What do I mean?

We’ve been conditioned to want. Wanting creates ‘doing’. We desire possessions and money and careers so that we feel or look good so we ‘do’ the things that bring this to us. We attach our happiness to these objects and then somehow feel empty when we have them.

This is why so many people fell disillusioned, lost or confused about their path. This is why so many people are asking or will ask, ‘Why am I here?’

I asked this question too. Many times, several years ago, I looked up to the sky and asked it. I’m not sure what I expected; perhaps a bolt of lightning striking the pavement before me or a boulder falling from the sky with the details engraved on it?

It didn’t happen.

Then I asked a more powerful question. ‘How do I discover why I am here?’

Looking back now I can see there have been hints. In fact my whole life is littered with hints that can lead me closer to my truth.

But did I follow these hints?

Not on your life. I wanted lightening and boulders and I got day to day life and opportunities dressed up as things I’d never done before.

And then I heard someone say, ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got’.

But when we stop the ‘doing’ of making money and objects and start to ‘be’ we can honestly see that God-given signs are unique to fairy-tales and Bible stories.

In real life we don’t get a bolt of lightning, we get an email, a phone call or a meeting with an old friend and somewhere within this communication, if we’re paying attention to being with the person with the message, we can find answers.

We also don’t get boulders dropping out of the blue in real life; we have an accident, a fall, a bump on the head or bereavement. It’s called a wake-up call!

If we are ‘being’ we understand that call and will somehow know the answers to how and why will be repeated so that you can ‘get’ them.

Let me give you a hint now. Your life does have a purpose. To suggest anything else defies the very nature of our existence.

You have been given unique gifts that you are not using. You need to find them and then understand what to do with them.

Good luck on your journey to happiness

Jo Ball x

Coach & Founder, Unstoppable Life

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‘9 SECRETS TO CAREER SUCCESS’

By Bill Dueease

Are you miserable at your job (or what you are doing) but go anyway to earn a living? Do you feel you are unable to use your talents and are doing things that are stressful? Do you find yourself in a career rut? Wouldn’t you rather be in your ideal income position and ‘Go to Play’ everyday? Most people spend approximately 35% to over 67% of their waking hours working. Being unhappy for so much of the day makes it difficult to enjoy the rest of your waking hours. Think how your life will turn around when you are actually enjoying your `work.` In your ideal career you will be doing what you love and be so good at it that you will produce considerable value which will attract more rewards (including money) than you need.

Does this sound impossible? Well it isn’t. Here are 9 secrets to get the career you will really enjoy.

Secret #1 Focus on you first, before looking at a career

Most people have followed the same trial and error path to work. They take a job that appears to be the best ‘opportunity’ and try it out. They adjust to what their bosses and the company want in hopes of advancement. They eventually discover that they are stuck in a job or career that they really don`t like. Then they decide to try another job ‘opportunity’ and the error cycle continues. To get out of this job rut and get your ideal career you will want to look at your wants and needs first, to discover what your ideal career looks like, before you select your next position.

Secret #2 Discover your true passions

All of us have things we are passionate about doing, but have suppressed them because of a number of reasons. Even though you do not consciously know your passions exist, your subconscious ‘gut’ does. You are probably fulfilling a hidden passion when you do something that gives you a very good ‘gut’ feeling. Conversely, when your ‘gut’ tightens up and creates stress, it is probably because you are doing something at work you are passionate about NOT doing. Once you consciously discover what you are passionate about doing and not doing, you will be able to create a position that allows you to fulfil both. When you follow your passions, you eliminate your conflicts, you have more energy, you have more fun, and you become much better at what you do.

Secret #3 Discover your true desires and priorities

Most of us do not take the time in life to discover our true desires and priorities. We seem to just go with the flow and hope that we are heading in the right direction. We tend to suppress our true desires and priorities for the sake of others. Yet, the one big reason we feel so frustrated in working at a job is because the work conflicts with our true desires and priorities. These conscious conflicts create guilt, doubt, and eventual stress. Yes, you can balance your personal, work and family priorities, but only after you dig to discover what they truly are. You can organize your occupation around your own personal priorities, which will allow you to perform much better at work and reap the additional rewards you deserve. For example, look at how many home-based businesses have popped up to allow people to fulfil both family and work priorities without undue conflicts.

Secret #4 Discover your true values

Everyone has his or her own value system. Unfortunately, people rarely look into them and more often than not accept the values imposed by the companies they work for. Just look at the damage caused to the many employees of Enron, World Com, Global Crossing and others whose beliefs did not agree with the misguided values of the CEO`s and higher executives. Were all of the employees misguided? Certainly not. Most had very honest values but they were penalized anyway.

Secret #5 Discover your true talents

All of us are blessed with certain talents, yet we rarely stop to really figure out what they are. You will enjoy working, be much more productive, and generate more quality results when you maximize the use of your talents at work. Your increased productivity and higher quality results will attract greater rewards for you. Matching your natural talents to your income position will create greater enjoyment and attract increased rewards at the same time.

Secret #6 Create or develop your ideal position to fit you

People rarely perform this step because they fall into the rut of chasing job ‘opportunities’ and the disastrous trial and error method of choosing their work. Why, because they are led to believe that creating an income position to suit themselves is not possible, even while they are frequently told to do what they want. Remember, it is your work selection process that is flawed, not you. Once you know your passions, desires, values and talents, you will be able to develop and find a number of careers that will allow you to fulfil all of them at the same time. Now you will be creating the position to suit you, instead of taking a position and adjusting to it. Believe it or not, the more you know about yourself, the easier it will be to create and find your ideal position.

Secret #7 Go get your ideal position

Now you are ready to get your ideal position. If your ideal position is an already established job, you will be amazed at how easily and quickly you will be able to get it. Your enthusiasm, your confidence, your talents to perform, and especially your capacity to produce many quality results will attract any worthwhile employer. They will know you really want to perform, instead of just applying for a job. If your position is not a job, but one where you are either a business owner or an independent contractor, you will easily and quickly begin the process of building the position to suit your personal criteria.

Secret #8 Get Help from the right person

People are led to believe that they can easily look within themselves and discover what is there on their own. Self-help books and assessment tests claim that reading the book or taking the tests will reveal all you need to get your ideal career. Yet, both methods fall very short of actually getting to the truth. Discovering what you really want, what your true talents or values are is not a self-help process.

We humans cannot see our face without using a mirror or a photographic image. Just as you must look into a mirror to see what you really look like, you must have another person act as your objective mirror to see what you really want to do and be in life. Seek out and get someone to be your objective mirror to discover the truths about yourself, to find or create your ideal position.

Secret #9 Once you obtain your ideal position, stay there until it suits you to leave

Many people actually obtain a position that they really love and it fulfils their wants and needs. Then along comes the promotion to elevate these very productive and happy workers, because they are so happy and productive. They are expected to perform even better and with more enthusiasm because the new job pays more and has a higher status. But it doesn’t work out that way. The new, higher position is very different from the one they loved so much, and performing it is much more difficult which creates conflicts and stress, especially with the additional pressure to do more. Once you arrive at your ideal position, have the courage to remain in that position until your wants and needs change to drive you to get the new position to suit your new criteria. The acceptance of promotions to suit others has ruined far too many happy work relationships. Take control of your work and accept promotions only if they increase your ability to fulfil your personal wants and needs.

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‘THE FIVE C’S TO BUILDING A CAREER YOU WILL LOVE’

By Dave Lindbeck

If you have clarity about what you want and need in your life, you are more likely to get it. This is as true for your career as it is for other things in your life. However, most people spend more time researching and evaluating a car purchase, than they do on that very important thing in life - a career.

When it comes to your “life`s work”, you can significantly increase the odds of building a career you will love by taking a few simple factors into account. These include being clear about what you want to do, where and with whom you want to do it, and what you want to get out of it as well as what you are willing to give up in return. However, this is not the way most people approach their career.

Unfortunately, many of us don`t plan our careers, we just take jobs. And even when we do some planning, we base our decision on only one or two factors, when there are other equally important things to consider.

When asked about your particular job and career choice, it`s likely that you respond with one or two of these statements:

- `It`s a great place to work` (culture)

- `The guy I`ll be working for seems really nice`(command)

- `The people are fun` (comrades)

- `The pay is really good` (compensation)

- `I`ll get to do what I want` (contribution)

The problem is, just one or two of these criteria are typically not enough to keep us excited about our choice, and soon we find ourselves not enjoying our work. This is because, although we love the pay, our boss is a jerk, or we’re not getting to do the tasks we enjoy, or something else we overlooked, is now an issue.

You can avoid this problem by getting clear about the 5 C`s of your career from the beginning. It`s important to know what matters to you. Here are some questions to consider:

1. Culture:

In what kind of company do I want to work? - Large or small? Public or privately owned? Nurturing environment or `sweat shop? Fun or serious?

2. Command:

For what type of boss/supervisor would I like to work? - Warm and friendly or distant? Micro-manager or hands off? Dictator or leader?

3. Comrades:

With whom do I want to work? - Team players or mavericks? Highly social or indifferent? Helpful and supportive? Shared work ethic?

4. Compensation:

What would I like my financial package and other `benefits` to be? - How much money do I want to make? Do I want professional growth and development? Would I like to work on a commission basis? How important is recognition to me?

5. Contribution:

What would I like to give in my work? - Do I need to make a difference in the world? Do I need to express myself creatively? Do I need to take on a lot of responsibility? Do I want to lead or manage people?

The 5 C`s raise your awareness and ultimately improve your job satisfaction, because you`re more likely to be doing and experiencing what you love, than taking what you can get.

Although you can`t control all these aspects of your career nor the people in it, being clear will help you ask better questions and do better research as you evaluate your career. The key is in getting the most you can, and also agreeing with yourself that what you are able to get is what you truly want.

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‘MAKING NEW CAREER HABITS AND RESOLUTIONS STICK’

By Scott Brown

Whether it`s for New Years` or any other time of year, it takes discipline to change your behaviour. Many people realize that new habits like attending more networking events or taking on special projects at work could help them get ahead in their careers. Yet the number of people who follow through with making real changes to their habits is much lower. In this job searching tip, we`ll discuss steps you can take to make sure you achieve your goals.

1. Write Your Goals Down

• No matter what your goals are, your first step should be to write them down.

• Writing your goals down gives you a chance to see them on something tangible, which makes them more real.

• It also gives you an opportunity to think through what you need to do to get to your objective.

• When writing your goals down, visualize where you want to be ultimately and write out the steps you would need to take to get there. For example, if you want to become the manager of your department, it might require that you improve your public speaking skills and that you get noticed by the higher-ups. Perhaps being able to participate in social activities like golf outside the workplace but with other important people in the office would help you get noticed.

• If you`re not sure how to get a position you want, you can always try asking someone who has the position already how they got it. This might require attending networking events or working your rolodex to find someone who can give you the information you need.

2. Take Action

• Writing your goals down is a good first step.

• Then you need to take action!

• The sooner you take action, the better.

• Maybe it`s enrolling in a class, or signing up to attend the first networking event.

• Even if the action you take is small compared with all that needs to be done to achieve your goal, it will get you one step closer and psychologically make you feel more committed.

3. Set Deadlines

• If you simply resolve to make changes or achieve things but don`t have any timeline set to your goals, you run the risk of getting lazy and procrastinating.

• Set up a plan with deadlines to reach on a regular, perhaps monthly, basis.

• Then make sure to update your plan if a deadline is missed so that the subsequent deadline doesn`t become impossible to meet.

4. Reward Yourself

• Getting yourself to change behaviour is hard - even if it`s something you really want.

• When it comes to changing behaviours, it`s helpful to think of yourself as a coach.

• A coach will push you hard when he knows you can do better.

• But if you work really hard and give 100%, he`ll also reward you for a job well done.

• Any achievement plan should also include incentives and rewards.

• For example, if you hate public speaking but realize you have to improve your skills to get a better position, you might commit to treat yourself to ice cream whenever you deliver a speech for your public speaking class.

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‘PURPOSE-DRIVEN WORK:
ADVICE FOR JOB, CAREERS & SUCCESS IN CHALLENGING TIMES’

By C. Clinton Sidle

In the news recently, there has been much said about the importance of creating jobs. While unemployment is ravaging every part of the workforce, perhaps hardest hit are fresh college graduates who can't get started. For these young people the damage can be deep and long-lasting and create what Peter Coy from Business Week calls a "lost generation."

So how do we advise them, or any career oriented professional looking for job success and satisfaction? My simple answer is "You just need one job." It may not be in your field and it may be a rung down the ladder from where you belong, but all you need is just one. Then, follow your bliss.

My field is leadership and I am concerned with not only how to track people in successful and satisfying careers but also to stir them to make a positive contribution to the world. My question is how can we inspire young professionals and future business leaders "to do well while doing good," in ways that stick? My answer seems like common sense, but may be elusive because of its simplicity: Craft the work you have to you until you find work that you love (or come close). The amazing thing is that when you do, you will not only be more likely to succeed and create more opportunities, but also feel better about yourself and serve in positive, responsible ways.

How does this work?

It's been nearly a half a century since mythologist Joseph Campbell first coined the phrase follow your bliss to show the profound wisdom of tapping into the energy that makes you tick. "There are many things in life that will catch your eye, he said, "but only a few will catch your heart--pursue those." Why? Your odds of success and satisfaction increase greatly when you put your time and energy into things that matter most to you.

Here is a simple process.

Play to your strengths. This now familiar success strategy was made famous by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, Marcus Buckingham, and others. Csikszentmihaly introduced his concept Flow as total immersion in highly rewarding activity that closely matches our natural talents. When you are in your Flow, you are so immersed in exercising your natural talents that the sense of "work" disappears. Finding opportunities to apply them is a powerful source of self-worth, and in turn of happiness and success. So the message is to know your talents and then shape your job around them.

Many of us, however, default our life choices to our learned ambitions rather than our innate abilities. In that bargain, we expend a great deal of energy going against our own grain. No matter how hard you try, however, it's unlikely you will be more than average in areas where you have no aptitude.

How different might it be to follow your bliss instead? One effective principle is the simple rule of play to your strengths, and manage around your weaknesses. Baseball players, for instance, use their dominant hand to throw (play to strength), and use the other hand to catch (manage around weakness) with the help of a glove, a tool. Tiger Woods, Bruce Springsteen, and Warren Buffet did not become great by working on their weaknesses. Working with your natural talents brings success, confidence and enjoyment.

Assessing natural talents is not always easy, but there are plenty of tools available. I introduce The Leadership Wheel as one in my book, This Hungry Spirit: Your Need for Basic Goodness, which is based on the Native American Medicine Wheel and Tibetan Mandala-models of human effectiveness, growth, and change that withstood the test of time for thousands of years. Each direction represents a particular intelligence - intellectual, emotional, intuitive, action, and spiritual - among our potential range of talents. An HR manager who is a more of a data person (intellectual) than a people person (emotional) can be successful by providing the information to serve others on the front line who have those skills effectively.

So these talents, then, do not necessarily channel into specific careers. People with the same or similar talents can be successful in different fields. A career choice is first about knowing strengths, and then about playing to them through the opportunities that life presents. As Aristotle said, "Where your talents cross with the needs of the world, there lies your vocation."

Serve your purpose. Do you want a job (a teacher who thinks they just teach history), a career (a teacher who thinks they're in the business of education) or a calling (a teacher who thinks they're teaching young minds how they can make history)?

Once you begin to discover your talents, ask how you can use them in ways that give you meaning. What is your purpose in applying them? Purpose guides you to make conscious choices, instead of simply defaulting to the script. It also motivates and inspires you--especially in tough times. It taps into who you are deep inside--your beliefs, values, and passions for living - and is your source of power, magic, and influence.

Finding a real purpose is not easy because it must be heartfelt and based on a personal truth. As Victor Frankl said, "We do not invent our missions in life, we detect them." Try answering this question for yourself. Ask, "What is my true purpose in life or, who am I?" Either will do. Write down every response that pops into your head, a phrase is fine, and keep at it until one tugs at your heart. You may write a hundred that don't stick; when one pulls on your heart, you are onto something. That's your purpose for now. Repeat this process periodically, and as you grow your purpose will grow.

This step is key. I have helped thousands of students and professionals through this process and almost without fail, people want to do good in the world.

As I have shared before, in his purpose statement one of my students wrote, "I will work for the success and betterment of myself, my family, my community, my nation, and my world. I will wake up every day wondering how I can do this. I will work hard to learn as much as I can, because with knowledge and understanding comes influence and strength. I will stay true to my beliefs. If I have achieved this, I have achieved success."

Imagine what our world would be like if all our business and political leaders had such a purpose! So are you a banker or a servant to community development, a hairdresser or a counselor, or a pharmaceutical sales person or a purveyor of public health? It makes a difference.

Craft the work you do to you until you find work you love (or come close). So the final step is to craft your work to you by playing to your talents and purpose in your job until you find work you love more. It's a journey. As Peter Drucker said, "The chances that the first career choice you make is the right one for you is roughly one in a million. If you decide the first one is right for you, then the chances are you are just plain lazy." It's not likely that you will know your calling early. However, if you play to your talents and your purpose, you will likely do well, and that will create new opportunities for you. Then you just continue to follow your bliss until you are led to it, or come close.

Most career progressions only make sense in retrospect. The key is to shape your job to you and not the other way around. Even in the most routine things, you can exert some control over the essence of your work. When you do, it's like Confucius said, "Find work you love and you will never work another day in your life."

When in doubt, return to your purpose. Finally, when you face a tough situation or difficult decision, go back to your purpose. You will always have bumps along the road. When in doubt, ask, "How do I serve my purpose in this situation?" How is this situation an opportunity to do that?

This purpose, of course, is an expression of what is right, virtuous, and compassionate about being a human being. Serving it, you serve yourself and your growth. In career choices and the business world in general, you constantly face opportunities and decisions with no clear answers. When you face new opportunity and the road is not clear, draw on your purpose for guidance. If you face an ethical dilemma--a sticky problem with another person, or at odds with your boss and uncertain what to do--ask, "How do I serve my purpose?" The answer typically becomes clear, and you can act with confidence, authenticity, and courage.

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