Age Discrimination Strategies Part II or IV

Age Discrimination Strategies â€" Part II or IV This is Part II in a four part series.   Read the original story here.   Our RIFd (reduction in force another way of saying laid off) friend shares three strategies he should have employed to be prepared for an age-discrimination-induced-termination. Strategies: (1) Financial discipline. I was preparing for retirement. But, I should have done better. Saved more. Hired a financial adviser; not some brokerage flunky. Been more focused on the what if. What if the bridge comes up short? That was a question I should have been asking all along. Hows your financial pyramid? Can it stand up to a tsunami of a premature job loss? (2) Diversified income stream Followed my own thinking, I should have created my own internet business. Hard to do, yes. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. They will kill you. I had ideas that I could have spun out. The internet is perfect for part time jobs. Instead of trying to convince younger people to do it, I should have done it myself. (3) Recognition and self-defense That Last Company was mucked up. (Maybe thats why they hired me.) Should have done something different. They were a rickety bridge. Maybe I should have kept looking for a better one. What are your strategies to combat age discrimination? Age Discrimination Strategies â€" Part II or IV This is Part II in a four part series.   Read the original story here.   Our RIFd (reduction in force another way of saying laid off) friend shares three strategies he should have employed to be prepared for an age-discrimination-induced-termination. Strategies: (1) Financial discipline. I was preparing for retirement. But, I should have done better. Saved more. Hired a financial adviser; not some brokerage flunky. Been more focused on the what if. What if the bridge comes up short? That was a question I should have been asking all along. Hows your financial pyramid? Can it stand up to a tsunami of a premature job loss? (2) Diversified income stream Followed my own thinking, I should have created my own internet business. Hard to do, yes. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. They will kill you. I had ideas that I could have spun out. The internet is perfect for part time jobs. Instead of trying to convince younger people to do it, I should have done it myself. (3) Recognition and self-defense That Last Company was mucked up. (Maybe thats why they hired me.) Should have done something different. They were a rickety bridge. Maybe I should have kept looking for a better one. What are your strategies to combat age discrimination? Age Discrimination Strategies â€" Part II or IV This is Part II in a four part series.   Read the original story here.   Our RIFd (reduction in force another way of saying laid off) friend shares three strategies he should have employed to be prepared for an age-discrimination-induced-termination. Strategies: (1) Financial discipline. I was preparing for retirement. But, I should have done better. Saved more. Hired a financial adviser; not some brokerage flunky. Been more focused on the what if. What if the bridge comes up short? That was a question I should have been asking all along. Hows your financial pyramid? Can it stand up to a tsunami of a premature job loss? (2) Diversified income stream Followed my own thinking, I should have created my own internet business. Hard to do, yes. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. They will kill you. I had ideas that I could have spun out. The internet is perfect for part time jobs. Instead of trying to convince younger people to do it, I should have done it myself. (3) Recognition and self-defense That Last Company was mucked up. (Maybe thats why they hired me.) Should have done something different. They were a rickety bridge. Maybe I should have kept looking for a better one. What are your strategies to combat age discrimination?

How to make graduate school worth the cost

How to make graduate school worth the cost Whenever I have found myself in financial trouble, the first thing I thought was Can I solve this problem with school? I learned this behavior early, when boys were stealing my lunch money on the way to school; I started going to school extra early to do times tables with the teacher until the boys stopped looking for me. I continued this behavior into adulthood, and used grad school as a way to occupy myself during bad economic times. I am not alone in this technique. But grad school is pricey. Most programs cost more than $8,000 a year, and MBA programs can run $100,000 a year. Unless you can get your parents to pay for school, you risk being stuck with loans that you cant pay. So you should check out predictions for the jobs markets of the future, and get credentials that will prepare you to pay back loans without totally limiting your work options. (Heres a start: Healthcare worker, good. Violinist, bad.) You should also be honest with yourself about whether or not you can stomach school. A friend of mine wanted to change careers, so he considered getting a degree in the new field. He took one class to test the waters, and the first day, the professor asked students about their political views. Each student defined her views in relation to those of her parents. Not surprising for a bunch of 20 year olds, but untenable for a seminar if youre 35, like my friend. No degree program for him, but heres the good news he got a job anyway. And you might be able to do that, too. So dont be so quick to sign up for four more years of schooling. If you are still gung-ho on more schooling, make a plan for what that degree will get you after school, in terms of lifestyle and job satisfaction. For example, polls show that lawyers are typically not happy in their profession and biochemists are very happy. Dont neglect the dreaded grad school essay. If you are having trouble writing about why you want to go to a particular program, you probably trying to solve a problem that school cant solve. My third grade teacher put it to me this way: It doesnt help to come back to school when your brother ate your after-school snack. A lot of the going-back-to-school game is luck. During the last recession, I went back to school for English. I thought I would be an English professor, but I got sidetracked by the computer science department and wrote my thesis in HTML. I was lucky that while the idea of teaching English was delusional (jobs are scarce), the Web was the new big thing, and no one knew HTML. I turned my generally useless grad school program into a lucrative job in the high-tech industry. So think carefully before you go back to school, but realize that all the planning in the world does not make you a predictor of the future. Grad school is not a way to play it safe, but its a way to play the odds by opening new doors for yourself.

Does Birth Order Really Affect How We Handle Money

Does Birth Order Really Affect How We Handle Money My cousin has three kids. The middle child has been whining about life being unfair since he was three years old. He turned eight last week and decided to run away with a lunch box full of canned soup, no can opener and high hopes that a childless couple would adopt him so that he could grow up as an only child. His heartfelt goodbye letter was found before he made it past the front door and and he was lured back with promises of ice cream (it doesnt take much to make him happy). Apparently hes right about life not being fair especially not to him or most middle children. It does indeed suck to be him. I came across this study on how birth order affects career paths and earnings and this one  about  credit scores, and it rocks to be the firstborn child or an only child. Heres how it supposed to work: Firstborn / Only Child The Leader You got it made! Youre most likely to earn a 6-figure salary and become executives (CEOs, CFOs, Sr. VPs). You are also the one most likely to have the highest credit score since you pay everything on time and are the picture of responsibility. Youre a control freak though. Middle/Second Child The Peacemaker Youre out of luck. Not only do you get hand-me-downs, youre the most likely to have an income of less than $35,000 and stick to entry-level positions.   Since youre a problem solver, you like to deal with your own finances without asking for help, so you tend to move debt around and likely to have money troubles. Last Born The Free Spirit Youre most likely to be in middle management. You like to socialize and have a hard time cutting out social activities from your budget. So you prefer instant gratification over long-term savings. Youre known to be a bad decision maker. But is it true? In my case,   no. Im the second child and I certainly am not the peacemaker. And Im not that bad with money fiiiiine, I did in fact have some teeny- tiny, okay serious debt troubles, but dropped my charge it and forget it motto and got out of a $34,000 debt. When it comes to personal finance, Im the more responsible one compared to my older brother. Despite my own bout with debt, Im more of a planner for my financial future. When it comes to careers, Id also have to say that mine has more of a focus. In fact, my brother is the more creative one of the two of us. Hes a free spirit, where Im more controlled. It looks like things are reversed in my family. Is this true in your family?

Timeless Book Titles Build Lasting Brands - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Timeless Book Titles Build Lasting Brands - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career When writing a book to build your brand, choose a clear and timeless title, one that wont quickly go out of date. A clearly and obsolescence-proof book title can contribute to a book that will build your personal brand for decades instead of just weeks! Whats wrong with instant bestsellers? With proper promotion at book launch, just about any title can have its moment in the sun on Amazon.com. But, beware: many Amazon best-sellers shine brightly for a short time   as short as 1 day but they quickly flicker out and no longer contribute to their authors personal brand. Other titles, however, establish themselves as classics in their field, and enjoy respectable sales, years even decades after their first appearance. Accordingly, lets address the question: What are the common title characteristics of nonfiction books that remain consistently in print and continue to contribute to their authors brand? Lets consider 10 brand and career-building nonfiction books that have been in print for 10 years, or more: Bly, Bob. The Copywriters Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Copy that Sells. 3rd edition. First published 1984. Burg, Bob. Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts into Sales, 3rd Edition. Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits of Highly-Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. First published, 1990. Hayden, C.J. Get Clients Now! A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants, and Coaches. 10th anniversary. Levinson, Jay Conrad. Guerrilla Marketing: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits from Your Small Business. Fourth edition, first published 1983. Poynter, Dan: Dan Poynters Self-Publishing Handbook: How To Write, Print, and Sell Your Own Book. 16th edition. Sewall, Carl and Brown, Paul B. Customers for Life: How to Turn that One-Time Buyer into a Lifetime Customer.   First edition, 1990. Lessons from the enduring classics Even a quick analysis of the above examples yields numerous lessons. For example: You know what youre going to get. Each of the above titles transparently describes what the book is about; theres no ambiguity or clutter, just a simple description of what the book is about and how youre going to benefit from reading it. Everyday language. The titles use simple, conversational language. Theres no jargon or technical terms. Not only does this aid understanding, but it also ensures that the titles will show up high in search engines; people search on the same keywords they use when talking. Short titles, longer subtitles. Short titles attract attention because they can be set at a large size on book covers. The subtitles, however, are typically much longer, and provide supporting details (plus increase the books visibility to search engines). Universal topics and appeals. None of the above titles are trendy or short-lived. Theres no built-in obsolescence when youre discussing effective personal habits, getting clients, marketing on a budget, or copywriting. The technology may change, but the above titles are rooted in needs that are as relevant today as they were 10, 20, or even more years ago. Bestsellers versus category leaders With one or two exceptions, most of the above titles were never nonfiction bestsellers in terms of weekly bestseller in lists published by newspapers and popular magazines. But, thats OK because most have enjoyed years of leadership in their categorieswhich is far more important than overall sales. Its far more important to enjoy decades of branding success with a book that is consistently in the top 10 books listed in the category that appeals to your prospective clients and customers than it is to enjoy a moment of mass culture exposure. Nonfiction bestseller lists cover far too much ground to have branding value for subject area experts. Subject area experts write books to build their personal brand and bring qualified visitors to their online marketing funnel for eventual conversion into invitations for profitable keynote speeches and sales of proprietary products and services to help readers implement the authors ideas. Nonfiction covers topics of fascination like Civil War History, how the brain works, politics, weight loss, inspiration, and physical fitness. This is a far cry from the relatively specialized goals of event planners and prospects who may want to hire you for coaching or consulting. Takeaway Keep your eye on the ball when writing a book to build your personal brand. Choose a title for your nonfiction book that avoids obsolescence caused by changing technology or socio-economic trends. Look for a title that addresses the timeless information needs of the market you want to serve. Choose a title that tells your story as simply as possible, rather than striving to be cute or catchy. Tell me what you think! Do you like the enduring classics examples I chose? Are there any titles youd like to suggest? Do you agree with my focus on long term category leadership versus writing a bestseller? Author: Roger C. Parker shares ideas for planning, writing, promoting, profiting from brand building books in his daily writing tips blog. His latest book is #BOOK TITLE Tweet: 140 Bite-Sized Ideas for Compelling Article, Book, Event Titles.

Need a Resume Thats Eye-Catching - Heres What You Need to Do!

Need a Resume That's Eye-Catching - Here's What You Need to Do! Photo Credit -Usnews.comWhen it comes to job hunting, your resume is your most crucial and useful tool. It’s the first thing that potential employers will see about you, so it’s essential that it gives the right impression. When an employer receives hundreds of applicants for a role, they cherry pick the best candidates.How the ‘best’ candidates are decided is firstly by throwing away all resumes with any errors on them. That’s why proofreading is so important. Secondly, by looking at the education, skills, and experience that each candidate has. If you want your resume to be one of the ones that’s cherry-picked, you need to ensure that it’s eye catching. As well as, of course, well-written, mistake-free, and professional.The question that a lot of us struggle with is how do we make our resumes stand out? Want to know the answer â€" then keep reading as all is about to be revealed.1. Get as much experience as possibleYou probably think that this goes without saying. How ever, it’s so important that it’s worth repeating. As well as getting experience in other similar roles, consider taking on internships. You may not like the idea of working for free, but in return, you’ll get some awesome experience to add to your resume. As well as another reference. evalMake sure to take advantage of every opportunity, whatever it may be. The more experience you have, the more eye-catching your resume becomes. Employers want people who have the skills and experienced needed to bring success to the role. That’s why they’re so choosy about who they opt to interview.2. Make an effort to get extra credentialsAs well as getting as much experience as possible, it’s also important to get as many extra credentials as you can. While it’s great if these things link to the job that you’re applying for in some way, they don’t have to. For example, many catering companies prefer to hire people who already have food hygiene certificates. While for many manage ment roles, employers look for people who have attended CPR classes and have medical training. Each employer wants something different. Be smart about the extra credentials you can get, take every opportunity with both hands. The more skills you have, the more employment opportunities, you’ll get.3. Be an explorerThis might sound like an odd one, but travel is fantastic to have on your resume. If you have the chance to work or volunteer abroad, then do it. Whether it’s in a role that links to your career ambitions or not, it doesn’t matter. Employers like people who are adventurous as it shows they’re always up for a challenge and aren’t afraid to leave their comfort zones. Whether you’ve worked in Africa or Australia, make sure that it’s on your resume. It will make you stand out from the other applicants. The more unique your skills and experience, the better.Want to ensure that you get that interview? Then make sure that your resume has as many skills and experience s on it as possible.

Linkshare - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Linkshare - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog A few interesting links: World Database of happiness An ongoing register of scientific research on subjective appreciation of life. Learn improv Lots of improv exercises for all occasions. Using moral imagination for irreplicable strategic advantage It pays to be moral according to this paper. Happiness Is a Stochastic Phenomenon The statistics of happiness. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The Benefits of Using Free Printable Resume Templates

The Benefits of Using Free Printable Resume TemplatesA lot of people these days are looking for free printable resume templates that will make the job hunt easier and more efficient. Of course, there are free templates out there, but they are limited to very simple layouts. Too many of them lack any real appeal.For one thing, free printable resume templates can be very distracting. You end up staring at the template all day long, not because you don't like it, but because you can't read the letters in the computer font that are stuck all over it. Then you think about what they might say and wonder if the person who wrote it actually wrote it. You also have to wonder what their intentions were.It takes a while to find a place where you can download the proper paper templates that you need. There are thousands of free templates to choose from online. You have to sort through all of them in order to find the ones that are right for you. You also have to make sure that the materials are in the format that you need, which includes certain fonts, colors, and page layouts.Some of the free templates for resumes don't contain all of the information that you need. Sometimes the templates that are available are for resume-writing schools, for example. But they are only available on sites where you pay money to download them. So if you want to use those types of templates, you have to pay the money in order to have the templates that you need.Another thing that you will find with free resume templates is that the layout of the paper is so bland and boring. If you think about it, it makes sense, because the templates that you get are going to be used by other people. So why should the layout be any different? The answer is that you can't!One benefit of using a template is that you know exactly what you are getting. All of the elements of the template are similar, so you know what you are getting. So it takes away a lot of guesswork when it comes to putting together your own resume. You know what words you will seewhich colors you will see, which fonts you will see, and the layout will be nearly identical to what you see in print.One final benefit of using a template is that you can easily change the template to fit your needs. Sometimes when you get a template, you may feel as though it has gone over your head. But once you start using it, you will find that it makes perfect sense, because you will have to change the template. All you have to do is print it out, fill it out with your information, and send it in.Free resume templates are great for making a resume. But you need to take the time to find them. They can save you a lot of time and frustration when it comes to creating your resume.