Do It Now! I give you permission.

Do It Now! I give you permission. Last week I was consulting with a pizza franchise owner, sharing a number of ideas on how to get more sales through branding and online marketing. We chatted for about 90 minutes, then I had to go to a quick meeting. When I came back I put my hand on his shoulder and said: You know, I charge a lot of money to tell you what I told you.  And you know what I find?  Most people take lots of notes, and are excited, but they dont do it. Im amazed at how much someone will pay me to consult, and then not do anything. He said it was like going to a conference, taking lots of notes, getting really jazzed, and not doing anything after you got home. Because stuff at home (or at the office) becomes priorities, and fires, and you get lost in your daily work. All the while, the great ideas sit in the notebook and arent acted on. This reminds me of talking with one of my mentors (he doesnt know hes a mentor), Don Aslett.  Don has at least 42 books published and has had an amazing career.  We were talking about ideas.  I commented that he had some amazing business ideas, and that somehow he was special because of that (I dont remember how I said it it was probably 10 years ago). Don replied that we all have ideas, and lots of them. He said he had binders full of ideas (true story, I saw lots of his binders). Having an idea was easy. It was no big deal. The big deal is if we ACT ON IT! Ive talked to dozens of people who have had an idea good enough to be big, at least for them, personally. But they dont act on it. They dont do it. They sit on it, let the daily grind get them busy, and enough time goes by that they just dont make any progress (or, they dont make progress in the direction they need). So heres what Ill tell you, even though probably one out of 10 will actually do it: DO IT! DO IT!  DO IT! What are you waiting for?  Permission from someone to do what you know you should be doing? Well, let me wave my magic JibberJobber wand and give you PERMISSION to DO IT. Right now. Do It Now! I give you permission. Last week I was consulting with a pizza franchise owner, sharing a number of ideas on how to get more sales through branding and online marketing. We chatted for about 90 minutes, then I had to go to a quick meeting. When I came back I put my hand on his shoulder and said: You know, I charge a lot of money to tell you what I told you.  And you know what I find?  Most people take lots of notes, and are excited, but they dont do it. Im amazed at how much someone will pay me to consult, and then not do anything. He said it was like going to a conference, taking lots of notes, getting really jazzed, and not doing anything after you got home. Because stuff at home (or at the office) becomes priorities, and fires, and you get lost in your daily work. All the while, the great ideas sit in the notebook and arent acted on. This reminds me of talking with one of my mentors (he doesnt know hes a mentor), Don Aslett.  Don has at least 42 books published and has had an amazing career.  We were talking about ideas.  I commented that he had some amazing business ideas, and that somehow he was special because of that (I dont remember how I said it it was probably 10 years ago). Don replied that we all have ideas, and lots of them. He said he had binders full of ideas (true story, I saw lots of his binders). Having an idea was easy. It was no big deal. The big deal is if we ACT ON IT! Ive talked to dozens of people who have had an idea good enough to be big, at least for them, personally. But they dont act on it. They dont do it. They sit on it, let the daily grind get them busy, and enough time goes by that they just dont make any progress (or, they dont make progress in the direction they need). So heres what Ill tell you, even though probably one out of 10 will actually do it: DO IT! DO IT!  DO IT! What are you waiting for?  Permission from someone to do what you know you should be doing? Well, let me wave my magic JibberJobber wand and give you PERMISSION to DO IT. Right now. Do It Now! I give you permission. Last week I was consulting with a pizza franchise owner, sharing a number of ideas on how to get more sales through branding and online marketing. We chatted for about 90 minutes, then I had to go to a quick meeting. When I came back I put my hand on his shoulder and said: You know, I charge a lot of money to tell you what I told you.  And you know what I find?  Most people take lots of notes, and are excited, but they dont do it. Im amazed at how much someone will pay me to consult, and then not do anything. He said it was like going to a conference, taking lots of notes, getting really jazzed, and not doing anything after you got home. Because stuff at home (or at the office) becomes priorities, and fires, and you get lost in your daily work. All the while, the great ideas sit in the notebook and arent acted on. This reminds me of talking with one of my mentors (he doesnt know hes a mentor), Don Aslett.  Don has at least 42 books published and has had an amazing career.  We were talking about ideas.  I commented that he had some amazing business ideas, and that somehow he was special because of that (I dont remember how I said it it was probably 10 years ago). Don replied that we all have ideas, and lots of them. He said he had binders full of ideas (true story, I saw lots of his binders). Having an idea was easy. It was no big deal. The big deal is if we ACT ON IT! Ive talked to dozens of people who have had an idea good enough to be big, at least for them, personally. But they dont act on it. They dont do it. They sit on it, let the daily grind get them busy, and enough time goes by that they just dont make any progress (or, they dont make progress in the direction they need). So heres what Ill tell you, even though probably one out of 10 will actually do it: DO IT! DO IT!  DO IT! What are you waiting for?  Permission from someone to do what you know you should be doing? Well, let me wave my magic JibberJobber wand and give you PERMISSION to DO IT. Right now.

Poetry for the Out of Work Hireku

Poetry for the Out of Work Hireku Traditional haiku consist of 17 syllables, in three phrases of 5, 7, and 5 respectively. I call my poems on employment hirekus. I was inspired by reading a haiku on joblessness by Aravis Moore   from San Diego, California: O, Craigslist, my dear. 9 an hour is no good Benefits are nice.     Here is mine: One page resume Does not capture my essence I dare two pages. And another: 9 to 5 bored me Til I lost the job last year. I miss my commute. Look for occasional hirekus on the WorkSource Facebook page: www.facebook.com/worksource Do you have a hireku in you?   Post a comment with yours.

Are Self-Esteem And Self-Confidence Mutually Exclusive - Career Geek

Are Self-Esteem And Self-Confidence Mutually Exclusive - Career Geek Self-esteem we all know what this means but how important is it to our everyday lives? Well, having self-esteem is being comfortable in ones own self, whereas having self-confidence is having the conviction of being able to perform at a particular task. So are these two things mutually exclusive and is it possible to have one without the other? The general belief is that if you trust in yourself, youd believe in your ability to perform. As Maxwell Multz once said, “Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand break on”. As pleasant as it sounds, to live by this philosophy can be extremely difficult at the best of times. Failing exams, getting dumped, being rejected for jobs, not showing signs of progression, etc.; these are all examples of times when we may start to lose ourselves and this can reflect on our performance, impacting our self confidence. So how do we avoid this occurring? Accept the situation â€" if the situation is keeping you up at night and you’re finding it more difficult to focus, then unfortunately, the truth is that it is affecting you worse than you may think. By admitting this to yourself you identify and then begin to think about how to resolve the issue. If you have to be upset, so be it! â€" Some studies show that by crying you can display calming effects, such as a slower heart rate. As much you dont have time to waste, after getting all of your emotions out of your system, chances are you’ll feel better and you’ll think more clearly as a result. Concentrate on the positives â€" instead of thinking, “yeah, but this part was absolutely dreadful!”, start thinking, “Even with that little slip-up, that work was incredible!”. As important as it is to learn from your mistakes, identifying your strengths is one key element of gaining self-confidence. Try and balance your time â€"To get through my dissertation I had a few awful weeks! But in this time of pain I was working for 10-15 hours at a time with long breaks, slowly making strides…but it paid off in the end! And this is because I was still making progress in the right direction, giving me the confidence to continue. Remember, quality over quantity. Take every opportunity and make the best of it  â€" we all have our ups and downs but the important thing to remember is that just because we’ve followed a different path does NOT make you inferior! What do employers look for? the person who stands out in a crowd. If you’ve been set a year back, see that as an opportunity to spice up your extra-curricular activities. If you’ve been dumped, see that as a chance to meet somebody better. If you’ve not got the grade you’ve expected, put in that extra effort into your retakes or into applying for jobs. I promise you… it WILL pay off! [ALSO READ:Starting University Again, Here Is My Experience] Finally, to answer my original question, are self-esteem and self-confidence mutually exclusive? The answer is no. Based on my personal experience, my achievements and consecutive (although slow) progress act as evidence to the fact that I am able to achieve that particular task, boosting my confidence. In turn, by applying the new skills gained in completing that task to other tasks in the future I gain more expertise. That boost in self-confidence triggers the acceptance of self that is needed to gain self-esteem. And this, my friends, has a domino effect. Achievement helps improve self-confidence, helping self-esteem, leading to new achievements, helping further boost self-confidence, thus helping raise self-esteem and so on and so forth photo credit: SweetOnVeg via photopin cc 2

5 Ways to Spruce Up Your Resume Right Now

5 Ways to Spruce Up Your Resume Right Now Are you currently searching for employment, or want a new job? Don’t wait for the new year  to come. You need to start your search now. Begin by sprucing up your resume and giving it a revamp. There are many resume samples and resume templates you can find on the Internet to give yourself some inspiration and a leg up. However, you can also easily do it yourself by following these 5 steps. 1) Delete meaningless and silly words: Problem: Your resume is filled with words like “passionate,” “driven,” “results-oriented,” “team-player,” etc: It’s tempting to fill up your resume with “confidence inspiring” words, but doing so will only hurt your resume. Even if you have a significant amount of relevant experience, populating your resume with words like “passionate, “driven,” or “results-oriented” will only serve to dilute and pollute it. Why? Those words don’t mean anything without context. Generally speaking, people are using these words to put lipstick on a pig. Your resume should be direct and to the point. As with all good writing, it’s important to “show, not tell.” If your resume is simply “telling” the hiring manager that you’re passionate, driven, and results-oriented, that literally means nothing to them. Solution: Delete these words wherever you see them, and replace them with actual job duties and accomplishments: Suggestion 1: Instead of telling the hiring manager that you’re “passionate,” give them an example of a project that you spearheaded to increase company profits that kind of information relays your passion much more clearly. Suggestion 2: Instead of telling the hiring manager that you’re “driven,” give an example of how you went above and beyond the call of duty complete a project or support another teammate. 2) Quantify your resume: Problem: Your resume has no numbers specifying your achievements and the scope of your responsibilities: If you haven’t used numbers to describe your work experiences, you’re still doing too much “telling” and not enough “showing.” Without numbers to help define the scope of your abilities and accomplishments, your resume will be vague, unclear, and boring. Even information like the size of the establishment you worked in can provide the hiring manager with valuable insight into your previous work experience, and give your resume a little more character. Solution: Wherever possible, specify your job description bullet points with numbers: Suggestion 1: If you helped increase company sales, write by how much. Suggestion 2: If you managed employees or trained new employees, write down how many. Suggestion 3: If you saved the company money, write down how you did it, and how much you saved. Suggestion 4: Did you manage a budget? Write down how big it was. 3) Remove unrelated and old experience: Problem(s): It’s nearly 2015 â€" your experience from over a decade ago may not be relevant, even if it’s in the same industry. Meanwhile, if you’re applying for a job that has no relation to your previous work experience, you’ve probably included totally irrelevant information. Hiring managers are looking for relevant resumes â€" period. As a rule of thumb, your resume should only be 1-2 pages long. If you’re including experience that is over a decade old, it’s likely that your resume is either really long, or you’ve been out of work and need some information to pad your resume with. If you’re trying to switch careers, writing a resume can be tricky. Many of the skills and abilities you have won’t be relevant for a different career track, and including unrelated job responsibilities will weaken your resume. You will need to get creative and find places where your knowledge, skills, and abilities overlap in a new career. Solution: Delete experiences older than a decade. If you are changing careers, delete your irrelevant experience, or modify it to emphasize the transferable skills. Suggestion 1: If you’ve been out of work, use a combination style resume to conceal your work experience gaps while relaying your relevant experience. Suggestion 2: Read the hiring manager’s job description carefully, and consider whether you current skill knowledge and skill set overlaps with their requirements. Present the best spin possible on your resume â€" even if you don’t have the skills yet, you may be easily trainable because you have foundational skills (such as software skills, customer service skills, management skills, etc.) 4) Make a new version of your resume for each job: Problem: You wrapped up writing your resume and think you’re finished. Actually, you’ve still got work to do. Your resume needs to be ultra-specific, and ultra-targeted. If the key to buying property is “location, location, location,” then the key to getting an interview is “relevance, relevance, relevance.” Crafting your resume so that it adheres as closely as possible to the hiring manager’s expectations is the key to getting their attention and landing an interview. Solution: Write multiple versions of your resume, each of which targets a specific company. Suggestion 1: Find the hiring manager’s job description, and sprinkle their keywords and phrasing into your resume. NOTE: This does not mean plagiarizing or copying what they’ve written â€" simply strategically employing important keywords to capture their attention. Suggestion 2: Draft your resume so that the skills and abilities they are calling for are towards the top of your resume, where they’ll instantly be seen. 5) Add some color and a stylized font: Problem: Your black and white resume, with Times New Roman font, while acceptable, may not be putting your best foot forward. It’s not a problem per-se, but a black and white resume with standard font doesn’t really have a lot of “oomph.” You could increase your chances of getting noticed by styling up your resume a little bit. But don’t go overboard! Solution: Using a different font and adding a splash of color to your black and white resume can be a good way of making it “pop” out from your competition. Suggestion 1: Use a binary color scheme â€" black and another color is good enough. Use the color on your headings and keep your bullet points black. Suggestion 2: Keep it classy. Red, blue, and orange with comic sans won’t get you a job, unless you’re applying for a position at a clown college. If you follow these suggestions, your resume will be ready for 2015. Dont hesitate to apply now get in before everyone else makes their new years resolutions! Author: Mark Slack is a resume expert and career adviser consulting for the smartest resume template creator, resumegenius.com. He is an avid hiker and biker, and is fluent in Mandarin. You can follow him at @MarkWSlack.

4 Things To Remember When Setting Up Your Home Office

4 Things To Remember When Setting Up Your Home Office With the number of perks that come with working from home, the significant increase in the number of people telecommuting in the U.S. over the years comes as no surprise.In contrast to the regular nine to five routine of working at the office, working from home gives you the freedom to choose when to work and where you want to do it. Plus, you get to do whatever you want with your workspace!Decorating your workspace requires so much more than just putting knick-knacks on top or finding just any table where you can put your laptop.evalIn order to create a home office setup that would inspire you to perform well and be creative, there are certain things you need to keep in mind.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.com1. Personalize, but focus on the essentialsIt might be tempting to buy all those frames, vases, and other trinkets you think would look good on your desk. After all, you have total control over how you want to decorate it, right?But remember, the goal here is to set up a workspace that allows you to be productive. Filling your desk with trinkets might only distract you from getting the job done. It doesn’t mean you should just do away with the decorations altogether though.The key is to create a workspace that’s functional, pretty, and personal at the same time. Instead of buying stuff purely for decoration, buy ones that can both be decorative and useful.Buy stylish pen holders and storage boxes to add color and personality to your space. This way, you’d get to decorate your workspace with stuff you can actually use.Your files Keep personal decorations at a minimum. If you really want to go full-on with the personalization, opt for hanging decorations or place them in a separate desk instead. The important thing is that the things you need are accessible and your trinkets don’t get in the way when you’re doing your job.It also depends on what type of job you have. If you have a career in design, you can benefit from having a wall or desk filled with ar tworks and figurines or action figures for it can help trigger ideas. If you have a job that requires concentration, however, they can be a source of distraction.2. The right color and decoration will go a long wayNow that you have your essentials in place, it’s time to talk about the most exciting part in setting up a workspaceâ€"decorating it. Before you get excited to paint the walls of your workspace red or cover it with posters and framed photographs, did you know that even the color and decorations you choose can affect your job performance?Studies reveal how various colors can influence performance and productivity in the workplace. Red is an intense color and can increase heart and respiration rate upon sight. You would benefit from this color if your work involves physical activity.evalMeanwhile, blue and green both have a calming effect. Paint your walls blue if your work needs concentration. This color will help you become more productive. Paint it green if your work us ually leaves you feeling stressed, as the right shade can help you feel more comfortable.Yellow is a color that can exude optimism or cause anxiety, depending on the tone.The right shade can help stimulate creativity and innovation; therefore, it is recommended if you work as a writer, designer, developer or in any other creative field.Avoid using neutral colors such as black, gray, and white on their own. These colors can induce sadness and be sterile in large quantities. They are best used to complement and balance brighter colors such as red and orange.Aside from the color of your workspace, another thing you have to take into consideration is your decorations.Plants and artworks don’t only add color and aesthetic to your workspace. They play a part in affecting your performance and productivity as well.Studies suggest that plants offer a visually meditative effect in the workspace. It has also been shown to offer health benefits, improve creativity, and act as great stress bus ters. Why choose between aesthetic and functionality when you can have both?Photo Credit â€" unsplash.comPutting up artworks on the walls of your workspace is a good way to add color without having to overload your desk.A study says having art in the workspace can boost productivity, lower stress, and increase your wellbeing. Images of landscapes, sunsets, or motivational quotes creatively painted on a canvas can provide inspiration and help unlock creative potential.evalWall art also helps add personality to your space. If you make music for a living, you may like your walls decorated with posters of your favorite music artists.If you’re a graphic designer, you may find that a wall filled with artworks of your own or of other artists can help you come up with creative ideas. Any type of art can bring inspiration, as long as they mean something to you.3. Keep it distraction-freeWorking from home has its perks and disadvantages. You get to work on your own terms, but you are also p rone to distractions. Suddenly, the enforced no phones allowed rule in most office environments make sense.It’s hard to focus on your work when that phone on your desk keeps tempting you. One minute, you’re on your computer typing diligently, the next you’re on your phone reading celebrity gossip on who broke up with whom. It’s easy to get sidetracked as long as you have your phone in sight.In order to avoid future situations like that, put your phone away when you’re working. You can hide it in a drawer under your desk and make an agreement with yourself to take it out only at assigned times. For best results, put it somewhere you can’t easily reach. This way, you won’t be easily distracted and tempted to use it.evalThis isn’t only applicable to mobile phones, but to any potential distractors you have on your desk. Your workspace should be used solely for work and nothing else. Keeping it clear from any distractions helps you associate your workplace with a producti ve-driven mindset.4. Choose the right spotEven the spot you choose to create your workspace in can affect your productivity. So, how can you know where the right spot is?There are several factors you need to consider in order to determine this. Your workspace should be away from any source of distraction, so it should be far from the door. If you have an entire room for your workspace, then it shouldn’t be hard to find a spot. It should also be cool enough so you stay alert, but not too cold that you can’t focus on your work.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comThe area near the window is usually the best spot for a workspace. It lets you take advantage of natural light which is found to promote health, wellbeing, and productivity.This is because daylight regulates our bodies’ circadian rhythms, affecting our bodies’ functioning. Deprived of sunlight, we experience an imbalance in hormones, upsetting our ability to get a good night’s sleep and compromising our immune systems.Dayligh t is also easier on the eyes compared to most artificial lighting which can have negative impacts on the health.ConclusionWorking from home might give you the freedom to wear PJs and work on the sofa, but having a workspace is still important. Choosing just any spot in the house to work in will get the job done, but distractions are likely to slow you down.Having a defined workspace customized to fit your needs and eliminate distractions will not only allow you to work more productively and finish your tasks in time. It also impacts your health positively and benefits you in the long run.Are you also part of the population that works from home? What other workspace tips can you think of?

Meet the worlds happiest DJ - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Meet the worlds happiest DJ - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog A few years ago this German DJ?became famous on youtube and he used that as a springboard to quit the day job he hated and become a full-time DJ. In this video from our 2015 conference about happiness at work he plays a very short set and then shares his story. Meet a man who had the courage to go his own way and became world famous for being happy at work. 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

How to Write a Resume - Learn How to Write a Better Resume For Your Job Search

How to Write a Resume - Learn How to Write a Better Resume For Your Job SearchIf you want to learn how to write a resume, it is essential that you use resume writing skills. Although you might already know how to apply basic resume writing skills, you will have to improve these skills in order to make your resume stand out among other resumes that are in the market. Here are some tips to help you in learning how to write a resume.First of all, you need to know what basic resume basics are so that you can get started with your job search. As many people may think, the most basic resume basics include the job duties, professional accomplishments, personal qualities and interest that you have. However, once you learn more about the job duties and the professional accomplishments, you can apply them to your resume. Remember, if you add more than one, it will look better.Besides your job duties and professional accomplishments, you will also need to put in some extra skills. One of the be st ways to do this is to link skills to your work experience, which is probably what people usually do when they are applying for jobs. When you provide your experiences in the work that you have done, it will show that you are flexible and willing to learn.There are some people who know that having extra skills is not always the best option because you might have other things to do at the same time. They are the people who try to keep it brief and simple. In your case, you can be creative and do the entire thing.You can ask yourself whether the type of skills that you have already learned can be useful to you in your job search. You can add them to your resume if they are related to your current job and career. You may have learned basic computer skills and need to find out more about these skills if you are a web developer.By listing your previous work experience as well as the job duties, you will be able to see whether they are applicable to your resume. For example, if you were a writer, you would put your previous experience as a writer on your resume. On the other hand, if you were a manager, you would list the job duties and responsibilities on your resume. Just make sure that the tasks are relevant and possible to perform for your particular position.The final thing that you should know about is your resume style. Your resume style can be either formal or informal. You can either choose formal resume styles if you are trying to apply for a higher position, or if you are applying for a junior position, it would be better if you would opt for an informal style. Remember, to learn how to write a resume, you will have to learn a lot about these different styles, which is why learning a few tips about each of them will help you a lot.