January 2008
You are currently browsing the articles from written in the month of January 2008.
Style, poise and flair are qualities that are difficult to define, but easy to spot. Everyone knows someone who is graced with them, and, chances are, that person is at or on the way to the top of his or her profession.
Certainly a winning image isnt the only factor that determines career success, but it is an important component. In todays highly competitive business world the quest for corporate advancement is complicated by the changing nature of the workplace.
Diversity, job mobility and internationalization present new challenges. Corporate restructuring, downsizing and fierce competition for advancement mean that success requires more than good work and positive attitude. Without the right professional image, even loyal, reliable workers will be more likely to get pink slips than merit badges.
Many people think that all you need are excellent skills to be successful, but in fact, to move up the corporate ladder today you have to understand image, political skills, and attitude. No one is born with a winning image, though some learn it at an early age. Style is acquired.
There are seven elements of a persons image; color, wardrobe, grooming, image objects, communications, protocol, and etiquette. Most people think of image solely in terms of appearance and this is not correct. When it comes projecting the right image you also must consider your personal situation and your goals.
If you want to rise to the top of your field you must remember that everything counts. So your goal should be to look great every day. While color initiates the image-management process you also have to be aware of things like the make of your shoes and your hairstyle.
The biggest problem for aspiring executives is appearance and the nothing does more to add to or take away from a persons image than color. The best colors for a given situation vary according to the role a person will have in it.
For example, you should keep your color combinations subdued if you want to blend in and not outclass the boss, or if you just want to gather information without drawing attention. If you are a leader, though, you need a high level of contrast in your clothing to create a powerful look.
In addition to your choice of colors, there are many other details that you need to pay attention to in projecting the right image:
Wear quality shoes in current fashions. Shoes should always be high-quality and new-looking.
Handbags should be new, but briefcases dont need to be. Like shoes, handbags should be exemplary. Briefcases, on the other hand, should look like they are good quality but have been used for a long time.
The appropriate shirt style depends on your audience. A good rule of thumb for dress shirts is, if your shirt is not custom-made, it should look as if it is. It should have the custom-made detailing and fit.
Buy quality clothing. You should spend your money on a few pieces of good clothing rather than packing your closet with a lot of second-rate apparel.
Hair should be neatly trimmed for both men and women. For example, many business executives say that they dont take a man or a woman seriously if they have long hair.
To have a winning image, good communication skills are crucial. In business, the foundation of effective communication is empathy, the ability to understand the needs of coworkers, employees, clients and superiors. The strength of your handshake, tone of voice, and your choice of words all are important to your communication and therefore to your overall image.
Usually people know how to relate to those below them but not to those above them. If you want to establish good rapport with your superiors then you need to show respectful deference in both business and social situations and avoid any false camaraderie.
Most people are unaware how important a proper introduction is to projecting the right image. For example, when youre at a business function you should always introduce the person of lesser importance to the person of greater importance. If you have a president of a company who is a woman and a customer who is a man, the woman should be introduced to the man because in that relationship, the customer is the more important person.
A positive attitude can be the make-or-break factor that separates people headed for the top from those who will spend their lives in middle management. Your attitude towards others is either the biggest asset or biggest liability in business because it is connected to your inner image. Your inner image is the reputation and relationship you have with yourself regarding your self-image, belonging, purpose, and competence.
The first step in improving your inner image is to examine your perceptions of yourself and others. The best way to do is by examining your lifestyle, relationships and goals. Ask yourself a couple important questions: If you could make a wish list, what would you change? What do you like about yourself? The answers to these questions will help you find out what your values are.
Projecting the right image is internal. It will raise your awareness and cause you to have a more positive and gracious attitude. Youll become more sensitive visually, kinesthetically and aurally.
To move up the ladder of success you must always put your best foot forward in everything you do, from appearance to environment to the way you treat others. The rest is up to you!
Copyright2007 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide
Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and success coaching programs. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in career coach training. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many businesses around the world, on the subjects of leadership, achievement, goals, strategic business planning, and marketing. Joe is the author of three books, Starting Your Own Business, Finding Your Purpose In Life, and The Guerrilla Marketing Workbook.
Lifetime Learning: Essential for Employees TodayWhy is learning continually throughout your career a good idea? Because todays rapidly changing business environment demands that you keep up with new technologies. Very few professions have processes that have remained static over past 10 years or so. In fact new technology has so transformed some professions that many have become obsolete or require […]
Career Coach: 5 Things That Must Hold True When Shopping For Your Career CoachCareer coaches, like other professionals, should be judged on their merits and reputation. While anyone can hang a shingle on the door and advertise that they are a career coach, it is practical results that you want. And any reputable career coach should be able to show you a track record of successful job placements […]
Your Career in 2007 Get a Fresh StartAs the New Year approaches, have you thought about your career goals? What worked to years ago in planning and managing your career will not work for your career development in the 21st Century. Managing your career in the 21st Century requires preparation, career goal planning and career guidance and ensuring that your time […]
You Have Found The Perfect Job-Now Follow Up Part 1If you have been at the job search process for a while a good way to make contact with a company is to follow up. If you have gone to the effort of making contact by sending them a resume or filling out an application the least you should do is make sure that they […]
Written by info on January 31st, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
Many businesses suffer from high levels of staff turnover simply because they have hired the wrong people in the first place. Similarly, many business owners go through the whole recruitment process and make an offer to someone they like only to find that they have chosen to take another role. Very often this “mis - hiring” of people or “missing out” on people is down to the way in which these people have been interviewed in particular the questions that were are asked (or rather NOT asked!). You see, if you ask the right questions you drastically increase the chances obtaining enough information to then ensure you recruit the right people. The questions you ask at interview will depend on the type of role you are looking to fill, the type of business you are in and your own personal style. But there are 7 questions that you must ask every candidate regardless of the type of role you are hiring for:
1. “What are your reasons for leaving your current (or last) role?” You are looking to see if there is a logical and rational reason here for leaving as well as looking out for any unusual circumstances. You also need to understand why they are leaving to ensure they are not then looking to leave your business within a few months of joining for the very same reason. The answers to this question will also provides valuable information for you to then sell your opportunity later in the interview.
2. “What are you ideally looking for in your next job?” By getting them to paint a picture of their ideal job, you get all the hooks’ to then sell your opportunity at the end of the interview and so maximise the chances of securing a hire if they are right for you. Conversely their answers will also tell you if your role is not right for them and so enable you to adapt the interview as appropriate.
3. “What attracts you to our role / business? What made you apply?” This gives you the opportunity to see how much they have thought about your role or business and how likely they are to be committed to you. Once again gives you plenty of hooks to sell the role if you end up competing against another employer.
4. “Where do you see yourself in 3 years time?” (or “12 months”, “5 years” etc - whatever time frame you deem appropriate give the role you are looking to fill) Their answer gives an idea of the direction they are going in and whether you will be able to meet their expectations if you hired them. Similarly, if someone has future plans to manage teams, go travelling, start their own business or just stay in the same field - this is key information you require in order to make a decision to hire them or not.
5. “What is your current/last salary and package?” Make sure you do not leave discussions around money until the negotiation stage when you are about to offer the job as this reduces your negotiation power significantly once a candidate knows you are keen on them.
6 “What salary are you ideally looking for? What is the lowest you would consider for your ideal job?” You want to gain as much flexibility as possible so asking about their ideal and lowest levels gives you a range to play with. This range gives you the leverage to manage expectations and ultimately ensure you achieve a successful offer.
7 “What other roles are you interviewing for at the moment? What stage are you at with these? (e.g. have you any interviews pending or offers on the table?)” If you are interested in a candidate, asking this question gives you much better control of the situation as you know who you are competing against, how you compare and the speed at which you may need decisions in order to secure their service. The answers to these 7 questions should tell you plenty about the person and give an indication of how suitable they are. The answers will also gives you valuable information about how quickly you need to make decisions and what you need to pay to secure someone’s services before another employer does.
The 7 questions are not the only questions to ask - but they should ideally form the spine’ of your interview. This spine should of course be combined with a series of questions about the candidates work experience, skills and knowledge so that you get a complete picture and so ensure you hire the right person.
Copyright (c) 2006 Mr Sital Ruparelia
Sital Ruparelia is the founder and principal of Authentic Resourcing. Sital works with businesses that struggle to recruit and retain people, and helps them to start finding and keeping the right people and so help them save time and money. He is the author of “Find Staff Now!! The Small Business Guide To Recruiting The Right People Quickly And Cost Effectively”
http://www.authenticresourcing.com
How Men Cheat Women In Career DevelopmentHave you ever considered the fact that very few obstacles are preventing men getting training for careers of their choice? Changing job at any time for men is not much of a problem at all.You will equally agree that career situation for women is the opposite of the above career situation for men. […]
Lifetime Learning: Essential for Employees TodayWhy is learning continually throughout your career a good idea? Because todays rapidly changing business environment demands that you keep up with new technologies. Very few professions have processes that have remained static over past 10 years or so. In fact new technology has so transformed some professions that many have become obsolete or require […]
Looking to Get a Raise: Get Your MBAAccording to most salary researchers and guides, getting your MBA can mean a $10,000 to $30,000 salary increase, but don’t let the numbers get you too excited about the possibilities; there are still other factors to consider when calculating the potential for and the size of a salary increase if you get your MBA.TimingTiming is […]
Your Career in 2007 Get a Fresh StartAs the New Year approaches, have you thought about your career goals? What worked to years ago in planning and managing your career will not work for your career development in the 21st Century. Managing your career in the 21st Century requires preparation, career goal planning and career guidance and ensuring that your time […]
Written by info on January 31st, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
(Editor’s Note: A client e-mailed me yesterday about her student loan debts that netted her 3 college degrees and a job without a commensurate income and future. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from New York University, a second Bachelor of Arts Degree from the London Institute and a Master of Arts Degree from the University of London. My unvarnished answers to her questions follow. I changed her name since I could not contact her in time to use her name.)
Happy Holidays Ed Bagley,
I had a follow-up question to your three-part series on "Six Power Secrets of Getting Hired and Promoted."
If education is not a great factor in making the "big bucks" why do people stress that, especially a lot of companies that only want to hire college educated employees?
OK, I don’t have a source for those stats, just stuff I have heard. I am guessing just media hype. Nonetheless, if there is any validity to that, why is that the case?
Because I so regret the major amounts of money I am in debt for because of higher education, and the three degrees I have have not gotten me any further than anyone else.
I am not surprised. I guess life isn’t fair.
Happy New Year, Carolyn
Fasten your seat belts for my reply to Carolyn the same day:
Carolyn,
You are reading my blog! This can only help you, and you have the added benefit that I am not going to try and collect on your student loans! (it is OK to smile)
You ask an excellent question and you shall receive an excellent answer.
Here are some considerations in no particular order:
1) Colleges and universities are not part of the same world that exists around them. They are isolated special interest groups with no other primary purpose than to ensure their continued existence.
Job one for them is to stress education as the answer to all of life’s issues and ills, thus, get a degree and earn a lot more money, get a degree and start doing something you really want to do, get a degree and get hired quicker, get a degree or many corporations will not hire you, etc.
Their real purpose is to generate enough income to support the salaries and lifestyle of those involved in perpetuating the enterprise. A tenured professor must be paid even if the subject he or she is teaching has almost zero demand in our economy.
If colleges and universities really told the truth about what you could reasonably earn after you acquire your degree, enrollment would plummet in certain subject areas. Students would stop being skydivers without parachutes.
Colleges and universities will put 120 students into a program that there is absolutely no need or demand for in the marketplace. What will a student do with an art history degree when there is zero need for people to run the few museums that exist.
You cannot turn out 120 students a year at each university when the annual demand for what they have to offer is 22 openings at all levels nationwide. This is why education majors who do not want to teach in South Central Los Angeles end up as shift managers at a McDonald’s restaurant, or as a life insurance agent for Prudential.
2) Not all degrees are equal. A Bachelor of Arts in history is pretty useless unless you switch to teaching history. Get a Master of Business Administration degree from a top 20 school and your chances improve. Get a Doctor of Medicine Degree, become a physician and surgeon and your chances are even better.
Degrees that lead to a high paying profession pay off, everything else has little real impact on your salary.
3) Corporations want to hire college graduates not only because they believe educated workers will make them more money, but also because it is their best guarantee that the person they are hiring is literate.
They want to be assured that the new hires can speak and be understood by fellow staff members, and are not so illiterate that they will drive away customers and clients by showing, through their lack of communication skills, that they are stupid, lack grammar and diction, and have the personality of an ashtray.
4) Facts: Results from the 2004 Census Bureau report shows a $23,000 difference between the average annual salary of adults with a bachelor’s degree ($51,554) compared to adults with a high school diploma ($28,645).
In what may or may not be an anomaly, the income gap narrowed slightly from five years earlier when bachelor’s degree graduates made nearly twice as much as high school graduates.
Notice the fact says "the average annual salary" which means that in this total is a brain surgeon making $1.2 million a year and a ditch-digger making a minimum wage of approximately $7 an hour or about $14,000 a year. This produces an average difference of only $23,000.
Throw out the brain surgeons and ditch-diggers of which there are very few and the difference is even less.
Copyright © 2006 Ed Bagley
Ed Bagley is the author of Ed Bagley’s Blog, which he publishes daily with fresh, original writing intended to delight, inform, educate and motivate readers with articles about Internet Marketing, Careers, Movies and Life. Visit Ed at . . .
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
Looking to Get a Raise: Get Your MBAAccording to most salary researchers and guides, getting your MBA can mean a $10,000 to $30,000 salary increase, but don’t let the numbers get you too excited about the possibilities; there are still other factors to consider when calculating the potential for and the size of a salary increase if you get your MBA.TimingTiming is […]
Career Coach: 5 Things That Must Hold True When Shopping For Your Career CoachCareer coaches, like other professionals, should be judged on their merits and reputation. While anyone can hang a shingle on the door and advertise that they are a career coach, it is practical results that you want. And any reputable career coach should be able to show you a track record of successful job placements […]
Having Psychiatric Nursing As Your CallingAre you looking for information on psychiatric nursing? Well, you have come to the right place. Anyone, who is interested in psychiatric nursing, is very much welcome to be part of this challenging yet rewarding profession. With the shortage of nurses in any specialization of nursing, any person who wants to become a nurse is […]
Your Career in 2007 Get a Fresh StartAs the New Year approaches, have you thought about your career goals? What worked to years ago in planning and managing your career will not work for your career development in the 21st Century. Managing your career in the 21st Century requires preparation, career goal planning and career guidance and ensuring that your time […]
Written by info on January 30th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
With the advent of the Internet, the degree mill industry has exploded onto the scene. In the old days of fake schools, there was a real monetary investment required, but now you can throw up a website with a shopping cart and you are in business. These degree mills, schools with no educational standards, are growing exponentially. Getting a degree from one of these supposed schools can kill your career.
There are ways, though, to discover which are legitimate and which are not. Use the advice below and you are much closer to the truth. It is important to understand that meeting one of these qualifications alone does not make a school a diploma mill. Neither does meeting two. It is a compounding of evidence that hits that target.
The criteria are:
1. Does it have a .edu suffix? While this is not the best measure (because there are few degree mills that have this), it is a good place to start.
2. Does it offer a one-price-for-all pricing policy? This is very unusual at the college level and rather common for these types of “schools.”
3. Does it offer an unrealistic timeline to complete the degree? “Earn your degree in only one month!” While it may be possible through a combination of credits, credit-by-exam, and portfolio to earn a college degree quickly, it is not possible to do this by submitting a resume.
4. Is it accredited? While new schools, usually less than two years old, cannot be accredited, they should be well down that path. Also and importantly, is their accreditor recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (http://www.chea.org)? Yes, there really are also accreditation mills.
5. Can you contact the schools? Many of these fakes only allow you to communicate through email. This is not a good sign. Real colleges have ways to talk to someone on the phone.
6. Is it listed in Bears’ Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning, on the CHEA website under schools, or at the U.S. Department of Education’s new website (http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation)?
There are many other ways as well to determine validity, but this is a good beginning. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do your research and make sure it will be acceptable to other colleges and to employers before you make the decision to pay out the money.
Writer and college expert Thomas Nixon is the co-author of Bears’ Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning. He is manager of CollegeAdvocates.com and CollegeOfTheWeek.com. Tom can be contacted through his website, ThomasNixon.com.
You Have Found The Perfect Job-Now Follow Up Part 1If you have been at the job search process for a while a good way to make contact with a company is to follow up. If you have gone to the effort of making contact by sending them a resume or filling out an application the least you should do is make sure that they […]
Having Psychiatric Nursing As Your CallingAre you looking for information on psychiatric nursing? Well, you have come to the right place. Anyone, who is interested in psychiatric nursing, is very much welcome to be part of this challenging yet rewarding profession. With the shortage of nurses in any specialization of nursing, any person who wants to become a nurse is […]
How Men Cheat Women In Career DevelopmentHave you ever considered the fact that very few obstacles are preventing men getting training for careers of their choice? Changing job at any time for men is not much of a problem at all.You will equally agree that career situation for women is the opposite of the above career situation for men. […]
Sources of Extra Cash or Additional Income for StudentsThere are many ways to get an extra income if you cannot afford to work normal full-time hours. This article will show you what is available and what you should avoid. I will use student time as an example, as a students timetable is usually the most inconvenient for full-time work and also changes every […]
Written by info on January 30th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
College students and graduates are finding today that it is much more difficult to launch their career. In an increasingly competitive market place, many companies have dramatically reduced their recruiting efforts and now include only a handful of annual campus trips. Even those students, who attend the right school for their preferred employer, find that they are unable to meet recruiters due to the competitive and often dreaded interview lottery system. Those without on-campus interviews will usually get involved in a myriad of ineffective and inefficient tactics.
A survey conducted by the Census Bureau of 10 million job seekers found that the typical methods used in finding a job failed as much as 95%. Given that, job seekers should stop doing what has always been done and continuing to expect a different result. Be proactive. Instead of sending out hundreds, or even thousands, of resumes to prospective employers and reacting to their response, follow a proactive methodology used by successful professionals for years to launch your career.
First, before you can communicate why a prospective employer should hire you in an interview, you must first know the answer yourself. Speaking from direct experience, it is very frustrating to interview someone who is not able to articulate his or her skills, talents, and capabilities. Johnny Sellers, formerly of Chevron says, When I meet with students, if they are unable to convince me of exactly who they are and what their goals are, it is impossible for me to help them.
Second, make a list of all the companies in which you are interested. Determine whether the companies you select are a close match for your skills and talents. Use a structured methodology to narrow your focus to a specific industry and only a handful of possible employers. Then, learn all you can about that industry and each company on your focused list. Your research should begin with recruiting literature from your placement office and a general industry overview. You should also read recent articles and annual reports about those companies.
In short, your focus during your research is to discover and become familiar with the particular challenges your prospective employers face. With this knowledge, you can ascertain how you may be an asset to the organization. There is always room for someone who knows how and where to make a difference.
Next, prepare and practice. The most common question in an interview is, Can you tell me something about yourself? It is said that every battle is won before it is ever fought. Determine how you will answer this question before it is ever asked. Start by finding a place, free of distractions, and write a paper telling the imaginary reader about you. This worthwhile exercise forces you to recognize your skills and abilities, and develop a clear concise answer.
For each skill and attribute you highlight, write a paragraph emphasizing at least three examples. Andrea M. Williams, a Compensation Analyst at American Express says, My ability to provide multiple examples demonstrating my skills and attributes was critical to winning my position. Then, listen to yourself answering questions that youd expect to be asked. If possible, buy a small tape recorder and record your answers. Play them back and listen to them as if you were the interviewer. Ask a friend to help you with role-playing. Better yet, if your career services office has mock interview workshops, take full advantage. Practice as if it was the real thing so that the real thing feels just like practice.
These three steps are the backbone of every successful job search. Master them, and in turn, you will become a master communicator of who you are and how you can make a difference. And, that will help you launch your career.
Mr. Block publishes, Why Are You S.P.E.C.I.A.L.? http://www.how-to-find-your-dream-career.net He provides individual one-on-one and on-campus career counseling and placement services to college students and graduates throughout the country. Discover how you can find your dream career and achieve your career goals. Follow his 7-step career process, Why Are You SPECIAL? You can contact him directly at: SWB@how-to-find-your-dream-career.net
The Las Vegas Private InvestigatorAre you looking for a good private investigator here in Las Vegas? You should be able to know how to find them and how to look for one who will be able to effectively help you. It is not enough that you believe any PI ad that you come across. You should be able to […]
Having Psychiatric Nursing As Your CallingAre you looking for information on psychiatric nursing? Well, you have come to the right place. Anyone, who is interested in psychiatric nursing, is very much welcome to be part of this challenging yet rewarding profession. With the shortage of nurses in any specialization of nursing, any person who wants to become a nurse is […]
How Men Cheat Women In Career DevelopmentHave you ever considered the fact that very few obstacles are preventing men getting training for careers of their choice? Changing job at any time for men is not much of a problem at all.You will equally agree that career situation for women is the opposite of the above career situation for men. […]
How To Get Back On Track After Being Written Up At WorkMost of us have been there. For one reason or another, your work has not been the best and your boss has noticed. You are called into the office and formally written up and warned to improve your work performance. Are you doomed? Is this the beginning of the end? […]
Written by info on January 30th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
When you started your job you may have felt excited and motivated to do your best and have a long successful career. However, things may have begun to turn sour over the years. Instead of waking up every morning happy to go to work, you get a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach and stepping into the building puts you in a bad mood. You may have ridiculous deadlines, a pushy boss, and equally frustrated co-workers. The work environment is no longer fun. If you experience any of these feelings, it may be a sign that it is time to quit your job.
Quitting your job may be a scary thought but it doesnt have to be if you plan ahead. After all, it is better to be happy in your job because it is where you spend a majority of your life. There are some options you can consider before you make the leap.
Discover Your Passion
Think of a job that you would love to do that you would even do it for free. Maybe you have a hobby that you could turn into a home business. Start off part-time while you still hold on to your full-time job. In time, you may find that you can quit your job and work full-time on your home business. Passion can equal profits!
Develop New Skills
If you enjoy the industry you work in but are unhappy with the company you work for, becoming happy may be as simple as finding a new job. The key here is to develop new skills to carry over to your next job to increase the chances of landing a new job and earning a higher income. New skills could come in the form of certifications or self-study courses. It will look great on your resume and show that you are staying up to date in your industry.
Work Part-Time for Someone Else
If time permits, you could get a part-time job in a new field to see how you like it. It is a great way to get your feet wet without risking losing your current job. If you dont like the new field, you can cross it off of your list and move on to something else that sparks your interest.
Unless you are having an extremely difficult time at your current job, it is in your best interest to secure a new job before calling it quits. Just remember, you dont have to stay in a job you dislike. There are plenty of opportunities out there if you take the time to look and take action to pursue them. Good luck in all of your future endeavors!
For tips, products, and opportunities for becoming self-employed, visit the Self Employed Blog.
E. Haines is an editor for Self Employed Blog Self Employed Blog is a web site which was created to help promote the self-employed lifestyle and to share ideas, products, and opportunities that may help others move closer to their dream of being their own boss.
The Las Vegas Private InvestigatorAre you looking for a good private investigator here in Las Vegas? You should be able to know how to find them and how to look for one who will be able to effectively help you. It is not enough that you believe any PI ad that you come across. You should be able to […]
How Men Cheat Women In Career DevelopmentHave you ever considered the fact that very few obstacles are preventing men getting training for careers of their choice? Changing job at any time for men is not much of a problem at all.You will equally agree that career situation for women is the opposite of the above career situation for men. […]
Your Career in 2007 Get a Fresh StartAs the New Year approaches, have you thought about your career goals? What worked to years ago in planning and managing your career will not work for your career development in the 21st Century. Managing your career in the 21st Century requires preparation, career goal planning and career guidance and ensuring that your time […]
How To Get Back On Track After Being Written Up At WorkMost of us have been there. For one reason or another, your work has not been the best and your boss has noticed. You are called into the office and formally written up and warned to improve your work performance. Are you doomed? Is this the beginning of the end? […]
Written by info on January 29th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
Life after law school is a big change from what graduates have done in the past. Law students spend three years in law school learning as much as possible about the law. Life after law school provides practical training. Graduates will learn the ins and outs of practicing their profession. Here are a few paths that law school graduates follow.
Many law school graduates start their career in large firms. These firms will deal in either litigation or transactions. Work in litigation involves arguing disputes between two or more parties. This category of law deals with civil and criminal cases.
Working with transactions involves contracts, patents, mergers, insurance and many more specialization. No matter what area of law you work in get used to long hours and massive amounts of paperwork.
Entry level law firm positions are called associates. You will bear the brunt of the work in this environment. Your job is to research, write briefs, check facts of a case and produce most of the documents. Be ready to spend 70 hours a week or more on the job.
Law firms follow a set career path. There is a hierarchy that everyone adheres to. Most graduates who become associates desire to one day become partner. Being partner in a law firm means you have a say in the decisions made in the firm. You also share the profits after paying all other employees.
Many associates leave law firm life to work in private business. A lawyer can gain a position as in-house counsel. These are salaried positions in a companys legal department. You will deal only with the legal issues of that company such as contracts or litigation.
A lawyer doesnt have to spend their careers in a corporate environment. Another path after law school is working for the government. You can become a public defender which is a lawyer that defends criminal cases where the individual lacks funds to hire private representation. This is a good way to get court time and deal with interesting cases.
Another step in the government direction is becoming an assistant district-attorney. You will deal with many cases while you help district attorneys prosecute.
Another path altogether is being a solo practitioner. This means that you have your own private practice. You are your own boss. You can provide whatever service you choose and charge your own fees. Some disadvantages can be that you have to lease your own office space, pay employees and think about bookkeeping and other business related duties.
No matter what path you choose after law school, there will be a wealth of opportunities out there for you. Follow your heart and work in the area that most interests you.
Review more industry related articles by Catherine Zandueta at CareersandEducation.com Catherine Zandueta is a feature writer and often covers topics related to Campus Degree Programs and Career advice.
Lifetime Learning: Essential for Employees TodayWhy is learning continually throughout your career a good idea? Because todays rapidly changing business environment demands that you keep up with new technologies. Very few professions have processes that have remained static over past 10 years or so. In fact new technology has so transformed some professions that many have become obsolete or require […]
Sources of Extra Cash or Additional Income for StudentsThere are many ways to get an extra income if you cannot afford to work normal full-time hours. This article will show you what is available and what you should avoid. I will use student time as an example, as a students timetable is usually the most inconvenient for full-time work and also changes every […]
Your Career in 2007 Get a Fresh StartAs the New Year approaches, have you thought about your career goals? What worked to years ago in planning and managing your career will not work for your career development in the 21st Century. Managing your career in the 21st Century requires preparation, career goal planning and career guidance and ensuring that your time […]
How To Get Back On Track After Being Written Up At WorkMost of us have been there. For one reason or another, your work has not been the best and your boss has noticed. You are called into the office and formally written up and warned to improve your work performance. Are you doomed? Is this the beginning of the end? […]
Written by info on January 29th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
Treat interviews as a conversation about your experience, and not just an exchange of questions and answers. Be prepared for the interview, do your homework by searching as much as information you can about the company and the position you are applying for (you may not want to ask about the company or opening positions available during an interview). An easy way to find out general information is to visit the company web site if there is one.
Dress neat and professional; avoid earrings (for men), piercing, carrying change in your pocket or anything that might be distracting to you or your interviewer. If possible, arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled time; being on time is being early.
Stay engaged in the interview and show employers that you are interested in their company. Stay confident and on track by making a list of important questions you want to ask. Keep an eye contact with the interviewer
Try not to just answer yes or no, especially no. I suggest that instead of saying no, you should turn it into a positive response. For example, “Although I have not worked with this, I am trying to do this” or “I am learning this…”
Most interviews follow the same pattern and contain the same questions even sometimes they are asked in different ways. Think about previous interviews you have had and practice answering questions about your experience. Write down questions and role play with a friend or family member.
When asked questions about your personal life, you might not feel comfortable answering them, which is ok, they are inappropriate anyway. You can just reply by asking the interviewer how it can be related to the job?
MB
The Las Vegas Private InvestigatorAre you looking for a good private investigator here in Las Vegas? You should be able to know how to find them and how to look for one who will be able to effectively help you. It is not enough that you believe any PI ad that you come across. You should be able to […]
How Men Cheat Women In Career DevelopmentHave you ever considered the fact that very few obstacles are preventing men getting training for careers of their choice? Changing job at any time for men is not much of a problem at all.You will equally agree that career situation for women is the opposite of the above career situation for men. […]
Lifetime Learning: Essential for Employees TodayWhy is learning continually throughout your career a good idea? Because todays rapidly changing business environment demands that you keep up with new technologies. Very few professions have processes that have remained static over past 10 years or so. In fact new technology has so transformed some professions that many have become obsolete or require […]
Your Career in 2007 Get a Fresh StartAs the New Year approaches, have you thought about your career goals? What worked to years ago in planning and managing your career will not work for your career development in the 21st Century. Managing your career in the 21st Century requires preparation, career goal planning and career guidance and ensuring that your time […]
Written by info on January 28th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
Hint: It’s about people, NOT computers.
Several years ago, I had a problem with some Microsoft software. I traded a long series of emails with a Microsoft customer “service representative” that was a nightmare.
No matter what I wrote, he refused to read it in sentence by sentence. He scanned it for keywords, then sent off some canned message that had nothing to do with my particular problem.
His non-responsive responses quite obviously showed that he had not read or understood my emails.
Finally, my extreme anger and frustration got across to him, and he referred me to a supervisor who was willing to actually read, understand and then solve my problem.
What is this most important business skill the MS techie failed to practice?
It’s learning how to put yourself in another person’s frame of reference. That is, to understand what they’re feeling, what they’re thinking and what they’re understanding.
It’s easy to write. It’s easy to think you already do it even though you don’t.
Businesses must understand how their customers think and feel — or they are put out of business by competitors who do.
Workers must understand how their co-workers think and feel — or they make enemies.
Employees must understand how their bosses think and feel — or they get fired or passed over for promotions.
Bosses must understand how their employees think and feel — or the work doesn’t get done.
Politicians must understand how the voters think and feel — or they lose the election.
Husbands and wives must understand how their spouses think and feel — or they get divorced.
Techies are NOTORIOUS for their inability to understand non-techies.
Remember, we don’t know what you take for granted. Don’t be arrogant just because of your technical knowledge. If you needed heart surgery would you want to go to a doctor who looked down at you because of your lack of knowledge of Latin and the intimate details of your body’s structure and chemistry?
Take a minute right now and think about someone who’s close to you but not really like you. Your wife or husband, your roommate, whoever.
If they came to you for help with a virus on their hard drive, could you help them without feeling smug about your superior knowledge of PCs? Could you adapt your level of understanding to
theirs?
Next time you have an argument with a significant other or friend, take a deep breath instead of getting angry. Take a mental step away and look at both of you as though you were a Martian anthropologist observing the behavior of Earthlings.
Just practice seeing the situation from their point of view — even if it is “wrong.” 
Keep on practicing with friends, co-workers and everybody else.
And yes, this is a skill everybody needs.
c 2006 by Richard Stooker
To learn why now is the best time to change to a computer career, go to:
Secrets of Changing to a Info Tech Career
Updates available at: Computer Careers blog
The Las Vegas Private InvestigatorAre you looking for a good private investigator here in Las Vegas? You should be able to know how to find them and how to look for one who will be able to effectively help you. It is not enough that you believe any PI ad that you come across. You should be able to […]
You Have Found The Perfect Job-Now Follow Up Part 1If you have been at the job search process for a while a good way to make contact with a company is to follow up. If you have gone to the effort of making contact by sending them a resume or filling out an application the least you should do is make sure that they […]
Your Career in 2007 Get a Fresh StartAs the New Year approaches, have you thought about your career goals? What worked to years ago in planning and managing your career will not work for your career development in the 21st Century. Managing your career in the 21st Century requires preparation, career goal planning and career guidance and ensuring that your time […]
How To Get Back On Track After Being Written Up At WorkMost of us have been there. For one reason or another, your work has not been the best and your boss has noticed. You are called into the office and formally written up and warned to improve your work performance. Are you doomed? Is this the beginning of the end? […]
Written by info on January 28th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
Horticulture involves the knowledge to grow fruits, flowers, plants, and vegetables. The location is generally a small garden at your home or maybe in a part. Some people choose to learn about horticulture to develop a beautiful garden of their own as a hobby or way to spend time making their home look better. For some, horticulture is their career.
There are colleges and universities offering certificates in the area of horticulture. Having a certificate to show potential clients gives you more credibility. Since consumers are encouraged to shop around before making a decision on such contract work be ready to answer their questions openly and honestly. Make sure you have references to offer the consumer or given them addresses of other work you have done that they can drive by and look at.
It can be challenging as a horticulturist to develop something that the consumer will be happy with. Communication is very important as is taking the time to draw up various options for the project before you begin. For your protection, always have a contract with the consumer regarding the plans they accepted, the deadline for completing the work, and any guarantees. You will want to outline your policy for complaints and other issues. Most horticulturists require a deposit or a percentage of the cost up front. Your contract should also include the price of the project.
While horticulture can be challenging, it is a great career opportunity for those who enjoy working outdoors. Having great communication and organization skills will help you as well. You will be required to do physical work that involves lifting and bending. You have the potential to earn a great amount of money as a horticulturist, from $4,000 to $8,500 per month depending on the types of jobs you do and the area you live in. For those who work for a horticulturist, the pay is about $11 to $22 per hour.
Find horticulture jobs at http://www.land-force.com/pages/viewCategory.aspx?id=7&catName=Horticulture
Looking to Get a Raise: Get Your MBAAccording to most salary researchers and guides, getting your MBA can mean a $10,000 to $30,000 salary increase, but don’t let the numbers get you too excited about the possibilities; there are still other factors to consider when calculating the potential for and the size of a salary increase if you get your MBA.TimingTiming is […]
Career Coach: 5 Things That Must Hold True When Shopping For Your Career CoachCareer coaches, like other professionals, should be judged on their merits and reputation. While anyone can hang a shingle on the door and advertise that they are a career coach, it is practical results that you want. And any reputable career coach should be able to show you a track record of successful job placements […]
The Las Vegas Private InvestigatorAre you looking for a good private investigator here in Las Vegas? You should be able to know how to find them and how to look for one who will be able to effectively help you. It is not enough that you believe any PI ad that you come across. You should be able to […]
Sources of Extra Cash or Additional Income for StudentsThere are many ways to get an extra income if you cannot afford to work normal full-time hours. This article will show you what is available and what you should avoid. I will use student time as an example, as a students timetable is usually the most inconvenient for full-time work and also changes every […]
Written by info on January 27th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Careers Employment.
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