Monday, December 30, 2019

7 ways being single could help you save more money

7 ways being single could help you save mora money7 ways being single could help you save mora moneyWhere my single ladies at? Between the freedom to do whatever you please and the chance to really focus on yourself, being single has a ton of awesome benefits. One that might not come to mind right away? The money you save being single.Yes, paying rent and footing the bill can be costly when youre living the solo life, but youre also eligible to save more money without an SO - heres how.1. Rent could be cheaperFirst, living at home with your parents might totally be an option when youre single. You could end up paying a lot less in rent (if anything), and then stashing away cash for your future Pinterest-perfect place. Even better, you might save money on utilities if youre splitting the bills with the fam or if the rents dont ask you to contribute to heat, electric and water bills. However, if sleeping in your childhood bedroom isnt possible, you have the chance to live with multipl e roommates. The average price of rent in the U.S. hit a new high in 2018, at$1,405 per month, so sharing a house with three other people could cost you less, mean a lot more space and be so much more fun.2. Food for one could be cheaperThere are a ton ofways to save money grocery shopping, and when youre single, you get to buy whatever you want to eat and drink. When youre single, you dont need to worry about keeping food in your apartment for an SO, like those sugary cereals or soda. You can truly pick and choose how often you go grocery shopping, how many times a week you want a PBJ sandwich (not judging) or if you eat mac n cheese out of the box more often than you want to admit. Its your life and diet, so you do you and it might just save you money.Pro TipDownload Ibottaand save even more money at the food store3. You might have more time to hustleBeing single is the best because you can truly choose exactly what you want to do at all times. You dont need to worry about spendin g a few hours on Saturday at an SOs family party. Relationships take time and effort, so while youre single, enjoy the freedom to do literally whatever you please - including hustling. You canstart a side hustleor work a few more hours of overtime with ease if youre really looking to save money, pay down debt and achieve financial freedom.4. You could put more away in your 401(k)When youre single, the only person you might need to worry about is yourself. So when it comes to making, spending and saving money, you can choose how you do it all. That also means you can skip keeping that cash in your checking account just in case you need to buy a present for an SO, and instead put it intoyour retirement account. That money is taken out from your paycheck before taxes and so you end up saving more in the long run. Plus, a 401(k), 403(b) or other retirement account is a place to save for the future, so why not work on that while youre single before you need that money for an earlier mil estone like a house, wedding or kids? Its your money, so make sure you do what you want with it before factoring someone else into the picture. Trust us, theres time for that5. Theres no pressure to spend money on a wedding right nowAccording to research from The Knot, theaverage price of a weddingin the U.S. in 2017 was $33,391.Yikes.Staying single longer (or forever) can help you avoid paying that (or any) amount of money for your big day. And if you do want to get married in the future, you have a lot more time to save Even better, when you attend weddings while youre single (or in a relationship), you can get so many ideas for how to throw yours in an affordable way.6. Your debt is your ownWhen it comes to debt, being single is a perk. If you dont plan on getting married, then you have nothing to worry about. However, marriage can throw a wrench into your debt situation. Any debt that someone incurs before getting married wont be legally brought into the marriage. However, any d ebt that is incurred after getting married and that has both partners names on the account is considered joint debt. So if you open a joint credit card account with your spouse and they decide to go on a shopping spree at Macys every month without paying it off, it could damage your credit. Enjoy being in charge of only your finances while youre single7. You could get help paying for your kids college tuition now or in the futureWhen youre a single parent, whether thats right now or in the future, its important to know that you canget help in sending yourself or your child to college. For instance, FAFSA will be calculated based on your sole income, which could result in more federal aid for you or your child. Additionally, there aregovernment grantsand college scholarships for single parents, which can help offset the price of tuition.At the end of the day, being single means spending less money on someone else and more on yourself.You may not need to buy presents for a whole other family, and can maximize the amount that you stash away for your future. So take the time that youd spend cuddling with an SO tolearn how to budget better, save more money, pay down debt and invest. The One will come along, but for now, be the boss that you are and live up the solo life in any way you want.This article originally appeared on Swirled.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Career Advice Roundup 5 Great Job Search Tips from the Web - FlexJobs

Career Advice Roundup 5 Great Job Search Tips from the Web - FlexJobsCareer Advice Roundup 5 Great Job Search Tips from the Web -3job search advice out there. So today, were rounding up five of the best job search tips weve seen in the past couple out on the interwebs. No matter what stage of your job search, or what types of jobs youre searching for, these tips are sure to help.1) To Find New Jobs Fast Set Up Email Alerts, from CareerRocketeer.com. Job search websites, including, usually offer the opportunity for you to set up an account that offers email alerts. Whenever a job is posted that matches your pre-selected interests, youll receive an email. Email alerts are a fantastic job search tool because they allow you to find open positions the moment they are posted, and not days or weeks later. In this tough job market, the early bird most certainly gets the worm.2) To Make a Good Impression Dont be stupid on social media, from MSNBC Careers. According to a new survey from the U .K., 56 percent of employers check out job candidates on social networks. Whether youre currently employed or seeking a job (or both), make sure your Facebook and Twitter accounts are as private as can be, and be careful about checking that box on LinkedIn that tells people youre interested in connecting with people for career opportunities. Your current employer might not appreciate that.3) To Persevere in Your Job Search Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. This is the advice from Career Hub, an excellent site full of free advice from career experts. Like Dori in the movie, Finding Nemo, this mantra can help job seekers through some pretty difficult situations. How many times have you not heard back from potential employers? Or made it to the final interview round, only to be rejected? There are lots of ups and downs in a job search, so when you find yourself in the downs, remember, just keep swimming.4) To Bridge the eu-agrarpolitik in Your Resume Give the hiring manager somet hing else to focus on. According to WiseBread, many stay-at-home parents who return the workforce are focused too much on their experience gap and too little on fixing it. They recommend doing loads of research ahead of time so that you, Know the challenges of the position and everything else about the it so when you sit down in front of a hiring manager you can talk about the position better than the hiring manager can. Demonstrating why your experience is incredible has mora weight and relevancy than the fact that you were a stay-at-home mom. This way, the hiring manager focuses on your preparedness and in-depth knowledge rather than that gap.5) To Get Your Foot in the Door, Considering Freelancing. According to an article by Jessica Stillman on Gigaom, more companies are turning to freelance and contract professionals because of the flexibility that comes with hiring independent workers. Says Gene Zaino, an expert in independent working, Today most Fortune 500 companies have an a ctual position that manages their non-employee labor and in more and more companies theres much more publicity, much more education, much more awareness. Check out freelance job postings here.

Friday, December 20, 2019

The most common sensitive topics employees discuss at work

The most common sensitive topics employees discuss at workThe most common sensitive topics employees discuss at workNew research from Olivet Nazarene University shows that conflict with coworker(s) is the most common sensitive topic that employees can talk about with a friend at work, at 64%.The school surveyed 3,000 Americans working in full-time positions for the study.Tough things people can talk about with a friend at workHeres how respondents weighed inConflict(s) with coworkers 64%Love life 58%Health issues 53%Financial issues 33%Heres how often employees say they spend time with office friends outside of work over the course of a typical monthA couple times per month 41%Once per month 26%Weekly 20%Less than once per month 18%Respondents also answered questions about the same topicDo you spend time with work friends outside of work? 62% Yes, 38% NoHave your work friends honigwein your non-work friends? 53% Yes, 47% NoHave your work friends met your significant other? 69% Yes, 3 1% NoThe nature of work friendshipsPeople also answered more questions about their friendships, with just 10% saying that theyve quit a position because a friend left, and 90% saying they havent.But while 68% surveyed say they talk to work companions about their salary, 32% claim that they dont.A few industry categories with employees who are the most likely to talk about their money with others are Marketing, Advertising, PR and Restaurant, Food, Beverage. Conversely, afew categories with employees who are least likely to talk about the cash are Media and Nonprofit, Social Services.Additionally, it seems like people have no problem with trying to get their friends to work in the same place they do, with 59% saying that they have recruited one to do so before. Forty-one percent said that they have not.In terms of how much people have stayed in touch with work friends they dont work alongside anymore, 55% said they have stayed in touch a little, 27% said that they barely stay in touc h, and a slim 18% say that they stay closely in touch.

Monday, December 16, 2019

The Top 10 Highest-Paying College Majors

The Top 10 Highest-Paying College MajorsThe Top 10 Highest-Paying College Majors Securing a good first salary is tough - in addition to the intimidation that can come with negotiating for the first time, a lot of times you might feel like youre in the dark with little to no expectations about what you should be earning. After all, college courses often focus on mastering the subject matter at hand, not thinking ahead about possible career options and expected salary ranges. But our gruppe has taken a deep dive into thousands of resumes to match up the majors that people study with their current earnings - and from there, they got a great look at median base pay within the first five years of graduating.Whether youre still trying to figure out what you should study or want to use this information as a bargaining chip for salary negotiations , the data below will help you make a more informed decision. Whether your major made the list or not, were here to help en sure that youre able to maximize your earnings potential - our Know Your Worth personalized salary estimator takes into account things like your job title, location, years of experience, and more to give you a concrete data point to bringto the negotiation table. And our blog has no shortage of how-to articles and interviews with experts to help you navigate and master salary negotiation.So what are you waiting for? Get out there and take the working world by storm

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

4 Steps To Creating Your Personal Board Of Advisors

4 Steps To Creating Your Personal Board Of Advisors4 Steps To Creating Your Personal Board Of Advisors My path to entrepreneurship started when, while pregnant with my second child, I welches laid off from my job as a producer for MTV. I was upset, sure. But I also felt like I was being given an opportunity to finally find my true dream job one where no one else would dictate what I did, whether my position was secure, or how much I was paid. So, instead of applying for new positions, I turned my attention to building a full-service public relations agency based in Philadelphia. Enter Skai Blue Media .It took five years of feverishly building out my geschftliches miteinander plan, knocking on doors, creating a network, and cultivating my brand (on my own dime no less). Today, Im proud to say Ive created one of the leading PR firms in Philly and were changing the future of public relations.But I didnt get here alone. I owe a large part of my success to my advisory bo ard of friendtors. My friendtors are a group of friends and mentors who have supported me as Ive built my business. They are more than just pals or business acquaintances. They are my professional peers, whose guidance, wisdom, and care is invaluable to me.My personal board of friendtors includes Mary Doughertry, who leads public relations for the fashion designer Nicole Miller shes taught me so much about achieving an appropriate work-life balance within our industry. I lean on Fox 29 producer Berlinda Garnett to always tell it like it is. Finance executive Payne Brown has helped me to determine whether a persons imagination is in line with mine (and whether he or she is capable of executing it). Last but not least, my husband Bram Reynolds whos also Skai Blues chief operations officer is, among other things, an incredible friendtor. He recognizes where I can do better and keeps me honest and moving forward. I wouldnt be the boss and business owner I am today without this group.I encourage everyone I meet to establish his or her own friendtor board. Heres howTaking the leap to change careers, ask for that raise, or become an entrepreneur can require a lot of planning. You may have graduated from a great school with a dual-degree, but youre still only one person with a lens thats limited to what you know. That means you have implicit biases, strengths, and weaknesses. Consider these when selecting your friendtors. Instead of picking a handful of cheerleaders who have the saatkorn background and work experience as you, recruit people who are at various stages of different careers. Im careful to tap friendtors at varying life stages, since these people can offer diverse perspectives on everything from balancing your personal and professional lives to managing people effectively and creating company culture. You want to have people who arent afraid to tell you no, and who dont see themselves as being in direct competition with you.We so often think that in orde r for someone to help and mentor us, they need to be a big-shot vice president or have 20-plus years of professional experience. Thats simply not true. Dont discount the people around you who have a host of wisdom, guidance, and skills to offer. My husband, for example, never gets caught in the gray areas of decision-making like I do. Hes the first person to tell me, Youre doing great, but you handled that inappropriately and youre not putting your foot down. His strengths complement my weaknesses.My friendtors have helped me with everything from being an impactful manager to making difficult business decisions. And, like in any successful relationship, its important to reciprocate. Sometimes this simply means being open to receiving peoples advice and guidance (moving past defensiveness, which is often our first instinct). Its also about offering support in any way you can. Find out what they think could make them more successful in their career and then work with your friendtors i n a way that makes sense for them and their goals. Also make a point to meet people where they are literally. If you know someone hates lunch meetings but loves the outdoors, for example, maybe you suggest going on a hike to discuss a topic of interest. Dont forget to show your friendtors your appreciation, both when they help you and also just generally. Whether its with a thank-you note or a quick email update keeping them abreast of the successes to which they directly contributed, theres no downside to being gracious.Even the fruchtwein successful professionals struggle (and fail). Much like a good friend, a good friendtor should support you no matter the circumstances. So its all the more important to surround yourself with people who will help you develop into the professional you want to be people who believe in your purpose and plan. These same people should let you cry on their shoulders during the low points. My friendtors helped me through a particularly rough period, w hen I was blindsided by an ex-partner who stole money from our account and disappeared without a trace. You dont have to hide your challenges (or triumphs) from your friendtors. Stay honest with them and know that theyll be there to help you plan your next steps.This article originally appeared on The Well , Jopwells digital magazine. The Well is the digital magazine of Jopwell, the career advancement platform for Black, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American professionals and students. Subscribe to receive weekly stories and advice in your inbox.

Friday, December 6, 2019

Secret Info on Skills Section of Resume Examples Only the Experts Know About

Secret Info on Skills Section of Resume Examples Only the Experts Know About What Skills Section of Resume Examples Is - and What it Is Not Enaya you are include the key sections within your resume. The point is to ensure that you filter your search appropriately, such as to the local place. Its true, you still need to incorporate the standard elements of a resume, but that needs to be secondary. Templates are difficult to read, and the design elements frequently dont appear correctly on a monitor aside from that your own. Also it is necessary that you produce the resume dovetail to the essentials of the specific job which youre applying for so that theres no extraneous information there. Your professional resume is significant in lots of means. Personal information ought to be left off. Then you will move on to other resume examples that tell you just how to present your educational info and any special skills youve got. All you need to do is to show to the prospective employer you have the skills he is searching for in an administrative assistant. You simply need to do the work needed to locate the fruchtwein suitable job for you. Therefore, if you prefer a job which will assist you in making ends meet, you ought to be able to find one easily. Well, it is if youre interested in locating a fantastic job. Skills Section of Resume Examples - Dead or Alive? Theres just one way to quit sabotaging your job search campaign. With the economy the way its, we all understand that even applying for jobs isnt quick. New jobs can help ex felons to develop into a region of the society. Dont loose heart simply because the job that you really wanted is taken and you need to start for an assistant function. Choosing Good Skills Section of Resume Examples When there is one leading rule to bear in mind as you write your resume, its that all the content ought to be written to be employer-centered. Putting together an excellent copy of a resume is something that most individuals arent confident about. Developing a great resume is the very best way you are able to make that first impression. Resume writing doesnt have to be hard. If you dont have teaching experience, then emphasize any training which you may have done. Just concentrate on the experience gained at the occupations youve had. Its possible for you to transfer current skills to an updated resume that relate to the new career. Other skills which have been learnt can be mentioned. The End of Skills Section of Resume Examples Resume are simple to craft and can be readily copied and adapted to your specific circumstance. You cant when an excellent chance for a new job will come along, and that means you dont wish to locate your self in a panic attempting to find all the new info to be added to an old resume. If you are feeling really strongly that particular data could be relevant to at least SOME recipients, you could always make an addendum which you choose to us e selectively. The Contact Information section will always appear on top of your page no matter which format you select. It is preferable to begin with a blank document and appear at other resume examples for inspiration. A reference page is a vital characteristic of writing for your resume. Skills Section of Resume Examples the Ultimate Convenience Write the letter the way that youll write a normal cover letter. If youre applying for the position of legal secretary for a business, then you need to be in a position to generate a good resume for it. For that reason, its important to compose the objective in the ideal manner possible. To be a prosperous teacher a person ought to have a strong educational background. You need your resume to appear as professional as possible and samples can assist you along. Resumes are made to highlight the ideal side of an individual. There are lots of examples of resumes, but you need to remain certain to create your resume and cover le tter with your very own personal touch. Heres What I Know About Skills Section of Resume Examples Each company searching for an advertising manager may have different qualifications though some intend to look for more specific qualifications. You should try and give only snapshots of your skills, therefore the hiring officer could choose whether you would fit with the organization or not. No 2 resumes ought to be alike. Folks often speak about good resumes and resume-writing abilities, but you might be intrigued as to whats a good resume all about and what can one possibly consider to make an impressive resume. Facts, Fiction and Skills Section of Resume Examples Hiring managers should be in a position to scan your document quickly to see whether you are qualified before moving on. Career Objective Career objective is extremely important to your resume. Other Tips for Writing Job-Specific Railroad Resumes Something to bear in mind when writing a particular railroad jobs re sume is that its critical that you find out more about the position youre applying for. Developing Military Officer to Civilian Transition Strategies If you intend to use the abilities and experience you gained in your military job to acquire a suitable civilian position, you will need to understand a few important strategies. New Step by Step Roadmap for Skills Section of Resume Examples Make sure you include all appropriate information which is pertinent to the job posting. Then enter a great deal of empty space at the peak of the new resume. Now you have a fairly great collection of skills going for your intended position, think about expanding beyond that. TheLadders research proves that a recruiters eyes are drawn to the headers and down the middle of the webpage, states Augustine.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Navy leadership program for women

Navy leadership program for women Navy leadership program for womenPosted October 13, 2011, by Josie Chun In an effort to improve opportunities for women in leadership roles in the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Government is expanding its Navy Womens Leadership Program in 2010. The inaugural program welches first conducted in 2009 with 28 women and was the first of its kind for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The program provided the opportunity for female leaders, from the rank of Leading Seaman to Commander and APS equivalents, to participate in five Australian Women and Leadership Forum events, says Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science. The programs are being run as part of the New Generation Navy initiative, which seeks to improve the Navys culture, leadership and structure. The Navy Womens Leadership Program aligns itself with the objectives outlined in the Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Action Plan for the Recruitment and Retention of Wome n in the ADF. The new mentoring program is highly regarded and has been implemented in many corporate and public sector organisations around Australia, as part of gender diversity strategies to help women achieve their career potential and counter the gender imbalance in the workforce, says Combet. belastung years program was such a resounding success that this years program has been expanded to include a womens mentoring program for an additional 50 Navy women. The female officers, sailors and public servants who completed the program provided extremely positive feedback and have indicated strong enthusiasm and motivation to implement their new skills in the workplace, says Combet. This is a fantastic initiative that empowers women in the Navy to realise their leadership potential and help advance their careers. The plan outlines the commitment of the CDF and Service Chiefs to increase the number of women recruited and retained by the ADF, says Combet.Government ResourcesGovernm ent communications officer sample resumeGovernment communications officer sample cover letterCareer Insider StoriesNatasha Stott Despoja - Senator, South AustraliaInterested in becoming a?Management ConsultantHealth Information ManagerEnvironmental Health OfficerUrban PlannerRegional PlannerPopular Career Searcheshow to become an immigration officer in australiahow to become a Customs Officergovernment funded courses adelaidecertificate iv ranger in local governmentgovernment accredited courses in hypnotherapyGovernment CoursesBachelor of Cyber SecurityEnquire angeschlossen Enquire OnlineMaster of Cyber SecurityEnquire Online Enquire OnlineGraduate Certificate of Development and Humanitarian ActionEnquire Online Enquire OnlineDiploma of GovernmentEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJosie ChunRelated ArticlesBrowse moreGovernment jobsThe public sector a world of opportunityPeople have this idea that working in the public sector is all about boring jobs but it isnt. Ive had an extraordinary career doing terrific things that I believe in.Government jobsLeadershipHow to become prime minister the path to the topThe road to the Lodge has sometimes been a rocky one, as recent events have demonstrated. The path can be arduous and is not for the faint-hearted.CAREER ADVICEWhat to do when you get fired lessons from our political leadersPoliticians have notoriously low job security, so if anyone knows how to get fired and move on, it should be them, right? For better or worse, Marni takes a look at what we can learn from our esteemed leaders of the past.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Reinvent Your Job Search the Jobs Way

Reinvent Your Job Search the Jobs WayReinvent Your Job Search the Jobs WaySteve Jobs 5 principles of job successAs I was researching the material for my new book, The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs (McGraw-Hill), I realized that many of the principles responsible for Jobs breakthrough success at Apple apply equally to the management of ones job search career. If you are searching for a new job in your field or pursuing a change in the type of work you do, here are five principles to jump-start your career.1. Put a dent in the universe.Jobs never underestimated the power of geistesbild to move a brand forward. imagination inspires new ideas and attracts evangelists. In 1976, Steve Wozniak was captivated by Jobs vision to put a computer in the hands of everyday people. Wozniak was the engineering genius behind the Apple I and the Apple II, but it was Jobs vision that inspired Wozniak to focus his skills on building a computer for the masses. Jobs vision was intoxicating because it had four components that all inspiring visions share It was bold, specific, concise and consistently communicated.Just as Jobs had a vision for his brand, you must have a vision for the most important brand of all - yourself. What vision do you have for your career? When I was a journalist for CNN, I knew that I wanted to start my own company. My vision for my brand could be summarized in one sentence the communications coach for the worlds most admired brands. I began adding that statement on my business cards before I even had a client I could call a most admired brand. Today my clients touch your life every day. Yes, you need to follow your passion, but while passion gives you energy, vision ultimately points you in the right direction. It will be easier to succeed in your next job, if it is one you are passionate about.2. Kick-start your brain.Jobs creative ideas have transformed leid one industry, but four - personal computers, music, entertainment and telecommunications. Inn ovation requires creativity and creativity demands that you think differently aboutthe way you think. Scientists who study the way the brain works have discovered that innovators like Jobs employ a technique available to all of us - they seek out diverse experiences.Jobs creates new ideas precisely because he has spent a lifetime exploring new and unrelated things - seeking out diverse experiences. Jobs left the comfortable suburbs of Los Altos, California, to attend a liberal arts college in Oregon he studied the art of calligraphy in college (a study that found its way into the first Macintosh) meditated in an Indian ashram studied the fine details of a Mercedes-Benz and evaluated the Four Seasons hotel chain as he developed the customer service model for the Apple Stores. If your approach to the job search isnt yielding results, seek out diverse experiences attend meetings you wouldnt otherwise attend, network with people in other fields and explore new business ideas.3. Look outside your industry for career inspiration.In his insightful book, Iconoclast, Gregory Berns could have been writing about Jobs when he said, To see things differently than other people, the most effective solution is to bombard the brain with things it has never encountered before. Novelty releases the perceptual process from the shackles of past experiences and forces the brain to make new judgments. Bombard the brain with new experiences outside your comfort zone.4. Say no to 1,000 things.Jobs once said the secret to innovation comes from saying no to 1,000 things. Jobs is as proud of what Apple chooses notlage to do as he is about what Apple chooses to focus on. The lesson - dont spread yourself too thin. Find the job that intersects your passion, skill and the ability to make money doing it. Once you find it, focus on it, work at it and dedicate yourself to excellence in that area.5. Master presentation skills.Jobs is considered one of the greatest corporate storytellers in the world. His presentations inform, educate and entertain. By giving extraordinary presentations, Jobs stands out as a leader.On the job search you are being judged to a large degree on your ability to communicate what you do. The big difference between great presenters and the average presenter is that great presenters use tools like PowerPoint to complement the message. The speaker is the storyteller PowerPoint slides serve as a backdrop to the story. That means you must learn to avoid bullet points and to think visually about bringing a story to life. When Jobs (who uses Apple Keynote software to design presentations) unveiled the MacBook Air in January 2008, instead of showing a slide with text and bullet points, he showed a slide of an interoffice manila envelope. He said the computer was so slim it would fit inside. Thats memorable and different. If your career requires excellent presentation skills, improve those skills by reading books such as The Presentation Secrets of Jo bs, Slideology and Presentation Zen. You wont want to bring a slide projector into job interviews, but consider the language that you use and visuals you create when telling your story to others.Dont let bozos get you down.Many people around you think they know whats best for you. Only you can be true to your own heart and intuition. Jobs chose to drop out of college so he could drop in to the classes that really interested him, like calligraphy. The classes had no obvious practical application at the time but would eventually lead to world-changing products.Jobs knew that he had the skills to build a computer that would be simple enough for the average person to enjoy. Few others shared his vision. Ken Olsen, the founder of Digital Equipment, once told Jobs, There is no reason why anyone would want a computer in their home. Thank goodness Jobs didnt listen. If he had, millions of people would not be enjoying Macs, iPods, iPads and iPhones, which popularized touch-screen technology. Perhaps the greatest lesson Jobs teaches us is that risk-taking requires courage. Believe in yourself and your vision and be prepared to constantly defend those beliefs. Only then will innovation flourish and only then will you be able to find an insanely great job.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Most Popular Self-Publishing Services

The Most Popular Self-Publishing ServicesThe Most Popular Self-Publishing ServicesYouve done your self-publishing research and read the self-publishing success stories- and now youd like to know more about your options. Heres a mobiltelefon overview of some of the most popular self-publishing services. Each has its pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages, and proprietary features. Blurb High-Quality Designed Illustrated Self-Published BooksBlurb offers print-on-demand services and seems especially suitable for highly visual, bookstore quality books. As a testament to Blurbs popularity for visual artists, it was the service of choice for photojournalist Craig F. Walker of The Denver Post - he used Blurb to print his Pulitzer-Prize winning collection of photos of Ian Fisher, a young soldier sent to Iraq. Blurb also has a collaboration with Adobe Systems, featuring built-in Blurb bookmaking functionality within Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. This feature makes the process of book cr eation turnkey for those photographers and visual artists already using and/or conversant with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. BookBaby Got Its Start In An Indie Music CompanyBookBaby seems friendly and accessible and offers up a number of free marketing resources, along with a friendly blog that dispenses regular advice. CreateSpace Amazon.coms Paperback Self-Publishing ServiceThrough CreateSpace, self-publishing authors can set up a basic book with no initial costs and get seamless access to its parent company, Amazon.coms, powerful book distribution and merchandising channel. CreateSpace claims to offer some of the highest royalties in the industry, as well as an easy ebook conversion through its Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) electronic publishing program (see below). iUniverse iUniverse Guided Self-Publishing from an Author Solutions companyiUniverse uses the term guided self-publishing to describe its robust range of DIY publishing services, which are laid out much the saatko rn way as in a traditional publisher- at a la carte and package prices. If you want to see your book available both in print and in ebook formats, represented in stores and maybe even in the mediaand are willing to pay for the privilegeconsider iUniverse. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Self-Publishing eBooks with Amazons KDPKindle Direct Publishing offers ebook-only publishing and the advantages of Amazon.coms online distribution power. Kobo Writing Life Kobos Reading Life Extends to Self-Published eBook AuthorsThe Japanese-based cross-platform e-reading service Kobo launched theKobo Writing Life ebook publishing service in Beta in June 2012. Offering key reader insights and marketing tools gleaned from their capabilities, the Kobo Writing Life aims to be Best in Class, helping self-published authors to engage with fans on a global scale through their reading service, and puts all aspects of publishing (setting prices, advertising, marketing) in the hands of the writers helpin g them to maximize sales. Lulu.com A Wide Array of Self-Publishing Print and eBook OptionsLulu.com is a very popular self-publishing service that offers both a print-on-demand book and ebook digital development capabilities and a wide array of publishing support options. The author picks the package and the price, and promotion is available through Lulu.com. NOOK Press Barnes Nobles eBook Self-Publishing PlatformNOOK Press, from the major book retailer Barnes Noble, offers the distribution of barnesandnoble.com and some of the useful promotional features of being associated with a major brick-and-mortar store. With NOOK Press, there are no upfront costs and competitive royalty rates. Smashwords A True Indie eBook Self-Publishing ExperienceWith Smashwords, the author is considered to be the publisher of his or her ebook. Unlike some other ebook self-publishing services, Smashwords allows its authors a great measure of control over pricing, and over access to the work. To expl oit the Smashwords service to the fullest requires the author to take a good deal of responsibility for the quality of the work uploaded to the service, as well as be fully engaged in other aspects of the process.

How Automation Can Lead to a Promotion at Work

How Automation Can Lead to a Promotion at WorkHow Automation Can Lead to a Promotion at WorkRecently, we have puiblished a number of posts concerned with automationnot just the potential for it to disrupt employment in years to come, but also the need for employees in all walks of life to ensure that they have the training and experience to ensure that their jobs are secure from the threat of automated outsourcing. In this post, contributor Josh Snow outlines this latter premise perfectly, and illustrates that, when employees embrace the opportunities offered by automation, it can lead to productivity gains and career growthHow automation can lead to promotionFor many, automation poses a threat to job security, for fear of being replaced by a machine. Although the concerns are valid, it doesnt necessarily mean that your job lage will one day become obsolete.Instead of worrying about the move towards automation, embrace itMany job duties are repetitive in nature, and where there is re dundancy, there is an opportunity for automation. This can be good, in fact, great, if you can find ways to automate repetitive tasks in your current job, freeing up time to focus on other things that cannot be automated.Redundant tasks are a part of many daily activities in the workplace and at home, many of which can be automated. The progression of automation has seen vast improvements since the industrial age. Utilizing the advances in technology has given way to mass production, allowing businesses to bring their products to consumers at significantly reduced costs.With the advent of embedded systems and industrial automation, products can be created very efficiently. In the realm of evolutionary advancement, creating systems that perform repetitive tasks has allowed us to utilize our intelligence in more creative ways.Embracing automation earned me a promotion. With a career in information technology, I spend a lot of time in front of a computer. Part of my job duties are to r eport client data to upper management on a regular basis. Although necessary, gathering and organizing the data can prove tedious and time consuming. The reports are the same in nature, its the data that changes. In an effort for efficiency, a template was created, requiring me to input the data into the correct fields of the template. Over time, the repetitive nature of the task grew tiresome. I was spending the majority of my day doing essentially the same thing. I really wanted to help some teammates work on an interesting project, but the reporting didnt allow much time to be a part of the project. The opportunity for growth was dim and I was frustrated with what seemed to be a time consuming position that didnt allow much time for other pursuits within the company.I needed to find a way to free up some time in my day to get involved in the projects that I really wanted to be unbekannt of, allowing opportunities for growth. With a little effort, I began learning how to automate the reports. Utilizing the capabilities of within Excel, I created a macro toolbox, requiring a mere click of the mouse to perform the once tedious reporting tasks.Once I had the report automated I had a lot more time to join my teammates in other projects. I was now getting the reports turned in quickly, while also playing an integral role in several projects. This did not go unnoticed. What started as repetitive reporting with minimal growth opportunities, turned into a challenging and appreciated position within the company, all thanks to automation.I will continue to look for opportunities for automation at work and at home. Automation has made my life easier, freed up time on repetitive tasks, saved my employer money, which in turn, meant a promotion for me. This has allowed me to be more productive, focusing my time on essential tasks that only a human can do. Instead of fearing the inevitably increasing forms of automation, use it to your advantage. Your employer will appreci ate your forward thinking attitude, likely putting yourself in a position for new growth opportunities within the company.Josh Snow is a Freelance Writer and SEO Specialist, with a B.S. in IT. You can visit his blog here.