26March2012
Posted by Jody under: Wellness.
The key to successfully changing your tobacco habit is planning. Your personal plan should fit your personality, lifestyle and commitments. Ideally, you should feel motivated to do it and enthusiastic about the results. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off
17March2012
Posted by Jody under: Health.
Effective networking techniques, which we discussed in part two of this series, are an essential element of your entire job search. You use your network to gather information about potential fields when you are in the exploration phase, and you tap into your network to find out about opportunities when you are in the job search phase. Seventy-five percent of job seekers find their jobs through contacts, so if you don’t network effectively, your search will take longer and is not likely to net the same high-quality results. People generally enjoy helping others to find opportunities, especially if you are respectful of their time, appreciate their efforts, and stay in touch even when you don’t need a favor.
My clients are often initially reticent to network. They are reluctant to bother their friends, insist they have no network, or tell me they’ve tried it with little success. Often it helps to approach networking as a conversation, similarly to how you would approach a neighbor if you were new to the area and needed a recommendation on where to get your hair cut.
It’s an exchange of information — a chance to update each other on what’s new since you last spoke. You are not demanding assistance in your job search; you are simply letting them know what you’re looking for and asking for any ideas or thoughts they might have. Then it is important to stay in touch and look for opportunities to reciprocate. There are certain people who only call me when they need help and those are the phone calls I return last. On the other hand, I have a wide network of contacts with whom the information exchange is very balanced, and this network is the source of my most interesting projects. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off
16March2012
Posted by Jody under: Health.
Parts one and two of this series focused on figuring out what you really want to do with your life. We covered how to assess whether you need to make a change and how to evaluate which option is the best one for you. The next challenge is actually making the transition to a new job or career. In this column, we’ll cover the most successful of today’s job search techniques.
I realize many of you are hoping that all you have to do is find some good employment Web sites, apply for a few positions and sit back and wait for the phone to ring. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s not quite that easy. Recently a client came to see me, discouraged that after six months of applying for more than 100 jobs on the Web, he had yet to land something. It’s true that the Internet is changing the way companies recruit, but the reality is that applying for jobs listed on the Net or in the paper is successful for only about 15 percent of the job hunters out there. The rest of us have to combine surfing the Web with a more proactive approach and a lot of hard work.
The best way to find a job is to treat it like full-time work. If you are currently employed, this is more difficult, but even those in full-time jobs need to devote at least 10 hours a week to their job search if they want to end up with a good opportunity. You want to avoid taking the first thing that comes along because you are too time-pressed to look for anything else. If you settle for something not quite right, you may end up back in the job market before long.
Those job hunters that fare best are the ones who track down every lead, follow up on every opportunity, and use a variety of job search methods. The reward for all of that effort is to end up with two to three job offers, allowing you to choose the one that’s best for you. Having more than one offer puts you in a strong negotiating position and increases the chance that you’ll get the salary, title and benefits that you are looking for.
Now that you are motivated to go about this the right way, here are the elements that go into a successful job search:
Your resume is still your number one job search tool. If you are changing careers, you need to gear your resume to your new target area by highlighting skills and experiences that are relevant to the position you’re pursuing.
Your resume should be accomplishment-oriented (with results quantified whenever possible), clear and concise. Many people make the mistake of trying to fit everything they’ve ever done into their resume. Before you include an accomplishment, a part-time job you had in college, or your favorite hobby, ask yourself, “Is this relevant to the position I’m applying for?” If the answer is no, leave it off. Recruiters review hundreds of resumes every week, and they appreciate the streamlined approach. Another important point about resumes: These days, many companies use scanners to transmit information from your resume into their tracking system. To ensure that your resume is captured in the system properly, follow these guidelines:
Avoid using italics, graphics and any unusual fonts. Scanners often can’t read fancy text, so keep it simple to ensure your information is readable.
Make sure to mention key skills that the system might search for.
If you’re going to e-mail your resume, attach it as a text file to ensure that the recipient can open it, no matter what software program they use.
Cover letters give you the opportunity to highlight the parts of your background which are especially relevant to the position you’re applying for. You should include information that shows you have thought about why this company and/or industry would be a good fit for you. Make sure cover letters are well-written, no longer than one page, and proof-read by a second set of eyes.
Comments Off
7March2012
Posted by Jody under: Business.
Those college years were instrumental in developing Cuban’s business sense. Cuban chose Indiana, he says, because it was the least expensive of the country’s top 10 business schools. As a freshman, he attended graduate-level business classes, getting an A in a statistics class. In his sophomore year, the dean of the MBA program discovered the undergrad was taking graduate-level classes, so he banned Cuban from the program, though he let him keep the credits. “I partied my brains out the last two years,” Cuban says. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off
7March2012
Posted by Jody under: Business.
Since he was a kid, Mark Cuban wanted only to be an entrepreneur. He started his first business at 12, selling garbage bags door to door in his native Pittsburgh. “I did pretty well,” he says. “I was certainly the only kid out there selling garbage bags.” Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off
6March2012
Posted by Jody under: Home.
Boredom is likely to have set in by this time of the winter. Try out these ideas to rekindle children’s imaginations. Most households have all kinds of recyclable craft materials such as margarine tubs, Styrofoam(tm) trays, glue and markers. Keep supplies on hand so they’re ready when your children are, and vary what’s available each day. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off
28February2012
Posted by Jody under: Fitness.
Deciding to get into biking is the easy part. Deciding on the bike is harder. Should you choose a racing, mountain, or touring bike? HealthOnline writer Lindsay Townsend thumbnails the differences. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off
27February2012
Posted by Jody under: Women's Health.
For too many women, their “golden years” may be clouded over by domestic violence. Domestic violence is a major public health problem that has received increasing attention over the past 20 years, although it has existed much longer. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off
20February2012
Posted by Jody under: Wellness.
When it comes to summer activities, hiking is a natural choice. Sunny weather beckons us to explore the great outdoors, commune with Mother Nature, and enjoy a mini-adventure. Make sure your next hike is a healthy one by following a few pointers that can help turn a walk in the woods into a journey toward better fitness. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off
17February2012
Posted by Jody under: Fitness.
Welcome, Lisa! Congratulations for making a commitment to the Four Get Fit Program at drkoop.com. It appears that you have the enthusiasm and experience with exercise to do what it takes in order to reach your goals. I will try and give you some guidance and support throughout this program. Feel free to ask any questions pertaining to your exercise routine.
Comments Off