How a Criminal History Can Affect U.S. Military Enlistment

How a Criminal History Can Affect U.S. Military EnlistmentHow a Criminal History Can Affect U.S. Military EnlistmentThe United States military services make every attempt to assess the moral quality of potential recruits, and several categories of moral offenses may preclude enlistment. This is primarily accomplished based on criminal record. Its important to note thatthere is no such thing as a sealed record, or an expunged record as far as the military is concerned. The recruiting services have access to law enforcement and FBI investigative records, which quite often will list arrests in ansicht categories. Disclosing Criminal History Even if an offense is not found during the recruiter criminal background check, it is likely to come up during a possible (probable) security clearance criminal records check. If an applicant fails to disclose criminal history and it is later discovered, the individual may be charged under federal law, or the Uniform Code of Military Justice for False Statement, and/or Fraudulent Enlistment. Any offense which resulted in a conviction or adverse adjudication counts. Usually, if the charges were dismissed (without conditions), or resulted in an acquittal (finding of not guilty), they dont. However, sometimes the military will count an offense which resulted in a dismissal. For example, if you were caught shoplifting, and the charges were dismissed because the store owner didnt want to press charges, the military might count it. On the other hand, if the charges were dismissed because the DA determined there wasnt enough evidence to prove you committed the crime, the military probably wouldnt count it. When determining whether or not an offense counts for enlistment purposes, the services are primarily interested in whether or not the applicant actually committed the offense, not whether or not a legal conviction resulted. Criminal offenses that fall into one of the below categories counts when it comes to enlistment purposes Conviction. The act of finding a partie guilty of a crime, offense or other violation of law by a court or competent jurisdiction or other authorized adjudicative authority. This includes fines and forfeiture of bond in lieu of trial.Adverse Adjudication. Any conviction, finding, decision, sentence, judgment, or disposition other than unconditionally dropped, unconditionally dismissed, or acquitted. Participation in a pretrial intervention program as defined below must be processed in the same manner as an adverse adjudication.Pretrial Intervention/Deferment. Every state has a program by which offenses are diverted out of the regular criminal process for a probationary period. While the programs vary from state to state, they all require the defendant to meet some requirement (e.g., reporting or non-reporting probation, restitution, or community service), after successful completion of which the charge is disposed of in a way that does not result in a final adjudication of guilt. Ch arges disposed in this manner are processed as an adverse adjudication. Enlistment Standards Each of the services has their own standards when it comes to criminal offenses, and whether or not the offense(s) are disqualifying ArmyAir ForceNavyMarine Corps Criminal History (Moral) Waivers The waiver process is a very subjective one.

Job Search Tips for Older Workers

Job Search Tips for Older WorkersJob Search Tips for Older WorkersIn todays job market, finding a job is not easy. If youre over 40, age can present an additional hurdle to job-hunting. Today, older workers in the legal profession and other industries are competing with younger job-seekers and Generation Y for a shrinking number of open positions. To help you in your job search, we asked recruiters, career coaches and workplace experts from around the country for job search tips for those age 40 or older. Read on to learn their tips and advice. Job Search Tips for Older Workers Confront Age DiscriminationI always advise older job applicants to be extremely sensitive to the possibility of age discrimination. If theres even a gunst der stunde it might be a problem, always assume it is. Confront it head-on by bringing it up yourself and dealing with it. If youve picked up on age discrimination euphemisms (We need people who are vigorous and energetic), couch your response in terms o f those euphemisms. For example You know, I pride myself on my vigor and energy. If you talk to anyone at my last job, theyll tell you that I out-hustle anyone there. The younger guys, in particular, cant keep up with me because, not only dont they have my energy, they havent yet learned to work smart. Or, I pride myself on always being on the cutting edge of all the latest trends. And the wide-ranging experience I have in the industry allows me to apply the very latest practices in the most effective ways, to put them in the appropriate perspective. - Barry Maher, consultant, author, speaker Invest in a MakeoverMaybe its makeover time. A job change is a great time to invest in updating your look. This is especially true if you havent done so in awhile or if youve been in the saatkorn job (or even the same relationship) for a long time. Its so easy to get stuck in a look that is stagnant, outdated, and maybe even less-than-flattering. Companies like to hire people who exude a polis hed, on-trend appearance. Put the odds in your favor here. Plus, when you know you look great, youll feel mora confident. That is always attractive - Patti DeNucci, business networking expert and author of The Intentional Networker Attracting Powerful Relationships, Referrals Results in Business (Rosewall Press, 2011) Start a Blog, Enhance Your Web Presence?The best way to find a job when youre over 40 is to have the job or jobs find you. The easiest way to do that is with a blog. And the secret to leveraging your blog for job-hunting purposes is to blog on the area you want to become designated as the expert in, and then get people to connect to and read your blog. Cant start a blog? Have no time? Contribute thoughtful and meaningful comments to others blogs - blogs that people who would be in a position to hire you would be reading. nachschlag do reviews of business books on Amazon - the books that the people or recruiters who would be in a position to hire you because of your expertise will be reading. A best-selling book on marketing might have 200 reviews, three of which are well written and substantive. Be one of that three. The web is your billboard. Now is the time to start building the right kind of presence on the web, one that will last throughout your career. - David Perry, co-author, Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0 head headhunter, Managing Partner of Perry-Martel International Inc. Consider Telecommuting JobsTake advantage of your experience by focusing your job search on telecommuting jobs. More employers are embracing this way of working (weve seen a 400% increase in telecommuting job postings since 2007), and 40 workers have an advantage because a majority of telecommuting jobs posted require experience, which eliminates competition from younger job seekers. In addition, much of the application process for telecommuting jobs is done online and over the phone, so fears that ageism might be taking a toll on your job search can be put to rest when an employer sees only your excellent application and qualifications, rather than your age. Because telecommuting jobs exist for almost any profession, most 40 job seekers will find excellent leads in this niche. - Sara Sutton Fell, CEO/Founder of FlexJobs (www.flexjobs.com) Emphasize Experience, Stay Positive. ?Older applicants need to deal with the negative perceptions of age and to stress the positives theyve picked up because of experience. Ideally, they should show that age and experience make them stronger, even in those very qualities the employer associated with youth. But they should never do it defensively, always do it positively, if at all possible raising the issue themselves rather than letting it lie there as an unspoken problem. - Barry Maher, consultant, author, speaker Stay CurrentThe key is to not appear over 40 - stay current in your technology, training, and skills. Be sure your resume and other career documents are formatted according to todays sta ndards. Utilize social media to network professionally, including LinkedIn (first and foremost), Twitter and/or Facebook. The general concern with being over 40 is that youre no longer competitive. Take the concern off the table. - Laurie Berenson, President of Sterling Career Concepts, LLC Highlight the Benefits of Older Workers?Unless you are seeking a job in a hyper-young environment (think Internet start-up or the music industry), dont try to hide your age. They will find out at some point and it will backfire on you either in the interview or when checking references. Highlight the benefit of hiring someone your age. The 28-year-old is likelier to bolt for another opportunity sooner than the 48-year-old who knows how hard it is to get another job. The 40 seeker represents stability and is more committed to succeeding because theres more riding on it (a mortgage, tuition, etc.). The 25-year-old is just focused on getting out of his parents basement. Hiring a 40 seeker saves mon ey because it reduces turnover and HR only has to fill the job once. - Ronald M. Katz, HR consultant, career coach and the author of Someones Gonna Get Hired...It Might As Well Be You Leverage Your ExperienceAt 40, you have almost two decades of experience that will benefit potential companies. Remain flexible, as your new job may not exactly be like your old job. Possibly go back to something you did 10 years ago and use that experience to open doors for you. - Joe Belko, Partner with NJ-based Watson Barron Re-invent YourselfI am 47. I landed my current position by re-inventing myself through changing my career and re-educating myself. Knowledge is power. Additionally, projecting positive energy and confidence in yourself is critical. You must truly believe in yourself. Always be professional. Never act like you know it all because of your age. Be prepared to work for someone younger than you. - Debra Neser Be Honest About Your AgeClearly and proactively emphasize your age and then umber of years of experience rather than avoid, minimize, or downplay. More high-level executives responsible for hiring decisions have very specific and defined needs. If they are going to pass you over for someone younger that they can pay less at the cost of experience, they will do so whatever you say or dont say during the interview process. Focus instead on being clear, honest and very upfront in all realms. Though this may result in some schwefelyperit opportunities because of mismatched needs, you are much more likely to find the best fit for you quicker. - Dr. Joseph Cilona, Manhattan-based licensed clinical psychologist, business and personal coach, author and nationally recognized psychology expert.

How To Send an InMail That Actually Gets a Response

How To Send an InMail That Actually Gets a Response How To Send an InMail That Actually Gets a Response You are probably reading this because like most people on LinkedIn you want to know how to send an InMail message that gets a response. We have all struggled with knowing the best way to get someone to respond. The suggestions you’ll see below will make getting a response much more likely. Be relatable When sending an InMail, you want to find something relatable you can talk about and make the message personal. Take time to visit the person’s profile and look through it to find something you can mention in your message to them. This will make the recipient more likely to respond to you because your message stands out from all the other messages they’re receiving. It also shows you took the time to get to know them before sending a message. Be engaging Use words that suggest you want to engage with this person. They are more likely to respond when you say things that suggest continuing a conversation, like “let’s connect.” You want to sound like a human took the time to craft a thoughtful message, not a robot that sent a mass message to 100 different people. Give them something to talk about, and respond to. The other person is not as likely to respond if you don’t ask them a question, or provide them with a topic to conversate about. Be straightforward You want to be straightforward with your message, but don’t ask for too much right away. You also want to make sure to keep it natural, explain why you’re trying to connect, and don’t make it all about what they can do for you. LinkedIn allows up to 2,000 characters when sending an InMail. In order to have the highest response rate, we recommend sending anywhere from 500-1000 characters to avoid being too wordy. If there is too much content, there is a better chance they won’t read through everything. So be careful to get to your point, while also remembering that you are trying to create a conversation. Be free People tend to think of sending messages like a science when in reality, you should feel free to send a message when you have one to send. There is no need to waste time or energy figuring out when it’s best to send messages. Studies have been done and found that there is no right time to send messages. We worry about avoiding Mondays and Fridays, thinking people won’t respond. Time of day seems to be important too. It turns out, people will respond on their own time, regardless of when you sent them the message. Be vague It can be tempting to get too specific, but you want to wait to provide all the details after your first response. Avoid discussing things like a time they might be available for a call, or mentioning salary details. You don’t want to provide so many details that you overwhelm the reader. You also want to make sure you allow them time to warm up to you before you give them too much information. If they don’t feel that initial bond, they won’t feel any desire to help you. But if you take the time to find a commonality, they will be more inclined to continue the conversation. Provide introduction Your recipient is not going to take time to visit your profile to figure out who you are or what you do. When sending a message, always be sure to give a brief description of yourself as a form of introduction. Providing this not only lets them know who you are, but it shows you’re serious about connecting with them. This also another way for you to be relatable. Without an introduction, the person reading your message will have a difficult time trying to relate to you. They want to know who you are, and why you are messaging them. Remember the subject line Be sure to remember the subject line, this is important. Keep it interesting, personal, and simple. Keep it to no more than five words. This may be the most important step. If the person doesn’t even take the time to open your message, you will never have the chance to connect with them. Many people don’t take the time to go through every message they receive. If you take the time to create a thoughtful subject line, you are much more likely to get them to open your message and continue reading. Conclusion In conclusion, there are a lot of ways to send an effective InMail on LinkedIn. Make sure to follow these do’s and don’ts before sending your next InMail.

Employee Mileage Reimbursement

Employee Mileage Reimbursement Employee Mileage Reimbursement Employee reimbursement for using your own automobile will vary somewhat by employer and sector, but most organizations compensate employees at approximately the  Standard Mileage Rate  set by the IRS  or the  Privately Owned Vehicle Reimbursement Rate.  The rate is  set each year  by the General Services Administration (GSA) based on research conducted by an independent consulting firm regarding current costs for utilizing a vehicle. For 2019, the  Standard Mileage Rate  is rate is set at 58 cents  per mile traveled, up from 54.5 cents for 2018. This fixed, standard rate incorporates the cost of insurance, registration, gas, oil, and maintenance. For someone who  drives a lot for work, this can result in a significant deduction. Company Mileage Reimbursement Rates Most employers will reimburse at the IRS or GSA rate since they can deduct up to that amount as an expense when they file their corporate income tax return, though there are other complex tax formulas that employers can use. When qualified workers are difficult to find during economic expansions, employers are more likely to provide competitive rates of reimbursement. The Internal Revenue Service requires reimbursement payments to be made separately from salary, with no taxes withheld. Some employers will, therefore, process expense payments through the accounts payable system to keep them separate from payroll and to maintain compliance with IRS laws. If your employer is reimbursing at or near the GSA or IRS rate, then you can feel assured that you are getting a fair deal. Government Employee Reimbursement Government employees will always be reimbursed at exactly the GSA rate if the use of a privately owned car is authorized or when no government vehicle is available. Automobile Expense Reimbursement Requirements Youll need to provide a  mileage log, gas receipts, and documentation of any other allowable expense receipt related to your car. Without detailed records, your expense report may get rejected. Or worse, your employer could potentially take disciplinary action if he thinks your claim might be fraudulent. Many employers require contemporaneous record keeping, just like the IRS. Dont attempt to estimate your mileage as that might violate your employer’s policies. Keeping pen and paper in your car is one method, albeit a tedious one; a better choice is a mileage tracking app that automatically tracks your trips in a contemporaneous log that you can print or download. Its an efficient way to keep track of mileage, start and end-points and the business purpose for the drive to include with your  expense report. Other Ways Employers Compensate Employees for Automobile Expenses According to the Society for Human Resource Management, these are common alternatives to mileage reimbursement as ways for employers to compensate employees for business-driving expenses are: Flat car allowance.  Employers provide employees a flat car allowance, such as $400 per month, to cover the cost of fuel, wear and tear, tires, and more. FAVR programs.  Employers reimburse employees under a  fixed and variable rate (FAVR) reimbursement program, in which employees are reimbursed for fixed costs (such as insurance, taxes, and registration fees) and variable vehicle expenses (such as fuel and maintenance). The reimbursements are tax-free to employees if certain expense-accounting requirements are met. Tax Consequences for Mileage Reimbursements Mileage  reimbursements are considered tax-free disbursements by employers as long as they are documented and don’t exceed your actual expenses. However, your employer cannot directly pay for operating costs like repairs or maintenance for your car without tax consequences. Other expenses like tolls directly related to business transportation can be reimbursed without taxation provided you have receipts. Some employers provide a monthly allowance for automobile expenses. If employees are required to furnish records of expenses, they will be taxed only for any amount received in excess of recorded expenses. If employers don’t require documentation, then the allowance may be subject to taxation. Unreimbursed Automobile Expenses Starting in the tax year of 2018, with the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, workers will no longer be able to deduct unreimbursed automobile expenses.  In 2017 and earlier years these expenses were deductible to the extent that they were in excess of 2% of adjusted gross income. So, workers who will drive extensively as part of carrying out their job responsibilities should carefully evaluate company reimbursement policies as they review job offers. If an employer does not typically reimburse car expenses, then you might offer to reduce salary in exchange for reimbursement since the reimbursement will be sheltered from taxation if expenses are documented appropriately. Alternatively, you might negotiate a higher salary to account for the added tax burden under the new tax law. According to the IRS, despite the suspension of miscellaneous itemized deductions, deductions for expenses that are deductible in determining adjusted gross income are not suspended. For example, members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States (Armed Forces), state or local government officials paid on a fee basis, and certain performing artists are entitled to deduct unreimbursed employee travel expenses as an adjustment to total income on line 24 of Schedule 1 of Form 1040 - 3 - (2018), not as an itemized deduction on Schedule A of Form 1040 (2018), and therefore may continue to use the business standard mileage rate. The information contained in this article is not tax or legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own state’s laws or the most recent changes to the law.

Debate is the secret behind top teams best ideas

Debate is the secret behind top teams' best ideas Debate is the secret behind top teams' best ideas Debate - not lockstep agreement - is the secret recipe for a high-performing team, a new six-year study has found.When the researchers at RHR International first started testing group dynamics in 55 teams made up of more than 700 senior executives, they thought that the senior-level teams who sought cohesion would be the most successful. They were wrong.“It is the ability to manage conflicting tensions - as opposed to seeking cohesion - that is the most predictive of top-team performance,” they concluded in their writeup of their results for Harvard Business Review. Teams who debated their ideas regularly and encouraged a healthy sparring over ideas emerged as the highest-performing groups - with a 22% better performance of developing new products than teams that always agreed.Just talking isn’t going to cut it. It’s critical debate that works, not non-judgmental talking where everyone gets a medal for participating. In a separate study, UC Berkeley researchers put brain storming and constructive criticism to the test. They split up teams into a control group, a brainstorming group where participants were told to talk about ideas without judgment and criticism, and the debating group that was told to debate and criticize each others’ ideas as they came up. The debate group ended up producing 25% more ideas than the other teams in the same period of time.The best teams debate their ideasSo for teams to succeed, you need a safe place to honestly debate your ideas, not just formally present them. “The encouragement to debate and even criticize, not only does not inhibit idea generation, it appears to enhance it even more than the traditional brainstorming instructions,” the study concluded.That’s the kind of debate Pixar Animation Studios, a studio known for producing some of highest-grossing films of all time, does each morning. Each day at Pixar begins with junior and senior staffers analyzing and critiquing the few seconds of film they have animated the day before, in a process known as “shredding.”“We know screwups are an essential part of making something good. That’s why our goal is to screw up as fast as possible,”    Lee Unkrich, director of Pixar’s “Toy Story 3” told Wired about why Pixar subjects its employees to this intense debate daily. When employees can give critical feedback to ideas and works in progress, major revisions and failures can be avoided.How to debate instead of fightIf you want to copy the high-performing teams’ success, you first need to reframe your idea of conflict. It’s not a battleground to be won, but one where you see winning as an outcome where the best idea gets implemented - even if it’s not yours. Ultimately, you and your teammates should be debating each other for a common goal - satisfying your customer or intended audience, usually. When you focus your argument on the idea itself, you separate the person from the merit of the idea.Pixar does this through a process known as “plussing“: to keep the morning shreddings from wearing down on employees’ psyches, animators can  only criticize an idea if they also add, or “plus,” a constructive suggestion on how to make the idea better.Good debate means embracing tension. That means talking openly and transparently about what debate should be: a clear dialogue about the conflicts, tradeoffs and concerns being addressed. Without that established framework, an argument descends into a personal fight of allegiances.

How to manage your boss and yes, its a thing

How to manage your boss â€" and yes, it’s a thing How to manage your boss â€" and yes, it’s a thing If you’re a working adult (of any age!), you’re probably used to managing your own schedule, priorities, and workload. But have you ever thought about the need to manage your boss/manager? Because believe it or not, it’s a real thing and it’s referred to in business management as managing up.I know what you might be thinking … isn’t it my boss’ job to manage me? Why do I, then, have to think at all about managing them?Well, to put it simply, it’s because if you don’t at least try, you’re setting yourself up to fail slowly over time. Your boss is this other human being who is arguably one of the most important relationships you’ll ever have at work â€" so the way you “manage” that relationship can drive your career and personal development forward fast OR lead to your demise.The best way to go about managing your boss is by taking ownership over your end of working relationship, specifically when it comes down to communication, expectations, and problem-solvi ng. Here are some tips on how to go about doing that:Be clear about your career goalsA good manager strives to advance his or her employees into roles that are well-suited for their personalities, skill sets, and career goals. The more your manager knows about where you see yourself in five or ten years, or even in the next 6 months, the easier it is for them to empower you to achieve those goals and set you on the right path within the organization.When problems arise, think about solutionsA common mistake people make when interacting with their boss or manager is bringing up complaints and problems without any thought about how to solve them. Worse yet is giving your manager the impression that you expect them to fix everything for you. The better way to approach problems is to still bring them up to your manager, but when you do, also come prepared with ideas on how to solve them. This accomplished a few things: 1) it demonstrates your own willingness and ability to solve tough p roblems 2) it increases your manager’s chances of successfully helping you resolve the issue, and 3) it builds trust and rapport between the two of you and decreases the likelihood of angst and frustration at the outcome.Give your manager honest feedbackAlthough you may not consider it often, your manager needs constructive feedback about his or her performance and leadership just as much as you need feedback about how you’re doing. Sharing what you think is going well is one thing, but you should also remember to go straight to your manager when you don’t agree with something they’ve said or done. Nobody’s perfect and they need your input to know what they could be improving on too!Be clear about what’s missingAlthough almost every yearly performance evaluation (if you even have those!) allows an opportunity for you to answer questions about what you need to perform your job successfully, a lot of people tend to just mumble a quick, “I guess so” rather than share th eir honest feedback. Let your manager know what you need to perform your best at yearly evaluations AND on a regular basis: a clearer job description, retraining on certain skills, or support in a certain challenging area are a few examples. Your manager’s goal is to provide you with everything you need to be successful, but they can’t possibly know what you need unless you share that information with them.Ask questionsAny time your manager has delivered news you don’t like, requested you complete a task you don’t feel qualified to perform, or otherwise frustrated or confused you, ask questions rather than casting judgment and getting frustrated. Questions that might help you work through your concerns will vary based on the circumstances, but here are few great examples of respectful, fact-finding questions: I’m feeling confused. Can you help me understand how completing this task first would help us meet our goal faster? I don’t feel qualified, but I would love to. Can you help me get the training I need? I’m sure that was a complex decision. Can you explain what led you to decide that so I can understand too? Asking questions can be a non-challenging way to get on the same page before allowing your emotions to take over.Managing your manager isn’t a total cake-walk, but it doesn’t have to be super hard either; it just requires focused effort and an open mind on your part. The reward for doing it is high; you may be able to stay with the same company for many years in a fulfilling career that you actually enjoy and want, rather than have to start all over at a new job and company where the same issues arise or your boss is even worse!This post was originally published on Kununu.com.

Project vs. People Management

Project vs. People Management Project vs. People Management Managing projects and managing/supervising require many of the same skills and abilities; however, the jobs are dissimilar in their authority and technical expertise.  Both present interesting and challenging career paths for those who have leadership, communication, and organizational skills.   Skills Required for Effective Management Both disciplines require strong leadership skills. Project managers and supervisors lead teams to achieve common goals and, to be a leader, people have to follow. Work does not get done when team members dont fill their roles, and everyone gets frustrated, and while individuals may face disciplinary action, leaders are the ones whose jobs are most in jeopardy when targets are missed. A common adage about project managers is they spend 90% of their time communicating. Checking on the status of a task that a member is committed to completing, writing status reports, and holding meetings are just a few of the responsibilities managers have. Supervisors also set expectations with their staff, gather information, and report on the team’s work Organizational skills are important for project managers and supervisors. Project managers tend to be planners by nature who thrive on establishing a plan and executing it. They even have plans within plans like a communication plan within a project’s work breakdown structure. Supervisors need to keep track of what their staff members are doing. Supervisors ensure everyone is working on the right things at the right time. They corral the work of individual contributors to help their efforts be most useful to their employing business, nonprofit or government agency. Using Appropriate Leverage to Complete Tasks Authority - Project managers do not hold management authority over their project team members whereas supervisors can hire, fire, discipline and compel their staff to follow orders. Without the threat of personnel action in their back pockets, This dynamic requires project leaders to have excellent management skills. Granted, supervisors should rarely threaten personnel action, but they have the ability, and many times, that is enough of a threat. While project managers cannot fire their project team members for poor performance, they have ways of holding team members accountable. On the front end of a project, a project manager works with supervisors to gain commitment from them on how much time and effort will be expected of their staff who will participate in the project. When project managers and supervisors are on the same page in this respect, it is easier for project managers to outline how a project team member is not contributing appropriately. A project manager’s first instinct is not to go to a team member’s supervisor when a problem occurs. Project managers set up mechanisms for team members to hold one another accountable. Regular status meetings where team members commit to executing tasks within specified timeframes help the team members hold one another accountable. A project manager does not want to be the only one calling out people on missed deadlines and poor deliverable quality. When all else fails, a project manager gets help from a project sponsor. This person has the organizational clout to do things neither a project manager nor an ordinary supervisor can do. A project sponsor can go above a supervisor to have a project team member removed or coached to better performance. Expertise - Something that makes project managers approach their work differently than supervisors is that a project manager is not necessarily an expert in a project’s subject matter while supervisors are experts in staff business. A project manager is an expert in project management processes who brings together differently qualified experts to achieve a project’s goals. The project team solves a project’s problems and issues. The project manager provides structure for the team to do so. A supervisor is more participatory in devising business solutions because he or she often has a similar degree of expertise on the matter as his or her staff.

Freelance Media Jobs and What to Expect

Freelance Media Jobs and What to Expect Freelance Media Jobs and What to Expect The term freelancer has different connotations in different industries. Interestingly, in the media, there are a number of different freelance jobs you can get. You can work a part-time position as a freelancer, working a reduced schedule, or you can be a full-time freelancer, working either as a freelance writer, photographer, or illustrator. You can also work a full-time job and freelance on the side, doing projects here and there. The Advantages of Freelancing The biggest advantages of working as a freelancer are mostly lifestyle related, beginning with the freedom it affords you. A freelancer isn’t bound to keeping a certain schedule. In fact, most freelancers are able to work the hours that suit them, provided they meet the deadlines expected by their clients. Generally, freelancers also work remotely, which saves both time and money on commuting and alleviates the stress of sitting in traffic. Depending upon where the freelancer lives, that can make the prospect of freelancing enticing enough on its own. Freelancers are also free to find the right situation for themselves. Whether its picking which clients to work with or managing their workload, they dont have to answer to anybody else. Many people gravitate toward having that sort of autonomy. The Disadvantages of Freelancing At the same time, however, being on your own can also be seen as a downside. Working by yourself means you are doing everything from finding new clients and overseeing billing to collecting payments and handling the accounting. And all of that administrative work is essentially being done without immediate compensation, on top of actual paid freelance duties. Another disadvantage of working as a freelancer is the lack of financial stability. Your ability to generate income is directly tied to your ability to attract clients. If youre not necessarily outgoing, you might have difficulty gaining clients, and that, in itself, can be stressful. Even if youre good at interacting with people, it can be equally daunting to bring in that new business consistently. Then there is the process of billing when the job is finished and making sure youre getting paid on time. Sometimes it can take a month or two before you receive payment. A freelancer doesn’t have the luxury of a steady paycheck. That can be tough when youve got bills to pay yourself and other obligations to meet such as income taxes and self-employment taxes, which need to be paid quarterly. Freelancing can also be tough because most freelancers don’t receive health coverage (unless they have a specific contract with a company and then have a unique full-time freelance position), a benefit that is typically afforded to full-time employees. Working for an employer also offers additional benefits that arent available to freelancers, including having paid time off. When a freelancer is ill or otherwise needs to take time off, they do so without pay. How to Transition From Full-Time to Freelance To become a full-time freelancer, you need to assess where you are in your career and what your needs are. Do you have the contacts you need to get a steady stream of assignments? How much money can you reasonably expect to make? Do you need health insurance? These are all questions someone needs to address before they can start freelancing full-time. Many freelancers, in various sections of the media, will work full-time for years, making contacts within their industry and picking up freelance jobs on the side, before they take the plunge and become a full-time freelancer. One thing a successful freelancer needs is strong ties to people who assign the work they do. Successful freelance magazine writers, for example, often have strong relationships with certain editors who they rely on for multiple assignments. Once you have certain people who you can rely on to give you work, then you can comfortably get to a point where you can search out other jobs and bring in even more potential assignments and more money. Because of the risky nature of freelance work, it’s very hard to develop a successful freelance career unless you’ve been working in the media for some time. There are exceptions to every rule: If you’re a famous novelist, for example, you can often wrangle a plush freelance writing job because of your stature. But the key to successful freelancing is leveraging the experience and reputation you build by working in that field.

Customize this Arborist Resume

Customize this Arborist Resume Customize this Arborist Resume Create this Resume Brendan Scoville2529 Valley View DriveCambridge, MA 2141(222)-760-5736b.scoville@tmail.comObjectiveTo secure a position as Arborist in a fast growing landscape industry whereby skills and expertise in landscape and planning can be fully utilized. Summary of QualificationsIPM and climbing experienceCDL LicenseISA certificationExperience in general planningProficient in using MS Office SuitesProfessional ExperienceArborist, January 2007 PresentVilla Son Landscaping, Pompano Beach, FL ResponsibilitiesMonitored landscapes.Managed crews and monitored their work to ensure clients satisfaction.Devised marketing campaigns to attract sales.Facilitated industry networking by presentations at various events. Arborist- Associate, May 2004- December 2006Brickman, Bethlehem, PA ResponsibilitiesAssisted the Senior Arborist in facilitating industry networking.Generated sales by presentations, referrals and networking.Ensured clients satisfaction by performing task completely an d accurately.Checked landscapes.Made quotations and estimated job cost.EducationMasters Degree in Arboriculture, 2004Yale UniversityBachelors Degree in Arboriculture, 2002Yale UniversityCustomize ResumeMore Sample Resumes:Anesthesiologist Resume Animal Trainer Resume Arabic Liguist ResumeArborist Resume

The 3-step evening ritual that will make you happy

The 3-step evening ritual that will make you happy The 3-step evening ritual that will make you happy What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you? Something that you still think about or still affects you to this day.Hold that thought, okay? Right now we need to do storytime with Uncle Eric:More than thirty years ago there was a guy named Jamie, his marriage was in the toilet, and he was utterly depressed. Despite having big problems, he didn’t go to a therapist. (Which is ironic because Jamie was a graduate student in psychology, of all things.)Instead he started writing. A lot. He wrote about his marriage, his career, his childhood. He basically covered every serious issue in his life and how he felt about it. And then something happened…He felt better. A  lot  better. And he realized how much his wife meant to him. They resolved their issues. Then he had a thought:  maybe writing might help  anyone  feel better about their struggles in life.  And being a psychology grad student, he did a study to test the theory…Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazi nes on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!And he was right. Since that first paper was published in 1986 literally  hundreds  of other studies have shown the power of expressive writing to help people with, well, damn near everything in their life. (Yes, that sounds extreme. I know, I know. We’ll get to it. We’re just getting started here, okay?)In the thirty-plus years since that first epic writing binge many students on the University of Texas at Austin campus have come up to Professor James Pennebaker and said something like:You don’t remember me, but I was in your experiment a year ago. I just wanted to thank you. It changed my life.Suitably impressed, are ya? Good. Because we gotta get this show on the road, junior.James Pennebaker is the Regents Centennial Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.  His book is  Opening Up by Writing It Down: How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pa in.So what difference can an evening ritual of writing make for you? And how might the worst thing in your life possibly lead to the best thing?Let’s get to it …The Following May Be Hard To Believe …I have procrastinated writing this section because it feels like something you might hear on an infomercial. Like quackery. Pseudoscience. But it’s real. Scout’s honor.Jamie’s research found that expressive writing had effects similar to therapy. It was like talking to a close friend or a therapist about your problems but there weren’t any judgments and it didn’t cost $200 an hour.So you probably won’t be too surprised that writing helped  people suffering from depression, anxiety or PTSD. It helped their relationships too.  But that wasn’t all…Their  physical  health improved as well.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:People who wrote about their deepest thoughts and feelings surrounding traumatic experiences evidenced enhanced immune function compared with those who wrote about superficial topics. Although this effect was most pronounced after the last day of writing, it tended to persist six weeks after the study. In addition, it was again observed that health center visits for illness dropped for the people who wrote about traumas compared to those who wrote on the trivial topics.Okay, so they caught fewer colds? Yeah, and …Women with breast cancer reported fewer symptoms and required fewer cancer-related doctor visits. People with asthma and arthritis  â€œreported meaningful improvements in quality of life similar to benefits that would be expected by a successful new drug treatment.” It’s helped people with HIV, cardiovascular disease and chronic pain. People slept better. Smokers were more likely to quit. Several studies even showed that after expressive writing  wounds healed faster …I’m gonna stop before I start to sound like an infomercial or somebody selling magic healing crystals. I wouldn’t blame you at all for feelin g some skepticism - I just hope you’re as patient as you are skeptical because it will take you an awfully long time to read the  17,000+ citations on Google Scholar  that demonstrate the positive effects of expressive writing.Don’t get me wrong; it’s not a panacea. It doesn’t  cure  cancer. Its benefits are modest to moderate and it doesn’t help everyone all the time. That said, it has a lot to offer. It’s stupidly easy. And it doesn’t require some app that’s gonna bill you $9.99 a month for eternity. It’s free.And as the infomercials love to say:  â€œBut wait - there’s more!”  Being happier and healthier is nice but expressive writing also demonstrated concrete effects on people’s lives. Students’ grades improved. Unemployed people who did it were far more likely to get jobs.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:Within three months, 27 percent of the experimental participants landed jobs compared with less than 5 percent of those in the time management an d no-writing comparison groups. By seven months after writing, 53 percent of those who wrote about their thoughts and feelings had jobs compared with only 18 percent of the people in the other conditions. Particularly striking about the study was that the participants in all three conditions had all gone on exactly the same number of job interviews.Some might respond by saying they don’t have depression or cancer, so they’re going to stick with their current evening ritual of chips, salsa and “To Catch A Predator” reruns. They don’t have big tragic problems so this wouldn’t be a good evening ritual for them.Wrong. We all deal with emotional struggles - whether we realize them or not, whether they make us clinically depressed or not. Expressive writing has shown positive effects in people who weren’t dealing with anything serious.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:Looking beyond studies specifically with people diagnosed with a clinical disorder, some evidence for the benefit of expressive writing for feelings of depression and general distress has also been found in people who were not clinically depressed.So what’s the biggest benefit people report after a few evenings of expressive writing? “Insight.” Most people said they understood themselves better. They felt more meaning in life. To my knowledge, nobody has ever reported effects like that from buying a ShamWow or a Foreman Grill.(To learn more about how you and your children can lead a successful life, check out my bestselling book  here.)Okay, Sherlock, we have a mystery on our hands. Shouldn’t anything this amazing involve a doctor’s prescription, insurance deductibles and nuclear fusion? And why didn’t anybody tell me about this after I lost my favorite GI Joe action figure at age 7 or after the Great Eric Depression of 2014?Simply put, how can something so ridiculously free and easy do so much good?How The Sorcery WorksWe all deal with stress, pain and assorted glitches in the source code of life. Yeah, you can ignore them, bury them or distract yourself but they’re still there. (My own personal experiments have demonstrated that bourbon only qualifies as a “solution” if you’re speaking in terms of chemistry.)Emotional upheavals you don’t get closure on cause you stress. Mental and physical. They can increase the chance of illness, stroke, heart attack, or worst of all, erectile dysfunction.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:In the short run, restraining thoughts or feelings can immediately affect our body, for example, by increasing perspiration or causing faster heart rates, as seen during lie detector tests. Over time, the work of keeping secrets serves as a cumulative stressor on the body, increasing the likelihood of illness and other stress-related physical and mental problems… Major life experiences that are withheld from others are likely to surface in the forms of anxiety, ruminations, disturbing dreams, and other thought distur bances.Oh, so when it comes to emotional stuff, you just need to “get it out”? To vent. Right?Wrong. Merely expressing feelings makes it  worse.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:The effects were not due to simple catharsis or the venting of pent-up emotions. In fact, the people who just blew off steam by venting their feelings without any thoughtful analysis tended to fare worse… Talking or writing about the source of our problems without self-reflection merely adds to our distress…If all it took was venting then complainers and those who pollute our social media feeds with angry rants would be the most emotionally well-adjusted people around.It’s not the expression of our emotions - it’s  making sense of them  that sets us right.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:The authors asked the students to write about their thoughts and feelings about their lives. Those who showed more deep-level thinking along with constructive problem solving were less depressed later and h ad fewer health care visits. Those medical students who merely expressed their emotions and described their anxiety had more health care visits… A large number of good scientific studies conclude that the mere expression of emotion is usually not beneficial on its own. Rather, people typically must learn to recognize and identify their emotional reactions to events. Talking (and other forms of expression) is beneficial when it helps people make sense of their experiences.You need meaning in your life. And in the modern world, we have tidal waves of information but meaning is about as common as three-legged ballerinas. Life’s inevitable emotional upheavals shake up our vision of the world, mess with our identity and make us question the fragile Etch-A-Sketched vision of meaning we’ve managed to cobble together over the decades.We ruminate endlessly but that just makes things worse. When you’re merely thinking about your problems, you hop, skip and jump all over the place, nev er resolving one issue before moving on to the next. Writing forces us to put a structure around life. To make sense of it.You’ve probably heard some version of the expression, “If you can’t explain it to someone else, you don’t really understand it.” That’s true of our emotional lives as well. Writing - just like talking to someone - forces you to  make some sense. And that’s what you need most when life takes your vision of reality and shakes it like a snow globe.Once you understand something, once you can find a place for it in the story of your life, that’s when you can put it behind you and move on.(To learn the 4 harsh truths that will make you a better person, click  here.)Got the gist? Good. Now that you’re sufficiently gisted, let’s clear the decks …Getting ReadyYour writing ritual can be used for many purposes: dealing with life’s big issues, finally putting some old business to rest, dealing with tough transitions or just stilling an anxious mind .The only time you really want to avoid writing about something is when it’s still a bit recent and raw or if you find approaching the topic overwhelming.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:The studies that have hinted that expressive writing could be harmful have involved pushing people to engage in emotional processing of events that are overwhelming, are ongoing, or have happened in the previous days or weeks.The only other thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want to use disclosure as a substitute for action. If the problem has negative effects on your life that take place outside your skull, don’t think that you can skip actually doing something about it.Just because you’ve emotionally come to terms with debt doesn’t mean you can stop paying off your credit card.(To learn how to deal with passive-aggressive people, click  here.)So how do we get the most from our writing ritual?How To WriteDon’t wake up and immediately try to deal with big life issues. Just. Don†™t.There’s a reason this isn’t a morning ritual. And Jamie’s research confirms this:  â€œAcross multiple studies, we have had the most success with people writing at the end of their workday.”So how do you get started?  Here’s Jamie:Find a time and place where you won’t be disturbed. Ideally, pick a time at the end of your workday or in the evening when you know things will be calm and quiet. Promise yourself that you will write for a minimum of 15 minutes a day for at least three or four consecutive days, or a fixed day and time for several weeks (for example, every Thursday evening for this month). Once you begin writing, write continuously. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar. If you run out of things to write about, just repeat what you have already written. You can write longhand or you can type on a computer. If you are unable to write, you can also talk into a tape recorder. You can write about the same thing on all days of writing or you can write about somet hing different each day. It is entirely up to you.Many people experience some initial paralysis around what to write about or how to begin. No need to stress. It’s pretty straightforward.  Here’s Jamie:Over the next four days, I want you to write about your deepest emotions and thoughts about the most upsetting experience in your life. Really let go and explore your feelings and thoughts about it. In your writing, you might tie this experience to your childhood, your relationship with your parents, people you have loved or love now, or even your career. How is this experience related to who you would like to become, who you have been in the past, or who you are now? Many people have not had a single traumatic experience, but all of us have had major conflicts or stressors in our lives, and you can write about them as well. You can write about the same issue every day or a series of different issues. Whatever you choose to write about, however, it is critical that you really let go and explore your very deepest emotions and thoughts.You can write about anything, but make sure to emphasize  feelings. Don’t just record a summary of the events. Look for meaning. Make sense of it. A rule I use is, “If writing about a subject feels scary, definitely write about that.”And remember that this is for you and you alone. If you think someone else might read it, you’re going to hold back or twist the story. After you’re done you can destroy it or keep it or make a macaroni picture out of it with glitter and put it on the fridge. It doesn’t matter. The exercise is what matters, not the result.Expect to feel a little sad or out of it when you’re done. Don’t let that scare you from returning to it the next day. Most people in the studies found that those feelings dissipated pretty quickly, in a matter of hours. It’s like seeing a sad movie. But weeks and months later most people felt much, much better.(To learn the 4-step morning ritual that will make yo u happy all day, click  here.)Alright, you know what to do. Let’s round it all up - and answer the big question: if writing about your problems simulates the experience of talking to a friend, then why not just talk to a friend?Sum UpHere’s the evening ritual that will make you happy and healthy: How long has it been?  If you’re still in the midst of the problem or find thinking about it overwhelming, give it time. Come back to it in a month. Commit to at least four evenings of 15 minutes:  Pick a time and place where nobody will bother you. Yes, you can hide in the bathroom if necessary. Write nonstop about the most upsetting moment of your life:  Points will not be deducted for spelling or grammar. Don’t write for anyone but you. For extra credit:  Focusing on feelings, tying in many aspects of your life, developing a narrative, and looking for cause and effect are all associated with better  results. Make sense of it. Look for meaning. We see a lot of stuff about how relationships are the key to health - heck, I’ve  posted a lot about that. But here’s the part you don’t hear often: if you don’t open up to those friends about your problems, your relationships have zero health benefits.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:In large surveys with corporate employees as well as college students, we find the same thing that other social support researchers have shown: the more friends you have, the healthier you are. However, this effect is due, almost exclusively, to the degree to which you have talked with your friends about any traumas that you have suffered. But here is the kicker. If you have had a trauma that you have not talked about with anyone, the number of friends you have is unrelated to your health.So why write? Isn’t it just easier to talk to people?Talking to friends is definitely preferable - but it’s not always safe. There are some damn good reasons not to open up to others about certain subj ects. Some people are blabbermouths who won’t respect your secrets.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:According to research by Bernard Rimé at the University of Louvain in Belgium, the average secret told in confidence is spread to at least two other people.We need to feel safe to really open up. And feeling we’re not going to be judged is critical. When you feel punished for disclosing problems, your health gets  worse.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:Several studies have found that when people are punished for disclosing their traumatic experiences, their psychological and physical health suffers… Vanessa Juth and her colleagues assessed the health of over 200 bereaved individuals several years after their loss. Those people who reported feeling the greatest pressure from others to not talk about their loss were the people who reported the most mental and physical health problems.This is why many people counterintuitively open up to bartenders or hairdressers instead of friends or family. In distance, there is safety. And there is complete safety and acceptance in writing.Writing shouldn’t preclude you from getting support from friends - but when it doesn’t feel safe, the scribbled word is always there to help.One more thing: it’s important to remember that your default is resilience. You deal pretty well with 99% of what happens to you. This is best proven by the simple fact that you don’t even  remember  most of what happens to you, let alone end up completely traumatized by it.We used to have a culture that bottled up everything and that wasn’t a great idea, and now the pendulum has swung more toward  everything  being trauma and that’s not true or helpful either.You’re tougher than you think. But every now and then things do happen that send us to the emotional ER, and maybe they’re too sensitive to share with a friend. That’s when writing can really help.Okay, I’ve typed more than enough. Now it’s your turn.You’re goi ng to feel much, much better in 2019.Join over 320,000 readers.  Get a free weekly update via email  here.This article first appeared on Barking Up The Wrong Tree.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people The 3-step evening ritual that will make you happy What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you? Something that you still think about or still affects you to this day.Hold that thought, okay? Right now we need to do storytime with Uncle Eric:More than thirty years ago there was a guy named Jamie, his marriage was in the toilet, and he was utterly depressed. Despite having big problems, he didn’t go to a therapist. (Which is ironic because Jamie was a graduate student in psychology, of all things.)Instead he started writing. A lot. He wrote about his marriage, his career, his childhood. He basically covered every serious issue in his life and how he felt about it. And then something happened…He felt better. A  lot  better. And he realized how much his wife meant to him. They resolved their issues. Then he had a thought:  maybe writing might help  anyone  feel better about their struggles in life.  And being a psychology grad student, he did a study to test the theory…And he was right. Since that first paper was publish ed in 1986 literally  hundreds  of other studies have shown the power of expressive writing to help people with, well, damn near everything in their life. (Yes, that sounds extreme. I know, I know. We’ll get to it. We’re just getting started here, okay?)In the thirty-plus years since that first epic writing binge many students on the University of Texas at Austin campus have come up to Professor James Pennebaker and said something like:You don’t remember me, but I was in your experiment a year ago. I just wanted to thank you. It changed my life.Suitably impressed, are ya? Good. Because we gotta get this show on the road, junior.James Pennebaker is the Regents Centennial Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.  His book is  Opening Up by Writing It Down: How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pain.So what difference can an evening ritual of writing make for you? And how might the worst thing in your life possibly lead to the best thing? Let’s get to it …The Following May Be Hard To Believe …I have procrastinated writing this section because it feels like something you might hear on an infomercial. Like quackery. Pseudoscience. But it’s real. Scout’s honor.Jamie’s research found that expressive writing had effects similar to therapy. It was like talking to a close friend or a therapist about your problems but there weren’t any judgments and it didn’t cost $200 an hour.So you probably won’t be too surprised that writing helped  people suffering from depression, anxiety or PTSD. It helped their relationships too.  But that wasn’t all…Their  physical  health improved as well.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:People who wrote about their deepest thoughts and feelings surrounding traumatic experiences evidenced enhanced immune function compared with those who wrote about superficial topics. Although this effect was most pronounced after the last day of writing, it tended to persist six weeks after the study. In addition, it was again observed that health center visits for illness dropped for the people who wrote about traumas compared to those who wrote on the trivial topics.Okay, so they caught fewer colds? Yeah, and …Women with breast cancer reported fewer symptoms and required fewer cancer-related doctor visits. People with asthma and arthritis  â€œreported meaningful improvements in quality of life similar to benefits that would be expected by a successful new drug treatment.” It’s helped people with HIV, cardiovascular disease and chronic pain. People slept better. Smokers were more likely to quit. Several studies even showed that after expressive writing  wounds healed faster …I’m gonna stop before I start to sound like an infomercial or somebody selling magic healing crystals. I wouldn’t blame you at all for feeling some skepticism - I just hope you’re as patient as you are skeptical because it will take you an awfully long time to read the  17,000+ cit ations on Google Scholar  that demonstrate the positive effects of expressive writing.Don’t get me wrong; it’s not a panacea. It doesn’t  cure  cancer. Its benefits are modest to moderate and it doesn’t help everyone all the time. That said, it has a lot to offer. It’s stupidly easy. And it doesn’t require some app that’s gonna bill you $9.99 a month for eternity. It’s free.And as the infomercials love to say:  â€œBut wait - there’s more!”  Being happier and healthier is nice but expressive writing also demonstrated concrete effects on people’s lives. Students’ grades improved. Unemployed people who did it were far more likely to get jobs.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:Within three months, 27 percent of the experimental participants landed jobs compared with less than 5 percent of those in the time management and no-writing comparison groups. By seven months after writing, 53 percent of those who wrote about their thoughts and feelings had jobs compared with only 18 percent of the people in the other conditions. Particularly striking about the study was that the participants in all three conditions had all gone on exactly the same number of job interviews.Some might respond by saying they don’t have depression or cancer, so they’re going to stick with their current evening ritual of chips, salsa and “To Catch A Predator” reruns. They don’t have big tragic problems so this wouldn’t be a good evening ritual for them.Wrong. We all deal with emotional struggles - whether we realize them or not, whether they make us clinically depressed or not. Expressive writing has shown positive effects in people who weren’t dealing with anything serious.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:Looking beyond studies specifically with people diagnosed with a clinical disorder, some evidence for the benefit of expressive writing for feelings of depression and general distress has also been found in people who were not clinically depressed.S o what’s the biggest benefit people report after a few evenings of expressive writing? “Insight.” Most people said they understood themselves better. They felt more meaning in life. To my knowledge, nobody has ever reported effects like that from buying a ShamWow or a Foreman Grill.(To learn more about how you and your children can lead a successful life, check out my bestselling book  here.)Okay, Sherlock, we have a mystery on our hands. Shouldn’t anything this amazing involve a doctor’s prescription, insurance deductibles and nuclear fusion? And why didn’t anybody tell me about this after I lost my favorite GI Joe action figure at age 7 or after the Great Eric Depression of 2014?Simply put, how can something so ridiculously free and easy do so much good?How The Sorcery WorksWe all deal with stress, pain and assorted glitches in the source code of life. Yeah, you can ignore them, bury them or distract yourself but they’re still there. (My own personal experiments have demonstrated that bourbon only qualifies as a “solution” if you’re speaking in terms of chemistry.)Emotional upheavals you don’t get closure on cause you stress. Mental and physical. They can increase the chance of illness, stroke, heart attack, or worst of all, erectile dysfunction.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:In the short run, restraining thoughts or feelings can immediately affect our body, for example, by increasing perspiration or causing faster heart rates, as seen during lie detector tests. Over time, the work of keeping secrets serves as a cumulative stressor on the body, increasing the likelihood of illness and other stress-related physical and mental problems… Major life experiences that are withheld from others are likely to surface in the forms of anxiety, ruminations, disturbing dreams, and other thought disturbances.Oh, so when it comes to emotional stuff, you just need to “get it out”? To vent. Right?Wrong. Merely expressing feelings makes it  wo rse.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:The effects were not due to simple catharsis or the venting of pent-up emotions. In fact, the people who just blew off steam by venting their feelings without any thoughtful analysis tended to fare worse… Talking or writing about the source of our problems without self-reflection merely adds to our distress…If all it took was venting then complainers and those who pollute our social media feeds with angry rants would be the most emotionally well-adjusted people around.It’s not the expression of our emotions - it’s  making sense of them  that sets us right.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:The authors asked the students to write about their thoughts and feelings about their lives. Those who showed more deep-level thinking along with constructive problem solving were less depressed later and had fewer health care visits. Those medical students who merely expressed their emotions and described their anxiety had more health care visitsâ €¦ A large number of good scientific studies conclude that the mere expression of emotion is usually not beneficial on its own. Rather, people typically must learn to recognize and identify their emotional reactions to events. Talking (and other forms of expression) is beneficial when it helps people make sense of their experiences.You need meaning in your life. And in the modern world, we have tidal waves of information but meaning is about as common as three-legged ballerinas. Life’s inevitable emotional upheavals shake up our vision of the world, mess with our identity and make us question the fragile Etch-A-Sketched vision of meaning we’ve managed to cobble together over the decades.We ruminate endlessly but that just makes things worse. When you’re merely thinking about your problems, you hop, skip and jump all over the place, never resolving one issue before moving on to the next. Writing forces us to put a structure around life. To make sense of it.You’ve probably hea rd some version of the expression, “If you can’t explain it to someone else, you don’t really understand it.” That’s true of our emotional lives as well. Writing - just like talking to someone - forces you to  make some sense. And that’s what you need most when life takes your vision of reality and shakes it like a snow globe.Once you understand something, once you can find a place for it in the story of your life, that’s when you can put it behind you and move on.(To learn the 4 harsh truths that will make you a better person, click  here.)Got the gist? Good. Now that you’re sufficiently gisted, let’s clear the decks …Getting ReadyYour writing ritual can be used for many purposes: dealing with life’s big issues, finally putting some old business to rest, dealing with tough transitions or just stilling an anxious mind.The only time you really want to avoid writing about something is when it’s still a bit recent and raw or if you find approaching the topic o verwhelming.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:The studies that have hinted that expressive writing could be harmful have involved pushing people to engage in emotional processing of events that are overwhelming, are ongoing, or have happened in the previous days or weeks.The only other thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want to use disclosure as a substitute for action. If the problem has negative effects on your life that take place outside your skull, don’t think that you can skip actually doing something about it.Just because you’ve emotionally come to terms with debt doesn’t mean you can stop paying off your credit card.(To learn how to deal with passive-aggressive people, click  here.)So how do we get the most from our writing ritual?How To WriteDon’t wake up and immediately try to deal with big life issues. Just. Don’t.There’s a reason this isn’t a morning ritual. And Jamie’s research confirms this:  â€œAcross multiple studies, we have had the most suc cess with people writing at the end of their workday.”So how do you get started?  Here’s Jamie:Find a time and place where you won’t be disturbed. Ideally, pick a time at the end of your workday or in the evening when you know things will be calm and quiet. Promise yourself that you will write for a minimum of 15 minutes a day for at least three or four consecutive days, or a fixed day and time for several weeks (for example, every Thursday evening for this month). Once you begin writing, write continuously. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar. If you run out of things to write about, just repeat what you have already written. You can write longhand or you can type on a computer. If you are unable to write, you can also talk into a tape recorder. You can write about the same thing on all days of writing or you can write about something different each day. It is entirely up to you.Many people experience some initial paralysis around what to write about or how to begin. No n eed to stress. It’s pretty straightforward.  Here’s Jamie:Over the next four days, I want you to write about your deepest emotions and thoughts about the most upsetting experience in your life. Really let go and explore your feelings and thoughts about it. In your writing, you might tie this experience to your childhood, your relationship with your parents, people you have loved or love now, or even your career. How is this experience related to who you would like to become, who you have been in the past, or who you are now? Many people have not had a single traumatic experience, but all of us have had major conflicts or stressors in our lives, and you can write about them as well. You can write about the same issue every day or a series of different issues. Whatever you choose to write about, however, it is critical that you really let go and explore your very deepest emotions and thoughts.You can write about anything, but make sure to emphasize  feelings. Don’t just record a summary of the events. Look for meaning. Make sense of it. A rule I use is, “If writing about a subject feels scary, definitely write about that.”And remember that this is for you and you alone. If you think someone else might read it, you’re going to hold back or twist the story. After you’re done you can destroy it or keep it or make a macaroni picture out of it with glitter and put it on the fridge. It doesn’t matter. The exercise is what matters, not the result.Expect to feel a little sad or out of it when you’re done. Don’t let that scare you from returning to it the next day. Most people in the studies found that those feelings dissipated pretty quickly, in a matter of hours. It’s like seeing a sad movie. But weeks and months later most people felt much, much better.(To learn the 4-step morning ritual that will make you happy all day, click  here.)Alright, you know what to do. Let’s round it all up - and answer the big question: if writing about your proble ms simulates the experience of talking to a friend, then why not just talk to a friend?Sum UpHere’s the evening ritual that will make you happy and healthy: How long has it been?  If you’re still in the midst of the problem or find thinking about it overwhelming, give it time. Come back to it in a month. Commit to at least four evenings of 15 minutes:  Pick a time and place where nobody will bother you. Yes, you can hide in the bathroom if necessary. Write nonstop about the most upsetting moment of your life:  Points will not be deducted for spelling or grammar. Don’t write for anyone but you. For extra credit:  Focusing on feelings, tying in many aspects of your life, developing a narrative, and looking for cause and effect are all associated with better  results. Make sense of it. Look for meaning. We see a lot of stuff about how relationships are the key to health - heck, I’ve  posted a lot about that. But here’s the part you don’t hear often: if you don’t open up to those friends about your problems, your relationships have zero health benefits.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:In large surveys with corporate employees as well as college students, we find the same thing that other social support researchers have shown: the more friends you have, the healthier you are. However, this effect is due, almost exclusively, to the degree to which you have talked with your friends about any traumas that you have suffered. But here is the kicker. If you have had a trauma that you have not talked about with anyone, the number of friends you have is unrelated to your health.So why write? Isn’t it just easier to talk to people?Talking to friends is definitely preferable - but it’s not always safe. There are some damn good reasons not to open up to others about certain subj ects. Some people are blabbermouths who won’t respect your secrets.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:According to research by Bernard Rimé at the University of Louvain in Belgium, the average secret told in confidence is spread to at least two other people.We need to feel safe to really open up. And feeling we’re not going to be judged is critical. When you feel punished for disclosing problems, your health gets  worse.From  Opening Up by Writing It Down:Several studies have found that when people are punished for disclosing their traumatic experiences, their psychological and physical health suffers… Vanessa Juth and her colleagues assessed the health of over 200 bereaved individuals several years after their loss. Those people who reported feeling the greatest pressure from others to not talk about their loss were the people who reported the most mental and physical health problems.This is why many people counterintuitively open up to bartenders or hairdressers instead of friends or family. In distance, there is safety. And there is complete safety and acceptance in writing.Writing shouldn’t preclude you from getting support from friends - but when it doesn’t feel safe, the scribbled word is always there to help.One more thing: it’s important to remember that your default is resilience. You deal pretty well with 99% of what happens to you. This is best proven by the simple fact that you don’t even  remember  most of what happens to you, let alone end up completely traumatized by it.We used to have a culture that bottled up everything and that wasn’t a great idea, and now the pendulum has swung more toward  everything  being trauma and that’s not true or helpful either.You’re tougher than you think. But every now and then things do happen that send us to the emotional ER, and maybe they’re too sensitive to share with a friend. That’s when writing can really help.Okay, I’ve typed more than enough. Now it’s your turn.You’re goi ng to feel much, much better in 2019.Join over 320,000 readers.  Get a free weekly update via email  here.This article first appeared on Barking Up The Wrong Tree.

This is what Starbucks wants you to order, based on your zodiac sign

This is what Starbucks wants you to order, based on your zodiac sign This is what Starbucks wants you to order, based on your zodiac sign If you’re a fan of horoscopes, you know your zodiac sign can mean a lot for how your upcoming date may go, or what stormy waters you could navigate at work this week.But can your sign predict your Starbucks order?The sane answer is no, probably not. But that didn’t stop Starbucks from releasing its own zodiac,  which matches your sign with the beverage you should be drinking.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!Capricorns would be better off sipping a cold brew, Scorpios  should swig an espresso shot, and Leos are all for that iced passion tango tea, according to the Instagram post.As a Taurus, my perfect drink is an iced matcha green tea latte, which I have to admit sounds delish. Some of the signs get even fancier - like honey citrus mint tea for Cancers and a flat white with signature espresso for Libras.Credit: StarbucksBut frankly, I’m most jealous of the  Pisces  in the room: They get a java chip frappuccino, so basically a milkshake.At the end of the day, it’s probably best to not let astrology get in the way of what you want at Starbucks. But on the other hand, maybe the drink of your dreams has been waiting for you, and you didn’t even know it existed.If you want to use the Starbucks Zodiac as inspiration to try something new, step right up - Starbucks is ready and willing to take your order. And in case you need a refresher, here’s your sign, according to your birthdate:Aquarius:  Jan. 20-Feb. 18Pisces:  Feb. 19-March 20Aries:  March 21-April 19Taurus:  April 20-May 20Gemini:  May 21-June 20Cancer:  June 21-July 22Leo:  July 23-Aug. 22Virgo:  Aug. 23-Sep. 22Libra:  Sept. 23-Oct. 22Scorpio:  Oct. 23-Nov. 21Saggitarius:  Nov. 22-Dec. 21Capricorn:  Dec. 22-Jan. 19You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

Top Rated Resume Writing Services Can Be Fun for Everyone

Top Rated Resume Writing Services Can Be Fun for Everyone Top Rated Resume Writing Services - Dead or Alive? You could readily get your possible employer in some hot water since they aren't supposed to request certain personal details, like your SSN, religion or individual traits. Move fast, employ a certified professional and you'll live never to regret it later on. Resume Planet is regarded as one of the most dependable sources for resumes at affordable prices. The service employs an individual approach for writing all sorts of personalized documents, including cover letters and other sorts of employment-related correspondence. Getting the Best Top Rated Resume Writing Services However hard you attempt to make an awesome resume, you might still fail to make your qualifications and experiences attractive for the possible employers. Years of dedicated work and experience bring about creation well-organized and beneficial small business documents. Other crucial areas in your work experience will likewise be explored to highlight your credentials and make a stand-out resume. Selecting a top resume service is among the main decisions that can be made in preparing for your career transition. Although most job seekers understand the value of a good resume, not all of these are ready to write one. So you can count on the tailored resumes for various businesses. To understand what recruiters wish to see in your resume you should think as a recruiter. To understand what they wish to see in your resume you have to think as a recruiter. If you simply recently graduated and you don't have much experience, do not worry because the service will allow you to craft a magnificent resume that highlights your abilities. The award-winning resume services supplied by the absolute most trusted Military Resume Service may help to make the transition from military to civilian life much simpler. If you wish to acquire your resume written by an actual professional, y ou have to be really careful with the service you employ. There are a lot of reasons why you must prefer our services. Here's What I Know About Top Rated Resume Writing Services Keep away from outdated websites, otherwise, you expect to have resumes made by writers that will feel outdated too. Resume writing services review all of the info provided prior to a writer has been assigned to your project, so be sure that you give them every relevant data about yourself and allow them to understand what you expect from them. Moreover writers who need to. It is extremely important to assess the writer's background while searching for top resume sites. If you would like more thorough advice look at the services and feel free to get in touch with me via that. Simply speaking, resume services and resume writers that are simple to work with. When you compare various reviews, you will be able to discover the top resume services that satisfy your standards. Our services won't only demon strate your value as an employee to prospective organizations, they'll also convince you of your very own expert worth. You're going to learn exactly what she will do for you at each step along the way. Our top rated resume writing service is extremely individualized tailored to satisfy your requirements and empower you with all the tools and resources essential to conduct a quick, efficient, and productive job search. On the flip side, you can go to Google search and get started going through millions of sites. A work search is a hard procedure, so candidates need professional and timely guidance. Who Else Wants to Learn About Top Rated Resume Writing Services? Distinct companies give various quotes based on the quality that you're looking for, but most times, you can receive a top quality resume for a reasonable price tag. Remember our reviews are completely unbiased. It's important to employ a service which offers you a fine price for top quality. Read the samples pro vided on their website as it provides you with a clearer idea of the quality of paper you need to anticipate from them. Your goods and processes can be copied by your competition. Another benefit of our website is the quickness. The service makes sure to promote your ability effectively and promote your backgrounds with the usage of appealing keywords. Gossip, Deception and Top Rated Resume Writing Services You want to know more about the perfect composing solution you will locate a fantastic paper for you to be sure. Basically, writing skills really make a difference in the way you run into. Our site is just one of the most appropriate for essay help. You can depend on the ideal essay help online. Your orders will be done exactly as you desire. This list includes not just the category of the resume but the goods and price too. The procedure for ordering is easy including giving personal info and filling out the purchase form then followed by deciding upon the sort of serv ices that you would want. Many CV companies outsource their work top-rated at an affordable price.

A Guide to Entry Level Engineering Resume

A Guide to Entry Level Engineering Resume Your familiarity with a plethora of different engineering computer software programs will make your resume much more convincing. The overwhelming majority of engineers are happiest when they're shipping. Soft skills are the important people skills required that you work well. Filtering out resumes for mechanical engineers is simple when you start with the ones which look strange. What to Expect From Entry Level Engineering Resume? Furthermore, you can find out more about engineering careers on Monster. Nothing, if you'd like your engineering resume to look like all of the rest. Engineering is among the absolute most technical-skill-heavy careers out there. Industrial engineering is a great career field. Employers usually need a high school diploma and train employees at work. If you're asking for a software engineering position you must have a GitHub account. Work experience should be impressive, but projects have to be interesting. Work closely with team members to attain engineering targets. Getting the Best Entry Level Engineering Resume Getting your own domain name is a significant method to create your portfolio website appear more professional. Begin with the best resume format as a fantastic foundation. Start making products If you need to understand how to turn into a computer programmer, you want to really become one for yourself. Start with taking a look at the difficult and soft skills below. The distinction is that it focuses on work experience tailored to the work description. You'll probably be running mission critical projects where failure is not an alternative. These never change, regardless of the phase of the firm. You've been scouring job boards for the ideal role at the ideal business and finally found a significant contender. Thoughts revolving around what you would like to achieve in your career will end in the response to the most essential question. If you're not certain which skills to include, review the work description for a notion of the best skills the employer is seeking. Mention how you heard about the business and the opening, and mention how your unique abilities and experience is going to be a fantastic fit in their opinion. Though these classes may appear tangential, they've been instrumental in expanding my worldview and creating a feeling of empathy, an important component of being a true designer. If you're a fresh graduate, projects in academics and aside are extremely valuable because they're the main element to assess your insight as you still had no chance to face real world. The Entry Level Engineering Resume Pitfall Don't allow the fact you don't meet each criterion in a work description hold you back. Check to make certain you're providing all of the info required and clearly define your skill sets in regard to application requirements. IT depends upon the next. Our service is a huge alternative for those who have to order an assignment urgently. The Basic Facts of Entry Level Engineering Resume Companies are watching out for ca ndidates who aren't only talkers but doers. It's wise not to ramble. Prove that you may actually code! You just have to dig a little. No matter your degree of work knowledge, your resume structure is essential to making your program stick out. After the header complete, now you will need to complete the objective, well attempt to ensure it is simple now, you merely should concern on the achievements and also experience background. Irrespective of your degree of work practical expertise, your resume structure is essential to making your program stick out. Even though most of resumes must offer information on your work and education experience, and your abilities and achievements, there are a variety of ways to offer this info.

The Insider Secret on Resume Reference Uncovered

The Insider Secret on Resume Reference Uncovered All About Resume Reference Also, share with them a copy of the resume you're submitting so they can be on the exact same page if and as soon as the hiring manager calls them up. You will likewise be able to bring the URL to your Linkedin profile, no matter how the recruiter will have the ability to take a look at all your information from the resume without needing to get online. As soon as you are asked for references, be prepared to e-mail the list right to the hiring manager. For graduate engineers in america, the expectation is a 1 page resume. Things You Should Know About Resume Reference In the great majority of instances, employers will use their very best judgment whilst interviewing you. A reference will also explain how weaknesses impact the candidate's capability to take care of certain tasks or how teammates helped balance weaknesses previously. While it isn't necessary for a candidate to get alongside every co-wor ker every day, you don't need an employee who constantly causes conflict on the job. You have to pick those who will emphasize your strengths to possible employers. Resume Reference for Dummies Formatting your resume references is a comparatively straightforward task. Quite often, a reference list is requested in the on-line application practice. You'll also discover a sample reference list. Below you'll discover a sample reference list. You've already done the difficult work of making good references. Resume is information sheets an employer or a firm can view at to find the qualifications they will need to an employee for their vacant job. The variety of references you list depends upon your career level. To be effective the reference should relay to prospective customers what we do as a business that makes them want to conduct business with us. What Is So Fascinating About Resume Reference? The ideal time to try to find a job is when you've got work, but it doesn't signify that it's simple to look for work during the time that you're employed. If a past job is particularly related to the one that you're applying for, you are going to want to include someone who supervised you there. Federal jobs often need you to have experience in a particular kind of work for some period of time. Ensure you didn't miss whatever could cost you the job that you dream about! When you first consider somebody to use as a reference for a work program, you must ask their permission not just to use and give out their contact info but directly if they'd be in a position to supply a reference as some individuals may prefer not to. Email Email is likewise an acceptable means to find permission. The References section on your CV is an important part which may not be entirely omitted. Listing a person for a reference without permission could be damaging to your job application. References can boost your work application in a huge way. The only time that it is acceptable to include references with the resume in a work application is when they're requested directly in the work vacancy description. It isn't hard to read, and they're able to locate the keyword phrases and qualifications EASILY when they're reading hundreds of applications. Choosing the ideal personal reference is an extension of that skill and why you are interested in having a list with a range of options. You are going to be able to create an entire collection of documents to fulfill your work search requirements. Use the search box to find just what you are seeking. A Startling Fact about Resume Reference Uncovered You've got to follow up with referrals provided to you. You have to tailor your resume to each work application so that it responds to the particular demands of the job that you're applying for. For nearly all job applications you won't need to incorporate any references with your resume. Now that you're schooled on the best way to list reference on a resume, know your resumeand your referencesmay must be altered slightly as you make an application for different jobs. For each new job opportunity, you should make certain your list of references is the ideal fit. You must be sure the people selected as references will result in your job search. Your references could make or break your odds of landing work, so ensure you decide on the best people to talk for your benefit. The expert reference doesn't need to be a buddy or somebody you are friends with. Whatever They Told You About Resume Reference Is Dead Wrong...And Here's Why Each contact in your professional network knows you a certain way and will have the ability to deliver an account of your achievements and strengths for various jobs thus it is vital to customize the reference page based on the abilities and qualities you're going to need for each vacancy. To put it simply, a reference is an individual, possibly a preceding employer, teacher or just a co-worker or fri end that is prepared to vouch for all the great abilities and achievements you laid out so beautifully on your resume. As an example, perhaps you were on the exact same team or worked on specific projects together. What You Should Do About Resume Reference Beginning in the Next 20 Minutes If you know in advance your reference may be reached by a particular business, you can share your resume and the work description with your references. It's also advisable to state the length of time you have known the reference. If you are requested to send references, develop an individual document rather than placing them directly on your resume. When you should provide references to a possible employer, the ideal way to do it is to create a reference page it is possible to share with them. There are two forms of references, business references and individual references. You're also likely to need to understand how to choose and request references. Academic references also can be helpful if you want more references to enhance your professional resume. Your finest references is going to be the people who know you best professionally. Please don't hesitate to contact me in case you have any questions. Needless to say, you can provide another reference if you think that it would make a difference or offer another insight. You want recent references from those who may not only vouch for your character, but the caliber of work which you do. There are a lot of reasons for that.

Kids, Work and Does a Resume Need a Cover Letter

Kids, Work and Does a Resume Need a Cover Letter So once you're writing yours, remember that it is a showcase. Chronological resumes are excellent for clearly displaying your work or educational history and they're a good option for almost any degree of experience. To receive a better idea of the way to accomplish all this, have a look at our library of education and teaching example letters. Each component of your cover letter reveals something important to prospective employers whether you desire the job or not. Additionally, no cover letter is much better than a lousy cover letter. Your cover letter is the ideal place of offer a little private info to the employer. It is your first chance to make a good impression. There are two essential means by which you can make sure your cover letter stands out. There Are no secret on earth. Many career experts concur that sending a cover letter is nearly always the very best decision. You can add interest to your cover letter with personality whilst still remaining professional. Does a Resume Need a Cover Letter Help! Utilizing the key terms and phrases utilised in the work ad is crucial to getting an advantage in a competitive sector. If it's a prior job ensure you write your bullets in past tense. For those who have publications or work samples which are related to your job search, look at putting together one of your own. Put simply, you intend to relocate regardless of whether you get the work offer, and that may instill confidence. You cover letter provides you with the opportunity to tell your employer, in your words, your qualifications and why you'd be the ideal person for the job. By doing this you ensure that every recruiter receives a cover letter that's targeted and relevant to a particular job type. In it, mention the form of industry job you're interested in, instead of mentioning a precise job position. Remember you need ton't kiss up to the employer, but you ought to demonstrate that you're eager to hear back from a business which has impacted you as a work seeker. All our samples are absolutely free to download, so it's possible to customize them based on your requirements. You might be interested in the following related articles also. Now you have your format picked out, you must place your information in order. An ever more popular format for resumes is to incorporate an overview of skills at the exact top just under the name and contact info. Here's What I Know About Does a Resume Need a Cover Letter Cover letters are an ideal opportunity to demonstrate an employer an applicant has the capability to craft a clear, structured and coherent document utilizing good spelling and grammar. There are exceptions to each rule! Utilize our cover letter samples to understand how to set yourself aside from the competition. So How About Does a Resume Need a Cover Letter? Employing Word Choice to Imply Networking Ability Typically, listing networking for a core competency isn't always the most flattering approach to impress a possible employer. Reading through our sample student and internship cover letters will provide you with a clearer idea of the way to compose your own. For some positions, you will apply by completing an on-line program, or you might be asked to apply in-person. In most instances, your resume does not go right to the hiring manager. There are a number of businesses who provide similar services, but not all them will deliver real outcomes. How you 're able to boost their efficiency. It's important to employ a service which offers you a great price for top quality. The point is, you would like to help it become clear why you'd be helpful to the business in the position. Sending a cover letter together with a resume helps you construct your brand the identical way an advertising provider promotes a product's brand. Also, when you have a personal connection to the company somehow, look at writing about it. In the event the company website doesn't list the hiring manager's name, call the company directly. Your professional experience is easily the most important portion of your resume. A simple online resume builder will supply you with decent results if you've got great writing skills. Also, be certain that the projects and technical skills you include are related to the job you're applying for. When you would like to find the best resume help, you are able to simply follow our lead.