“True Intentions”
When making a tough decision, ask yourself what you would do if all parties involved knew your true intentions and your true desires.
Imagine you lived in a world where everyone could tell if you were speaking the truth, or lying, or hiding something. What actions would you take then?
Asking this question leads you to see what is truly in your heart.
That should help you make the right decision.
“My Obituary”
Not to be too morbid, but this decision making technique really works.
If you are having trouble making a decision, or you have no idea about which direction to take, try this:
Ask yourself, what would I want to be remembered for, after I’m dead and long gone? What would I want my obituary to say?
In fact, write your own obituary right now, just to see what it is you are all about.
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Posted in Talent and Career
With luck, pluck, and skin as thick as whale blubber, you can be a freelance writer. If you’re persistent enough and the stars are smiling down on you, seeing your name in print isn’t as inaccessible as you might think. But serendipity and talent will take you only so far. You’ll need to learn freelancing own brand of etiquette and adopt a little business sense to succeed. Here are 10 important points to keep in mind when launching your freelance writing career.
1. Network. Freelancing is lonely work, and it’s easy to lose touch with other writers. Making friends in the biz, however, can be the best career move you can make. Join some associations like the National Writers Union or correspond with members of a writer’s e-mail list to meet people in your area. Besides patting your back when you’ve done well, friends can pass newspaper and magazine leads to you.
2. Know your rights. Publishing rights are one of the most confusing aspects of freelancing, but it’s one of the most important to understand. If a publisher owns the right to your copy, that means you can’t sell it anywhere else – some contracts even bar you from writing again on the same topic or demand that you sign away rights for articles already published. In a writer’s paradise, you’d retain all rights, allowing you to resell an article to as many magazines or newspapers as will buy it.
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Posted in Talent and Career
OK, you’ve asked for it. Our most powerful and effective tips for getting ahead at work.
This is real senior management stuff, not text book chatter and theory.
These tips are based on real world observations.
We are not going to pull any punches.
What we say here might be upsetting. You probably won’t like what you hear.
1) It’s Time to Kiss the Boss’s Butt
It’s true. It’s who you know, not what you have accomplished. Many people do not want to believe this simple, often stated rule because it means the hardest working; most creative, most dedicated people are not necessarily going to get the next promotion.
This means that unless you are kissing the right butt you will not get ahead no matter how hard you work, no matter what your accomplishments are.
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Posted in Talent and Career
Think about all of your college experience, including classes and extracurricular activities. What did you do in your class that helps to qualify you for the job of your dreams?
Consider first your classes. Many lucky students undertake activities in classes that are every bit as valid for providing experience as paid jobs. Such activities include:
- Class projects
- Research papers and projects
- Group projects
- Hands-on assignments and “real-world” experiences
- Laboratory experience
- Presentations
- Study-abroad programs
- Simulations
Look, for example, at your school’s special programs and relevant, hands-on projects you’ve done in classes. Stetson University, where we teach, has an unusual program in the finance department in which students invest actual money in a stock portfolio. Such a program provides an excellent way to make the most of your college experience in your cover letter, as in this example:
Currently, I am involved in a unique program at Stetson that sets me apart from other recent graduates who apply to your firm. For the past year, I have been part of the Roland George Investment Program, the only undergraduate program in the Southeastern United States that allows students to invest real money in the stock and bond markets. The Roland George Program has allowed me to gain practical experience in portfolio management and has enhanced my communication and teamwork skills. I have also fine-tuned my research techniques to make the best stock and bond selections.
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Posted in Talent and Career
