InfoOnline.Net - Career

21st Century Career Success

2007-09-05T07:47:00.001-07:00

21st Century Career Success

by: Michelle Casto

21St Century Career Success
When it comes to modern career development, one thing we can all count on is change. With the advent of technology, telecommuting, and E-commerce, how work is performed is in a state of reinvention. Self-employment and small business development will become more the norm than big business. And career changes will be more frequent due to rapidly changing organizations and industries. Finally, the line between one's personal and professional life will become even more blurred. Since the modern world of work is rapidly changing to keep up with the demands of our fast-paced lives and lifestyles, here are some characteristics of what the new work contract will look like:
§Seeking more meaning from work.
§Equating "career success" with personal satisfaction over paycheck or status.
§Everyone will need their own "name-brand."
§Increased use of technology.
§Finding work that needs doing.
§Changing in the way management and leadership is conducted (less arrogance at the top level, more power on lower levels).
§Increased need for networking and self-marketing.
§Lifelong "trying on" of various roles, jobs, and industries.
§Creating a plan that is flexible, and continually assessing the "fit" of the work.
§Increased representation of women and minorities in the workforce.
§Changing career fields numerous times in a lifetime.
§Self-responsibility: Everyone knowing they have to chart their own career direction.
However, the 21st century career also offers many advantages:
§More career opportunities for everyone.
§Freedom to choose from a variety of jobs, tasks, and assignments.
§More flexibility in how and where work is performed, i.e. working from
home or telecommuting.
§More control over your own time.
§Greater opportunity to express yourself through your work.
§Ability to shape and reshape your life's work in accordance with your values and interests.
§Increased opportunity to develop other skills by working in various industries and environments.
§Self-empowerment mindset.
§Allows you to create situations or positions where you can fill a need in the world that is not being filled.
§Opportunity to present yourself as an independent contractor or vendor with services to offer.
How can you successfully navigate through the turbulent times of change and career uncertainty? By developing resiliency, exercising proactivity, creating excellent self-marketing tools, keeping your skills up-to-date, and finding your unique life balance.
1.Develop resiliency (the ability to bounce back).
Having the right attitude about career change is imperative to your ability to bounce back from setbacks, sudden changes, and twists and turns along your career path. You will experience a lot of career change and transitions, so you may as well get comfortable feeling uncomfortable.
2.Take a proactive approach to your career development
You must constantly be on the lookout for new ways to apply your gifts and talents in the new economy. This requires thinking creatively, actively promoting yourself/business, and being actively involved in how your career progresses. Staying involved in professional associations, and continuous networking are excellent ways to connect with other like-minded professionals.
3.Create first-rate marketing materials
Always keep your resume current. You never know when you are going to want to share it with someone or pass it along. If you are in business for yourself, develop classy business cards and letterhead. Harness the power of the internet by developing an interactive website.
4.Commit to lifelong learning
To keep earning, keep learning. Do not wait until you lose your job or want to look for another position to gain new skills or training. Recognize the need to be open to learning and attend classes related to your area of expertise to keep your skills sharp and marketable. Keep in mind the top skills needed for career success include:Communication, Computer-knowledge, Creativity, Customer Care
5.Find your unique life balance
There are four dimensions to life: love, labor, leisure, learning. Remember that work is just one aspect of your life pie. Be sure to indulge in all of your areas. Because having an overall balanced life is what leads to the most fulfillment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed. is a Whole Life Coach, Speaker, and Author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series: Get Smart! About Modern Romantic Relationships and Get Smart! About Modern Career Development. She can be reached at coach@getsmartseries.com
Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com

5 Strategies for ADDed Effectiveness on the Job

2007-09-05T07:46:00.001-07:00

5 Strategies for ADDed Effectiveness on the Job

by: ADD Coach Jennifer Koretsky

For many people with ADD, work life can be difficult. If your working environment is not ADD-friendly, then you may find yourself feeling chronically disorganized and stressed out at work. Whether or not you choose to share your diagnosis with your employer, the following strategies can help you become more effective at work.

1. Find a Career that You're Passionate About

People with ADD have the most success when doing something that they are passionately interested in. If you are in a career or a job that you're not passionate about, chances are your ADD challenges will manifest themselves. The best way to avoid this is to find work that you truly enjoy and believe in.

2. Develop Structure

It's no secret that ADDers work well with structure. If your job lacks structure, create some!

If you're self-employed, set up a schedule for yourself. Determine what your working days will be, and what your days off will be. (And stick to them!) Also, schedule specific working hours for yourself.

If you're employed by another person or company, ask for specific deadlines on projects you are assigned. Additionally, you can request a weekly meeting with your manager in which you update him or her on all the things you have going on. This will allow YOU to review your progress and stay aware of all the tasks you're juggling.

3. Delegate the Details

I've never met an ADDer who enjoyed dealing with details! Typically, people with ADD are the problem-solvers, the creatives, and the strategizers. Most ADDers will be extremely effective when dealing with these exciting and challenging aspects of the job, and a lot less effective when dealing with administrative work.

If you're self-employed, hire an assistant - even if you think you can't afford it! Imagine how much more effective - and profitable - you could be if you didn't have to worry about paperwork!

If you're employed by another person or company, delegate work to administrative assistants and anyone whom you manage. If there is no one for you to delegate to, explain to your manager that you work best when you don't have to be bogged down with administrative tasks. Point out all your skills, strengths, and accomplishments. Tell your manager that you could be contributing even more if you had someone to help with the details.

4. Plan the Time to Plan

It's not enough to plan your day, you must also plan the time to plan! Before you leave work at the end of the day, take 15 minutes to look at your to do list. See what you accomplished and what still needs to be done, and update the list. Also use this time to update your calendars, and break up outstanding projects into steps. Taking the time to do this every work day will have you feeling more in control, and will also help you transition out of work time and into personal time.

5. Get Over Perfectionism

Perfectionism prevents progress. If you find something that could be improved every time you look at a paper or a report, it will never get off your desk. There's a big difference between "a good job" and "a perfect job." "A good job" is work well done; "a perfect job" doesn't exist! Nothing in this world is perfect, so do yourself a big favor and get over it!

About the Author

Jennifer Koretsky is an ADD Management Coach who helps adults learn how to manage their ADD and move forward in life. She offers individual and group coaching, workshops, and skill-building programs. Subscribe to Jennifer's free email newsletter, The ADD Management Guide, by visiting http://www.ADDmanagement.com/e-newsletter.htm

6 Proven Steps To Internet Marketing Success

2007-09-05T07:45:00.001-07:00

6 Proven Steps To Internet Marketing Success

by: Mal Keenan

There is a misconception that you can come online set up a web business and be making $1000s within days. Let be put that myth to rest right away. This has not been my experience nor the experience of anyone I have come in contact with through my online endeavours.

You need to give yourself at least a year to make an online business work and budget your money accordingly. Too many times I see people ploughing a wad of cash into their businesses and again, expecting instant riches.

New marketers also make the mistake of thinking that one marketing strategy will do. Of course some avenues will produce more than others but I have found the best way is to adapt a broad based approach to your online marketing. That means spreading your time and resources over several different methods.

I will attempt to outline in this text everything I feel you need to be doing consistently to make a success of your online business.

Again I MUST point out that you need to persist is this strategy and spend your money wisely. It amazes me the amount of people who drop out after the first month or two. What do they expect, miracles? You wouldn't ditch an offline business after a month so why would you expect an online enterprise to be any different?

If you fail to plan then you plan to fail.

Bottom line is, targeted visitors = sales. This is definitely a numbers game and obviously the more targeted visitors you send to your website the more money you make. The concept is simple but you need to maintain a healthy focus to ensure that you stick this out for as long as it takes to make a profit, and progress to financial freedom online.

Here are the methods I use to send daily visitors to my sites:

1)Build Your List

It's true what they say that the money IS in the list. Most successful online marketers have large lists of targeted prospects that they can send their offers to on a regular basis. Anyone new to this business should begin to build this list immediately.

You have to start somewhere and it takes time but it is certainly worth your while to begin now and develop a lasting and trustful relationship with those list members who eventually will feel comfortable in purchasing your recommendations. When trust grows this targeted list will become a virtual money tree and make you cash at will. Some marketers are able to makes $1000s sending an email to their list, which takes little more than a few minutes to write. Can you see the power in this method?

I use a couple of different methods, online forms at all my websites encouraging prospects to add their name and email addresses plus I also purchase many of my addresses from other companies that can send me 1000s of emails for affordable prices. These addresses are spam free and can grow my list a lot quicker than I could ever do from my own websites.

I have set up some tutorials here for companies that will send you targeted visitors:

http://www.pluginprofitstraining.com/listopt.html

http://www.pluginprofitstraining.com/listmedia.html

2)Pay Per Click search engines.

Over the years I have used PPCSEs to send 1000s of visitors to my sites. This is a fast track way to drive traffic to your sites. You can be up and running and getting hits in minutes.

I use http://www.overture.com, http://www.findwhat.com, and http://www.7search.com . These are three of the most popular but there are many others which you can find here:

http://www.payperclicksearchengines.com/

I suggest you use Wordtracker (http://www.workathomebiz.info/wordtracker.html) to accumulate as many TARGETED keywords as you can. The more targeted keywords you collect the more visitors you get.

The idea is to ensure that you are paying less for visitors on a monthly basis than the sales you make.

3)Google Adwords (http://www.google.com/ads/)

Google adwords is similar in principle to PPCSEs in that you pay for your visitors. I suggest you use Wordtracker (http://www.workathomebiz.info/wordtracker.html) to accumlate 1000s of keyword phrases.

4)Article Submissions

Submitting topical articles is one of the most affordable and at the same time effective marketing strategies I know of. For more info and the resources to do this visit here:

http://www.pluginprofitstraining.com/articlesubmissions.html

5)Regular Search Engines

Yahoo, Google, and MSN send me as many visitors per day as any other strategy I use. It is highly recommended that you get started immediately to begin to build the online web presence of your website and thus your search engine rankings.

I have done this mostly through a reciprocal linking campaign which has had a greater effect on my search engine rankings than anything else. I employ the use of Linksmanager (http://www.workathomebiz.info/linksmanager.html) to automate my links campaign for which I pay a monthly fee or you can set up your own links manager at your own site using Kevin Ocasio's excellent Reciprocal Manager (http://www.freeadvertz.com/recipmanager.html).

For affordable search engine submission software try Web Position Gold (http://www.webpositiongolddownloads.com)

Please note: This is a long term strategy, so it will take at least a few months of persistent action to see any results at all.

6)Forum Posting

One of the greatest things that happened to me in my online career was being appointed moderator at one on the most popular online internet marketing forums. This has opened up more avenues and opportunities than any other strategy. I suggest you visit the popular, high traffic online forums daily and make it a point of sharing your experiences and giving your advice as often as possible. Get yourself seen!

The thing about this method too is that you can have a link pointing to your site in the signature of each post you make. Posting at forums will send daily traffic to your site AND the visitors will be highly targeted.

Here are two high traffic forums that I frequent:

http://www.ablake.net/forum/

http://www.howtocorp.com/forum/

This one isn't high traffic yet but I will be there to answer your questions:

http://www.home-business-tips-newsletter.com/forum/

In conclusion:

I have been marketing online since 1998 and have tried 100s of different ways to drive targeted traffic to my websites. The above six strategies work, so I suggest you print them out and make the methods part of your daily marketing plan for the foreseeable future.

If they can work for me then they WILL work for you.

I wish you every success in your efforts.

Mal Keenan is editor and publisher of Home Business Tips Newsletter: http://www.home-business-tips-newsletter.com/

For A Home Business You Can Believe In, With Benefits, Click Below:

http://www.eliteteamireland.com/

6 Tips To Create Your Own Fortune With "How To" eBooks

2007-09-05T07:44:00.001-07:00

6 Tips To Create Your Own Fortune With "How To" eBooks

by: Jeff Smith

6 Tips To Making Your Own Fortune Creating and Marketing
Infoproducts!

It's one of the biggest challenges to getting your
business started.

Finding products to sell online that you enjoy working
at and that attract an ongoing stream of "hungry"
buyers is THE most important success factor to doing
business - period!

For those of you that want to create their own infoproducts,
it's even more important since you will be investing time,
energy and your emotions into your products.

Thousands of subscribers to my "Online Marketing Success
Secrets Revealed"
(http://www.infoproductcreator.com/ezine1.html) Newsletter,
experts and aspiring infoproduct creators struggle with the
same 6 questions...

Do these questions keep you awake at night?

1. What do I like doing enough that I would spend a few
weeks developing a product, and years marketing and
supporting them?

2. How do I know if ENOUGH people will purchase my product
to achieve my goals?

3. Will people pay for my knowledge - even if I'm not an
expert?

4. How do I test for demand BEFORE I spend weeks or months
developing my products?

5. Do I have to write a 150-page book to make money?

6. What topics sell - it seems like only "Making Money"
type products are selling.

Listen - you are NOT the first to wonder about these
questions.

In fact, your success depends on getting PAST these doubts
- so let's take each one and work through them - OK?

1. DO I HAVE TO REALLY LOVE MY TOPIC?

Two answers to this question - you CAN develop a winning
product about a subject that you are not completely
passionate about.

Professional writers do it all the time.

Here's the catch.

A great deal of your success marketing infoproducts online
will depend on MORE than just selling 1 product. It will
depend on...

a) Your ability to market additional products - yours and
others.
b) Your ability to create great publicity campaigns,
partnerships, follow up sales campaigns, loyalty with your
readers
c) Your ability to support and ADD-VALUE to your
prospective and
existing customers
d) Your ability to gain MOMENTUM in your business by
tapping into your customer base and continuing to provide
them high-value, back-end products

Are you seeing it?

Yes, you can develop an article, book, booklet, eBook or
whatever infoproduct you favor about a topic you are less than
thrilled about - BUT...

You MUST be willing to live with that market for years to come!

For that reason alone, it's worth finding a market and
subject that both interests you AND has great potential.

Here's a real-world example.

Just over 1.5 years ago I developed my own eBook aimed at
empowering product developers with proven ways to tap into
a flood of market demand, test their ideas and quickly
generate products that sell like wildfire.

The original ebook - "The Ultimate Information
Entrepreneur's Success Package" at:

http://www.infoproductcreator.com

took me 4 weeks to develop - start to finish.

Not bad.

It's because I knew my topic so well that I was able to
produce a 110 page eBook and accompanying interviews within
weeks.

Since that time I have written well over 60 articles,
published a regular ezine, updated my product 3 times,
written several special reports, created hard-hitting
websites, press releases, ads and added hundreds of pages
of content to my websites.

All of that is not including more than 40 interviews, reviews,
publicity events and other projects I've been involved in -
ALL ON THE SAME TOPIC.

Add to that hundreds of hours of email and phone conversations
with joint venture and affiliate partners who sell my product
for me each and every week.

Now - all of this activity has put tens of thousands into my
hands, from this one single book, not to mention other products
I sell.

POINT IS: Marketing The Product YOu Create Will Mean Living With
Your Product Each and Every Day As You BUild Your Business. You
Can Make A Fortune, But It Takes Some Effort Each and Every Day.
You MUST Be Passionate Enough About Your Topic To Stay Motivated
and Focused - That's the Secret To Building Your Own Infoproduct
Empire Online.

2. HOW DO YOU ESTIMATE DEMAND FOR YOUR INFOPRODUCT IDEA

Now we're into the details that will skyrocket you into
the top 5% of infoproduct developers online - that will set you
aside from 95% of others who do NOT consider demand for their
topic.

Just for sake of argument - I'm going to use an example of a
hobby that some of you may have, model airplanes. You know,
those little scale airplanes that get so many hobbyists out
of bed at ungodly times of the morning - addicting to the smell
of Naptha gas.

Here's a few ways you can can estimate demand for your
proposed market...

a) Use online tools to seek out demand. The three best
tools (and they are completely free) to use are:

- Overture keyword search tool:
http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/

A search for model airplanes brings up some interesting
information -

- Over 55,000 searches on this topic in less than 1-month
(Not Bad!)
- Second most searched topic RELATED to model airplanes is
Model Airplane News - OK, so people want information.
- Several search categories include searches done on various
products, evidence that this market is willing to spend
money.

b) Now if you had a tool such as Adword Analyzer --

http://www.infoproductcreator.com/part/adwanalyze

Then you would see that the supply of websites that come up
when searching for model airplanes is quite small - relative
to other keyword searches.

In addition, with this incredible tool, you would see that
there are very few current Google Adwords or Overture.com
campaigns being purchased. What's that mean?

It means that you can use one or both of these tools to generate
almost INSTANT high-quality traffic to your site for a fraction
of what most other high-demand keywords would cost.

All good signs that point to a strong market demand for your
hobby and area of product interest.

c)A third method you can use is to seek out what is already
selling. A great way to do that is to look at
http://www.amazon.com and http://www.zdnet.com top
movers op sellers in various market niches.

This will tell you ALLOT about what people are spending money
on right now!

3. WHAT WILL PEOPLE PAY ME FOR?

Now that you have picked a niche market and an area of focus, you
need to find out what people want BADLY within that niche.

Here are a few ways to find out...

a) Search google for "model airplane discussion forums". You are
looking for active and reasonably good quality forums to TAP INTO
ongoig discussions - this will offer you a goldmine of information
on what people are looking for.

In a 5-minute search, here's what I found --

http://www.indiarc.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi

http://www.rcorlando.com/modules.php?name=Forums

http://www.flightlines.com/cgi-
bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro&BypassCookie=true

You will find TONS of active discussions that will lead to product
ideas, allowing you to tap into what this market wants.

b) Get involved in Chat's - many of the sites above also run live
chat sessions periodically, another great way to find out pockets
of demand

c) Check offline - read RC Modeller magazines and books, find out
consistent topics, gaps in information or ideas that you could
expand into a different medium.

For example, a common topic is flying techniques or flight patterns.

Why not travel to your local model flying club and video tape
both flight paths and techniques used by flyers, converting them
into digital files and selling them on CD-ROM?

You get the idea.

d) Listen to your fellow model airplane buffs - find out what their
frustrations are, what their spending patterns are and what else
they are looking for, but can't find.

4. TESTING FOR DEMAND

Here are 3 quick methods of testing for demand - BEFORE you spend
days, weeks or months on creating your infoproduct.

a) Surveys - using a free trial from http://www.surveymonkey.com
you can find out whether your target market seems as passionate
about your idea as you are. NOTE: Be sure to ask them IF and
HOW MUCH they would be willing to cough up to get answers to
their questions.

b) Special Report - Use this often overlooked technique to put
together a few pages (from 5-20 pages) that you can either give
away or sell for a low price to test the popularity of your
idea. You WILL need to market this report, so it will take
some time BUT, it's a great way to setup your marketing channels
ahead of time, preparing them for your full product which comes
later.

The best resource I've come across on writing Income-Generating
Special Reports is "The Special Report Bible" - you will be
amazed at what you can put together in a matter of hours or
days.

ANOTHER IDEA is to run an interview or teleseminar on your
topic with a topic expert. Judge the popularity of the call
can mean you will roll out new products later.

An example of this strategy is Yanik Silver's recent Public
Domain Riches teleseminar
(http://www.infoproductcreator.com/part/pdomain) which turned
out to be such a hit that he quickly put together a $1,000+
personal coaching course on the same topic.

c) Articles - Write articles on your topic directly addressing
the same desire you hope to fill with your full product. Submit
your article to the various article directories on Yahoo and
many others out there. Request a courtesy notification from
publishers who publish your article so that you get a feel for
how popular the article proves to be. Of course, you should
also have a link to either a website or autoresponder email
address at the end of your article. Clicks on your link
following the article will also give you a sense of how popular
the topic is.

What should you expect?

You don't need to have HUGE numbers, a few publications and approx
a 1% clickthrough on any published articles tells you there is
enough response to continue - or at least do additional testing.

5. eBOOKS AND WHAT ELSE?

If you haven't asked the question - WHAT ELSE and you are
considering writing a typical book or eBook then you may be
missing out on product opportunities that will both make
you more money AND take far less time to create.

Here are just a few formats that many successful infoproduct
developers use today...

- Audio files (telseminars, interviews, commentary)
- Special Reports (5-20 page treatments)
- Videos (It's easier than you think)
- Software (Software applications or scripts can be developed
by starving professionals on Elance.com or Scriptlance.com
for far less than you might imagine.
- Physical booklets or courses/binders
- Bundled products

6. THE INTERNET MARKETING MARKET FALLACY

It has to be the biggest un-truth floating around the internet.

Contrary to what most people say, developing products targeted
only at the internet marketing crowd is NOT the only OR the
most lucrative market out there.

It IS the most competitive - so that's why you tend to see
products everywhere, leading most people to believe those are
the only products selling.

In fact, there are products selling in many niches including...

- health and wellness
- hobbies (models, crafts, collectors, music, sports, etc...)
- relationships
- parenting
- career and business
- business opportunities (ie. home business)
- technology
- pets
- and many, many others

Each week I continue to be AMAZED at the incredible opportunities
out there in niche markets - our society is more information
hungry than ever.

Don't make the common mistake of ignoring a market you are
interested in because you don't THINK products will sell.
Instead, test and find out what products will sell
to a given market.

With those obstacles out of your way - NOTHING stands in the way
of you creating that lifestyle you've always wanted by creating
and marketing information products.

About the Author

Jeff Smith is the author of the top-selling "Ultimate Information Entrepreneur's Success Package" helping thousands package their knowledge into profitable eBooks, special reports, ezines and audios. Visit his site here:
http://www.highertrustmarketing.com

6 Amazing Secrets To Work At Home Success

2007-09-05T07:43:00.001-07:00

6 Amazing Secrets To Work At Home Success

by: Vernette Carbon

Are you a stay at home mom or dad who would like to work from home? Maybe you
have a job outside the home, but you're tired of juggling your job and your kids,
especially when your child is sick and needs you.

You'd like to work from home, but it seems as though there are no legitimate jobs out
there. You don't really want to start a home-based business from scratch, but would love
to work from home.

Well let me tell you a little secret, knowledge is power. And there are 15 strategies you
must apply if you want to be successful in landing a work at home job or contract
These 15 strategies will definitely help you beat out your competition.

Let me share with you 6 of the 15 strategies I've used and continue to use to increase my
chances of obtaining home-based jobs and contracts over and over again.

•1. You Must Acquire A Specialized Skill
The secret to landing a home-based job or independent contract and keeping it
forever is to acquire a specialized skill, or start a career in a field that is
completely recession proof and in high demand but has a low supply of skilled
workers.

For instance, people will always get sick. So therefore doctors will always need
Medical transcriptionists. Another example; companies will always have
quarterly meetings and will always need general transcriptionists to transcribe
reports, minutes, etc.

If you lose your home-based job today, you can apply for another one tomorrow
and land another job within a week or two. How am I so sure about this? Well
I've done it over and over again as a general transcriptionist, and Cyber Agent
(Call Center Customer Service Rep) for the past five and a half years. The jobs
and independent contracts in these fields are in abundance.

As an example, let's look at Medical Transcriptionist. Just go to your search engine and type in the keywords, "Medical Transcription Companies." You will see hundreds of medical transcription companies listed. Just visit a few of the
web sites and check to see if there's an "employment," "Career," "Join us,"
"Contact," etc., tab on the web site. I'm sure you'll find several job openings.

•2. Don't work at home for the wrong reasons.

Too many people want to work at home for the wrong reasons. Never tell an
employer that you want to work at home because you need to spend more time
with your children. That will certainly seem selfish to an employer, and you
would never get hired. Most employers don't care whether you want to stay at home with your children or not. Wanting to work from home to spend more time with your children is not really a wrong reason, but in an employer's mind it is.

Why not look at it this way; working from home would enable you to be more
productive in the sense that you would not miss work when your children are sick.
Also if some other family issues arise you can take care of it without calling in
sick. Wouldn't this be more beneficial to the employer instead of saying you
want to work at home to spend more time with the kids?

•3. Be Professional At All Times

When applying for a home-based job, never respond to an ad via email stating,
"I'm interested in the work-at-home (data entry) position." This is quite
unprofessional. Once you find a home-based job vacancy, apply by sending your cover letter and resume, or fill out an online application.

If the employer didn't ask for a cover letter in the job vacancy ad, please send one
anyway. Never send a resume without a cover letter. It will get thrown in the
trash. Please customize each cover letter with information tailored to that specific
job advertisement.

•4. Never Send Your Resume As An Attachment Unless The ad States That You
Can Do So

The hiring manager might never open the attachment. Also, never copy and paste
your resume into the body of your email and send it to an employer. It will
change format by the time it reaches to the employer, and will look like a jumbled
mess. You must create an ASCII/Plain Text resume and cover letter. For more
information on how to do this please visit the following web sites,
http://resume.monster.com/dosanddonts/email/Index.asp or
http://www.eresumeiq.com/ABC.html.

•5. Follow Instructions

When responding to a job vacancy announcement please make sure you follow the ad instructions. If the ad asks for specific information please do exactly as it says. For instance, if the ad says, please describe home office equipment, make sure you mention in your cover letter exactly what equipment you have in your home office.

I was once commended by an employer for being the only job applicant, out of
hundreds to actually follow the specific instructions in the job ad. I was hired for this home-based job mainly because I followed instructions, not because I was more qualified than all the other applicants.

•6. Reduce Your Job Search Time
Finding a job using the Internet can be a frustrating, time-consuming endeavor
because there are literally 1000's of job boards and work at home resources. And
don't forget the Job newsgroups and the regional newspapers.

To be current on this information is essential. Let YourJobSearcher do the work
for you. This software is not only for 9-5 job searches. You can use it to find
telecommuting jobs also. All you have to do is download and install your Job
Search Program, enter your job description (home-based job title you desire),
click and begin the search. It's that easy.

About the Author

Vernette Carbon is the owner-publisher of AmazingWorkatHomeSecrets.com, and a
work at home mom with two children. Discover how you can work at home for Fortune-
500 companies like Office Depot, Sears, etc. To obtain a free report sent to your email
immediately visit: www.AmazingWorkathomeSecrets.com/intro_new.html or send a blank email to mailto:carbonv@getresponse.com

7 Effective Tips For Get a New Job FAST

2007-09-05T07:42:00.003-07:00

7 Effective Tips For Get a New Job FAST

by: Damian Papworth

In the last four articles in this series, we covered the
four basic steps to finding employment. Defining,
prospecting, applying and interviewing. In this final
article, we giving you 7 quality tips which will help
you cut valuable time off each step and therefore the
entire job hunt process.

1. Don't wait till you start looking for a job, before you
start looking.

Be up to date with your industry and the conditions
of your employment environment all the time. Make
this part of your job description in every job you hold.
It could save you weeks when it comes time to find a
job.

2. Keep your resume up to date

Find a template or layout that you are comfortable with
and maintain it. Update it twice a year at least. It will save
you the mad scramble to put it together and possibly a lost
opportunity because you were unprepared.

3. Network Network Network.

Keep in touch with all your contacts in the industry. This
includes workmates, employers, contacts at employment
agencies, contacts in similar companies etc. You never know
what other people will be doing tomorrow, or what opportunities
they may have for you.

4. Accept interviews even if you are not interested in the
opportunity, or not looking for a job.

Interviewing is a very specific skill. Keep that skill honed.
Keep practising the skill. You don't want to lose "perfect"
opportunies because it is your first interview in 5 years and
you need to get your answers back up to scratch. Remember
you do not have to accept the job.

5. Keep a diary of your experiences.

Note what you did well with each job opportunity. What worked,
what didn't, improvements you could make, elements you can
get rid of. Then, when you next go through an employment
opportunity situation, revisit your notes, duplicate the good
things and improve the bad things. Recognise the process
as having a learning curve, and learn.

6. If you do not have a job and need one, make job hunting
your full time job.

Get out of bed at the same time you would if you were working
in your given field. This will put your time clock in sync with your
interviewers. Spend the same hours working on your job hunt
as you would in the job. Be disciplined.

7. Keep focused

Know what you are looking for and have a clear plan for
achieving your goal. Do not accept roles that are different
to your goals at the start of your job hunt. This could cost
you years in your career.

This is the final part of a 5 part special report on reducing
the time it takes to get a job. Its not fun running around
trying to win that job, this report is full of tips and tricks
which will help you reduce your job hunt time to a
minimum.

The rest of this report is delivered in incremental articles which
you can get by subscribing for the FREE newsletter at
http://www.employedforever.com The entire series of articles
will be sent automatically to you email address. Other
topics covered include: Prospecting for Job Leads; The Job
Application and The Interview Process. So to get your copy of this,
entire report, by signing up for this free newsletter at
http://www.employedforever.com or by sending a blank email to
mailto:employedforever@pushbuttonresponder.com

Till then, good luck with your hunt

Damian

__________________________________________________
Finally, a dedicated and systematic approach to ensuring
you're earning an income forever. Find out how, in four
logical steps, you will never have money problems again.
http://www.EmployedForever.com

About the Author

Damian Papworth has been a Senior Manager in one of the Fortune 500 to close on a decade. In that time he has employed countless new people to work for him. He knows what employers look for

7 Reasons to Pay Yourself First

2007-09-05T07:42:00.001-07:00

7 Reasons to Pay Yourself First

by: Diann Cannon

Last month I was referred to a young fellow who wants to open his own business. He was pleasant, energetic, knew his stuff too; all good qualities to have, especially if you're self-employed.

We started out well enough. We talked about his long-range goals as well as his current circumstances, exploring how they might influence each other. When I learned that he had no real savings, I recommended that he begin putting away at least 10% of his income. Well, that's when things took a left turn. He became quite irritated and told me that there was absolutely no way he could do that; every penny he and his wife brought in was already allocated and they just couldn't afford to hold on to any of it. Everything he said thereafter just demonstrated all the more that he really NEEDED to have some savings cushion: his wife's position was not secure; the business she worked for may be folding, they had just had a baby. Despite my best efforts, he was not willing to consider putting his family's security on the front burner. Instead, he decided not to hire me as his coach, because he said, "I wasn't the 'right kind.'" Hmmmm.

I've seen businesses come and go and those who cannot handle the money at home typically take the same habits into their business and before they know it, they become a failure statistic. So, regardless of how you are employed (employee vs. self-employed), saving money is smart for some obvious and some not-so-obvious reasons:

Working becomes more FUN! If your entire paycheck is spent on basic survival needs, going to work every day can be very depressing.
Saving a portion of your hard-earned dollars is empowering because the decision is made not only by you, but also for your benefit.
There is an excitement that comes from watching the savings account grow. And when we see our dollars grow, we become more conscientious in our spending habits.
Taking care of self brings about a sense of freedom. If you find yourself in a difficult situation where you feel your values are challenged, you are more likely to say so if you have been taking care of your self in other ways. Regardless of the degree of difficulty, or who the person across from you happens to be (like your boss?), you will be truer to yourself and more direct with others. The act of self-care and financial responsibility promotes personal freedom.
Many financial experts recommend investing at least 10% of our gross income into something that can actually make money. That means finding an investment opportunity that will earn money for you on your behalf. Some people choose real estate, some the stock market; if that's just way too risky for you, then consider bonds or some other safe investment. I recommend George Clason's book entitled "The Richest Man in Babylon" for a no-nonsense approach to financial planning and personal prosperity. For information on how to purchase Clason's book, click here: The Richest Man in Babylon
Practicality and reality rule! When we are truly fiscally responsible, we do not do things that can jeopardize our financial health. More to the point, we will not forego saving or buy things we cannot afford because we are fully knowledgeable of our financial circumstances and responsive to our best interests. We live within our means.
One secret to success is modeling what other successful people do. Most every successful person I've ever met saves at least 10% of their income and invests it. Create your own success story.
I cannot tell you how many times people have looked at me, given me an impish grin and said, "I wish I could do that, but I barely make my bills as it is." The truth of the matter is that you will never miss $1.00 out of $10.00 or $10.00 out of $100.00. So my suggestion is no matter how much or how little money you make, do it!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACTIONBegin now by first opening an extra bank account. Take 10% from you next paycheck and put it in this account. Continue to do this with every paycheck you get. You are going to be so pleased this time next year when you see the reserve of money you have set aside. Talk about peace of mind!

About the Author

Diann Cannon, founder of Signals Personal and Business
Coaching, works with individuals facing major life transitions, such as
divorce, unemployment or career change. She helps them identify their
strengths and confront limiting beliefs and behaviors. Ultimately, she
helps people achieve success and balance in their business and personal
lives. Contact Diann and sign up for her newsletter at
http://www.signalscoach.com.

7 Tips To Make A Fantastic Impression On People Who Count

2007-09-05T07:41:00.001-07:00

7 Tips To Make A Fantastic Impression On People Who Count

by: Michael Mercer

Making a fabulous impression on people opens doors for your business, personal, and career endeavors. People like charming people who make them feel comfortable. So, making a fantastic impression helps you get where you want to go.

The basic rule to make a great impression is this: Humans crave to be around people who seem similar to themselves. The key word is seems. Everyone differs from other people in hundreds of ways. However, you get along with people you seem similar to you in interests, feelings, experiences, or goals. You can put these techniques into action to help people feel you seem similar to them and, as a result, make a wonderful impression.

1st Technique: Forget the "Golden Rule"

Since people crave to be around people who seem similar to themselves, avoid wasting time on the "Golden Rule" fantasy suggesting, "Treat people as you want to be treated." People do not want to be treated the way you want to be treated!

Instead, treat other people the way they like being treated. You make a stellar impression by focusing on their likes, not yours.

2nd Technique: Use the Other Person's Interpersonal Style
People interact using four interpersonal styles, as follows:

1. Results-Focused: "Quickly tell me the time, not how to build a clock!!"

2. Detail-Focused: "Slowly tell me how to build a clock, slowly leading up to what time it is."

3. Friendly-Focused: "First, I'll tell you about my family and weekend. Then, let's discuss yours. Then, let's gossip. Then, let's discuss work."

4. Partying-Focused: "Wanna hear another joke? Let's PARTY!!"

Remember: Humans crave to be around people who seem similar to themselves. So, with a results-focused person, act fast-paced and results-focused. To impress a detail-focused person, tell "how to build the clock," not what time it is.

3rd Technique: Mirror

Mirroring proves incredibly subtle, powerful, and physical. It helps the person instinctively feel comfortable with you. How? You mirror – make yourself seem similar to – the person's
1. Body language
2. Vocal style
3. Attire

To impress someone who sits straight, you sit straight with that person. If the person speaks slowly, then you do likewise. And dress as formally or informally as the person you want to impress.

4th Technique: Listen Attentively

This tale illustrates the importance of listening well. A man decided to divorce his wife. His lawyer asked, "Did you love your wife?" The man replied, "I would have left her, but I was hesitant before."

Then, the lawyer asked, "Why do you want to leave her?" The man said, "We have lots of trees around our house, but I rake up the leaves myself."

The lawyer asked, "Is she mean?" The man answered, " I stopped eating red meat." Then, the lawyer inquired, "Does she do housework? Does she take out garbage?" The man responded, "We have a two-car garage."

Finally, the man felt frustrated, because he failed to understand the point of the lawyer's questions, so he blurted, "You're a lawyer. Ask me useful questions about my lousy marriage?"

So, the lawyer asked, "Why do you want to divorce?" The man replied, "Because we can't communicate!"

This story shows, in extreme fashion, that many conversations actually are two simultaneous monologues. To make a great impression, listen well using these tactics:
Paraphrase or repeat ideas the person said

1. Ask questions
2. Take notes

5th Technique: Artful Vagueness

Prospective clients, who wanted to use my consulting, told me their business problems. Using my expertise with similar problems, I gave my recommendation. They kept telling me they did not like my recommendation. But I knew my recommendation would solve their business problems. The more I said I was right and they were wrong, the more they defended their viewpoint. Suddenly, I realized I did not make them feel comfortable enough. But, I could not agree with them, since they were wrong. So, I listened again to their ideas. Then I said, "I've listened carefully to how you want to do this project. That's an idea."

At the same time, I thought to myself – but did not say it – "That's a stupid idea."

What did they think? They apparently interpreted "That's an idea" as me agreeing with them, although I had not. Actually, anything anyone says is "an idea."

This technique is called artful vagueness. You can get out of uncomfortable jams using these artfully vague phrases:

"That's an idea."
"You've got a point."
"You may be right."

6th Technique: Use Everyone's Favorite Word

Imagine a time you heard someone shout your name. I bet you spun around to see who called your name. We are drawn to people who say our names. My research comparing high-achievers and underachievers revealed high-achievers used the name of the person they spoke to one or more time in each conversation. In contrast, underachievers used the name of the person they encountered less than half the time. This means high-achievers use the name of people they talk with much more than underachievers. You can do what high-achievers do.

7th Technique: Compliments

While studying high-achievers and underachievers, I discovered an amazing difference. High-achievers gave an average of three compliments per day. However, underachievers seldom gave compliments. What an intriguing difference you can use to your advantage!

Some people say these seven charm school techniques are "selling out." But, a French saying puts it in perspective: "A car can go as far on square wheels as it can go on round wheels. The difference is that on round wheels the ride is much smoother." Go through your life on round wheels!

© Copyright 2005 Michael Mercer, Ph.D.

About the Author: Michael Mercer, Ph.D., is a conference speaker and consultant with The Mercer Group, Inc. in Barrington, Illinois. Dr. Mercer created the widely used "Abilities & Behavior Forecaster™" pre-employment tests. He authored 5 books, including "How Winners Do It: High Impact People Skills for Your Success". You can subscribe to Dr. Mercer's free e-Newsletter at http://www.drmercer.com

What Does an Innate Talent Look Like?

2007-09-05T07:40:00.003-07:00

What Does an Innate Talent Look Like?

by: Susan Dunn

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Martin Seligman, Ph.D., noted Optimism researcher, who's now studying Authentic Happiness, has proposed that one of the surest paths to happiness is to know your signature strengths and build your life around them, particularly if it's in a way that has meaning to you.

Management gurus, Buckingham and Clifton, in their book "Now Discover Your Strengths," also propose this theory and it's the basis of their StrengthsFinder ™ Profile assessment.

Taking the StrengthsFinder ™ Profile is one way to discover your innate talents. How else can you?

CORE STRENGTHS

These "signature strengths," as Seligman calls them, and "innate talents," as Buckingham and Clifton call them, are with us from birth, show up early in childhood (to the observing eye), and continue with us throughout our life. They may be repressed, ignored, neglected, or even devalued, in this world where the press has been to be "well-rounded," but they will always be there, popping up at happy moments, beckoning to be acknowledged, calling our name.

When we're asked to do something we've never done before, and take to it like a duck to water, or when we do something so well we think everyone else can, they just aren't, or when someone watches us do something and says not, "How did she learn to do that?" but rather, "Where did that come from?" we're tapping into an innate strength. The way we feel when we watch Tiger Woods play golf, but these are not physical traits.

INNATE STRENGTHS OPERATIONALIZED

So what does this look like in real life?

No strength leads to any particular occupation, nor does any occupation necessarily require any certain strength, but I think I met a future manager, therapist, theoretician or strategist this afternoon, if he stays with his strengths.

But, first let me elaborate on that statement. You don't have to have Empathy to be a nurse, and all nurses don't have Empathy. You can use Focus to be the director of a non-profit, as a client of mine does, or to be an engineer, as someone surely is. Your strengths can be applied quite successfully to a number of different occupations. So this gifted little boy could end up being happy doing any number of things.

Now back to this little boy I encountered today. I was keeping my 2-year-old grandson, James, for the afternoon. We wandered outside on this beautiful, sunny day and the boys playing down the street caught his attention. Allen, 18, and Kevin, 13, were shooting baskets. Around them was Alex, 8 years old, playing with his new mini-skateboard.

James tried to grab the skateboard, and yelled "ball" and they were good to him, tossing him the ball once or twice, and letting him have the skateboard for a few moments. Nobody was talking; they were all just playing. Alex was the quietest, just doing his thing over to the side with his mini-skateboard.

At one point James wandered over to dig in the neighbor's garden, and Alex said, "Mary's not going to like that," Mary, being the neighbor woman's name. "She turned my mother in for watering on the wrong day."

Naptime beckoned, and as we were getting ready to head home, Alex came over to me and beamed. "That kid's like a cat," he said. "He likes round things that go around."

It's true that James loves wheels, but then I've known him for two years. In about 10 minutes, Alex had quietly 'gotten' James and taken it to the meta-level.

Alex has the strength called Strategic, which you either have or you don't; it can't be taught. He sees patterns where others simply see complexity. Strategics cut through the clutter. Alex then verbalized what he'd discovered. "This person [Strategic] is likely to have a strength for putting his ideas and thoughts into words," say Buckingham and Clifton. "Position this person on the leading edge of your organization."

Alex is also exhibiting strong right-brain traits, using a simile to describe, picturesquely what he's discovered, comparing two disparate objects – a cat and a boy.

He's also exhibiting Empathy, understanding innately how James feels about thing. James doesn't just love things that go 'round; he's obsessed with them. Alex tapped into a feeling thing, and from feelings we know how to manage people, guide them and work with them. Once you know what James likes, you have the key to motivating him, something that managers, therapists, and coaches need to be able to do.

These two traits of Empathy and Strategist also show up in his comment about the neighbor. He's made a big connection for a small boy – that a woman who reports her neighbor for watering on the wrong day is going to be furious at a toddler throwing dirt on her driveway, i.e., that she's fastidious and rigid about things.

KNOWING YOUR STRENGTHS

If you've been lucky, your parents keyed in on things like this, and your teachers, and your counselors, and your coaches, and your managers. If not, these natural propensities were ignored, or even considered weaknesses, and you've lost touch with them.

I have one client, for instance, who has Intellection, Learner and Ideation for 3 of her top themes. This means she's intellectual, loves to learn and study, and loves ideas for their own sake. Her parents were farmers, and actually said to her, "Get your head out of that book and do something useful. That won't be tolerated in this household."

So you see how it goes.

MAKE YOUR OWN LUCK

If you were lucky in this respect, and have crafted your life around your strengths, congratulations. If you were not, you can do it for yourself. Take the time this year to delve into your innate talents and strengths and take the first step on one of the paths to happiness.

Self-awareness will lead to better understand of others and will help you see and understand the innate strengths in others as well.

About the Author

Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach, GLOBAL EQ. Emotional intelligence coaching to enhance all areas of your life - career, relationships, midlife transition, resilience, self-esteem, parenting. EQ Alive! - excellent, accelerated, affordable EQ coach certification. Susan is the author of numerous ebooks, is widely published on the Internet, and a regular speaker for cruise lines. For marketing services go here.

8 Advantages of Publishing Your Own Book as an Entrepreneur

2007-09-05T07:40:00.001-07:00

8 Advantages of Publishing Your Own Book as an Entrepreneur

by: Ink Tree Ltd.

8 Advantages of Publishing Your Own Book as an Entrepreneur

As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an expert in something, but does the rest of the world know? You have a wealth of information, experience and knowledge that you can package into a book that will benefit others. This truly is the information age and people want to know what you know.

1. A book will give you unbelievable credibility which increases the respect you will receive from customers and business associates. Wouldn't you be more likely to purchase widgets from the business person who wrote the book on widgets? New customers are more likely to take advice from, or purchase the services/products from, an established author. Many consultants increase the levels of their business simply by writing a book on their area of expertise.

2. The typical business person might run into roadblocks when seeking media recognition and publicity for their product or service because the media tend to see this kind of exposure as advertising. However, books receive exposure in the form of reviews or features all the time. Books make great print stories and authors make great featured guests on radio and television shows. Sure beats pulling together an advertising budget.

3. Writing a book gives you instant expert status. If you wrote the book, you are now seen as the authority on that subject by others. And you are! You will have now proven that you know what you're talking about. You will show, in writing, that you know your business area inside and out.

4. Most entrepreneurs love to hear that publishing a book can easily lead to increased fees. People will pay more to work with an established expert then someone who seems less established in a business. Your book has just given you instant added credentials. It would be nice to add "author of…" behind your name, wouldn't it?

5. If you are not already a consultant, a book along with your proven expert status could bring you new consulting opportunities where you can bill for your time to educate, speak to and work with other companies and individuals helping them succeed through what you know.

6. If you have a service business or you are selling products already, a book will allow you to add a product to your existing business. Expanding your line is never a bad thing and will open up all kinds of doors in your marketing plan.

7. If you aren't already on the internet (and you should be, but that's another article), you can add online marketing to your marketing plan with your book. There are loads of places to sell your book online and having an information product to offer will give you a second stream of revenue with huge potential.

8. Expanding your marketing opportunities and focusing on opportunities for residual income is what you should be focusing on as an entrepreneur. Quit trading your hours for dollars and start working smarter.

Your own book will be a complement and a supplement to your current business. It will also mean an additional source of revenue added to your bottom line. I'd be willing to bet that you've thought of writing a book at some point in your career. Almost every single person has. Use your passion. Take your knowledge, package it and sell it. People are willing to pay for what you already know.

Copyright Ó 2003 Ink Tree Ltd.

Ink Tree Ltd. Helping writers publish, market and sell books! If there is a book inside you – profit from it. Learn everything you need to guide you from Idea to Book… to Success – the fast, easy, simple way. Publish your own book with one-on-one expert help from publishing professionals who have created numerous bestsellers and sold hundreds of thousands of books.

Phone: 1-866-500-8733 or 403-295-3898 Email: info@inktreemarketing.com

Web: www.moneyinpublishing.com or www.inktreemarketing.com

About the Author

Ink Tree Ltd. is a book marketing firm that helps writers publish, market and sell books. Learn everything you need to guide you from Idea to Book... to Success - the fast, easy, simple waywww.inktreemarketing.com

A $2.95 Road Trip, Complete With Souvenirs

2007-09-05T07:33:00.003-07:00

A $2.95 Road Trip, Complete With Souvenirs

by: Bonnie Jo Davis

"Hey, I didn't know you were a writer, I thought you were a Virtual Assistant."

No matter how many times I hear this comment it still surprises me. I learned early on that writing was one of the most lucrative services that I could offer in my virtual assistance business, not to mention an incredible means of free marketing.

I have discovered a valuable resource for writing assignments and other types of work. The Freelance Work Exchange is an innovative web site that incorporates nearly every aspect of the freelance process. It features the components with which you are familiar as well as those for which you may not have an accurate understanding, and quite possibly, some aspects about which you have never even heard.

As with most legitimate professional freelance web sites, membership at http://tinyurl.com/3v69r is on a paid basis. In this case, membership is paid on a monthly basis at the standard rate of $29.95 per month. You may feel this is excessive especially since you don't know exactly what the value of membership is actually going to deliver for you.

Since this is the perspective of the average person, me included, the Freelance Work Exchange has a solution for addressing your questions directly. And no, you don't have to submit an e-mail with a list of questions and then wait for a reply. All you have to do is take advantage of the Freelance Work Exchange's valuable test drive.

For only $2.95 you can literally test drive the Freelance Work Exchange with a 7-day temporary membership. Unlike most other trial memberships that offer very limited access and no access at all to members' only features, the Freelance Work Exchange gives you the run of the road. In other words, you don't just get to drive it around the block; you get to actually make a real road trip with your temporary membership.

Guess what? The Freelance Work Exchange even gives you some souvenirs to make your road trip worth your while. Here's what your $2.95 is going to net you, even if you decide at the end of the 7-day trial that one trip was enough for you.

* Unlimited 24/7 Access to Professional Members Area

For 7 days, you're going to be able to explore and take advantage of each component of the Professional Members Area at the Freelance Work Exchange. This doesn't mean that you get to read about them, but that you get to make full use of each member's only component.

* Freelance Job Report

You will receive immediate access to the current issue of this Freelance Work Exchange professional edition bi-weekly newsletter, which is a paid subscription. Each issue features career advice and strategies as well as hot freelance job opportunities.

* The Jobs Database

Okay, so the Freelance Work Exchange has a freelance job bank, but so do other freelance web sites. However, this site actually allows you to use your test drive to go through the process of finding projects and applying for them. This will give you a good idea of how the site works for you without an ongoing commitment.

Categories in The Jobs Database include:

* Writing, Editing and Proofreading
* Design & Illustration
* Programming & Software Development
* Consultancy
* Administrative & Miscellaneous
* Work-at-Home

* Million Dollar Freelancing

The Freelance Work Exchange publishes this valuable freelancer's publication feature in serialized format. A perk that you receive as a temporary member is a free subscription offer. You'll receive this innovative publication in chapter-by-chapter format delivered directly to your e-mail address.

If you decide that Million Dollar Freelancing offers no value to you, you can simply discontinue your subscription anytime you choose. The Freelance Work Exchange will promptly remove you from this subscriber list.

* Featured Freelance Listing

The Freelance Work Exchange offers all its members the opportunity to purchase a "feature" listing as a freelancer for the price of $50.00 for a 1-month listing or $100.00 for a 3-month listing. This same offer is available to you as a temporary member. If you purchase a Featured Freelance Listing and decide not to continue with a monthly membership, you still have the benefit of having your professional profile featured for the period for which you purchased it.

* Freelance Billing Rates

A common issue among freelance writers and service providers is how to determine rates for professional services. Freelance Work Exchange has reduced it to black and white for you. Taken directly from the U.S. Department of Labor is a chart featuring average rates for various professional services. For some specific freelance services, there is an indicated range of from low to high.

True, you can find this information yourself for free at the U.S. DOL's web site, but you will have to dig for it. The Freelance Work Exchange has done the digging for you.

* Gold Seal of Professional Membership

As a supportive service to its professional members, the Freelance Work Exchange has published a Freelance Code of Practice for which it has also created an image or graphics design. Your temporary membership entitles you to post this Gold Seal of Professional Membership directly at your own web site, provided that you are also willing to link to the Freelance Code of Practice.

What better way to declare your professional status than by associating yourself with a highly recognizable Gold Seal of Professional Membership? It will add a significant recognition factor of your professional expertise.

* Searchable Newsletter Archive

Not only does your 7-day temporary membership grant you access to current newsletter content, but it also grants you access to all the archived newsletters as well. Simply enter a keyword search to find a listing of relevant articles that you can actually read.

* Categorized Newsletter Search

If a keyword search is not your preferred method of finding information on a particular subject, Freelance Work Exchange features a categorical listing from which you can search for an article on a particular topic. Immediate access is provided to this feature with your temporary membership. You can read an unlimited amount of articles with seven days about any category that interests you.

* Priority Resume Bank

The Freelance Work Exchange gives you a genuine first chance opportunity for consideration with its recurring employer client base. It has established many solid relationships with employers for whom they provide freelance referrals as needed. As a temporary member, you are invited to submit your resume and/or other professional credentials via its online form for their review and inclusion in its exclusive group of professionals whom they refer to various employers.

There is no additional fee for reviewing your resume and maintaining it in the Priority Resume Bank for employer consideration.

* Freelance Job Finder

The Freelance Work Exchange features a meta search tool that you can use to do a quick search for freelance opportunities currently posted at all the major online job markets. This is an incredible timesaver that gives you an instant overview of what is available instead of having to go to each major employment web site and do an individual search.

* The Big List

For convenient viewing, the Freelance Work Exchange maintains a current listing of over 100 freelance markets grouped categorically. It's a deep goldmine of places for marketing your services.

* Totally Free Software

The only thing better than free software is software that is free and useful to you. The Freelance Work Exchange reviews the benefits of several premium freelance software products to which it has linked directly for easily downloading. Again, you can find this information and the free downloads yourself on the Internet, but you'll invest more than $2.95 worth of your valuable time searching for it.

* E-Mail Support

The Freelance Work Exchange publishes a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page in which it details specific information about the various features it offers. If you need assistance beyond what is provided there, it will gladly provide additional support for you via e-mail.

* Your Free E-Book on Viral Freelancing

Immediately upon purchasing a $2.95 membership, you have access to this innovative publication. Simply download it and save it to your desktop.

This valuable e-book is filled with easy how-to ways to boost your freelance earnings. Even if you decide not to continue your membership after the 7-day road trip, you still get to keep Your Free E-Book on Viral Freelancing. This feature alone is worth a considerable purchase price.

* Special Report - The Formula For Success

A proven reality, the Freelance Work Exchange gives you immediate access to a simple 5-part business plan for achieving success as a freelance professional. This intriguing report is delivered via download in Adobe Acrobat or PDF file and makes genuine common sense from what can be a complicated prospect.

Simply download the file and save it to your computer. You get to keep this valuable report even if you decide to cancel your membership your 7-day road trip.

* Post Your Own Job

The Freelance Work Exchange offers an online job submission form that allows you to submit your own specific job for inclusion in The Jobs Database. This valuable feature is available free of charge during your 7-Day membership period. It is a perfect opportunity to find an editor, a ghostwriter or simply an extra pair of hands to assist you as needed.

For the members' only fee of $20.00, you can upgrade your job to a Featured Job Listing for placement in the Freelance Job Report Newsletter. This is a very nominal fee considering that the subscriber base of the newsletter currently exceeds 120,000. That means more than 120,000 talented freelance professionals are actually paying to see your job posting.

* Featured Members Specials Offering 30% Discount

During your Freelance Work Exchange road trip, you'll have the opportunity to enjoy a 30% discount on Featured Member Specials such as professional resume writing services and web design services as well as other valuable resources such as the Work At Home Success Kit.

Okay, so that's the map to your 7-day Freelance Work Exchange road trip. The final destination at which you arrive is yours to determine. Answer one question though before postponing your temporary membership purchase ... just one. And my question is...

What previous $2.95 investment has ever netted you as much professional mileage?

(c) 2004, Davis Virtual Assistance. All rights in all media reserved. Permission for reprint granted to all venues so long as they are opt-in.

About the Author

Bonnie Jo Davis is a Virtual Assistant and the webmaster of the Articles That Sell Center. To join her no cost, unique monthly marketing e-zine visit http://www.ArticlesThatSell.com/newsletter.htm

Be Better at Business – And Lose Weight, Too!

2007-09-05T07:33:00.001-07:00

Be Better at Business – And Lose Weight, Too!

by: John M McKee

Many of the issues and challenges faced by managers and professionals are more similar than not to those of someone trying to lose weight in an effort to improve his or her health and wellness. In business, individuals often secure the services of a success coach like myself to "fix" certain areas of their professional life. The desired fixes typically range from a desire for a promotion and/or a salary increase, to on-the-job performance enhancements, to improving one's personal productivity, to boosting one's level of enthusiasm about their job. Having coached literally hundreds of executives on how to improve their professional life, I recently came to the realization that many of the issues and challenges faced by aspiring professionals are more similar than not to those of someone trying to lose weight in an effort to improve his or her health and wellness. In short, both of these groups often seek someone or something that, with minimum effort, expense, and time, can get their situations fixed and on a desirable course for the long term. Like many challenges faced by business people looking to enhance their career path, those with weight-related challenges may also be failing to realize that the weight problem is actually a symptom of other, more deep-seated problems that are occurring elsewhere in their lives. In other words, the obstacles overweight and obese people face may, in fact, not necessarily be food-related at all, just as problems at work may have very little to do with what's actually occurring on the job. In my practice, BusinessSuccessCoach.net, I use an holistic process to assess all of the elements required to affect our client's success in business, rather than analyzing what is likely a mere symptom. This exclusive process, known as The Four Windows Method takes into account the whole of an individual -- not just the obvious areas related to the problem at hand. Although created for use in a business context, The Four Windows Method is infinitely adaptable to those attempting to lose weight. With The Four Windows Method, health seekers can work through a series of actions designed to provide a status review of their life using four distinct windows. Unlike other coaching methods that are tactical in nature, your final analysis, and the action plan derived from this assessment, will be strategic, holistic, and all encompassing. When you move on to work toward weight-loss success, there will be No Walls to hold you back. This reasoned and methodical approach of The Four Windows Method will help you to understand where you are, what you want, and how to get there and you'll be healthier, and happier, as a result."Losing weight rarely relates to simply implementing the 'right diet' or the 'right workout'," said Raphael Calzadilla, B.A., CPT, ACE and a Certified Personal Trainer. "From my extensive personal and professional health experience, I've learned that one must first understand the driving emotional and psychological forces in their life in order to make the required behavioral changes. McKee's Four Windows Method is one such process. It can help health seekers get on the right emotional track, allowing them to more effectively work toward -- and reach -- their goal." About the Four Windows Method, Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE noted, "It's clear John McKee understands that weight loss encompasses much more than just food modification. His introspective Four Windows Method digs deeper in an attempt to uncover one's true motivation for overeating, which has resulted in the 'symptom' of an overweight or obese condition. McKee's Method is designed to achieve permanent behavioral change to achieve and maintain a healthy weight for the long term and, as such, it's an effort that I wholeheartedly endorse." By applying The Four Windows Process to your weight loss effort, you will surely be well on track toward improved health and wellness. To get a free a free PDF copy of The Method to try yourself go to: http://www.businesssuccesscoach.net/WeightLoss.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John McKee, a certified business and executive coach, is the expert and visionary behind BusinessSuccessCoach.net, an online destination for professionals who aspire to maximize their success in business. He can be reached through his web site at www.businesssuccesscoach.net.

A Better Life...Only a DECISION Away!

2007-09-05T07:32:00.001-07:00

A Better Life...Only a DECISION Away!

by: Bob Proctor

One single, "mental move" has the power to create incredible success...

There is a single mental move you can make which, in a millisecond, will solve enormous problems for you. It has the potential to improve almost any personal or business situation you will ever encounter, and it could literally propel you down the path to incredible success. We have a name for this magic mental activity ... it is called DECISION.

Decisions or the lack of them are responsible for the breaking or making of many a career. Individuals who have become very proficient at making decisions, without being influenced by the opinions of others, are the same people whose annual incomes fall into the six and seven figure category. However, it's not just your income that is affected by decisions; your whole life is dominated by this power. The health of your mind and body, the well-being of your family, your social life, the type of relationships you develop … all are dependent upon your ability to make sound decisions.

So, how is a person expected to develop this mental ability? Quite simply, as the commercial says, "Just do it." Decision making brings order to your mind, and of course, this order is then reflected in your objective world ... your results.

Indecision sets up internal conflicts that can, without warning, escalate into all out mental and emotional wars. Psychiatrists have a name to describe these internal wars - ambivalence. My Oxford Dictionary tells me that ambivalence is the co-existence in one person of opposite feelings toward the same objective.

You do not require a doctorate degree in psychiatry to understand that you are going to have difficulty in your life by permitting your mind to remain in an ambivalent state for any period of time. The person who does permit it to exist will become very despondent and virtually incapable of any type of productive activity. It is obvious that anyone who finds themselves in such a mental state is not living; at best, they are merely existing. A decision or a series of decisions would change everything.

A very basic law of the universe is "create or disintegrate". Indecision causes disintegration. How often have you heard a person say, "I don't know what to do." How often have you heard yourself say, "What should I do?" Think about some of the indecisive feelings you and virtually everyone on this planet experience from time to time. Love them; leave them. Quit, stay. Do it, don't do it. Buy it, don't buy it. Tell them, don't tell them.

Everyone, on occasion, has experienced these feelings of ambivalence. If it happens to you frequently, decide right now to stop it. The cause of ambivalence is indecision, but we must keep in mind that the truth is not always in the appearance of things. Indecision is a cause of ambivalence, however it is a secondary cause, it is not the primary cause. I have been studying the behavior of people who have become very proficient at making decisions for over a quarter century. They all have one thing in common. They have a very strong self image, a high degree of self-esteem. They may be as different as night is to day in numerous other respects, but they certainly possess confidence. Low self-esteem or a lack of confidence is the real culprit here. Decision makers are not afraid of making an error. If and when they make an error in their decision, or fail at something, they have the ability to shrug it off. They learn from the experience but they will never submit to the failure.

There is one cardinal rule with respect to decision making: decide right where you are with whatever you've got. This is precisely why most people never master this important attribute. They permit their resources to dictate if and when a decision will or can be made. When John Kennedy asked Wernher Von Braun what it would take to build a rocket that would carry a man to the moon and return him safely to earth, his answer was simple and direct. "The will to do it." President Kennedy never asked if it was possible. He never asked if they could afford it or any one of a thousand other questions, all of which would have ... at that time ... been valid questions.

President Kennedy made a decision ... he said, we will put a man on the moon and return him safely to earth before the end of the decade. The fact that it had never been done before in all the hundreds of thousands of years of human history was not even a consideration. He DECIDED where he was with what he had. The objective was accomplished in his mind the second he made the decision. It was only a matter of time ... which is governed by natural law, before the goal was manifested in form for the whole world to see.

The greatest stumbling block you will encounter when making important decisions in your life is circumstance. We let circumstance get us off the hook when we should be giving it everything we've got. More dreams are shattered and goals lost because of circumstance than any other single factor.

Let's consider money with respect to our decision making process. You should never let the lack of funds determine whether you will or will not do something. Think about it for a moment. When you decided to buy your first home, did you just happen to have a couple hundred thousand dollars sitting in the bank? I don't think so, I know I didn't. But, the minute you made the decision to buy the home, the money seemed to appear - just like unadulterated magic. Somehow you came up with the down payment; you may have had to scrimp and save every extra penny … but you did it. And if you were honest with yourself, you probably had enough money to buy new curtains and a bevy of other things for the new home. The minute you make the decision to do something, you will attract to you all that is requisite for the realization of that goal.

Whether you can afford it or not should never be a consideration. Whether you want to or not is the only consideration. You can afford anything; there is an infinite supply of money. All of the money in the world is available to you, when the decision is firmly made. If you need money, you will attract it.

How often have you caught yourself saying, "I would like to do or have this but I can't because ..." Whatever follows "because" is the circumstance. Circumstances may cause a detour in your life but you should never permit them to stop you from making important decisions.

Napoleon said, "Circumstances, I make them."

The next time you hear someone say they would like to vacation in Paris, or purchase a particular automobile but they can't because they have no money, explain they don't need the money until they make the decision to go to Paris or purchase the car. When the decision is made, they will figure out a way to get the amount needed. They always do.

Many misguided individuals try something once or twice and if they do not hit the bulls-eye, they feel they are a failure. Failing does not make anyone a failure, but quitting most certainly does and quitting is a decision. By following that form of reasoning, you would have to say when you make a decision to quit, you make a decision to fail.

Take the first step in predicting your own prosperous future. Build a mental picture of exactly how you would like to live. Make a firm decision to hold on to that vision and positive ways to improve everything will begin to flow into your mind.

Your life is important and, at its best, life is short. You have the potential to do anything you choose, and to do it well. But, you must make decisions and when the time for a decision arrives, you must make your decision where you are with what you've got.

About the Author

This Article is brought to you by George Collins --Improve your personal habits and thinking skills and become as successful as you dream about with our professional coaches working with you.
http://www.greatestnetworker.com/is/collins
Wise People Learn From The Mistakes of Others George Collins "Success Team Builders"

A Cover Letter Tip Guaranteed To Land You More Job Interview

2007-09-05T07:30:00.002-07:00

A Cover Letter Tip Guaranteed To Land You More Job Interview

by: Jimmy Sweeney

Searching for a new job?

I am about to reveal one of the most powerful cover letter tips you'll ever discover. This little-known secret can dramatically increase your job interview requests all by itself.

Here's a 'not-so-subtle' hint for you:

P.S. -- This tip works like a charm and commands the attention of every reader!

Did you catch that hint? It's true, by adding a simple P.S. -- or Post Script -- after your signature, at the bottom of your cover letter you can literally grab the undivided attention of any person reading it. And, if your P.S. is a brief, direct and clearly-worded request for the opportunity to be interviewed, you will land more job interviews than the vast majority of your competition.

Why does the P.S. work so perfectly with a cover letter?

Advertisers and marketers have been using the P.S. to sell various widgets successfully for decades. In fact, it is one of the most powerful sales strategies of all time. The general public has literally been 'trained' by these highly-skilled marketers to read any P.S. they see at the end of a letter. Many times consumers shoot straight to the end of the letter to read the P.S. first! I'll bet you've done this yourself on more than one occasion.

Use the P.S. to clearly and directly ASK for the job interview providing your contact number as well.

This is a fresh way to appeal to employers and can tip the balance in your favor towards landing the all-important job interview. The P.S. lets a busy Hiring Manager cut right to the chase by reading this one special sentence. A job-seeker who uses a P.S. in his or her cover letter is utilizing one of the strongest marketing strategies known to man.

This cover letter tip can be the difference-maker in your job search. Remember, it all starts with getting your foot in the company door and a well crafted P.S. will get noticed and read above all other sentences. So make sure yours packs an interview-landing punch!

P.S. -- Your job search is all about results. Try this one cool, cover letter strategy for yourself and see how many job interviews you land!

About The Author

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the new, "Amazing Cover Letter Creator." Jimmy has written several career-related books and his unique articles are always a job-seeker favorite. Who else wants their phone ringing off the hook with more quality job interviews? Visit Jimmy on the web right now at http://www.Amazing-Cover-Letters.com for your 'instant' cover letter today.

A Gift Basket Home Business is an easy way to Wrap up Profit

2007-09-05T07:30:00.001-07:00

A Gift Basket Home Business is an easy way to Wrap up Profit

by: Randy Wilson

You want to know more about making money with your own gift basket home business. You are a creative person and want a career that you can control and find rewarding at the same time. What better way to do this then to start a gift basket business in your own home.

Many people decide to breakaway from jobs outside the home. Some want more time with their family, and friends. Others are just tired of working for an unappreciative boss. Whatever the reason, you have decided you want to start a gift basket home business.

A gift basket home business is a creative and rewarding industry that has unlimited potential. It allows you to design, plan, decorate and bring happiness to those who receive your baskets. You can create theme baskets, special order baskets, or both. Your opportunities are endless for a home based gift basket business.

The first thing to consider is creating a gift basket home business plan. Although you may feel you do not need one, it is always good to create one. It helps you to ensure you have answered all questions about running the business and running it from your home. It will also make you think about things you have not previously considered. You can go to the Small Business Administration web site and download template for all the information you need to complete your gift basket home business plan.

Many people do not think about the cost of a business phone line, office equipment, accounting professional or software, and insurance for the business when they consider starting a gift basket home business or any business. These are just a few of the extra costs that are just as important as inventory.

Something else many people do not consider are the local, county and State regulations regarding a gift basket business. You should always contact your local government and ask about any requirements for your business. They can also give you information about county and State regulations. You should find out as much as possible about the rules in your area so you don't get a surprise later on. By knowing the gift basket business regulations, you are protecting yourself, your business and your customers.

The next step to consider is marketing. How will you advertise your gift basket business? To get your name out into the community, whether it is your local or online community, and build your clientele, you have to advertise. This can include sending letters to corporations and households, via regular mail or email, linking your web site to other web sites, creating a press release for newspapers and radio stations, and getting your business in a mailer, such as Money Mailer. The best source of advertisement will always be word of mouth from your happy customers.

Now that you know some of the essentials of how to start a gift basket business it may seem like a lot of work, even before you have put any money into it. However, most of this can be done in the span of a few days, and many items you may decide you need, may already be in your home. The main thing is to be prepared and know what you are doing, before doing it.

Usually a home based gift basket business can start out with very little overhead. You buy the items, as you need them. There is no need to keep a large inventory at first. You need to find a retailer or wholesales that will work with you until your gift basket business grows, and your order needs grow. It is best to work with wholesalers, but you may have to start with a retailer until your company grows and your orders are larger.

The next item is pricing your gift baskets. Check out some web sites and call some of your local competition. See what they offer in their baskets and at what price. This will give you a better idea about how to price your baskets.

The hardest part of working at home is dedication. You need to dedicate your time, space, and some money to your gift basket business. You have to remind yourself, your family, and your friends that certain hours each day will be devoted to your business. Always include in your work hours, the time it will take you to update your accounting, and market your gift basket business.

There are many resources out there to help you with your business. There are industry magazines, websites, and books. Check them all periodically to keep on top of the trends. This is your gift basket business and you want it to be the best, so do your homework and stay informed.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

Randy is owner of Profitable Home Businesses. Randy owned and operated a very successful storefront/mailorder business from 1988 to 2003. Currently full time owner/operator of several online businesses.

A Job is Not a Job

2007-09-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

A Job is Not a Job

by: Nan S. Russell

It only happened on Mondays. Sometimes I escaped the unpleasant ritual. But, more often than not, right before boarding I threw up in the ladies room of the train station. It wasn't the commute I hated. It was the job.

The reasons don't matter why a job I once enjoyed turned into a job I didn't. It happens. Bosses change, companies change, priorities change, budgets change, responsibilities change. Some changes bring personal growth and opportunity. Some don't.

What does matter was the lesson learned that stayed with me the rest of my career: a job is not just a job. That job I hated helped my checking account. But my confidence, creativity, health, energy for life and view of the world was not as fortunate. When the alarm clock sounded, my previous excitement to face a new day became cocoon-like behavior, both in and out of the covers, wanting protection from another day's battle. It was safer for those I loved to refrain from sharing important issues or concerns with me, never knowing how I would react.

How you spend a significant part of your day rubs off on the rest of your day, and on those you share your life with. Over time, it rubs off on your life. I'm not talking about temporary potholes and work hiccups that come with change or periods of work intensity, or the interim choices to increase finances, or the normal setbacks and challenges that should be dealt with at work. I'm talking about the long term match between who you are and the job you have. When you're in a job that's good for you, you can feel it. And you can feel it when you're not. I agree with Barbara DeAngeles, “No job is a good job if it isn't good for you.”

You see, you can't be winning at working if you don't like what you're doing, where you're doing it, or who you're doing it for. If what you do feels like work the majority of the time, you might want to think about why, and what you can do to change it. That doesn't necessarily mean you should change jobs or companies. Transferring to another team, volunteering for a new project, or asking your boss for new responsibilities may be all it takes.

But, whatever it takes, you won't be able to offer your best you at work and get rewarded with interesting work, personal growth and financial rewards, if you aren't in a good workplace environment and a good position match for who you are, what you want, and what you have to offer.

I've worked in jobs where I couldn't wait until Monday. That's when I'm so excited about the new project or the new idea or the next thing I'm working on that it's not work to me. It's a challenging, interesting, stimulating and fun way to spend my day. And, I'm a lot happier when that's the case.

c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Sign up to receive Nan’s free eColumn, Winning at Working, at http://www.winningatworking.com.
Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. Currently working on her first book, Nan is a writer, columnist, small business owner, and instructor.

A Lesson of Life From A Friend

2007-09-05T07:17:00.002-07:00

A Lesson of Life From A Friend

by: Abel Cheng

The following is a true story...

Yesterday I received a phone call from a friend whom I last talked to almost two years ago.

Like other people, I was surprised to hear her voice.

She heard from a mutual friend that I just set up a fitness studio and she wanted to ask me about my new venture and as well as what's going on in my life.

To my surprise again, she told me that she was retrenched from her job 6 months ago. She admitted that she was very sad about the layoff. She didn't know what she did wrong in her job that she was retrenched.

You and I know that there is no apparent reason when companies want to lay off people. Sometimes, it's just bad luck.

>From the way she talked, I could tell that she has become stronger and more mature. She's more open to new ideas and opportunities.

That's not all. She told me another shocking news: her dad passed away 3 months before she was retrenched.

I was like "Oh my God, how could she take it?"

How on earth a young lady could ever take the pressure of facing the death of her loved one and losing her job within 3 months' time?

What would you do if these happened to you? Give up on life?

She told me that she got to be strong and she didn't want her mom to see her depressed.

I'm so happy for her that these untoward incidents actually made her to stop and think about her life and re-prioritize her life, which she never did before.

She turned the loss of loved one and loss of job into power and strength.

Because of these incidents, she had the courage and decided to be her own boss by joining her friends in a business venture. She feels that she has now more control of her life and career.

She explained to me that she now gains more satisfaction from life which she never felt before.

Is this what we call "blessing in disguise" for her? My friend has definitely changed a lot...at least for the better.

Most of us will not budge from our comfort zone unless something very dramatic happens to us: loss of loved ones, divorce, loss of job, or sickness.

How many of us dream of being our own boss but no action taken?

Do you want what happened to my friend to happen to you so that you'd really sit down and think about your life? And do things that you really love?

Or, do you want to do it now?

The choice is yours.

Do not wait for things to happen. Take charge of your life proactively. Take my friend's experience as an inspiration to live your dreams.

About The Author

Abel Cheng offers small and medium enterprises exclusive global profits insider tips in his free publication, Abel Cheng's Business Diary. To officiate a bi-weekly subscription, please go to http://www.abelcheng.com/diary.html.

A New Discovery of an Old Secret

2007-09-05T07:17:00.001-07:00

A New Discovery of an Old Secret

by: Davis Goss

A New Discovery of an Old Secret
By Davis Goss

Some years ago, when the world seemed to close in on me and I felt as though I was trapped between the sword and the wall, I made an exciting discovery. Actually, it was a phenomenon that was as old as dirt but it took on significant meanings for me because it freed me from all my problems and all the stresses and pressures that were being imposed upon me.

I discovered that there is only one simple root cause of all problems. When this primal cause becomes known, understood and properly applied, all problems disappear like snowflakes on a hot griddle. In fact this discovery launched me on a life-long career as a professional problem solver for a widely diverse personal, professional and corporate client base that included many of the giants of American business.

I had discovered the law of opposites.

Take just a minute and think about the world you live in. Have you ever noticed how everything you’re involved in is comprised of opposites? Opposites abound everywhere and in every situation. Webster has many definitions for opposites but they are best summed up in the one where he defines opposites as “elements that are so far apart as to be totally irreconcilable”.

For example, we have such irreconcilable opposites as up and down, left and right, short and tall, light and dark, assets and liabilities, success and failure, freedom and bondage and on and on and on. I doubt that you think of anything that does not have an implied opposite

Think about it: We live in a world of division. We live in a world where “twoness” prevails; a world of duality where very position, situation and condition is challenged by some alternative where one side is always pulling against another or pushing up against a wall that will not yield.

This is living in a world that is perfectly designed to promote struggle, turmoil, conflict, confusion, disputes and disagreements. This law of opposites is the cause of all problems. Without knowing how to control or overcome this law of opposites, people try to adapt to it without realizing that by so doing they only succeed in increasing their frustrations and prolonging any solution. Is it any wonder that so many people are suffering such pressures, stresses and anxieties!

If these people could somehow prevent this law from operating in their individual experiences they could enjoy living is a world where oneness prevailed and those things we call problems would have no influence over them.

This might be best illustrated by using such familiar opposites as positive and negative. Positives and negatives are opposites and have nothing in common. They cannot mix or commingle. Neither can one be described in term of the other. Try as you might, you cannot successfully justify one to the other. They are opposites. It is the law!

A problem is defined by Webster as “an intricate, unsettled question without an answer; a source of perplexity and vexation”. By their very nature, problems are negative. Webster defines “negative” as “something that is the opposite, or negation, of something”. That “something” is the positiveness of the problem’s solution. Webster’s definition of “positive” is “that which is real, not speculative, not fictitious and logically affirmative; that which has actual existence”.

Just as a negative has absolutely no positive characteristics, so a positive has absolutely no negative characteristics. They are opposites. It is the law! And because it is an absolute, universal law it is not subject to chance, change, modification, circumvention or debate. It maintains its own integrity, is self- enforcing and works simply because it exists…forever! When properly applied it is your absolute assurance of successful conclusions.

The problem is negative and unreal. The objective is positive and real. Logic, then, demands that in order to experience your goal or objective or receive the answer to your question, you must discipline yourself to maintain a mind-set that is responsive to the positive ideas that will dissolve your negative problems.

This is probably the most demanding discipline you will ever be faced with because we’ve been trained to accept both positives and negatives as real. From this premise, we attempt to solve a problem by confronting it as an adversary with which we are compelled to do battle. We try to “understand” it and “deal” with it as though it were a reality instead of simply being a negation of that which we are seeking.

Does all this sound too abstract to be practical in what we call the “real” world of nuts and bolts? While individual circumstances will vary, the procedural application of this law is always the same.
( See my article “Taking the Problem Out of Problem Solving”)
Consider this case study: Static sale plagued a company and great effort and money was invested to find some means by which they could increase the sales volume of their product. Their best efforts failed and they resigned themselves to the conviction that the market was flooded to the point of saturation and nothing further could be done. They were prepared to “eat their losses” and move on.

Then the principles embodied in this discovery were initiated by one individual who, in the secrecy of his own thought, maintained the integrity of this positive, constructive, solution oriented approach. He mentally rejected all discussions that focused on the “problem” even though circumstances required that he be involved in them. Soon a plan began developing in his thought. Every detail of a brand new merchandising procedure unfolded that was a radical departure from all traditional methods. The plan was implemented and sales increased immediately to a level that far exceeded the company’s most optimistic projections. As an added bonus, the implementation of this plan did not require any additional capital expenditures.

This confirms Victor Hugo’s statement that, “there is nothing more powerful than the right idea whose time has come”.

The sales “problem” simply disappeared. Why? Because, being an unreal negation, it never did have the substance or reality of its positive opposite. Where did the problem go? It went to the same place the flat world went as soon as Columbus discovered that it was really round. It didn’t “go” anywhere because it wasn’t a real “something” to begin with!

Details of this discovery are fully outlined in a logical continuity of demonstrable natural laws and principles in my latest book “The DYNAMICS of ACHIEVEMENT”.

For more than 40 years Davis Goss has been a creative consultant with particular expertise in problem solving for widely divers client base that has included many of the giants of American business. His latest book, “The DYNAMICS of ACHIEVEMENT”: outlines the details of his unique problem solving methods that are based solely on proven scientific principles.

Davis Goss
“The Science of Building Harmonious Life Experiences”

Visit my Webpage at: www.davisgoss.com
Contact me at: ideaguy@davisgoss.com

=========================================

About the Author

Davis Goss has been a creative consultant for more than 40 years with particular expertise in problem solving. His layesyt book, "The DYNAMICS of ACHIEVEMENT", presents a logical continuity of universal laws and principles that, when proiperly applied, will resolve any problem with predictable accuracy.

After The Downsizing...Reclaiming Your Organization's Spirit

2007-09-05T07:16:00.001-07:00

After The Downsizing...Reclaiming Your Organization's Spirit

by: Lora Adrianse

As you well know, the scope of a downsizing initiative totally consumes the entire capacity of your management team. When it's over, all of those who are left need time to recover. Chances are that everyone is stressed out, exhausted and minimally
As you well know, the scope of a downsizing initiative totally consumes the entire capacity of your management team. When it's over, all of those who are left need time to recover. Chances are that everyone is stressed out, exhausted and minimally productive. It's a time when spirits are low and the soul of the organization has seemingly gone by the wayside.

You might ask, “What does spirit and soul have to do with business?” While we typically don't use the terms "spirit and soul" in business, in fact, spirit and soul ARE some of the key elements that have contributed to the success of your business up until now.

Think of it like this: Spirit = morale, motivation,engagement, enthusiasm Soul = culture, values, purpose, commitment

There is no quick fix for reclaiming the spirit and soul of your business. But, until you start doing "something" to get things back on track, the spirit and soul of your company will be starving. Here are a few ideas you can use to get started:

Keep Swimming – Don't Tread Water Treading water will get you nowhere! If you can't keep swimming yourself, find someone in your organization that can. If you can't find someone internally, hire a consultant or a coach. Someone needs to immediately jump in and show the "survivors" the importance of swimming versus treading water.

Change The Mindset In today's workplace, change is the "norm". Every contributor should have the mindset that they are in business for themselves. Tom Peters and many authors have written about the concept of "Brand YOU". Brand YOU is about:

- Each individual identifying what it is that makes their contribution unique and valuable

-Everything they do (or choose not to do) reflects the value and character of their "brand"

-How the success of individual translates into the success of the business.

Encourage the survivors to take hold of their personal power. A new mindset will give them the strength to "keep swimming" and avoid feeling victimized. Consider bringing in a coach or a consultant to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis to help them recognize their strengths and opportunities for improvement. It's a great opportunity to acknowledge their strengths and get them focused on taking action.

Build The Structure Establish systems and processes. Make it requirement that processes are in place for every employee to:

- Understand the state of the business

- Understand how their performance contributes to the business results

- Understand what the business needs from them in order to be successful

Job descriptions may need to be revised to accurately reflect the functions of each position. Involve your team in creating mission, vision and values statements for your/their functions. Once the systems are in place, the key is to communicate, communicate, communicate.

Invest In Development Ferdinand Fournes once wrote "People don't do dumb things on purpose". If that's true (and in general terms I believe it is), then identify the knowledge, skills and abilities that need to be developed. Embrace in the competencies of Emotional Intelligence. It is often the skill set of Emotional Intelligence that distinguishes the most successful employees from the rest. It's a win/win strategy for individuals, teams as well as the business. It's time to make the investment for individuals, teams, and the business.

Hold Everyone Accountable Holding everyone accountable is about sharing responsibility. Sharing responsibility implies that individual contributors are an integral part of strategizing, planning, and executing whatever task is at hand. Typically, individuals are more than willing to be held accountable if they've been a part of the process from the beginning.

**Special Note: the concept of "shared responsibility" may require a paradigm shift for managers who are used to "asking" versus "telling". Be sure your managers have access to training in coaching skills. There are several great training programs out there that teach coaching skills. One that I think is especially good is a two-day session called The Coaching Clinic.

You may be saying to yourself now, "These aren't new concepts." and you're absolutely right, they aren't new. However, they are foundational practices. If your that "employees are your greatest assets", then you'll also embrace the concept that "individual success translates into successful business results". In essence, you have a successful business with spirit and soul.

How long can you afford to tread water?

About the Author

Lora J Adrianse brings to the wisdom of a 28-year corporate career focused on individual, management and corporate development. Lora J Adrianse considers her signature program to be The Coaching Clinic; teaching managers to utilize coaching skills in developing their staff. More information can be found at her web site at www.connectionscoach.com.

First Steps for the Irish Learner Driver

2007-09-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

First Steps for the Irish Learner Driver

by: Robin Piggott

The main priority for today's Learner Driver should not be passing the Driving Test but embracing the philosophy of skills for life initially. Surely passing the Driving Test is the main objective? Not So!

Your main objective should be to acquire the necessary skills that will keep you, your passengers and all other road users safe. This makes sense, but is not taken on board by a very large proportion of Irish learner Drivers, with the result that we have an appalling accident record here which impacts on the whole community.

The first and arguably most important step for the new driver is to enrol with a Professional Driving School who will set the foundation for both basic and advanced skills and ensure that safety is a priority. The lack of basic skills throughout the motoring population is very widespread and stems from several inherent flaws which are only now beginning to be addressed by the Government.

Thankfully our membership of the European Club is forcing the various agencies that are involved in the whole motoring scene to take action and implement the various Directives on a structured time scale.

The Irish Driving Test only began in 1966 more than thirty years after the UK introduced that most feared of life events! Most of the recent EU changes have usually taken effect here three or four years after the UK. These would comprise the Driver Theory Test, revised Test Marking Sheet, Provisional License revisions, and Mechanical Checks on the Practical Driving Test.

Aspects still to be rolled out will be Mandatory Tuition for Motorcycles and Cars and the long awaited Examination and Registration of Driving Instructors. One of the reasons for our poor standards on the roads, particularly within the young driver community is that Driving Instructor standards are not subject to scrutiny. It is quite commonplace to see Instructors giving tuition in a pupils car with no L plates displayed. This shows a complete disregard for the basic rule of Law and by extension the calibre of instruction has to be mediocre at best.

What can you expect on your first lesson with a Professional Instructor? Will you be taken into a city centre? Will you be taken on a high speed carriageway? Will you be driving off down the road in just five minutes? Absolutely not! What will happen is a concentrated session covering many diverse subjects relating to both the workings of the car and all its equipment and a look at the current Driving Scene into which the new Driver is entering for the first time. An investigation of all the basic mechanics that are the responsibility of the Driver, and which now form part of the Driving Test, will take place, and a brief discussion on the current requirements of the Driving Test. Once this is accomplished, the basic Cockpit Drill will be looked at along with all instrumentation and secondary controls. Following on from this section, a brief discussion on the use of the Gearbox will take place and then on to the most mystical of Car equipment …the Clutch. (That is of course assuming that we are driving a car with a manual Gearbox, with its accompanying Stick Shift.) It surprises most beginners that it is the Clutch that moves the car and not the Gas pedal. In fact, since you are going to be on a level stretch of road for the first tentative steps, it is interesting to demonstrate that the Car does indeed move with the foot no where near the Gas Pedal. This is the point at which we are learning the first real Driving Skill; that of understanding the Term "Biting Point" and how to recognise it. In the very early stages, a complete mastery of being able to bring the Clutch to" Biting Point" and hold it steady is the key to Driving away smoothly in every different situation. No amount of gas pedal usage will move the car unless the clutch is at Biting Point first. Once the car begins to move, and is building up a little momentum, then the clutch can be fully released gently and the Gas pedal then comes into play. Next follows a brief demonstration of the clutch control technique by the Instructor followed by the Pupil. The sequence of moving off safely comes next, followed by the Real Thing, but of course it's no use getting going if you then don't know how to stop safely which will also be demonstrated. You are now on the move practising starting and stopping and the adrenalin is finally pumping after all the Theory! Guess What? You will be doing the whole procedure in Reverse within a few minutes. Yes that's right…Reversing! Reversing is such an integral part of every day driving that it's something that can't be left till later. If it is put off, then chances are that fear of failure will begin to creep in and that is not the object of Driving Lessons. So there you have, in graphic (almost) detail, the first steps on your Driving Career. If you are going to progress steadily then you should be prepared to do plenty of homework in between your Lessons, with a pad and pen as well as reading the Notes which your Instructor will have given you! There is plenty more where this came from, so take time to look at all the resources available and you should be well on the way to the basic apprentice stage after three or four weeks. The Driving Test is not a consideration at this stage and will only be addressed when you have a suitable level of skill built up over several months.
About the Author

Robin Piggott is the owner of Astral School of Motoring which is based in Limerick, Ireland .He has thirty five years of Driving Experience and has driven Professionally for most of this time, including teaching in - house, before setting up his own Driving School.The aim of the Astral Driving School is to provide the skills that will enable young Drivers to stay safe, first and foremost.Please visit the Web Site and Blog at http://www.astralmotoring.ie

What is Life Balance?

2007-09-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

What is Life Balance?

by: Michelle Casto

What is Stress?
Stress is an interpretation of an event or circumstance which is understood to be a threat. It can be any force or pressure put on a system (living or nonliving) which may result in a need for the system to adapt or change. Stress on human beings is like a rubber band. You also stretch to meet the environment around you, the demands of your lifestyle, and the pressures you put on yourself. If pulled too far, stress manifests itself in real conditions mentally, physically, and emotionally. Like a rubber band breaks when stretched too far, human beings have a breaking point too. The secret is to learn how to handle stress in your life and avoid becoming over-stressed.

The A B C’s of Stress
Activating event
Belief about the event
Consequences of the event

Stress is the internal pressure we put on ourselves from external factors. Living with moderate stress keeps you sharp and ready to move forward, however extreme stress can put you out of commission. It depends on your stress levels---how much you can deal with effectively. Some people thrive with stressful situations and some people snap at the slightest uncomfortable circumstance. Depending on your current stress level, when confronted with a stressor, you may respond with shock or feel stuck.
The fast-paced, technologically advanced, complicated world has brought many changes to our lives. The pace of change does not seem to be decreasing, but rather increasing all the time. These changes put more demands and pressures on each of us to make adjustments to do more with less. While stress is a definite modern world reality, being “stressed-out” is not. We mistakenly believe that being stressed-out is “just the way it is.” And we often get in competition with each other about who feels the worst!
This is crazy thinking. Stress can be a powerful motivator in our lives, and in fact, you can learn to use stress to your advantage. If you think about it---one form of stress or another is responsible for everything big and small in our world. For example, the earth “stresses” a piece of coal until it turns into a beautiful diamond. The key is to find out how you can use the stress in your life to create a diamond out of a rock!
As with most things in life, prevention is the best medicine. By learning about your personal health risks, family history, current health, and life choices (eating, exercise, smoking, drinking, stress) you can make smarter decisions. Ultimately, your life choices affect how you feel and how you function.
Stress management comes down to self-management. It is about selecting appropriate options as well as making smart decisions.
The best way to avoid “burn out” is to become aware of your unique stressors and coping mechanisms. Burn out comes from experiencing stress over a prolonged period and often leads to a visit to the doctor. There are many ways to alleviate stress, however, you must find what works best for you and commit to doing it on a daily basis.

Michelle L. Casto is a whole life coach, speaker, and author of Get Smart! About Modern Romantic Relationships, Get Smart! About Modern Career Development, and Get Smart! About Modern Stress Management. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching, she helps people come up with bright ideas for their life and empowers them to freely shine their bright light to the world. Contact her for a free 30 minute coaching session:
www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michelle L. Casto is a whole life coach, speaker, and author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series. Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com Free coaching session!

5 Keys to Starting Your Own Internet Enterprise

2007-09-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

5 Keys to Starting Your Own Internet Enterprise

by: Joel Christopher

Six months ago, I was asked by the moderator of a discussion
group with a large membership to share some words of wisdom on
how I got started online. She wanted me to share them with the
group's eZine with 20,000 subscribers.

It gave me a chance to reflect on my experience in developing and
starting my own Internet Business and Web Site. It took me almost
7 months of study and research to formulate my business plan and
implement the business model so I have a lot to share.I thought
it would be appropriate to share it in this eZine. After all, it
is dedicated to helping beginner Internet entrepreneurs get
started with an online business - and sooner or later, be their
own boss!

I asked myself: "If I can boil down what I've learned in the last
7 months, what lessons have I learned as keys to starting my own
Internet venture?" Here's are the 5 KEY ANSWERS I came up with.

1. Discover and Seek Your PASSION

I found that this is the first and most important key. Your
passion is the wellspring from which your energy and enthu-
siasm comes from. If you love what you do and do what you
love then you're doing what I call "pure joy of work". It's
not even "work" anymore, it becomes a way of life - it's what
the author and speaker Jim Rohn calls "The Art ofLiving".

Some of you might have heard or even read the book "Do what
you Love.The Money will Follow". I agree with that statement.
You have to be passionate about what you do.People will notice
your passion (or lack of it) in your business or chosen
endeavor. Once people discern this passion, they will
follow you and they will buy your ideas, goods and services.

I've known for a while that I'm passionate about being my own
boss, being self-employed.I have been an employee, an employer
and self-employed. Nothing beats self-employment, in my own
opinion. It hits you like a "bug" when you "catch" it - the
BYOB (Be Your Own Boss) Bug. I am also passionate about know-
ledge and learning especially with the Internet making it even
easier to access any information anywhere in the world.
Having discovered this early on, I started a web site devoted
to helping people learn how to become their own boss --- using
the most powerful means of communication known to humanity
The Internet.

Thus, http://www.SuccessAccess.com "The Newbie Netpreneur's
FIRST ACCESS to Net Success" was born.

2. Gain KNOWLEDGE and Be a STUDENT of the Net

In any trade or profession, you must gain the knowledge to
achieve a certain level of competence. To become an expert in
your chosen profession, more knowledge and experience are
required.Treat your Internet Business as a Professional Career
whether you're doing it part-time or full-time. For you to
become a professional, you have to be a student of your chosen
profession first.

Learn everything you can about your product & services, your
target market and the Internet as a whole. Be a perpetual
student who continually learns and incessantly applies what
you have learned along the way. I call it "kinesthetic
learning" - Learning by Doing. Keep acquiring, keep applying
and keep testing your knowledge. Turn knowledge into informa-
tion....then turn information into communication.
The best place to do this is the Internet.

3. Find Mentors- Get H.O.P.E.(Help from Other People's Expertise)

Have you ever heard of the saying "don't re-invent the wheel"?
Sure you have. Somehow, somewhere someone has already
figured out a way to succeed in the venture you're getting
into. Why not follow his/her proven recipe for success and
apply it to your own situation.

The shortcut to success is through Mentorship. In the area of
Internet Marketing, there are already those who have found
ways to be successful....even though the Net is still new
and there's still a lot to learn. Find these successful Online
Marketers and model their formula for success. Seek out these
Webmasters. You'd be surprised to find out how generous they
are with their advice.

It' easy to follow their footsteps. Check their web sites, read
their books and study their courses. Most of these experts
publish FREE newsletters where you can learn tons of golden
nuggets of information every week. I even found a few of them
who offer e-mail and phone consultation when you obtain their
books and courses. I will reveal who these Masters are & what
I learned from them in a future article. If you can't wait,
send mailto:WebMaster@SuccessAccess.com?subject=Mentors_WPN

4. Share Your EXPERTISE

Dr. Stephen Covey, author of the "7 Habits of Highly Effective
People", wrote that the best way to learn principles is to
teach others.

Teach others and you'll be better at it each time you do it.
The more you SHARE and teach, the more of an expert you become.
The more you become an expert, the more you improve your
credibility. When you share your expertise (what you're
PASSIONATE about), you will not only build your credibility.
It will also help you develop your knowledge and skills and
help your business grow. Thus, it will help your earnings.

It's a positive feedback loop:

LEARN --- SHARE
/
EARN

5. Get Started NOW!

A sense of urgency is the mark of a successful person. There is
no better time to START than NOW TODAY!

Most failures think that there are 8 days in a week ---
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday &
SOMEDAY...
"Someday, I'll start my own business."
"Someday, I'll get to it." "Someday, I'll.."
Well, "Someday" never comes.

All winners think of one day TODAY! Think of today & everyday
as the beginning of the rest of your life. Whatever Internet
business you want to start, START NOW. Whatever task you need to
do to get started, DO IT TODAY. Be it learning Internet
Marketing, studying search engine positioning, email marketing
or creating a web site.. whatever it is, it doesn't matter.
Just Get Started!

My advice to beginners: List the 5-10 things you love to share or
do. Narrow it down to the one or two you're most passionate or
most motivated about. Then start learning more about it, find
mentors to help you and finally, share it to the world. The best
place to do it is on the Internet.

If it's true that SUCCESS is the progressive realization of a
worthy ideal, then when you start today, you already are a
SUCCESS.

I wish you the best of success!

About the Author

Joel Christopher, is the Publisher of "Access-2-Success eZine",
a weekly eZine dedicated to provide Beginner Internet
Entrepreneurs a step-by-step guide on how to start, grow
and expand your own online business venture.
http://www.SuccessAccess.com
mailto:WebMaster@SuccessAccess.com?Subject=subscribe-WPN