Is working from home your thing?

Working from home is a great opportunity for all indviduals. Whether an Entrepreneur, Consultant, Freelancer, etc. Nothing beats working at your own pace on your own time.

Some key elements to staying focused while working from home include:

-Working in a seperate room that is not as comfortable as a bedroom or lounge

-Staying focused on the tasks or to-do lists

-Stay connected to the outside world. You should be accessable for all those who need you by phone, email, or even social networking.

-Get good internet service. Although website dependability varies make sure your internet connection is top notch so you can handle multiple things at once, seamlessly.

-Be happy. As soon as working from home becomes more of a hindrance than happiness you may need to go back to a desk and or re-think career long-term options.

Do's when working from home**

1. Never abuse the opportunity

2. Be available

3. Actually do work

4. Track your hours on task

5. Stay on task

The Job Search

Finding a (good) job online can be somewhat tiresome. It could be even worse if you don't know where to look or how to use keywords in job searches. Lately it has been reported that finding a job online and then actually submitting a resume to a potential employer, is just as bad as not filling out an application or even sending it. 'The Black Hole' is what job searchers are calling it. When you have submitted a resume sometimes it may or may not go through. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. It may take sometime for a Human Resources rep to cipher through the 100+ emails received based on that one position.

Some suggestions for job hunting online: 

Use keywords in job site search engines- this will assist with getting the matches. Properly identifying your keywords can get you to a job you actually want, faster.

Fill out the entire application- if you don't know something call and ask questions. If you absolutely don't know the answer to a question either leave it blank or put N/A. If you get a job interview they may zero in on that so be prepared.

Keep going- although there may be a 'black hole' keep going! You never know who is reading or how fast they are getting to your resume.

Send a cover letter- some employers may not ask for this or it may be an option. Just provide a cover letter with your resume, since it is an option most people would send just the application and resume. You will stick out from the rest.

**Extras: Read CNN's take on the online 'black hole' theory, here.

Start Branding Yourself NOW!!!

The best way to stick out from any crowd is to personally separate yourself and create a BRAND.

What does it mean to create a personal brand?
-Creating a personal brand contains both yourself as well as your career and marketing both together as a brand.

How can I personally brand myself?
-Personal branding is one of the hottest ways to stay both relevent and with a job. You can utilize all social networking sites such as, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and even Blogger. Wherever people are thats where you should be marketing yourself and your specialization.

How long does this take?
-Personal branding is something that is developed by you. Coming up with a contingency plan of action is a sure fire way to get things moving. With sites like Twitter and Facebook you can keep people up-to-date as many times as you like and add folks to your network.

What resources can I look to as far as personal branding?
There are many folks that can assist with your goals in personal branding. You can even do research on their careers to see how they got started. Some key folks paving the way with personal branding are Dan Schawbel and Shadeed Eleazer. These guys have came a long way in their careers because of their consistency in personal branding.

There are several books that can also assist with this process look here for more info.

What is your Vision?

Everyone has a vision or at least something that makes them get out of bed every morning. Often times wondering what is your true purpose or calling can end up being a distraction and can make you more stress than happy.

Outlining your ideas can help maintain your focus. Whether you are 20 years old or 55 years old everyone must have a plan in order to succeed in their goals. Obtaining a degree or even creating a retirement plan with an investor is important. Ultimately NOT having a vision is both critical and detrimental to your future.

Be wise.

Are you FRUSTRATED with the job market??

[Many with or without a job look like this, right now]

Many Americans and even Internationally are feeling the pain and frustration from job searches. Where are the jobs? What will it take to finally get one? How can I maximize my efforts?


Here are a few tips I personally found from my research:


-Begin branding yourself as well as in your proposed field

 -Utilize sources such as Facebook and LinkedIn for job opportunities

-NETWORK (that guy in line in front of you with the two annoying kids could be the VP of General Electric YOU NEVER KNOW!)

-Be outgoing (a closed mouth will not get fed)

-Get more education (whether you get another degree or certificate get your butt out there)

*To gain more insight in maximizing your job search efforts, stop here and go through a number of different methods.

We have arrived!!!

YES! Finally a blog that makes sense. Here we will discuss jobs, careers and lifestyle. Some things may be added into our convo such as travel, leisure, etc. This blog will assist those who are currently looking for a job or career (yes there is a difference). Whether you like it or not this is YOUR forum so input is key. Share your stories, triumphs and tribulations. As I assist you with tips and things that have helped me and some of my friends and family over the years.

Welcome to the Job Ladder!
Ciao!

-Lj