How to Stay Productive When Youre Working from Home

How to Stay Productive When Youre Working from Home Working from home is a perk that many companies have been allowing their employees to embrace. Often employees feel more productive and produce high quality work as they dont feel the restraints that they may feel in the workplace. Working from home has seen very good results for lots of companies, but  its very easy to get side-tracked and before you know it, youve watched the entire first season of Orange is the New Black. So how do you combat the working-from-home-lull? Read my top tips on how to remain productive whilst working from home: 1) Treat it exactly the same as a normal day at work: A mistake that people often make when working from home is changing up their schedule. In reality, you should aim to begin work at 9am (or whatever your usual starting time is) and finish at the time you usually would in the office. This gives at least a bit of structure to your day and also sets a limit to the time you should stop working. 2) Wear normal clothes: I think weve all dreamed of wearing our pyjamas into work on a rainy Monday morning, so having a full day of working from home  seems like the best thing in the world! But just because youre at home, doesnt mean you can throw on your sloppiest tracksuit bottoms and scraggy t-shirt. Instead you should wear actual clothes. This will keep you productive and you wont be as inclined to relax on the sofa like you were wearing your comfy clothes. Remember the saying Dress to Impress! 3) Turn Facebook off: This one is pretty obvious, but turn off Facebook! It can ruin productivity, especially if youre at home all day. 4) Plan your day: Working from home definitely allows a lot more flexibility in your day then working in an office. This is a one of the positives of working from home! Despite this, its always important to keep some kind of plan and to stick with it. 5)  Do allow some flexibility: Working from home is ideal if you have a busy lifestyle. Embrace all the positives of working from home by going to the gym, having a wander in the park or walking the dogs. Dont make yourself feel like you have to be at home all day everyday. The modern working day allows for flexibility and this will naturally increase your productivity and the quality of the work you do.6) Turn notifications off social media: Ive already mentioned staying away from Facebook.  But really you should limit all social media use throughout your working day. An easy way to do this is to turn off push notifications on your mobile phone from any app that isnt to do with your work. This way you wont be constantly distracted by a bleeping phone or laptop. Simple! 7) Listen to music: Its been proven that listening to music improves productivity in the workplace. Being at home means you can listen to whatever you like, whenever you want! You can even bust a move without anyone even seeing you. If thats not reason alone to work from home I dont know what is. 8) Keep yourself organised: Theres nothing worse than having a messy workplace or untidy schedule. Make sure you keep your desk free from clutter clear workspace, clear mind! The same can be said for your desk at work it can work wonders for your productivity as it makes things more organised. 9) To-do lists: This is probably one of the simplest but most effective out of this whole list, but making to-do lists can increase productivity 10 fold! Having a visualisation of the tasks you need to complete works wonders, and its damn satisfying when you can scribble something off your list! 10) Just do it: When you work from home it can be easy to put off the tasks you dont want to do (such a calling a difficult client or sorting out finances). If you get these out of the way at first, you can embrace your day without having anything hanging over your shoulders. Whats your best tip? Let us know in the comments!

Professional Resume Templates - Showing Off Your Best Skills and Experience

Professional Resume Templates - Showing Off Your Best Skills and ExperienceIn every office around the world, the first question many people ask when they get to a new company is 'What profession do you work in?' Every employer loves to hear that someone is a professional and knows their job, but what many of these people do not know is how many people have this professional misconception about employers. It is very important to know who you want to work for, and this is why this template or writing services were created.Every working person is aware that employers are looking for the best possible employees and one way to get that is to have them go through an employment evaluation. Many people, when interviewed during the evaluation period, tend to brag about their jobs, which are actually either a waste of time or are worse than any other jobs they have done. This can be seen as an unfair treatment of an employee, but the thing to remember is that employers are using these evaluati ons in order to determine whether they want to hire the person or not. It is very important to understand this when creating your resume.The second major problem that many people face when getting a new job is a feeling of hopelessness, and this can also be related to having a 'Do Not Want' resume. In this situation, they may have created a resume filled with past experiences that can never possibly bring anything relevant to their current position. In order to avoid this, many employers will hire those with more professional resumes, which have already demonstrated their skills and knowledge. It is very important to take advantage of this when creating your own resume.When a person starts a new profession, the same rules apply. If they do not know what it is or how to describe their new position in an appropriate manner, they will find themselves with very few options when it comes to hiring new employees. This means that they need to learn about the new industry in order to show t he employer what they are capable of.This is where the professional writer comes in and comes up with a professional resume for the new profession. This will be able to show employers exactly what the candidate has accomplished in the past that they are seeking to hire. In addition, the resume will contain any work experience the candidate has that is applicable to the job.One of the main reasons that this is important is because of the fact that the potential employer may not know much about the profession and may not know that the person has not shown that they know what they are doing. This is because many people who are looking for a new job will try to look at their resume as a complete package, showing everything that a potential employer would need to see. However, the thing to remember is that there is only so much information that a potential employer can see, and there is also a limit to how much a potential employer is willing to take.If a person were to show off all of t heir accomplishments, such as when they are hired, they might find that there are things on their resume that are shown in a completely different light and that make the potential employer more suspicious. A resume can be a very effective tool in your arsenal of getting a new job and it can help you land a job in the first place. It is important to know what your options are, and by using professional resume or writing services, you can help your chances.So if you are looking for a job, and if you want to get a good, professional job, then it is important to use the skills and experience that you have already got and to use your resume to get a good job. It is only through this that you will be able to truly succeed.

How to Stand Out From the Crowd While Job Searching

How to Stand Out From the Crowd While Job Searching Job searching can be difficult. Standing out among stacks of other applicants and actually landing an interview, that can be even more difficult. So, how do you get noticed, showcase your skills and show a company that you will be a good fit if they barely even glance at your resume?Page Kemnahad the right idea. After job searching for some time and not landing any leads, Page had the idea to showcase her talents in a unique way. After realizing that her resume wasn’t getting her anywhere, she decided to show companies what she could bring to the table.A person is so much more than what is on a resume. Everyone deserves more than a 20-30 second glance and it’s up to you to put yourself in the spotlight. Take an opportunity to show who you are, not what your resume says. Take the opportunity to stand out from the crowd.Make a Reputation for YourselfPage was able to express her talents by posting this video on LinkedIn. She was ambitious, set herself apart from her competition, and because of that, she was noticed. After only 3 days of sharing her video, she has over 140,000 views, 500 comments and 3500 likes on LinkedIn. She received messages from hiring managers at companies like Google, Cisco, Expedia, and many others. She made a reputation for herself on LinkedIn with just one video.Resumes and interviews are boring. They don’t give you the chance to show who you really are. Maybe you can tell someone that you are ambitious and creative. Perhaps you can even tell them what skills you bring to the table. But nothing speaks louder than actually showing what you have to offer; making a reputation for yourself and that is precisely what Page did.Go the Extra Mile“I will go the extra mile and show you that I’m worthwhile,” Page sang as she poured her heart out on LinkedIn in an effort to reach hiring managers. She did more than just fill out an application and submit her resume. She took the initiative and showed why she deserved the interview. She sho wed her ambition and talent and proved that she would be an asset to any company.Page used a unique technique to show her skills that you don’t see on a resume. She confirmed that she can think outside of the box. She put herself out there and showed courage, confidence, creativity, and brains. These are things that every company values.Ask YourselfWhen a company starts interviewing, they invite more than one candidate. You have the opportunity before and after the interview to make yourself memorable, in the right way. Ask yourself:Why am I the best fit for this role? How can I present my talents beyond my resume? What skills and talents do I have that will make an impact in this role? How can I make a positive reputation for myself?Asking yourself these questions will help you take the extra steps needed to present yourself as a more memorable, qualified, desirable and interested candidate. They will help you decide the best way for you to make an impression.Take RisksBottom lin e is, Page took a risk. She wasn’t the average job seeker. She saw a way to delineate herself from the crowd and stand out in a way that showed the best version of herself. In today’s highly competitive job market, you need to make an impression in order to win. Put yourself out there, take a risk and show those companies what you are made of.You know your talents, you know what you are capable of. Now it’s time to get out there and show others what you are capable of. Show them why they should hire you over other candidates. Don’t be the average typical job seeker. Make use of your talents and use them to become a memorable job seeker and soon enough, you will be recognized for your unique skills and abilities.

Its All Invented

It’s All Invented Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'VRjiGuVCSiNRS2PjD6rNZw',sig:'ZHCECUeQY9b7Vw_rnGNcsP7d2GQyeUanbQPLVYppENw=',w:'508px',h:'339px',items:'863571860',caption: false ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life is a book about how a change in your perception can change what you experience in the world. It’s written by Benjamin Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander, who take turns talking about how they have helped people open up to possibility. Benjamin Zander is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, and has been since its formation in 1979. He frequently gives talks on leadership to groups of children and executives around the world. His wife Rosamund is a practicing family therapist who contributes her insights and patient stories to the narrative. The authors say “the objective of this book is to provide the reader the means to lift off from that world of struggle and sail into a vast universe of possibility.” We’re often limited by our own thinking, they say. Most of our struggles come from the way we perceive the situation â€" our framework of assumptions.   “Draw a different frame around the same set of circumstances and new pathways come into view,” they write. One of the guiding principles in the book is the fact that “It’s all Invented.” I’ve written about this idea before; what happens to us is neither positive nor negative â€" it just is what it is. It’s the story we tell ourselves about what happened that shapes our opinions and our emotions. In fact, Shakespeare wrote about it over 400 years ago: “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” (Hamlet, Act 2.) The authors put it this way: “Indeed, all of life comes to us in narrative form; it’s a story we tell… a hypothesis, a construction of our own making.” In fact, they say, we don’t even see much of what happens around us. We only see what we’re programmed to see, and we only recognize what we have the mental map or reference point to recognize. In other words, we create a hypothesis as we travel through the world, and spend our time validating that hypothesis. If you believe the world to be a cold, cruel place, you’ll see plenty of evidence to confirm what you think. Another person could travel the same path as you and see a completely different picture. Einstein told Heisenberg in 1926 it was nonsense to found a theory on observable facts alone: “In reality the very opposite happens. It is theory which decides what we can observe.” The Zanders tell this story: “A shoe factory sends two marketing scouts to a region of Africa to study the prospects for expanding business. One sends back a telegram saying, SITUATION HOPELESS STOP NO ONE WEARS SHOES. The other writes back triumphantly, GLORIOUS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY STOP THEY HAVE NO SHOES.” And they were both right. As you go through your day at the office, what stories are you choosing to tell yourself? Did your boss snap at you because he’s a jerk who doesn’t respect you? Or did he snap because he’s a good guy who’s under a lot of pressure to perform right now? The story you tell determines how you feel about a situation and how you react. When challenged, you’ll find all kinds of “evidence” to support your decisions and your actions. To open up to the possibility that you’ve made it all up is revolutionary â€" and frankly, terrifying. But once you get used to the idea, your life can change dramatically. The Zanders write: “It is these sorts of phenomena that we are referring to when we use the catchphrase for this chapter ‘it’s all invented.’ What we mean is, ‘It’s all invented anyway, so we might as well invent a story or a framework of meaning that enhances our quality of life and the life of those around us.’” From the book: “Every problem, every dilemma, every dead end we find ourselves facing in life, only appears unsolvable inside a particular frame or point of view. Enlarge the box, or create another frame around the data, and problems vanish, while new opportunities appear.” What if that were possible for you? What might change?

How to Write a Resume For a Writer With Very Little Experience

How to Write a Resume For a Writer With Very Little ExperienceWhen you are in the process of creating a resume for a writer with very little writing experience, there are certain steps that you should take to ensure that your resume is written accurately and effectively. Writing a resume can be difficult and even more challenging if you have not written a resume before. In this article, you will learn some tips on writing a resume for a writer with very little writing experience.As a writer, you should always start off by listing your skills. Do not start writing a resume until you have listed your main skills or abilities. You may begin by stating what you have done before writing a resume. If you have no experience as a writer, write a sample resume from something you did in the past such as an ad copywriting job.Writing a resume for a writer with very little writing experience must begin with your educational background. Describe the courses you have taken, if any, and your experi ence. A writing resume for a writer with very little experience should include one or two paragraphs detailing your academic background, if any.Next, you need to list your education in writing, including classes you took as well as writing workshops you attended. List all the writing work you have completed, including awards and seminars. Finally, you should include a list of your accomplishments as a student such as courses you have helped create and workshops you have attended.A resume for a writer with very little experience does not need to include a resume for a freelance writer. The difference between a freelance resume and a resume for a writer with very little experience is that a freelance resume lists a portfolio of samples of work and instructions on how to get in touch with the client. It includes a complete list of your services.A resume for a writer with very little experience must also contain a section outlining what type of projects you have worked on in the past. L ists you types of assignments and dates of completion should be included. Some examples of these types of projects would be writing articles for a magazine, short stories, eBook's, blog posts, and research papers.Finally, if your resume is going to be sent out for a job interview, you should include a cover letter. Include a short one-page resume or if possible, a separate cover letter. The cover letter should contain some short information about you such as a resume or a short list of qualifications.Once you have created your resume, you can send it out to employers that you have interviewed for. Write a short cover letter to help the employer know you are serious about working for them. A resume for a writer with very little experience should give them enough information to make a hiring decision.

8 Ways to Fund Your Next Big Freelance Project CareerMetis.com

8 Ways to Fund Your Next Big Freelance Project At some point in their life, many creative freelance professionals will hear that they have a dream job. They’re not stuck with a commute or the drama of office life, so it sounds pretty perfect to traditional in-office employees.The truth is that freelancing has its perks, but there are a few struggles that come along with it as well. After you’ve studied your skill and continue to hone it every day, you’ll eventually want to use it on your own project.Many freelancers receive projects from clients who place a bid for what they want. That bid can be negotiated, but the payment for the job is what funds the initial process. When that project is something you want to do on your own, freelancers often don’t have the funds they need to start.evalInstead of getting a second or third job, check out these eight ways you can fund your next big freelance project. They’re simple steps any freelancer can take to get their project off the ground.1) Try a Crowdfunding PlatformevalCrowd funding platforms have become popular in the past decade as a way for people to get quick financial help. You create an account, explain why you need the money and what it will be used for and then share it on social media to get donations.This is a great funding option for freelancers who either have a large supportive community of friends and family or a ton of followers who love what you do. The only way a crowdfunding effort takes off is if the person who created it has a large audience or it goes viral, and you shouldn’t count on going viralsince that’s never a guarantee.Freelancers should also note that crowdfunding platforms take a percentage of profits after a successful campaign has ended. That percentage is different from each site, but it’s worth remembering when you set the goal for your campaign.2) Sell an EbookAre your freelancing skills something that other people can learn from? You may want to consider selling an ebook where you write about one of your skills or something you’ve been educated on.There are a few main benefits of writing an ebook. The first is that there are tons of software programs that will help create the ebookwithout you ever contacting a publishing house. Browse through your options to find one that you like the most.Another benefit is that the process can be totally free. Use a free software program to write the program up and publish the finished product onlinewith a free platform like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. You’ll have instant access to Amazon’s millions of customers, so you don’t need to create your own website to sell off of.evalOne thing to consider when you’re thinking about making an ebook is that it won’t make any money for you unless you know how to market. Market your book through word of mouth and social media to let people know where to find it. After that, you just have to keep up the efforts until you raise enough funds.3) Take Up PhotographyDo you have a nice camera laying ar ound the house that you haven’t used in a while? Pick it up and start making money with photography. Practice with a few shots and ask your family and friends for honest reviews. If you’ve got a good eye for pictures, people will be willing to pay.You don’t need to start a big business to make money as a photographereither, so don’t worry about starting something you’d have to keep up long term. Contact local small businesses to let them know you’re available for shoots. Post about your availability for family and friends who may want graduation or family photos taken.You can also reach out to local photographers to ask if they need an assistant. That takes away any marketing you’d need to do to sell your own skills and work as a flexible part-time job before your freelance project takes off.evalNot good with a camera? You can still ask photography businesses if they need someone to edit and retouch pictures. Anyone who knows their way around photoshop and editing soft ware will quickly learn how a photographer prefers their photos to be edited.4) Find a Corporate SponsorThink about the project you want to launch. What is the message of the project? What’s the goal in creating it and what audience will you reach?Once you have the answers to those questions, consider if a corporation shares your goals in common. An example of this would be a freelancer who has an audience of main women in the 18-35 range asking a millennial-focused makeup brand to sponsor their project. The project may not be related to makeup, but the corporation will still get valuable marketing to the audience they’re looking to grow.Have a corporation or two in mind? Start writing the first draft of a letter that asks for corporate sponsorship, but remember to keep it professional. State the intent of your project, the length of time you’ll need, the cost of the project and the eventual audience clearly.eval5) Apply for a GrantDepending on what your freelance project is a bout, you may be able to write in for a grant. Government grants are typically given to groups or organizations that are doing something for their community, but you may be able to find foundations or private businesses that give out grants for your kind of project.The next thing you have to know is how to write a grant proposal, which isn’t something you should do on the fly. Grant writing is something people take courses to learn, but you can write your proposal with a few key focuses.Write about things like:Who your audience isHow you will use the grantHow you will finish your projectWhat the impact of your project will beCoordinate with a grant proposal writer if you don’t feel like you could write it yourself. There are many out there who will take on jobs over the internet, so post about what you need or contact writers through their websites.6) Host a Cook-OffThere’s no denying that people love events that are focused on food, which is why freelancers can always host a cook-off to raise funds for a project.The ideal situation for a cook-off would be freelancers who know a lot of people or are part of a community, such as an apartment complex, where they could reach a large audience. People who want to participate would sign up and pay the entry fee, then come on the big day with their food prepared.evalDepending on how much you charge for the entry fee and how much you spend to set up the event, you could stand to make enough money to start your next project. Find out where you can host the event without renting an expensive space, like community centers or the park at your apartment complex.7) Make Custom WebsitesBecause everyone uses the internet for everything from getting a job to connecting with long-distance family members, businesses of all sizes need a dedicated website to attract and keep customers. If you have any tech skills that would make website creation easy, it’s time to put yourself out there as someone who makes custom websites .Creating a website doesn’t have to be hard and you don’t need an IT degree to do it. Plenty of freelancers make websites part-timeand collect thousands of dollars every month for their efforts.This is another fundraising effort that takes time because of the marketing involved, but if you don’t need to start right away, it’s worth trying. You may end up making what you need for the project and continue to have a steady side income that doesn’t have to take you away from what you do full-time.8) Explore a New TalentIs there something you could make to sell for a profit? You may not think you have any crafting skills right now, but anyone can make trendy popular craftsand sell them online. All you have to do is explore a new talent that you might not have otherwise thought of.evalMake clay pots, fruit bows, picture frames or even jewelry. People are always looking to buy handmade crafts because they’re a much more thoughtful gift than a gift card. Sew up pillowcases or cr eate your own candle line. Indulge your inner craft lover and get creative to fund your other passion project.Try Something NewUnless you’ve been freelancing for a while, the concept of funding your own project may seem intimidating.These tips are easy ways to overcome that fear and make the money you need. Don’t be afraid to try something new to get your funds.Stepping out into the world of crafting or reaching out to corporations for sponsorship could be all you need to get your project going.

Engineering the Right Career Move - CareerAlley

Engineering the Right Career Move - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Against the backdrop of Americas still-fragile recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, one career field seems to be outpacing most others. Young college graduates with newly minted engineering degrees face a much brighter future than most of their peers, according to U.S. News World Report. In an article that appears in its Best Graduate Schools 2014 guidebook, the magazine said engineering has become the it degree. Arlene Weintraub, the articles author, noted that the unemployment rate for engineers as of late 2012 was 2 percent, roughly half of the 3.9 percent jobless rate among all those with bachelors degrees. Multiple Disciplines Engineering is an extremely broad field. In addition to disciplines that focus on specific industries, such as aerospace, biomedicine, chemicals and plastics, nuclear, and petroleum, engineering also encompasses other disciplines that have application across a wide variety of industries. Included in this latter group are civil engineers, computer hardware and software engineers, electrical and electronics engineers, environmental engineers, health and safety engineers, industrial engineers, materials engineers, mechanical engineers, and mining/geological engineers. While the outlook is relatively bright for all engineering disciplines, some seem to be riding the crest of sharply increased demand. Civil Engineers Americas aging infrastructure, which gave rise to some frightening headlines about the state of bridges on the nations highways, will certainly benefit civil engineers who face the daunting task of designing and building spans that will be safer and longer lasting. Civil engineers will also play a key role in designing structures better able to withstand the devastating effects of catastrophic weather events, such as super storm Sandy, according to U.S. News World Report. In its Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of U.S. civil engineers will increase roughly 20 percent in the period from 2012 to 2022. The BLS estimated that 272,900 Americans were employed as civil engineers as of 2012. Median pay for this job in 2012 was $79,340, according to BLS. Environmental Engineers The countrys quest for environmentally friendly ways of getting things done bodes well for careers in environmental engineering, which BLS predicts will increase by 8,100 jobs between 2012 and 2022. Environmental engineers are challenged with finding ways to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and air and water pollution control. To get the job done, environment engineers utilize the principles of biology, chemistry, engineering, and soil science. The BLS reports that the total number of environmental engineers as of 2012 was just over 53,000. Median pay in 2012 was estimated at $80,890. Software Engineers Those wondering what skills make engineers a get for technology companies will find that the burgeoning information technology industry is looking in particular for engineers that specialize in the development of computers applications and systems software. Not surprisingly, BLS expects strong job growth for software engineers, predicting that the number of jobs in this field will grow from a total of 1,018,000 in 2012 to more than 1,240,000 by 2022. Software engineers are responsible for developing the operating systems software that run entire devices and networks, as well as the programs that govern the operations of specific applications. The median salary for software engineers was $93,350 in 2012. Petroleum Engineers Despite the quest for cleaner forms of energy, the number of jobs in petroleum engineering is expected to show strong growth between 2012 and 2022. The BLS predicts the number of petroleum engineers will grow by more than 25 percent during the decade. Petroleum engineers are responsible for developing methods to extract oil and natural gas from deposits beneath the earths surface. They also look for new ways to extract oil and gas from older wells. As of 2012, the median pay for petroleum engineers was $130,280, the highest median pay among all disciplines of engineering. About the Author: Don Amerman is a freelance author who writes extensively about a wide array of business and personal finance topics. Also take a look at Top 6 Questions Asked for Embedded Engineers During an Interview This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search.Joey Trebif

You write a review, we send you a printable, whimsical Pierre calendar for $0 - ooh la la! - When I Grow Up

You write a review, we send you a printable, whimsical Pierre calendar for $0 - ooh la la! - When I Grow Up July has arrived, and we want to celebrate the independence of France (July 14th) America (July 4th) with a magnifique offer! If you  post a review of the book on our Amazon page   then email us at bonjour(at)thedeclarationofyou(dot)com, well email you back with this printable, whimsical 2013-2014 calendar:   As you can see, each month features  Pierre François Frédéric with a different fabulous outfit and alongside (or on top of!) a funny animal. As you can probably tell, the calendar was designed by the co-author and illustrator of  The Declaration of You (and my partner-in-crime), Jess Swift! Were not selling this calendar or offering it anywhere the only way you can get your hands on it would be to  post a review of the book on our Amazon page   email us before  July 15th at bonjour(at)thedeclarationofyou(dot)com to let us know. Wherever you are in the world, we hope youre having a wonderful July full of fulfilling Declarations, and there are fireworks in your future!