My unemployed hand

My unemployed hand I didnt expect to get any e-mail asking about my hand but Ive gotten more e-mail on that post than any other blog post Ive put up! Ive had people chime in on the issue which is, what does an unemployed chump like me do when faced with a potential medical emergency?   Definition of emergency to me now is anything that drains a few hundred dollars out of the bank account. Here are some things Ive learned from the feedback: 1.   Lots of people dont have insurance that is just the way it is.   One writer starts a new job and Monday and is super excited to get health insurance after about a year without! 2.   I already knew this, but I forgot (it has been about 6 months since I had to think about it): COBRA is a joke.   Before I was laid off I always knew about this safety net called COBRA.   What I didnt know is that it would require that I pay out the nose (more than before, I think it was what I already paid PLUS what my employer had paid) for the same crappy coverage I got when I was employed.   There are many other options available in fact, knowing what I know now, I should have dumped my company health insurance long ago and gone with a local broker.   I know these local brokers are all over the place be wise, prudent and make sure you find a good one, but I would have saved about $100 $200 a month and had much better coverage if I would have found a broker before. Also, my wife was a few months pregnant when we lost our job (actually, we are supposed to go in and have a baby girl on Monday just 3 days from today!)   I learned that NO ONE would insure her.   In fact, even if I got a new job, she would not be eligible for insurance until after the baby was born!   Hows that for being between a rock and a hard spot!   Id like to advice anyone to not get laid off when there is a pregnancy but well, I guess that advice is a little impracticle ?? And, since everyone is asking, here is an update on my hand.   I had been putting on lots of neosporin (the generic brand of course when you dont have money coming in everything is generic).   I looked up cut superglue on google and found that, in general, it is common practice.   I applied it and found out that IT STINGS!! But each application only lasts for about 3 6 hours.   You see, the cut is right in a seam so anytime I moved my hand wrong it would come apart a little.   Sometimes it was covered really nice, but sometimes I would see the wound exposed. Yesterday morning it was tender and I thought it started to get infected so I pulled out a check and hiked to my family doctor.   Ive never been the patient but he knows me from when I took my son in a few months ago.   I sheepishly told him I used superglue, ready to get lectured but he said that is an EXCELLENT solution.   He said no infection, looks great, should heal just fine in 2 3 days.   And he sent me on his way no charge. I did not ask for any special favors.   I didnt even talk about not being employed (he brought it up half way through he must have remembered from a few months ago, or read it on my paper I had to fill out).   Thank you Doctor P.   Ive been amazed at how kind and generous people have been when they find out Im out of work.   I certainly dont solicit it, but people just find out and want to help.   I vow to not be as stingy as I was before I lost my job thanks to the great examples that weve received from others. My unemployed hand I didnt expect to get any e-mail asking about my hand but Ive gotten more e-mail on that post than any other blog post Ive put up! Ive had people chime in on the issue which is, what does an unemployed chump like me do when faced with a potential medical emergency?   Definition of emergency to me now is anything that drains a few hundred dollars out of the bank account. Here are some things Ive learned from the feedback: 1.   Lots of people dont have insurance that is just the way it is.   One writer starts a new job and Monday and is super excited to get health insurance after about a year without! 2.   I already knew this, but I forgot (it has been about 6 months since I had to think about it): COBRA is a joke.   Before I was laid off I always knew about this safety net called COBRA.   What I didnt know is that it would require that I pay out the nose (more than before, I think it was what I already paid PLUS what my employer had paid) for the same crappy coverage I got when I was employed.   There are many other options available in fact, knowing what I know now, I should have dumped my company health insurance long ago and gone with a local broker.   I know these local brokers are all over the place be wise, prudent and make sure you find a good one, but I would have saved about $100 $200 a month and had much better coverage if I would have found a broker before. Also, my wife was a few months pregnant when we lost our job (actually, we are supposed to go in and have a baby girl on Monday just 3 days from today!)   I learned that NO ONE would insure her.   In fact, even if I got a new job, she would not be eligible for insurance until after the baby was born!   Hows that for being between a rock and a hard spot!   Id like to advice anyone to not get laid off when there is a pregnancy but well, I guess that advice is a little impracticle ?? And, since everyone is asking, here is an update on my hand.   I had been putting on lots of neosporin (the generic brand of course when you dont have money coming in everything is generic).   I looked up cut superglue on google and found that, in general, it is common practice.   I applied it and found out that IT STINGS!! But each application only lasts for about 3 6 hours.   You see, the cut is right in a seam so anytime I moved my hand wrong it would come apart a little.   Sometimes it was covered really nice, but sometimes I would see the wound exposed. Yesterday morning it was tender and I thought it started to get infected so I pulled out a check and hiked to my family doctor.   Ive never been the patient but he knows me from when I took my son in a few months ago.   I sheepishly told him I used superglue, ready to get lectured but he said that is an EXCELLENT solution.   He said no infection, looks great, should heal just fine in 2 3 days.   And he sent me on his way no charge. I did not ask for any special favors.   I didnt even talk about not being employed (he brought it up half way through he must have remembered from a few months ago, or read it on my paper I had to fill out).   Thank you Doctor P.   Ive been amazed at how kind and generous people have been when they find out Im out of work.   I certainly dont solicit it, but people just find out and want to help.   I vow to not be as stingy as I was before I lost my job thanks to the great examples that weve received from others. My unemployed hand I didnt expect to get any e-mail asking about my hand but Ive gotten more e-mail on that post than any other blog post Ive put up! Ive had people chime in on the issue which is, what does an unemployed chump like me do when faced with a potential medical emergency?   Definition of emergency to me now is anything that drains a few hundred dollars out of the bank account. Here are some things Ive learned from the feedback: 1.   Lots of people dont have insurance that is just the way it is.   One writer starts a new job and Monday and is super excited to get health insurance after about a year without! 2.   I already knew this, but I forgot (it has been about 6 months since I had to think about it): COBRA is a joke.   Before I was laid off I always knew about this safety net called COBRA.   What I didnt know is that it would require that I pay out the nose (more than before, I think it was what I already paid PLUS what my employer had paid) for the same crappy coverage I got when I was employed.   There are many other options available in fact, knowing what I know now, I should have dumped my company health insurance long ago and gone with a local broker.   I know these local brokers are all over the place be wise, prudent and make sure you find a good one, but I would have saved about $100 $200 a month and had much better coverage if I would have found a broker before. Also, my wife was a few months pregnant when we lost our job (actually, we are supposed to go in and have a baby girl on Monday just 3 days from today!)   I learned that NO ONE would insure her.   In fact, even if I got a new job, she would not be eligible for insurance until after the baby was born!   Hows that for being between a rock and a hard spot!   Id like to advice anyone to not get laid off when there is a pregnancy but well, I guess that advice is a little impracticle ?? And, since everyone is asking, here is an update on my hand.   I had been putting on lots of neosporin (the generic brand of course when you dont have money coming in everything is generic).   I looked up cut superglue on google and found that, in general, it is common practice.   I applied it and found out that IT STINGS!! But each application only lasts for about 3 6 hours.   You see, the cut is right in a seam so anytime I moved my hand wrong it would come apart a little.   Sometimes it was covered really nice, but sometimes I would see the wound exposed. Yesterday morning it was tender and I thought it started to get infected so I pulled out a check and hiked to my family doctor.   Ive never been the patient but he knows me from when I took my son in a few months ago.   I sheepishly told him I used superglue, ready to get lectured but he said that is an EXCELLENT solution.   He said no infection, looks great, should heal just fine in 2 3 days.   And he sent me on his way no charge. I did not ask for any special favors.   I didnt even talk about not being employed (he brought it up half way through he must have remembered from a few months ago, or read it on my paper I had to fill out).   Thank you Doctor P.   Ive been amazed at how kind and generous people have been when they find out Im out of work.   I certainly dont solicit it, but people just find out and want to help.   I vow to not be as stingy as I was before I lost my job thanks to the great examples that weve received from others.

The Dos and Dont of Resume and CV Writing Service

The Dos and Don't of Resume and CV Writing ServiceIf you want to increase your chances of landing that dream job with a resume and CV writing service, then you need to get them checked. Sure, hiring agencies have been there for years, but they are finding it much harder to find candidates who are eligible for the jobs that they are giving out. It's time for you to follow suit. Don't rely on personal references anymore, get your resume and CV written by an expert.Why do hiring agencies even bother about personal references? After all, if the person has never had a real job, they probably won't have any references of their own to present. The answer is simple: as long as they have one or two good references, they will be hard to turn down. Unfortunately, few people have more than one reference that is worth mentioning. This means you have to take the initiative and try to find some other sources for your resumes and CVs.Before your resume and CV are even read, you will have plenty of t ime to contact those who have applied for the same position. You can include in your email a cover letter with a few sentences of explanation of why you are the best candidate for the job. And don't just send the resumes to them. Be sure to send them to the hiring agency as well. That way, when they get the completed CVs back, they will be able to assess them and take some action before sending them out to everyone else.It doesn't matter how small the CV is, because they are all different. Don't allow your resume and CV writing service executive to read it as if it were just another document. They know how to read them because they have done this so many times. Keep in mind that their job is to find qualified candidates who meet the criteria, not to make sure that you get the first time you fill out your application. As an aside, don't feel intimidated if your career assistance executive asks you for your work history. They are doing you a favor by gathering information about you. J ust be honest and it will all be okay. They are trying to make sure you will be able to work with them for some time, and the help you will receive is invaluable.When you submit your resume and CV to the agency, don't ignore the importance of references. There are plenty of reputable agencies out there, and most of them are able to find people who are willing to let their name be used. Your resume and CV writing service executive will certainly have his/her own references that they are already familiar with, but sometimes that's not enough.What's important is that you have a high-quality resume and CV. This is especially true when the entire point of the executive's job is to find you a job. That means they should be able to find a number of references that will justify you having been interviewed by someone. Don't let them get away with saying that they found you some references. Find those references yourself.While it might seem like a good idea to just spend your free time with y our resume and CV writing service executive and not worry about whether or not they will use the information for what you expect, it's really the opposite. You are supposed to have to deal with them, and they should respect your privacy. Focus on getting your resume and CV written, because if you don't, the executive may never get you the job you deserve.

TechCrunch Boston - In Review - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

TechCrunch Boston - In Review - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Michael Arrington introducing the event   More Pictures Friday night was the first ever TechCrunch Boston event, held at The Estate nightclub. After a long day at work, starting at 5:00am, I finally made it to the event at 7:00pm and was amazed at how many people were there[800]. As soon as I walked in, I noticed that there was an open bar on TechCrunchs tab, as well as a demo pit for a few startups, such as Moola. Moola is a new startup site, where you challenge your friends to game favorites, such as rocks, pappers, scissors and earn money from each win. Each user starts off with 1 penny! I met a few Harvard students, who were interested in personal branding, but were more concerned about getting drunk and linking up with venture capitalists. Walking down the stairs from level 2, I bumped into Don Dodge of Microsoft, who had helped me with my book a few weeks ago. I also found the usual Boston Social Media Moguls, Scott Monty, Chris Brogan and Jeff Glasson [Perkett PR sponsored the event]. My endless search for Michael Arrington concluded, when I saw him in a corner getting bombarded by a few entrepreneurs, which happened basically all night. When he saw me the first thing he said was thanks for breaking Mozy to us. He knew I worked at EMC, who had acquired Mozy and TechCrunch announced the purchase on their blog. I also plugged a lot of my personal branding work and he decided to do a short podcast to remember who I was. He seemed more interested in the after party than anything. Personal Brand of the Event The highlight of my evening was my talk with Heather Harde (CEO of TechCrunch), who I feel was the personal brand of the event. This woman was approachable, energetic and ensured the event was a success. David Aronoff, a partner at IDG Ventures was listening in as well. Our conversation started off with Heather and David saying EMC is clueless when it comes to social media and what is personal branding. By the end of the conversation, they both understood personal branding, and were excited about what EMC was doing in that area. Also, it seemed Heather wanted to hire me and David wanted to invest in me, which I thought was funny. Either way, it was a great conversation and I truly commended them for pulling the event off in Boston.

How Women Rise Break the Habits Holding You Back with Sally Helgesen (PODCAST) - Classy Career Girl

How Women Rise Break the Habits Holding You Back with Sally Helgesen (PODCAST) Heres how I found out about todays guest. I was sitting at home reading a magazine and saw this book featured in a magazine. It was called How Women Rise and it immediately caught my attention. I thought wow it would be awesome to get the author on my podcast. Then, I went to the next page and continued on reading the magazine. The next day, the book was in my mailbox! I checked my calendar and realized, I already am scheduled to interview the author, Sally Helgesen, in just a few weeks. Seriously how cool is that? So all that to say, I am thrilled to introduce you to todays interview. I think you are going to love it! Sally Helgesen Author, Speaker, and Leadership Development Consultant www.sallyhelgesen.com How Women Rise: Break the Habits Holding You Back with Sally Helgesen Sally Helgesen’s work is widely regarded as the gold standard when it comes to womens leadership. Since the publication of The Female Advantage in 1990, she has written five more books in the field and speaks to audiences all around the world. Clients have included Microsoft, IBM, Johnson Johnson, Pfizer, and dozens more. She has led seminars at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Smith College, and her work has been featured in Fortune, The New York Times, Fast Company, among others. Her latest book is How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job. Subscribe  on  your favorite platform below: iTunes Google Play Music Stitcher Radio TuneIn iHeartRadio Sound Cloud Some questions I asked: Why this book and why now? How can women rise? What are some of the roadblocks that women face that are different than those men face as they advance in the workplace? How can the habits that helped women at the start of their career actually hurt them as they are trying to move up? What are some of the 12 habits that women should break if they wish to advance in their careers? Can you give an example of a woman you helped reach even greater heights? If you aren’t sure what is holding you back, where should you start? What are the blind spots?   Great with details? Team player? Star networker? What is one action our listeners can take to advance to the next level? Episode Resources: Sallys new book: How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job You may also like these episodes: An Interview With My Business Mentor, Stu McLaren My Secret Weapon For Growing Two Membership Sites

Writing a Resume: 5 Things You Need to Know

Writing a Resume: 5 Things You Need to KnowWriting a resume/cv is not easy, especially when it comes to the information and details. Before you jump into the computer and type something up for your employer to see, you need to start by taking notes. Everything is too much to take in when you are working, so take it slow and set aside some time for yourself to write up the necessary information that you will include in your resume. When you have the information ready, you can take it to the computer and continue with your next step.While it's very important to take it slow, don't rush yourself either. You want to have a good amount of time to finish all of the information you have written out. If you try to speed up or work too fast, you will leave the impression that you are less than professional. The most important aspect of writing a resume is to portray yourself as a professional in your field. You want to be able to tell them why you are the best candidate for the job, so be sur e to be brief and concise with your words.Writing a resume and CV is a long process and is not something you can do once and then you are done. The information you use should be continuous, so if you need to add some more information in the future, do so. You do not want to rush into something when you don't have enough time to keep it up.Consider using both Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel for writing. By doing this, you will get the most benefit from your time when it comes to getting the job done. It is important to keep your resume organized so you will know where everything is and where to find specific information.One of the most important things you can do when you are writing a resume is to include all of the important information that you have on your CV. When it comes to this document, there are so many categories that you can put in. Make sure you add everything you can in there, including experience in the field you are applying for and the dates you worked there.If yo u need to add more information about your previous employers, do so. Write as much information as you can in the section for them. The information that you write here should go beyond the basics and will really let the potential employer know what kind of person you are.Always check your resume at least twice before sending it in. If you do not find anything wrong with it, send it in. It is much better to get the resume in than to have it get lost or to have it get rejected.With a well-written resume and CV, you will be able to land a job over the competition and give yourself the opportunity to impress the person hiring you and show a professional appearance. If you have any questions about how to write a resume, you can always ask for help from your employer or guidance from a mentor. This way, you will know exactly what to write and you won't make any mistakes that will cost you the job.

How to Find Your Niche as a Freelance Marketer CareerMetis.com

How to Find Your Niche as a Freelance Marketer Marketing is a broad church. From SEO to social and email to direct, it encompasses so many different aspects that labelling yourself as a ‘freelance marketer’ might actually set you out as a jack of all trades, but a master of none. And in such a competitive market evalThe first thing to do is to find out which companies are in a position to take on a freelancer like you. If you’re set on working in a specific industry, then do a quick digital audit of some local businesses in that industry; investigate their social media efforts, their search ranking, their email marketing program our alternative is to instead look at the bigger picture. By now you should have a decent idea of which areas these businesses are generally lacking in, so tailor your freelance offering around that. So if your research suggested that social media seems like a often-neglected area, start thinking about the services you could provide as a freelance community manager and how you could benefit companie s.After all, in my estimation firms are more likely to go for a specialist to handle their social media than the ‘jack of all trades’ we mentioned in the opening paragraph.Work Out How Much You’re Wortha) Starting OutWhen I first went freelance back in 2015, this was one of the most challenging aspects of the transition.I found it very difficult to judge what I was worth to businesses by the hour, particularly as I had only worked full-time for 2.5 years after university before going it alone.evalI still felt somewhat inexperienced in the industry and certainly couldn’t yet justify a high hourly rate, but on the other hand I didn’t want to undervalue myself and not earn enough to live on.In the end, I started checking out other freelancers in my local area to see the sort of rates that they were charging. Whilst most didn’t publish their rates on their website c) Marketing YourselfIt’s one thing to be able to gain exposure for your clients â€" but if you can’t do the same for yourself then they’ll never be able to find you in the first place.If you’re not an all-round marketing guru with expertise in all areas, I would very much recommend brushing up on the basics of social media marketing, SEO, email marketing and website design to give yourself the best chance of being found by new clients.evalFortunately, as a prospective freelance marketer, you should already be quite well-versed in gaining exposure â€" I hope! So this shouldn’t be a major challenge.It’s more a case of finding the hours in a week to update your website, write a blog, check your search ranking, update your social media profiles, send out a marketing email as well as managing your finances, chasing invoice payment and doing your actual job in marketing. Which brings us nicely onto my next point…b) Managing Your TimeOne bit of advice that I remember reading before starting out has turned out to be one of the most useful.Don’t take on too much work! If you’re luck y enough to be flooded with enquiries then it can be very tempting to take on as much work as possible â€" after all, it won’t last forever. But overburdening yourself can have unintended negative consequences, and it’s very difficult to judge exactly how many hours you should work as a freelancer.You might have allocated 6 hours a week for Client X, and 10 hours a week for Client Y, but it doesn’t always work out exactly as you plan. Sometimes client work can overrun and you’ll find yourself without enough hours in the week to do your work. And that means the quality of the work for each client will suffer, which isn’t a good omen for maintaining a long-term partnership with them.evalAlso, not having enough time to deal with your personal financeswill severely impact you further down the line and make that tax return an even bigger headache than before. Not having any time to market yourself will hit you hard too, because if your current work dries up then you won’t be in a position to source some more as quickly as you would like.To remedy this, personally I’ve never ‘maxed out’ my time at what full-time working hours would be.I’ve always left myself a little breathing space to keep up with these essential tasks, and also to give myself the option of working with a new client just in case a really exciting opportunity comes up. It’s not much fun having to turn down someone you would love to work with!Whilst it may be difficult to turn down work when you have the capacity to take it on, being able to work on projects you’re more passionate about is a sensible long-term decision for your freelancing career.SummaryBecoming a freelance marketer is no easy task in such a competitive industry. It’s extremely important to be able to differentiate yourself from the competition by identifying the marketing disciplines that are most lacking amongst businesses in your industry or area.Then it’s a case of employing your current skills to mark et yourself just as well as you’re able to market other companies.By taking on board these tips and excelling in the cornerstones of freelancer success: time management, financial management and self-discipline, you’ll be well on your way to a long and healthy career as a self-employed marketer.

3 Sure-Fire Ways to Impress a Hiring Manager - CareerEnlightenment.com

What Really Motivates You?Anyone can BS a job interview. I know. I’ve done it many times!But what happens six months, 12 months, later. Are you still has peppy as you seemed that first day?In my recent interviews, I was looking for candidates who could show me that they liked what they did and had every intention of keep up that energy for a  long time. Sure, I’m just offering them a job. They don’t have to live and die for it. But some amount of interest would be nice!One candidate’s passion for building desktop computers, alone, was a red flag. He spends his free time at a very individual task. Even as an introvert  myself, I still like to be with people, friends or family.Whereas another candidate showed most excitement when talking about interesting conversations he’s had with random people during his vacation holidays.I’d go for the person excited about conversations for my customer service job!Can You Answer These Before the InterviewKeeping these three questions in mind and trying to answer them during a job interview is going to help you land meaningful work.But if you can answer these questions BEFORE you sit down for an interview, you’re one step ahead. Not only will you land more interviews, but your  interviewer will be more at ease with you.The trick is to make sure your LinkedIn Profile, Facebook timeline and other social networks answer  these questions.

Keeping things in perspective for your job hunt -

Keeping things in perspective for your job hunt - If you are not convinced by now that job seeking during the holidays is a good idea, I dont know what to say! Suffice to repeat there are opportunities out there. You just need to be willing and ready to meet them. Have you seen the Wall Street Journals series of blogs by job seekers? Weeks ago, when I began my Holiday Job Search series, I saw a post that I knew I wanted to share. One of the WSJs contributors, Kevin Mergens, wrote a post with a message I thought was the perfect cap to the information Ive been sharing. Kevin wrote: So, as the holidays approach I feel it is critical to keep things in perspective. Being an M.B.A. on unemployment stinks for both the ego and the bank account, but I am hardly deserving of any sympathy. When I was in this boat during Christmas six years ago, I remember feeling down about not having a job and then reading a local letter to Santa. The young girl that penned the letter did not ask for a doll or a video game or an iPod. She asked Santa for a coat and boots so she could deal with the Chicago winter. After seeing that, I knew my problems were not really that big. I decided that we could certainly afford to contribute a few bucks to the local charity that played Santa for these kids. The funny thing is, less than twenty minutes after I called in my small donation, I got a call with a job offer. I know that some readers really are in very difficult situations after being out of work for a long time. However, no matter what, it is important to keep things in perspective. Helping someone else at this time of year is yet another way to help yourself. While most people will not land an opportunity upon offering a charitable donation, it certainly doesnt hurt to think of those less fortunate. Thank you for reading. If you have missed any of the great advice my terrific colleagues offered, be sure to follow these links. A very special THANK YOU to all the generous and talented friends and contacts who share advice for this series. Feel free to share YOUR ideas for job searching during the holidays in the comments! Part 1 My suggestions and a free ebook offer Part 2 Walter Akana Take care of yourself Part 3 Anita Bruzzese Stay ahead of the crowd Part 4 Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter Unplug and embrace rest Part 5 Wendy Enelow Ideas for employed and unemployed job seekers Part 6 GL Hoffman Use time to research and prepare Part 7 Meghan M. Biro Use the holidays as a time for self assessment Part 8 Craig Fisher Recruiters dont ease up during the holidays neither should you Part 9 Ronnie Ann Take advantage of other peoples resolutions Part 10 Alison Doyle and Andrea Santiago Use parties and festive occassions to fuel your job search Part 11 Sharlyn Lauby Take your job search social Part 12 Karla Porter Be in it to win it Part 13 Lisa Caldas Kappesser Use emotional intelligence to overcome job search hurdles Part 14 4 tips for effective networking follow up for the holidays and the rest of the year Part 15 Networking tips and advice from a variety of experts I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?   If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While youre at it, dont forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on FacebookId be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since were on the subject of doing something newAre you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers. photo by Divine in the Daily