Young Urban Professionals' nOOk

Getting Math Problems Tutorial Online

2009-11-03T09:47:00.004+08:00

Modesty aside, I never had any problems with my math subjects in highschool and college. Math is an interesting subject, especially when you get into advance mathematics like calculus, geometry and trigonometry.

I remember, in college I used to give math tutorials to my classmates and buddies for a fee. I usually help them with algebra word problems and other math problems they find difficult, if not impossible, to answer.

Come to think of it, at least in my opinion, math problems are actually easier to solve than chemistry or physics problems. The key lies in the interest of the student and having a clear grasp of mathematics basic principles and operations. Skip these, and you will encounter stiffer problems to solve as you advance.

These days though, students are luckier. With an internet access, they can easily get tutorial online for any math answers they seek. Not to mention, TutorVista.com offers affordable monthly tutoring package tailored to your specific needs. Moreover, before you commit yourself with the tutorials, they will provide you with a free demo and even try their service for free. Moreover, algebra help and tutoring are available 24/7. How’s that sounds?

Well, unlucky for those students, like me then, who needs those extra bucks tutoring others huh.

GMC Terrain 2010: Designed for the Passenger and Ready for the taking

2009-10-31T01:59:00.005+08:00

You read the headline right, and at least that’s the 2010 GMC Terrain bottom line advantage according to Collin Mathews of the TheCarConnection.com.

I have always loved a Subaru Forrester ever since I drove one in 2005. However with the new model of the Terrain coming from GMC, I am now having second thoughts.

The GMC Terrain 2010 is ‘attractive’ in all sense of the word. It literally stole my heart away from the Subaru Forrester. Who would not?With a brusque body styling, you will intimidate anyone on the road. Other SUV in its class will slowdown or halt to see this big daddy trudging the hard city pavement or off-road. Needless to say, you need look inside the hood to give a nudge of approval us to what power this mean machine can deliver.

Interior wise, your passenger will be pleased. It is roomy, has comfy seats, and employs an ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) feature that reduces noise considerably – your passengers would always love to take that drive with you. Alright, I am drooling here imagining those things. Want more? This SUV is equip with USB audio connectivity, a seven-inch touch-screen navigation system with a 40-gigabyte hard drive, two-screen DVD entertainment system for the rear, OnStar, and XM Satellite Radio. Whoa! Have you not had your fill yet? You like it huh. Because, I do!

3 Reasons why you Need Direct TV for Your Business

2009-10-17T11:22:00.004+08:00

I have always wanted to own and manage a restobar.

My concept for one is very simple –relaxing ambiance, quick food, and a simple menu. What I want to offer is an ideal place where yuppies can unwind after a hard day’s work, meet with friends, listen to good music, and watch something that entertains yet informative or inspirational, and food and beverages that will compliment all of those.

For the entertainment side, I will undoubtedly choose Direct TV for Business. Here are my 3 personal reasons why I choose Direct TV business, and probably why you need it in your business establishment:

Plenty of network options. Network channels that are not available in ordinary cable subscriptions. Thus, I can get something that will compliment the ambiance of my dream restobar.

Superb satellite dish and receivers technology. This means, you get clear receptions regardless of the weather and your establishments’ location.

Your favorite channels in HD. Thus, instead of plugging-in several HD movies in your dvd player, you get to have a network channel that do that for you. This feature is currently offered at Commercial DirecTV.

So why go for cable when you can have a more superior service on Directv Business?

The Seven Deadly Sins of the Job Search - Greed, Are Your Salary Expectations Reasonable?

2009-10-16T17:19:00.008+08:00

Everyone knows the story of their sister’s best friend’s cousin’s roommate from college who took a new position and raised their salary from $45,000 per year to $110,000 per year with a personal driver and a company jet. The AWFUL TRUTH is, that it didn’t happen!! Typically, in your current position you should expect an annual 3% – 5% increase plus either an additional merit increase or bonus, based on your level within the organization and your previous year’s performance. Many times these merit increases or bonuses will be based on a wide range of factors, many which you will have NO control over. When changing companies, on average, we see a 7%-10% increase. If relocation is necessary, the increase may or may not take into consideration a cost of living difference. It is not Greedy to ask for and require the amount of money it takes for you to support you and your family. However, if the money offered meets your needs, and the opportunity is going to further your career, then it is a sin for you to allow Greed to keep you from this great new job, because you heard someone, somewhere is making 10X more for the same position. The AWFUL TRUTH is, usually during salary negotiations, employers will end up paying more than they really wanted to and the candidate will accept less than their highest expectations.
________________

©Copyright, 2009, Nicole Dukehart. All rights reserved. Used with Permission. Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Blogging Tips and How to Choose a Good Hosting Provider

2009-10-16T05:09:00.000+08:00

I have been blogging for almost 3 years now. Whew! While some will claim to be an expert with that same length –I don’t. I must admit that I am still a novice in many respects.

I have learned the rudiments of blogging, or professional blogging (some would easily refer to this as blogging for money, I would like to refer to it as a profession or a career, if you may) from other bloggers out there, from experts and pseudo-experts, newbies and pros, and from ‘sploggers’ too. I have always believed that there is something to learn from others, regardless. Some are useful to adhere to, while some would be beneficial if you avoid their blunders.

A few of the basics I have learned, which I believe to be indispensable in blogging, is choosing your own domain name (as opposed to sub-domains, i.e., your.blogspot.com, your.wordpress.com, etc.) and tapping a good web hosting provider (as opposed to free blogging platforms like BlogSpot and Wordpress –they have their merits too, in fact this blog is hosted on BlogSpot).

In a previous post, I have given a few pointers on how to choose a good domain name. Here, I would like to highlight few points when choosing a web host for your blog.

First, listen to what other bloggers are saying, especially those who are using a particular and are not being paid to promote one. Second, a hosting provider that gives value for what you pay for in term of benefits and prompt customer service. More often, cheap does not mean real value for your money. Last, but not the least, a web host that provides free resource materials or hosting guides to help you in your web hosting management.

I might have missed some, but I think, adhering to what I have mentioned here will suffice, and will help you to avoid costly hosting mistakes, as by the way, I have also experienced in the past.

How to choose a Domain name for your blog

2009-10-14T22:42:00.001+08:00

I have seen the phenomenal growth of the blogging community in the last two years, and it seems some just come and go.

I have also witnessed the phenomenal growth of many like ZenHabits.net that started only in the early 2007 and has now more than 100k subscribers -WOW! Some thrive, some die. What's the secret behind a successful blog? In my mind, if there is one, a great domain name that is immediately associated with its content.

No doubt, that blogging is most popular online medium today for expressing your thoughts. In addition, to some, blogging is a new way of making or earning decent money online. And probably, one of the most important steps to take when you want to take your blogging into a serious level is having your own domain name. However, how do you choose a domain name? Here are at least three things that you need to consider when choosing a domain name:

Identify your niche

Most of us started with a personal blog, where we virtually discuss anything under the sun. That is good at some point, especially where you have no intention of monetizing your blog. Otherwise, it is better to choose a niche or a particular category for your blog; because that would be your first consideration for choosing a good domain name. More so, take into account your blogging intentions here.

Choose a short and easy to remember domain name

Follow the common sense rule: KISS (Keep It Short and Simple ) like Yahoo.com, Google.com, or Digg.com. (I should change my domain name then huh. Nah. That decision was based more on this blog’s niche (See No. 1 there). ) Other than that, a short and easy to remember domain name is much preferable. Especially something that is closely (or better yet the same as) related to your blogs name or title.

Choose a good domain name registrar and web host

For example, read just host review and ask other bloggers' opinions. Surely, you will not go wrong with that.

Good luck on your blogging!

No! Not just another cheap web hosting

2009-09-30T21:25:00.001+08:00

Yeah, the title is no hype. Gobblerhosting.com is not just about finding cheaper web hosting plans. There’s more.

There are other webhosting rating sites around, but most of them are directed towards getting subscribers. Gooblerhosting is different in a lot of ways. It is a webmasters’ resource center. One of the benefits that it offers is to preempt newbies like me in making wrong, uniformed decisions on getting a hosting plan.

They not only provide comparative side-by-side features of various cheap web hosting plans but they also offer comprehensive yet easy to follow guides for webmasters, newbies and professionals alike. It is a repository of useful articles about web hosting, web design, html coding, and other topics relevant. Again, a newbie like me who hates the ‘technical jargon’ of the internet (pardon my ignorance here, and the attitude) will surely benefits from these technical and not-so technical info. In addition, the site itself is user friendly. Users’ interface are easily visible, hence you will find quickly what you need.

Getting the right hosting plan and provider is not easy. However, Gobblerhosting somehow managed to simplify this for us. Therefore, I humble suggest that before you make that important decision, it pays to give this site a visit.

Who's Hiring from the Fastest Growing Companies - Vol IX

2009-09-28T20:17:00.004+08:00

This series has become one of my most popular and has been picked up by a number of publications across the web. Of course, you can beat the crowds and read it here first! Continuing where we left off when last we looked at the fastest growing companies, today's post covers

Lindsay - Ranked 38 on this years list, Lindsay is in the water management and road infrastructure business. They don't have a web page dedicated to careers or jobs, but their Human Resources page does provide some of the information you need if you are interested in working at this company. Their HR page has an overview followed by review of their Culture, Careers and Benefits. The left hand side of the page provides information for snail mail resume submission followed by an email address for submitting your resume via email.

OYO Geospace - OYO moved up from 92 last year to 39 this year on the Fastest list. They have a very broad business model, covering seismic exploration, oil & gas monitoring, offshore cables and more. Their careers page is not so broad, but don't let that stop you from pursing this company as a career choice. Their main careers page has links on the left hand side about the company. The page typically lists current job openings, followed by information to email, fax or snail mail your resume.

Gulf Island Fabrication - Gulf Island is a worldwide leader in the fabrication of drilling and production platforms and is ranked 40 on this year's list. Their career page provides a comprehensive overview of the company followed by a listing of the types of functional roles at the company. As with many smaller companies, they don't have a dedicated job search function on their page, but they do provide a telephone number and address for mailing your resume.

Vasco Data Security International - Ranked 41, Vasco is an authentication company ("Technologies secure sensitive information and transactions for the enterprise security, e-commerce, and e-government industries" according to their website). Their careers page provides an overview of the company and why you would want to work there. The left hand side of the screen has links to Career Opportunities and Contact HR. There is also a link to Career Opportunities embedded within the text of the overview (last bullet point). Click on Career Opportunities to link to a list of specific job opportunities. Click on any job for a full job description, you can apply directly at the bottom of the job description page. Click Contact HR for a listing of HR contacts by country.

Oceaneering International - Oceaneering is "an advanced applied technology company that provides engineered services and hardware to Customers who operate in marine, space, and other harsh environments". Ranked 42 on the list, their careers page provides an overview of the company with a number of links on the left hand side of the page. The links include Careers (by country), How to Apply, a Recruiting Calendar and a list of Worldwide locations. Click on Careers for their job search page (or the country of your choice). You can narrow your search, click on specific opportunities or register on the site.

Good luck in your search.

___________

This is another guest post by the CareerAlley. This article is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

The Lost Art of Face-to-Face Meetings and British Airways Business Opportunity Grants

2009-09-27T00:33:00.011+08:00

There was the telex, then the telefax, and then teleconferencing. Then videophone and the internet came. Thus, meetings these days between people coming from the opposite side of the world have been made more convenient, easier, and faster. Business transactions became virtually seamless. Face-to-face or F2F meetings seem to have been lost in the transition. Does it mean that it is no longer necessary? Or because we reasoned that is costly and time-consuming? Either way, we seemed to have forgotten that the human touch is irreplaceable, especially in forging business partnerships.

Understandably, that when the global financial pandemonium hit us, many businesses started belt-tightening in their business expenditures. Travel expenses were among the priorities needing a huge cut. The result, we have also seen many airlines losing valued business travelers.

British Airways on the other hand is taking the initiative to encourage businesses to once again consider the value of f2f meetings and how greatly increase the chances of building better business relationships. Thus, in line with this, they are taking a bold initiative of offering Business Opportunity Grants. This means, “British Airways is giving 100 companies a year of Business Class travel and a suite of valuable business services to help increase their face-to-face meetings and exponentially grow their businesses.” How does that sound?

What does an entrepreneur like you or a small business owner need to do to avail of the grant? It’s simple, actually. All you have to do is go here and apply on before the 30th of September 2009. Lovely, right? Now, go there right now will ya.

Creative Pictures Easy and Free

2009-09-15T21:26:00.002+08:00

A picture is worth a thousand words. ~Napoleon Bonafarte

I bought a new Cannon Digital camera, at the same time I am trying to learn photoshop. Taking good pictures is one thing, but putting a little creativity on them is difficult, that is, if you are like me. You can probably share with my frustrations here.

You spend countless clicks on the shutter; pick what you like, do a little cropping and adjustment of colors and hues, and still you feel as though the picture is still bare. It needed something. More than a frame, a sprinkle of creativity, if you will.

Good thing though, I discovered that with an online photoshop like PicJoke.com, everything is a breeze. 1 2 3 voila! You have instant creative and funny photos you can share with your friends. The best part –it is free! With their predesigned templates, simply upload your best picture and allow them to do the rest. That easy.

I am still working on my photoshop skills and it will probably take some time before I can master. Now it is comforting to know that I can easily produced funny pictures in an instant, easy with PicJoke.com

Now, how is that sample? :P

Republicans worry they're becoming known less for their ideals and more for the pettiness of their vitriol

2009-09-13T07:24:00.006+08:00

Illustration by Matt Wuerker of www.Politico.com
Read full story here: GOP 'cranks' dominating debate.

Two Practical Benefits of a Self-Hosted Blog

2009-09-13T06:53:00.003+08:00

Free blogging platforms and hosting are great. However, if you are really serious about blogging, other than having your own domain name, getting a paid web hosting is nest best step to take. So, what are the practical benefits of hosting your blog paid web hosting, you might ask? Here are a few:

Complete Control

Blogs on free hosting platforms may be shut down or deleted arbitrarily by the host providers without prior notice. And believe me, appealing for reconsideration is more often a waste of time and futile. In fact, some of my blogger friends’ months of well-written articles disappeared because their blogs were labeled as ‘splogs’ by a popular free blogging host. I have one niche blog too that has been labeled the same. Fortunately, I kept copies of those posts so it was easy for me to rebuild the blog on another blogging platform and this time to paid hosting site. You have complete control of your content and site’s build on paid web hosting that you will never enjoy otherwise on free hosting.

Professional Appeal

If you intend to monetize your blog, it is highly recommended that you invest on a good web hosting plan. It imbibes in it professionalism on your blog. Besides, advertisers usually prefer blogs with their own domain name and on paid hosting.

There are other benefits and advantages on having your blog on paid web hosting; however the two above benefits are taken into more account in importance.

Are your struggling with your online business? You need help

2009-08-23T07:50:00.005+08:00

You are surrounded by simple, obvious solutions that can dramatically increase your income, power, influence and success. The problem is, you just don't see them. ~Jay Abraham

Would you agree with Jay there?

Sounds too simplistic huh?

I had the same feeling. However, when I continued to press on with the idea, it did make sense. How many of us who failed to see the simple solution that is staring at us while we are busy trying to figure out a more complex alternative? Or on the opposite extreme, you have tried the solutions offered by pseudo experts online?

I must admit that there is so much information available on the internet right now that more often it is hard to sip through the file of junks thrown at your doorstep. While I appreciate what the search engine companies are doing to improve the returns of SERP (Search Engine Result Pages), it is still a bit confusing to be confronted with so much data that you do not need. Likewise, when you are looking for tips or guides on running your online business, pseudo-experts will offer you tricks that they claim to work only to realize that you have been had with your hard-earned money.

Online business and eCommerce look profitable. Well, they are actually profitable if you have the right knowledge and skills to run one. If not, you are dreaming. Sorry, if that sounded harsh. Nevertheless, I really mean it. Also, if you are just started slugging it out, you might want to consider getting expert helps, e.g., e commerce consulting, online marketing agencies, and the like.

Most of those email offers that landed your inbox, and claim that they will teach you to scoop thousands of dollars from online business are hoax. So be careful.
Running an online business is not easy. Equally, online marketing is hard work. People tend to think that when you have a great web design, and saleable products to offer, search engines will find you, internet users will buy, and you are on your way to a profitable online business. I wish it were so. However, it is not. It is more than those things. Again, what you really need are the right knowledge and skills taught by reputable ecommerce services experts and experienced online business owners. These people know best, and learning from them will give you a good start. Find them. Believe me, you need their help.

Self-Hosted versus Free Blogging Platform

2009-08-21T08:27:00.001+08:00

Between a self-hosted blog and free blogging platforms, I’d go for the latter. My primary consideration is simply cost. Blogspot is free. So why bother to shell-out $5 to $10 a month for web hosting?

However, if you were really serious about blogging and making money out of your blog, then I would immediately change side and recommend the former. My primary consideration? Freedom! Oh, no! I am not talking about ‘liberation’ here silly. Freedom in the sense that you are not restricted compared to abiding on TOS impositions by free blogging platform.

Three of my other blogs are self-hosted on the same provider including their domain registration. I never experimented on any other hosting entity because a blogger friend advised me to check-out the reviews and ratings made by actual satisfied customers . I did.

In my opinion, a good web hosting should provide (1) customer satisfaction, (2) affordability, (3) reliability, (4) guaranteed 100% up-time, and (5) prompt technical support. Not all can offer all of these on the same quality; hence, you have to evaluate each offer or package based on the criterion above. Otherwise, you will face the same agony that most bloggers experienced in migrating their blog from one hosting to the other.

Loving Female Authority

2009-08-18T11:34:00.006+08:00

To date or NOT to date

2009-08-15T10:31:00.003+08:00

"To date or not to date?" that is the question.

Now, should I capitalize on my marital (complicated) status, being a single dad? I mean, should I be more attractive to women out there if I announce to the world that I am single dad who failed on his first marriage and is struggling to raise a two-year old son?

Or should I just pretend like most of my peers and pretend that I am excellent at dating and serious relationships? Does this makes sense?

Used to be a smooth fella (*bragging) in the dating scene. Used to be. Underscore that.

But now, after a marriage that didn’t work, I seemed to have lost the edge. With the proliferation of online dating sites on the net, I seem to be running out of reasons not to go out and get one. Well, a dating site could be a good place to start. However, I still have to hone my social skills to get into the dating game again. A rehash probably? My social gears are too rusty and squeaking my golly. I really need some help in that department.

Anyhow, so to date or not to date? Ahhh. It does not even makes sense to ask that. Okey okey, I am just being rhetorical there. Time to get out of my comfort zone kiddo and start dating real women.

Debt Collections Outsourcing – Effective AR Management Option

2009-08-14T09:37:00.002+08:00

I believe that least in the mind of newbie entrepreneurs is starting their business with bankruptcy in mind. Otherwise, they would have abandoned the intent all the way. However, bankruptcy can sometimes lurk its ugly head when you have failed to manage your business effectively especially its cash flows.

Bankruptcy can be avoided.

You begin with effectively managing your AR (Account Receivables). Extending credits and passing products for consignment is usually unavoidable in doing business. And more often, this leads to tipping the balance of your cash flow. Not only that, debt or credit collection is one of the nastiest aspects of cash management in business. Surely, you do not want to spend your precious time pursing debtor and delinquent customers, while neglecting the most important aspects of your business.

However, debt collection is a necessary evil, if I may put it that way. The lesser AR you have, the better your profitability is. So, how do you take care of your debt collection without annoying your customers so that you can focus more on your core business?

Why not employ collection agencies.

A Collection Agency is an expert. It knows the ins and outs of collecting, including supporting federal laws about debts and credits. More so, they are usually cost effective compared to having a collection department of your own. Besides, they normally charge based on results. Meaning, you only pay for their services when they have collected. So, why worry about writing debt collection letters or calling on delinquent clients when you can have others to take care of those things for you.

Wrong Job? Wrong Career?

2009-08-02T09:50:00.019+08:00

Have you considered changing career?

I love sushi. But this picture makes me reconsider. Oh, yeah, this one is entirely irrelevant with the post. Anyway, have a pleasant weekend folks.^^

Who's Hiring at the Fastest Growing Companies - Vol V

2009-07-28T23:15:00.004+08:00

The fastest growing companies, why do you care? Well for one, not too many companies are growing these days in this economy and the fastest growing companies are, by definition, growing faster than average. Secondly, the fastest growing are the most likely to be adding new jobs to help support their growth. Many of these companies are small (and you've probably not heard of some), but this is certainly as good a place as any (or maybe a better place) to look for a job.

Ensco - Ranked 18th on this year's list, Ensco is an offshore oil and gas drilling company. Their career site leads with background on the company, with links to more detailed information on the right hand side of the page. Click Current Opportunities to link to their map based job search page. Their categories are regionally based (split by shorebased and offshore) followed by Deepwater and Corporate Office.

Atheros Communications - Atheros is a chip maker and is ranked 19th on this year's list. Their career page has a company overview with embedded links to Current Openings and and Apply Online. Apply Online allows registration, a simple search function and a profile build.

Nutrisystem - Ranked 20th on the list, Nutrisystem is known for it's diet meal program. The careers page has an overview of the company with links on the right hand side of the page for benefits of working for the company. Click View Current Openings in the center of the page to link to this page which includes links to Inside Sales Representativies and Outbound Sales Representatives. Click either of these links to view current openings.

NRG Energy - NRG develops and manages energy related operations worldwide and is ranked 21st on this year's list. Their careers page has an overview of the company with a link to current job openings embedded in the text towards the bottom of the page. Clicking the job openings link leads to a page which lists all of the jobs by region. Click view details to see a detailed job description. Apply to jobs by sending the relevant information to the email address listed in the job descriptions.

Guess - Ranked 22 on the list, most have heard of Guess the clothing manufacturer. Their career site gives an overview of of the company with links on the left hand side to Corporate Opportunities, Retail Opportunities, Internships and more. Click on Corporate Opportunities to link to the page which includes job search, show all jobs and create a profile. Clicking on Show All Jobs provides a list of all Corporate Opportunities. Clicking on Retail Opportunities leads to a page which lists each type of retail job.

__________

This is another guest post from the CareerAlley . Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Practical Ways to Get Cheaper Insurance Premiums

2009-07-28T22:53:00.007+08:00

The future is unpredictable. However, I think that this unpredictability is what makes life exciting. More so, this unpredictability should encourage being more prepared. Have you created an emergency fund yet? How about your insurances, i.e., health, car, fire, etc.?

Building your emergency fund takes commitment and discipline, but investing on insurances is entirely different, because you pay for premiums. Worse, insurance premiums tend to increase every year while the coverage remains the same.

Here are 3 practical ways you can follow to get cheaper insurance premiums:

Compare

Compare, compare, and compare. Once you have determined the kind of coverage you want to have, do not grab the first offer that come your way –compare.

The internet is still the best resource for insurance plan comparison. Besides, when you have made a thorough comparison on competing insurance plans, you can leverage or negotiate for a lower premium and yet having the same coverage, you want. Information is power. Arm yourselves with essential insurance specs, this way you will put the insurance broker on the weaker bargaining position.

Choose Term Life Insurance

The quickest way to lower your life insurance premium is to opt for term life insurance policy instead of a whole-life policy. The idea is to keep insurance as what it is and not turn it into an investment product. Thus, you can get yourself insured under term life policy at the fraction of the cost of a whole-life insurance scheme with typically the same coverage amount. Although, term life insurance covers you only for a pre-defined period. No matter, bottom line is, you save on your premiums while getting the full coverage you want.

Start early!

Insure yourself today! Why? Because the premium will cost you cheaper today than 10 or 20 years from now. This is you because young adults are deemed to have lower mortality risks. This means, more money for the insurance companies, while cheaper on your end.

The Power of Networking ... and Two Questions

2009-07-26T22:10:00.006+08:00

You've been told that networking is the best way to find a job.

But, unless you've been hired that way, it may be hard to appreciate how effective it can be.

So, recent research on the subject may open your eyes to the power of networking ...

In a February 2009 survey, 430 members of the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG) gave feedback on how they had recently searched for work.

When asked how they found the job they eventually took, the top four responses were:

Networking with professional contacts: 37%
Recruiters/headhunters: 24%
Networking with family, friends and acquaintances: 14%
Job boards/job search web sites: 9%

Combined, networking accounted for 51% of successful job searches.

But how to do it?

The best way to network is to "find people you can provide value to. Don't go asking for help, but try to give to people first and expect help later," says Richard Sellers, Chairman of MENG (www.mengonline.com), with chapters in 12 U.S. cities.

"I really like to hear from people who ask, 'How can I help you?' These are the people you spend more time with and are more likely to assist" in a job search, according to Sellers.

Separately, respondents were asked what they wish they had spent more time doing in their job searches. They listed the following activities:

Networking with professional contacts: 75%
Using social media, such as LinkedIn: 49%
Networking with family, friends, and acquaintances: 37%

Again, networking appears twice in this list.

Sellers offers these tips to help get the most from your job-search efforts:

Emphasize networking, especially with your professional contacts
Spend two to three times more effort developing your professional networking contacts than with family, friends, and acquaintances
Develop relationships with recruiters
Be realistic about the likely payoff of job boards/job search web sites
If your previous employer provides outplacement, utilize that support, but be realistic and don't expect them to provide job leads.

Question One: Which three people in your professional network of people you've known, in any job since high school, seem most-connected in your community?

Action Step: Find a way to be helpful to them this week.

Don't know how you can be helpful? Ask what they need help with these days -- then find a way to deliver. You don't have to know the answer. The fact that you've offered to help will make people remember you with favor ... and possibly job leads.

One thing many job seekers find they have more of is time. And devoting spare time to volunteer work can raise your profile while giving back to the community -- and get you hired, according to Steven Rothberg, Founder and President of CollegeRecruiter.com.

Rothberg tells of the time five years ago when, as a board member at Nechama, a Minneapolis disaster-relief agency, he helped hire a new executive director. "As we started to talk about the skill set we were looking for, we got into a conversation about Frank, a recent college graduate, who was a volunteer at our organization. Everybody liked Frank, we knew his skills, and the quality of his work was high," says Rothberg.

This relationship paid off when, according to Rothberg, the search committee dropped a job offer into the lap of the volunteer, who had not even sought the position. "We went to him and said, 'Hey, we've got this opening, which is probably your dream job. Do you want it?'"

The answer was yes. And the position was filled without ever being advertised.

By volunteering to share his very best efforts with the community, Frank was hired for his "dream job," and faced no competition.

It shows just how valuable personal referrals can be when networking. "People want to work with people they like. If I, the hiring manager, like you, and you like someone else, when you refer that person to me, there's a good chance I'm going to like them, too," says Rothberg.

Now. What are the odds of your dream job dropping into your lap tomorrow, if you start volunteering at the Red Cross this afternoon? Slim.

But what are the odds of this happening if you don't volunteer or do anything to raise your profile among community leaders? Zero.

Question Two: If you can spare a couple of hours a week, which organizations in your community would you be passionate about volunteering at?

Don't have any idea? Go search here: www.charitynavigator.org or here: www.charityfinders.com.

Action Step: Pick a charity and volunteer. Make sure it's one where you can showcase your best skills at their highest level. You may come to the attention of someone who can refer you to the job you seek. But it can't happen if you're not involved in the community.

Now, go out and make your own luck!

__________

This is a guest post by Kevin Donlin of CollegeRecruiter.com. Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Xbox 360 : The Ultimate Gaming Experience

2009-07-19T10:19:00.005+08:00

At one time, I must admit, I was addicted to MMORPG’s (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). The exhilaration, thrill, and fun that these games bring are incomparable. More so, it was also exciting to be a part of a virtual community that shares the same interests and game experiences.

I have not played in a while –I miss it.

However, in my spare time (actually, it is turning into an addiction already) I enjoy the high-def games in my Xbox 360. One word –superb! With an excellent games selection, user-friendly dashboard interface, and the same game experiences that MMORPG’s offer via online –forget about dating women for a while, and hello virtual world! This game console is almost perfect.

Almost, that is.

Like other gamers in the Xbox community, a wireless controller or upgrade would have made this perfect. Nevertheless, with its superior digital media quality and specs, a reliable online service, and an excellent game library, the Xbox 360 still offers the ultimate gaming experience one can ask for.

Why brand?

2009-07-18T03:02:00.006+08:00

“Branding concepts have come to evolve through time. What used to be a label, a logo, a certain kind of packaging, a way of doing business, has now been replaced by a much more intangible perception.” ~Business Notes

Agree.

But why do businesses need to establish a brand?

Billions of dollars are being poured annually to keep businesses competitive, get a huge chunk of theory market share, and generate more sales in return. In this a Branding Company, in most cases proves to be indispensable.

A brand is more than recognition or an identity. Businesses of any kind must establish their brand identity in order to compete. To me, it their public seal of approval. Or more appropriately, as Jeff Bezo proffered:

“ A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”

Furthermore, branding is necessary because it makes your business ‘believable’. To this, Ralph Lauren has a better explanation:

When you think of the blur of all the brands that are out there, the ones you believe in and the ones you remember, like Chanel and Armani, are the ones that stand for something. Fashion is about establishing an image that consumers can adapt to their own individuality. And it's an image that can change, that can evolve. It doesn't reinvent itself every two years.

Agree?

Outsourcing Debt Collection for Small Business

2009-07-18T02:52:00.002+08:00

Virtually every business process can be outsourced today. In fact, multi-national companies these days would establish offshore branches without necessarily establishing the same framework as that of the mother company. Expertise and crucial business processes are being outsourced, including finance and accounting functions.

What is the most uncomfortable responsibility of a small business owner? Collecting bad debts and overdue payments are probably ranked to be the most uncomfortable and troublesome tasks, at least in my experience. And more often, this causes rifts in customer relationships.

The best remedy to this predicament is through outsourcing your debt collection. This means passing the responsibility of collecting your account receivables to third party experts.

When you outsource your debt collection, as a business owner, you free yourself of those unnecessary worries of creating antagonistic situation with your customers. The collection agency will bridge that for you so that you can devote more on satisfying your customers, as you should. Moreover, collection agencies are experts that can be relied on, and they know all that is required by federal laws and hence frees you also of worrying over legal implications and problems.

Lastly, when you recover your money from past due accounts and bad debts, you improve your balance sheet.

Operator by Jim Croce

2009-07-03T22:45:00.004+08:00

One of my fave guitarists and acoustic singers of the 70's and 80's was Jim Croce. Call me old fashion, but Jim's music has somehow crossed the boundaries of his generation in terms of depth and meaning. As Ingrid Croce aptly described:

When Jim performed, he engaged us in an intimate rapport along with his one-man-band, guitarist extraordinaire, Maury Muehleisen. Jim Croce delivered his songs with such sincerity that you believed him. With ballads and love songs, Jim would let his music speak for itself. But with his “story” songs, Jim was a natural stand-up-comic; his wit and charm exaggerated his heroes, making legends of “everyman” from fighter to lover, stockcar boy to Roller Derby Queen. (The Official Site of Jim Croce)

Here's one of his hit songs: Operator.(Video and lyrics after the jump. Enjoy!)

Lyrics: Operator

Operator, oh could you help me place this call
You see the number on the matchbook is old and faded
She's livin' in l.a.
With my best old ex-friend ray
A guy she said she knew well and sometimes hated

Isn't that the way they say it goes
But let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell them I'm fine and to show
I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
But that's not the way it feels

Operator, oh could you help me place this call
'cause I can't read the number that you just gave me
There's something in my eyes
You know it happens every time
I think about the love that i thought would save me

Isn't that the way they say it goes
But let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell them I'm fine and to show
I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn't real
But that's not the way it feels

Operator oh let's forget about this call
There's no one there I really wanted to talk you
Thank you for your time
Oh you've been so much more than kind
And you can keep the dime

Isn't that the way they say it goes
But let's forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell them I'm fine and to show
I've overcome the blow
I've learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn't real
But that's not the way it feels