Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom 5 Biggest Mistakes Side-Giggers Make

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom 5 Biggest Mistakes Side-Giggers Make In her new book, The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life, financial columnist and successful sidepreneur Kimberly Palmer urges aspiring and newbie side-giggers to avoid these five common pitfalls: 1. Waiting until you’re “ready” to launch Many successful side-giggers discovered their side-gigs almost by accident; a friend asked them for a favor, and suddenly they were in the floral business, or running a social marketing consultancy, or pet-sitting. Instead of first building a Facebook page or stocking up on inventory, they said “yes” to the opportunity in front of them, and their side-gigs grew from there. 2. Letting the first failure stop your progress Almost all established side-giggers experienced some kind of setback early on, and many still experience occasional failures: a pitch gets rejected, a client gives negative feedback, or a new digital product flops. “But they keep going,” Palmer stresses, “because they know that one rejection doesn’t mean their contributions are worthless. Instead, they take it as proof that they are trying something new and taking risks, some of which are bound to fail.” 3. Thinking you’re earning too little to make a difference Many side-giggers make what seems like peanuts: $100 to $200 a month, or just a few thousand dollars a year. Over time, however, that money adds upâ€"$3,000 a year equals around $40,000 after ten years if it’s in an account earning 5 percent interest. Plus, it represents new promise and potential in the event of a layoff. “An income of $200 a month, earned from working a few hours a week, can often be scaled up dramatically if time allows,” Palmer points out. 4. Overinvesting in start-up costs It’s easy to plow savings into a side-gig before it’s even launched: a beautiful website, a professional marketing plan, new certifications. But before investing a cent, successful side-giggers often look for ways to bring in revenue, while simultaneously testing the market. That might mean offering nutrition consulting services before setting up a new website, or selling an e-book through an e-commerce channel before printing paperback versions. 5. Working too hard for too little When side-giggers are first starting out, they sometimes make the mistake of undercharging for their services, or setting up a business model that would require a 100-hour-a-week schedule to earn a living wage. A classic example is selling a handcrafted crocheted sweater for the same price as a store bought, machine-produced one. “Simply charging more for products and services can signal quality to potential buyers,” Palmer observes. “Testing the market to see what it can bear, and checking out competitors’ prices, can help side-giggers avoid starting too low.”

Huntsy - Organise Your Graduate Job Hunt

Huntsy - Organise Your Graduate Job Hunt Cost of Organisational Tool For Job Hunt We at Career Geek understand and know the graduate job process better than most career websites around. And that is one reason why when we were sent an introduction to Huntsy we knew we had to review it! Huntsy is an organisational tool for job hunters. But we can see it being one of the best organisational tools for graduates doing multiple applications. Cost of Organisational Tool For Job Hunt As graduates we do a lot of graduate and internship job applications. And so far, the best way forward was to have an excel sheet and keep all the details in that sheet. Or make notes of different jobs and dates in a diary. Now Huntsy brings us an organisational gem which costs nothing. Yes! We are pleasantly surprised Huntsy is free to use. Dealing with students and graduates, we know they live on a budget (at least I did when I was at uni!) and cost is a big game changer in most of these applications. Thats why Huntsy is a great tool for students and graduates searching for jobs. Using Huntsy One of the things we appreciate the most in new web applications and services is an easy sign-up. And Huntsy has an easy sign-up, offering social logins via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Once logged-in, you get a simple and effective user interface. It does what you need it to do organise job hunt. You can simply add a job URL or enter the job manually and it will organise it in a table-like format with more information available when you click on it. This is exceptionally helpful in graduate job applications because of the sheer number of applications graduates do and when keeping track of them becomes chaotic. Another top feature of Huntsy is uploading documents and email templates! Yes, simple, I know, but its a lot better to keep your cover letter and a CV right at the heart of your graduate job hunt process. Plus, it means you have a CV saved on the cloud, which is one advice I always offer graduates about their CV. Huntsy has the option of adding a bookmarklet or extension for the Google Chrome browser which means you will be able to keep track of new graduate job applications with one click. Huntsy is Free of charge and if you are looking for a graduate job, organise your graduate application process well. What do we think of Huntsy Huntsy is a brilliant organisational tool. They market themselves as job hunt tool, but from our point of view, we think they have a big market with students and graduates, i.e. the university market. It is simple and easy to use. It does what it says on the tin and that is simply giving you a good organisational tool in your graduate job hunting process. It allows you to get notified when deadlines are approaching and keeps your documents at the heart of your graduate job application process. #Recommended Personally I would recommend that you head over to Huntsy and give it a go yourself. It is good and we hope it keeps developing to suit the graduate and student market with a bit more functionality, but even as it is, it is very good. WEBSITE:  www.huntsy.com   FOLLOW HUNTSY ON TWITTER Feedback on this article can be submitted at careergeek.blog@gmail.com 10

Giving Away The Best Book on Building Relationships Never Eat Alone

Giving Away The Best Book on Building Relationships Never Eat Alone Never Eat Alone  by Keith Ferrazzi has long been one of my favorite books about networking.  This book encouraged me to start my 2011  networking challenge and really helped me get past a lot of my fears about networking as an introvert. I also listed this book as  one of my  Top 10 Must Read Books For Every Professional Woman. So this is why I was ecstatic to hear from the publisher that a new version is coming out this month AND that I can give away three copies here on the blog. Woohoo! Do you want to get ahead in life? Climb the ladder to personal success?  The secret is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered in early life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationshipsâ€"so that everyone wins. In Never Eat Alone, Ferrazzi lays out the specific stepsâ€"and inner mindsetâ€"he uses to reach out to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his contacts list, people he has helped and who have helped him. And in the time since Never Eat Alone was published in 2005, the rise of social media and new, collaborative management styles have only made Ferrazzi’s advice more essential for anyone hoping to get ahead in business. Here are a couple of his proven principles: Don’t keep score: It’s never simply about getting what you want. It’s about getting what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what they want, too. “Ping” constantly: The ins and outs of reaching out to those in your circle of contacts all the timeâ€"not just when you need something. Never Eat Alone: The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at a corporation or attending a social eventâ€"“invisibility” is a fate worse than failure. Become the “King of Content”: How to use social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to make meaningful connections, spark engagement, and curate a network of people who can help you with your interests and goals. Here is how you can win a copy of this book: Like  Classy Career Girl on Facebook Follow me on Twitter  @classycareer Tweet about this giveaway (make sure you mention @classycareer and  @ferrazzi) Leave a comment below answering this question: How do you stay in touch and follow-up with your network? a Rafflecopter giveaway This giveaway is open to all residents in the US only. It begins NOW and ends on June 10th, 2014 at 11:59 PM. We will be giving away 3 copies of the book. The winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 24 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. Good luck! Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the book to review but this did not change what I wrote about the book.

Finding Your First Job After College

Finding Your First Job After College Back when I was in college, I wish someone had taken me aside and advised me to look into my future career options. I was so focused on exams and deadlines, I forgot that the entire point of college is to get you prepared for the working world. I certainly did my share of networking in college, understanding that it would boost my job prospects to have contacts in the industries I cared about. But I couldve done more. The current generation of college graduates will be facing great challenges. Todays job market is extremely competitive indeed. For many entry-level positions, companies will receive tons of applications from job seekers, far more than there will be openings available. It can be daunting just to think about it. A fresh college graduate is probably not familiar with the best strategies for finding gainful employment. She may send out resumes to the various companies that she is thinking about working for. Or she may be relying on her universitys job placement service to find a suitable position for her in the right industry. But if you want to improve your prospects of getting a great job, you will want to do something more. Dont Be Afraid to Ask There are many people that you can get advice from when it comes to your career. You can start with people who are close to you like your family and friends, or you can find a career mentor. Dont be afraid to ask. We have many articles that can help you adjust to your life after college, and you can also ask our career mentors if you have any specific questions that need answers. You can also look using your schools career services office, and soak in all the practical advice that you can get from creating an effective resume to learning more about the requirements and responsibilities of the job.  At the end of the day, a well thought out and informed decision can get you very far in clearing your career path to get a clear vision of the future thats ahead of you. Hone Your Skills While its true that all kinds of experience count for something when applying for a job, it would do you better  to earn experience related to your the careers that interest you. One of the underutilized ways to hone your skills is to join industry-specific professional groups, be it on LinkedIn or better yet, in person. There are marketing organizations, accounting groups, and business networks that were created to facilitate both alumni and students of universities. This is a great place to find internships and relationships in your industry of choice. Utilize the Power of the Internet Fortunately, the web is host to a wealth of tools and resources for the enterprising job seeker. You can research companies, learn about industry trends, and even take online courses that will equip you with in-demand skills. You can also get a lot of utility from job hunting websites. There are a few different ones out thereâ€"Ive been happily using the StartJobs website. I admire the simplicity of the StartJobs search engine site. You only enter a job title and a US location, and click continue. The algorithmic search results will then list available entry-level and hourly positions in a range of industries. The search list can be further sorted by radius from your location, giving you more flexibility. This makes StartJobs a very helpful tool, as you can easily explore beyond your industry and your immediate area, to discover job prospects in nearly unlimited fashion. The idea of finding your first job can be nerve-wracking. Create an advantage for yourself in the job market by taking the first steps by being brave and making smart decisions even before you get out of university. Good luck!

The essential steps to surviving six Freshers nights in a row - Debut

The essential steps to surviving six Freshers nights in a row - Debut Ah, Freshers Week. The biggest social challenge of your baby adult life so far. Youre excited and youre going want to do every. single. night. As much as Freshers Week is the 6-day party of a lifetime, it can also be a war of attrition from which no-one emerges the same person. Image via Giphy Dont let Freshers Week break you. Many have tried to go hard on all 6 nights, few have lived to tell the tale.  Here are some Debut-approved tips for your pre and post-night out routine which will save you from burning out and keep the all-consuming hangover at bay. Eat up Image via Giphy There might be some truth to that whole ‘lining your stomach’ thing you keep hearing. Having a couple good meals before drinking is always a good idea. Kick the day off with a hearty breakfast and it eat a substantial dinner before you start drinking. It’ll stop you getting paralytic too fast and give you the energy you need to go all night. Pick a drink and stick to it Image via Giphy It’s true, legends never die. But if you’re not careful, mixing your drinks could lead you to a very sticky, half-digested end. You don’t have to drink the same thing on every night out but for each night, pick a tipple and stick with it. Clear spirits, beers and ciders are usually the best way to go save the wine and Jaeger for when you level up. You’ll thank us when you’re not hugging your toilet in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Stop drinking when you get to the club Image via Giphy Hear us out here. Go hard at the pre-drinks and get yourself to a level of drunkenness just short of critical mass. Pull out an Oscar-worthy sobriety act at the door of the club (as long as you don’t fall over it’ll be fine) and then party until you really sober up. At that point, it’ll be half 3 and you’ll be ready to go anyway. When you wake up fresh as a daisy, with most of your money intact, you’ll agree it’s a good idea. Sober up before bed Image via Giphy Should you choose not to take our advice, it’s important that you sober up before bed. Going to sleep still drunk is pretty much direct flight to Hangover City. When you get back, down a pint of water and sit up for a bit. Contrary to popular belief, post-night out food does little for you in terms of avoiding your hangover (it’s more what you eat before that matters) but if that £3 chicken burger, wings and chips helps you stay up an extra hour, go nuts. Get outside Image via Giphy Here’s another myth-buster: the ‘sweat out the alcohol’ theory is high-grade nonsense. Your body only takes about an hour to metabolise each drink you have. So whatever you do, don’t try and do any strenuous exercise if you’re nauseous or hungover. What you should do though is go for a jog, walk or any other form of light exercise. This release endorphins that lift your mood, get rid of that lethargic feeling and deliver you from the warm embrace of Death. Pop a Berocca, get on with it and you’ll be right as rain by pre-drinks. Be ready to get back on track Image via Giphy After a Fresher’s night, it’s natural to feel a bit exhausted, poor, homesick and generally quite low, particularly when it’s all over and the prospect of hard work rears it’s ugly head. To combat this, try making a small list of useful things to do during the day. Apply for a discount card, get a book out of the library, clean your room… anything that makes you feel productive. Stay calm, stay mindful and remember: Image via Giphy Feature Image © Legendary Pictures Follow Alex on Twitter @AndThenAlexSaid Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Is Your Business Chemistry Causing You Stress

Is Your “Business Chemistry” Causing You Stress Stressed or Not? Your Business Chemistry Might Be the Key In today’s corporate environment, workplace stress seems inevitable â€" but people can react to pressure differently. Faced with the same trigger, one person may remain cool as a cucumber while another melts down. A newly released study by the Deloitte Greenhouseâ„¢ Experience asked more than 23,000 professionals about their stress levels at work and found their responses to stressors might have something to do with Business Chemistry ®, a system for understanding individual workstyles. Deloitte identifies four Business Chemistry types: Integrators seek connection and bring teams together. Drivers seek challenge and generate momentum. Pioneers seek possibilities and spark energy and imagination. Guardians seek possibilities and bring order and rigor. The study found that 28 percent of respondents are often or almost always stressed. The top stress triggers in today’s work environment include workplace errors, a challenging workload with long hours or multiple responsibilities, and moments of conflict. It also found that Business Chemistry type affects how individuals experience stress at work, with Guardians reporting the most stress, followed by Integrators, Drivers, and Pioneers. Coping Strategies A second study with a sample of more than 17,000 professionals found people also cope with stress differently, depending on their Business Chemistry type: Action is the most popular strategy overall, used by 83 percent of respondents and all Business Chemistry types. As the famous saying goes: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Cognitive strategies, like considering the big picture or thinking through possibilities, are also common. Nearly 90 percent of Pioneers reported using these methods to cope, while less than 70 percent of Guardians did. This pattern was reversed when it came to strategies associated with doing more groundwork, like organizational tasks, or seeking further information. Both kinds of strategies involve stepping back from the stressful situation, but the Guardian approach is more detail-focused while the Pioneer approach takes a broader view. Interpersonal coping strategies, such as talking to someone about feelings or asking for help are less common overall â€" reported by just 47 percent of respondents. The more relationship-oriented and team-focused typesâ€"Integrators and Pioneersâ€"reported using these strategies more than others. Overall, Pioneers are the least stressed, and reported using coping strategies more than any other type. Next Steps So what does this mean for business leaders who want to help their employees cope with stress? Try to take notice when your experience of a situation seems different from those around you. You may think something is a piece of cake, but others might need some time or space or reassurance to deal with what’s happening. You may also want to consider how to make space for different styles of coping. Instead of looking skeptical when someone hops out for a quick yoga class or feeling impatient when someone else wants to slow down to outline a clear plan, recognize these as coping strategies and let them manage their stress levels in their own unique ways. A better understanding of how others cope with stress can have a big impact in making your team more productive and efficient. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class ® now and get the most comprehensive job search system available!

How To Write A Functional Resume Example

How To Write A Functional Resume ExampleA functional resume is a combination of the elements of a unique resume and an example. These examples are called functional resumes because they bring together all of the different aspects of a person's life, so that your story is complete. The best functional resume examples provide you with everything you need to write a well thought out resume. Here are a few of the ways in which you can go about creating your own.There are many jobs that require you to juggle several responsibilities simultaneously. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to have extensive responsibilities, just the idea that you have multiple roles. It may be one job or it may be several. But, a functional resume example will include several different parts of the organization, so that you can also include them in your story. This allows you to focus on each part individually as it relates to your particular career path.The biggest problem that people face when writin g a functional resume example is that they lose focus on the importance of the career goals. There's nothing wrong with these goals, but sometimes the way that a person thinks of them can cause them to be overly focused on their current position. It's very important that you realize that they're just ideas and they're not applicable to the position that you currently hold. And, if you're not currently holding a specific job, then you don't really have any reason to even consider them. It's important that you don't forget this important step.You'll also want to read the section of the functional resume example that focuses on what a particular career path would look like at your current job. It will show you exactly what your job skills are, as well as the time frame that you're expected to use them. This will help you see that you have what it takes to work towards the appropriate goals.Not only do you want to have your job skills on your functional resume example, but you also want to make sure that you include them in the story that you're developing. You'll want to combine all of your career goals into a single part of your example. One goal might be that you should be able to use your interpersonal skills in a job that requires you to build relationships. Another might be that you should be able to communicate effectively with customers. But, you'll be able to develop a functional resume example that provides you with both of these.When you're reviewing your functional resume example, try to keep your focus on the areas that you know you have the most experience with. This is a great way to learn how to convey the message of your career goals to the hiring manager. This is a valuable skill that is critical to passing your interview. In fact, your functional resume example can set the tone for the entire interview process.To make your functional resume example the best that it can be, you'll need to gather references and apply for jobs that are relevant to the information that you have to share. This can prove to be extremely beneficial when you're doing your networking. Plus, if you're already working in the same field, it can give you additional insight into the hiring manager's world.If you're looking for a way to effectively and productively use your functional resume example, make sure that you focus on the career goals and the needs of the employer. Your example should also demonstrate your ability to work towards those goals, so that you're able to stand out from the crowd and impress your interviewer.