Does Bad Early Education Burn Career Bridges

Does Bad Early Education Burn Career Bridges Education is the cornerstone of democracy. Its mission is to transmit the knowledge and skills needed for young people to become productive and contributing members of our society. Given the number of students who live in poverty and struggle to find the right pathway in life, education has proven over time to be one of the key predictors of lifelong success. As the youngest of six children from a family with very little financial stability, I watched my older siblings leverage their education. From one generation to another, our family has seen tremendous growth in terms of opportunities and access to better paying jobs. As schools, school districts, colleges and universities understand the complexities of their organizations, our young people are more confused than ever about the direction to take to secure a successful future. In my conversations with hundreds of students, they all seem to want the same thing; opportunities to think, create, and contribute to a larger society. While this all seems simple, the right conditions must be created in order for our young people to have equal opportunity for equity and equality to exist. I heard recently, “the shoe that fits one person pinches another.”  The significance of this statement is: there is a difference in equity and equality. As our young generation pursues greatness, stardom, financial independence, education, or whatever their individual dreams and aspirations might be, education is and will continue to be the foundation upon which their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren are built. I watch and observe the dynamics of my own family. My father went into the military right out of high school; my mother finished three years of college and stopped going to return home to help my grandmother recover from the death of my grandfather. She never returned. Their lives and ours was a struggle; to some degree, just to put food on the table. My brothers, sisters and I paid attention and all went to college. All of our children made the decision to attend college. As a result, we now have doctors (education and medical), lawyers, judges, and teachers in our family. The verdict is in: life is more difficult without education; it’s less difficult with education. If this is so clear to those of us who have endured the “ugly” side of life, finding it difficult to live life on life’s terms, why then is it so difficult to convince the millennial generation that education is not only an important ticket to punch on life’s journey, but an imperative one? One might argue the point of contention is the cost of education or the status of the student loan argument presently taking center stage in presidential debates and on the floors of parliament or congress. We must also add the influences of our young people. While writing my book entitled, “Do You Know Enough About Me to Teach Me?” I researched influences on educating today’s youth. There was five listed and are in order of earlier influences in their life span: Home School Church Peers TV Later in their life span (teen-age years), these influences flipped to the following order: TV/Media Peers Church School Home Could we be experiencing the fall-out of the influence of what families provided long ago: security, values, boundaries, and most importantly, positive influence on young lives? I would venture to say, regardless of socio-economics, it rarely mattered years ago how much money families had. What mattered were the positive influences and the push from the home for children to be better and do better. We are reminded today that education matters and it matters because it produces opportunities for our young people to live a good, stable life. While our young generation can and will use examples of Hollywood movie stars or professional athletes who didn’t choose education to provide their pathway to success, we know better. When we know better, we must do better on behalf of our young children, students, and youth. While all dreams are possible, the chances of becoming a movie star or a professional athlete are small compared to one earning a degree. I should know I was one of them. As a great high school and college athlete, my future was bright until an injury prevented me from competing at the next level. When I look back and realize the fact that, if I had not finished college, my life would not be what it is today, it frightens me. More importantly, my children and grandchildren’s lives would not be what it is today, nor would the lives of the countless thousands my work over the past 36 years has impacted positively. In my opinion, education is the vaccine for poverty. Author: Dr. Stephen Peters, the youngest of six children watched his older siblings leverage education to become successful. He used his athletic talent to land a college scholarship to play basketball. Upon graduating college with no professional contract in sight, he continued to secure more education until he received his doctorate degree. Dr. Peters believes a quality education provides options that secures a pathway to a life worth living. Follow Stephen on Twitter at  @stephengpeters. [Featured image: Shutterstock]

Creating A Working Womans Dream Home Office

Creating A Working Woman’s Dream Home Office Working from home has its benefits and many women are taking advantage of those benefits these days. You don’t even have to have children to make a case for working from a home office. It’s more convenient and it allows people with anxiety disorders and other health issues to work a full-time job on their terms. When it comes to working from home you do have some extra responsibilities to take on. You won’t have someone always looking over your shoulder and prodding you to get the job done, so you need to have a work environment that motivates you. Here are some tips on creating a home office that will have you working successfully from home. Keep It Clean And Organized There is more to keeping your home office clean than just keeping it organized, while that is important as well. Consider dust and mites, and other gross things, that could be hiding out in the furniture and the carpet in your home office. Take some time out at least once a month to give your office space a good cleaning, it will help you sneeze less and stay more focused. Find ways to keep your office organized too, even if that means extra filing cabinets or shelving units. If your office is cluttered you’re going to get less work done. Try reading some books on Feng Shui as you move in your different types of office furniture. Pick The Right Colors And Decor Here again, Feng Shui is a great system to look at when it comes to coloring and decorating your office for success. Take some time to read up on how to make your home office a place of wealth and prosperity. Follow the tips as much as you can. While you may not have a choice in how close your office is to your bedroom, you do have a choice in what color to paint the walls. You want to decorate your office in a way that inspires you, depending on what your career is. If you’re an artist of some kind you might want works of artists that inspire you or maybe your own art on the walls. If you are into advertising you might want vintage ads on your walls. Perhaps you are target driven.   A Hustle neon sign on the wall or a vision board of what you want achieve can be really effective.  It’s up to you, but pick items that make you happy. Don’t Skimp On Comfort This is your home office and it’s pretty likely you’re going to spend a lot of time in there each day. That means that you want to have desks and chairs that allow you comfort and focus. You want chairs that support your back so that you have good posture while sitting at your computer. You also want a desk that doesn’t cause you to continually bang your knees every time you move. When you start looking at office furniture always try it before you buy it. Test that chair, sit and that desk and move around. Find the right fit for you.

Just Say NO to Career Dissatisfaction! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Just Say NO to Career Dissatisfaction! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career If you are happy with your income, employer, and opportunity for career development, read no further. Consider yourself fortunate and be thankful. If you feel there is definite room for improvement, however, then I encourage you to  read on. The 2008/2009 Salary.com job satisfaction survey found that the majority (65%) of ALL American workers admitted to passively or actively looking for a new job. Those who rated themselves as very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their current jobs were as follows: 45% of Baby Boomers, 42% of GenXers, and 35% of GenYers. Some surely felt they were in dead end jobs or working for employers who were struggling. Perhaps some saw little opportunity for personal development or increased income. And many were most definitely concerned about reorganizations, downsizing trends, and other turmoil within their industries. The economy has improved since the date of this survey, but longitudinal surveys have shown job satisfaction trending downward for the last 20 years. Given the negative factors present in todays society and workplace, it seems to me  that the reported levels of job dissatisfaction are  justified. However, heres the good news: No matter where your career is currently registering on the Career SuckoMeter, you can most definitely improve your situation greatly. Lets examine how. My previous post offered a process to help you determine what you want to be when you grow up, so you could better match yourself to professions. That exercise was a great first step toward achieving more career satisfaction. Choosing a profession, as mentioned before, can establish  the foundation of your personal brand. Additionally, it is  important to realize that your personal brand is associated with your actual job/title, your employers reputation, and the rep of your industry. In this article, I want to encourage you to GO FURTHER and examine  additional  factors that may be affecting your career happiness â€" your choice of job, employer, and industry. As noted in the fourth chapter of my career book Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!): In prior decades, one of America’s industries might go through significant changes over a period of 3-5 years. Today, we are seeing multiple industries experiencing major changes during such intervals. Examples of industries that have experienced major global turbulence in the past decade include telecommunications, residential/commercial real estate, music, and publishing. This trend can be anticipated to continue and expand . Consider my own career example After 25+ years of career growth in telecommunications, the industry tanked during the 2001 recession and my employer cut 40% of the workforce in one day. Being a part of the 40%, I assessed the situation and decided it could be many years before telecommunications would experience a full recovery if ever. I was faced with the prospect of having greatly reduced career and income opportunities or switching industries. I chose the latter, which led me to the growth industry of career consulting. I made a change for the better. So can you! To help you gain clarity regarding the potential benefits of a job, employer, or industry change, I encourage you to create a list as follows: 1. Jot down three things that cause you the most dissatisfaction with your current job. 2. Jot down three things that cause you the most dissatisfaction with your current employer. 3. Jot down three things that cause you the most dissatisfaction with your traditional industry. Once you have completed your list, ask yourself if the potential benefits of changing one or more of these three factors would be worth the effort. If so, you now have a FOCUS for taking action. Although career satisfaction is becoming  rarer, it is well within your power to make positive changes and improve your individual  circumstances. You  can control your destiny. Thousands of people are doing this every day. If you are ready for a change, then I encourage you to “just say no” to career dissatisfaction and take decisive action. Now. Author: Richard Kirby  is an executive career consultant, speaker on career strategies, and author of Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!). Richard Kirby’s earlier experience includes managing engineering, human resources, marketing and sales teams for employers that ranged from a Fortune 100 to a VC-funded entrepreneurial startup. For the past 11 years at Executive Impact, Richard has helped hundreds of executives and professionals successfully navigate today’s transformed 21st century job market and achieve better employment for themselves. Richard’s expertise includes career assessments and goal setting, personal marketing/branding, resume enhancement, strategic networking and job interviewing, and “contrarian” job search methodologies. He is a Board Certified Coach (in career coaching) and a Certified Management Consultant (recognized by the ISO).

When Passion Meets Expertise Your Brand Succeeds - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

When Passion Meets Expertise Your Brand Succeeds - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The more and more I reflect upon how Ive used social media to grow my own personal brand (as well as observe others), the more Ive come to realize that there are two things that are required for success: passion and expertise.   Passion is your excitement and enjoyment around a certain activity that interests you and expertise   is your knowledge in a particular field.   Expertise is typically based on experience and talent, which is accumulated over time, whereas passion comes natural and from the heart.   The idea of marrying passion with expertise is one of my big messages from the point forward.   Ive started mentioning it in my speeches and it will appear more and more in my other materials because its why people are becoming successful in this web 2.0 world.   They are discovering that they can build expertise around their passion and you can too! Passion and expertise Passion: You cant be extremely successful without passion in what you do because its too easy to quit and change jobs or career paths.   Passion is the fuel youll need to put in the necessary workload in order to achieve your dreams.   When youre passionate about what you do, obstacles and criticism wont get you down.   Instead, youll remain focused and excited every time you wake up in the morning.   People will want to join you based on mutual interest and the energy that will be radiating off of you (which is more visible online than you would think).   A lot of people succeed without passion, but there definitions of success are different than mine.   My definition of success if making money doing what you love.   If you arent passionate, but youre making a lot of money at a company you hate, then, from my perspective, you arent successful. Expertise: If you dont know what youre doing, you wont be able to accomplish much of anything.   You can be the most passionate person in the world, but if youre unable to service your customer or clients, then you wont make money regardless.   Since we all need to make money to survive, expertise becomes just as, if not more, important than passion.   Its easier for us to gain more expertise in a shorter time period if were passionate because we can accumulate more experience and skills by working a hundred hours per week instead of just forty.   Expertise is what goes on your resume, while your passion is the anxiousness and smile you bring to your interview. 5 steps to unlocking both 1.   Reflect on the work experiences youve had in the past, as well as all the activities youve participated in and how theyve made you feel.   While you participate in activities, work-related or not, there is a certain feeling youll get inside when you enjoy them.   Whether its a major project youve worked on or a particular sport that youve participated in, the same feelings, emotions and excitement are there.   2.   Get a piece of paper and jot down your skills and passions in order from strongest to weakest.   Writing things down makes you remember them and keeping a list makes you more organized.   You can always refer to this, especially as you gain more experience and accumulate more interests throughout your life. 3.   Draw a line between the skills and passions that closely align. By viewing both your passion and expertise on a single piece of paper and drawing a line connecting them, you will have a better sense of your (possible) future.   Draw as many lines as possible because options can never hurt you.   You can also interweave the lines to connect more skills to a specific passion you have, etc. 4.   Do some internet market research to see what niche might be available for you to claim.   Based on the keywords representing your passion and expertise, you should conduct a variety of Google searches.   See how many results for each keyword you get, what the competition is and how you can position yourself relative to both your passion and expertise in a niche area. 5.   Use 1-5 words to describe the connection between your passion and expertise and form a personal brand statement for positioning purposes.   Once you grasp the niche you want to claim, summarize it in one to five words maximum and use it as a personal brand statement, that expresses what your passion/expertise is and the audience you want to serve.

How to Land an Interview with Google for a Software Engineer Position CareerMetis.com

How to Land an Interview with Google for a Software Engineer Position Google is one of the most valued companies in the world and is well-known for the perks they offer their employees. They pay some of the highest salaries in the tech industry. As a result, Google receives more than two million resumes but hires only around 4 000 employees every year.With these kinds of numbers, it is hard to imagine the actual size of the company, but it is even more fascinating how the company recruits and keeps its most talented employees motivated over the years.evalConsidering the fact that of the 72 053 full-time employees However, Google more than anything values people with practical experience and an entrepreneurial spirit, people who have faced chaos while growing a startup. This kind of experience lets people enter the TL5 and upper levels, instead of the standard L3 or L4.Google LevelsNot many people leave a company, but plenty of people move between teams and projects so that they do not get bored and get trapped by routine. If you are performing at the n ext level, you will get promoted.A Whiteboard at Google L0: Member of technical staffL1: Data Center Technician I L2: Does not exist any longer since Software Engineer I was canceled in roundabout 2008.L3: Software Engineer IIL4: Software Engineer IIITL5: Senior EngineerTL6: Staff EngineerTL7: Senior Staff EngineerTL8: Principal EngineerTL9: Distinguished EngineerTL10: Google FellowevalTL11: Senior Google Fellow According to Bruce R. Miller, an engineer at Google:“If you have been at Google a long time and you are not T5, then Google is going to start asking why you are not reaching the level where you independently handle your own projects. After you reach T5, you are not expected to move on, though you have plenty of opportunities to do so. Also, going beyond T5 takes significant effort, leadership skills, and many successful project experience.”There are almost a dozen levels in Google, but even so, the company hires more than 4 000 of the most talented engineers in the word each year and almost all of them start working at the first levels.How to Get Noticed by Google?In the past, Google used such job boards as Monster and Glassdoor but stopped to use them because too many users were sending out generic job applications.Now Google has its own career platform and the department spends most of its time searching for active workers. Hiring Managers use many tools like LinkedIn, Google+, alumni databases, and professional associations to discover talent.According to Kostadis Roussos, a Principal Engineer who has 18 years of hiring experience at Google:“We spend more time scouring GitHub for people to hire than we do scouring lists of winners of competitive programming. If you want to add value to your resume, go build something on GitHub.”So, if you really want to get noticed, spend your time coding on open-source projects because that’s the most relevant working experience you would also have at Google.Spend your time coding, impress them by your ac hievements and you will be called for an interview, just like Jessica Su who spent 600 hours on algorithms before being noticed by a big company.Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comAlso, you can participate in an annual algorithmic competition, Google Code Jam. GCJ is a not-so-hard way to get noticed by Google and you don’t need to be the finalist (there are 42 contestants). For example, if you reach Round 2 (around 3 000 contestants), you might be contacted by Google.The best way to practice for Google Code Jam is by solving old problems on websites like TopCoder, Codeforces, or HackerRank. There are some interesting cases where engineers get in touch with Google just by searching for how to solve these problems.Another way to impress Google recruiters is to have done fascinating work at another tech company?â€"?which could be either a startup or a big tech organization. If the results are impressive, you can be invited to work straight at the TL5 level instead of L3.Besides the coding, t here are other active ways to get noticed. To let the world know what you’ve done, you should publish articles. Do anything to advertise your best skills and experiences.Finally, instead of waiting for a call, do what marketing, sales, and administrative job-hunters do â€" go to conferences and start networking.Conferences are all about meetings. So, prepare a list of who you want to target. Google employees often speak at conferences, and they’re very approachable. Chat with them after their talk and impress them with your top achievements and professional attitude.There is no better way to get into a company than to be recommended. So, becoming friends with a current Google employee is one of the many approved strategies.ResumeGoogle is one of the most competitive and technically advanced companies in the world. They create a working environment and many other employee benefits that are above the standard. By working in such a company, employees increase not only their profess ional value but their experience as well.More than two million people around the world are trying to get a job at Google every year and that shows that even the biggest corporations can be great and employee-friendly. Not to mention all the extraordinary and the most talented co-workers who will surround you every single day.So, work hard, share your knowledge with open source communities, build a great resume, and one day you will get that personal call for an interview.

Is Working Online a Good Option for You Five Ideas to Get Started - CareerAlley

Is Working Online a Good Option for You Five Ideas to Get Started - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. In this digital age, there are more and more jobs that involve working online. If you are having trouble deciding on a career, perhaps you should consider one of the online working options. There are jobs available where you go to a workplace every day and others where you can work on your own computer at home. However and wherever you work online, this could be a chance for a new career, one that offers a whole world of possibilities. Online Marketing The advertising world has changed dramatically with the introduction of new technology. Gone are the days when the best way to promote a business was through TV adverts or magazine and newspaper promotions. Now the easiest way to get a brand known and trusted is online, often through social media platforms. There are jobs available where you go to a workplace every day and others where you can work on your own computer at home. So why not work from home? Tweet This For a long time, many large companies ignored social media, but that has changed in recent years. Now there are many businesses that have pages on Facebook, Twitter, and all the other social media platforms. Getting a brand known this way is cheaper than any other method, but it can be time-consuming. It needs someone to be keeping a watchful eye, so when a Facebook or Twitter post is made about a company it is replied to as soon as possible, whether it is praise or a complaint. Leaving customers waiting for days for a response does not create a good impression for any business and will put customers off taking a closer look at the product or service being offered. Networking Strategies To Find Jobs in the Hidden Job Market: A Recruiter Reveals: Insider Secrets Price: $4.97 Buy Now from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: March 2, 2020 Remarks always need to be positive, and you need to know how to interact with people in a pleasant way, even if they are complaining. For some people, spending all day on social media sounds like their dream job, but its different from chatting with friends and family. Working in a marketing agency that offers social media management could be worth looking at if you think this could be ideal for you. Online Support The owners of online businesses do not just set them up and leave them to run on their own. There is always a support team in the background, ready to help players with queries or problems. Lets look at online casinos, for instance. Maybe a visitor to the site wants to know how to play a particular game, or they could need help with making a deposit or collecting their winnings. They may want general information, like what the odds of winning on a particular game or what bonuses are available if they join a site for the first time. There are also bingo sites and casinos where you can start to play without depositing any cash, and a new punter might want to know more about how these offers work. Any support team member would have quite a lot to learn, including how to use Bitcoin or Monero, which are just two of the cryptocurrencies allowed by online businesses. These types of sites are an option worth considering if you would like to start to work online. Online Sales Selling is not a career suited to everyone, and online sales are no different except that some people are more successful selling online, as they do not have to meet the customers face to face. Confronting people to try and sell can be too much for some, but online sales remove the embarrassing bits of selling that put many people off. If you are selling a product online for someone else, they will usually supply you with a webpage and all the necessary information you need to start selling. There are various ways to go about it once you are set up. If you are selling makeup, online parties could be a good idea, as they would be for most mail-order items, such as underwear or household goods. LinkedIn Unlocked: Unlock the Mystery of LinkedIn to Drive More Sales Through Social Selling Price: $20.99 LinkedIn Unlocked is a social selling roadmap that will help you generate a consistent flow of quality leads. Buy Now from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: March 2, 2020 Selling someone elses products also gets over the problem of accepting payments online, as this can be a stumbling block. This can be worked around for your own online business by taking payments through such sites as Paypal, as setting up direct credit and debit card payments can be a nightmare and is probably not worth the cost unless the business grows to a size that justifies such a cost. If its your own site, always remember that good content cannot be underestimated. Reaching your target audience with information that will interest them is always the right way to go. If you are making the product you are selling, such as scented candles or teddy bears, let potential customers know something about the ingredients, and how you make them. Information like this will always be of interest to potential buyers. If you have never considered sales as your career of choice, you may think differently if you can do it online. Online Services The definition of online services is an organization that provides an information service over the internet. There is no end to the subjects that information could be about, from education to law, from health problems to holiday destinations, or from how to boil an egg through to how to cook a top-class four-course meal. Look for any service online and you will find someone that offers it. They include online accountants, online architects, and online shops. It is really only the physical services, such as hairdressing or dentistry that cannot be done online. Many of the larger companies will have services online that need monitoring for potential problems, especially if customers are making bookings through them, or contact forms need replying to. If you have expertise in a particular area you think could help other people with all that you know, it is worth chatting to companies in your area of expertise to see if you can help with their online services. Blue Host Price: Web hosting Buy Now We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Online forums Most online forums are run by volunteers with an interest in the particular subject, but that is not always the case. For those with an interest in something, they are a great way to meet and chat with like-minded people, and running a forum or working as its admin can also be made into a source of income. Forums are also a brilliant way for customers to interact with a business and a good way for the business owners to find out if clients are happy and where improvements can be made if they are not. A forum needs administrators to ensure that only the best content goes online, no abusive language or offensive remarks should be allowed. Contacting some of the larger companies that run a forum for their products could be a way to get into working online. Ultimately, when you decide to work online theres a world of options at your disposal. Work from home Price: Discover flexible jobs that are far better than a typical job. FlexJobs makes it easier, faster, and safer to find a job that better fits your life! Buy Now We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

The Job Description of a Flight Attendant

The Job Description of a Flight AttendantThe job description of a flight attendant is quite the same as that of any other job. In order to be successful in this position, you will need to prepare a resume that can help your employer understand your skills and knowledge.The majority of employers today are looking for employees who are fit for the type of work they do. Therefore, your resume needs to clearly communicate the skills you possess that will make you the best candidate for the position. Your experience can range from simple home service to emergency medical care. Your experience should be such that your prospective employer can clearly see how much you have improved since starting work.The training in your resume is also an important part of the overall presentation. Make sure that it is easy to read and make sure it includes all of the relevant information. You should not put too much in the beginning as well. If there is no need for you to elaborate on anything, then this is a good sign. It means that your potential employer will not need to take your time to read your resume.When you are typing your resume, make sure that you use only a computer program that allows you to type without errors. This is the most effective way to ensure that your work will be legible. Be sure that all of your information is in the correct format. It is easy to overlook the spelling and grammar errors when you are only trying to be professional resume writing can make a big difference.Also, make sure that the information you are putting into your resume is exactly what the potential employer will be needing. Do not include too much on how skilled you are with a specific job that your prospective employer does not need. If you put a lot of your experience on a resume that a potential employer will not be using, it will not help you in your current position.While you want to write the resume that will help you get the job, you also want to keep the lines of communication o pen with your potential employer. This way, you can create a mutual understanding between yourself and your prospective employer. By writing a resume that relates well to the current requirements of the job, it will also come across as more professional.The job of a flight attendant is very demanding and may require a lot of traveling. You will need to always be ready to go at a moment's notice. Therefore, you should have at least a basic amount of savings that you can set aside for any emergency situation that may arise.Remember, even if you are lucky enough to get a job that allows you to travel without having to have a small amount of cash set aside, you will still need to have money saved for emergency expenses. By writing a well-written resume, you will show that you have an ability to handle different types of situations.