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Networking by Sign
Schmooze with confidence
Whether you're in need of a full-time job or looking for supplemental freelance/contract
opportunities, the thought of schmoozing with people who can assist you can seem like a painful,
manipulative, or insincere task.
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Power in Your Little Finger
I believe that there are two very different sorts
of power that a person can focus on developing.
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How to Stay Ahead of the Competition
To succeed in today's
rapidly changing world you have to focus more on
competitors, and less on executing your old success
formula. You have to be part of disrupting and
changing market in
order to compete effectively.
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 Makeover
Your Career
5 easy steps
by E. Quinn
"For years, I hated every job I had," says Olivia
(not her real name), who began working for newspapers
soon after she graduated from college. The 34-year-old
San Francisco resident says she would sit around at work
wondering what she'd be doing if she didn't have to be
there. "I always worked hard, though, because I kept
thinking a promotion would change everything."
She eventually worked her way up to a job as an arts
editor. "I kept thinking, 'This is my dream job, I'm
supposed to love it,' but I just didn't. And to make
matters worse, my promotions didn't come with much of a
pay raise. I was making so little money that I still
couldn't make a dent in my student loans." Sound
familiar? If you feel numb, bored, or resentful during
much of your workday, it's time
for a change. To make it happen, follow
these five tips to spiritually transform your life:
1. Dream a Little Dream
Spend time fantasizing about your career path. What
job would be utterly delightful for you? How much income
would you need to feel at peace about money? To make
her fantasies concrete, Olivia chose to
create a collage of photos to depict a new career and to
inspire her whenever she felt stuck in her old job.
2. Be Happy
Olivia loved to write, but she wasn't using her
skills in a way that brought her fulfillment.
Eventually, she consulted a psychic, who told her that
she was destined to be a creative writer and teacher.
Actually, Olivia thought the idea of becoming a teacher
sounded awful (standing in front of a class,
disciplining students), but she did long to immerse
herself in creative writing. Even though going back to
school would mean leaving a stable job and going into
debt, Olivia began applying to creative writing
programs.
3. Act Out
"Going to grad school felt like taking a vacation,"
Olivia remembers. "It was this huge leap into the
unknown, but I just wanted to do it. It felt right."
Feelings of joy, pleasure, and excitement are all signs
that you are on your
life path. Do everything you can think of
that gives you those feelings -- take up the saxophone,
climb Mt. Everest, or go out clubbing. Who knows? Maybe
one of those activities holds a future career path for
you. In any case, once you get used to acting on your
joyful impulses, you'll be able to recognize them when
they're prompting you toward a career change.
4. Baby Steps
People do sometimes make quantum leaps forward, but
most of us progress step-by-step. You may feel impatient
as you go about making a career
change, but by taking smaller steps, when
you find yourself losing inspiration, you may be more
willing to revise your goals to avoid another career
rut. Do one small thing a day to inch you towards your
goal (make a phone call, write an email, read an article
online). By the end of the month, you will have done 30
things.
5. Be Open
"When I went back to school, somehow I didn't
realize that I'd be required to teach in order to finish
the degree," Olivia says. "I thought it would be
horrible, but I didn't have a choice. I ended up
teaching a creative writing workshop, and I loved it! I
was totally shocked." Today, Olivia has her master's
degree in creative writing and works part-time as a
writing teacher -- a job she loves -- and she's making
more money than she did at the paper.
You deserve to be well-compensated for your time and
talents. When you are at work, you are devoting a part
of your life to that job. Don't
settle for
low pay unless the job compensates you in other truly
meaningful ways. If you believe in your own worth,
you'll gravitate towards work that pays you well
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