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Tips for Building a Successful Career1. Develop excellent work habits ? for example, meet deadlines and don't procrastinate. 2. Read extensively about your primary career area. "Own" your profession by developing a disciplined reading program, so you'll be aware of trends and developments. 3. Practice team playing ? learning from colleagues and sharing your knowledge. 4. Know both your job and your organization's expectations, and be sure they're on the same track. 5. Set goals, write them down and evaluate your progress. 6. Focus on understanding your client/customers. Come up with strategies that add value from them. 7. Don't dodge administrative tasks ? it upsets most supervisors. 8. Volunteer for outside activities: Accept assignments to speak to outside groups, lead professional panels and write articles for professional journals. 9. Build executive communication skills and cultivate an executive persona by reading books on the subject and attending seminars. 10. Take risks with personal development, acknowledging both strengths and weaknesses; build on strengths and correct weaknesses. 11. Seek out notables both inside and outside your profession, and watch and learn from winners. 12. Always seek opportunities. Success is not a sweepstakes waiting for the knock at the door. 13. If your employer does not emphasize learning and achievement, move on. 14. Think big ? but always manage the details. 15. Take manageable risks. Remember, without occasional failures, success is unlikely. At Goozu.com, we offer an on-line shopping experience like no other. Not only are we an industry leader in providing name-brand products at outlet prices, we pride ourselves in a user-friendly internet site and superb customer service to cater to your shopping needs. At Goozu.com, you will find the highest quality merchandise at closeout prices. There are many aspects that set us apart from our competition?low prices, great products, years of experience, etc. Ultimately, however, we offer exactly what today's retail customer wants most: the best products at the best prices. We're committed to bringing you the products you want at the lowest prices every day, and to providing you with the convenient, secure shopping experience you deserve. |  | | | RELATED ARTICLES A Bit of Pollyanna "Stop being such a Pollyanna," a trusted, more experienced colleague counseled as we took the long route back to my office. He had just witnessed my project idea annihilated as co-workers eagerly argued why my idea wouldn't work, where it was flawed and why it shouldn't be funded. Despite naysayers in the room that day, I believed it was worth pursuing. Ultimately, it did receive funding and became, in time, a successful endeavor. A bit of Pollyannaism got me though. How I Joined the Outsourcing Revolution Mention "outsourcing" to a programmer and you may as well be uttering profanity. The word suggests all the evils that have befallen the Information Technology sector since the Internet bubble burst a few years ago. We've been endlessly regaled with tragic tales of American companies who have closed up shop for many of their I.T. positions, only to "offshore" those same jobs to programmers overseas working for less pay than their American counterparts. A brain drain is taking place in the once highly secure computer programming profession. Have You Been Fired? Laid Off? No? You Will Be! It's true. Things have changed. You need to know the 3 Keys to Taking Control in this wildly-changing job world. It is Still Possible to be Upwardly Mobile in America! Yes, it's still possible to be upwardly mobile in America: it's called a career in sales. Writing Great Cover Letters Cover letters are an essential ingredient to your complete résumé package. This is the best opportunity for you to demonstrate your personal character, knowledge of the company and your business writing skills.The following is a relatively generic format for creating your cover letter. Note that most cover letters are designed to target a specific company or at least a specific industry.First ParagraphYou must spark the employer's interest. Focus on your unique characteristics, whether they are based on experience or personal traits that will benefit the company. Don't simply restate your résumé objective statement. You must command attention, not simply alert the employer that you are applying for a position (they already know that!).Second ParagraphProvide more detail about your professional qualifications or relevant educational background. Highlight your professional accomplishments and/or achievements, not responsibilities. Use active verbs when describing things that you have done and back it up with a statistic or concrete fact when possible. Tailor this paragraph to the position that you are applying for.Third ParagraphDemonstrate knowledge of the company, their industry, and the challenges that they may be facing. This is where you connect what the company needs in an employee and the skills that you bring to the table. You want to implicitly show your knowledge of the company without regurgitating something you read on the company's website. Alluding to general industry trends that are affecting the company will let the employer know that you can see the big picture and how your position affects the company's strategy.Fourth ParagraphThis is the final paragraph of most cover letters. You should demonstrate your confidence and enthusiasm in working at the organization. Be sure to include a call to action, requesting an appointment with the decision maker (using the word appointment over the word interview helps make you sound more confident and professional). It is also recommended that you alert the employer that you will follow up with them, usually one week after sending your résumé package. Negotiate Better Job Offers with This Twelve-Point Checklist You've been through an employer's interview process successfully and have now been extended a job offer. And you think the offer could be better. If that's the case, read on to find out cutting-edge strategies that'll help you negotiate a better deal. The Top Ten Ways to Jump Start Your Career 1. Do What You Love. Supplement Your Skills and Improve Your Work Position It is often said that the majority of people are but a few checks away from homelessness. Without a consistent income, this may be a true statement.Some ability to multi-task can get you through a temporary employment down-spell. Franchising Offers NO Guarantees -- You have to ask --- IS a FRANCHISE FOR YOU? Your Next Performance Appraisal: Make It Work For You In the rush of everyday work, it can be difficult to think about your own career development. An appraisal is a key opportunity to identify your strengths, areas that need improvement and plans for your future. Stop Whining and Ask For What You Want! When you want something, the best way to get it is to make your request in a straightforward and positive way. You should not expect your boss or co-workers to read your mind and know what your expectations and desires are. Nor should you brood about the fact that someone else has not recognized what you think is obvious to everyone. Job Hunting Tips: Taking Care of Yourself Looking for work is generally a miserable undertaking. No matter how much education and experience you have, you are in a powerless and vulnerable position. Phone Interviews: Prepare to Ace Them! More companies are saving time and effort by doing initial telephone interviews before committing themselves to hours of time assessing and evaluating applicants. They are doing this because, frankly, it's a good way to save a team's time from interviewing obviously unqualified people. From your standpoint, this means that you need to develop an additional interview skill. Rev-Up Your Network! Whether you are looking for a job, new clients or feel the need to expand your list of professional contacts, networking is the answer. Ten Great Careers For Computer ?Geeks The universal acceptance of computers into our daily lives, both at work and at home, has decreased the image of computer users as being "geeks." The word geek itself has evolved a bit - going from meaning a socially inept person who gets along better with computers than people, to someone who is an expert with computers, a guru even. In fact, many computer service companies utilize the name geek in their nomenclature because of this new meaning. Match, Meet, and Mesmerize at a Job Fair Are you considering another trip through the career maze? Attending a job fair can make you feel like you are playing a losing game unless you have a clear understanding of the rules. Here are a few suggestions for making the most of any job fair, and gaining a competitive edge. Resume Writing - Tips and Advice Job-hunting is not the most exciting thing in the world but you can make it easier. The key is organization. Keep a record of companies you have applied and any contacts that may or may not have with them. One of the first things you need to do be creative in your resume writing. Sweeping Up Worms With the opening of a new venture and numerous reporters arriving in an hour, it felt like one of those "chickens with heads off" days. We were close, but not ready. So like locusts to a wheat field, a swarm of people were devouring the last minute details. Then, it rained. With rain, came worms, hundreds washing onto the entrance sidewalk. When I returned to the area, I found a manager, several department supervisors and a director outside with brooms, sweeping up worms. No one asked them to sweep worms. But, with guests arriving shortly and no one else available, they found brooms and started sweeping. 4 Internet Job Search Mistakes to Avoid The Internet is the most powerful employment tool on earth. Hands down. Doing What You Love What do you want to be when you grow up? I'm sure you were asked this question at least once when you were a youngster. When asked the question, did you have an answer at the ready, or did you need a few minutes to think about it? We all had dreams of becoming something great, like a fireman, a teacher, or a rock star, just to name a few. Well, how did you do? Maybe you never aspired to be what you set out to be or said that you would become. But then again, things change. The older we get, our tastes change, our view of the world changes, even our goals change. |
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