Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Why You Dont Need to Save the World

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Why You Don't Need to Save the World I once knew a guy named Brian. Brian was a recent college graduate and he wanted to work for an environmental nonprofit, but he couldn’t find a job. All of the organizations that interested him could only offer volunteer roles, and Brian needed to pay his rent. Brian received a job offer in pharmaceutical sales. At first, he was resentful â€" Big Pharma wasn’t what he signed up for when he went to college. But after thinking it over, he decided to take the job and make the best of it. Brian used the huge company as his personal training ground. He talked to people in every department to learn about different functions of the business. He mastered the process of how new drugs were invented, approved, manufactured, and sold, and learned essential transferable skills including finance, marketing, IT, customer relations, and of course, sales. Brian quickly became one of the top-ranked salespeople in his division and was promoted to manager. At this point, he was more marketable to the nonprofits, so I asked if he’d leave Big Pharma. “Why would I do that?” he said. “I want to do work that matters, and I’ve found a way to do that here.” Sound good so far? Check out how you can do the same at my new Mashable column.

ARE YOU A COMPULSIVE ONLINE SHOPPER THIS QUIZ WILL LET YOU KNOW

ARE YOU A COMPULSIVE ONLINE SHOPPER THIS QUIZ WILL LET YOU KNOW Thanks to smartphones and tablets people can access any store in the world from their bed at 2am, their office, the beach, an airport, even in their car in a traffic jam. Access to stuff right from the palm of our hands is a compulsive shopper’s dream! However this easy access can also become a nightmare. To get to the bottom of what defines online shopping addiction, what to do about it plus a quiz for you to take, we connected with Dr.  Sanam  Hafeez, a NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services. Compulsive shopping and spending are defined as inappropriate, excessive, and out of control, says Dr. Sanam Hafeez. Like other addictions, it basically has to do with impulsiveness and lack of control over ones impulses. In America, shopping is embedded in our culture; so often, the impulsiveness comes out as excessive shopping. Sometimes referred to as being a shopaholic, shopping addiction can wreak havoc on a persons life, family, and finances. What causes addictive behaviors? No one knows what causes addictive behaviors, like shopping, alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling, says Dr. Hafeez. Some of the new evidence suggests that some people, maybe 10%-15%, may have a genetic predisposition to an addictive behavior, coupled with an environment in which the particular behavior is triggered, but no one really knows why. While the origin of addictions remains uncertain, why addicts continue their destructive behaviors is better understood. Individuals will get some kind of high from an addictive behavior like shopping, says Hafeez. Meaning that endorphins and dopamine, naturally occurring opiate receptor sites in the brain, get switched on, and the person feels good, and if it feels good they are more likely to do it. There are certainly a lot of commonalities among shopaholics and other addicts, says Hafeez. For instance, while alcoholics will hide their bottles, shopaholics will hide their purchases. Look for signs. 1. Spending over budget. Often times a person will spend over their budget and get into deep financial trouble, spending well above their income, says Hafeez. The normal person will say, Oops, I cant afford to buy this or that. But not someone who has an addiction, explains Hafeez he or she will not recognize the boundaries of a budget. 2. Compulsive buying. When a person with a shopping addiction goes shopping, they often compulsively buy, meaning they go for one pair of shoes and come out with 10. 3. Its a chronic problem. A shopping addiction is a continuous problem, says Hafeez. Its more than a once-a-year Christmas spree. Some shopaholics report needing to buy something daily, even if it is a less expensive item; it’s the rush they are after.” 4. Hiding the problem. Shopaholics will hide their purchases for fear of criticism and having an argument, says Hafeez. They may have secret credit card accounts, too. Given this problem affects mostly women, as alcoholism affects mostly men, husbands will all of sudden be told their wife is $20,000-$30,000 in debt and they are responsible, and many times, this comes out in divorce. 5. Vicious cycle. Some people will take return purchases back because they feel guilty, says Hafeez. That guilt can trigger another shopping spree, so its a vicious circle. And in these people, debt may not be an issue because theyre consistently returning clothes out of guilt, but a problem still exists. 6. Impaired relationships. “Like with any addiction, relationships suffer,” says Hafeez. “Trust is compromised because the person covers up debt with deception. They also begin to isolate themselves emotionally and physically once preoccupied with their behavior. Shopping Addiction Quiz Answer the following with either sometimes, always, or not at all. Count up the number of “always” responses. Anything more than 4, could be signs of shopping addiction. 1. Do you buy things you want even if you know at that moment you do not have the money to pay for it? 2. Is it difficult for you to save money? 3. When you have some extra cash that you could save, instead, you think of other things you would like to buy? 4. Do you cheer yourself up or give yourself a reward by “going shopping”? 5. Does more than a third of your income go to pay credit card bills, not including rent or a mortgage payment? 6. Have you had to move credit lines because you typically don’t have the money to pay off your credit line? 7. Do you pay the minimum balance on your credit card most of the time? 8. Are you inclined to keep buying more of your favorite things clothes, makeup, cd’s, books, computer software, electronic gadgets even though you do not have a specific need for them? 9. When and if you have to say “NO” to yourself, or control yourself from buying something you really want, do you feel intensely deprived, angry or upset? About  Dr. Sanam Hafeez Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is a NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, P.C. a neuropsychological, developmental and educational center in Manhattan and Queens.   . Images via Pixabay.

Online course Proven paths to the perfect ISFJ life

Online course Proven paths to the perfect ISFJ life The ISFJ course is here! It includes three  days of videos and supplementary reading materials and a 20-minute one-on-one coaching session with Penelope  .  You can purchase this course  for anytime, on-demand access. The cost is $195.   Sign up now.   The only ISFJ Ive ever been close to is an  ex volleyball partner who was so hot that I could have just gone to bed with her and never gotten out. Ever. And  then she became anorexic and looked even hotter, and I felt so guilty thinking that. I gave up so many chances to play with great partners because I just wanted to spend all day on the court  next to  her. But this  is not a good opener for a post that is supposedly targeting  ISFJs. Here is a better  opener: My brother kept  dating for a long time. He kept saying  he was  looking for a woman who is beautiful and brilliant and kind and fun. And I was like, shut up. Youre not even all those things. I mean, I cant even remember the last time this brother was fun. The  most fun thing he does is laugh at my jokes. So I told him to just forget it, he couldnt get that.  But guess what? He found someone, and shes an ISFJ. I could write more about that. But the thing is that she would be really upset if I wrote anything else about her on this blog. ISFJs are private people. I do think shed be okay that I put a picture of her cat at the top of this post. You know, instead of using a picture of her. And anyway, the cat came from the farm. Spaying cats on a farm is a whack-a-mole game:   just when we think we got them all, another one appears. So we had two litters of cats and usually we give away the most unfriendly cats to our friends and keep the best ones for ourselves. But my sister-in-law, who I am really not going to write anything more about  after this, is so nice that she inspires me to be nicer, so I convinced the kids to give her the most cuddly kitten from the litters. But back to the ISFJs. As an ENTJ, what I share with ISFJs is a  need to accomplish things and be productive, but we have totally different tactics for getting there. My strengths have almost no overlap with ISFJs which means I appreciate their skill set more than almost any other type. Another interesting thing about ISFJs is they are known for not speaking up for themselves, yet every time I announce a new course, the ISFJs pipe up in the comments, asking me when the ISFJ course will arrive. So here it is. And we will cover all the topics the ISFJs  asked for: how to find the ideal spouse, how to  earn money without selling your soul, and how to meet your own high standards without making yourself crazy. Day one: Create  stability and security by understanding your type The ISFJ is one of the most common personality types, but its one of the least discussed types. This session will help you understand the strengths of your type and what makes other people appreciate  you. Different types will appreciate different aspects of you, and this session will show you quick ways to understand those perspectives. Also, ISFJs are so busy helping other people find the best, true path, that the ISFJ doesnt always take time to understand themselves. This session will give you a deep understanding of what you need now to be the person you want to be. Day two: Efficient, productive life plans that have worked for ISFJs ISFJs gain stability from balance between their complementary personality traits. This session will show you tips for maintaining that balance. For example, the  balance between productivity (focus on action) and emotional attentiveness (focus on listening) is your specialty. And when you are maintaining this balance, not only will the people around you feel good, but youll feel good as well. Also, maintaining your high standards without veering into perfectionism is a key to ISFJ planning. This session will show you how to avoid the pitfalls of perfectionism when laying out your plans and goals. Day three: Roles that feel fulfilling for the ISFJ This session will show you roles that will allow you to be your best self.  For example, your superpower is helping people, and you  are incredible at executing plans in the fastest, smartest way possible. But in order to use those  strengths, you need alone time to recharge. Also your ability to collect information about people and logistics is unparalleled, but sometimes you are so good at what you do that people take advantage. This session will show you how to be the backbone of society without feeling crushed. One-on-one Coaching Session Once youve finished watching the videos, I invite you to call me for a 20-minute coaching session where we can discuss anything youd like. Please email me at penelope@penelopetrunk.com to set up a time to talk. Youll be pleasantly surprised how much we can accomplish in just 20 minutes.  Sign up now.

Penelope Trunks Journey from Trade Publishing to Self-Publishing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Penelope Trunks Journey from Trade Publishing to Self-Publishing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The story of Penelope Trunks journey from trade to publishing to self-publishing is a must read for anyone interested in writing a book to build their personal brand. Its an entertaining story of the frustrations she encountered after receiving an advance from a major trade publisher, and her decision to self-publish her book. In telling her story, she provides an excellent perspective on the pros and cons of self-publishing in 2012. Her story resonated with me, reading it from the perspective of someone who has written 38 books that were trade published. The causes of her frustration may be different from mine, but the fundamental attitudes we experienced were similar. Template for success In addition to providing an inside look at trade publishing today, and how it stacks up against self-publishing, Penelope Trunks blog post provides an excellent example of how to create a blog post that not only educates readers but also promotes your book. How trade publishers promote during the age of self-publishing After receiving her advance from an unnamed, but respected trade publisher, Penelope discovered a major disconnect between how books are sold today and her publishers ability to promote her book. At a time when 85% of books sold today are sold online, her publisher would be unable to effectively promote her book using the Internet. Her Brazen Careerist community and the community of over 128,000 followers shes been nurturing through her personal blog is many orders of magnitude stronger than her publishers online brand. The more she researched the realities of book publishing in 2012, the more she realized that the combination of typical year-plus delay encountered in publishing a book did not compensate for the lack of publisher support for online promotion. In her final analysis of trade versus self-publishing, the sole advantage of trade publishing is creating books for sale in Barnes Nobles retail stores around the countrya market share that continues to decline each year. Key lesson One of the key issues that Penelope describes in her blog post is the fact thatat a time when Internet marketerscarefully analyze who is buying their products by tracking where website traffic comes from and the key words that buyers use to search for booksAmazon does not share this information with publishers! Previously, book publishers could correlate book sales with the characteristics of the bookstores that sold them, i.e., Is this being sold in urban bookstores, suburban malls, or specialty bookstores? Thus, to a greater degree than before, trade publishers are more in the dark about book buyers than before. Self-published authors with current Internet marketing skills, of course, have access to their own online marketing metrics. Penelope Trunks New Rules for book publishing In telling her story, Penelope offers 5 compelling and admirably-concise rules for self-publishing: Self-published books are the new business card. Non-fiction writers write books to get something else. Book sales are about community. Book sales are about search engine marketing. The only reason to have a print book is to be in Barnes Noble. Its hard to argue with her rules, or her discussion of them in her blog post. My primary concern with her rules is the absoluteness of the 5th point. I find quality 4-color art, design, and photography books printed on glossary paper are far more satisfying than e-books, and they dont have to be purchased in a retail store. (I buy them all the time online from sources like PhotoEye.) If youre thinking about writing a book to build your personal brand, share your impressions of Penelope Trunks blog and the hundreds of comments it has attracted as comments, below. Acknowledgement I want to thank popular Personal Branding Blog contributor Jacob Share for pointing out Penelopes blog postwhich I had somehow overlooked . Thank you, Jacob, for bringing it to my attention! Author: Roger C. Parker is a multi-title author, book coach, and consultant who blogs daily about the questions authors need to address and who invites your questions about writing. Follow him on Twitter @RogercParker.

How to Put Creative Writing on a Resume

How to Put Creative Writing on a ResumeThe task of how to put creative writing on a resume begins with some basic understanding of the creative element of writing. All writers have an inherent desire to communicate an idea in their writing, regardless of the language they use or the topic of the piece. Finding the words to convey the ideas of your piece is the crux of writing.A key to successful writing is how to put creative writing on a resume. With words, you will present your ideas and the experience you've had in your work and life to your potential employer. Your resume should include your experience and skill set as a writer in the areas that your potential employer needs you to write in.Resumes are a legal document, prepared by an applicant in order to land a job. As such, they need to be factual in nature and portray an accurate picture of the candidate. By choosing how to put creative writing on a resume, you can create a much more impressive resume that will catch the atte ntion of your potential employer.If you're writing for the first time, then starting out with a few writing samples from magazines or websites that deal with creative writing can be a good idea. Creative writing resumes are usually used in the 'gateway' field where you are demonstrating your writing prowess, skills, or talents. This is one of the ways that prospective employers will be able to see if you're a good fit for their organization before you actually interview for the position.In order to get the most out of how to put creative writing on a resume, there are certain steps that you can take to ensure that your writing will be the best possible representation of yourself. Firstly, focus on providing a clear statement of your expertise. Explain in as much detail as possible the types of writing that you're particularly good at.Choose a sample resume that is closely related to your career goals and writing style. Do not just begin writing. Read the sample resume carefully, and then try to develop an outline of your potential resume to include in your own personal style. Keep in mind that your personality and writing style should fit the skill set of the company that is hiring you.Next, study how to write a persuasive letter. It's okay to include some personal opinions and feelings, but you should make a strong case for why you are the ideal person for the job. Speak in a way that shows that you understand the company's needs and provide concrete examples of how you have contributed to the success of previous projects.Lastly, keep in mind that your resume should be an exciting snapshot of your work and life. Include a portfolio of projects that demonstrate the passion and dedication you have shown in your work. Use examples of work that you've written for personal use as well as for clients.

Summary Sunday Job Search Tips For New Job Seekers

Summary Sunday Job Search Tips For New Job Seekers Launching a job search requires you try lots of new things. These job search tips for job seekers will help you do things differently like networking and stalking (identifying people inside companies). Welcome newbies, to these job search tips for new job seekers!  Youre going to need some help doing things differently, so here they are! Every week I share articles that address the aspects of job search people want help with. And this weeks round-up is doling out more gems to help improve how you run your job search (On Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn), how you networking and job interviewing strategies. JOB SEARCH TIPS For New Job Seekers The overall job search process isnt as easy as finding job postings and applying. 5 Never-Fail Job Search Tips That (Almost) Nobody Follows by Mark S. Babbitt Job search advice is everywhere. With so many blogs and self-appointed experts, it’s hard to know who to listen to even harder to know what advice really works… and what is just crap. Read more Top Ten Tips for College Grads by Clarion University | Yahoo! Finance A record 78 percent of hiring managers are predicting more hiring in the first half of 2016 than in the second half of 2015 and more than a quarter plan to hire entry-level candidates this year, up nine points from last year. New college graduates can get the most out of their post-grad experience by keeping these Top Ten Tips in mind:  Read more How To Find A Contact At Your Dream Company: Six Ways To Get Insider Information by  Caroline Ceniza-Levine | Forbes Yes, companies post job openings, and some people do get hired just by submitting a resume. But, more often than not, by the time a job is posted, a short list of candidates is already being considered, and unsolicited resumes get overlooked. The best way to ensure you get in the running for your dream job is to have an inside contact at the company. Read more NETWORKING 4 Types of People Everyone Needs in Their Network by Lily Herman | Motto by Time Building and maintaining a network is daunting. Who’s really adding value to your career, and who’s simply another LinkedIn connection you don’t really talk to?  Read more INTERVIEWING The 29 Smartest Questions to Ask at the End of Every Job Interview by Jacquelyn Smith and Natalie Walters |  Business Insider Its important to remember that every interview is a two-way street. You should be interviewing the employer just as much as theyre interviewing you because you both need to walk away convinced that the job would be a great fit.  Read more SUBMITTING YOUR RESUME 5 Tricks To Submitting A Creative Resume That Gets Hiring Managers Attention by The Muse | Forbes I’ve got news for you: Going through traditional applications gets old for hiring managers, too. So, in an attempt to make the experience a little more engagingâ€"for me and for the applicantsâ€"I recently led a hiring process where I asked candidates to create a Tumblr  showing us why they’d be the best person for the job.  Read more

The Biggest Career Challenge that Millennials Face

The Biggest Career Challenge that Millennials Face The Biggest Career Challenge that Millennials Face This is not your parent’s career. You know, the one where they stay in the same job and retire with the gold watch. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that most high schoolers today are going to have at least 10-15 jobs across their entire lifetime. Personally, I think that is a really low number. With millennials, I think we are talking 20-30 jobs… or a whole lot more than that. Some of that number will involve holding multiple jobs concurrently.   Part-time work is becoming more prevalent, and people might have to work 2-4 part-time jobs at the same time just to pay the bills. But the reality of how millennials think and how employers are evolving is that people will be changing jobs. A lot. The biggest career challenge that millennials face is keeping a focus on the present. They are so inspired to make change that when companies don’t shift as fast as they like, millennials wants to move on. Additionally, the next generation has a knack for rapid-fire acquisition of knowledge combined with a media-inspired age of shorter attention spans, so they get BORED. While they are impatiently tapping their feet. Add in the fact that there are so many different choices and pathways… and things get pretty overwhelming and detract from the job seeker’s ability to stay focused in the present. So it’s like yelling the proverbial “Squirrel!” which usually gets people off track. It’s ok to have multiple different career paths, as well as loads of jobs. But one of the biggest career challenges that millennials face is sticking with something long enough to have some type of focus and gain skill sets at the present moment, while being open to the possibilities of the future. Will they do the same job for their entire life? Odds are they they won’t. Will the millennial even be in the same career for their entire lifetime? Not likely. But they need to have enough presence in the moment to fully comprehend and understand the concepts that they are mastering. And to be open to the fact that there is some wisdom through experience. That way, millennials are better prepared to move on to the next job armed with more “street smarts” as well as applicable experience which will help them find their dream job. And they have just overcome the biggest career challenge that millennials face.