Losing Your Job Feels Like a Barn Fire Destroyed Everything

Losing Your Job Feels Like a Barn Fire Destroyed Everything Granted, Ive never owned a barn. Nor have I ever harvested hay. So Im not sure what losing it all to a barn fire feels like. But I can imagine. I posted this November 2nd: I can imagine the work and investment it took to plant and cultivate 150 tons of hay. The hope and anticipation what does 150 tons of hay mean for your family? For your future? The work of harvesting the hay and stacking it neatly in the barn. A job that could be dangerous and take more hours than I can imagine. The work. The investment. The hope. The vision. The chance to make a difference. All of it goes up because of a barn fire. How did it start? Could something like this ever be 100% prevented? I read this article about a week after I got notice that your last day with us is on November 30th. Every part of the vision I had for my job, my contribution to the company and to the customers, just got set on fire. Of course, I had an idea this could be coming. But until the words fall from their lips, its just my nervous inclination to allow myself to think of the worst. I had been unsettled for a couple of months since my boss, the VP who hired me, had left. Then, the executives questioned the validity of the program which meant that my future at the company was likely on the line. They said that even if the program were terminated, theyd find a place for me in the company. I heard that from people who had been at the company for years. We just dont lay people off. Layoff is not in our vocabulary. I was told that they hadnt laid anyone off for four years. And here I was, the lucky guy who got to be once every four years. I was and am upset for a host of reasons. But back to the barn fire I put a lot of work into my job. Since February, I caught my bosss vision, and we worked hard all the way until he left to move towards the vision. And then, the fire came and burned it all down. Yes, money was lost. Yes, investment was lost. But what really hurt was when my vision was burned. I wasnt going to be able to change the world, in that way, with that opportunity, anymore. And that was one of the most painful parts of this layoff. Losing Your Job Feels Like a Barn Fire Destroyed Everything Granted, Ive never owned a barn. Nor have I ever harvested hay. So Im not sure what losing it all to a barn fire feels like. But I can imagine. I posted this November 2nd: I can imagine the work and investment it took to plant and cultivate 150 tons of hay. The hope and anticipation what does 150 tons of hay mean for your family? For your future? The work of harvesting the hay and stacking it neatly in the barn. A job that could be dangerous and take more hours than I can imagine. The work. The investment. The hope. The vision. The chance to make a difference. All of it goes up because of a barn fire. How did it start? Could something like this ever be 100% prevented? I read this article about a week after I got notice that your last day with us is on November 30th. Every part of the vision I had for my job, my contribution to the company and to the customers, just got set on fire. Of course, I had an idea this could be coming. But until the words fall from their lips, its just my nervous inclination to allow myself to think of the worst. I had been unsettled for a couple of months since my boss, the VP who hired me, had left. Then, the executives questioned the validity of the program which meant that my future at the company was likely on the line. They said that even if the program were terminated, theyd find a place for me in the company. I heard that from people who had been at the company for years. We just dont lay people off. Layoff is not in our vocabulary. I was told that they hadnt laid anyone off for four years. And here I was, the lucky guy who got to be once every four years. I was and am upset for a host of reasons. But back to the barn fire I put a lot of work into my job. Since February, I caught my bosss vision, and we worked hard all the way until he left to move towards the vision. And then, the fire came and burned it all down. Yes, money was lost. Yes, investment was lost. But what really hurt was when my vision was burned. I wasnt going to be able to change the world, in that way, with that opportunity, anymore. And that was one of the most painful parts of this layoff.

Start Your Money-Saving from Home

Start Your Money-Saving from Home Most people have trouble saving because they think it only needs to be done with the monthly income, which sometimes is not usually enough. Great saving habits start small. Households present many opportunities to cut back on your spending and put more into your savings account. Furthermore, home saving practices can help teach your children and other family members how to manage their finances since it is never too early. Some money-saving ideas such as making your own meals instead of dining out or having a grocery list before shopping are common, but there are other tactics you can try. Eat Seasonal Even when you are cooking your own dishes, you can still save by sticking to foods that are in season. Out-of-season vegetables and fruits can be quite pricey, and that cancels out the savings you make by eating homemade. Frozen foods can cost considerably less, and you can get them in bulk. Keep Recipes Simple Cooking at home doesn’t mean fancy meals that demand exotic ingredients. Find cookbooks and websites that have uncomplicated recipes that you can use.  Change Filters It may not seem like it, but your old and dirty filters may be cutting into your home budget more than you realise. Filters in the HVAC system, dishwashers and other appliances need regular cleaning and replacement to increase efficiency. Worn out filters reduce the capacity of your devices, so they work harder than they should, leading to high energy bills. Check Data Plans Another area that could be eating up your income is the broadband service you use. Evaluate your current mobile phone and data packages to see if you can save more. If you are going over your data limits, it means you are paying extra every month. It is cheaper to switch to a plan that meets your data usage needs. For minimal users, find suitable broadband plans. Bundle Your Broadband Services Paying for your cable TV, mobile phone and internet services separately can cost a lot of money. With the right broadband provider, you can have all these in one bundle. A majority of providers even have deals for buying bundled packages, which means more savings. Recycle Most of the rubbish you throw out can be utilised for something else around the home, which can add to your savings. Wrapping paper, for instance, is useful more than once. Alternatively, you can find creative methods of wrapping gifts rather than store-bought paper.  Run Full Loads on Washers Running your dishwasher or washing machine when it is not full only wastes water and power. Wait until you can get a full load on the appliances to turn them on. Additionally, using your washers with full loads means that they work fewer cycles, and that boosts their lifespan. Learn to Sew Small repairs such as missing buttons, undone hems and holes can cost money when you have to take clothes to the tailor every time. You can avoid that by mending them yourselves as you just need to invest in thread and needle. DIY Besides sewing, learn a few other skills that may help around the house. Knowing how to change a showerhead, install a security light or replace door locks can reduce the money you spend on professional tradespeople such as plumbers, electricians and locksmiths. Online Coupons Coupons can cut down your grocery spending significantly. However, instead of buying the newspapers weekly, you can go online and print them from coupon sites. Search for the best places to get deals and capitalise on the various coupons. Rent Formal Wear If you don’t attend many fancy events, it doesn’t make sense to buy an overpriced tuxedo or evening gown that you will only wear for one night. A suit or dress hire service is a cheaper option that will get you what you need. Start a Home Garden If your compound allows it, grow a small garden where you can get vegetables and fruits for the family. You only need to buy seeds and dedicate the right care to your garden. For better savings, know which crops to plant. For example, perennials can give you more savings than annual crops because they grow year after year. Flowers are also great investments because you won’t have to spend money buying them from the market or worse, the store. You can also have air-purifying plants in your garden, which are great substitutes for artificial air purifiers.

How to Prepare for an Informational Interview - Career Sidekick

How to Prepare for an Informational Interview - Career Sidekick How to Prepare for an Informational Interview Interview Preparation / https://www.edenscott.com/blog While not as formal as a typical job interview, an informational interview can be just as nerve-racking. It might even be more intimidating if you don’t know how to prepare for it.There’s a lot of information out there about preparing for a typical job interview, but it can be difficult to find useful resources about getting ready for informational interviews. That’s why we’ve created this guide to show you how to prepare the right way.How to Prepare for an Informational Interview:1. What to BringEven though you’re not interviewing for a job, it’s still a good idea to bring a resume, nonspecific cover letter and portfolio if you have one. Since you’ll want to keep in contact, be sure to bring a few business cards as well.As far as how to dress, treat it like a formal interview. What’s considered appropriate will differ depending on the job.2. Do Your ResearchDoing adequate research before the interview will show your contact you appreci ate their time and you’re taking the interview seriously.Read up on the person you’re meeting with. See if you can find out what positions they’ve held, projects they’ve worked on and any other relevant information about them. If you can find anything the two of you have in common, mention it. This will help you establish a personal connection and make a positive impression.Also do some research on the company they work for. What are they working on? Who are their clients? Who is the CEO? This will help you ask relevant questions and is especially useful if you’d like to one day work at that company.Read up on what’s going on in the industry, too. Make sure you know the lingo, the latest news and where the industry seems to be heading. Being knowledgeable will help portray you as a serious job candidate and worthwhile connection.The majority of the interview should be spent asking questions and gathering information, but you should also prepare to talk about yourself a l ittle bit. The focus shouldn’t be on you, but you do want the interviewer to get to know you. Be prepared to spend two to three minutes talking about your experiences, career goals and interests.3. Prepare QuestionsIt’s important to prepare yourself by researching relevant and practical questions, as well as replies.You’ll want to ask insightful questions that you couldn’t just find out the answers to on your own. This way both you and the person you interview with feel like the meeting was a worthwhileway to spend time. You want to get unique insights, and the person you meet with wants to feel like they were helpful.Some topics to ask about include:An average day on the jobThe company’s cultureChanges in the fieldHow to prepare to work in the field4. Follow Up                            The follow-up is a  crucial step of the informational interview, but it often gets completely forgotten.You should always send a follow-up email or letter to say thank you. Y our interviewer wants to know you appreciated their time, plus it makes them more likely to think favorably of you and provides you the chance to establish a more long-term connection.In your follow-up, ask what the best way to keep in contact is and then maintain that connection by checking in periodically.Informational interviews are not usually a direct path to a job. However, the person you meet with might recommend you for a position somewhere down the road or give your contact information to a friend. At the very least, you’ll have practiced your interview skills, learned something about your industry and established a meaningful connection.About this guest author:Sarah Landrum is a leading millennial career expert and the founder of Punched Clocks, a career and happiness blog for young professionals. Follow Sarah on social media @SarahLandrum for more advice on creating a career you love!

Content Marketing and Personal Branding Success - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Content Marketing and Personal Branding Success - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Content marketingtelling stories and sharing helpful, relevant informationplays a key role in building your personal brand. Although branding is usually discussed in terms of behavior, the quality of the content you prepare for building your personal brand, or the building your employers corporate brand, is equally important. As many speakers at Content Marketing World 2013 emphasized, your clients and prospects dont really care about you; theyre more interested in their own challenges, goals, and problems. To break through your clients and prospects indifference, you need to create an on-going stream of content-relevant stories that will create emotional connections with your market. Thats why the Content Marketing Institutes Joe Pulizzi wrote Epic Content Marketing: How to Tell a Different Story, Break Through the Clutter, and Win More Customers by Marketing Less. Qualified, timely advice Epic Content Marketing is a how-to reference guide that is as current as the Coca-Colas Content 2020 initiative which focuses on replacing creative excellent with content excellence. (See Coca-Cola Content 2020 Initiative Strategy Parts 1 and 2 videos.) Topics covered Organized in 5 parts, Epic Content Marketing addresses every aspect of content marketing that individuals building personal brands for themselves, or corporate brands for their employers, are likely to need in order to succeed. Topics include: PART I. Content Marketingthere and Back Again. The 6 chapters in this section provide an overview of content marketing, including its history, the reasons it exists, the business case for content marketing, and an informed look at tomorrows media companies. PART II. Defining Your Content Niche and Strategy. The next 7 chapters address the homework that precedes content marketing success, including creating a personal statement that combines your business objectives with the information needs of your audience. This leads to detailed chapters addressing audience personas, defining your market engagement cycle, and identifying your content niche. PART III. Managing the Content Process. Creating a process for producing content involves building an editorial calendar, managing time and resources, understanding the different content types, and creating a content platform and a sustainable content channel plan. There are 7 short, but detailed chapters in this section. PART IV. Marketing Your Stories. Content, even highly-relevant, story-based content, needs to be nurtured. The 3 chapters in this section describe how to put social media to work amplifying your content, as well as alternative content promotion techniques. This section also describes how to leverage social influencers in your sphere. V. Making Content Work. Chapter 24, Measuring the Impact of Your Content Marketing, (see below), is one of the most valuable chapters in Epic Content Marketing. This chapter will help you justify your content marketing efforts to impatient, bottom-line C-level clients and executives. The last chapter, The Evolution of Your Epic Story, helps you prepare to remain at the peak of your skills in the years to come. Takeaways Epic Content Marketing covers a broad spectrum of topics, offering something for everyone, whether theyre a newcomer to the field or an experienced content marketer. Here are the takeaways that strongly resonated with me either on familiarity or the thrill of discovering something new.  Print is not dead. Content marketing and personal branding are often viewed as either web-based media or grounded in your person-to-person communications and leadership styles. I was pleased, however, to see numerous examples of the important role that printed communications can play in Chapter 16, Content Types. Spectrum of content marketing options. As is also described in Chapter 16, brand-building content options also include e-learning, executive roundtables, mobile applications, online games, road shows, as well as writing books. Mainstream, not a niche. Coca-Cola, mentioned above, is just one of the large corporations using content marketing to build their corporate brands. Other familiar corporate brands investing heavily in content marketing include LEGO, Red Bull, and TD Ameritrade. Transparency. The author holds little back when describing his experiences using content marketing to build the Content Marketing Institute. At several points, Joe Pulizzi shares specific strategies and tactics used by Content Marketing Instituteand the results they obtained. Visual storytelling. Visuals play an important role in Epic Content Marketing. Chapters contain multiple types of visuals, including screen shots, flow charts, cartoons, tables, white paper covers. Frequent subheads make it easy for readers to locate desired information. Bullet and numbered lists are often used to save space and add visual interest to pages. Details. Although Epic Content Marketing is an aspirational type of book, after you finish reading it, you are left not only optimistic about adapting the ideas to your own brand and business, but youll know the specific next steps to take to implement the ideas. Each idea is accompanied by examples, resources, and tips. Creating a Content Process. One of my favorite chapters in Epic Content is Chapter 15, Managing Information like a Product. Often, content and writing tasks are viewed as creative and magical. By viewing information as a product, however, this chapter emphasizes the need to create a process to plan, delegate, and track your content marketing. Concise. An example of the conciseness of it is the books Top Content Marketing Questions answered in 140-characters or less. Organization and structure As an author and book coach, I pay particular attention to the way books are organized at both the table of contents level and the chapter level. As you can see from the Mindjet mind map of of Epic Content Marketings Chapter 24, Measuring the Impact of Your Content Marketing, ideas logically build on each other. Theres an obvious content hierarchy, whether looking at the mind map of the chapter , or reading and skimming the chapter, following the subheads. In the case of Chapter 24, the structure is as follows: Relevance. Chapters typically begin with a statement of relevance, which usually involves   answering the question, Why does this chapter matter? The relevance is typically story-based, often an anecdote or case study.   In this case, a series of paragraph-length quotes from a broad variety of content marketing experts introduces Chapter 24. Three Big Questions. The first idea, or topic, is often introduced as a list, that is elaborated upon in the following sections of the chapter. In this case, the 3 questions are those any content marketer is likely to be asked by the individual or manager paying the bills for the firms content marketing program. Big Idea 1. There are two parallel ideas involved in helping readers justify their content marketing efforts to their clients or high-level managers. The first is Return on Objective. In this case, a visual, The Content Marketing Pyramid, helps readers visualize the difference between primary, secondary, and user indicators. A detailed discussion, with examples and resources, follows. Big Idea 2. Balancing Return on Objective: Part 1s emphasis on user metrics is the next topic, Return on Objective: Part 2: which focuses on return on investment. Between these two approaches, most readers will gain a new perspective on answering the questions they must answer if they are to deliver trackable content marketing success to their clients or employers. Closure. Chapter 24 concludes with implementation tips, plus an Epic Thoughts   summary of key ideas plus Epic Resources for readers who want to learn more. A similar structure, or rhythm, is used throughout every chapter in Epic Content Marketing. Finding content for personal branding success Engaging, entertaining content, offering helpful, relevant, information, is the primary currency used in corporate and personal brand building. Epic Content Marketing is an excellent guide for improving your content creation and content curation skills. Epic will help you to create the process needed to take your brand to the next level. Do you have a content process for personal branding success? Share your content experiences as comments, below. Author: Roger C. Parker is an author, speaker, and coach who can help you build your personal brand by writing more efficiently. Get my free 99 Questions to Ask Before You Start to Write   workbook or ask me a question.

5 Tips for Finding a Job in the UAE - CareerMetis.com

5 Tips for Finding a Job in the UAE Boasting one of the most influential and most opportunity-rich economies of any nation in the world, the UAE is an alluring option for many workers around the globe. With an abundance of things to do and a robust expat community, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are two of the most sought-after places for people to live, work, and play.The comfortable lifestyle, modern conveniences, exceptional infrastructure, and low tax requirements only make them more attractive.evalPerhaps you also want to leap into Dubai’s burgeoning job market; if so, you may have no idea where you should start. While networking and reconnecting with old friends and colleagues is always a fantastic start when looking for a new job, you may not have too many No matter where you are looking for a new job, it is always crucial for you to do your research and understand the market you are looking to enter.Whether you are browsing restaurant jobs in the UAE or are looking for a more specific position, you need to know what you are getting yourself into as that way; you are more equipped to market your skills to a potential employer.Currently, the hospitality and tourism industry is one of the most substantial parts of the UAE’s economy.Furthermore, the country’s lavish plans for hosting the World Expo 2020 are also boosting a lot of industries, such as legal, finance, marketing, procurement, IT, hospitality, telecommunications, and For this reason, it is essential that you spend some time updating your LinkedIn profile so that it adequately reflects your current position and achievements. All relevant results, honors, and training, as well as PR mentions or articles, should be noted.Your next step is to optimize your LinkedIn profile with relevant keywords and phrases that the recruiters and firms will recognize and appreciate. Note the key buzzwords and phrases in your target market and then add them to your headline, summary and experiences sections â€" you want to be sure that if a business is loo king for someone like you, they can find you!Additionally, you can initiate your LinkedIn “Open Candidate” flag to confidentially inform recruiters and businesses that you are open to any opportunities. If you are still working for a company, LinkedIn will hide the signal from recruiters at your current employer.Furthermore, you want to make sure that you don’t have a negative digital footprint. Make sure your social media pages are private and that a quick Google search doesn’t bring up any negative personal press. If a recruiter was to look you up, you want to make sure that you have your best face forward.3. Use Both Online and Offline TacticsevalWhile it is essential that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and that you are scouring online job boards on a daily basis, you don’t want to solely depend on the Internet for finding a job in the UAE. In the UAE, many firms do not post their job openings on these websites as many positions fill through word-of-mouth, networki ng, and other forms of references.If you are new to the UAE and are unsure how to get your foot in the door at your dream companies, then take a risk and call/email the HR team at your target firm or visit them personally and drop off your updated resume.While there are plenty of job opportunities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, you will undoubtedly need to be proactive and creative when it comes to locating your perfect position.4. Consider Working with a RecruiterWorking with a recruitment agency is a fantastic idea when looking for a job in the UAE, and working with an agency is very common for obtaining a job within the emirate. By working with a recruiter, you can be confident that they will inform you of potential job openings and positions that you may not have had access to otherwise.A recruitment agency can help you get your foot in the door at a firm that you have no personal contacts in, while also briefing you on other similar companies that they see as a potentially good fit.Ad ditionally, by working with a global recruitment agency, you can start your job search in the UAE before you even move there. By enlisting the help of professionals, you can now search for career opportunities in all areas of the globe.However, keep in mind that if a recruitment agency wants to collect a significant amount of money from you 5. Practice PatienceDue to the benefits of working in the UAE, the job market in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is exceptionally competitive. Unlike other areas of the world, the hiring process in the UAE is generally seasonal.Most hires take place from January to March and stop entirely during the holy month of Ramadan and the scorching months of the summer, so it is best to not visit the country during this time For this reason, it is important to practice patience. While you are probably raring to go and over-the-top excited about finding a new job, keep in mind that your job search in the UAE could take up to a year. But, it will be worth it! Have you e ver applied for a job in the UAE?Have you considered moving there? How do you prepare to apply for jobs overseas? Let us know in the comments below!