Career Advice Blog

Online degree programs continue to become more popular and more widely accepted.  Traditional universities are increasing their online college classes and courses.  Many people are attracted to the flexibility these options offer and wonder about the economics of taking classes online.  Does taking classes online really save you money?  Like many things, "it depends." The online courses themselves are typically less expensive even though the lessons are the same.  When traditional on-site universities offer online courses, there is usually a slight discount of 5% or so versus the traditional course offering.  This is to encourage students to opt for online classes. Exclusively online universities are typically less expensive than traditional universities due to the lower overhead, absence of prestigious faculty members, and lack of extensive facilities. In either type of program, the student also potentially saves on the following: •     … [Read more...] about Does Taking Online Classes Save You Money?

Winner of Golden Globe awards, SAG awards, and likely several Oscars,  The Fighter is a brisk-paced movie about Micky Ward, the one-time boxing champion.Actor Mark Wahlberg plays Ward in the lead role; Christian Bale steals the show as the boxer's colorful brother Dickie.Between knockouts, greed, and drugs, The Fighter offers several important career lessons:Choose a life partner who supports your career choices.Micky Ward's wife in the movie is portrayed as a spouse who supports her husband's career choice, despite its endemic risks (permanent injury, sporadic payday, etc.).It's hard to stay positive, productive, and proactive through every leg of a career journey. Having a partner who believes in you and pushes you to improve can actually help you succeed. We could all use a cheerleader, and if you’re lucky, your spouse will take on that role.Listen to advice, but make your own decisions.There’s no shortage of career advice blogs, job counselors, and other people who … [Read more...] about 5 Career Lessons Inspired By “The Fighter”

Andrew (Jobacle editor) just asked me if I’d like to tackle the topic of improving self-discipline. I said, "Sure, as soon as I finish playing this game I downloaded to put off writing an article." Oops - looks like my self-discipline could use a make-over...But truthfully, being self-employed takes an incredible amount of self-discipline. Just as there are countless distractions in the traditional workplace, there are just as many in the home office. And when you don’t have a boss or co-workers observing, you can be tempted to slack off. It’s the mortgage statement that usually gets me back on track.Here are some things that (usually) work for me:1.  Reward yourself – It might sound counter-intuitive to reward yourself for being disciplined, but it actually will reinforce that good, productive behavior. Sometimes when I’m on a tight deadline, I will “allow” myself the reward of getting away from the PC for 15-20 minutes to take a … [Read more...] about 4 Tips to Improve Self-Discipline

The fashion world has for a long time been a woman’s world. Now, men are getting to it and though a rather old piece of fashion, the necktie is getting more emphasis. Men are looking for ways to incorporate the right choice of neckties in their daily wear. Not only that, they also want to make the correct knots when it comes to tying these accessories. Tying a necktie is an important art that every man concerned with his looks should learn. There are numerous how-tos and articles that will give you tips on how to do that right. But of most importance here and now, is the way you choose the necktie. This is where more emphasis should be placed.  The first thing you should be keen on is the type of fabric. Neckties should be attractive and attention getters. To make them so, you should go for fabrics that are shinny in nature. Satin or silk will give you the best of the shines but you should be keen to make sure that the fabric is 100% satin or silk. The color of the fabric is … [Read more...] about Choosing a Necktie That Fits YOU

If you frequently sit staring at a computer monitor for work and you often experience headaches or eye pain, you may be straining your eyes. While eyestrain caused by computer use doesn’t necessarily mean long-term health complications, it can be unpleasant and painful. If you have noticed any blurred vision, dry or watery eyes, or your eyes are burning, itching or feel more sore than normal, take these small steps to help reduce the strain: Begin New Healthy HabitsIt’s important, especially if your job relies solely on computer usage, to take eye breaks. When you feel your eyes starting to strain, force them to look at and focus on something else besides the screen. Use your finger as a starting point and focus on it right in front of your face. Then focus on something in the distance. Vary your distances and objects, holding your eyes on each for just a few seconds. If your job allows it, stand up and move around at least once an hour. Take a restroom break, stretch, or … [Read more...] about Tips for Better Eye Health at Work

When starting up a new enterprise, there are a number of considerations you're going take into account and make decisions on. Developing effective marketing strategies to attract customers is likely one topic that's at the forefront of your attention. When it comes to maintaining a new successful business, a huge factor that will affect your success is how your consumers perceive your establishment.  This isn't to say that you should mislead potential customers and market yourself as a reliable and  professional business if you're not, but you  should consider your company through  the eyes of your customers. Maintain a Professional Website First impressions matter. It's an undeniable fact that consumers often make judgments based on a business's online presence. If you have a limited budget that doesn't allow you to hire a web programmer, it would probably be beneficial to pay a professional developer to set up a polished website for your customers to navigate. … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Increase the Perceived Legitimacy of Your Business