Archives for January 2011

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

When we think of moving, we often flash to an image of a large moving truck, stacks of cardboard boxes and a brand new house.  But moving is a fact of life at work too.  From reorganizations to relocations, everyday, hardworking men and women are asked to change their work location.  And while might not be as stressful as a house move (there should be a lot less stuff!), it can still be a royal pain in the butt.  Moving and storage doesn't have to be difficult!  Here are a few tips to prep for a cubicle or office move.PREVIEW THE NEW SPACE.  Before you commence packing, take a look at your future work area.  This is not always possible, but a visual can help you determine what you need to bring with you.  Obviously, the less stuff you schlep with you, the easier the move.  There's no point in moving something from Desk A to Desk B if you're only going to end up tossing it or taking it home since there's no room for it.UTILIZE PLASTIC … [Read more...] about Moving at Work? Tips to Shift Your Cubicle

A model of discreet efficiency, the well-known and often loved Chinese takeout place is too often taken for granted. In their quiet and humble way, these places provide many of us with the comfort food we crave and often badly need. The Chinese takeout has indeed spread its proverbial wings, and appear as often in Seattle and Savannah as in NYC and San Francisco. The appeal for affordable food, and the service that comes with it, is just about universal. It's become an icon of modern urban life, and deservedly so.More importantly, the Chinese takeout serves as a great business model, and not just for those of us who may one day hope to have our own business. The skills and talents that make even the most mediocre takeout successful can, and indeed should, be applied to where ever we work, or whatever we do. Knife skills are, after all, not required. Here are four characteristics of a Chinese takeout that can be applied to your job, irrespective of the size of your cubicle. … [Read more...] about 4 Career Lessons From the Chinese Takeout