2015-Begin Your Changes Now

A lot of people make resolutions for the new year. They plan to make great improvements to their health, career, or spiritual lives, beginning on January 1st.
Then there are other people who refuse to make a resolution at all because they believe that nothing will change.

The first step to creating any lasting change is to begin. If a goal is really important to you, you don't need to wait until a specific day to begin it. Begin it now.
At the very least, you can prepare yourself for the changes you plan to make beginning January 1st.

Whatever your goals are, there are ways to prepare for them today.

If you are looking to make a career move:

• Create a new resume and cover letter.
• Look up jobs online for potential new positions.
• Post your resume on job boards.
• Buy a new interview suit.
• Sign up for a class to improve your marketable skills.

Looking to get in shape:

• Research health and nutrition information online or at the library.
•  Find a plan that you believe you can stick with.
• Create meal plans for the month of January.
• Sign up for the gym before the January rush, or buy 2-3 new workout dvds.
• Write a list of all of the reasons you want to get healthy.
• Look up success stories online.

Want to save money:

• Create a budget for the next six months.
• Open a savings account.
• Look up coupons to help you save money.

Whatever you want to do, please do not wait until January 1st to begin it. If you start taking steps now, it will give you momentum. When January 1st rolls around, you will be well on your way to accomplishing your goals!

What are your resolutions for  2015? What can you do now to get started?

After Graduation

I just received one of those after graduation surveys from Chatham University, where I got my Master's degree. I can hardly believe it has almost been one year already since graduation. The survey asked questions like, "What did you major in, have you found a job related to your field of study yet, will you go on and get more education, and how much money do you make?"

Just yesterday I was cleaning up my email box and came across so many emails from last year, and also when I first began my Master's degree program in 2010.  In all of the old emails I saw a very unsure and nervous person, and yet a determined one. There was  A LOT that I did not know (and still don't know) about my career field. I had lots of questions, and with everything I did I wondered, "Am I doing this right?" "Will anyone ever want to publish my writing?" etc.

 

Now, one year later, although I still get nervous about lots of things, I can see my growth. While filling out the survey, of course I would have been happy to be able to write that I have a full-time job that is writing intensive (I don't), or that I'm currently making $100,000 + per year (I do not), I'm still happy to have made progress.

 

Although it has been difficult, and I've been unsure of my steps 90% of the time, I am moving forward and having some successes along the way.

I have a great mentor now who helps me whenever I get stuck or want to wallow in self-pity or as I call it "rejection-pity."  Slowly but surely my publication and résumé credits are growing. So while I may not be able to say that everything is perfect post-graduation, I can say that I'm heading in the right direction.

Did A Dumb Mistake Cost You The Job?

I've written a few articles about job searching. My article "7 Mistakes First Time Job Seekers Make: And How to Avoid Them" has gotten a lot of positive feedback. People want to know these mistakes so that they can be sure not to commit them while they are looking for their perfect job. I know that I wouldn't want one silly mistake to take away my chances of attaining a goal.

I also wrote about "How NOT to Write a Cover Letter" because an inteview with a company starts well before we are face to face with a potential employer.

I came across this article, "Dumb Things People Have Said During Job Interviews".  While some of the dumb statements made me laugh, it is hard to believe that anyone would go into an interview and say things like, "I'm in anger management." The idea that anyone would confess to abusing someone to "teach them a lesson" is just crazy.

Check out this article for a good laugh, and to see yet again, what NOT to do.

Money Links

Here are some stories on money, ways to save, companies hiring now,  and some overall interesting things to think about.

Surprising jobs with a $100,000 salary that only require a two-year degree

5 Uncommon ways to save 

Medical Tourism, is it worth it?  

25 companies that are now hiring  

Your freezer can save you money

Macy's suing Martha Stewart  

Things you should rent instead of buy

7 Mistakes Job Seekers Make

Whether you are looking for your very first job, or seeking a career change after returning to college, you want to be sure that you are making the best impression possible. Many job seekers make mistakes that could easily be avoided. Below is an article I wrote for Fastweb and College Monster:

The day you graduate from college may be one of the happiest days of your life. The sense of accomplishment, the acknowledgement of a job well done, the pat on the back from your family and peers elates you. The future looks so bright, until you begin to search for a new job and are met with rejection after rejection. Then you begin to wonder if all of your years of hard work pursuing a college degree were worth it, if you can not find a job.

Some first time job seekers may be making mistakes that they are not even aware of. If you have found yourself committing any of the below offenses, stop, and change course immediately.

Contine reading "7 Mistakes First Time Job Seekers Make: And How to Avoid Them" to find out if you are making careless mistakes in your job search.