GREAT SUCCESS SECRETS

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 9

2009-04-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

Success secret number seven, dedicate yourself to lifelong learning.
The fact is that you have more brains, ability and intelligence than
you could ever use if you were to work on developing yourself for
the rest of your life. You are smarter than you can imagine. There is
no obstacle that you cannot overcome, no problem you cannot solve
and no goal you cannot achieve by applying your mind to your
situation.
But your mind is like a muscle. It only develops with use. Just as you
have to strain your physical muscles to build them, you have to work
your mental muscles to build your mind as well. The good news is
that, the more you learn, the more you can learn. Just like the more
you play a sport, the better you get at the sport. The more you

Leaders are learners. Continuous learning is the key to the 21st
century. Lifelong learning is the minimum requirement for success in
your field, or in any field. Make a decision today that you are going
to become a student of your craft and that you are going to continue
learning and becoming better for the rest of your life.
There are several keys to lifelong learning. The first key is that you
get up and read in your field for 30 to 60 minutes each day. Reading
is to the mind as exercise is to the body. When you read for an hour
each day, this will translate into about one book per week. One book
per week will translate into 50 books per year. 50 books per year will
translate into 500 books over the next 10 years. Since the average
adult reads less than one book per year, when you begin reading one
hour per day it will give you an incredible edge in your field. You
will become one of the smartest, most competent and highest paid
people in your profession by simply reading one hour each day.
The second key to lifelong learning is for you to listen to audio
programs, especially in your car as you drive from place to place. The
average person sits in his car 500 to 1000 hours per year. This is the
equivalent of 12 to 24 40 hour weeks or as much as three to six

months of working time that you spend in your car. This is the
equivalent of one to two full time semesters at the university.
Turn your car into a learning machine, into a university on wheels.
Never let your car motor be running without an educational audio
program playing. Many people have become millionaires through the
miracle of audio learning. This is why audio learning is often called
the "greatest breakthrough in education since the invention of the
printing press."
A third key to lifelong learning is for you to take every course and
seminar you can possibly find that can help you to be better in your
field. The combination of books, audio programs and seminars will
enable you to save hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars, and
many years of hard work, in achieving the same level of financial
success.
Make a decision today to become a lifelong learner. You will be
amazed at the affect that it has in your career.

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 8

2009-04-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

Success secret number six, develop a workaholic mentality. All selfmade
millionaires work hard, hard, hard. They start earlier, they
work harder and they stay later. They develop a reputation for being
amongst the hardest working people in their fields. And everybody
knows it.

Practice the "40 Plus" formula. This formula says that you work 40
hours per week for survival. Everything over 40 hours is for success.
If you only work 40 hours, and the average work week today is closer
to 35 hours, all you will ever do is survive. You will never get ahead.
You will never be a big financial success. You will never be highly
respected and esteemed by your colleagues. You will always be
mediocre working the basic 40 hour week.

But every hour over 40 is an investment in your future. You can tell
where you are going to be in five years by looking at how many
hours over 40 you put in every week. The average self-made
millionaire in America works 59 hours per week and some of them
work 70 and 80 hours. The average self-made millionaire in America
works six days per week rather than five, and works longer days as
well. If you want to call a self-made millionaire, phone the office
before normal working hours and after normal working hours. The
self-made millionaire is there when the staff arrives, the nine to
fiver's, and is still there when they leave.

And here's the key: work all the time you work. When you work,
don't waste time. When you get in early, put your head down and get
started immediately. When people want to talk to you, you excuse
yourself and say, "I have to get back to work!" Do not drop off your
dry cleaning, phone your friends, socialize with your co-workers or
read the newspaper. Work all the time you work. Resolve today to
develop the reputation for being the hardest working person in your
company. This will bring you to the attention of people who can help
you faster than almost anything else you can do.

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 7

2009-04-15T12:25:00.001-07:00

Success secret number five, commit to excellence. Resolve today to be
the very best at what you do. Set a goal for yourself to join the top
10% of your field, whatever it is. This decision, to become very, very
good at what you do, is the turning point in your life. There are no
successful people who are not recognized as being extremely
competent in their chosen fields.

Remember, no one is better than you and no one is smarter than
you. And every one who is in the top 10% today started off in the
bottom 10%. Everyone who is doing well was once doing poorly.

Everyone who is at the top of their field was at one time in another
field altogether. And what someone else has done, you can do as
well.

Here is a great rule for success: "Your life only gets better when you
get better." And since there is no limit to how much better you can
become, there is no limit to how much better you can make your life.
Your decision to become excellent at what you do, to join the top 10%
in your field, is the turning point in your life. It is the key to great
success. It is also the foundation of high levels of self-esteem, selfrespect
and personal pride. When you are really good at what you
do, you feel wonderful about yourself. It affects your entire
personality and all your relationships with other people when you
know you are at the top of your field.

Here is one of the most important questions you will ever ask and
answer, for the rest of your career, "What one skill, if you developed
and did it in an excellent fashion, would have the greatest positive
impact on your life?"

You cannot become good at everything over night but you can
identify the one skill that can help you the most and then throw your
whole heart into developing that skill. Set it as a goal. Write it down.
Set a deadline. Make a plan. And work on becoming better in that
area every single day. You will be absolutely amazed at the
difference this commitment to excellence will make in your life. This
alone can make you a self-made millionaire in the course of your
career.

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 6

2009-04-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

Success secret number four, do what you love to do. This is the one of
the great secrets of financial success. This is also one of your primary
responsibilities in life. It is to find out what you really enjoy doing,
what you have a natural talent for, and then to throw your whole
heart into doing that, very, very well.

Self-made millionaires are those who have found a field where their
natural strengths and abilities are exactly what is required to do the
job and achieve the results desired. Most self-made millionaires say
that they "never worked a day in their life." You must find a field in
which you can be totally absorbed, a job or area of endeavor that
completely fascinates you, that holds your attention, that is a natural
expression of your special talents and abilities.

When you are doing what you love to do, you seem to have a
continuous flow of excitement, energy and ideas to do what you do
even better. Here is a question for you: "If you won a million dollars,
tax free, tomorrow, would you continue to do what you are currently
doing?"

This is a great question. It simply asks you what you would do if you
had all the time and money you needed and you were free to choose
your occupation. Self-made millionaires, if they won a million dollars
cash, would continue doing what they are doing. They would only
do it differently or better or at a higher level. But they love their work
so much that they wouldn't even think of leaving it or retiring.

Perhaps the greatest responsibility of adult life, when you are
surrounded by so many different choices of occupation and activity,
is for you to find out what it is that you really love doing and then
dedicate yourself to that field. And no one else can do it for you.

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 5

2009-04-14T12:09:00.001-07:00

Success secret number three, see yourself as self-employed. Accept
complete, 100% responsibility for everything you are and everything
you will ever be. Refuse to make excuses or to blame other people for
your problems or short comings. Stop complaining about things in
your life that you are not happy about. Refuse to criticize other
people for anything. You are responsible. If there is something in
your life that you don't like, it is up to you to do something about it.
But you are in charge.

The top 3% of Americans see themselves as self-employed, no matter
who signs their paycheck. The biggest mistake you can ever make is
to ever think that you work for anyone other than yourself. You are
always self-employed. You are always the president of your own
personal services corporation, no matter where you might be
working at the moment. When you see yourself as self-employed,
you develop the entrepreneur mentality, the mentality of the highly
independent, self-responsible, self-starting individual. Instead of
waiting for things to happen, you make things happen. You see
yourself as the boss of your own life. You see yourself as completely
in charge of your physical health, your financial well being, your
career, your relationships, your house, your home, your car and
every element of your existence. This is the mindset of the truly
excellent person.

Self-responsible people are intensely result oriented. They take high
levels of initiative. They volunteer for assignments and they are
always asking for more responsibility. As a result, they become the
most valuable and respected people in their organizations. They
continually prepare themselves for positions of higher authority and
responsibility in the future. You should do the same.

Here's a question: "If you were president for a day in your company,
or were completely responsible for results where you work, what one
change would you enact immediately?" Whatever it is, write it down,
make a plan and begin on it today. This alone could change your life.

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 4

2009-04-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

Secret number two, develop a clear sense of direction. This is where
you take your dreams out of the air and you crystallize them into
clear, specific written goals. Perhaps the greatest discovery in human
history is that, "You become what you think about most of the time."
The two factors that determine what happens to you in life, more
than anything else, are what you think about and how you think about
it.
Successful people think about their goals most of the time. As a
result, they are continually moving toward their goals and their goals
are moving toward them. Whatever you think about most of the time
grows and increases in your life. If you are thinking and talking and
visualizing your goals, you tend to accomplish far, far more than the
average person who is usually thinking and talking about their
worries and problems most of the time.

Here is an exercise for you. Take a sheet of paper and write the word
"Goals" at the top with today's date. Then, make a list of 10 goals that
you would like to achieve over the next 12 months. Write your goals
in the present tense, as though a year has passed and you have
already achieved them. Begin each goal with the word "I" to make it
personal to you. By making out a list of 10 goals for yourself for the
next year, you will have moved yourself into the top 3% of adults in
our society. The sad fact is that 97% of adults have never made a list
of goals in their entire lives.

Once you have your list of 10 goals, go back over the list and ask this
key question: "Which one goal on this list, if I were to achieve it,
would have the greatest positive impact on my life?"
Whatever your answer to that question, circle that goal and make
that your number one, most important goal for the future. Set a
deadline, make a plan, take action on your plan and do something
every day that moves you toward your goal.

From now on, think and talk about that goal all the time. Think and
talk about how you can achieve that goal. Think and talk about all the
different things that you can do to make that goal a reality. This
exercise will stimulate your creativity, increase your energy and
unlock your potential.

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 3

2009-04-13T06:44:00.001-07:00

The fact is that most self-made millionaires are average people with
average educations working at average jobs and living in average
neighborhoods in average houses driving average cars. But they have
found out what other financially successful people do and they have
done the same thing over and over again until they got the same
results. It is no miracle and it is no accident. And when you think the
thoughts and do the things that self-made millionaires do, you will
begin to get the same results and benefits they do. It is all up to you.
There are 21 secrets of success of self-made millionaires. Each of these
is indispensable to your becoming financially independent. The
absence of any one of these factors can, by itself, undermine and even
destroy your chances for health, happiness and great prosperity.

The good news is that you can learn every one of these principles by
practice and repetition, over and over again, until they become as
natural to you as breathing in and breathing out. Just as you have
learned to ride a bicycle or drive a car, you can learn the secrets of
success of self-made millionaires and apply them in your life. And
there are no limits except the limits you place on yourself.

Now, let us begin:

The first secret of self-made millionaires is simple: Dream Big
Dreams! Allow yourself to dream. Allow yourself to imagine and
fantasize about the kind of life you would like to live and the kind of
money you would like to earn and have in your bank account.
All great men and women begin with a dream of something
wonderful and different from what they have today. You know the
song that says, "You have to have a dream if you want to make a
dream come true."
Imagine that you have no limitations on what you can be, have or do
in life. Just for the moment, imagine that you have all the time, all the
money, all the education, all the experience, all the friends, all the
contacts, all the resources and everything you need to achieve
anything you want in life. If your potential was completely
unlimited, what kind of a life would you want to create for yourself
and your family?
Practice "back from the future" thinking. This is a powerful technique
practiced by high performing men and women that has an amazing
effect on your mind and on your behavior. Project yourself forward
five years. Imagine that five years have passed and that your life is
now perfect in every respect. What does it look like? What are you
doing? Where are you working? How much money are you earning?

How much do you have in the bank? What kind of a lifestyle do you
have?
Create a vision for yourself for the long-term future. The more clear
your vision of health, happiness and prosperity, the faster you move
toward it and the faster it moves toward you. When you create a
clear mental picture of where you are going in life, you become more
positive, more motivated and more determined to make it a reality.
You trigger your natural creativity and come up with idea after idea
to help make your vision come true.
You always tend to move in the direction of your dominant dreams,
images and visions. The very act of allowing yourself to dream big
dreams actually raises your self-esteem and causes you to like and
respect yourself more. It improves your self-concept and increases
your level of self-confidence. It increases your personal level of selfrespect
and personal happiness. There is something about dreams
and visions that is exciting and that stimulates you to do and be
better than you ever have before.
Here is a great question for you to ask and answer, over and over
again: "What one thing would you dare to dream if you knew you
could not fail?" If you were absolutely guaranteed of success in any
one thing in life, large or small, short-term or long-term, what would

it be? What one great thing would you dare to dream if you knew
you could not fail?
Whatever it is, write it down and begin imagining that you had
achieved this one great goal already. Then, look back to where you
are today. What would you have done to get to where you want to
go? What steps would you have taken? What would you have
changed in your life? What would you have gotten into or gotten out
of? Who would you be with? Who would you no longer be with? If
your life was perfect in every respect, what would it look like?
Whatever it is that you would do differently, take the first step today.
Dreaming big dreams is the starting point of achieving your goal of
financial independence. The number one reason that people never
succeed financially is because it never occurs to them that they can do
it. As a result, they never try. They never get started. They continue
to go around in financial circles, spending everything they earn and a
little bit more besides. But when you begin to dream big dreams
about financial success, you begin to change the way you see yourself
and your life. You begin to do different things, bit by bit, gradually,
until the whole direction of your life changes for the better. Dreaming
big dreams is the starting point of financial success, and becoming a
self-made millionaire.

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 2

2009-04-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

The iron law of human destiny is the Law of Cause and Effect. This
law is simple yet very powerful. It says that there is a specific effect
for every cause. For every action, there is a reaction. This law says
that success is not an accident. Financial success is the result of doing
certain, specific things, over and over again, until you get the effect
that you desire.

Nature is neutral. This means that nature, the marketplace, our
society, does not care who you are or what you are. The law simply
says that if you do what other successful people do, you will get the
results that other successful people get. And if you don't, you won't.
When you learn and apply the success secrets of self-made
millionaires in your own life, you will experience results and rewards
far beyond anything you have ever accomplished in life up until
now.

Here is an important point. Nobody is better than you and nobody is
smarter than you. Let me repeat that. Nobody is better than you and
nobody is smarter than you. Get those thoughts out of your mind.
One of the primary reasons for selling yourself short, for
underachievement and lack of financial success is the conviction that
people who are doing better than you are better than you. This is
simply not the case.

21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires Part 1

2009-04-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hello, I'm Brian Tracy and welcome to this program.

What you are about to learn can change your life. These ideas, insights and
strategies have been the springboards to financial success for millions
of men and women, from every walk of life. These principles are
simple, effective and fairly easy to apply. Each of them is based on
exhaustive research and interviews with thousands of self-made
millionaires. They have been tested and proven over and over again,
and they will work for you if you will take them and apply them in
your own life.

We are living at the greatest time in all of human history. More
people are becoming wealthy today, starting from nothing than has
ever been imagined. There are more than five million millionaires in
America, most of them self-made, and the number is growing by 15%
to 20% each year. We even have self-made ten millionaires, hundred
millionaires and more than two hundred billionaires. We have never
seen this type of rapid wealth creation in all of human history.

Here's the good news. Virtually everyone starts with nothing.
Probably 99% of all financially successful people today started off
broke or nearly broke. The average self-made millionaire has been
bankrupt or close to bankrupt 3.2 times. Most of them failed over and
over again before they finally found the right opportunity that they
were able to leverage into financial success. And what hundreds of
thousands and millions of other people have done, you can do as
well.

Think Differently?

2009-04-05T06:51:00.001-07:00

Even though you have a strong desire or the drive to be wealthy, your mental game will influence your action.

Do you fear of ‘losing’, especially when it comes to money? Most may take risks but when it comes to money, they take absolutely take no chances with it.

This is the employee mentality where job security and a steady pay check each month is the norm.

Please be aware that I’m not criticizing- but making a general point.
What you need to do is to create your own winning environment. Take a look closer - if you’re afraid to lose, it’s probably not your fault because you’ve been taught that way from others and the environment unconsciously.

Money doesn’t grow on trees? Assume that they do. A tree needs water, sunlight and fertilizer to grow. If you want to grow your money, you also have to give it a suitable environment.
The first thing you need to do is to avoid conversation with the people in your life who are negative financially. Hang around with people who are driven to make more money for themselves and not those who are just able to balance their income and expenses each month based on their pay check.

You might also want to consider getting yourself educated about money. That is the key. Maybe you can learn about investing or take up part time business like multi level marketing, home business or internet marketing. If investment is not a topic for you, look around your own environment to see if there are other ways you can make additional income. Maybe investing in real estates can be your cup of tea. I don’t know, it’s your life.

If you do find yourself in the right environment, are you willing to ‘work’ to be rich?
An environment is just part of the leverages you can get to achieve more. Keep in mind, if you want to be rich, you still have to do your homework.

If that’s unpleasant to be heard, then you’re just going to keep on dreaming. Sound harsh isn’t it? Well, I rather be honest and become the ‘bad guy’ then ‘helping’ you to build a castle in the sky where you’ll end up with disappointment.

To validate my point, just go to your local bookstores and check out biography books of rich and famous people. You don’t think Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Donald Trump or any other multi-millionaires became rich ‘automatically’ right?

One tip is this- no matter how rich you become, you can always have that back but you can never rewind the time passed. So make your goal a journey, but not a destination. Then you’ll experience the journey and cherish your experience- the good and bad because at end of the day, they’re all good. The bad will make you wiser and move you closer to success while the good ones, they’re just good. (smile)

You’ll appreciate those who laugh with you and those who support you through the hard times. You see, to reach your goal, you’ll experience minor goals but most missed those because they’re only seeing the ‘big’ goal. But when it’s a journey, you’ll be able to stop and pick up the flower along the way to smell.

If you like what you read, it’ll be cool if you can leave a Comment as well. I’ll definitely appreciate it very much because I read every single Comment posted here personally.

EASY & HARD

2009-03-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Criticizing is easy...................... Taking criticism is hard.
Letting go is easy....................... Hanging on is hard.
Secret sin is easy...................... Confession is hard.
Pride is easy.............................. Humility is hard.
Excusing oneself is easy............. Excusing others is hard.
Borrowing is easy........................ Paying back is hard.
Argument is easy........................ Negotiation is hard.
Naughty is easy.......................... Nice is hard.
Going along is easy..................... Walking alone is hard.
Dumb is easy.............................. Smart is hard.
Cowardice is easy....................... Bravery is hard.
Messy is easy............................ Neat is hard.
War is easy................................ Peace is hard.
Sarcasm is easy......................... Sincerity is hard.
Growing weeds is easy................ Growing Flowers is hard.
Reaction is easy......................... Action is hard.
Can't do is easy.......................... Can do is hard.
Feasting is easy......................... Fasting is hard.
Following is easy........................ Leading is hard.
Having friend is easy................... Being a friend is hard.
Dying is easy............................. Living is hard

Small efforts, big results- how to do this

2009-03-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

Small efforts, big results- how to do this

Patric Chan

How can you put in small efforts butget back big returns?

Well, the formula is to use other people’stime, money and effort - or SOMETHINGbecause it’s not limited to only people.

In short, it’s called, “leverage”.

And that IS my secret to wealth. All ofmy m0ney making activities use leverage-otherwise I will be working round theclock and also, it will not generatehuge returns.

There are three ways of making hugeincome which allow you to use leverage.You SHOULD BE USING ANY OF THEM inyour life today and if you’re not, thenyou’re missing out the best part ofcreating wealth.

The first one is real estate.

You can own a $200,000 property withjust $20,000 in your pocket because youcan LEVERAGE on the banks to give youthe fund.

Different countries will have differentm0rtgage loan terms but the point is, youdon’t need to have a lot of m0ney tomake huge income in return from properties.

If you have $3,000 in your hand, then lookfor $30,000 property to invest (Assumingyou can get a 90% m0rgage loan).

The next one is stock trading. But to bemore precise, it’ll be options tradingsimply because you can earn 10 fold inreturn from the profits gained.

Here’s a laymen explanation– assumingyou might own an option that’s worth $0.50.Option’s price will depends on thestock’s price.

Like, there are Intel stocks and alsoIntel options which you can purchase.

If a stock increase from $1.50 to $1.80,you’ll earn 20% profit, which is $0.30per stock. But for options, you don’tearned 20% but it could be 100% or moredepending on the price of the options.

This email is not for the purpose to providecomplete explanations about options tradingbecause it’ll take a book or seminar to teach.

The point is, the result can turn out to bemany times fold by leveraging on options.
The final one will be internet.

To be more precise, building an internetbusiness. The obvious leverage is that you’reable to reach globally which traditionalbusinesses are unable.

A hair saloon can only have clients in itsneighborhood or city. Where else an onlinebusiness selling an ebook about hair careor hair style will have the potential ofreaching prospects all around the world!

This also means that the internet allowsyou to be in business 24 hours a day becausedifferent countries will have differenttime zone.

If that’s interesting enough, let me tellyou another powerful leverage you can getwith an internet business:

To set up a hair salon, you’ll spend tensof thousands. The shop, equipments,advertising and so on. Not only that,imagine months of preparations - renovations,business registration, hiring hair stylist,bank loans, etc.

And to worsen the situation, you mightend up being ’stuck’ in the businessbecause you’re cutting hair or need to bepresent in the shop to greet clients.
An internet business?

You could be up and running in less thana week. Fully operational as little as $20(or less) to get started.

But the thing I like about internet’sleverage is I don’t have to be ‘present’at all. I don’t need to greet prospects orto cut hair. As a mater of fact, I don’teven need to be present to take money!
“What is the best leverage among these 3?”

I don’t think there’s any way to classifywhich is the best because they all of themexcel greatly based on each individual’spreference. For me, I use ALL OF THEM.

But the one that I would ALWAYS suggest tomy subscribers or customers is to leverageon internet business.

The reason is simple - you cannot get ‘burned’financially even if you messed up big time.
For real estate, you’re taking a bank loanas a leverage. If you mess up by buying abad property that cannot be rent or sold ata good price, you’ll still have this huge loanfor you to pay each month- even if you applya ‘no m0ney down’ strategy.

Options trading can be a risk if you don’tknow how to trade wisely. You see, you’re usingmoney to make money and you’re always subjectedto lose your money if done incorrectly.
And if you don’t know what you’re doing,you could end up being in ‘negative’ situationwith options trading.

In options trading, you’re allowed to ’short sell’where you can sell options that you haven’tpurchase yet. By doing that you get to leverageof ‘owning’ the options without any money downbut if your prediction that this will make moneyis incorrect, then you need to BUY the options.

When I start making money on the internet,I’ve also detailed out the steps.
The two ’secrets’ how I do this is to sellinformation products so that I’ll haveridiculously high profit margins and tosell in niche markets with minimal competition.

I like to sum up this- you need to use aleverage to generate massive income. Tradingyour time will never help you to achieve thisgoal unless you’re some sort of a high payingbrain surgeon or something along that line.I’m sure I don’t have that kind of talent.

How To Get Your Business To Run Without You

2009-03-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

The only reason why someone starts a business is so that that business can generate income for him while he’s doing other things he likes.

And if you don’t have one yet and plan to start, ALWAYS remember this because you definitely don’t want to be “IN” the business. Make sense?

To have your business run without you, there must 2 things you need to accomplish first:

i. Authority Delegation

-As much as you think that no one in this world can do your tasks, you got to start delegating your authority to someone.

ii. Reporting System

-At the same time, you cannot be ignorant and don’t want to know what happened to your delegation. This is where a proper reporting system comes into the picture.

To be frank with you, these are not my ideas- it’s the advice from an entrepreneur who becomes a billionaire (not millionaire).

I’ve just watch the 51-minute video, “How To Get Your Business To Run Without You” in the Billionaire Business System and this is just ONE VIDEO TRAINING out of 30. Talk about getting real value here.

And yes, that video goes into more details about the 2 things I’ve mentioned above.

If you’re a business owner or planning to become one, I highly recommend you to join the membership today…

Click Here To Join

One thing I want to mention… there’s no long webpage to explain the membership. Just watch the 14-minute video and you’ll find out all of the advantages of the membership.

What if you’re an employee and not a business person?

Well, you’ll benefit from it anyway because there are many videos about achievement techniques and besides, EVERY employee needs to think like a business person otherwise, you’re not going to grow.

I can still remember when I was working in a sales job last time, I was reading books how to plan like a CEO.

Here you go…

Click Here

**OVER 21 HOURS OF TELE-SEMINARS ARCHIVE**
Here’s the other goodies - Not only you’re getting the videos but each month, Bill will conduct a live tele-seminar. And I’ve just checked to confirm this- all of the download links of previous tele-seminars archives are still there!

It covers a broad range of business topics and personal achievement lessons.

Now, I’m not sure how long it’ll still be there so if I were you, I’ll join immediately and start watching the videos:

Click Here To Join Today

The One Habit Of All Successful People

2009-03-24T09:36:00.001-07:00

There will always be things to learn. Your Ego might kicks in now and said that you know a lot of things but do you really know how much you don’t know?

Who knows, right.

That’s why successful people keep on learning - especially those in business. No matter how many books you have read, seminars you have attended or courses you have taken, they can never teach you everything. But collectively, they bear an impact.

My goal at the end of this article is to get you start learning something, especially if you’re being lazy lying on your comfortable bed.

If you have finished reading a book on personal transformation, go back and read it again. You’d be surprised what new information that you can pick up the second time around. This is because when you go through the book the second time, you have already changed. You have absorbed something the first time, so now, going through it the second time, you are learning from a different point of view.

For instance, just read the book, Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. At first, you will think you know the content of it after reading the first time but if you read it again, you’ll discover a lot new understandings and concept.

(The Power of Now is a book about achieving spirituality success and happiness.)
Or why some self help gurus read 10 times of Think And Grow Rich - over and over again.
The learning process doesn’t just occur when you’re consciously in the learning mode (like picking up a book to read or attending a seminar). You can pick up a lesson anywhere, anytime.
That’s call, learning about life.

You saw someone behaving her child successfully and you may think, “Hey, that’s an ingenious way to make a child quiet.” Then you bring that home to try it on your kids.
And one more thing– one is never too old to learn.

There’s a saying, you can teach an old dog new tricks. I mean, there is no reason why a 70 year old grandfather can’t discover the joys of playing X-box 360 video game with his grandchildren or a 30-something man can’t learn to ride a bike for the first time.
Same goes with the young ones.

In my Aikido class, there’s a 12-year old kid training with us. I’m sure he can’t fight an adult, but he’s learning - preparing himself to be an expert when his age is ready.

What is more important is that desire to learn. It must be there first so that you can prepare within yourself the correct environment to receive knowledge.

Put it this way, if someone doesn’t want to learn to cook properly, nothing is going to make him go to cooking class or pick up a recipe book – even if all of those are given for free.
You’ve read this far but I’m not convince that I’ve done my part to create the awareness that you need to take up the habit of all successful people – to keep on learning every day.

Here’s the thing– I don’t have anything to lose. The ball’s on your court. The stronger your desire to learn, the richer you’ll become. I’m not going to spend any more time convincing you because it’ll just make today’s blog post boring.

Just remember this… without your desire to learn every day, not only that you won’t get richer but you’ll also be missing out a lot of joy in life.

Feel a little bit more pressure now? Good.

If you like what you read, it’ll be cool if you can leave a Comment as well. I’ll definitely appreciate it very much because I read every single Comment posted here personally.

5 Free Internet Business Resources

2009-03-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

I've located three valuable online business resources that you can use for free and two free courses. :-)

Google Analytics

Urchin was bought over by Google for millions of dollars and renamed as Google Analytics. The best part is, it's now available for free as long as you have a Google account! This service is a website traffic tracking and analyzing software and it's extremely easy to use. Just copy and paste code.One of my favourite features is the keyword report that tells me what are the keywords used by the internet surfer to find my site from the search engine.As far as I know, Urchin used to charge $100 - $200 to websites for these kind of stats tracking service but you can get it for free at www.google.com/analytics.

Free Google Adwords Training

If you have no clue what's Google Adwords, it's a type of pay-per-click advertising managed by Google. Full explanation of it at www.google.com/adwords. Are you having difficulty learning how to effectively use Google Adwords to advertise your internet business?Forget throwing away your hard-earned money to buy basic Adwords courses because Google's giving free tutorial at:www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/index.htmlAdwords courses like this can be sold between $50 to $100 easily.

Google Website Optimizer

Have you heard of spilt testing? It's a term marketers use when they are testing between two variation of marketing pieces. By doing spilt test, you'll be able to know which variation will perform better and thus, increase your site's conversion. Google has spent millions of dollars to bring you, Google Website Optimizer – their own testing tool which you can use for free. This is one cool software that you'll like if you're the type of person who likes continuous improvement because the application can be set to be automated. Here's the link: http://services.google.com/websiteoptimizer/

The Internet Business Map Video

Nitro Marketing created a video recently to explain why having a 'biz map' for your Internet business is vitally important. In the video, it'll show you the actual map of a real-life $25,000 per month business-- which I would say it's pretty cool to see a real life case study for free.If you're serious about having a successful business, then this will make it much more likely you will succeed with less time, effort, hassle and problems than if you just "winged it" simply because you can see more clearly how it will look and how you will get there. Clarity is a very good thing in business.Go to http://internetsuccessmap.com/

Bypass Third Parties To Hire Freelance Writers

Where do you get freelance writers? From sites like elance.com, guru.com, etc. The problem is, you'll need to pay a fee to these third party websites for coordinating the process. For months, I've been hiring freelance authors directly and I'm going to show you where you can get at least 100 freelance authors for you to choose. This resource has never been revealed to anyone else except to my coaching clients and I hope you'll appreciate it. By revealing this resource, it's kind of disadvantage to me because if you're hiring the same freelance writer I'm currently using, then he might end up being too busy to write my stuff in the future.

If you were to contact any of them, I would appreciate if you can put a note in your email that Patric Chan of SundayEmail.com shares this resource with you. :-) Ready? Go to http://ideamarketers.com/ghostwriters-all.cfm

There you go... 5 useful resources for your online business. This is not a Sunday Email but I'll always ask for your favor to leave a Comment if you find value of what you've gained today. It'll be most appreciated because I read all of them personally. :-)

Develop a Prosperity Consciousness - Article by Brian Tracy

2009-03-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

The starting point of all riches is the development of a prosperity consciousness. You must become a financial success in your thinking long before you achieve it in your reality. Both poverty and riches are the result of a state of mind, and the most important single step you ever take on the road to wealth and financial independence is the decision to change your thinking, to impress into your mind an unshakable belief that you can and will achieve your financial goals. This must happen before anything else happens.When I was growing up, I was fascinated by stories of successful men and women and how they made and lost their fortunes, and then made them over again. I read about the importance of a prosperity consciousness in the book, Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill, several times. But I never fully understood what it meant until about five years ago. Then it hit me and I've never been quite the same since. Every aspect of my life has improved dramatically, especially in the area of accumulating wealth, since I finally understood what it meant by a prosperity consciousness.Here are two of the most exciting principles ever discovered in the long search by mankind for the secrets of health, happiness and great personal wealth.
The first principle is this. All causation is mental. All causation is mental. That means that everything that you are or ever will be will be as a result of how you use your mind. You are merely a mind with a body to carry it around with. The entire man made world that you see is simply an expression of thought. Your entire life is an expression of your own thinking. And since the quality of your thinking determines the quality of your life, if you improve the quality of your thinking, you must, you will, inevitably improve the quality of your life.The second principle is what we call the law of expectations. This law says that whatever you expect with confidence, positive or negative, becomes your reality. If you confidently expect to succeed, if you confidently expect to learn something from every experience, if you confidently expect to become wealthy as a result of applying your talents and abilities to your opportunities and you maintain that attitude of confident expectations long enough, it will become your reality. It will give you a positive optimistic cheerful attitude that will cause people to want to help you, and will cause things to happen the way you want them to happen.Here are two things you can do immediately to practice these principles in your day to day life:
First Step Start thinking today in a positive, optimistic, confident way about personal and financial success. Continually imagine what differences it would make in your life if you were financially independent. This is the starting point of developing a prosperity consciousness.
Second StepDevelop your own attitude of positive expectations. Look for the good in every situation. Look for the valuable lesson in every setback or difficulty. Be positive and cheerful about everything that happens and you will be amazed at the difference it makes in your life.

IF YOU ...

2009-03-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

If you can look at the sunset and smile, then you still have hope.

If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower, then you still have hope.

If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly, then you still have hope.

If the smile of a child can still warm your heart, then you still have hope.

If you can see the good in other people, then you still have hope.

If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to sleep, then you still have hope.

If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder, then you still have hope.

If the soft fur of a favored pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips, then you still have hope.

If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism, then you still have hope.

If you give people the benefit of a doubt, then you still have hope.

If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life, then you still have hope.

If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise, then you still have hope.

If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration, then you still have hope.

If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end, then you still have hope.

If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection, then you still have hope.

If you still buy the ornaments, put up the Christmas tree or cook the turkey, then you still have hope.

If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy, then you still have hope.
If you can look to the past and smile, then you still have hope.

If, when faced with the bad, when told everything is futile, you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase.... "yeah....BUT..." then you still have hope.

NEVER lose hope.

It’s a Dog’s Life: A Success Story for a New Business Owner

2009-03-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

by Sadie Dresekie

“You have got to be…”

Her friends and family thought Kris Price had lost her mind when she sold her house and left a successful 23-year career with Nike, Inc. to launch her own business. But after four years of hard work and research, Business Plan Pro customer Price achieved her dream in June 2002, by opening Noah’s Arf. The business is a full-service pet care facility based in Portland, Oregon. It provides a safe, clean, and fun environment for pets, whether you leave them at the Arf, or hire the company to visit your pet at your home.
As an exhibit manager for Nike, Price spent a lot of time traveling for business, and finding a good facility at which to leave her dog was challenging. This gave her the idea. She visited dog day cares and dog washes all over the country, but she never found one that had all the services as she imagined her business would. Her first step was to create a business plan.

Getting started right

“I hadn’t written a business plan before and I am not good at writing, so I struggled with it. But I just kept at it and kept at it, and then went back and forth with the SBA and took about a year getting my numbers right. The exercise of writing my business plan totally opened my eyes - I didn’t know what was involved. Business Plan Pro asked questions that made me think about what was involved and made me do my research. There is no way I would have known all that without Business Plan Pro.”
Armed with her business plan, Price approached the SBA for a $200,000 loan. “I had to come up with $70,000 of my own contribution, so I sold my house, and gave my car to the business. I lease this place - I wish I owned it. I have put a lot of money into the building considering it’s not mine, but I had a vision of what I wanted it to look and I don’t think it would have worked if I had not put the money in. A lot of people said, ‘Don’t you think you are getting in over your head. Why don’t you try to launch one thing at a time?’ And I said, ‘That’s not the concept’. A lot of people have day cares, and kitty condos and dog washes but they don’t have all in one. There is nothing else in Oregon like this.”

Open for business

Price’s vision turned out to be one that her customer’s shared. In July 2002 the company broke even and six months after the launch has built up a regular clientele of 20 dogs whose owners drop them off at the Arf every day. The facility has a capacity of 40 day-care dogs and 26 overnight stays, as well as 9 kitty condos. The company currently has two full-time and four part-time employees, and needs one more of each. “We are growing so fast I can’t keep up with it. It’s scaring me, it really is!” says Kris.

The holidays are the Arf’s busiest time. All kitty condos and dog kennels were full for both Labor Day and Christmas, and Kris began promoting the home-care service when they realized that they had reached capacity. In-home care involves visiting the house twice per day to check on animals, and this service becomes more popular around the holidays as Noah’s and other local facilities get full.
The Arf has had to do very little advertising. Business is coming its way through word of mouth as well as some free publicity. There is a dog park close to the facility, and Price is told that her business is “the talk of the dog park”. In addition, Noah’s Arf received the Multnomah Animal Control Facility Award for 2002 and received a front page write-up in The Oregonian newspaper.

What’s next

When asked whether she will expand the current facility, Price says definitely not. “I don’t want it bigger because right now I know every dogs’ name and after I walk them at night, kiss each of them, rub them down, give them a hug, I can still be very personal with them and that’s the way I like it. If you get bigger, you lose track of all that.”
“The next stage is to hire people and get them trained so that I can get out of the kennel and think more about the business side of things. I took my first day off in over a year last week, for my 50th birthday. I went to a spa and I was a nervous wreck.” Looking ahead, Price plans to grow the business by opening similar facilities in other cities, and she has already scouted a couple of potential locations.
“I look back now and I can’t even imagine I did it. Every day is like a Saturday now. I work probably 18 hours a day. I was up at 5 this morning. I work till 10 - 11 at night, and I love it. I am working on adrenalin now, that’s all it is.” she laughs.
Noah’s Arf is open 7 days a week and charges $23 per day and $32 overnight for dog care, $12 per day and $18 overnight for cat care. You can read more about Noah’s Arf services and prices at http://www.noahsarf.com/.

A Guide For Creative Thinking Part 3

2009-03-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

When you have your three most pressing problems, ask yourself, "What is the worst possible thing that can happen as a result of each of these problems?" Then ask yourself, "What are all the things that I can do, right now, to alleviate each problem?" If you have
a problem that is worrying you for any reason, think about what you could do immediately to begin alleviating that concern. This is a prime use of your creative powers. So a key to success in creative thinking is clarity. Take the time to think through, discuss and ask questions that help you to clarify exactly what you are trying to accomplish and exactly what problems you are facing at the present moment. Just as fuzzy thinking leads to fuzzy answers, clear thinking leads to clear answers. A second key is concentration. Put everything else aside, and concentrate single-mindedly on focusing all your mental powers on solving one single problem, overcoming one particular obstacle or achieving one important goal. The ability to concentrate on a single subject without diversion or distraction is a hallmark of the superior thinker. A third key is an open mind. The average person tends to be rigid and fixed in his thinking about getting from where he is to where he wants to go. The creative thinker, however, tends to remain very flexible and open to a variety of ways of approaching the problem. The average person has a tendency to leap to conclusions and determine that there is only one way to achieve a particular goal. The superior thinker, on the other hand, tends to be more patient and willing to consider a variety of options before moving toward a conclusion. There is one other creative concept that can be very helpful when it is used in combination with what we have already discussed, and it is called the "limiting step." Between you and any goal that you want to achieve or any problem that you want to solve, there is almost invariably a limiting step or a "choke point" that determines the speed with which you move from where you are to your destination. This limiting step may be another person, a particular obstacle, a specific difficulty, or even a lack of some information or skill. Invariably, there is a particular factor that determines how fast you get there. Your job is to think about it and decide what it is, and then go to work to remove it. For example, if you are in sales, your limiting step may be the number of prospects you have. If this is the case, then your job is to do everything possible and to use all your creative capacities to increase your number of prospects until it is no longer a problem. Then, of course, there will be another limiting step, and your job is to go to work on that. If you have a business, your limiting step may be the number of qualified people who are responding to your advertising. If this is the choke point that hinders the amount you sell and the speed at which your company grows, it behooves you to concentrate your mental powers on relieving that bottleneck. You must concentrate the very best thinking abilities of yourself and others on increasing the number of qualified prospects that your advertising and promotional efforts attract.
In relationships and misunderstandings between people, there is almost invariably a
sticking point or subject area that needs to be resolved in order to bring about harmony again. Your job is, first, to identify this limiting step and then, second, to find a way to alleviate the difficulty to the satisfaction of everyone involved. You are a genius, and you were born with the potential for exceptional creativity. But creative abilities are latent. They are like muscles that grow with use. You can increase your creative powers by using them, over and over, in every situation, deliberately and specifically, until creativity and a creative response to life is as natural to you as breathing in and out is. There are very few things that you can do that can have a more powerful positive impact on your entire life than becoming excellent in creative thinking. And you can if you think you can.

For a free audio program by Brian Tracy, go to:

http://www.wealthambition.com/brian_tracy.htm

A Guide For Creative Thinking PART 2

2009-03-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Your success in life will be determined largely by the quantity of ideas that you generate. It seems that the quality of ideas is secondary to the quantity and that if you have enough
ideas, one or more of them will turn out to be prizewinners. You can begin building your creative muscles with focused questions. Some that you might think of are the following: What are we trying to do? How are we trying to do it? What are our assumptions? What if our assumptions are wrong? All improvements begin with questioning the current, existing circumstances. If you are not making progress for any reason, stop and think, and begin asking yourself the hard questions that will stimulate your mind to consider other possibilities. When they were doing the research to land a man on the moon, scientists were stumped for months and even years. They could not figure how to send a rocket to the moon with enough fuel to land on the moon, blast off, break the moon’s gravity and come back to earth. The problem was that if the rocket had that much fuel to start with, it would be too heavy to take off from the earth in the first place. Finally, they began to question the assumption that the lunar rocket ship had to land on the moon. When they questioned that assumption, the scientists concluded that a main rocket could orbit around the moon while a smaller module dropped to the surface of the moon and then rejoined the orbiting rocket for the trip back to earth. The mental logjam was broken, and the rest is history. Asking focused questions-hard questions that penetrate to the core of the matter-is the real art of the creative person. The next step is to have the courage to deal with all the possible answers. Once you have come up with a possible solution, ask yourself, "What else could be the solution?" If your current method of operation were completely wrong, what would be your backup plan? What else would you or could you do? What if your current procedure or plan turned out to be a complete failure? Then what would you do? And what would you do after that? All of those questions will force you to think further and come up with better answers. The second way to build your mental muscles is with intensely desired goals. The more you want something and the clearer you are about it, the more likely it is that you will generate ideas that will help you to move toward it. That is why the need for clearly written goals and plans for their accomplishment is repeated over and over. Any intense emotion, such as desire, stimulates creativity and ideas to fulfill that desire. And the more you write down your goals and plans, and review them, the more likely it is that you will see all kinds of possibilities for achieving those goals. The third generator of creative-thinking muscles is pressing problems. A good question to ask is "What are the three biggest problems that I am facing in my life today?" Write the answer to this question quickly, in less than 30 seconds. When you write the answer to a question in less than 30 seconds, your subconscious mind will sort out all extraneous answers and give you the three most important ones.

A Guide For Creative Thinking part 1

2009-03-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

A Guide For Creative Thinking

By: Brian Tracy

Einstein once said, "Every child is born a genius." But the reason why most people do not function at genius levels is because they are not aware of how creative and smart they really are. I call it the "Schwarzenegger effect." No one would look at a person such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and think how lucky he is to have been born with such tremendous muscles. Everyone knows that he, and people like him, have worked many thousands of hours to build up their bodies so they can compete and win in bodybuilding competitions. Your creative capabilities are just the same. They actually grow as they are used. But you don’t need to spend thousands of hours to increase your creative-thinking abilities. By practicing a few simple exercises and applications, you can start your creative juices flowing, and you may even amaze yourself at the quality and quantity of good ideas that you come up with. Let’s start off with the definition of creativity. In my estimation, after years of research on this subject, the very best definition of creativity is, simply, "improvement." You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or an artist in order to be creative. All you have to do is develop the ability to improve your situation, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. All great fortunes were started with ideas for improving something in some way. In fact, an improvement needs to be only 10 percent new or different to launch you on the way to fame and riches. It has been estimated that each year, driving to and from work, the average person has about four ideas for improvement, any one of which could make him or her a millionaire. The problem is not that you don’t have the ideas you need to accomplish anything you want but, rather, that you fail to act on those ideas. Most people dismiss their own ideas because they think that those ideas cannot be very valuable if they were the ones who thought of them. Thomas Edison, arguably the most successful creative genius in human history, once said that creativity is 99 percent perspiration and only 1 percent inspiration. Extensive research on creativity tends to bear him out. There are four generally accepted parts of the creative process: There is preparation, where much of the work is done. There is cerebration or rumination, where you turn the matter over to your subconscious mind. There is realization, where the idea or ideas come to you. And finally, there is application, where you work out the creative idea and turn it into something worthwhile. Of the four, preparation seems to be the most important, and it involves gathering the right data and asking the right questions.

Job Interview Question and Answer Tips

2009-03-08T23:35:00.000-07:00

Congratulations! You have applied for
a job and now you are getting ready for
that important job interview. You are look-
ing forward to making a good impression
on your future (hopefully) boss. Now, you
need to make sure that you also use the
right type of language for that job inter-
view.

When you walk in the room the very first
impression you make on the interviewer
can have a great influence on the rest
of the interview. It is important that you
introduce yourself, shake hands, and are friendly. The first question is often a “breaking the ice” (establish a rapport)
type of question. Don’t be surprised if the interviewer asks you something
like:

• How are you today?
• Did you have any trouble finding us?
• What do you think of the weather lately?

Don’t be surprised by the friendly tone. The interviewer wants to put you at
ease (help you relax). Answer the question without going into too much de-
tail. The language you use should be simple but polite, for example;
How are you today?
GOOD

How are you today?
GOOD
I’m fine thank you, and you?
I’m well thank you.
BAD
So, so
OK
Not so well

What is most important?

Talking about your experience and credentials (qualifications) is the most impor-
tant part of any job interview. Your qualifications include your education from High
School on and any special training you may have done in the past. Your experi-
ence is any work that you have done that is directly or indirectly related to the job
you are applying for.

Education
Remember that your education took place in the past. Therefore you need to use
the past tenses, for example:
I attended the University of Helsinki from 1987 to 1993.
I graduated with a degree in agricultural planning.
Etc.
If you are currently a student you should use the following present tenses:
I am currently studying at the University of New York and will graduate with a de-
gree in Economics in the spring.
I am studying English at the Borough Community College.
Etc.
Remember to include any training you may have had when talking about your
education. This includes any computer training, correspondence courses, etc.
Make sure to mention your English studies. This is very important as English is not
your first language and the employer may be concerned about this fact. Assure
the employer that you are continuing to improve your English skills by any courses
you may be taking, or by saying that you study a certain number of hours a week
to improve your skills.

Experience and Qualifications
Work experience is by far the most important topic of any job interview (at least
in the United States and Britain). Therefore, it is important to explain what experi-
ence you have in detail. Generally, employers want to know exactly what you did
and how well you accomplished your tasks. This is not the time to be modest. Be

confident, and talk freely about your accomplishments in past employment.
The tenses you should use are the following:
When talking about current employment be careful to use the present perfect or
present perfect continuous. This signals that you are still performing these tasks at
your current job, for example:
Smith and Co. have employed me for the last 3 years as a salesperson.
I have been creating customer contacts for 6months.
Etc.
When talking about past employers use the past tenses to signal that you are no
longer working for that company, for example:
I was employed by Jackson’s from 1989 to 1992 as a clerk.
I worked as a receptionist at the Ritz while I was living in New York.
Etc.

Talking about Responsibilities

Most importantly, you will need to demonstrate your qualifications and skills, which
are required for the job you are applying for. The job skills that you have acquired
in the past may not have been for the same exact job. Therefore, it is important to
show how the capabilities you do have relate to the job you are applying for.
I remember a wonderful example of adapting skills to fit the job desired. I had a
student from Moscow who had worked as the manager of an important theater in
Moscow. Unfortunately, he had to start from the beginning in New York and there-
fore wanted to get a job as a rodent exterminator (someone who kills rats!). When
asked what kind of experience he had, he replied that, as the manager of the
theater, he had had to make sure that the theater was always rodent free and was
therefore capable of doing the job well! This is a fantastic example of the type of
adaptability most employers in the United States are looking for.

Professional Dress For Men

2009-03-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

• Combed/brushed hair
• Close/clean shave or Trimmed/groomed
facial hair
• Hair line at back – shaved or trimmed
above the collar
• Nose/ear hair – cut or trimmed
• Undershirt – absorbs sweat and smell;
helps keep one cool in the summer and
warm in winter
• Shirt – cleaned & pressed (treated collar if
necessary); not too tight
• Tie – falls between the middle of the belt
buckle to the end of the buckle
• Belt – polished if marked from movement;
match shoes
• Suspenders or belt – not both. Suspenders should be same color as suit.
• Slacks – one break; pressed
• Jacket – arm length; to wrist joint; Length: drop arms naturally, curl fingers up to
palm, jacket should fall between base of palm and fingers
• Socks – no white, color should match shoes or slacks; when seated no skin is
showing
• Shoes – polished; match belt
• Cologne – only a small amount
• Fingernails – short, manicured, clean
• Jewelry – wedding or school ring on ring finger

Business Casual

• Button down/golf shirts with slacks
• No jeans, T-shirts, sandals, tennis shoes

More General Tips

• Make sure your shoes are shined everyday
• Do not wear button down collars with double breasted suits
• With a traditional or tab collar, always tie a four-in-hand knot. With a spread or but-
ton down collar, tie a half Windsor knot
• A knotted tie should just brush the top of your belt line
• Bow ties are becoming more popular as part of the business attire
• Air your clothes, and make all necessary alternations before putting them back in
your closet. Never use water to loosen up stains, it sets the stain. If anything use
club soda
• As a rule, the best colors for business shoes are black, burgundy and brown tones
(cognac or luggage)
• Business shoes must always be darker than the suit
• Before each season, take your shoes to the shoemaker. Have them polished and
resoled if necessary
• Always wear your trousers at the top of the hip bone.
• When buying a suit, always carry the items you normally keep in your pockets
(e.g. wallet, keys, money clip, etc…) for proper alterations/fitting
• For proper trouser length, wear the correct heel on shoes. Cuffs should be 1 ¼” or
2” in width
• Suites should be cleaned no more than three times per year. Chemicals used dur-
ing this process may destroy the dyes and damage fabrications.
• If one manufacturer’s pieces work for you, stick to the manufacturer. They almost
always cut the same sizes and proportions over and over.
• Spray cologne on your skin not on your clothes

Professional Dress For Women

2009-03-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

• Quality rather than quantity
• Too tight = cheap; not classy
• Make-up is professional; some is more
professional than none; mascara, blush &
lipstick at least
• Blouses – clean, pressed, not see through
• Bra – must be worn at all times
• Slip – only necessary if skirt or dress is
clinging; make sure it does not show
• Belt – polished if marked from movement;
match or blend with shoes; pulls outfits
together wear with pants and skirts (even if
no loops)
• Skirt – Short = 1-3 inches above or below
knee; Long = 2-3 inches above ankle (Do
you want to be considered sexy or profes-
sional?)

• Dresses – a jacket must be worn
• Slacks – a jacket must be worn for a professional look; no break is necessary;
must not drag on floor
• Jacket – arm length: to wrist joint
• Hosiery – no holes; carry an extra pair or clear nail polish in case of a run
• Shoes – polished (watch the heels looking worn); match or blend with belt; if one
does not like high heels, at least 1 inch is more professional than completely flat;
black, brown, and navy are the basics; white pumps are not suggested
• Perfume – only a small amount; don’t want to be distracting
• Fingernails – manicured, clean, no peeling nail polish, watch the length (less is
more); no fluorescent colors; no nail art or pierced nails

• Jewelry – earrings are professional = small or medium sized; rings only on ring
finger and little no pierced body parts that can be seen by the human
Business Casual
• Blouses or sweaters with slacks or skirts and pant suits
• No jeans, T-shirts, sandals, tennis shoes
More General Tips
• Add a belt to an outfit for a lift, to define, give contour and add a touch of color or
texture
• Do not wear cutesy floral or animal prints in a corporate setting
• Do not ever put your hem length at the thickest part of your leg. Be it calf, ankle or
above the knee, adjust the hem so that it falls to a more slender part of your leg
• Buy the best handbag you can afford, your overall professionalism depends on it
• Long blouses are sometimes difficult to tuck into pants and skirts. Shorten them for
less bulk
• Be sure to match your colors in daylight. Different fabrics pickup the same dye
shades differently
• Air your clothes, and make all necessary alterations before putting them back in
your closet. Never use water to loosen up stains, it sets the stain. If anything use club
soda
• Before each season, take your shoes to the shoemaker. Have them polished and
resoled if necessary
• Closed pumps (shoes) are more appropriate than open toed sling backs in profes-
sional business attire
• Keep at least five favorite scarves to enhance your wardrobe
• If one manufacturer’s pieces work for you, stick to that manufacturer
• Spray perfume on your skin not on your clothes
• Fabrics that can be worn for ten months of the year, like crepe on lightweight gabar-
dine in non seasonal colors are the most versatile and classic
• If you’re short avoid long hem length and heavy shoes. Both can make you seem
shorter
• Avoid at work; Low necklines, clinging clothes, see through garments. Glitter, tight
fits
• Make it “through the work week wardrobe” includes: two jackets, three skirts, four
blouses

Negotiating Job Offers

2009-03-07T12:14:00.000-08:00

Objectives

1. To recognize the importance of negotiat-
ing job offers.

2. To recognize appropriate negotiating
behaviors and be able to demonstrate these
behaviors effectively.

3. To recognize the factors involved in a
career decision.
4. To recognize the follow-up behaviors of
accepting or declining a job offer.

I. POINTS IN NEGOTIATING JOB OFFERS

A. Importance of Negotiating a Job Offer
Once you have received a job offer, you have more “power” now than at any other
time in the interviewing process. Aside from the main goal of making the right
decision, a lot can be gained or lost from the way you negotiate your offer.

B. Characteristics of Receiving a Job Offer

1. Time - An offer can arrive anywhere from one day to six weeks after your sec-
ond or third interview. Occasionally employers will give you the offer at their final
interview.

2. Impressions Still Count - Continue to
make a good impression when the offer arrives. It is important to let employers know
you are pleased to receive an offer, but do not let them hear you announce to your
roommate or significant other that “I got the job!” On the other hand, don’t make a nega-
tive impression with employers by telling them how sought after you are and how many
other offers you have already received.

3. Clarify the Offer - Be clear on all the factors that make up the offer. Get the following
information before you get off the phone with the employer:
• Salary
• Location
• Reporting date
• Travel or relocation expenses offered
• Signing bonus (if any)
• When they need your answer

4. Negotiate Time of Decision - Don’t accept the job offer on the spot.
Although you may have already been considering the possible offer, you need time to
evaluate all the factors of this decision. Remember not to be star struck by the excite-
ment of the offer. Be prepared to negotiate when you can give the employer your deci-
sion. Have a date in mind when you can give the employer your decision prior to receiv-
ing an offer so you won’t get caught off guard. Employers know you are interviewing
with other organizations and will appreciate your being honest and careful about your
decision.

II. FACTORS THAT MAY BE NEGOTIATED

Remember you have nothing to negotiate until you have an offer. However, once you
receive an offer, it is important that you consider all the possible factors that could be
negotiated.
A. Salary to certain limits. The offered salary may or may not be negotiable; it may or
may not be a fair offer. Prior to negotiating this factor, research salaries offered in your
field by geographical location, experience, degree level, major, and previous offers. You
will often find that the salary an employee receives varies greatly from job to job, em-
ployer to employer, and from one region of the country to another.

B. Location of position. There are many differences between working in one city or
another. Take the time to check out the geographic area of your new position. Does the
community offer you the lifestyle you are looking for? Do you have the option to choose
the location of the job? With some positions, negotiating where you will live can make
the difference in accepting a job or not.

C. Reporting date. Depending on the organization and your job, some employers might
be able to offer a flexible starting date. If you have ever dreamed of backpacking or

cycling through Europe, now may be the time, or maybe you just want to take some time
off to relax; remember, now is an opportunity to negotiate when you will begin your new
job.
Appraisal reviews. Depending on your job, some employers may give bonuses for job
performance. Often these salary increases are attached to your appraisal reviews. If the
organization incorporates this type of appraisal system it might be possible to ask for an
earlier review to increase your earnings sooner than normal.
Relocation expenses/signing bonuses. Some employers may provide relocation benefits
to help you move to the community where the employer is located. This may include
travel to the community to look for a home or apartment, mortgage assistance, cost of
moving possessions/car, and/or hotel/food expenses until you are settled. It may also be
in the form of a signing bonus, which is simply an agreed upon amount of money given
to you at the time of your acceptance of the offer. If an employer does not present these
benefits, you might want to consider negotiating for them.
Division/department you want to work in. In general, not all jobs are created equal within
an organization. Find out as much as possible about your options before you accept an
offer. If you decide that certain divisions appeal to you more than others, let it be known
before you sign. Your specific work assignment might be a factor that can be negotiated.

III. MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION

Making the right decision involves a host of factors. At the very least, individuals should
look at job offers as they relate to their individual, family, and career goals.
A. Individual Needs/Goals - Does this job match your interests, values, skills, and be-
liefs? Does it provide you with the lifestyle, prestige, independence, creativity, security,
altruism, and economic returns you are looking for in a job?

B. Family Goals - Does this job accommodate your needs and lifestyle preference with
regard to your family? Is the geographical location conducive to you and your family’s
hobbies, community activities, and social support groups?

C. Career Goals - Is the nature of the employer, the job’s pay and benefits, and the
work activities what you are looking for in a job? What is the employer’s reputation?
Is the training program attractive and comprehensive? Does the organization provide
advancement and mentoring opportunities? Will you be given significant responsibility?
Are the surroundings and people pleasant? Is there job security? Does it offer room for
professional, personal, and educational growth? Is the salary adequate for your needs?
How does the benefit package compare to those of other employers?

D. Use Effective Decision Making - It is suggested that you evaluate each offer based
on the same set of factors to determine which one best meets your needs. Remember
only you can decide what factors are important to you; what is important to one person

isn’t necessarily important to someone else.

IV. NEGOTIATING THE OFFER

A. Decide Your Conditions - It is important to determine what you want from the
offer, but it is also important to know the minimum you will take from an offer. Cre-
ate a plan that will allow flexibility. For example, if you ask for more salary but the
organization cannot offer more money, would you be willing to take a signing bonus
instead? Remember, you only have one opportunity to get the most from this offer
so thoroughly plan prior to any negotiation.

B. Negotiate with One Organization - Only negotiate with one organization at a time.
Don’t spend time and energy negotiating with the organization that is your second or
third choice until it is clear that your first choice is no longer an option.

C. Call Early - If you make your decision early, by all means call the organization
and begin negotiations. The earlier you negotiate the more likely that the organiza-
tion has not filled all of their positions and could be more inclined to negotiate with
you.

D. Maintain Your Professionalism - Too many candidates make the mistake of be-
coming too laid back after they’ve received an offer. Remember, the person you are
negotiating with may be your supervisor or at the very least your colleague.

E. Make a Decision - Be prepared to make a decision once the organization has
stated their final offer. It is not appropriate to try to hold out for more time or another
offer.

F. Commit Fully - No matter whether it was a hard decision or not, let your employer
know that you’re with them 100 percent. No one wants someone to work for them
who acts like they would rather be somewhere else.

V. THE FINAL STEP - DECLINE/ACCEPTANCE LETTERS

A. Decline Letters. Declining an offer should be done in writing and as soon as you
accept another position. This is an important step because you may need this con-
tact later on, so never burn your bridges.

B. Acceptance Letters. Acceptance letters are extremely important in restating your
understanding of the offer. Remember to include the following:
• Salary
• Starting date and time
• Location
• Any perks, signing bonuses, etc. that were negotiated
• Any other factors that you feel were vague or were not in writing

Good luck in your new job!

How to Master The Art of Compromise

2009-03-06T04:40:00.000-08:00

In many cases all you will be able to get by be-
ing persistent is a compromise. Compromises
are good. They get you one step[ further that
you were in the first place. If for some reason,
such as self-respect, you can’t accept a com-
promise, then don’t. Give whatever you can
offer. If you do this you may not get any type of
settlement in your favor. Here are steps that will
show you how to compromise so that you get
the best of the bargain:

Tell The Person Exactly What You Want

Tell the person exactly what you want in terms
he will understand: “I want more...”

Persist

You must get past the other’s person’s excuses and alibis. You must be persis-
tent until you fell you have hit the other person’s bottom line. You may find that
the other person is trying to manipulate you. Be persistent until that person has
stopped all his manipulation.

If You Are Unsure

If you don’t know what they want, then don’t make a decision. You must think
the situation over before you make a compromise. If you need more time, tell the
other person that you need more time. Make sure that you can live with the com-
promise you have made before you make it.

How to Get Your Co-Workers And Superiors To Like You

2009-03-06T04:25:00.000-08:00

Good relations with your co-workers and
your superiors will not only help you but will
make work more enjoyable. Every employee
wants to be liked by other employees. If
you treat people the way they want to be
treated, they will like you. Some of us don’t
know if what we do is objectionable to oth-
ers. I am going to give you a list of things
that attract other people to you and things
they find objectionable. When you move up
in the company, you will need all the support
you can get.

Praise People

Everybody enjoys being praised. People look for approval of themselves in oth-
ers. But you should praise people only when they deserve it. If you praise people
when they don’t deserve it, or if you praise too much, you lose your credibility.
Don’t exaggerate your praise. Make the praise as warm and sincere as you can.

Don’t Put People Down

Putting down a person can be very damaging to you and the other person’s
relationship wit you. People don’t want to feel degraded by being called stupid,
crazy, weird, etc. Don’t put down anyone even if they are not present. If you do,
the word will get back to them and you will look bad. Always talk positively about
people. Even if you don’t like them, still speak highly of them--you will be amazed
at what this does. If you must say something bad, don’t say anything at all.

Don’t Be Concerned With Your Interests Only

There is nothing wrong with caring and looking out for yourself. Just don’t make it notice-
able to other people. You will be resented by other people if you seem selfish. Make sure
others know you look out for them as well yourself.

Share The Credit

When others have helped you accomplish something, share the credit with them. Even
if their contribution was not as great as yours, still share the credit with them. You will be
surprised

Don’t Ask Others To Do For You What You Won’t Do For Them

If you are unwilling to go out of your way for people, don’t expect them to go out of their
way for you. Set the first example--if you help them, they will help you.

Always Show Appreciation

Everyone wants approval and recognition for what they have done. If someone helps
you in any way, tell him how much you appreciate his actions. If you don’t, he may not
help you again. This is what you should tell people when you show your appreciation: “I
really appreciate the way you...”; “Thank you very much for...”; “You are very good at...”:
“I really want to tell you how much I appreciated...”; “You were very nice to...” Don’t show
too much approval and recognition or it will lose its credibility.

Don’t “Show Up” Others

When you “show up” others you do it at their expense. “Showing up” people in front of
others takes away their self-respect. If you are better than others, they will know it--you
don’t have to degrade them.

Treat Small Things With Importance

Some things that seem small to you mean a great deal to others. Don’t ignore small
problems; help people solve them. Treating small problems with importance shows other
people you care.

Care About People

Everybody is concerned about themselves and it is important for them to have someone
to care for them. They are touched when you care about them. Helping people cope with
life makes people feel that you care about them.

Don’t Criticize A Person In Front Of Others
If you criticise someone in front of others, he will always resent you. It is one of the
most degrading things you can do. If you criticize someone, criticize him constructively
and privately.

Give People Your Undivided Attention

All people want to fell important. To make a person feel important you must give him
your undivided attention when communicating with him. Get rid of all interruptions.
Make sure you have good eye contact and that you are not playing with objects.
Be Courteous, Tactful, Polite and Diplomatic
Everyone appreciates people who are courteous,tactful, polite and diplomatic. The best
way to learn these qualities is from others. Study someone you would like to be like
and learn how he conducts himself.

Be Confident

If you don’t have confidence in yourself, others will not have confidence in you, either.
People admire and respect confident people. If you show others doubt, they will treat
you with doubt. Be sure of yourself and play down your insecurities.

Conclusion

Getting a job can be very easy if you look for it the right way. Knowing exactly what you
want and then going after it will always get you what you want. Be positive, determined
and persistent so that you will benefit, be rewarded and prosper.

How to Get A Raise

2009-02-27T04:37:00.000-08:00

Know Company Policies
Understand your company’s policy on sala-
ries and raises. You may have to be with the
company a specified length of time to get a
raise. Find out how long and act at the right
time. If you are getting the maximum salary
for your position, you may ask for a promo-
tion or a re-classification. Do everything you
can after studying the company policy book.

Know The Decision-Maker
You have to convince the person who has
the authority to give raises that you deserve
one. If that person is above your boss, pre-
pare to convince your boss and his superi-
ors that you deserve a raise.

Do You Deserve A Raise?
You must find out if you deserve a raise. Only after you are sure you deserve
one will others be sure you do. Rate yourself. Try to look at yourself through
your boss’s and your fellow workers’ eyes. Do they think you deserve a raise?

How To Justify A Raise?
Tell them about your accomplishments that helped the company. Show them
how much you saved the company through your actions. Get to know what
your skills are worth for another company in the same area. Present your com-
pany with that information. Present it to them in a very non-agressive manner.
tell the company what you will be able to do for them in the future. Tell them
how you will benefit the company with your new raise. tell them how your value

has increased since you have been with the company. Don’t mention anything about your
personal needs for the money.
Be Able To Handle Rejection
If you are rejected for a raise, be able to cope with it. Deal with the rejection before you
ask your boss for a raise so you will know how to handle the situation. Remember, expect
the best prepare for the worst.
Know What You Want
Before you speak to your boss know exactly how much more money you expect, both in
terms of dollars and percentage. If you know your boss will negotiate with you, ask for
more than you actually want. In this way you will get what you want or more.
When Should You Ask For A Raise?
Make an appointment with your boss. Don’t ask him for a raise as he is passing in the
hallway. Don’t ask to see your boss on busy Mondays or Fridays.
Be Prepared For Criticism
You may be criticized for not performing “up to par” now. Don’t let this criticism upset you,
let it help you. You can learn from this criticism by asking for more feedback from your
boss. Ask your boss how you can improve yourself. Ask him for suggestions. Always be
willing to negotiate with your boss. He may only give you a bonus instead of a raise. Take
it and ask for a raise later.
Handling Your Boss’s feedback
Get an immediate answer from your boss if he has the power to give you the raise. If he
can’t give the answer to you now, ask him when he can. If he tells you he can’t give you
a raise ask him why. Ask him what he would require from you before you got a raise, his
suggestions, what needs improvement, etc. Do what he tells you to do for a raise and,
when you have satisfied his needs, ask him again. If you plan to quit if you don’t get a
raise, don’t threaten your boss. You want your boss’s good reference later if and when
you do quit.

How to Deal With Useless Criticism

2009-02-27T04:33:00.000-08:00

Some criticism you get is in poor taste. We
must know how to deal with criticism such as:
“You look terrible today” or, “You left this in my
way, you idiot.” Make sure this kind of criticism
useless, follow these steps.

Agree With The Facts

Agree with the facts the other person presents.
For example, in response to “You look terrible
today,” say, “I haven’t been feeling too well
lately”; in response to “You left this in my way
you idiot,” say, “Yes, I did leave it in your way.”
Answer only what was actually said, not what
was implied.

How To Answer

Stay calm and collected during the whole conservation. Don’t lose your temper.
The only way a person will make you feel degraded is if you degrade yourself.
You don’t want to waste your time which this type of person, so don’t defend your-
self or attack him.

If You Made A Mistake

If you made a mistake, accept that fact. Don’t accept the quilt for the mistake. If
you were in error, then apologize. If you apologize, don’t make a big thing out of
it. Don’t tell them how dreadfully sorry you are, etc. Just give them a plain “I’m
sorry.”

How to Deal With Important Criticsm

2009-02-24T11:32:00.000-08:00

When you get important criticism, you want
to know how to get the best out of it. Use-
ful criticism is one of the best ways to make
yourself into a better person. Follow these
steps to get the most out of useful criticism.

Ask For Feedback

Find out exactly what others object to about
you. If someone tells you “You are bad,”
that’s not good enough. Find out exactly
why that person thinks that way. Be very
persisent--find out why the other person
feels the way he does. Vague criticism is
worthless to you.

Guess At Reason
If a person refuses to give you reasons for criticizing you, keep guessing at
your faults until you get the right one. This may be the only way to find out
what displeases the other person.

Don’t Be Defensive
If you act defensively, you may not be able to benefit from useful criticism.
Don’t be sarcastic or intimidate the other person. You want to learn how to
become a better person from the criticism.
Ask the person how you can change your objectionable behavior; be open to
reasonable suggestions.

Great Words To Describe Your Skills

2009-02-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

Use these verbs and adjectives and really sell yourself. You only have a few
minutes to show how good you really are. By using this precise vocabulary
and being confident can help you make the best impression possible.

accurate
active
adaptable
adept
broad-minded
competent
conscientious
creative
dependable
determined
diplomatic
discreet
efficient
energetic
enterprising
enthusiastic
experienced
fair
firm
genuine
honest
innovative
logical
loyal
mature
methodical
motivated
objective
outgoing
personable
pleasant
positive
practical
productive
reliable
resourceful
self disciplined
sense of humor
sensitive sincere
successful
tactful
trustworthy

GENERAL INTERVIEWING TIPS

2009-02-23T13:54:00.001-08:00

The job interview is usually the most
anxiety-producing aspect of the job
search process. No two interviews are
alike. They vary in style and format de-
pending upon the interviewer and the ap-
plicant. The content, however, typically
centers on two issues: what you can of-
fer the employer and what the employer
can offer you. Careful preparation will
enable you to be more confident and to
present yourself as an attractive poten-
tial employee. You should remember that
successful interviewing takes practice,
patience, feedback, and good humor.

Research the employer: Only request interviews with employers in which you
have a genuine interest. Review all available information on the employer and
formulate intelligent questions to ask during the interview. Demonstrate that
you’ve done your homework and you’ll make a strong impression. The Internet is
a great research tool as many employers have their own Web sites.

Review your resume:Be prepared to discuss anything included on your re-
sume, such as schools attended, courses taken, experiences, activities, and
interests. Bring extra copies of your resume, transcript, references, and writing
sample in case the interviewer asks for these.

Dress professionally:Arrive 5-10 minutes in advance of your interview. Take a
few minutes to freshen up, compose yourself, and gather your thoughts.

Be conscious of body language: Begin the interview with a solid handshake.
Sit tall with your shoulders back, not stiff, and head erect. Sitting up properly
makes you appear visually strong and interested in what’s going on. Avoid
intimidating gestures such as stabbing with a finger or winking. Maintain
eye contact and don’t take notes during the interview. Also, don’t forget to
smile.

Speak clearly:Enunciating and putting forth the best possible image is
important. Avoid fillers such as “um” and “you know.” Use your voice effec-
tively and positively. Answer questions with confidence and clarity. Make a
conscious effort to slow down your speaking tempo. Speak in declarative
sentences and be as direct as possible.

Listen to the questions:Answer questions directly and take time to think
before answering, but do not digress or talk too long. If an interviewer asks
a vague question, do not struggle and make a lame attempt to provide an
answer. Rather, ask the interviewer to repeat or clarify the question. If it still
isn’t clear, don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand what is being asked.

Ask intelligent, pertinent questions: Always have questions prepared.
These should relate to the employer, the interviewer, and the position for
which you are applying. You can avoid painful silences by being prepared
with questions and having done your research on the employer.

Remember that it is not generally a good idea to ask about salary or ben-
efits during an initial interview.

Be prepared to talk about grades: Discuss them honestly and realistically.
Highlight qualities that may not be reflected in your GPA. Mention specific
accomplishments that demonstrate your skills. If appropriate, talk about
circumstances that might have contributed to a lower grade point in a given
semester.

Be yourself: Personality is important. Relax and try to convey confi-
dence, sincerity, and maturity. Inject any relevant information about yourself
that has not been covered, but which you feel is important to mention. If
a potential employer has agreed to interview you, you have already im-
pressed that employer with your credentials. You must then establish a
personal rapport with the interviewer. Show some life and enthusiasm.

QUESTIONS YOU MAY BE ASKED

You may want to prepare for job interviews by reviewing the following
typical interview questions and formulating concise, intelligent, yet unre-
hearsed, answers. You should always answer an interviewer’s question
with more than a simple “yes” or “no.” You might want to offer concrete
examples to support your points. Every interview question gives you the
opportunity to present additional information that you want the interviewer
to have. In this way, you can focus on your greatest strengths.

•What are your short- and long-term goals?

•What are your strengths and weaknesses?

•What motivates you?

•What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?

•What courses did you like best and least? Why?

•Are your grades a good indication of your academic achievement?

•Who else are you interviewing with?

•Why are you interviewing with us?

•What can I tell you about our organization?

•How can you contribute to our organization?

•What two or three things are most important to you in a job?

•What have you learned from your work experiences?

•Describe the ideal job for you.

QUESTIONS TO ASK THE INTERVIEWER

Solid preparation for any interview also dictates that you formulate some
questions for the interviewer. You should ask these with honesty and sin-
cerity and show real interest in hearing the answers.

General Questions

•Why did you choose the type of work that you do?

•What is the growth plans for the firm, company or agency?

•How and when are the hiring decisions made?

•When can I expect to hear back from you?

•What do you see as the benefits/drawbacks of working at a firm your size?

•What type of client base does the firm have? Does it rely heavily on one client?

•How would you describe the firm culture?

•How are promotions made? What will a typical career pattern look like?

•How common are transfers?

•What type of evaluation process do you have?

•If I accept the offer, will I have a voice in choosing the kind of work I do?

DISCRIMINATORY QUESTIONS

The single most important guideline for lawful interviewing is for interviewers
to focus on job - related questions that can be asked of all applicants. Inter-
viewers should take steps to avoid any questions that would be asked of only
one group of applicants.

Generally, employers are not trying to be discriminatory; sometimes they ask
inappropriate questions out of ignorance or to promote conversation. If you
are having a good interview and are asked an inappropriate question, answer
it only if you feel comfortable. You should never, however, feel pressured to
answer an illegal question. If you feel an employer is deliberately asking dis-
criminatory questions, you have every right to confront him or her about it. Al-
ways try to understand the interviewer’s motivation. If you choose to respond
to an offensive question, answer positively and focus on your professionalism
and job ability. Your demeanor and handling of an offensive question could
work in your favor and let the employer know why you are such a good candi-
date.

Ergonomics: Standing On The Job

2009-02-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

If you are a store cashier, assembly-line worker or road construction signaler,
there is a good chance you stand for long periods on the same spot. Of course,
many other occupations require workers to work from a standing position with
little opportunity to walk or move about.

Most people have experienced the feelings of fatigue associated with stand-
ing to wait in long lines. Constant standing is tiring for the body. For workers
who do this on a daily basis, problems such as aching feet, swollen ankles and
calves, varicose veins, leg, hip and/or low-back pain are often reported.

What can be done to reduce fatigue and improve comfort for workers who
stand on the job?

Our bodies are designed to work most efficiently and comfortably when we are
able to change position on a regular basis. This can mean moving our whole
body or large parts of it as when we walk, bend, and use our arms. To improve
circulation in the lower part of the body, tiny movements within the leg muscles
are also important. These aims can be achieved in the following ways.

1. Determine whether it is feasible to provide a sit-stand arrangement at the
workstation. Depending upon how and where the hands are used within the
workstation, and upon other movement requirements, it may be possible
to add a chair to allow the worker to alternate between sitting and standing
throughout the workday or night. A mix of sitting and standing is less fatiguing
for the body than full-time sitting, or standing.
2. Install a foot bar under the workstation to allow the person to rest a foot on
it, thereby varying his/her low back posture over the course of time. Ideally,
the bar would be easily adjustable to accommodate people of different height
- three positions at 8”, 10” and 12” above the standing surface would suffice.
3. Provide anti-fatigue matting for workers to stand on. Standing on concrete or
other hard flooring is tiring. However, with the correct thickness of matting (e.g.
half an inch), the leg muscles work lightly and imperceptibly to maintain balance,
thereby improving circulation in the lower extremities. If you plan to purchase this
specialized type of matting, consider the following points:
. Thickness: Thicker matting is not necessarily better - too much need for balanc-
ing will add to fatigue.
. Replacement: The cushioning effects diminish over time, meaning that the
matting must be replaced on a regular basis. The frequency of replacement will
depend on many factors including mat quality, type and how heavily it is used.
Workers can provide feedback about when it’s time to replace the matting.
. Other workplace factors: Consider other constraints and conditions that may
also have to be satisfied, such as: < hygiene requirements (e.g. in food process-
ing locations) < cleaning requirements - does debris fall to the floor? < is it a wet
or dry environment? Are chemicals used that may damage the matting? Is slip-
ping a safety concern? < do carts or other wheeled equipment have to be ma-
neuvered over the area?
. Cost: Prices vary widely by type and supplier. Note that everyday door or en-
trance rubber mats are much less expensive, but will not provide the anti-fatigue
benefits afforded by specially designed matting.
4. Ensure that there is toe clearance at the base of the workstation wherever
people will have to stand. This allows the person to stand close to the counter
or workstation, thereby reducing the potential for leaning forward while working.
Provide at least 4” of clearance both vertically and forward to accommodate large
feet.
5. Avoid use of foot pedals. Provide hand-activated switches, or devices that are
actuated by some other means. If foot pedal operations are required, ensure the
pedal is low-profile such that the worker’s heel maintains contact with the floor
while activating the pedal. Also, provide a pedal that allows operation by either
foot. A wide pedal, or one that can be moved in front of either foot, will afford this
opportunity.
6. Consider implementing work rotations so that periods of standing are short-
ened and are shared by more than one worker. Note that if you choose to rotate
workers, periods of standing must be broken by periods of sitting or other task
requiring movement. Simply rotating through several standing workstations will
not provide the physical benefit you’re hoping to achieve.
7. Enlarge a job by adding other necessary work tasks, such as workstation
clean-up, planning, or other administrative work that provides a change in
body position.
8. Individual workers can do a couple of things to improve their comfort if
prolonged standing is part of the job. Do “toe raises” (rise up onto the balls
of the feet, then place heels back down; repeat) to increase circulation to the
lower legs. Take advantage of any pauses in work to do some mild stretching,
to squat or bend to change body position. If anti-fatigue matting is not avail-
able, workers can try wearing cushioning shoe inserts (ideally in comfortable
shoes). Note that you may need a half size larger shoe to accommodate a
shoe insert.

Dressing ForThe Interview

2009-02-23T13:13:00.000-08:00

Many employers are relatively conservative,
but there are exceptions. In any case, each
employer treats the interview process very
seriously. Keep this in mind when thinking
about what to wear for your initial interview
or subsequent callback interview. You only
get one chance to make a first impression,
so give careful thought to your appearance.

The best way to dress for the first meet-
ing is clean-cut and professional. In other
words, dress “like an attorney.” It is better
to be over-dressed, rather than too casual.
Remember that your appearance makes a
statement. If you look neat and professional,
you project an impression that you take
pride in yourself and your work. Appearance

has little to do with the brand labels of your clothes or good looks.

Rather, some-one with a nice appearance looks neat, self-confident, and professional.It is safer to err on the side of conservative dress. For women, this generally
means a suit or other similarly professional attire. Depending on the nature of the
employer, you may also choose to wear a dress or pants. For men, conservative
dress generally means a navy, gray, or other dark-colored suit, coordinated shirt,
and a tie. Here are some additional tips:

• You can never go wrong with conservative colors such as gray, navy, taupe, and
black. Coordinate colors and patterns. Women can accessorize a conservative
suit with a nice scarf or pin.

• Some fabrics are more appropriate for interviews than others. Try natural fiber

blends of wool, silk, or cotton over polyester or linen, which wrinkle easily. Your clothes
should be fresh, neat, and pressed.

• Your hair should also be neat and combed, and your fingernails should be clean and
trimmed. Check your appearance in a mirror before entering the interview.

• Keep jewelry to a minimum.

• Avoid too much cologne or perfume.

• Get a good night’s sleep the night before the interview.

• Shine your shoes.

• Don’t smoke, drink liquor, or eat foods that will leave an odor on your breath before an
interview. If you have bad breath, eat a breath mint, but don’t chew gum!

• Pack an extra pair of hose or an extra tie. Carry your luggage on the plane. Accidents
can happen!

OTHER FACTORS

An equally important part of your professional appearance is the way you carry your-
self, the gestures you use, and your body language. You should be self-confident and
comfortable with the way you look. So, choose styles, colors, fabrics, and patterns that
make you look good. The better you feel about yourself, the better you will come across
in an interview. Also, arrive 5-10 minutes in advance of your interview. Take a few min-
utes to freshen up, compose yourself, and gather your thoughts.
Greet your interviewer(s) by introducing yourself with a firm handshake. Sit tall with
your shoulders back, not stiff, and head erect. Sitting up properly makes you appear
visually strong and interested in what’s going on. Avoid intimidating gestures such as
stabbing with a finger or winking. Maintain eye contact and don’t take notes during the
interview. Be sure to smile.

RECEPTIONS, COCKTAIL PARTIES AND DINNERS

Some employers will invite you to a reception, party or dinner as a part of the interview.
Consider the event an extension of your interview even though it may take place in a
relaxed setting. Wear attire appropriate to the setting and time of day. For example, if a
firm is having a dinner that night at a nice restaurant, chances are it will be more formal.
If they are having appetizers and margaritas at a more casual location, then chances
are you will not be expected to wear business attire. Often, employers state that an
event is “business casual.” For men, this generally means khaki pants and a button-
down or short-sleeved shirt with a collar. For women, this means a casual pantsuit or
modest sundress or skirt.