Endorse Me and Be Damned!

Endorse Me and Be Damned! I’ve always considered the word “endorsement” to have rather flaky connotations. Perhaps it’s because it conjures to my mind images of cheesy personalities or wooden sports stars “endorsing” products they quite clearly would never buy or use in a million years Henry Cooper may well have splashed his Brut all over (boxers weren’t paid much back then and he was probably grateful of a few freebies) but I’m fairly sure David Beckham’s hair never saw an ounce of Brylcreem (especially after Posh got her claws in and started managing his look â€" Denis Compton, the original Brylcreem Boy and personal hero of mine given his first-class batting average and Arsenal career, I’m sure was spinning in his grave). Or perhaps “endorsement” brings to mind (for me) too many occurrences of when they have gone horribly wrong like remembering the one bad meal or a dodgy hotel room after a succession of pleasant experiences and then writing a furious entry on TripAdvisor IN CAPITALS and with over use of !!!!! , **** and the consonants F, K, S, H and T. Spectacularly misjudged endorsements include everything ever endorsed by Tiger Woods or Lance Armstrong (to be fair to the product people who knew Tiger would end up being caught swinging his club around too freely or that Lance would turn out to be the biggest cheat in sporting history) and, of course, various fashion labels aghast at being endorsed by a cocaine snorting Kate Moss (drugs in the fashion industry … how shocking … who’d have thought? It seems such a healthy and low-key kind of industry). Car-Crash Endorsements: A personal car-crash endorsement favourite is Madonna’s $5m contract with Pepsi quickly being scotched after the release of her Like a Prayer video, which included rape, racism, stigmata, has Madge gyrating around a burning cross and kissing a black saint who may or may not be Jesus (Lady Gaga take note this is how it’s really done!) Apparently all this didn’t go down well with religious groups in America and a leading Catholic Bishop called for a boycott of Pepsi and all their holdings (Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut) after Madonna’s song accompanied a much heralded advert for Pepsi during the Bill Cosby Show. This wasn’t a great commercial move by Pepsi whilst at the height of the Cola War. LinkedIn Endorsements: So, when LinkedIn decided to spring a new feature on us networking addicts a while backed called LinkedIn Endorsements, I was not at first all that hopeful or positive towards to the development, having associated the term with too many bad experiences and examples. Unfortunately my feelings towards the feature have not got any better in the following months. My problems with LinkedIn Endorsements are: the pop window asking you to continually endorse a connection is way too annoying. I receive Endorsements from people who, I know, have no way of telling if what they have endorsed me for is true or not. They just add noise and no value. I’ve even seen recently examples of Endorsements that create a bit of humour (no bad thing) such as being endorsed for “Kicking Ass” (bit American for my taste but “Kicking Arse” never seems quite right as you end of sounding like a Hugh Grant fop) and indeed there is a potential mischief that could be created by people endorsing others for non-complimentary skills â€" such as  Racketeering (noun: illegal business or scheme; usually run as part of organised crime â€" AKA being a MP, Journo or City Banker). LinkedIn Endorsements are too easily given and offer no substance as to how they’ve been earned they are akin to a Facebook like, which is about as ephemeral and inconsequential as can be. So I’m opting out of Endorsements from now on. I’m not going to be swayed by the annoying pop window to endorse for endorsing’s sake and any of my connections who choose to continually endorse me for skills they are in no position to judge will be removed from my network. A bit harsh perhaps but it means they’re either a) stupid or b) disingenuous and it gives me a good reason to prune back who I choose to remain connected to (so, maybe in a strange way Linkedin Endorsements will be a force for good after all). What are your thoughts on LinkedIn Endorsements? Let us know in the comments below!

Grant Writing Experience Consultant Resume - Tips For Your First Year of Grants Writing

Grant Writing Experience Consultant Resume - Tips For Your First Year of Grants WritingIf you are thinking about taking a grant writing experience, then you need to do some research first. If you haven't taken a full year of grants writing, then you may not be prepared for what you will encounter when you start applying for them. If you are completely new to the market, here are a few tips that can help you get started.Be comfortable in front of a camera. You cannot apply for a lot of grants if you are not comfortable in front of the camera. This means that you need to spend some time taking beginner grants and work on getting more comfortable with it. The next step after that is to take beginner/intermediate grants. Then, move up to intermediate/advanced grants and finally, the most difficult ones - the really difficult ones!Always include a strong call to action on your entire thing. In addition to the call to action, you also need to include a clear description of the projects tha t you want to accomplish. You also need to create a good prospectus as well.Make sure that you include information on the types of information that you will have to submit. Don't forget that you will have to supply the data on the applications, grant proposals, grants, etc. Make sure that you get that all in one document.Make sure that you include samples of projects in your application. There is nothing worse than submitting an application without having any samples to show off. Also, don't forget to include how many you have done before. This way, the reviewer will know that you are dedicated to doing more and don't take this job and run off to write the next one.Ask for recommendations from any individuals or organizations that you are thinking of using for the grants that you are considering. Look online and find groups that you might consider getting into. Look at the website and check out who they are, what they do, how long they have been in the industry and any other informa tion that they can provide you.Be flexible. Some companies require their staff members to only take on certain types of projects, and they require their applicants to fulfill these requirements. Sometimes, this is just because the company doesn't have enough money, but sometimes it is a little bit more involved. Don't be afraid to ask about this.Keep in mind that the longer you spend filling out these forms, the less you are going to get. You are better off spending your time applying for smaller, more specific grants. That way, you will be able to get the larger projects that are more competitive.

How to Write a Will in 6 Simple Steps

How to Write a Will in 6 Simple Steps As soon as you transition into the professional world, you start to think about your future. You might begin investing in company stock or setting money aside for retirement. But not as many people will think about writing a will at the same time. It’s vital to add this step to your life-planning to-do list, though. A will is admittedly challenging to write â€"  it’s something you hopefully won’t have to execute for a very long time. However, taking the steps now will give you peace of mind and make life easier for your family when they have to follow it. To make the whole process simpler, here are the six steps to writing a will. Choose Your Beneficiaries Chances are, you already know to whom you’d leave your money, property and possessions. To start the will-writing process, put pen to paper and map out who would get what. Having this figured out will make the rest of the process simple. Whether you fill out your will on your own or see an attorney â€" more on that later â€" you’ll have to have this information at the ready. Start by mapping it out now. Remember, you need to be very specific as to who gets what. If you want to make sure one child receives a particular piece of furniture, while another holds onto a sentimental piece of jewelry, write that down. If you want to exclude any close family members from your will, you should note that, too â€" otherwise, they could contest the will in court. And, if you feel as though any of your choices require explanation, include a letter with your will. You can use the additional space to detail how you want particular parts of your will executed, or explain why you chose specific inheritances or responsibilities for particular people. Find the Right Medium You have several options when it comes to writing your will. You could use a website like LegalZoom, which offers virtual help to cover all your bases. This option tends to suit those from the middle class, who don’t have as many assets to dole out or taxes to consider. For more in-depth will writing, it’s best to use an attorney’s expertise. Perhaps most importantly, they can help you navigate the complicated tax laws and other laws that could affect your will. Without the proper delineation of funds and assets, your beneficiaries could face penalties on their inheritance. Name the Right Executor Carefully choose the person who oversees the proper execution of your will. Your closest confidant might not be authoritative enough to handle the job. Your children might not get along, creating more discord if you select one as the executor. Take all these dynamics into consideration as you decide who will be in charge. For some, the right option might be to make a third party the executor. Banks or law firms will take on the role â€" for a fee, of course. To that end, you should consider compensating whoever you choose to oversee your will, since they’ll have to put a lot of work into it, too. Consider Potential Guardians One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to consider who would best raise your children in your absence. However, the point of a will is to make these questions simple to answer if something unexpected happens. Obviously, before you name the person(s) you’d like to be in charge of your children, be sure to think long and hard about who best fits the bill. If you’re choosing someone a bit older â€"  say your parents or your partner’s parents â€"  be sure to have a backup plan in case they can’t take on the role. You don’t have to limit your selection to just family members, either. You can name close friends as guardians instead if you think they’re well-suited to raise your children. Speak to the people you choose to ensure theyre up for the responsibility, though. Follow Proper Protocol With an attorney overseeing the creation of your will, it’ll be easy to ensure you’ve done everything correctly. First, you’ll need to have witnesses to watch you sign the will and familiarize themselves with the terms of the document. You should try and choose witnesses who aren’t included in the will, so there aren’t any blurred lines. They should know what you wanted in case the will ends up getting contested â€"  they can speak on your behalf, since they were there when you signed the document. Store your will in a safe place, too. You can keep a copy in a bank safe or another location outside your home. But you should also have the original in your possession, perhaps in a fireproof safe. Don’t Forget to Make Updates Your life isn’t stagnant, and your will shouldn’t be, either. Therefore, you should occasionally revisit your will to ensure it covers all your assets. There are specific events in which you should immediately update your will â€"  like if you know you’re going to come into a large sum of money, for example. Still, revisiting your will from time to time can ensure it changes with you as your life evolves. And, as you’ve learned from reading these steps, you never know what’s going to happen â€" but you can prepare as best you can for the future by writing a will now.

7 Easy Ways to Make Money Playing Video Games at Home

7 Easy Ways to Make Money Playing Video Games at Home Making money while playing video games is a dream of every gamer. However, it’s not that easy â€" you have to be good at it, and you have to possess other, non-gaming qualities. Here are the seven ways of making money out of gaming every gamer should consider. Game testing Many large gaming studios often have job openings for game testers. Most of the time, the playtester plays the game in a pre-release state and extensively plays the game afterwards. However, there are two downsides. First, a game tester mostly searches for the bugs, so he/she can’t enjoy the game that much. Second, it’s not paid that well, especially in the beginning. But, on the other hand, they are still getting paid for playing games, which is what they enjoy the most. Play trivia games Playing trivia games is a great way to start, but it has the same downside as testing â€" a player can’t earn much money in the beginning. Also, there is usually a tax for purchasing game tokens, and it costs a few bucks. However, there are sites such as Swagbucks, Inboxdollars and MyPoints where members have the opportunity to play games in exchange for points. Afterwards, a player can exchange these points for gift cards or cash. Collecting the points should not be that hard if the game is enjoyable. Farm gold and items The concept of farming in video games usually requires a lot of time and effort. A player has to level the character, and to earn many items and gold in the meantime, to be able to obtain a substantial amount of money out of it. But, for those people who genuinely enjoy farming more than any other aspect of the game, it could be profitable. Although there are games which ban this sort of practice, there are others, such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive, that promote earning and selling items (guns, rifles, etc.). Live streaming on Twitch Starting a stream on Twitch could be the nuts! Especially for streaming the most popular games such as Fortnite, LOL, DOTA 2, etc. Depending on how big their viewer base is, the streamer ends up earning a small, stable or even massive amount of money. However, there are two things to keep in mind. First, every streamer needs a high-quality gaming laptop, and investing in a quality brand from the best shop is the way to go. Keep in mind that you might risk wasting the rest of your wallet to serve your game streaming journey. In which case, careful research will help you make the right decision. By experience, I would say that investing in a high refresh rate monitor and a  best-budget powerful gaming card is a MUST.   Second, a great streamer has to be engaging, charismatic, and his/her commentary has to be pleasant. If it would not represent a problem for you, go for it! Start a Youtube channel A streamer with a solid viewer base on Twitch should turn to Youtube as soon as possible. Even without it, every entertaining gamer with the ability to engage with viewers has the potential for success on Youtube. However, playing video games is not the only type of engaging. Game reviews are also top-rated, and through them, you can build a good reputation and your opinion will be appreciated. A good reputation leads to more viewers, and a bigger viewer base leads to more ads. Create a blog or game guide Mastering a game is not easy. However, when a player achieves that level, he could consider creating a game guide and blog posts or even writing a small book. Although it is not such a popular form in the gaming world as Twitch or Youtube streams, it can still build a reputation and grow the fan base. Further, a bigger audience leads to more engagement and more money. Join an Esports team This is another thing which could be considered only at the top level of the particular game. The Esports scene is growing, especially when it comes to the most popular games. To become a pro, it’s not (always) that essential to have excellent communication skills, but your skill cap has to be the highest possible since the competition is very high and it’s growing steadily. Playing video games is an enjoyable and relieving experience. However, making money out of it is a bit harder. But with the proper mindset and some effort, everything is possible.

How Does Resume Writing Services Work?

How Does Resume Writing Services Work?Resume writing services have been designed to meet the needs of all types of workers and employers. The talented people involved in these companies understand exactly what it takes to write a resume that is both impressive and professional. All potential applicants are asked to fill out a short form that is filled out by the employees. It is then read by the person hiring the person for an interview.The resumes are read by the search engines, which are used by all employers. In addition, they have been seen on websites, which is the same format as on employer websites. The goal of resume writing services is to provide the highest quality resumes for the job search. This is done by professionals who know what it takes to make a great resume.Each resume is carefully read and the resume services and employers will be able to tell if the person is qualified for the job and how they can further their career advancements. This will also inform the appl icant of the expected pay rate and other benefits that the employer may have to offer. A great many employees are able to get a job in a position that they would love to do, but just aren't capable of performing. There are many ways in which this can be accomplished.The resume writing services are able to gather information from these potential employees by contacting the company's employee files and requesting any information they may have on the employee. By offering this information they are able to search their files, and put together a resume that is specific to the job. Additionally, they are able to provide the best materials possible in order to write a resume that provides more information than that of any resume available anywhere else.Another reason why the resume writing services are so important to the new job market is that of the fact that the search engine companies never have the time to read through the resume of every applicant. Asa result, the resumes are never e ver read by anyone, since the majority of the time, the majority of resumes do not get read. After the search engines have filtered through the most relevant resumes, only the very best will be sent back to the hiring organization. By having a well-written resume, it will not only help the employee get hired, but will also help the company as well.Many people believe that resume writing services are a waste of time and money because they cannot provide the person with a high quality resume. This is not true. As the company develops the resume and provides the employee with the information that the employer wants, they can learn more about the person and find out what areas they should work on. Many people make the mistake of making the resume look like a poorly designed job posting, but the truth is that only the resume has been altered in some way.By utilizing the services of the resume writing services the person is able to express themselves and find a new job that they might not have found on their own. With a highly polished resume, the person is able to reach a much higher level of job interview success. By knowing that the resume is professionally written, they are able to say what they need to say in a manner that will be perceived as professional.Many times it can be hard to know whether or not the potential employee is telling the truth when they say that they can do the job. The resume writing services will help the candidate to stay on track with the employer and not allow the employer to believe that the candidate will not perform as expected. This is why the resume writing services exist; to help the employee that is hiring and reaching out to a new place in life, to make the best decisions for themselves.

5 Ways to De-stress at Your Desk CareerMetis.com

5 Ways to De-stress at Your Desk Source â€" DepositPhotos.comStress is something that many of us experience at work. But if you are dealing with responsibilities or excessive demands that are causing your stress levels to rise, it is important to make changes to stop them from becoming overwhelming. When our stress levels become too high, they can have a serious toll on our health and wellbeing. Stress can be incredibly difficult to leave at the office at the end of a day and has the potential to impact all areas of your life, including your relationships, sleep, diet, and mood.If you feel that the symptoms of stress are starting to affect your quality of life, it is important that you plan strategies to tackle the problem rather than plowing on regardless.evalThere are a number of stress management techniques that you can introduce into your working day, so that you can stop stress from having a negative impact on you, both in and outside of work.1) Emotional freedom technique EFT can be seen as a needleless form o f acupuncture, where you tap specific energy points on the body in order to relieve stress and restore your energy.With EFT, you focus on one thing that is causing you to feel stressed, rather than numerous problems. As you concentrate on the issue, you tap on one of the twelve energy points that are on your body, three to seven times. These points include the eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, the chin, collar bone, under the arm and on the top of the head.You continue to tap energy points until you start to feel your stress levels subside. Once you are calmer, you then think of an uplifting and self-affirming phrase and tap your energy points once again as this can help you to feel more positive and re-energized. 2) Guided meditation apps When we are stressed, our ‘fight or flight’ instinct is triggered. This causes our blood pressure to rise, our blood flow to increase and our breathing to quicken. Meditation apps such as Headspace, Calm, etc. can help y ou to slow these responses right down.Guided meditation apps use techniques such as breathwork, visualization, and mindfulness to help you reduce your stress levels. They also give you the opportunity to observe the impact that stress triggers are having on your thoughts and feelings. You then have the time and space to reframe your responses to these stress triggers so that they don’t take up so much of your energy or drive how you go on to behave.3) Progressive muscle relaxation You focus on one muscle group at a time, starting with the forehead and working your way down, or vice versa. Different muscle groups to work through include your forehead, jaw, neck, shoulders, arms and hands, buttocks, legs and feet.Before you start tensing and relaxing the muscle groups, you should take a few minutes to focus on deep breathing. Then you tense and hold the first muscle group for 15 seconds, and slowly release for 30 seconds as you exhale.Before you move onto other muscle groups, you sh ould spend some time breathing deeply, focusing on your relaxed muscles and your relaxed state of mind.4) Deep breathing Our breathing pattern can become quick and shallow when our stress levels rise. By focusing on getting your breath back to normal, you can send a message to your brain to calm down and relax.evalTake in a slow, deep breath for five to eight seconds and as you do this, visualize filling your lungs from the bottom to top. Then hold the breath for five to eight seconds, and exhale for the same amount of time, imagining that you are emptying your lungs. As you focus on this deep breathing technique, feel the rise and fall of your breath in your abdomen rather than in your chest.eval5) Plan your days in advance Staying in control of your workload can help to prevent an unhealthy build-up of stress. Don’t let the number of tasks you have to complete overwhelm you, as when your stress hormones are activated, this can have a detrimental effect on your concentration, pre venting you from carrying out your job effectively.At the start of a week or day, create a checklist of tasks that need to be completed by priority, where you break down bigger projects into more manageable activities.Make sure that you give yourself enough time to complete the tasks rather than setting yourself unrealistic deadlines, and add in regular breaks to stop yourself from burning out. After you finish each task, give yourself a little reward, even if it’s as simple as crossing the task off your checklist.During your working day, try not to get too distracted by additional tasks such as emails or ad-hoc demands. Instead, make sure you respond to these additional requests at designated times in the day so that they don’t disrupt the progress of your projects and cause your stress levels to spike.6) Take breaks and leave your desk from time-to-timeTaking a few minutes away from your desk can give you the chance to step away from your stresses. Try to go outdoors and focus on what you can see, hear, smell and feel to clear your mind so that you head back to your desk feeling re-energized.If you can’t head outside, even quick breaks to the water station can be a way to manage your stress levels. You may also want to put your headphones in and listen to one or two songs to help you relax and focus on something that you enjoy.When its lunchtime, don’t be tempted to spend your break at your desk as this won’t give you the opportunity to rest and recharge. Instead, you could spend time with your work colleagues, as this can be a great way to let off steam and unwind. You may also want to go for a walk, which can de-stress your mind and your body.Also, opt for healthy lunches that increase your energy and give you sustainable nutrients to get you throughout the day rather than going for comfort foods.7) Make changes to your working lifeevalIf you find that your stress levels remain high regardless of the steps you put in place to reduce them, think a bout what else you can potentially change, such as your working hours, your job role or the organization you work within.As stress can have such a big impact on your quality of life, it is important that you take the right steps to address it so that you can spend your working days happily challenged as opposed to overwhelmed and exhausted. You can also access psychological support for stress to stop it from worsening and impacting on your physical and emotional health. Through counseling and the use of therapeutic methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness, you can learn how to tackle symptoms, and address underlying causes and triggers for your stress, so that you can resume a more positive and fulfilling way of life.

Alps - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Alps - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog This saturday, Patricia and I leave for a week in the french alps. This is very late in the season, but with any luck, all the snow wont have melted yet, and Ill get a chance to snowboard, and Patricia can try out skiing for the very first time. With her being swiss Im sure its in her genes, and shell pick it up in no time. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

I Quit My Job! 90 Days Later

I Quit My Job! 90 Days Later I realized last week that this past Saturday, the 19th, marked 3 whole months as a Woman of the World / full-time creative career coach / jailbird from Corporate America. I can hardly freakin believe it (I think May went by in about a day a half), but its true. Heres a summation of whats been rockin whats been less rockin since then: ************************************************************************************************************** The second Law of Attraction video is up on Spring, along with a giveaway! Enter by 12p Eastern today for your chance to win a Bring Your Own Sunshine print (aw). Get Danielle LaPorte’s Nuggets of Genius in your own home, on your own time.   The Digital Firestarter Sessions from my “cult leader” are taking the Interwebs by storm! What’s your Joy Equation? Find out with Molly Hoyne’s Pay-What-You-Can-Afford Program!