Five Days of Blogging Secrets

Five Days of Blogging Secrets Last year for my one year anniversary I shared five posts of blogging secrets stuff Ive learned over a year of blogging. I have since created a two-hour blog marketing webinar called Blog Marketing 201 501, which you can get for $49.95 from the CEO Training site. Today, as I wrap up a week-long celebration of another year of blogging, Id like to share those 5 posts with you (again).   Enjoy! Day 1: My Blogging Secrets its all about relationships, with your readers, other bloggers, etc. Day 2: My Blogging Secrets its all about your brand, building credibility, expressing your professional breadth and depth, etc. Day 3: My Blogging Secrets having an abundance mentality what do you share, what do you hoard?   As a blogger you might see a paradigm shift. Day 4: My Blogging Secrets the importance and benefits of building a community. Day 5: My Blogging Secrets technology aint necessarily your best friend keep it clean, avoid being slow (to load a page), while being slow (to adopt new technology/widgets). Helpful? Anything to add? Five Days of Blogging Secrets Last year for my one year anniversary I shared five posts of blogging secrets stuff Ive learned over a year of blogging. I have since created a two-hour blog marketing webinar called Blog Marketing 201 501, which you can get for $49.95 from the CEO Training site. Today, as I wrap up a week-long celebration of another year of blogging, Id like to share those 5 posts with you (again).   Enjoy! Day 1: My Blogging Secrets its all about relationships, with your readers, other bloggers, etc. Day 2: My Blogging Secrets its all about your brand, building credibility, expressing your professional breadth and depth, etc. Day 3: My Blogging Secrets having an abundance mentality what do you share, what do you hoard?   As a blogger you might see a paradigm shift. Day 4: My Blogging Secrets the importance and benefits of building a community. Day 5: My Blogging Secrets technology aint necessarily your best friend keep it clean, avoid being slow (to load a page), while being slow (to adopt new technology/widgets). Helpful? Anything to add? Five Days of Blogging Secrets Last year for my one year anniversary I shared five posts of blogging secrets stuff Ive learned over a year of blogging. I have since created a two-hour blog marketing webinar called Blog Marketing 201 501, which you can get for $49.95 from the CEO Training site. Today, as I wrap up a week-long celebration of another year of blogging, Id like to share those 5 posts with you (again).   Enjoy! Day 1: My Blogging Secrets its all about relationships, with your readers, other bloggers, etc. Day 2: My Blogging Secrets its all about your brand, building credibility, expressing your professional breadth and depth, etc. Day 3: My Blogging Secrets having an abundance mentality what do you share, what do you hoard?   As a blogger you might see a paradigm shift. Day 4: My Blogging Secrets the importance and benefits of building a community. Day 5: My Blogging Secrets technology aint necessarily your best friend keep it clean, avoid being slow (to load a page), while being slow (to adopt new technology/widgets). Helpful? Anything to add?

Nursing Resume Tip - Making Sure That You Present Yourself in the Best Possible Light

Nursing Resume Tip - Making Sure That You Present Yourself in the Best Possible LightA nursing resume tip can come in handy for those who are applying for their first job. It is not uncommon for a young person to have trouble getting their resume on the desk of an employer before they are ready to face the workload of nursing. In order to be prepared, you should consider what tips and suggestions are available for creating a nursing resume. In addition, you should also keep in mind that this process can take some time, so be prepared to be patient if it does not happen right away.Nurse resume tips will focus on the format of the resume, which will include the sections that address your interests and abilities as a nurse. When creating your nursing resume, remember that it should be long enough to explain your experience to potential employers. The most important part of your nursing resume tip is to start with a list of what you want to include. If you are hoping to get your foot in the door, include all of the relevant experiences and credentials.You may also be concerned about which nursing resume tip to use for your information. You can find many available resources on the internet. These resources can help you create a concise nursing resume, but be sure that you do not overdo it. Another tip that you may want to consider is to include a biography of yourself. This can help establish how much you have changed throughout your life and is another factor that will be presented to potential employers.Every aspect of your life can be related to these major tasks. Many of them, such as learning to drive, learning how to cook, or how to take care of your family can be taken care of while working. However, you should still be able to give examples of your skills as a nurse and your work experiences that were relevant to your career.Using a nursing resume tip can also include including your educational background, accomplishments, and the courses that you have taken in order to qualify for a nursing degree. In addition, most people like to include a couple of samples of their work that they are particularly proud of. The idea is to present yourself in a positive light and this can only be accomplished with good writing. The more effort you put into this process, the more likely you are to receive the job.When applying for a nursing position, a nursing resume tip can include showing your skills in what the employer is looking for. Be sure to highlight any special qualifications that can help to enhance your chances of being hired. For example, if the position requires that the person working there has the ability to handle complicated equipment or machinery, mention that you have done so in previous jobs.Another nursing resume tip is to write a cover letter that is brief and to the point. It should only include a few sentences and you should always ensure that it comes from your heart. Many times, employers see a lot of things that they feel to be inappropriate when it comes to letter writing. Therefore, try to think of ways to compliment the letter that is written by an applicant.By using a nursing resume tip, you can become more confident that you are presenting yourself in the best possible way. Remember that in order to make the most of your application for the job, you need to be as brief and to the point as possible.

How to Brand Yourself with a Personal Video Pitch - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Brand Yourself with a Personal Video Pitch - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Marketers know that video is an important strategy to get their message across to their audience. As someone trying to build, maintain, or share their personal brand, you’re a marketer, too…of yourself. YouTube alone has more than 2 billion views every single day, with the average person spending about 15 minutes each day on the site. Simply put, you can’t really ignore video any longer. What should you include in your personal video pitch? Who are you? What do you do? What are your passions? What’s your educational background? What experience and skills do you have? What makes you different from everyone else? Why should someone want to hire you, use your services, etc.? How can you make your own personal video pitch? Hello There With this service, you can create a custom webpage for every company or person you want to work for. It’s quick, painless and the first page you create is free. Instead of sending a resume, you can send a tailored video page to your dream company. Resoomay On Resoomay, you can create a personalized pitch to show off your personality to prospective employers. With Resoomay’s unique video recording tool, you can show potential employers your passion and separate yourself from the mountain of resumes on their desk. You can also share your page on social media using a custom badge, receive feedback from employers, track emails and find out if a recruiter is recommending you to an employer. Would you create a personal video pitch? Why or why not? What else would you include in it? Author: Heather R. Huhman  is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of  Come Recommended, a  content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of  Lies, Damned Lies Internships: The Truth About Getting from Classroom to Cubicle  (2011),  #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle  (2010), and writes  career and recruiting advice for  numerous outlets.

FOOTBALL IS FOR GIRLS LESSONS FROM THE NFL

FOOTBALL IS FOR GIRLS LESSONS FROM THE NFL I’m sitting on the couch and my heart is racing. I am in serious panic and can hardly breathe. The game is on. And it is close. My team just made a game-winning play with only a few seconds left so the other team has no chance. It’s over boys. But wait. What was that? A whistle, why, what’s going on? In all of my years of watching football this is a first for me. My team’s coach called for timeout right before the play. Half a second later, the play was made. But alas, half a second too late. The points came off the board. My team lost. A heartbreaking, devastating loss. Game over. Both coaches ran onto the field, and what did my team’s coach do? Shook the other coach’s hand. Here is what the NFL has taught me: DIGNITY IN LOSS Career navigation is tumultuous. Sometimes it’s good, other times it is terrible. I have been overworked, underpaid, oppressed, disrespected, bored, and subject to a hostile work environment many many times. Oh yeah, and fired! Those losses were hard for yours truly to swallow considering that my dues in education time and money are all paid up. My favorite was once when a dude fired me and then said he wanted to shake my hand. I sat at my desk staring at my blank computer screen trying not to cry. Within a second a million thoughts ran through my mind. I hated him. The last thing I wanted to do was to shake his hand. So what did I do? I told those tears to stay all the way down, do not dare well up! Then I told that girl (me) to get up. Get up and shake that dude’s hand. And before the tears and the girl could override me, I stood up, walked the three giant steps to the door where he stood, looked him in the eyes and shook his hand. Just like those NFL coaches who take that long walk onto the field and shake the winning coach’s hand, so too must the career girl take her losses with dignity. Think of it this way, losses are a dime a dozen, they are nothing special. What is special is your modus operandi. How you regularly conduct yourself. Shaking your opponent’s hand in loss is like a medal of honor for your character, and that is what winners do. UNDRAFTED PLAYERS BECOME SUPERSTARS Some of the biggest names in football were either never drafted, or drafted late to ride the bench indefinitely. Here’s the  story of a man named Brady. Tom Brady. He was drafted in the 6th  round. Now even if you know nothing about football, you gotta know that a bunch of people got drafted in each of the 5 rounds before that. So we are talking bench warmer city. Today Brady is one of the biggest NFL superstars, performance-based that is. His stats his stats his stats. Say that sentence fast, I dare you. He’s awesome. Even if you don’t like him, you gotta admit, he’s awesome. The boy wins, he wins big. Three Super Bowl rings, and more, much more. But let’s not get into his stats. His stats his stats. Listen up ladies. Learn from Tommy boy. No matter how gloomy the beginning of your career seems to be, your chance is coming. Keep working, keep believing, keep performing, and you will pave the way for your superstardom. It happens all the time in the NFL, why not you? FOOTBALL PLAYERS STAY UP So of the three football terms that I actually know, one of them is “running back”. The running back gets the ball handed to him and he takes off running. And running, and running. The other team has one goal: KNOCK. HIM. DOWN. I recently watched a running back in action, and I was amazed. It wasn’t until I watched the replay in slow motion that it all clicked. He ran through a wall of men, head up, head down, turn around…everything but got down. They couldn’t get him down. He stayed up. He even put his fingers on the ground for support, but those knees stayed up. This is what we can learn. Stay up. We all want to throw in the towel after getting beat up enough. Whether we feel stuck at a certain level or paygrade, or the thrill is gone and we want to move on but don’t know how, career navigation can feel like battle. Stay up. Run through the hard knocks. Get spun around. Hold on to something for support if you must, but stay up! That’s what winners do. So there you have it. Football is not just a game where we salivate over yummy man candy in tights running fast and hitting hard. No. There are real lessons to learn from these hot boys and their coaches. Through each career phase, make people remember you for your dignity even in loss, your hardness through battle, and your determination to stay up no matter what army they bring to knock you down. And as a bonus, make them remember just how much you appreciate watching those boys in tights. Waka waka.

7 Tips to Brand Your Side Hustle Like a Pro

7 Tips to Brand Your Side Hustle Like a Pro Do you take your “side hustle” seriously or is it a “bit of fun”? Most people start off treating their side hustle as nothing serious, but if you want your business to grow, you need to pay attention to branding. It’s a tough, competitive marketplace out there and without a discernible brand, you will struggle to stand out from the crowd. The Basics Let’s start with the basics. Using a consistent color palette and sticking to the same font is essential when building a brand. Think about famous brands such as McDonalds and Coca Cola. Color is a huge part of their brand. Would you recognize the famous McDonalds logo if it was blue or green? Color sends out a powerful message and according to a research study carried out by the University of Loyola, increases brand recognition by up to 80%, so choose your palette carefully. Green tends to be associated with health and wellness, red with youth and vitality, yellow with warmth, and blue with strength and dependability. Font matters too, so think about your target audience and select a font accordingly. Hint: Comic Sans is cute, but not if you are targeting an adult audience! Research and Planning It takes times to build a recognizable brand, but unless you research and plan, you won’t achieve the success you need to make your side hustle a success. Think about what you want your brand to personify: cool and hip or reliable and professional? Work out who your target audience is and create a framework for your brand construct. Once you have some branding materials, test them and take all feedback on board. Nurture your brand and make sure you always live up to your brand message. It will take time and effort to build a successful brand, but with patience and hard work, your efforts will pay dividends! Professional Logo Your brand needs a logo. A recognizable logo ties everything together, from your website to your social media profiles. It’s often the first thing a potential customer sees. As Paul Rand, once described as the world’s “greatest living graphic designer”, famously said: “A logo does not sell (directly), it identifies.” Think about how recognizable big brand logos are: Apple, Nike, Starbucks; one logo is worth a thousand words. Luckily, you don’t need an Apple-sized budget to create a professional logo. Design your own slick logo using a site like Logojoy.com. Logojoy uses AI technology to create a strong logo that really speaks to your customers and if you need a new logo then check the promo code at the bottom of this post because we managed to get you 15% off! Use Social Media Wisely It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by social media. So many networks, so little time. If you’re not careful, you can end up spending every waking moment on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Who has time to work? The good news is that social media needn’t be stressful. Done right, social media can boost your brand and put you in touch with people who might become important new clients. It’s all about how you tackle each platform. Twitter is fast-paced, but it is easy to connect with influencers if you get into the habit of using it every day. Aim to schedule around five posts a day. Curate useful content, reply to DMs and start a conversation. Use Facebook wisely. Post an update daily, respond to public and private messages, and comment on fan pages. Treat LinkedIn as a real-time CV and keep it updated with your skills. Contacts will probably check your LinkedIn profile before they reach out to you. Don’t forget to put your logo on every piece of content you put out across your social media platform to keep your visual branding consistent. Word of Mouth Wins Never underestimate the value of word of mouth recommendations. A Nielsen’s Harris Poll Online surveyed 2,000 Americans and found that 82% sought recommendations before buying anything. 67% said they were more likely to buy if a friend or relative shared a recommendation via social media. This is especially the case in the 18-34 category. Other surveys concur. Word of mouth marketing builds trust. If people trust your brand, they will want to work with you again. Zappos, a large e-commerce brand, has invested its paid advertising budget in customer service and reaped the rewards. They prefer to let their customers do their marketing via word of mouth recommendations.  How can you encourage word of mouth marketing in your business? Press the Flesh Don’t dismiss the value of local networking and networking groups. Even if you are not focusing on B2B marketing, pressing the flesh at networking events is a valuable way to make new contacts and find out more about useful marketing opportunities. People love to put a face to a name, so put yourself out there. Know When to Use Experts No man or woman is an island. Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, advises up-and-coming entrepreneurs to look for people who share their passion but who have different skill sets. He advocates: “hire your weakness”. Technology makes it easy to do many things these days, but sometimes expert help is more cost effective. Using experts when it counts will keep your costs down. For example, if you need a website but you have zero web design experience, hire a freelancer rather than waste hours trying to figure out Magento. Take your side hustle seriously and create a professional logo which represents your brand! We snagged a 15% discount code from Logojoy just for the Ms Career Girl audience so use MsCareerGirl15 at checkout. Click here and create a logo which sets your side hustle on fire!

11 reasons why millennials should forget about job loyalty - Debut

11 reasons why millennials should forget about job loyalty - Debut This article was written in collaboration with FDM Group. Explore exclusive #fdmcareers graduate opportunities at FDM Group by downloading the Debut app.   Job-hopping. For most employers its the scariest phrase there is. Most companies are trying frantically to understand how to retain and engage with you, their apparently mysterious millennial employees. But perhaps what they fail to understand is that we just have different priorities. Were not saying you should jump ship every six months. That would probably lead to some serious migraine-inducing life admin, and some very puzzled HR managers trying to make sense of your CV. What we are trying to say is staying in one place for decades isnt the norm any longer. Heres why millennials should forget about job loyalty, and start thinking about loyalty to their own  careers: 1. We live in a completely different financial context Baby boomers need to get off our back, because they had it easy. The Institute of Financial Studies  revealed that those born in the early 1980s and later have significantly less wealth, are less likely to own homes, and do not have access to generous private sector pension schemes. Yikes. Its therefore natural for us to want different things. Millennials live in a harsher financial environment, literally forcing us to keep jumping from opportunity to opportunity to find the one best suited to us. 2. Getting too comfortable results in you learning a lot less Sure, when you start a new job youll  be challenged daily. But as you ease into it, your office chair soon feels like it was moulded for you. Your desktop has a personalised wallpaper. And youve been executing the same tasks for the same people for longer than you care to admit. Challenging yourself is the only way to keep growing. If there arent opportunities to do so in your current position, either ask for an evaluation or  start looking elsewhere. It isnt about them, its about you. 3. Climbing the corporate ladder is exhausting Office politics can turn the nicest of people into unrecognisable power players. Observe your work environment and assess whether progression is as straightforward as doing really well at what you do. If it isnt, and it involves complicated maneuvering, perhaps its right to consider a move to a different place. Moving jobs makes it more likely for you to progress anyway. 4. Switching jobs gives you new frames of  reference Shake things up a little. Changing careers or moving to a different job forces you to not only look at yourself in a different light, but your industry. Now would be the best time to ask yourself some fundamental questions. How are you perceived by your colleagues? Are there issues in your field of work only you can solve? How can you make a difference? Staying in a single place often scuppers your points of view. Open your eyes. Click here to view the career opportunities available with FDM. 5. Youll make more important connections Sure, good impressions where you currently are is also important to focus on. However, bring that charm to a new place and open your network up to new people. Staying in the same place your whole career will close you off.    You never know what kind of creative collisions youll make, but you wont even experience them unless you make the jump. Top tip:  If you do decide to move, make sure to stay in contact with the people who championed you in your old job.References are gold dust, after all. 6. The gig economy is on the rise Hey, its a fact. The Telegraph reported a whopping 4.8 million self-employed people in the United Kingdom, with numbers expected to increase further. Job-hopping isnt just about moving to a different company. Going freelance and getting gigs as a consultant or a creative could actually be more financially lucrative. Sure, you have to be responsible for all of your taxes, but youd be your own boss. 7. Your chances of finding meaningful work are higher If youre completely happy with your first job ever, we applaud you, because thats a rare thing. Often the rush to find a graduate job forces us to accept an opportunity without really thinking about it. This may leave us feeling like our jobs lack meaning. Dont squander the opportunity to find meaningful work. Keep exploring until you find the role that fulfills your purpose of being. Dont know what that is yet? You wont know until you try finding it. 8.  There will be more opportunities to succeed The numbers game means the more you search for chances to show off your skills and abilities, the more likely youll find those chances. Hustle for that valuable CV experience. 9. There will be more opportunities to fail We didnt say the numbers game will always go your way. However, mistakes are only bad if you dont learn from them. Being afraid of failure is only natural, but itll offer you so many chances to learn and grow. 10.  You can always come back to a company if you have a good relationship a Apparently, big companies call these kinds of candidates boomerangs. Burning bridges with your first job isnt a wise thing to do. As much as you can, keep those relationships warm, and perhaps, when youre ready, youll be able to return to a company who you used to work for. 11. Youll regret not seeing whats on the other side of the fence And lifes just too short for that kind of regret. Keep searching. Stay hungry. Feature Image ©  Unsplash Images   © WeHeartIt   If you want to add some of the world’s biggest brands to your CV, don’t miss this opportunity and apply today at fdmgroup.com/apply Download the Debut app and you could totally grab yourself a summer internship  way before anyone else. Follow Brenda on Twitter @brendaisarebel Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Essential Tips To Know Before Choosing A Degree Thats High in Demand - CareerAlley

Essential Tips To Know Before Choosing A Degree Thats High in Demand - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Now that youve got high school over and done with, you may be indecisive as to what degree youre going to take in college. Often, its a battle of balancing passion and a career thats high in demand. After all, you dont spend money and years studying in college just to earn an unstable income as you get employed. That said, its worth noting that choosing a degree to take is going to be one of the most significant decisions youre going to make in your life. This dictates your future and what youre going to do for a living. As confusing as it may be, there are tips and tricks to help make this choice an easier one to make. These include: 1. Choose A Major Based On Your Abilities This first tip is a significant one to note. When you chose a major, always remember your ability. Doing so will help you narrow down your options. You cant expect to do well with a degree in biochemical science, when in fact, you hate science. If youre good at math and want to run a business someday, you do better with a finance degree. No matter how you try to force yourself to a degree, youll still fail if youll only be giving yourself a hard time. When you chose a major, always remember your ability. Doing so will help you narrow down your options. You can't expect to do well with a degree in biochemical science, when in fact, you hate science. Tweet This Worrying if whether or not your ability doesnt give you a job that pays well in the future should be the less of your concern. As mentioned, whats important is to choose a course that suits well with your ability. That way, youre giving yourself a higher chance of really finishing and graduating with that degree. 2. Research On The Possible Career Opportunities As youve narrowed down your career options, research on the possible career opportunities as well. That way, you have a birds eye view of the potential jobs that youre going to do be doing. In that manner, you also have better judgment as to whether or not these jobs are those that youll sincerely love doing. A significant factor in earning well also has to do with the fact that youre excited about your job every day. If youve taken the time to review the possible career opportunities that are related to the degree, then working daily is going to be something you look forward to doing. 3. Your Passion Will Always Be Your Biggest Driving Force When you focus too much on money as the determining factor of a job that pays well, youre only giving in to unnecessary pressure, not to mention its very materialistic as well. Yes, of course, there are bills to pay, kids to raise in the future, and other expenses. But, this doesnt mean that you should lose your passion in the pursuit of a well-paying job. Over time in college, your interests may change. Its often the case that after your first semester in college, you realize that the degree youve chosen isnt the one you like at all. Hence, you switch to a different course. Despite this, your passion stays the same. By passion, this refers to the driving force that gets you motivated. This applies to who you are as a person, and what youve always loved. Despite the passage of time, its something thatll always be a part of you. As you choose a course, also remember your passion. Numerous high paying jobs may fall within the category of what keeps you passionate. When youre happy, youll find yourself breezing up through the economic ladder. 4. Write Down Your Goals The common goal is to be financially stable. But, every individual has their own set of goals in their life. This can both be both long- and short-term goal. As you choose a degree, you have to assess your goals, too. That way, you can make an ascertainment as to whether or not the degrees on your list can help lead you to any of your goals. With degrees that are considered an ever-growing field, its here that you can also make a better judgment as to whether or not, years from now, your chosen degree will still be relevant. Perhaps youll find out that they do nothing to further your goals. To avoid the latter, keep in mind your individual goals as well, apart from your ideal salary. Conclusion Choosing a course is a crucial decision to make. This can, after all, make or break your college life. If youre stuck studying something that youre not happy about, this is only going to be very displeasing to you. You wont have any motivation and every day is going to be drab. Hence, its essential to keep in mind your ability, your interest, and your preference. Balance these all out with a career thats going to pay well. When you love what you do, all the more that youll be inspired to perform well in your job. And, doing well in your job also means better opportunities for your career. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

The Recession is Bullhonkey Katie Cs Story - When I Grow Up

The Recession is Bullhonkey Katie Cs Story - When I Grow Up This is part of  The Recession is Bullhonkey series, where I share stories of those who have gotten hired and/or started their own businesses (or sometimes both!) since 2008.  Katie Connors is a former Career Camper of mine who turned from Starbucks manager to product photographer, thanks to getting clear on her lifestyle goals and speaking up about her skill set and career goals. The best! I have a Bachelors of Science in Interior Design from a really good school and absolutely no desire to use it.   Once I graduated, I worked in an office for three and a half years doing data entry and being bored and getting fat. When my boyfriend of (currently) nine years and I decided to relocate to the south in July 2012, I decided to leave an office and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I started serving and barista-ing, getting back into the swing of it, having done both of those jobs throughout college. Life is funny. I got on a path, then switched over to my coffeeshop for management, then moved back to the north this past January, then had to restart my path towards management, then got really frustrated with how long it was taking when I was told that I would be on the fast track, then wound up landing an amazing job in an entirely different place.   My boyfriend Tim is a musician, and plays regularly in our hometown with a band fairly well known to locals. A couple of weeks ago, they had a gig at a bar and I invited half a dozen people and every one of them bailed on me, which was kind of a bummer, butwell, Ill get there. There were a few people also on the patio, and after a little while one of the girls all of a sudden turns to me and says, Why are you all alone? So one thing leads to another, and I chat with all four or five of them at one point, including one girl called Sarah, who apparently was only a year behind me in high school. Of course, small talk eventually gets to what people do for a living, and when I mentioned I was looking around because I was pretty tired of Starbucks, she recommended I call her former employer because she thought they might be looking for someone to fill her position. Sarah recommended I go down and talk to the office manager. So I did; I filled out an application, chatted with him, and he went to get the owner. Funny coincidence I worked for the company in their storefront for a summer, way back in either 2003 or 2004, but I barely remembered him and he didnt remember me at all. It turned out that Sarahs position had been more or less filled by rearranging some other employees. The company is a scarf and accessories wholesaler, and we were at the warehouse. However, the owner really seemed to want to help me out since I knew Sarah (sort of) and after a couple of general questions, asked the magic one: what were my computer skills? Katie: I can use the internet, I can use anything Microsoft can throw at me, I know how to use Photoshop Ralph: You can use Photoshop? Katie: Yes I can. Ralph: Can you take pictures of objects and edit them in Photoshop and make them look nice and presentable? Katie: Yes, I can definitely do that. Ralph: Can you use a camera to actually take the pictures? Katie: I can, I had an Etsy store for a little while and used to take pictures of my products with a really nice Canon Rebel. Ralph: Oh, thats the camera we have. After a little hemming and hawing, since photo editing isnt exactly a full time gig and he wanted to make sure I could work full time, he ascertained that I could do phone work and customer service. And when I said I could lift more than fifty pounds to help out with the packing and loading if absolutely necessary, all he said was, Well, that pretty much seals the deal, Ill call you soon. This was on a Wednesday. It was so casual, I wasnt entirely certain I actually had a job. Then on Thursday, I got a message from a friend I hadnt talked to in years; between moving to the south and then him moving to Maine, we sort of lost touch. I have never been so grateful for my town being so small; the HR lady couldnt get in touch with any of my personal references, but knew one of them through this old friend, so she contacted him. He sang my praises, as did an old manager of mine, and I got a phone call on Friday. I was half afraid I was going to show up on my day off from Starbucks and find out that it was all a dream, or I wasnt going to be doing photography, or I wasnt going to be paid what I had asked, or something else would go wrong. But I got clocked in under photography, I got my starting pay request, and Im now a full-time employee. I still cant believe it.  I am currently working as a product photographer for an accessories company in the northeast.  I have weekends. I have a livable pay doing an art form I respect and am really excited to pursue further. Im using skills I actually learned in college. I can still do some customer service (which I actually like) without having to deal with a beverage I dont actually like. And the best part is,  I never have to get up at  3.30 am  for work ever again. Every time I go to my old coffeeshop to get a drink, one of my friends comments on how much happier (and well rested) I look. Because Im doing something that requires thought and is challenging, Im not sitting around at home after work; Im going to the gym and taking hikes with a friend and our dogs and taking dance classes and eating better. Management still sounds great and could be something I pursue someday, but right now Im loving fiddling with a camera and scarves and Photoshop and helping bring some beauty into a business. Katie Connors is thirty years old and is currently working as a photographer for a  ladies  accessories company. As recently as September, however, she was working for a coffee giant upon which most New Englanders do not run. Despite her job description, and her enormous amount of painting and drawing supplies, she is a dancer at heart. Katie has been dancing since age three, and after injuring herself at age 16, had to hang up her competitive Irish step dancing shoes. Since then she has danced for fun with other teens and adults who are also looking for fun. Katie has worked as a retail monkey, an office drone, and as a food service slave at a variety of businesses over the last twelve years.  Shes really excited to be given the opportunity to pursue art as a career and hopes to pursue dance teaching at some point in her life. - If you want to be writing a post like this for me in 2018 (Katie was a Career Camper of mine in 2013 and told me she and I quote- has made some excellent decisions since then!), then you want early access to  Career Change Masterclass my next group program with one-on-one attention and limited spots.    Sign up here to get the deets AND be part of my free, live webinar!