Tema: Amor
Dificilmente a divindade concede amor e sabedoria
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terça-feira, agosto 11, 2015
Munro, Alice
«O segredo é ser feliz», disse ele, «Não importa como. Simplesmente tenta. Tu podes. Vai-se tornando cada vez mais fácil. Não tem nada a ver com as circunstâncias. Nem conseguirias acreditar quanto bom isso é. Aceita tudo e então a tragédia desaparece. Ou a tragédia vai aliviando, de qualquer forma, enquanto tu estás ali, sem esperares demasiado do mundo».
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Junger, Ernst
Eu cheguei à conclusão que um único ser humano, compreendido na sua profundidade, que dá generosamente a partir dos tesouros do seu coração, coloca em nós mais riquezas que as que César ou Alexandre poderiam alguma vez conquistar. Aqui é o nosso reino, a melhor das monarquias, a melhor república. Aqui é o nosso jardim, a nossa felicidade.
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Gaulle, Charles de
Tema: Guerra
É verdade que, por vezes, os militares, exagerando da impotência relativa da inteligência, descuram servir-se dela
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É verdade que, por vezes, os militares, exagerando da impotência relativa da inteligência, descuram servir-se dela
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Emerson, Ralph
O amor está em toda a parte da natureza, como emoção, mas também como recompensa
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Pavese, Cesare
O amor tem a virtude, não apenas de desnudar dois amantes um em face do outro, mas também cada um deles diante de si próprio
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via @notiun
Balzac, Honoré de
É possível amar e não ser feliz, é possível ser feliz e não amar, mas amar e simultaneamente ser feliz, isso seria milagre
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via @notiun
15 Mistakes People Good At Resume Writing Never Make
Job candidates – take note! This is not your dad’s resume! That might have been 3-4 pages long with detailed, prose paragraphs describing his work experience and formatted exactly as every other candidate’s. Like everything else, resume writing has undergone a huge transformation in recent years. What once might have gotten you noticed (and even an interview request) will no longer work.
Gone are the resumes that go beyond one page – long documents are simply trashed because no one wants to slug through content to get to the meat. Gone are the days when a one-size-fits-all resume could be created and sent indiscriminately to any company with an open position. Just as any product is marketed to a target audience, your resume must be aimed at a specific consumer (in this case, a hiring manager).
And if you are a hiring manager, pay attention. If you’re looking to add to your staff, a resume will tell you a great deal about a candidate… if you’re able to read between the lines. You may not have a lot of experience evaluating resumes and determining who deserves an interview, but be watchful of the mistakes listed below. If you spot any, there’s a chance your candidate is lazy, unable to prioritize well, or has difficulty getting to the heart of matters. These aren’t the traits you want to add to your team.
As you know, there are certain things that must go in your resume. They are critical to who you are and what you can bring to the table as an employee. These are things like experience, skills, and accomplishments. The problem is compressing all of that into a very small space. As Kermit the Frog says, “It ain’t easy!”
While you’re finding this balance, here are 15 fatal mistakes that great resume writers will never make:
1. They never create a resume that is too long
The general opinion is that a resume should be no more than a single page. If you have a lot of background experience that relates to a specific position, yours may go into a second page. That’s fine, so long as your first page is attention grabbing and compels the reader to continue.
2. They never create a laundry list
Recruiters and potential employers don’t want to pour though long lists of your past responsibilities. Learn to get rid of anything that doesn’t relate to the position at hand – no one cares!
3. They never focus on tasks
Tasks don’t say anything; achievements do. Instead of saying, “Responsible for developing a strategic plan for content marketing,” state, “Developed a strategic content marketing plan that increased visitor traffic by 25% and conversion rate by 15%.”
4. They never use a canned cover letter
If you can’t take the time to conduct research on an organization and craft a cover letter that speaks to their goals and the position you’re seeking, then you do not deserve an interview. Don’t be lazy! Engaging your reader immediately is critical. Of all resume writing tips, this may be the most important.
5. They never lack imagination
Both your cover letter and your resume must look unique. Present it creatively – print it on colored or professional resume paper, and use tasteful graphics to showcase your achievements. Worst case scenario, consult with a resume design expert if your imagination isn’t firing on all cylinders.
6. They never use a template from the Internet
Everyone else is already doing this, and no single template is going to fit your needs and presentation. You should strive to be unique if you expect someone to read your resume for more than 8 seconds!
7. They are never too creative for the organization
Each resume sent out must be tailored to the receiving organization. A resume sent to a conservative company will look far different than one sent to a progressive tech startup! By not changing your resume’s language and appearance, you are simply begging for rejection!
8. They never put an objective statement at the top
So you want a position in your field that allows for career growth while using your acquired skills to benefit yourself and the organization? In other news, the sky is blue.
Unless your hiring manager is a bit dull, it’s safe to assume that they already know these things about you. So why waste the space? Use those extra lines to talk more about your achievements or skills.
9. They never have grammatical errors and typos
These are inexcusable in this day and age and speak, again, to laziness. You’re not writing a scholarly article, but what you do include has to be completely free of errors. It’s impossible to predict your reader’s familiarity with English, so it’s best to assume that they’re a real stickler for proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Use these tips as your personal cheat sheet for resume writing, and avoid the common mistakes that your competition will make.
10. They never put dates first on employment history
These are boring. State your position and company first, either underlined or in bold.
While you’re at it, try experimenting with other creative presentation methods, particularly if there are gaps in your employment history that you don’t want to highlight. Some newer resume designs that are getting a lot of play these days don’t present your employment history in chronological order. Instead, they emphasize your skills and accomplishments as bold sub-headings, and then list the companies at which you demonstrated these skills and accomplishments. This lets the reader see the important stuff first.
And speaking of those embarrassing employment gaps, be prepared to answer any questions about them. Chances are they will come out during an interview whether you like it or not.
11. They never write paragraphs
Paragraphs are for CV’s. Unless you are applying for a research grant or a position in higher education, dump that prose. Include bullet points that speak to your achievements in short phrases, not sentences.
12. They never lack focus
Here we go with customization again! Each resume you develop for each position you seek must focus on the skills, talents, and achievements that relate to that position. Everything else just takes up space! This same lack of focus can carry over to an interview, and it is often stated as the most common rejection review.
13. They never include too much personal information
It’s certainly appropriate to include a very short section on your outside interests and hobbies, particularly if they are unique. Avoid mentioning religious, political, or controversial activities. If, on the other hand, you are a skydiving instructor or ran the Boston Marathon, that might pique someone’s interest! Some people prefer to handle this by referring the reader to social media accounts (cleaned up, of course) with interesting info about their activities.
14. They never apply if they aren’t qualified
What’s the point? You won’t get an interview, and it wastes everyone’s time!
15. They never leave out keywords
Many companies require electronically-submitted resumes because they have screening software that scans for certain keywords. You can find these keywords on the company website and in the job description – use them or your resume will be trashed before it even reaches a human being!
It’s nice being able to tell yourself, “I have the perfect resume for this job.” And if you take these tips seriously, you just might! Your resume will get noticed, it will get more “play,” and you will be the one called for that interview! And in case you still don’t feel prepared, here are some tips for you next interview that will help you deal with any other you may be worried about.
Featured photo credit: Career Fair at College of DuPage 2014 36 via flickr.com
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9 Aspects Of Emotional Intelligence Possessed By Every Successful Leader
It doesn’t matter how smart you are – without emotional intelligence, you won’t become a leader.
I work with leaders every day as a personal digital marketing consultant helping people brand themselves. Some of these people base their businesses off making others wealthy, some are multimillionaires, and many are young and ambitious entrepreneurs.
All of them want to be leaders. It’s easy to spot the ones who won’t make it unless they have that light bulb moment. The truth is it’s not hard to size someone up if you’re great at analyzing body language and word usage.
Having read numerous psychology books when I was younger, they came in handy when I started to take on clients years later. A few ups and down, but overall almost every client I have has been ready to become a leader.
I have learned that there are many bright people, but few with the emotional IQ that can catapult them to high levels of leadership. The difference between those who are great leaders and those who are average is small. What it comes down to is how often they implement their emotional intelligence.
For example, most of us know it’s important to be empathetic and listen, but how often do we put these thoughts into actions?
The reality is that we can all become leaders. I see it with the people I help; they have inspirational stories from rebounding after open heart surgery or from broke and unemployed. It’s not easy; it starts with understanding what it takes, more specifically, these nine aspects of emotional intelligence possessed by every successful leader:
1. They listen first
Great leaders are always striving to learn, and if you want to learn, you must listen. Listening shows others respect for their opinions, and respect is the base of any relationship. Every successful leader must encourage their community to ask questions and communicate their issues.
Successful leaders help by listening to the troubles and aspirations of others; then they use their position to help them overcome these roadblocks and achieve their goals. Without listening, you don’t know where to help others; as a result, no one will follow you. Moreover, great leaders know listening to employees and customers is critical to receiving the feedback to improve company culture and products.
2. They posture themselves correctly
Body position is critical to how you communicate with others. From handshakes to straightening your back, to knowing when to lean in. It’s vital you can communicate effectively with your body otherwise you might come off as needy or even worse, arrogant.
When someone sits down and immediately leans into a conversation, psychology tells me they have already given up their position of power or what they’re about to say must be extremely important. Also, people who fidget are either nervous or bored. It’s not good to be either one. And if your mouth is open when someone else is speaking, then you’re not listening, but waiting for your turn to speak. A successful company leader can quickly spot these body signals in a negotiation, always giving them an edge.
3. They understand the benefits of failure
Leaders embrace failures, and the great ones move on quickly from them. Thinking about failures for too long begets more negative thoughts that with enough fuel can undercut any leader.
Successful leaders assess downturns to see where they can improve the next time around, and then they do. They know each opportunity in life is a learning experience, even the ones that result in some of the worst case scenarios like bankruptcy or a failed startup.
4. They analyze every action you take and sentence you say with incredible speed
Top-notch leaders analyze people with expert speed. They worked their psychological evaluation down to a science, so they don’t let their analysis interrupt their communication. If you read enough psychology books and act as a leader, it becomes easy to identify those who aren’t.
Most leaders can make conclusions about others in seconds just by evaluating someone’s walking posture or the first words they speak. Always keep yourself straightened, always open with a smile, and steer the conversation to something mutually beneficial. If you can do that, you’re off to a good start.
5. They keep their cool under surmounting pressure
When other people see dead ends, company leaders will keep pushing. Part of being a leader is being determined that you’ll find the answers to your problems along the way. It takes confidence, instilling faith in those who follow you, and an incredible focus on moving forward.
I’ve seen leaders survive under immense pressure whether as a CEO of what appears to be a soon-to-fail startup or a football captain motivating their team during halftime while 21 points behind. A successful leader will keep his team thriving at almost all costs because without their team, they’re not a leader.
6. They say everything with purpose
Leaders can be extremely emotional. Sometimes this can be exactly what their followers need for inspiration. Other times, it can result in disaster. Good leaders recognize the emotions that bring out the best in people, so even though they may not know the exact words to say, they’ll make sure to exhibit their passion in the right direction.
Also, successful leaders don’t waste time with needless conversation because they have important projects to finish to help their company grow. So, asking the right questions, being concise, and getting your point across in an efficient manner is crucial.
7. They take every action with purpose
As a leader, every move must be somewhat calculated. There’s too little time to waste on things that are not vital for success. They understand the value of keeping their actions strictly revolved around projects and habits that maintain their leadership.
Without adherence to specific actions that brought you up to become a leader, you’ll soon find yourself losing control. New company hires, waking up at a specific time every morning and making time for family on particular days, they plan appropriately.
8. They are experts in managing relationships
Keeping healthy relationships is a sign of high emotional intelligence. But keeping the right relationships healthy is a sign of leadership. As you grow, not everyone who you’ve met and established communication with can remain as close to you as they were before.
Leaders know that maintaining a healthy circle of people around them is key to keeping their emotional stability. The last thing they need are employees, partners, or friends with negative attitudes. Sometimes this means family, too. Leaders understand their limits to bringing up and keeping others on their journey before they have to move on. Knowing when can be the difference in their success.
9. They self-evaluate
Self-evaluation is critical to improving. I suggest everyone take up journaling and write down a few areas where they need to improve. Self-evaluating is an excellent technique for staying humble and keeping in mind that you should always be learning. But be careful, because too much can lead to a succession of negative thoughts.
Successful leaders are always looking to better their results. If something is not working, then it requires a change from them. For example, if their company is in trouble or their relationships are deteriorating, they don’t look to blame others, but instead they always ask, “What can I do differently?”
You think you have what it takes to have a high emotional intelligence? If so, time to step up and become a leader.
Featured photo credit: Business Insider via static3.businessinsider.com
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8 Secrets People Good At Personal Branding Never Told You
“Your Brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room” – Jeff Bezos, Amazon
Developing your personal brand is essential because it can open many business opportunities. It can lead to better clients, recognition in your industry and more money. Customers trust people more than corporations and that’s why you should focus on building your personal brand.
Check out 8 great strategies that successful people never told you about personal branding:
1. They Own Their Name Online
When you start becoming successful you will face people who will be jealous of your accomplishments. Some of them might write inaccurate things about you in an attempt to bring you down.
Your name is your reputation and you should grab your own domain name immediately, whether you plan to use it or not. You should never risk letting someone getting your domain name and hurt your reputation! Never!
You can buy domain names economically from sites like namecheap for just 10$. It’s very important to buy a .com domain name because this is the default ending almost everybody knows.
If you have a very common name like Garry Jones and you can’t find a garryjones.com domain you could buy the inverted version: JonesGarry.com or you could buy a domain adding your profession in the link.
For instance, if you are a personal trainer you could buy the domain Garryjonesfitness.com
A great example of a successful man who owns his online name is Neil Patel.
2. They Help Other People a Lot
The best strategy you can use if you want to grow your personal brand is to genuinely help people. Those who are successful in personal branding like to help others without any selfish motives.
This not only makes them feel great but their generosity returns back from multiple sources. You should try to help people even if there is nothing in there for you.
Most people remember who helped them and they will stand by your side in the future if you ever need them. Sure, many people are selfish, care only about themselves and they won’t help you even if you help them.
But some of them will appreciate your generosity and will eventually return it back either by helping you in something else or by talking to other people about how great you are.
This creates buzz around your name which is essential for your brand’s growth.
3. They Give Importance in Social Media
Twitter is a good network in connecting people especially if you can intrigue users with your mentions. But you shouldn’t stay only in twitter. Build profiles in Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Stumbleupon and Instagram.
Set up your profile in every social media and be sure to link to each other. After registering you don’t have to develop one hundred social media accounts simultaneously. Focusing on too many things is a recipe for failure.
Pick 1-2 social media that you prefer depending on your niche and focus on them. Having profiles on the other social media won’t harm you at all and it will help to dominate the search results with your name.
Bow you might be thinking that managing a lot of social media profiles can be a exhausting and time-consuming. That’s why you could use a tool like HootSuite that helps you schedule your tweets, facebook posts etc and check your updates in all your profiles simultaneously.
4. They Use Smiling Photos in Their Social Media Profiles
Smiling costs nothing, it’s easy to implement and creates an emotional connection with your audience. People buy from people that they know and trust.Smiling can make you look more friendly and speed up the emotional connection between you and your fans, readers or potential customers.
Have you ever thought why being around children who smile makes you smile too? Because smile is contagious and this applies even to strangers.
A research from British researchers has found that smiling can be as stimulating as 2000 chocolate bars or 25.000$ in cash. That’s how powerful a simple smile is.
5. They Are Living Their Brands
Your brand is more than just what you say about yourself. It’s a symbol, a feeling, sound, tonality and much more. It’s the emotion you create to your customers.
People who have built successful personal brands are the ones who totally believe in what they teach. They not only talk the talk but also walk the walk showing the example to their followers. Your fans can sense when you are inauthentic and in the first hint of fraud they will walk away.
6. They Leverage Content Marketing
Nowadays, in an age of technology and internet expansion it is essential to create and distribute your knowledge and expertise online. Internet is one of the best ways to build your brand and gain publicity. Of course, you should care about helping people (look number 2) and providing useful advice.
If you do this you will be considered trustworthy and you will start building an audience. This audience will help in spreading your content and boost your brand’s growth.
A good idea is to start your own blog, which you must have done already (look number 1) and update it at least 2-3 times per week. However writing content only for your blog when you are new and nobody knows you is like talking in an empty classroom. That’s why you should try guest blogging to build your reputation and gain traffic from bigger blogs.
7. They Use Guest Blogging to Build Their Brand
Jon Morrow from Boostblogtraffic has said that the only thing he would focus on to build his personal brand if he was starting from the scratch is guest blogging. Guest blogging is one of the best ways to gain exposure to new audiences that you couldn’t reach normally.
It also improves your brand recognition and makes your name more trustworthy. According to Jon, it’s also a great way to gain experience as a writer and improve your writing skills.
8. They Build Relationships With Influencers
Networking is one of the most important aspects of personal branding. You should constantly try to come in contact with influencers and well-known people in your niche. However you should be careful and don’t become annoying. Influencers are extremely busy and helping someone they don’t know isn’t in their priority list.
They constantly receive a ton of pitches from people like you who want exposure and advice. In my experience, if you want to build relationships with them you should:
1. Have high quality content that offers value to people.
Without that you will never get the influencers share your work.
2. Help the influencers.
If you are wondering about how you can help the influencers I have some ideas for you:
- Point out broken links. You can do that with the Check My Links Google Chrome extension.
- Check out their blog and find something like a bug, a problem in navigation or something that needs improvement. Some weeks ago I messaged an influencer in the fitness niche and told him that his mailing list button didn’t work. Some days after, he linked to my content without even asking him. Most readers don’t really care to point out something like that because they are bored to contact the influencers. Taking the time to help and give them value can separate you from the rest who just want to take without giving.
3.Leave insightful comments on their blogs and share their best work in your social media profiles daily so you can get into their radars.
4. Link to their articles from your blog. Of course you should not overdo it and link only if they have written something relevant which is also extremely useful.
5. Interact with them on social media. For instance, if they ask a question take some time to answer and tell them your opinion.
Conclusion
You should have in mind that building your personal brand takes time. How much? It takes as long as it takes. It’s a continuous process and not an one-night-stand.
Though overnight success doesn’t exist, investing to your personal branding and reputation is one of the best investments you could ever make.
Do you have any other ideas that can help in building your personal brand? I would love to hear your opinions or even your personal branding stories in the comments below.
Featured photo credit: Steve Jurvetson via flickr.com
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5 Ways to Cultivate Genuine Self-Esteem
Sometimes life has a way of kicking you when you’re down. On a scale of one to loser, you’re a Steve Urkel. You can’t seem to catch a break and you’re ready to shut down. On top of that, it’s a lot harder to fall back on your usual distractions when you’re in a funk because nothing seems to bring you joy.
But maybe that’s a good thing. Perhaps the funk is a sledgehammer in disguise, ready to knock down the superficial walls that keep you from finding your inner Stefan Urquelle. Here are five ways to love yourself and cultivate genuine self-esteem.
1. Believe That Pride Is Overrated
Cultivating genuine self-esteem means throwing away traditional definitions of success. In his book Letting Go, Dr. David Hawkins suggests that genuine self-esteem does not actually arise until pride is relinquished. That which inflates the ego does not result in inner strength.
Sure, it’s great when the external world matches your internal disposition, but they’re entirely separate entities. Someone might think you look great, while someone else might think you’re the ugliest person in the world. In order to cultivate genuine self-esteem, however, you have to do the hard thing and let go of your need for external validation, take good care of your inner self, and love yourself unconditionally. The external world will always change, but you are you for the rest of your life.
2. Find the Funny
Your brain is funny. For all it’s strength and power, it can be super irrational. Let’s say you have a bad morning and leave your laptop at home one day. You get to work and chastise yourself for forgetting your laptop and somehow, through a train of otherwise unrelated thoughts, come to the conclusion that you are defined by your forgetfulness.
Next time you catch yourself using forgotten laptops as a basis for formulating beliefs about yourself, pause and laugh. Because, come on – you are not your laptop. You simply forgot the thing at home! Cultivating genuine self-esteem means learning to laugh at your irrational thoughts. Intercepting thoughts caught in a negative cycle will make you more mindful of the stories you think are true about yourself. Stay away from the negative stories. They’re not worth it.
3. Say No to Shame
According to best-selling author and research professor Brené Brown, shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and therefore unworthy of acceptance and belonging. Maybe you lost your job and were forced to sell your house, or are still trying to finish high school years after your peers. Be proud of the courage it takes to keep going rather than beating yourself up with feelings of shame.
I once heard a quote that the difference between humans and other animals is that other animals nurse their wounds when they are hurt, while a human kicks themselves for getting hurt in the first place. Stop kicking yourself. Give shame the side-eye and just say no. You are not flawed. You deserve love. You are so much more than your experiences.
4. Build Your Empathy Muscle
Everyone wants to feel heard, understood, and loved for who they are. Practice extending compassion to those around you. Being empathetic and learning to see the world through another person’s eyes has the unique benefit of broadening your own view of the world. You may even discover a shared experience along the way. Listening closely and treating others with compassion will make it easier to treat yourself with compassion as well. Start flexing your empathy muscle and others will undoubtedly flex theirs for you in return.
5. Focus on the Journey
No one is born with perfect self-esteem. It’s an ever-moving target that you have to work toward everyday. Some days it’ll be easy to see your true beauty, and other days it’ll be more challenging. Instead of focusing on perfect self-esteem as the end game and getting frustrated with yourself for not feeling 100% all of the time, focus on feeling the best you can in the moment. Life will always throw you a curveball. Anyone who tells you that they feel good about themselves every moment of every day probably isn’t human. Leave your tunnel vision behind and focus on the big picture. You have a heart and a brain just like everyone else, so just enjoy the journey.
Featured photo credit: Ed Gregory via stokpic.com
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5 More Successful Businesses That Started With a Simple Idea
Starting a business may appear daunting, but it’s really not difficult. Many people believe that most new businesses fail within three years. While most will fail, the truth is that you can start one with a simple idea.
There are a lot of success stories out there from entrepreneurs who have made it. It all begins with an idea, some paperwork, and a storefront and/or website. Here are five more successful businesses that started with a simple idea:
1. Mente Cacao
Eduardo Villers became interested in chocolate during his travels throughout Mexico. Eduardo enjoyed traveling through the jungles, where he came in contact with the cacao tree. Inspired by his deep love for cacao, Eduardo decided to introduce it to the Mexican people, who only knew about Hershey’s chocolate.
He started Mente Cacao in Mexico City by offering cacao drinks to the local people. During his time there, he also studied with his uncle, who was a farmer and taught him a lot about cacao and chocolate. He remained in Mexico City for two years before moving his business to San Miguel De Allende in central Mexico.
Mente Cacao now has two locations in San Miguel De Allende. Most expats and locals say that it is the best chocolate in town. Eduardo Villers is currently working on getting Mente Cacao distributed in the United States and Japan.
2. BloomNation
Gregg Weisstein started out working as a business consultant, primarily helping rescue companies that were on the verge of bankruptcy. His friend and eventual co-founder came up with an idea to offer a floral marketplace based on the Amazon model. They didn’t want to become another 1-800-FLOWERS service.
They were advised by many people to drop the idea because many of them could not foresee the potential in a dying flower industry. However, Gregg and the team were not dismayed by the ridicule. They wanted to offer a service that was more personalized, interactive, and transparent. With BloomNation, they connect people with local florists and show their reviews to customers so that they can make an informed decision.
BloomNation now works with over 3,000 florists nationwide and has been named the “Top Silicon Beach Startup to Watch” by Entrepreneur magazine and Business Insider.
3. Billy
Toke Kruse had a problem common among millions of new business owners. As an entrepreneur, he always thought that accounting was a hassle. He went from one accounting application to another with no success. While some of them were better than others, they ultimately still gave him headaches. It didn’t take him long to realize that these software programs were built for accountants.
Toke wanted to create a solution for the business owner who knew little or no accounting at all. Most people could simply hire an accountant for their needs, but most accountants are expensive, especially for new business owners who don’t have a lot of money to begin with.
Toke decided to create an accounting application that was very simple for business owners with little or no accounting experience. Toke and his partner launched Billy four years ago in Denmark. The software application was well-received not only in Denmark, but also in the United States. The company now grosses over $1 million in revenue annually.
4. Professor Egghead
Shaun Tuch decided to start an after-school program with his brother eight years ago. They began with one sports class in Los Angeles. They both had a sports background, so the idea was a no-brainer. The initial plan for them was to make some extra income. However, after receiving some great feedback and seeing the popularity of the program, Professor Egghead started to offer science classes too.
Shaun hated science when he was a kid. So, he wanted to make a science class that was fun for kids. Because he enjoyed making slime and building LEGOS, he wanted to incorporate those activities into his classes while also giving children an educational and engaging experience.
They now run multiple programs in 50+ locations throughout Los Angeles. Recently, they franchised the concept and are now offering Professor Egghead as a franchise in the United States.
5. Toronto Vaporizer
Nima Noori was just an international student struggling to pay his tuition. He soon realized that a minimum wage job was not going to be enough and needed to do something else. He thought about selling electronic accessories and computer parts on Kijiji (an online service similar to Craigslist). However, after researching the market, he realized that it wouldn’t be worthwhile.
Nevertheless, he became aware that there was some online interest in vaporizers, a device used for smoking. As a result, he put some test ads on Kijiji to test the market. After getting dozens of inquiries from interested customers, he saw that he could fill a need in the marketplace. He used his personal credit card to buy some units and started selling vaporizers on Kijiji.
Nima was motivated and wanted to beat his competition. So, he offered same day drop-offs within the Toronto metropolitan area. The success of Toronto Vaporizer exploded as a result of his same day service. Toronto Vaporizer is now a multi-million dollar business and Canada’s largest online retailer of vaporizers and vaporizer accessories.
*This article is the sequel to the initial LifeHack article: 5 Successful Businesses That Started With a Simple Idea.
Featured photo credit: Sebastiaan ter Burg via imcreator.com
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How to write a winning resume: checklist for brainy jobseekers
If you have ever tried writing a resume, you know how confusing the entire process is. How do you begin and what information do you include?
You won’t find a universal guide that would teach you how to compose the perfect resume. Some hiring managers want to see a brief summary on top, so they can quickly scan through the document. Others don’t like repetitiveness, so they prefer resumes without a summary section.
Being unable to read minds doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do your best efforts to craft a decent resume. The Essaymama’s infographic and tips below describes few pieces of information that you should inevitably include. If you start from there, you’ll easily create the foundation of your document, which will bring you to a concise and captivating resume.
1. Contact Info
This is the easiest way to start composing a job application document: write your full name, address, email, and phone. A professionally-looking portrait is optional, but highly recommended. The photo will help the manager remember your application.
Everyone knows you by a nickname? Don’t even think about including it! Speaking of professionalism, it’s finally time to abandon the first email name you created in high school. Create an account that’s worthy of including in a resume (it needs to contain your name).
2. Headline
The headline should enable the employer to understand who you are and how you can contribute towards the company’s growth.
The brand statement will make the employer more interested in you as a candidate. Thus, you should think of 1 or 2 sentences that explain your value, your audience, and your unique approach to work. The career objective should offer information on the type of work you would like to do, and the profile should show that you are suitable for that position.
3. Experience
This is easy: include everything! Make sure you provide the experience in chronological order and focus on the past 10-15 years. Provide the names of the companies, dates of employment, and the precise positions you worked at. Information about the salaries is not needed.
4. Education
There is not much to say here: you need to enlist the colleges/universities you attended, and the degrees you have completed. Of course, it would be great to include any honors and special awards you have earned. If you attended college, don’t include information about high school, since it’s not relevant for the particular position.
Most employers prefer to see the graduation date listed even if the candidate hasn’t completed the degree yet.
5. Skills
Think about the particular position and define the personal skills that make you an appropriate candidate. There are some universal characteristics that you can include: confident, organized, hardworking, creative, responsible, attentive to details… You should make sure these skills define you; don’t write an endless list of words that mean nothing.
6. ‘Extras’
This section should enlist your publications, certifications and licenses. It’s not the time to be modest; include all awards you have earned. Professional affiliations are also necessary. Social media profiles are acceptable, but don’t include your personal profiles. Focus on professional LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter accounts.
7. Formatting
Once you get all that information on paper, it’s time to format the content! It’s recommended to use Times New Roman font in 10-12 point size. Do not make the text overly “creative”; there is no need to use more than 2 fonts and sizes. Break up the content with bullet points to make it more readable. Adding relevant keywords will make you more attractive for Applicant Tracking Systems! The format of your resume should be .pdf, doc or .docx.
The resume should look very clean and professional, so you won’t get good attention if you use colored backgrounds, word art or clipart.
8. Grammar
If the hiring manager notices lack of literacy in your resume, it will end up in the trash. Use action words and express yourself without any slang and jargon. Do not submit the resume without editing and proofreading it!
It’s never easy to make yourself attractive through text in a specifically set format, but the above-listed guidelines will lead you in the right direction.
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10 Ways Smart People Start Conversations With Anyone
The heading is not to say that some people are smart while conversing and that others are just plain stupid. That would be a gross generalisation. But perception says that some people who converse in a smart manner are more aware and confident. And we believe that you must have a way of coming across as someone who is smart, creative and sure of themselves. These following sentences are some of the ways of starting or continuing an informed and interesting conversation that is not only a pleasure to others but of great interest to you.
1. “That is such a great pin/ring/pen/etc.”
By starting with a comment on something personal, you can often know more about the other person. This forays into the personal space without being too intrusive but at the same time its a positive note to start conversation with. And who knows you might just stumble upon a great story.
2. “Do you know which way the bar/room/office/water cooler is?”
By asking a question, you make sure that the other person is compelled to answer. And once you start conversation, it can just flow based on how you approach it. Asking for assistance is the best option if you want someone to help you out and get to know you.
3. “Can I help you with that bag/door/dog?”
By offering to help someone, you will always come across as a friendly and kind person. Obviously, you must be aware that another person might just be wary of you initially and that you shouldn’t force your presence on them. But if someone is having a hard day, a hand is always appreciated.
4.”What’s your reaction to that act/bill/play?”
You can start conversation by asking about the other’s opinion on things. Of this some will be of importance to them; they will care about certain things and talk more about them. If you also have a view on the topic, then the talking gets easier and easier. This method also requires you to have knowledge and opinions about things around you.
5. “Hey! Don’t you know John/my cousin/that doctor?”
In this age of Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Twitter, to start conversation of any kind you only need to check for mutual friends. This will not only give you an opening line, but will give you an idea about the circles the other person hangs out in. After all, often some conversations are not worth pursuing.
6. Do you by any chance hail from (your school/town/hobby class)?
Not only mutual friends or social networks present you with a cursory glance into a persons surroundings. If you have certain similarities in your school, interests or place of belonging, you will have a wide range of topics to cover and even have the opportunity to reminisce. This can be the best to start conversation about pasts and look into the future.
7. “Your blog/music/art is really interesting.”
Without praising another to the skies, it is a good sign to show interest and communicate your opinion about their profession or hobbies. You must emotionally as well as creatively be invested in another to have a meaningful conversation about their creative bent of mind. You must make sure that your compliments are sincere and say something more than being mere exaltation.
8. “I have a lucrative opportunity for you.”
By following up on a person’s interests and background, you can start conversation by providing an opportunity to another person. This opportunity can be something as small as asking them to teach your nephew softball or commissioning a painting from them. By feeling useful or important allows another person meet you shoulder to shoulder in the art of conversation.
9. “Something really embarrassing happened to me the other day.”
While not only asking questions, you must also offer more insight about yourself. By telling your story and trying to come across as an honest person, be it plain, exciting or just you, you will let another know that you are open to new people and new experiences.
10. “This is to toast my best friend/ boss/ new couple!”
You must hone your public speaking skills to be able to communicate with a room full of people and one single person alike. By being confident and using humour as an accompaniment, you can win not only one but every heart in the room. And we believe that that is never a bad thing.
Featured photo credit: Samuel Zeller via stocksnap.io
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