WorkAbility

The CCNA virtual lab has become a good alternative to building a real lab using used or new Cisco equipment. The traditional problem with using physical Cisco equipment is that it is very expensive and still might not have all the features you need to pass the CCNA exam. I highly recommend using a simulation for this reason. Here are 3 reasons why you need a Cisco router simulator to help you prepare for the CCNA as well as your career beyond the CCNA: 1. Simulation Questions In The CCNA Test - Cisco has put many simulation-type questions into the CCNA in order to test the candidate's ability to troubleshoot and configure network devices in a real life situation. The weight of these questions...

Have you ever used Craigslist.org to find a job, buy a house, rent an apartment, or buy a used item? If not, you may be unaware of the search problems users face. Although Craigslist has many good deals, these good deals can sometimes be hard to find. Why and is there a solution? Users are unable to search more than one city page at a time. As previously stated, Craigslist is a great concept. It is designed to connect local buyers and sellers, homeowners and home buyers, job seekers with job employers, and so forth. Unfortunately, the website is city and state based. This would be a great concept if you could still search the entire website, but you can't. If you want to travel for a new job, a good...

When we choose to be a graphic designer, we are hoping to win a lot of money. This is good but, do not forget that, this is a job practiced by many people that are better qualified than you. So try to learn how to get in front of others and to be appreciated at your maximal potential by the employers, and to make them read your portfolios or at least to look at it. When we are asking for such work, the request must also contain a C.V. along the portfolio, which reflects our work and aspirations and experience. It is perhaps more important than the portfolio because, it is the first thing a potential employer reads. Imagine that, you are not the only one who has sent a resume to the company, because...

The education system is moving more and more towards a technology based one with online colleges and distance learning methods growing in leaps and bounds since of recent. Statistics have shown that this dramatic shift, away from the traditional classroom has been evident with there being a 17 percent increase in enrollment in online courses since 2008 whereas the overall increase in the students who entered university rose by only 1.2 percent during the same period. This means according to online college degree news that more than 4.6 million students had joined at least one online course in the semester of 2009. According to online degree college news, many courses can now be offered online that...

LinkedIn, a social networking site for professionals, is a large community of over 40 million users from all over the world. It allows people to interact with other individuals and maintain profile pages that contain their career-oriented information and contact details. The advantage of LinkedIn is that it prevents personal details from being stored in the same place as business information—which means, you can publish your business information without worrying about who’s going to read it.  In fact, the more people who have access to your business information, the better.  You never know where your next job lead might come from. Like other networking sites, LinkedIn works on the concept that...

There are many people who retire and then spend their years in loneliness. They might not get enough time from their family members and may not have many activities to keep themselves engaged in the day. For such people, opting for a data entry home job is a very good solution to keep them engaged as well as earning some extra money. They do not have to venture out of their homes and face the troubles of commuting to work daily. They are their own boss and can function sitting comfortably at home and working on a personal computer as per their schedule. Retired people can opt from a variety of jobs. They can go in for simple jobs that involve moving data from one file and placing it in another file...

Many years ago a co-worker confided to me that she planned to "stick it" to her boss for not giving her the preferred schedule and raise that she felt that she deserved. "How do you plan to do this?" I asked. "Girrrrl", she said with a long, sassy, drawl while moving her neck in a circle, "the next time that witch call me to work over time I am going to tell her hell no. I don't care how much of a jam she is in. I came in late today and I left early yesterday. I am calling in one day each week until I use all of my sick time. And I am not doing anything that is not a part of my job description. I have already started putting my resume out. When I get my new job, I am not even going to call in... I...

Writing a resume for an internship is similar to that of any other job except that typically interns are paid little if not at all for their dedication. How best to tailor this document to show your capabilities and achievements relevant to this job? Employers are willing to invest time and energy into individuals that they deem worthy of their time. By writing a paper that can easily detail your accomplishments, you are half way to the goal. However, learning how to properly focus the resume is a skill that takes practice even for the learned worker. Let's imagine that your resume is the only key to getting the job. Thus you want to put your best foot forward as part of your sales pitch. The resume...

When you apply for a job, employers will not only evaluate your educational achievement but also what type of person you are. They will be looking for the perfect person who will fit the required qualities needed by the vacant position. Your personality or how you bring yourself and view life will dictate what you will become especially when it comes to work. Aside from the academics that you get from schools, you also form your values and your attitude when it comes to work from your experiences in life. A good and pleasing personality will tell the employers what department you will be suited to work. A Career Assessment Test especially the one which measures your personality will give the...

Immediately upon graduation, most college students start filling in job applications in hopes of securing a job interview. Prior to this, these graduates need to have an impressive graduate resume. Resume writing is an art that is best left to professional resume writers that specialize in graduate and entry level resumes. A good cover letter and an impressive resume is the first step towards being granted a job interview. Now that you have secured an interview, you need to prepare for the tough questions that lie behind the employers' door. The majority of people considers the expected questions and prepare for these. Many rehearse the answers so that they sound confident while answering them...

Medical transcription is a very popular option for working at home. Landing that first job after training can be tough, but it's legitimate work once you get going. But that's the challenge. Getting things going. The first thing you need to understand about medical transcription is that you need training at the very least, and quite possibly some experience, before you can find that transcription job from home. Most employers will not train you on the job. Due to the sensitive nature of this field, they need people who are prepared to work and dedicated to their jobs. Before you sign up with any online medical transcription school, you need to research them. You want to ensure that you have a good...

When there's a line at the supermarket or bank or target, it's only natural to look for a way to 'budge" in line. When there's a big line of CANDIDATES, it makes sense for the Employer to have higher standards, higher screening. While they are certainly interested in the best candidate, they only have time to interview, say, 10. I don't have any problem with candidates bringing W-2s with them, BECAUSE it means that they have PASSED THE INITIAL SCREENING. Getting past this test usually means getting a job interview and potentially an offer. After all, the main purpose of my Salary-Making rule #1: wait for an offer before discussing salary. In the 2001-2003 slow down, even though there were candidates...

Why teenagers require a job Teenagers are usually not choosy about selecting a job, it is usually not their choice to have a job in getting a job they may be following their parents' wishes as parents could influence teenagers to an extent. Many employers feel that they would rather not hire a minor, or endorse a teenager job, because many efforts are required getting them trained with any particular field. If you are a teenager yourself, the best way to get one is to go and ask for the job in the place of your interest. You need to have a desire to do the job employers will not hire you if you do not work hard. Teenager jobs are coming with limited positions to help you get ready to face the world...

For each position that we apply for, there should be an effective corresponding cover letter to enhance your resume and highlight the reasons why you are a good match. Using a double column cover letter can double your chances of being found in a database search just by the sheer volume of keyword or buzz words included. The cover letter is your story, sure, but it can be used to literally 'fling' your resume above others in database search engines. Right now, Recruiters and Hiring Managers are searching through electronic databases such as CareerBuilder and Monster to find a good match for their job description. Using your cover letter to help you 'jump hurdles' over other applicants is vital if...

"Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven't planted." - David Bly One of the most important aspects of landing the job of your dreams is staring with a powerful resume (or CV, as they're called in my part of the world). Either you present yourself well enough to get the interview or find yourself missing out on something great. Ultimately, it's about selling yourself as best as you can so make sure you take the time to do it properly. 1. Keep it short. The point is simply to get your foot in the door, so two pages of only the most essential information should be enough. Whenever something can be attached and referred to separately, do so and use the extra...

Drafting a new resume or creating a LinkedIn profile is an absolute necessity for your six-figure job search though is often not the most favorite thing for most job seekers. The tendency is to rush ahead with your six-figure job search without updating this critical information. However you might as well just save your time and go golfing instead as your obviously out of date resume is going straight to the trash bin. Perhaps you have even sat down and tried rewriting your resume or LinkedIn profile and just hit a block. This is not uncommon and despite your other amazing skills and talents, not everyone has the patience or natural writing abilities to create a winning resume, profile and cover...

We get calls from all around the country from employees who want to know if their Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rights have been violated. We explain that we are not attorneys. But here is one of the stories I was told by a caller: I am 52 years old and I worked for (one of the biggest pet store chains in the US) XYZ as a store manager. At work I slipped on some water, fell and hurt my hip. I have a bad hip, and the doctor said I needed hip surgery. I went to my regional manager and told him I needed two weeks off for surgery. I asked the caller, "Did they offer your FMLA paper work, and explain to you your FMLA rights? Did they give you the forms, et al...

There are some interesting education related Exhibitions that take place in the UK each year. Below we highlight five of the main events. Birmingham's NEC is one of the venues for the 'Recruitment and Careers' show which always attracts a large crowd. This show takes place in various locations throughout the year including Manchester, London and Birmingham. This show is perfect for job seekers as it offers one the chance to get expert advice on a variety of matters from CV writing and interview techniques to covering letters and work placements. This year's show is on the 6th July 2008. The Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) holds a number of events annually throughout the UK at...

A common mistake among service providers is spending 90% of their pitch time talking about themselves, or about social causes, rather than what difference they can make for their employers. Consider this pitch: "We're an organization that helps match persons with disabilities with employment opportunities. We sincerely believe disabilities should never be a barrier in obtaining meaningful work. We're looking for partner industries for this cause." Informative? Sure. But will it catch the attention of a potential employer? Probably not. One of marketing basics is putting yourself in the shoes of your target audience. This is called the WIIFM factor or 'what's in it for me?' More than knowing about...

Are you looking for a job? Before you start your search for jobs it is very important to make sure that you are ready to face the tough competition present in the job market. There are various things that you need to do. One of the most important things that you need to consider is to create a resume which would be liked by the employers. Just creating a good resume would not help. It is also very much essential to post it on the right place. There are lots of people who do not tend to get a job just because of the fact that they do not post their resumes on the best of places. When you enter the job market you will find there are thousands of candidates who are seeking jobs in the same as yours...

Today good looks are very important for your personal and professional life. While recruiting, companies not only check your academics but also your personality and can play a crucial role. Good looks are a moral booster. If you want to undergo cosmetic surgery to enhance your personality but can't do so due to the lack of money then cheap cosmetic surgery loan is the best option for you. These loans are available in two forms secured as well as unsecured. To avail secured kind of loans you are required to pledge one of your properties as collateral against the loan amount which can be anything like home, car jewelry etc. With secured c cosmetic surgery loans which are cheap you can easily avail an...

There are two different types of MLM leads. MLM stands for multi-level marketing; This is a system of profit funneling that provides residual profits for people who make sales. Sales generated in multi-level marketing are made as a result of leads. One type is called the unqualified lead and the other is called the qualified lead. The unqualified lead is just about anyone you talk to that has not really expressed an interest in your operation directly. However, unqualified leads take your contact information. Therefore, they can turn into what is called qualified leads, which are the type who are genuinely interested in the program, product, or services you have to offer. The difference between a...

If perhaps you adore cheese then you are likely to enjoy many different types and a very popular style of cheese is blue cheese. Many individuals take pleasure in consuming this kind of cheese daily and it is perfect to enjoy by itself, in sauces, on pizzas, the uses are endless when it involves preparing and serving blue cheese. Blue cheese is actually a unique cheese considering how that it is produced as it is generally aged in a cavern to assist the actual maturing process. Blue cheese which has had Penicillium cultures integrated to give it the distinctive appearance of the blue veins. The actual blue veins tend to be added by injecting the actual cheese with spores when the curds are...

The field of video game development is one that millions of young men and women think about jumping into each year. They want to have a chance to show that they are suited to creating the biggest and best new electronic entertainment products on the market each year and that they are prepared for whatever the career can throw at them. However, video game development is not as easy as most people think it is. In fact, before most people can even start looking at jobs in programming, design, or artwork, they need to work in lowlier fields to get much needed experience and climb their way up the ladder of the industry. This means that most people new to video game development will work in game testing...

Landing offshore oil rig work will require both physical strength and mental stamina. The conditions that these workers work under can be extreme and although the oil companies will make every attempt to make life as comfortable as possible while onboard, the weather conditions and being away from your loved ones makes this a challenging career path. What can You Expect with Regards to Your Working and Living Conditions? As an employee of the oil industry, you can expect your living quarters to be of the very highest standard and the food that will be prepared and provided while you are on duty will also be of this high standard. Because the work is so challenging, the companies prefer to keep their...

div class="googleright"> Those who are looking for a way to find people for various positions can use a social recruiting site that practices social recruiting from various different types of social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Those who are looking for new faces or who are looking for people to fill jobs can use this type of system to get the right people for the right job. Social recruiting will help companies as well as recruiting firms to find the right person for the job. It can often be difficult to get people when you are a recruiting agency or a company that is looking to hire. One of the best ways to recruit is to use social recruiting methods, although this can take quite a...

Most savvy SEO's know that Google is placing an increased weight on links from "authority" websites. Wikipedia, a free internet encyclopedia that can be edited by any user, is certainly one of the top authority websites in the eyes of Google and I´m certainly not the first SEO to observe that an awful lot of Wikipedia pages are currently ranking quite highly in the SERPS. Many of you likely have tried to place your website link on a Wikipedia page. What most probably happened is a zealous Wikipedia editor likely removed your link very quickly because the prevailing view is that appending your external link to the bottom of a previously created page adds little to the community and likely...

"Will you be my friend?"...Barney the Dinosaur Within the community of search engine marketers, a herd mentality definitely exists. When multiple early adapters talk about the same thing at the same time, we all go check it out. In 2006, when Facebook opened to everyone, I signed up, looked around, yawned, and promptly forgot about it. Recently however, many prominent members of the SEO community that I follow and respect all started talking about Facebook simultaneously which told me that I was missing out on an important conversation that I needed to hear and participate in. So, I went back to Facebook, created my page and I now see its enormous potential. Despite the wonderful openness and...

Having trouble detailing your career within a resume? You're not alone. Presenting a CLEAR MESSAGE about what skills and successes you can bring to the table is challenging, to say the least. It's also critical to a successful job search. These expert tips are a good place to start: 1) CREATE A TARGETED OPENING Jumping into your work history without an introduction greatly lessens the impact of your resume. Worse, it can cause confusion in recruiters/hiring managers, who want to ascertain your unique attributes AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Make their job easier (and increase your response rate when submitting) by creating a targeted opening. - Analyze postings for jobs you're interested in to identify 3-4...

Many people get a bit frustrated when they don't see the immediate results of networking. Hey, sometimes networking is a slow process and takes a while. I encourage all not give up, and keep plugging away with your networking efforts; even if you don't think it is going anywhere. When you least expect it, you will see results. When you are networking, always think about how you can help others, and not so much what others can do for you. If you give more than you receive, eventually good things will come your way. You really have to be patient because in some cases it can be a long wait, or at least feels like it is. Networking is also about building trust and that is not something that you usually...

With so many strategic initiatives failing, it is clear there is a chasm between what is said and what actually happens - too much talk and not enough action. Hollow promises of sharper execution and new executive talent appear in the news with tedious regularity - as if it were the latest breakthrough in management thinking. New initiatives fail because managers use flawed approaches to follow through. But if execution is so critical to success, why don't more companies take a disciplined approach to it? Why do many businesses put so much effort into crafting the "perfect" strategy and then screw it up with a slapdash approach to execution. Countless strategies are designed without taking into...

Given today's economy, all individuals in the job market are wise to have an updated resume. Unfortunately, many of today's job seekers are being thrust into the job market by lay offs or just the sheer need for a more secure working environment. Yet, despite this reality, I have met many individuals who procrastinate the dreaded task of writing or updating their resume, even once laid off. If you are one of these individuals, be advised that the average job search is taking approximately 6 months now and as time continues to pass, the job market is getting smaller. This highly competitive job market requires a special kind of resume. "Cookie Cutter" resume templates or generic resumes which are not...

In today's job market, the vast majority of resumes are both submitted and read electronically. Here's how to make sure your document stands out from the pack: 1) STEER CLEAR OF FLASHY FORMATTING, LOGOS, AND GRAPHICS While it may be tempting to "spice up" your resume with visual tweaks, this should be avoided at all costs. Understand that hiring agents are utilizing a vast plethora of software and associated versions, each one of which can present a potential compatibility issue when viewing your document. Don't take the risk of having your resume be rejected due to a flashy graphic or logo. Instead, opt for as simple a format as possible. 2) INCLUDE A "CORE COMPETENCIES" SECTION Applicant Tracking...

It's very important to discover unadvertised positions in the job market currently. There are roughly 6 applicants for every single job, so the competition is very fierce. To set yourself apart from all these other applicants, you have to do something a bit different. You need to stop relying on advertised positions, and commence looking around for positions that employers haven't informed the public of. This article outlines 4 methods to do this. The conventional method to discover a hidden job is to begin contacting all of the personal and professional people in your networks. The people who can help provide you with optimized career options are often referred to as your 'warm contacts'. They can...

A lot of the opportunities you'll find will be online listings. That's intimidating because they're so available they attract loads of competition. But the competition doesn't know how to use these listings and most of them never get found. Here's a couple of tactics you can use to set yourself at the top of the online resume pile: 1. Think beyond the instructions for online applications. Most of the applicants you'll be competing against will give the employer whatever they ask for, no more no less. Take, for example the "Email Your Resume" button that often ends an online req. Of course, you need to push the button and add your resume. Most of your competition will just send their resume. A few...

If I were to ask you about how well your company pays you, (and you were to trust me enough to tell me), what kind of information might you give? Assuming the trust existed, you might well tell me the annual, monthly or weekly figure and then wait for me to say something. This is the normal, everyday response we would be inclined to give. In reality though, you are likely to have more or less than you think - a hidden salary. What do you do with the income that you are currently aware of? Where does it go? What do you spend it on? It is more than likely, that with proper review and tight budgeting, you could save money or make payment arrangements so that you could begin to save money sooner than...

What NOT to include on your resume Your resume is your most important tool for getting the job you want. Is yours working for you or against you? Here are some things you should never have in your resume. 1. Inaccuracy. Is all the information on your resume accurate? This includes your name and contact information as well as the names and contact information of previous employers as well as the dates. Mistakes with these items not only make it difficult for a potential employer to contact you, it also may give the impression that you are purposely giving inaccurate information. 2. Misspellings. Make sure every word on your resume is spelled correctly in its context. A single "teh" instead of "the...

Professionals and entrepreneurs can use networking to enhance their communication skills. Their approach and interactions with colleagues can instantly brand them as a networking expert. In order to be respected and appreciated in your field, it is important to have a clear message. What type of message do you want to relay to your audience? How does this message connect with your abilities and services? Can people understand and relate to your message? Listed below are helpful tactics for professionals who desire to convey a clear message. Be Concise. Networking at events and functions is a great way to express yourself and make meaningful connections. The way in which you introduce yourself and...

Before writing a speech, you must first determine the topic on which you'll be speaking. Often when given a speaking opportunity, you'll find yourself in one of two positions: searching desperately for a topic or choosing from a myriad of topics. These simple questions can help you find a topic or define your choices. Question #1: Who is your audience? Will you be speaking in a corporate setting or a more relaxed atmosphere? Think of what will be most helpful and valuable to your audience. Think of what will connect with them. Question #2: What is your field of expertise or experience? Are you a scientist, doctor, lawyer, author, analyst, project manager, athlete, actor, world traveler? Draw on your...

This article addresses the issue of online job applications specifically, as it seems that the bad habits that come with browsing the Web have permeated to the job application process. It is no secret that our attention span on the Web is very short. For some reason, this impatience has built itself into how we respond to job postings. Following are 3 bad habits to avoid at all costs: 1) Applying to positions we are not qualified for. The Web has streamlined how we communicate with each other. We often see postings on the Web we "may" be interested in and quickly apply to them without giving it more thought. That is the path to failure as the whole process is built on wishful thinking. Most people...

Candidates always want to know the ONE thing they can do in the job interview that's going to be the most impressive to the hiring manager. And there really is one answer. There are a lot of other pieces that go into a successful job interview, but the number one thing you can do in the interview to make a great impression is to ask questions. When you ask questions, you demonstrate your knowledge of the job through those questions. One of the most important questions to ask is at the very beginning of the interview: "What exactly are you looking for? If you saw the perfect candidate for this job, what would he/she look like?" Or, if it's a team you'll be a part of, ask, "Who's the best person on...

Brag books are a fantastic way for you to showcase the best you have to offer as an employee. It's a historical look at what you've done over your career, and it's made up of your performance statistics, project results, product brochures you've created, awards, rewards letters, and even complimentary notes you might have gotten from supervisors or even high-level clients. Anything positive that demonstrates in a concrete way what a valuable part of the team you have been goes in the book. You might imagine that it takes a lot to put one of these books together, and it does. It takes a lot of time, energy, and talent. So don't you dare go to your interview and not present it correctly. One big way...

You have to bear in mind that there are many different types of Engineers such as Mechanical Engineers, Chemical Engineers, Environmental Engineers and Computer Engineers. This article focuses on the Engineering field in general but it is important to remember that the job varies significantly across different fields. Below is an outline of some of the work activities of Engineers and how they have the potential to change and improve the world we live in. Engineers work very hard to solve problems in order to produce better working products and processes. Most Engineers will use Science and Mathematics throughout most of their day to day work. A significant amount of any Engineers day is made up of...

Is role playing and videoing a good tool to use on sales training courses? This is often a question I am asked when meeting prospective clients who are looking at the possibility of running a sales training course. Well think of it this way, it's a Monday morning after the big match at the weekend and the premier league football coach brings the team in to review the match. On goes the video and the coach and players watch, each move is analysed, the tape is stopped and the coach asks the group what was good, what was poor and what can they do different next time. If video evidence is good enough for premiership footballers to see their strengths and their development needs then surely it is a tool...

Last Week I wrote about "We Have To Call At The Top," suggesting the concept of right level selling. There are many times when calling at the "C" level is critical for our sales efforts, yet we struggle to get appointments with these executives. I was interested to read a Forrester Research report on this topic, presenting the executive perspective. Only 15% of the "C" level executives surveyed felt their meetings with sales people were valuable and lived up to their expectations. They went further, based on the outcome of the initial meeting, only 7% would accept follow-on meetings. No wonder they don't want to see us, we waste their time! -The report goes on to look at the reasons sales people...

Rules for executive resume writing are different than those followed by candidates targeting an entry- or mid-level position. Unfortunately, most high-level executives produce resumes that are no better than the rest. These tips will show you how to make your executive resume stand out from the crowd. Prove Your Worth With any resume, it is important to highlight your accomplishments, but it is even more important for an executive resume to demonstrate results. By the time you have climbed the ranks of the corporate ladder, you are expected to have won a lot of battles -- you should literally have dozens of success stories. So, when you list job descriptions, don't just plop down a bunch of bullet...

The best time to present your 30/60/90-day plan is in your first face-to-face interview. In this difficult economy, many well-qualified people are applying for jobs, creating some stiff competition for you, so you're going to want to come out of the gate strong. Don't bother trying to bring it up during your phone interview-I don't think you can present it well over the phone. I do think that you can email it to the hiring manager if you are trying to get the hiring manager's attention and you've exhausted your other methods. So, the optimum time to present your 30/60/90 is during your interview, when the hiring manager asks you something like: "What will you do during X amount of time?" "How do you...

Positioned at the top of the resume, usually instead of the objective statement (though you can have both at the same time), the summary statement is your small bio or sound-bite and gives the reader a quick and accurate understanding of you and what you can do for them. Being at the top of the resume, the summary statement is likely to be one of the first things the reader will see. When you construct a summary statement your aim is to provide a short accurate description of yourself and could include some of your skills, experience, areas of expertise, achievements and traits or characteristics. Even though there is a lot of information that can be included in the summary statement, the most...

Let's talk about networking, shall we? Stop ten people on the street, and ask them about networking. Nine of them will say things along these lines: -I don't like to do it. -It doesn't work for me. Other answers, like "I never get anything out of it," "I'm shy," and so forth are just reflections of these basic issues. In fact, you could even sum it further into the broader "It's a waste of time," but for purposes, we need to work something a little more specific. Here are the three things I'd like to always keep in mind when it comes to networking: 1. You're soaking in it. I love that old Palmolive commercial. She didn't know that she had her hands in the soap the whole time, and a lot of people don...