Sunday, December 29, 2019

How to make your writing more interesting

How to make your writing mora interestingHow to make your writing more interestingThe title itself almost made me throw up.Being a good researcher, though, I clicked through anyway, hoping to be wrong. I was disappointed.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreYepthere is the suggestion my life was crap.Yepthere is the advice about getting up earlier.Yepthere are the mild adjectives and simple sentences.Yepthere is the implication the author is wildly successful.Yepthere is the ask for an email addressYepthere is the vomit.The relentless swill of recycled wisdom in the self-help genre, while worthy of ire itself, is elend the topic of this post. After all, self-help in itself is fine. Asking for email addresses is fine. Giving advice is fine.Writing with all the poise and grace of a third-grader, though, is not fine.No matter your topic, be it the urgency of the pension crisis, the excr etion of the 7-toed tree frog, or yes, even getting up early in the morning in order to live YOUR BEST LIFE(), there are ways to write which do not compel puny, Y List Celebrities like me to throw their breakfast cereal at the wall.So here we go1 MetaphorA metaphor is when you describe a thing which cannot do or be the thing you are actually claiming it is doing or being. (Calm down, English majors. Thats essentially what it is).The sunrosevs.The sun was golden lava pouring over theground.Of course, the sun wasnt REALLY golden lava, unless your fiction story is off to a horrific start. But itseemedlike that, though, didnt it? It looked like that. As a matter of fact, your brain thought it actually was.Researchers from Emory Universitydiscovered metaphor spreads beyond the language processing center and into the other sensory areas of the brain.Youve been looking for Jedi mind tricks your whole life. Turns out all you had to do was use metaphor.Instead of bashing bad writers, lets ch eer on a good one.Dan MooresMy Mom is a Movie Starputs on a clinicMy mom is the epitome of cool. zu sich eyes could cut ice. She bounces on her toes, all muscle and kinetic potential. In her hand she holds a baton that has been lit on fire at both ends. She holds it as casually as others might grip a tennis racket. The New England night yawns out behindher.Can a night yawn? No. Can a eyeball cut ice? No. It doesnt matter. Wefeelwhat Dan is saying.Make sure you go read that whole post.Then have a good cry.Then lets get into2 PacingPacing is when you slowly lead the reader up a long and winding tunnel. You slip and strain to pull them over boulders, hop across gaps, and squeeze through the tiniest crevices. You show them the marks you followed to reach your destination before finally emerging on the very top of a snowy mountain.Then, you push them off the cliff to their death.Think about when you are in a car. When you go 80 miles an hour for more than 60 seconds, you dont even feel i t anymore. But when you accelerate from 10 to 100, or 100 to 10, you feelit. Some smart author who I forgot and cant findnow.Pacing is the bedrock of good writing. Take a look at your sentences and paragraphs. Are they the same length? Do you lull your reader to sleep with long, flowing sentences which seem to never end?Stop it.Then start again later.By the way, youll notice my pacing often includes a line break because Im super dramatic like that. Good pacing works in paragraphs too. Take a look at this example from a book Im reading right nowTy BurrsGods Like UsCary Grant, the studio ordnungsprinzips Perfect Man, privately raged against the Academy for not giving him an Oscar and experimented extensively with LSD. Read between the lines of the existing biographies and the mythic love affair of Kate Hepburn and Spencer Tracy turns into a problematic tale of alcoholism, enablement, and emotional cruelty. Im pretty sure Tom Hanks picks hisnose.Long sentence. Long sentence. Short sent ence. Easy, right? For bonus points, Ty Burr uses emotional pacing as well.Longserioussentence. Longserioussentence. Shortfunnysentence.Or take this out of context piece fromSunil RajaramansEverybodys Rich But You. What could have been a bland, self-helpy niche article about contentment as an entrepreneur turns into a fascinating read for all.You know what? Who needs an exit? You dont need more money. Money is only going to add stress to your life. Its not like these people are going to be any happier. What would you do with more money? You are so lean already. You get out of the car. You spend $10 on a cup of cat-shit coffee. Your Lyft cost$17.Capital EfficientFor comparison, here is one terrible and boring way to make the same point as above.If you are looking to make more money, perhaps you should start with more expensive daily purchases*. The New York Times did a study that said much coffee costs an average of $6 over a few days** Cut out coffee to save money and feel morerich* **.*Telling people what they SHOULD do scares them**Please stop putting studies in your posts because Mr. Benjamin P. Hardy does it***If this were any more on the nose, we wouldnt even be able to see the rest of your face****.****I know that doesnt make much sense but I think you get it now.3 PersonalityWriting like yourself is when you tell yourownstories, share your own insights, and connect yourownpieces of yourownpuzzle with your own experiences and yourownadvice. Read yourownbooks and watch your own movies and do yourownwork and tell us what you learned.(Was that subtle enough?)Check outDervla McTiernansHow I Knew It Was Time to Quit My JobBattle mode. Old habits. I kept my job at the Commission and wrote at night. My husband stayed in his job, too, though he wanted something different. We kept writing down tasks and ticking them off. Every now and again, we would take a breath and look at each other and try to remember if life had always been like this. Hadnt we been fun, once ? Hadnt we laughedmore?We had forgotten how to do anything but work, as if work were the solution to every problem.Do you see what just happened? You read someone elses story and learned something about your own life. heidewitzka Turns out you are pretty smart I guess you dont need to be hand-held through self-improvement after all.Surely there are a million and one ways to go about writing better, but these three are my favoritesmetaphor, pacing, and writing like yourself.Happy writingDont Let your Book LaunchFlopGet my Solo Book Launch Checklist, as well as the swipe files for every single email I sent to help me make $5,000 in the first week of my book launchDownload the goods here for the price of an email address.This article first appeared on Medium.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Decision That Transformed My Confidenceand My Career

The Decision That Transformed My Confidenceand My CareerThe Decision That Transformed My Confidence- and My CareerI will never forget what a man at a bar told me after my college graduation. Cupping a beer bottle, he gave me a hard look and said, Youre perfect- other than those teeth. Doesnt that bother you?Somehow, I eked out a response and told him I didnt need to be perfect. (a.k.a., Of course it bothers me, jerk.)For years, my smile held me back, both in and outside of the office. My teeth were crowded and misaligned, and my canines pointed out enough to look vampy. I constantly covered my mouth when I spoke and never flashed an open smile in photos. If I did without thinking, Id beg friends to take my photos down from Facebook. I had a tight-lipped smile reserved for close family, friends, and colleagues- everyone kept telling me I should really smile. And I always agonized during job interviews that hiring managers would remember not my credentials, poise, and quick responses t o curveball questions- but my teeth.Last month, I finished orthodontic treatment to fix my smile. I couldnt be more in love with the end results, but even a month or two into treatment, Id already noticed an extra boost of confidence from my teeth moving into the right alignment. In fact, in the time I had braces, I powered more business relationships and found more career momentum than ever before, even moving into a management role at work. And immediately after feinschliff treatment, I landed my dream job (with a smile).Heres the story of how I decided to get braces at 29 years old- and why its the best decision Ive ever made for my career.The DecisionFor years, people always pushed me to get braces (although most of them more diplomatically than the man in the bar), and for years, I put treatment off. I welchesnt a candidate for the clear, nearly unnoticeable aligner treatment systems like Invisalign. The idea of metal braces was terrifying- reruns of Ugly Betty flashed through my head- and I didnt think I could afford the treatment costs.So, I never seriously considered them- until I had considerable wear to my tooth enamel and an occasional chipped tooth because of my overbite. Before getting braces, I talked to my orthodontist, Dr. Charles Wait. I was undecided, and he made me take a real look at how putting off treatment would continue to affect my oral health. Because I had a deep overbite, my teeth would run together, causing irreversible enamel damage. He told me that, by my 50s, my lower teeth would be down to nubs. As I learned, most of us dont realize that crooked teeth or uneven spacing between teeth can actually cause gingivitis, TMJ, or eventual tooth loss.In my case, I decided I owed it not only to my current self, but to my future. I wanted to network like a boss, present and lead meetings with complete confidence, and of course continue moving up the ladder into more challenging roles. Looking ahead, I wanted to see 50-year-old me as a high -powered executive, not someone struggling to make it through the corporate world with baggage about her smile and tooth loss. I knew it was time to make my move.Getting StartedSo, what about my concerns? First off, I didnt have to suffer through metal, train-track teeth. Most orthodontists, like mine, now offer cosmetic braces to adult patients. The cosmetic braces I wore actually used a special color-matching technology to blend to the color of my teeth. A matching tooth-colored arch wire and rubber bands made my braces basically invisible. Most people didnt notice I had braces immediately, and if they did, they were excited for me or commented with approval or envy, I need those, tooAdditionally, the cost wasnt excessive- in fact, it was easily covered by cutting back on non-necessities and shopping trips. While I opted to pay in full upfront, my doctor offered different billing options, like making small monthly payments.After my consultation, a dental tune-up, and some X-rays, I had my braces. My orthodontist gave me a rough timeline of a year and a half to two years. I was extra compliant with rubber band wearing and dietary restrictions, (no popcorn, peanut butter, or tragically, red wine). I ended up wearing braces for almost two years, but it was worth every moment. (Plus, it didnt hurt that they made me look younger.)Gaining ConfidenceI knew my smile would be different once the braces were removed, but I was clueless as to how much I would change before even enjoying the final results. I never realized how much I hated my teeth, and when they started aligning after just a month, my confidence doubled.I started becoming the person and the professional Id always wanted to be, navigating social and professional situations with more grit and assurance than ever. I no longer dreaded meetings with my boss or exchanges with colleagues at conferences. When I met with upper management or interfaced with the CEO directly, I didnt have to hold back anymore. Wor king with outside agencies, publications, and vendors, I quickly built relationships without insecurities about my teeth unternehmensverbund me back.As I became more visible at the company, my smile did, too. I smiled at everyone, bringing more energy into meetings and encounters with the executive team. I was known for my constant smile and positive attitude, which made me approachable, and I was able to build some of the most real and meaningful relationships of my career at that company. I think that, plus the fact that I was making a visible investment in my quality of life, made me more credible as a leader. It didnt take long in braces for my new tenacity and continued hard work to pay off in the form of a promotion.Days after having the braces removed, I had an interview for my now-current gig. I didnt agonize over my crooked teeth- instead, I pushed my portfolio and knowledge with a permanent smile. I think people know when youre holding back, and for the first time, I didnt . And it helped me land my dream job.Looking back after feinschliff my treatment in braces, its hands down the most positive decision Ive ever made for myself. My only regret is not pursuing treatment sooner, but taking action on my own as an adult and paying for treatment was empowering.If youre considering braces- or anything else, for that matter- Id encourage you to think about how it can affect your confidence, your relationships, and your career. For me, it was an investment in my future- and one thats already paid more dividends than I could possibly have imagined.Photo of woman with braces courtesy of Shutterstock.

Friday, December 20, 2019

10 Career Quizzes to Help You Find a New Job for the New Year

10 Career Quizzes to Help You Find a New Job for the New Year10 Career Quizzes to Help You Find a New Job for the New Year Youve got big job questions - and ansicht 10 career quizzes and personality tests have the answers. From figuring out what job youre best suited for to whether youre a natural-born leader, these quizzes will help you find the perfect new job or career in the new year.This quiz, created by Glassdoor, is all about helping you find a job that works for you. While many quizzes are designed to suss out whether youd fit a certain job, this quiz is meant to help you see how well a job would fit into your life by looking at what you do and how you spend your time outside the office. If youre looking for a career change , this quiz is for you.The Myers Briggs Type Indicator quiz is one of the most respected and used personality tests by both career centers and hiring managers- and theres a reason This test (or quiz, if you will) helps define how people see and perceive the world, using four psychological functions, including sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking- four things that can really help you determine what career field and specifically, what job, fit your personality best. Nowadays, its not always enough to have a stellar resume and cover letter. To snag your dream job, its sometimes also necessary to have a personal brand . But how do you define and exhibit your personal brand best? Thats what this quiz, developed by Glassdoor, was designed to do. It will help you hone your brand- and use it to get a new job or career.Are you considering taking a step up the corporate ladder in your next job? Then this quiz is for you. Designed by Glassdoor, it will help you figure out how ready you are to lead and manage a team or even an office. As it points out, while being a natural isnt required to be a good leader, its important to know how your competencies line up if being a role model and guide is your goal. This quiz will show you where you stand now- and how to grow. According to its website, the O-Net Interest Profiler can help you find out what your interests are and how they relate to the world of work, making it a great quiz to take if youre just starting out in the workforce- or if youre trying to change your career path.If youre not happy at work , is it automatically time to find another job? Maybe- or maybe not, and this quiz will help you figure out if you should change things up at your office or change jobs- or careers- entirely. The quiz, created by Glassdoor, looks at many things that could be making you unhappy at work, from company culture to lack of advancement opportunities to uninspiring management. No matter what your situation, it will help you begin to figure out whether youre in the wrong job and need to plan an escape, ASAP.According to its website, the MAPP (Motivational Appraisal Personal Potential) career assessment is perfect for students, graduates and working adul ts. Youll get a wealth of information to help find the right career that matches your unique assessment profile.When youre ready to find a new job, it will inevitably be time to update your resume. But what kind of resume is right for you ? This quiz, made by Glassdoor, will help you answer that question- then write a resume that fits your personality and brand best, and get a job.This quiz is a free, psychological assessment to help you discover how you measure up in the five factors of personality openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Knowing these measurements will help you find a job that fits your strongest personality traits- or avoid jobs that wont align with who you are as a person. Would you move for the right job ? If so, then where would you move? Thats a big question to answer- but this quiz can help you narrow down the right region for you. After you answer a few questions about your lifestyle, professional interests, and prefere nces, this quiz- created by Glassdoor- will tell you the perfect city for you to find your next position.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Essential Roles Within a Project Management Team

The Essential Roles Within a Project Management TeamThe Essential Roles Within a Project Management TeamThe types of projects that professional project managers run are usually large scale and complicated. They require the input of many people, including you as project manager. Roles Within a Professional Project Management Team The following roles typically make up a professional project management team Project Sponsor Often in a large organization, a high-level person, possibly a senior manager or director, will act as the project sponsor. This role can often be like the working relationship a chairman of a company would take with a CEO that of critical friend/moral support/key communicator to a variety of audiences (taking on the appropriate role depending on the context). But the role is slightly mora complex than this. The project sponsor is your advocate at the highest level, working with you more closely than anyone else in the senior management team. They present your pro gress to the senior management and are responsible, with you, for the success or otherwise of the project. They have a wider view of what is going on across the organization as a whole and can see where the project fits into the bigger picture. They will be able to steer the project to achieve its goals as set out by the senior management and within the context of the organizations direction of travel. They can make arrangements for additional resources to be made available and open doors which may be shut to you as project manager due to your relative lack of seniority. Essentially the project sponsor exists to take ownership of the business opportunity or need and take it forward to ensure the issues are dealt with and the benefits realized while being able to resolve matters outside of the control of the project manager. Project Manager The project manager is the center of this project. They need to know what the goals are, and where this fits in the bigger picture while at the s ame time having a handle on much of the detail at every stage. This person is the planner (including maintaining the Gantt chart), the organizer and implementer and the one who has to have the project management skills to ensure everything, including success, is measured and reported accurately. Finally, they need to be an objective judge of much of what is going on, while at the same time being at the subjective heart of all which is happening. Project Customer/Client This is the person who is responsible for paying for the work. Often this is the team responsible for the problem or opportunity the project has been established to look at. They are the people with most to gain from the project, hence it is their budget which is at risk. Suppliers When your project requires niche skill sets, ansicht are often found outside of your organizations in-house staff. Materials required for a project often also come from outside your organizationwhether paper stock, asphalt or aerial photogr aphy drones. These additional skills or materials will often be vital to the success of a project. Not having the correct professional or the bricks arriving too late (or early) can have a detrimental effect on the success of your project. The Project Board The groups mentioned prior usually form the Project Board. The board usually has key people who can be seen to represent the different interests in the project. These are often viewed in groups made up of Supplier groupsUser groups The board is usually chaired by the project sponsor and is the forum where the project is driven forward to a conclusion. The project manager is part of this group and uses it to communicate with ansicht key stakeholders, report back and take direction on how the project needs to develop. Project Coordinator Big projects may also benefit from a project coordinator to help with the admin. This ensures the mundane, yet vital, tasks get done. This can cover minutes of meetings, invoicing, or the stationer y order. Project managers can sometimes be tempted to just do these simple tasks themselves, but each can be a drain on time. You should be managing the project, not managing the admin - that is an important skill set, but project managers should know when to delegate.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Top Advice on Sample Resume Summary

Top Advice on Sample Resume Summary Top Choices of Sample Resume Summary 1 A resume summary is a brief, snappy introduction paragraph that gives you a summary of yur very best work. Youre going to compose a resume summary which gets far more interviews. A summary is only a brief paragraph that details what a candidate is about his aspirations, work skills, experiences and at times, achievements. The resume summary will function as their sales pitch. Theres so much that youre able to write in a resume summary. Now imagine whether that SAME resume had had a summary bewertung on top clearly outlining why youre an ideal candidate. You may want to bring a resume summary statement. You must have five objective statements. Sample Resume Summary - Overview Please get in touch with us if you would like us to add sample resumes for any particular category or whether you want to submit an example for particular category. There are many pardon resurces on the internet that meet the cost of Awesome Sample Resume Summary. Everyone knows that when browsing for work, the very first task you will need to complete for a possible employer is, Send a copy of your resume. Transportation jobs involve a lot of responsibility and your resume will want to reflect you can manage that. Using Sample Resume Summary An objective is a brief statement that clarifies your goals concerning the form of employment desired and the way in which your skills make you a nice fit. My aim is to find the job. Your aim is to find the job. Just remember that every career objective needs to be tailored to react to that particular position. A strong summary statement at the peak of your resume can increase the probabilities of them noticing what youve got to offer from the beginning. The summary is just one of the most essential elements of your resume because it functions as a type of fast elevator pitch wherein you get to sell your finest assets. Sometimes, you could have to list relate d and unrelated experience below the exact same heading to steer clear of confusion. A well-designed banking resume sample can definitely go a very long way in deciding the odds of you landing your favourite job in a financial institution. Other way to demonstrate that youre the proper person for this work post is to incorporate the next things in your resume. The very first thing that you want to do is go back and have a look at the job that youre applying for and determine your intended audience. Telling someone you managed a huge project is fantastic. On the flip side, if youve got a fairly linear or straightforward career path, the space is probably better used for extra bullet points in every single function. Take a look at our sample to find out what a good construction resume looks like. Review our Controller sample resume below to observe how to earn the the majority of your credentials. Be certain to be thoughtful once you use action verbs. The applicant managed to m ention important qualifications in just a few sentences. On the flip side, once the work applicant has strong experience, there is not any need to trust the academic training any longer and it doesnt need to get mentioned. Therefore its good in the event that you can make changes based on the job and company youre applying. The job is just one of the most critical work in the industry as it involves the full functionality of the workplace. Unique kinds of work in the food service industry require resumes with a number of the very same skills. There are lots of resources available on how to a great resume summary, but its tough to find decent tips on how to do it if dont have any work experience. In addition, you need a great deal of creativity to address complex issues. If you follow the advice above you are going to have an interesting, compelling resume summary that is likely to make the reader want to find out more about you even regardless of your lack of work experience Common problems like spelling and grammar mistakes will make you appear stupid. Even when you lettered in three sports, it isnt a fantastic notion to reference high school experiences. Since you have to be concise, its important to work out what you would like in your next position, and that means you know precisely what skills and experiences to highlight. Therefore, our aim is to provide you the very best tools you have to succeed. As a student you may not have a lot of work experience. Furthermore, you can learn more on the subject of food service careers on Monster. If youre a career changer or have several years of experience, craft a potent overview to highlight your accomplishments and techniques. In spite of no experience, you still ought to show experience. You dont require experience to get achievements.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

How to Choose Descriptive Essay Topics for University Students

How to Choose Descriptive Essay Topics for University Students Writing descriptive essay students need to be more personal and use their imagination to the complete extent. Templates like Descriptive Essay about Office can be helpful for an individual whos planning to stop by an office. In case youre not even able to begin your descriptive essay its possible to take Essay Writing Help of professionals also. Like every assignment, a descriptive essay has a certain function. The ability to spell out something doesnt come easily for a great deal of individuals. At the very start, students should discover the proper topic for their undertaking. Some students utilize the very first idea that arrives in their head and work on it, but the outcome isnt profitable. Even very smart students may face an issue facing a need to make an effective written work. A descriptive essay is a sort of essay which aims at assisting you to illustrate something to your reader in a manner which the y can see, feel, or hear what it is that you are referring to. Try to remember, the topic does play an important part in grabbing the interest of the reader, but its the content which makes the reader stick to the essay till the end. The moment you choose the topic which suits you most, remember the reason you write your essay, concentrate on the most significant details to tell about in your text and dont neglect the value of senses and feelings in your essay. Argumentative essay topics are so important since they are debatableand its essential to at all times be critically contemplating the world around us. Descriptive Essay Topics for University Students On the opposite side, certain academic rules are applicable for practically any form of paper. Students write much better papers when they have some decent examples in front of those. You may be asking yourself, why its so crucial to write on math essay topics. A student should be this attentive when selecting a topic fo r an excellent descriptive essay. How to Choose Descriptive Essay Topics for University Students You may ask your tutor to supply you with a minumum of one descriptive essay example to assist you determine what is expected from you. If youre feeling unsure about how to compose your descriptive essay, you could always ask for skilled assistance from our essay writers. Expository essays are a breeze to write if you have sufficient inspiration on the chosen topic. Dont panic if you are not able to get your descriptive essay right. Descriptive essay always includes creative writing, even when topic appears to be dull and boring at first. A descriptive essay is an essay thats bound to present some type of detailed info on a particular subject. A descriptive essay is among the essay examples that will be easily done if youre conscious of the basics of its creation. Writing prompts are wonderful for when you will need a kick-start for your descriptive essays. Every student should know that writing isnt an easy job, which explains why they will need to be especially attentive when writing a descriptive essay. Writing is a particular gift that youre able to develop, but should you truly feel like it isnt your thing, our crew of professional writers can help to schliff an essay from scratch or do paper editing youve already done. You may not only get the normal essay writing help, but they also give valuable editing support since most of them are accomplished essay editors and proofreaders also. The Lost Secret of Descriptive Essay Topics for University Students For instance, you can opt for a topic for elementary, middle, or higher school. It is possible to also be more specific on how you want to describe your subject. A student might need a topic about something which is not far-fetched because the sensory details ought to be vividly portrayed. Attempt to consider what age is excellent for students to date with one another. Lies Youve Been Told Ab out Descriptive Essay Topics for University Students Students ought to be in a position to describe their environment properly, which is exactly why researching topics for a descriptive essay will bring them on the perfect track to rate their learning practice. Before they select their topics, they should be aware of the required length. As a way to deliver a suitable descriptive essay, students have to develop an engaging topic containing many intriguing qualities to describe. Plenty of students put on a uniform.