Using LinkedIn Answers To Look Smart

Using LinkedIn Answers To Look Smart… or engage experts, or find answers quickly, or for various other reasons. LinkedIn Answers is one of my favorite parts of LinkedIn and works for me because I have over 200 network contacts (so I get good participation), and because I let my connections know I have a question! But I continue to see questions like I asked a question but no one can see it how do I make my question public?? Heres how I do it: Note, heres the link to this real question, and there are great responses already! First, click on the answers tab at the top of any page (once you are logged into LinkedIn). Second, youll see a bubble that says Ask a question note this is like the subject of the e-mail, so just put a few words in here (not the entire question with details!). Third, the next page will give you various options note that your question is in the top box and right below it is the Only share this question with connections I select checkbox I always leave that blank! I dont know why you would check the box but Im guessing this makes it so others cant see it (unless explicitely invited). Fourth, here is where you actually add the details of your question. Some of these get lengthy on a recent question I asked I got an e-mail saying you should break your question up. I asked 5 questions in one kind of. But I agree with the advice dont make the question overly complex or you might not be happy with the answers. Hat tip to Scott Ingram, NetworkInAustin, for the advice Fifth, this is also important because some people only browse categories that they are interested in, or experts in and Im guessing if you dont categorize correctly you might get flagged. Ive selected Using LinkedIn as the primary category and there are no other sub-categories (which would go in the boxes where 1 and 2 are). Note that you can also choose other categories (see my cool red arrow). Sixth, another critical thing to fill in correctly is the bottom of this same page these checkboxes below. Ive never done one that is geographically focused, and I dont have questions related to the three bottom boxes so mine have always been unchecked. Seventh, after you hit Ask Question you are allowed to share this question with your connections. I always click Select Questions and choose up to 200 of my connections (note you can add others in the Other contacts box). Below this is the message that goes out. All of the people you choose here will get an e-mail or note that you are asking them a question (it depends on what their preferences are). Note you can have your answers flagged and taken down! Dont use this feature to ask questions like Does anyone know where I can get a job or something that others would consider spammy. Have you used Answers? Do you like it? Have you had problems? Using LinkedIn Answers To Look Smart… or engage experts, or find answers quickly, or for various other reasons. LinkedIn Answers is one of my favorite parts of LinkedIn and works for me because I have over 200 network contacts (so I get good participation), and because I let my connections know I have a question! But I continue to see questions like I asked a question but no one can see it how do I make my question public?? Heres how I do it: Note, heres the link to this real question, and there are great responses already! First, click on the answers tab at the top of any page (once you are logged into LinkedIn). Second, youll see a bubble that says Ask a question note this is like the subject of the e-mail, so just put a few words in here (not the entire question with details!). Third, the next page will give you various options note that your question is in the top box and right below it is the Only share this question with connections I select checkbox I always leave that blank! I dont know why you would check the box but Im guessing this makes it so others cant see it (unless explicitely invited). Fourth, here is where you actually add the details of your question. Some of these get lengthy on a recent question I asked I got an e-mail saying you should break your question up. I asked 5 questions in one kind of. But I agree with the advice dont make the question overly complex or you might not be happy with the answers. Hat tip to Scott Ingram, NetworkInAustin, for the advice Fifth, this is also important because some people only browse categories that they are interested in, or experts in and Im guessing if you dont categorize correctly you might get flagged. Ive selected Using LinkedIn as the primary category and there are no other sub-categories (which would go in the boxes where 1 and 2 are). Note that you can also choose other categories (see my cool red arrow). Sixth, another critical thing to fill in correctly is the bottom of this same page these checkboxes below. Ive never done one that is geographically focused, and I dont have questions related to the three bottom boxes so mine have always been unchecked. Seventh, after you hit Ask Question you are allowed to share this question with your connections. I always click Select Questions and choose up to 200 of my connections (note you can add others in the Other contacts box). Below this is the message that goes out. All of the people you choose here will get an e-mail or note that you are asking them a question (it depends on what their preferences are). Note you can have your answers flagged and taken down! Dont use this feature to ask questions like Does anyone know where I can get a job or something that others would consider spammy. Have you used Answers? Do you like it? Have you had problems?

8 Ways to Prepare for a Global Career - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

8 Ways to Prepare for a Global Career - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Working abroad is a good way to boost your resume. Aside from providing travel opportunities, a global career can also hone your marketable skills, increase your salary by as much as $25,000 assuming youre bilingual/multilingual, and make you a better person. However, it can also be intimidating. With hundreds of countries in the world, plus all the possible jobs you can take abroad, you may find it difficult to chart out a global career that suits you. To make things easier, heres a guide to help you get started. Evaluate Your Career Goals Before anything else, think carefully about what a global career can do for you. Will it give you an edge among your peers, in your company and/or in your industry? Or can you reap the same benefits working within the U.S. for American companies? You dont necessarily have to leave the U.S. to pursue a global career. Now that its easier than ever to find remote work opportunities, you can still carve out a path for yourself without going out of the country. However, if youre set on physically transferring abroad for work â€" whether temporarily or permanently â€" thats when you follow the next steps. Learn a Second Language If you think theres no use for that non-English language you know, think again. The demand for interpreters and translators is projected to grow 29 percent by 2024, so dont throw away those foreign language materials yet. In case you dont have a second language, however, dont worry. You can still learn basic conversation with online courses. Once youve mastered the language, practice it by conversing with native speakers, so itll soon become second-nature to you. Learn the Culture Theres more to foreign culture than traditions and taboos. You can also ask questions such as: Whats the current political/economic climate in the country? What is the countrys general attitude toward foreigners? Will you get by with a mastery of English alone, as in the case of the Philippines, where most people can speak at least basic American English? Or will mastery of the local language be mandatory, as in the case of East Asian countries? Test the Waters Theoretical knowledge is good and all, but theres nothing like actually visiting another country to test the extent of that knowledge. Before you decide to live in that country for good, schedule a preliminary visit first. This way, you can get a feel for where youll work. Its also a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture and practice your foreign language skills while youre at it. Know Your Way Around Since youre staying abroad for a relatively long time, its a good idea to know the important places in a foreign country. Find out where your countrys embassy is, as well as the locations of its banks, medical services, post office, etc. You never know when this knowledge will come in handy. Be Open to New Approaches Toward Work In Western countries, conflict is usually dealt with in a straightforward manner. In Asian countries such as Japan, on the other hand, people are usually afraid of shaking the status quo. Since everyone has to have their say in a matter, it can take weeks or even months to reach a single decision. Of course, that can seem frustrating or even ridiculous to you. But if youre set on working in that kind of country, understanding the culture as it is â€" not what it should be â€" will go a long way. After all, Japans emphasis on collectivism has served it well in the past. Take Courses With a Global Approach Granted, you dont need a degree in international relations to thrive in a global marketplace. But academic knowledge about a specific country/region/culture can be useful. For example, you can take a free online course on international relations to get you up to speed. Dont Be Afraid to Use Technology LinkedIn isnt just for finding work opportunities. Its also a great way to network with contacts from outside the country. However, be careful when applying to foreign companies. Some of them deliberately misrepresent themselves online to lure unsuspecting applicants into a shady business. Check their online presence, ask about them in forums, and take 100 percent positive reviews with a grain of salt. Wherever your global career takes you, keep the lessons you learn close to your heart. By exposing yourself to cultures other than yours, you pick up perspectives that may never even occur to you if you chose to stay with a U.S. company. Make the most of your stay abroad, do as the Romans do, figuratively speaking, and be the best professional you can be.

Digital Careers That Could Enhance Your Earning Potential

Digital Careers That Could Enhance Your Earning Potential Right now, we live in the digital age where more things are online based these days. Technology has advanced at such an alarming rate, that sometimes we can fail to keep up with the latest smartphone, the applications available, not to mention the thousands of websites that possibly get launched every single day. There is an abundance of information at the tips of our fingers waiting to be unveiled or indeed explored. Today we no longer look for an answer in a book, we ask Siri or Alexa, we type in the question to Google or other search engines and we browse websites of information, blogs of articles and opinions, reviews from other consumers to get the answers we are looking for instantaneously. So it shouldnt be a surprise that more careers are becoming digital focused and there are a number of ways and career options you could be considered as your next move. There is no degree as such you can take at university. Of course, you can learn media, train in different forms of advertising and marketing, but many entrepreneurs who want some form of digital careers start with next to no knowledge and learn their trade. Which is why these sorts of careers are open to anyone who has a passion for it. With that in mind, I thought I would share with you some of the best digital careers out there for you to try. Who knows, you may find that you are inspired to try something different yourself.   Smartphone application developer Developing an application is a more common career these days than ever before. There is an app for everything and the thought process behind it is convenient and time-saving. So more people are considering a career in the software and development side. Either for themselves or as part of an agency developing a larger corporations application. Applications can be anything from an ecommerce store, making it easy to shop online from retailers. It could be a crazy addictive game that sweeps the nation by storm, or it may even be just an application that offers information, positive quotes for every day or a unique diary system. The options are endless, which means a career in app development will always be fruitful. Of course, there is some element of learning for this such as software, etc. But learning on the job could help you to be more informed of the phases and development processes needed to create a successful application. Which could even see you creating your own app development agency one day. Become a blogger Blogging has fast become a career for many online influencers these days, and more often than not, it will have started out as a hobby to share the passions and opinions of what they love. A hoby is great, and blogging can really consume you, which is why so many people take that next step to turn it into a monetised blog where you can earn a living from advertising and marketing campaigns. You can simply start by creating a blog and even do it in your spare time before making it your full-time career. You can check out website builders online who can provide a step by step guide or information to help you get started. Not all bloggers are knowledgeable in website creation or social media influencing. It is something that is often learned on the go, and developing something as a hobby helps you to learn what works for you and what doesn’t, as well as building up your readership. There are many avenues of revenue to consider with this sort of career. For example, you could consider affiliate marketing, or get involved in sponsored campaigns. What about vlogging? Vlogging is an extension from blogging where in fact you share video content instead of written articles. Websites like YouTube enable you to set up a channel where you can then publish videos for all to see. You could choose to do vlogs where you share parts of your life much like a mini reality TV series. Or you could simply sit in front of the camera and discuss what you want to say. You could offer tutorials for anything such as recipes, hairstyles for crafts. Whatever your passion is. You can start to earn right from the start by joining Youtubes advertising program.   However, be mindful that much of your earning on Youtube is based on your viewing ratings and your subscribers.   So it can be a long drawn out process.    Like blogging its often started as a hobby first while you develop your voice and your editing skills. There are successful influencers all over the world that have made a career out of sharing their daily lives. Consider website development If you prefer working behind the scenes, then you may want to look into website development. It could be the best option for you. Creating and working with different software to create a website for companies or for yourself. Researching relevant code to create different digital functions. Experience in different software systems is advantageous, but most of which can be learned. Social media and online marketing expert Finally, social media isn’t just about sharing your status updates or pictures of your latest holiday. People can actually develop their marketing careers from being an expert in social media. From knowing when to post at the most optimised time to creating a social media strategy for brands and businesses. These days many companies are hiring social media experts to take care of this high flying marketing option for their business as there is so much involved when it comes to a decent social media strategy for business. Many larger businesses are taking full advantage of having people dedicated to this sort of advertising.   Often, the roles can be so flexible that you could work on the go or from home. So there you have it, the digital careers that could enhance your earning potential. I hope that this has provided you with some inspiration and knowledge.   Perhaps even motivated you to try a new career path yourself!

Thrifty Taste - An Interview with Stanleys Fruits Vegetables

Thrifty Taste - An Interview with Stanleys Fruits Vegetables By, Melissa Alvarez After much debate on what I wanted to write about, it finally came to me after I thought long and hard about what Chicago small business owners are facing today: High taxes, laying off employees, business management, and finding new customers. Therefore, I decided to write an article about someone whos been there, done it, and has the t-shirt: Peter, owner of Stanleys Fruits and Vegetables. Stanleys is an adorable store and thrifty option (located on Elston Avenue in Chicago)  where everyone goes to get the most affordable and high quality produce in Chicago. Although I interview people everyday for jobs, this time I was a little nervous. I quickly prepared some questions to ask him, and of course prepared myself to be rejected from even conducting the interview. Luckily he obliged and said with a thick Chicago accent, Yea, you wanna do it right now? I chuckled thinking, yes of course, but unprepared I quickly set up the interview for Friday and continued to gather up questions throughout the week. After interviewing Peter, I realized we have a lot in common. Good values, strong work ethic and our love for food. I also enjoyed speaking with him about his products, for everyone knows my applicable hobby for food and cooking. Cooking + Family/Friends = Melissas Coping Mechanism If you do a quick Google search youll find LOTS of reviews on Stanleys, but you wont find a website and youll find no history page. Youll find the address and some pictures of the store, but you wont find much about how it all got started, and how it continues to be a success after all these years. Its the story and lessons my own parents and grandparents taught me: Be good to people and they will always come back for more, or when you make a mistake, count your blessings, pick yourself up, and try again. All and all, Im blessed as a new business owner to hear these stories and to do exactly that. Peter doesnt know this, but he taught me some valuable lessons during our short interview. According to Peter, having a business is simple; its about helping and making other peoples lives a little bit easier, and affordable. 1. Tell me a little bit about your background. Peter: I was born into this. I truly enjoy what I do, and I got involved in the business awhile back ago. My grandfather started it in 1967 after being an independent grocer in the 40s. We go way back. 2. Its a tough market out there. How in the world do you guys still manage to sell with these affordable prices? Peter: It would be easy and honestly untrue to provide you with some sort of strategy in how we do it. Honestly, it just goes back to what my father always taught me since I was 15. He says, ‘I gotta sell affordable products. If they kill the customer today how can they shop tomorrow?' As a business owner too, you have to know when to change. Quality is important and you just cant cut corners on it. Your product has to stay consistently good and affordable. 3. Where do you get your products from? I must add, its all very yummy. Peter: The weather has had an effect on some of the vegetables. It just hasnt been hot enough to get as much corn this season. More than 80% of our products are organic and we get it mostly locally. From local farms, to local tables. 4. You recently introduced a deli. How did this idea come about? Peter: Change is good, right? Haha, my Dad just called me up one day and said, Hey, you need a deli. Get ya-self a deli. So I did. We are grateful for everything. We want to provide people with quality meats, and health conscience foods. 5. What would you say to business owners out there facing this tough economy? Peter: Dont go for a margin. One type-quality. Be fair. 2 Thrifty, Easy and Healthy 5 Step summer recipes with Stanleys Fruits and Vegetables. Cucumber Salad   Ingredients:                                                                                                                                               1 Stanley cucumber                                                                                                     1/3 finely chopped Stanley sweet onion                                                         1 teaspoon chopped Stanley cilantro                                                               1 clove of minced fresh Stanley garlic                                                               1 cup of sour cream                                                                                                   1 tablespoon of salt                                                                                                   1/8 teaspoon of ground cumin                                                                                         Add vegetables into sour cream mixture and toss well. 5. Serve cucumber salad in a fun and bright colored serving bowl with a sprig of cilantro for presentation.   Directions:   1. Peel and dice cucumber, chop onion, cilantro and garlic and set aside in a bowl together.   2. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream,salt and cumin. 3. Blend (15 strokes with a spoon).     Chicago “Sport” Hot Dogs       Ingredients:                                                                                                                                               Pack of hot dog buns (wheat or white)                                     Packaged of fat free beef franks (kosher)                                                 1 Stanley white onion                                                                                                                       1 cup of a juicy, fat Stanley tomato                                                                           1/3 cup of mustard (Plochmans)                                                                                 1/2 cup of sweet pickle relish (Rolf’s)                                                                 12-14 sport or jalapeno peppers   Directions:                                               1. Boil or grill hot dogs for about 5 minutes until thoroughly heated.           2. Heat buns on grill or microwave for 7 seconds. 3. Place 1 frank in each heated bun   4. Top each frank with each vegetable as you like.                     5. Add a squirt of mustard and enjoy.                                                                                                                                            

Your essential careers fair check list for networking

Your essential careers fair check list for networking Career fairs â€" you only go for all the free stuff, right? Free pens, free sweets, maybe if you’re lucky even a snazzy tote bag or two. While the freebies are great, it might shock you to know that  you can actually get a whole lot more out of a career fair than just a new stock of stationery. Play your cards right, and it’s an opportunity to impress future employers, build up your network and get a better idea of what kind of career you might want after you leave university. But this will only happen if you put in the work. Rolling out of bed and rocking up at a careers fair without a clue what youre doing isnt going to get you anywhere. But if you prepare properly beforehand, and plan out your strategy, youll really be able to make the most of the opportunity. Find out what companies will be there Career fairs can be so busy and hectic that theyre just plain overwhelming at times. Just trying to find the stall you want to hit up can take ages, and even then it’s easy to get distracted by everything else on offer. You’ll get the most out of the fair if you look up beforehand what companies and employers will be there, and make a list of which ones you want to see. Plan out your route so youre not zig-zagging around the room and wasting time, and make sure you visit every stall you planned to before you leave. Prepare some questions It’s easy to just turn up to a stand, grab a leaflet and go. But really, it’s a great chance to find out more about a company. Quite often the people representing the employer will be recent graduates themselves who now work for them, so you can ask them all the questions you wouldn’t want to ask a more senior employee. For example, how much do you earn? How much work is there really? What’s the office vibe like? Some of the people on the stall might also be recruiters, so asking some insightful questions is an opportunity to stand out from the crowd and get noticed. Dont over do it; if you try too hard to impress it could come across as arrogant, but take the opportunity to show what you have to offer. Collect some business cards If you’ve spent a while chatting to someone, and found out you really get along, then don’t be nervous â€" ask for their business card or email address. The following day, drop them a quick email saying how much you enjoyed meeting them and finding out about the company. It only takes a few seconds, but things like that will really make you stand out. These employers meet hundreds of people at every careers fair they go to â€" you want them to remember you. Find out what will make an application stand out If you think you might end up applying to work at this company, or in this particular field of work, make sure you find out what will make your application stand out â€" and what would definitely land your CV in the bin. Dont stress about overstepping the mark with your questions theyll appreciate you showing your enthusiasm for the company. Even if they just direct you to their website, theres no harm in asking, and you might pick up some tips that put you ahead of the competition. Remember to go in with an open mind It’s great to have a fixed idea of what you want to do, and you should definitely make a beeline for those stands. BUT, there’ll be companies and careers on offer at the fair that you might not even have heard of.   So it won’t hurt to take a few minutes to wander around aimlessly and see if anything catches your eye â€" you never know where you might end up! Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Happy new year! - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Happy new year! - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Happy new year, Im off to a party. I hope that 2003 will be the year where we get exactly what we need instead of what we want or think we want or think we need. I wish you good fortune, peace and lots of fun. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Best Cell Phone Deals site www.letstalk.com - Hallie Crawford

Best Cell Phone Deals site www.letstalk.com So Im thinking about getting a Crackberry. Ive avoided it, like I do most technology. (I still have an old candy-bar sized cell phone that my friend Maggie makes fun of. Its a Nokia. When I drop it and it breaks into pieces, I can put it back together and it still works. I love that!) Lately, there have been too many times that Ive wanted to check my email on the road without opening my laptop and hoping theres a wireless internet connection nearby. So I want to look into something else… Do any of you have recommendations on Blackberry vs. Palm Treo or anything else similar? Please write me or comment if you do. Im hoping there are some Mavens out there who know these devices inside and out. (Im reading about Mavens in The Tipping Point-an insightful, fascinating book.) I want something that has everything in it email, address book, task list that would also enable me to view and work on Word documents downloaded from my laptop. Would love to hear your experiences/recommendations with these devices. Thanks! Want to know the bext cell phone deals in your area? Kiplingers Magazine rated www.letstalk.com as the best site to quickly find the best cell phone plans and deals in your area. Enter your zip code and a few other parameters and it filters plans for you. You can also compare plans side by side. I tried it this morning, pretty cool. It wont help me decide on a Blackberry or Treo though. And by the way, I am committed to not being a slave to my Blackberry, especially on vacation. Well see how that goes. Have a nice day, Hallie